How can I tell if what I'm seeing on my item at is a light scuff or scrape?
Light scuffs, scrapes, and scratches will usually show up as small, rough marks with blurry, undefined edges that are lighter than the rest of the leather. They can be easily incurred by small abrasions to the leather from handling, like from a fingernail scrape or bumping into the edge of the cardboard box when the item is being packed or unpacked.
How did my PLG item get this mark, and is it normal?
Because these abrasions are so easily incurred by handling (particularly when the leather is new), they are not out of the ordinary on our new products, even straight out of the box. This is considered normal by our team, and acceptable for both Premium and Almost Perfect items. That said, for our customers who'd like to treat these marks to diminish their appearance, this is easily done (see below for more info!).
Once you begin using your PLG item, it will "earn" plenty of scuffs and scratches during the break-in process from normal use. This actually contributes over time to the bag developing a shiny and scratch-resilient finish called a "patina", which makes our products only get more gorgeous as they age.
What can I do to address the scuffs and scrapes I'm seeing?
We definitely understand our customers wanting to keep their PLG products looking their best during the break in process and beyond. For customers looking to minimize the appearance of scuffs and scrapes, we always first suggest to try buffing out any abrasions with your fingertips or a soft microfiber cloth - the heat and friction will typically activate the oils & waxes in the leather, which are sufficient enough in most colors to help "heal" surface marks as they occur. Additionally, applying a leather conditioning product (one of ours, or one you already have on hand) to these scratches should effectively "erase" them - or at least make them far less noticeable - and return your new bag to a near pristine condition. (For brushed leather the treatment will be slightly different - please see below!)
We have a few varieties of brushed leather, and some colors (like Deep Water and Merlot) are extra-saturated with oils during the tanning process. This can mean that light scuffs and scrapes show up more dramatically on these colors, which can be initially alarming - but they are almost always easily brushed away using fingertips and firm pressure.
If this strategy does not work, rather than applying a conditioning product, we recommend this suede and nubuck care kit, which is better suited to the fine fibers of brushed leather.