If you’ve bought a backpack, travel bag, or suitcase online in the last fifteen years, there’s a decent chance you’ve browsed eBags. They were one of the bigger names in online retail for luggage, backpacks, and all sorts of travel accessories.
Founded in 1998, eBags grew up alongside the internet itself. The company really set the standard for how the average person shopped for bags online. For a long time, if you wanted a certain backpack or a toiletry kit and didn’t want to pay department store prices, you wound up on eBags.
Let’s take a look at what happened and where the brand stands now.
When Did eBags Close?
If you try to go to eBags’ website right now, you’ll hit a “shop closed” notice. That’s been the case since mid-2024, when the company shut down all direct sales channels. Their Amazon store is gone too, and it’s hard to find anything labeled as “eBags” in stock from major online sellers.
So, the answer to “is eBags going out of business?” is pretty clear—eBags isn’t operating as an independent online store anymore. The site where you could compare hundreds of bags, read reviews, and snag deals just doesn’t exist.
For a lot of shoppers, it’s confusing because Google search results and some reviews seem frozen in time. You still see “best bags at eBags.com” or affiliate links that don’t work. Reality is, if you try to buy, you’ll hit a dead end.
How Did eBags Get Here?
It helps to back up. Seven years ago, in 2017, Samsonite—yes, that Samsonite—bought eBags for around $105 million. At the time, Samsonite was the king of suitcases but didn’t have a great online shopping business. eBags was their way to get into e-commerce fast.
For a while, not much changed. eBags kept selling dozens of brands, including its own private label items—the Mother Lode series and Pro Slim laptop backpack, for example, were customer favorites. Samsonite products were easy to find on the site, but so were brands like TUMI, Osprey, and Herschel.
But over the years, eBags’ selection shifted more and more toward Samsonite-controlled brands. If you watched closely, the independent spirit started to fade. This happens a lot after big acquisitions. Eventually, in 2024, the plug was pulled on eBags’ storefront completely.
What Does “Closing” Mean for Customers?
Let’s be clear: eBags closed its store doors. There’s no eBags.com to shop. If you find Mother Lode bags or eBags-branded accessories on Amazon, they’re almost always from resale shops or leftover stock.
This move surprised people who’ve been shopping the site for years. eBags had loyal fans, especially frequent travelers and students. Some folks are even left with unused store credit or gift cards and no official statement on redeeming them.
If you’re hoping to buy one of the fan-favorite eBags products—like the Mother Lode backpacks, packing cubes, or their old gear—the best bet is to watch Samsonite. Samsonite has announced plans to keep certain eBags styles alive, but under their own umbrella.
Does the eBags Brand Still Exist?
eBags, the company, is not around the way we knew it, but the brand name itself hasn’t totally disappeared. After the acquisition, Samsonite started producing some eBags-branded products and selling them on their own online shop.
Now, with the main website closed, these items might resurface. Samsonite has set up a way for shoppers to sign up for updates about eBags products. If you’re hoping for another run of the classic Mother Lode line or even just want to know when something restocks, it’s worth checking the Samsonite website.
Samsonite seems to be in control of which eBags products get made from here on out. That might work for super-popular models, but it probably won’t mean the full selection eBags once offered.
Will Mother Lode and Other Favorites Keep Going?
Quite a few customers are nostalgic for eBags’ most famous product: the Mother Lode bag. It was the “if-you-know-you-know” pick for people who packed like pros. Rumors online suggest Samsonite will keep making some version of it.
Right now, you can sign up with Samsonite for updates on Mother Lode releases and other legacy products. The process isn’t very clear or overly promoted, though. If you see a Mother Lode in stock in 2024 or beyond, check if it’s listed through Samsonite or one of their official partners.
Other favorite eBags products—laptop bags, packing cubes, and accessories—may come back too. But again, the go-to shopping experience and huge selection are gone. It’s mostly on Samsonite to decide what stays and what disappears for good.
If you like following what happens to brands after these sorts of changes, [Sera Business](https://serabusiness.com/) tracks a lot of business closures and acquisitions.
Why Are There Mixed Reports on eBags’ Status?
It’s weird: If you poke around review sites, you’ll see write-ups from 2023 or even early 2024 saying eBags is “running” or “the best place to shop.” These weren’t wrong at the time, but the reality changed fast once Samsonite closed up shop.
Some travel blogs and YouTubers are slow to update their guides. Affiliate links now lead nowhere or to error pages. This is common with retail closures—search results, blog posts, and video reviews take months or years to reflect reality.
So, if a site claims you can still shop at eBags, it’s either out-of-date or writing about inventory that’s been long gone. If you’re set on eBags gear, you’re mostly left to watch Samsonite or hunt for secondhand deals.
Why Did eBags Close Its Online Store?
There’s no official, tell-all statement from Samsonite, but the reasons are the usual suspects: shifting business focus, brand consolidation, and maybe some pandemic-aftershock in how people buy luggage. Online direct-to-consumer business isn’t as easy as it once was, even for established names.
eBags’ shift toward Samsonite’s portfolio meant less curation and fewer partner brands. Over time, redundancy between Samsonite’s sites and eBags made the latter less necessary. Rather than run two similar stores, Samsonite chose to pull the plug and focus efforts.
Let’s not ignore that travel habits changed a lot in recent years. When international travel slowed down and consumers became choosier, even familiar brands took a hit. eBags was probably a casualty of changing priorities.
What Happens Next for the eBags Brand?
Don’t expect eBags to spring back as an independent store. The company as we knew it is gone. Samsonite, meanwhile, holds the IP and could use the name for specialty releases, collaborations, or limited editions.
If you’re watching for new releases, the actionable step is to head to Samsonite’s website and sign up for e-mail updates. There’s at least a chance that the most popular eBags styles will pop up again, possibly updated and possibly renamed.
But for those who valued eBags’ original energy—the wide selection, honest user reviews, and smart curation—it’s the end of an era.
The Takeaway: eBags Is Closed, But Some Products May Live On
So, to answer the big question: eBags is out of business as a web store and retailer. Its site is shuttered. The Amazon store is gone. All reliable evidence points to Samsonite ultimately phasing out eBags’ direct-to-consumer model.
Products you remember and love may show up again, but shopping for them will be different. Where you once could find everything under the eBags name, you’ll now have to search harder, follow Samsonite’s updates, or buy secondhand.
There’s still a lot of confusion out there. Some information online hasn’t been updated or simply rehashes old news. If you want accurate updates and ways to track how brands and retailers change hands or close up, [Sera Business](https://serabusiness.com/) has pretty reliable industry coverage.
For now, eBags is no longer the lively e-commerce shop customers relied on. Some bags will stick around through Samsonite, but the original shopping experience is history.
If you have an eBags bag stashed in your closet, it’s now part nostalgia, part collector’s item. And if you’re searching for the next great travel bag, your best bet is to start the hunt somewhere new.