Shopping for designer handbags on the internet can be a challenge because it’s so hard to tell the real thing from a fake. If only there was a step-by-step instruction guide to keep you from getting burned, but there’s not. You have to get the best information you can and then use your intuition and best judgment. But don’t be afraid to buy a handbag on the internet, because there are some amazing deals out there.

You’ll see designer handbags on the internet at up to 70 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested price. Just because it’s being sold at deep discounts doesn’t mean it’s a fake. Handbags really do sell for prices this low on the internet. The critical thing to look for is whether you can easily return the handbag if it’s not what you thought you ordered.

Read everything on the website advertising the bag. Be sure to read the fine print. Don’t be taken in by all the beautiful pictures, which are meant to sell you the bag as an impulse buying decision. Take your time, do your homework, and engage the logical side of your brain. If you still feel good about the website after checking everything out, then take out your credit card and make the buy. You’ll soon be walking down the street with an authentic designer handbag that you got for a bargain price.

These are some of the things to look for when you’re trying to decide whether a website is selling real designer handbags or fake knockoffs.

First, make sure you can return the bag. A reputable e-commerce site will take returns on merchandise for at least 30 days. Watch out for restocking fees, because some sites like to set them so high that you might as well keep the bag even if it’s not what you ordered. A good online store will make enough money selling its wares that it won’t have to charge you a restocking fee for returns.

Second, stay away from Chinese e-commerce sites. This is not because all Chinese merchants are shady. The problem is that the fake designer goods industry has taken off so fast in China that the government can’t keep up with it. You probably won’t see any Chinese language on a site based in China, so you need to look up who owns the site’s domain name and where they’re located at a site like WHOIS Lookup.

Third, look for a guarantee of authenticity. That’s the whole point of paying for an authentic designer item. The site’s policies page should include phrases like “guaranteed authentic goods or we refund your money.” If this language is prominently featured on the home page, so much the better.

Fourth, look for detailed contact information under the “contact” link on the home page. You should be able to find a phone number and a street address. If you’re still unsure, call the phone number and see if it lets you talk to a live person.

Finally, beware of sites that use words like “top quality.” Handbag designers don’t have to brag about their quality because the name speaks for itself. Only an imitation handbag has to sell itself on quality. But if this is the only red flag, don’t let it stop you as long as the rest of the website checks out OK. Sometimes web site owners make mistakes when they’re writing copy.

There are some gorgeous, classy tote bag designs available that will complement your dressier outfits, including a business suite. These tote handbags transfer well from business to casual, too, so you won’t have to change purses every time you change clothes.

Look for leather tote bags when you go handbag shopping online. The best ones have a fabric lining and plenty of compartments on the inside to hold small odds and ends. Many of these designs have slots to hold cards like your driver’s license and credit card, but you’ll probably prefer to carry a wallet inside the tote for your important cards and cash. Be sure to look for a wallet that matches the bag.

Closure styles can include zippers, a single snap in the center of the opening, or decorative fold-over flaps and buttons.

Leathers come in all colors, including black matte, black patent leather, many shades of brown, neutral tans, white, and some wonderful hot colors as well as pastels. You can buy your leather bag in a smooth finish, a textured finish like mock alligator, or distressed leather, which gives a more casual look.

Just about every handbag designer offers this style in their product line. Many of these bags are made with high-end fabrics instead of the very casual canvas construction that you’re used to seeing. The classic Luis Vuitton brown-on-brown fabric is available in a tote bag design, with four-figure price tag. If Vuitton is making these bags, then you know they’re a fashion statement that’s ready for prime time.

How big should a tote handbag be? Try to find a size that’s just big enough to hold a manila file folder and still shut. That way you can carry papers without bending them. You’ll probably want to get a larger size to carry things to the office in, but the larger size bags are more casual.

The beauty of these bags is that they hold more stuff than a purse, but they’re not clunky like a briefcase. You’ll find room for all the things you had to leave at home when you carried a smaller bag: your sunglasses, checkbook, extra makeup, and your cell phone or blackberry. No matter what size, color, or style you choose, the stylish tote bag is an idea whose time has come.

A tote makes a purse seem outdated except when you want to dress up. You can carry a canvas tote bag in your hand, or sling it over your shoulder to leave your hands free. These bags have a nautical appearance and go great with casual clothing, especially in the summertime. Their breezy appearance makes you look cool and relaxed.

The classic fabric tote bag was pioneered by Land’s End but is now available from hundreds of manufacturers. The bag is made from unbleached canvas on the sides with a sewn-in bottom in a contrasting bright color like navy blue, red, parrot green, or chocolate brown. The handles are securely sewn onto the sides of the fabric bag and match the contrasting accent color of the bottom. Fabric bags can be bought with an open top or a zippered top. They’re stylish, strong, and a great bargain at a low price.

An even more economical version of fabric tote bags is the canvas grocery bag. This is just a very plain canvas shopping bag made from unbleached canvas with sewn-on handles. Many canvas grocery bags have advertising or monograms on them. Canvas shopping bags are marketed as being “green,” or earth friendly because they’re made from cotton, which is a natural fiber. One reusable canvas bag can keep thousands of pounds of disposable plastic from ending up in a landfill every year.

A great choice if you’re looking for a canvas handbag purse hybrid is the canvas messenger bag. It has a flap that closes over the compartment and often some zippered pockets to hold smaller items. Canvas messenger bags are usually carried over one shoulder. Some are big enough to hold laptop computers. Canvas bags for men are usually messenger style.

You can find almost any type of fabric bag for specialized uses. There are canvas duffle bags to take to the gym or to use as luggage. If you have children, you can buy a canvas diaper bag. A canvas beach bag will hold your towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, a book, and sunglasses. A canvas lunch bag is washable and easy to keep clean. You can even get a canvas coin bag to carry inside a bigger tote to hold your loose change.

Buy online to get the best bargains and the greatest variety of designs.