How to buy and care for a designer handbag

More people are buying high-end handbags again as economic uncertainty wanes and consumer confidence grows. Here's how to get a designer bag for less and take proper care of it so it lasts. Bang for your buck If you're hard on your belongings, or you measure longevity in decades instead of years, it may make the most sense for you to spend a little more up front. Specialty retailers will often repair their wares at little or no charge. Michael Kors will repair a defect for free within the first year; Kate Spade will make free repairs for manufacturer defects within two years And Coach Inc. will make any needed repairs for a $20 shipping and handling charge for as long as you own one of its bags. Beauty and fashion expert Rebekah George advises knowing repair policies before you buy and holding onto receipts, just in case you ever have a problem. Whichever bag you covet, start with a Web search. At sites like Overstock, eBags and Bluefly, you'll find discounts starting at roughly 10 percent. Also try auction sites like eBay.com or propertyroom.com, which sells police property. Just be on the lookout for counterfeits. Outlet stores are another option. Kate Spade, Dooney & Bourke and Coach all have them. Off-price stores like T.J. Maxx are another good bet. That chain's website recently showed a Dooney & Bourke medium-sized jacquard fabric tote bag selling for $69, down from $195.