Louis Vuitton to Replace Datecodes with Microchips
As of March 2021, many of Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories will no longer come with a datecode. Many will also be missing a "made in" stamp. Instead, there will be an embedded microchip. Louis Vuitton will likely keep the microchip verification in-house and consumers will not be able to access a verification easily.
So, what does this mean for the resale world and for its retailers?
The designer resale market has been growing rapidly. Consumers are able to purchase a pre-owned Louis Vuitton bag, oftentimes at a huge savings, with the aid of authentication services.
The datecode sometimes is NOT a required area for many authenticity checks. However, sometimes, it a very important aspect. If it wasn't, why would almost all reputable authenticators request an image of it? Bags and accessories that are very simple in style will have fewer check points without a datecode and "made in" stamp. Also, certain styles are only made in certain factory codes and years, not to mention that the datecode font is frequently checked too!
So, one of these "no datecode" bags could be potentially harder to sell. It also makes it easier for counterfeiters to dupe buyers.
For Lollipuff, it will mean that on some of these newer bags, we will be refunding and cancelling the authentication fee. Because, if we do not feel confident in our assessment, we would most certainly not want to give a professional assessment.