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Brand name products with plenty of life left in them are on sale at a funky store in Siam Square

Even wanted to be turned out like a celeb but can’t quite stretch your credit card to cover the latest in designer wear?
Well, now you can buy that Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci or Coach bag you’ve been ogling at a cheaper price and even trade in your brand name clutch while you’re about it.
Just make a beeline to Number 2 shop on Siam Square and chat with its experienced owner Singchai Chaipitakroj, who worked as a brand name shopper before opening his secondhand shop six years ago.
A mechanical engineer by training, Singchai 36, used to travel all over Europe buying up leading brands for a Thai store.
But he was quick to realise the potential for a shop where customers bored with their earlier buys could trade them in and put the money towards buying a newer model.
Singchai insists he never buys fakes but admits that some visitors still try to con him with counterfeit goods.
“I wouldn’t buy anything I wasn’t sure about. My credibility relies on my stock being genuine and that’s essential for a second hand shop," he explains.
It’s taken time and effort to earn trust from customers as, in the beginning, Singchai was not just buying used goods but also showcasing consignment products costing hundreds of thousands of baht.
Today, he has regular customers and offers a range of products priced fromBt1,000 to Bt400,000.
The consignment price is set by the owner before Singchai adds his own profit. “But everything should remain reasonably priced,” he says. “And the most popular items are still bags from Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull col¬lections.”
Singchai is already feeling the effects of the credit crunch, and reports a 40percent decrease in sales over the past couple of months. He’s reduced prices and selected items for a special sale.
And while next year will be worse, he remains optimistic. “I should get more products at cheaper priced,” he grins.
He’s also hoping to boost sales through his new website even though he doesn’t have enough time to keep updating the pages with new arrivals.
Customers vary from high school students to celebrities. “One superstar brings her old bags to sell and lets it be known so members of her fan club can rush to acquire them. But most celebrities don't want anyone know that they sell their things here,” he says.


Xtra
Bag a brand
>>Number 2 is on Siam Square Soi 3 next to Dokya Book Shop.
>>Check out the stock at www.BestNumber2.com.
>>Call (02) 65463112 or (089) 773 1111