I have been looking on ebay for ages for a Mulberry bag - either Phoebe or Blenheim and I noticed a seller recently who is mypoupette recommended.

Now as every girl knows a mypoupette recommendation carries a lot of weight as these sellers have been certified as responsible sellers who only sell original authentic designer brands.

So when I noticed a mypoupette recommeded seller recently selling a Mulberry Blenheim bag I thought great - this could be the bag for me...but two things worried me.

Firstly the bag had a starting sale price of £50...Secondly the bidders identity was hidden.

I contact mypoupette to express my concerns on the hidden identity issue...why would a recommended seller need to hide the identity of a bidder.

The response from mypoupette is copied and pasted below:

The reason I don't mind is that it protects bidders from being spammed. Of course, no one can reach them for any other reason, either, but it is not like a seller hiding his or her feedback.

Regards,

Angie

The response from mypoupette has been worrying me and has moved me enough to share this information with other ebayers.  Mypoupette have been informed in writing that I will be sharing this information and a copy of the correspondence is available on request.  I would like to point out that I absolutely do not have any issues or comments to make on the verification process that mypoupette undertake to recommend sellers.  This is not my issue.  My concern is their lack of concern for buyers...not every ebay seller who claims to be mypoupette recommended - is!  and no-one can contact the buyer to let them know.

Before buying a Mulberry bag from ebay log onto the mulberry website and check what the bonfide bag looks like, what the material is like, the colours that are available and always contact Mulberry direct to check if they have ever made a certains style bag in a certain colour.  Most Mulberry bags that I have seen on ebay are fakes...very obvious ones when you know what to look for so pls beware.

Please please please beware of buying goods from ANY ebay seller if they hide the buyers identity.  I do not think that protecting the buyer from spam is a valid reason to do this - surely when you are spending hundred of pounds on a bag it is safer to have a few spam emails (which I have never received when I have bidded on designer bags before) than to lose all your money.

Finally if you can pay via paypal then do...it does offer some protection for the buyer if you are off-loaded with a fake, and always report the seller to the police or your trading standards office.

Remember selling fake handbags is illegal and these sellers should be reported to ebay