Amazon and counterfeit goods (mostly chinese made) problem

[Red Squirrel]

but isn't this the exact kind of IP-free utopia you've wanted?

Well it can be good if companies are allowed to do it, but it should still be clear that something is a fake or not. So if you want the real thing you should be able to easily find it. But if someone wants to make their own version of something and try to sell it, then all the power to them.

Right now it's the worse of both worlds, because you're not allowed to do it domestically, but all the other countries are allowed to.

 

[ViRGE]

if you select "sold by amazon" you will never see this

even the "fulfilled by amazon" stuff is generally save 99% of the time

the 3rd party people is what you have to watch for

That used to be the case. But as of late, especially with the matters illustrated in the article, I don't think it's safe to trust FBA items. Even with Amazon handling fulfillment and returns, it doesn't change the fact that they've made it easier than ever for shucksters to game the system and supply bad wares.

 

[positivedoppler]

90% of memory and sd cards by 3rd party are probably fake. 4 gb cards formatted into 64+ gB partitions.

 

[Maridon Tier]

Yeah this is a big problem for jewelry on amazon, like watches, bracelets and that kind of thing. It seems like 75% of people who buy in that section don't release they are buying knock off "fake" products sold by mostly sellers from china. Wish they could crack down on that alittle bit more =(.

 

[lxskllr]

Well it can be good if companies are allowed to do it, but it should still be clear that something is a fake or not. So if you want the real thing you should be able to easily find it. But if someone wants to make their own version of something and try to sell it, then all the power to them.

Right now it's the worse of both worlds, because you're not allowed to do it domestically, but all the other countries are allowed to.

Trademark is important. It's a company's signature and guarantee of quality(or lack thereof). India is especially bad with copying label designs. They'll have a slightly different name on a product, but with a label that's virtually identical, especially from a few feet away. It's not explicitely a forgery, but they're clearly trying to capitalize on another company's good name.

 

[purbeast0]

buncha amazon noobs in here having problems (along with buncha amazon vets who know the drill).

the real problem here is pebcak.

 

[JTsyo]

I tried getting a Roku 3 from a 3rd party and it seems they were a scam. The store is now gone. Amazon only offers "contact seller" from the order page. I put in a ticket through their regular customer service though.

 

[CurrentlyPissed]

Yeah this is a big problem for jewelry on amazon, like watches, bracelets and that kind of thing. It seems like 75% of people who buy in that section don't release they are buying knock off "fake" products sold by mostly sellers from china. Wish they could crack down on that alittle bit more =(.

I would never buy jewelry from Amazon.com.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

[Mai72]

Many people are now selling on Amazing.

It's called private labeling, Look it up.

They order products for Alibaba, and sell them for nice profit on Amazon.

 

[Thump553]

I'm a big Amazon fan, but their policy on counterfeits really bugs me. I bought a counterfeit product last fall. What really, really pisses me off is that they will not allow reviews that point out the product is counterfeit (I included pictures clearly showing the difference) on the grounds that you are VIOLATING THEIR RULES by attempting to comment about a seller rather than reviewing the product.

The same seller is selling the same product, prominently featured months and months later.

BTW camelcamelcamel is just as bad. They have sent me a half dozen emails about this "deal" and totally ignored my emails about this being a counterfeit product and false advertising.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Trademark is important. It's a company's signature and guarantee of quality(or lack thereof). India is especially bad with copying label designs. They'll have a slightly different name on a product, but with a label that's virtually identical, especially from a few feet away. It's not explicitely a forgery, but they're clearly trying to capitalize on another company's good name.

Yeah I do agree you should not be able to make a product to pretend it's an existing one whether by placing a clearly identical label or what not. But if someone wants to make say, a replica of an iphone functionality wise, they should be allowed to, as long as it's clearly not an iphone when you look at the name/logo.

I do believe in some IP laws so that consumers can be protected from fake stuff, it's just that now they've gone completely out of control and it makes it near impossible for someone to start a business as you pretty much need to make a product or service that 100% does not exist yet. If you want to compete with something they'll just find a way to sue you, like if you used a similar shape or functionality or something. Those are the kind of IP laws I'm against.

 

[Red Squirrel]

90% of memory and sd cards by 3rd party are probably fake. 4 gb cards formatted into 64+ gB partitions.

LOL yep I've seen those. The other day I was looking at MicroSD cards for fun as I recently bought a drone and it comes with a 4GB microSD and figured I should maybe look at buying a few extras. Saw one that was like 128GB for cheaper than the 4GB ones. I could see the average person potentially falling for that and thinking it was just a really good deal. Really have to read the reviews before buying something. There were several mentioning it was a fake.

I feel Amazon should police stuff like that though but I guess they are trying to be neutral like Ebay where anything goes and it's up to the buyer to inform themselves on their buying decision.

 

[Imp]

I really have tried to stick to Sold by Amazon for 99% of my purchases, but because I'm in Canada, this kills the selection. I've purchased a few Fulfilled by Amazon things recently -- they were pretty cheap things though. Brand name, expensive stuff, I just pay the premium.

It really does suck to go through Amazon reviews and read about people who got obvious counterfeits.

 

[alcoholbob]

I'm a big Amazon fan, but their policy on counterfeits really bugs me. I bought a counterfeit product last fall. What really, really pisses me off is that they will not allow reviews that point out the product is counterfeit (I included pictures clearly showing the difference) on the grounds that you are VIOLATING THEIR RULES by attempting to comment about a seller rather than reviewing the product.

The same seller is selling the same product, prominently featured months and months later.

BTW camelcamelcamel is just as bad. They have sent me a half dozen emails about this "deal" and totally ignored my emails about this being a counterfeit product and false advertising.

Amazon customer service reps flat out lies about reviews. I called one of their "senior" escalated reps about getting counterfeit goods and he said Amazon doesn't delete reviews. The day after the negative review was published, it got deleted by Amazon. Suffice to say they are running some real bullshit gig where you can't get a straight story from anyone who represents the company.

 

[VirtualLarry]

buncha amazon noobs in here having problems (along with buncha amazon vets who know the drill).

the real problem here is pebcak.

Found the corporate shill/apologist.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I do believe in some IP laws so that consumers can be protected from fake stuff, it's just that now they've gone completely out of control and it makes it near impossible for someone to start a business as you pretty much need to make a product or service that 100% does not exist yet. If you want to compete with something they'll just find a way to sue you, like if you used a similar shape or functionality or something. Those are the kind of IP laws I'm against.

Make a breakfast cereal bowl with "rounded corners" that is white, and Apple might sue you for violating their "design patents".

 

[VirtualLarry]

Amazon customer service reps flat out lies about reviews. I called one of their "senior" escalated reps about getting counterfeit goods and he said Amazon doesn't delete reviews. The day after the negative review was published, it got deleted by Amazon. Suffice to say they are running some real bullshit gig where you can't get a straight story from anyone who represents the company.

Do what I do. Simply don't purchase from or through Amazon.

 

[edro]

I only buy things sold by Amazon or the actual manufacturer, and it is almost always Prime.

 

[readymix]

Amazon will always be indispensable but they sure are increasingly pissing me off rather than saving the day.

 

[WHAMPOM]

A lot of ATOTers use Amazon, myself including.

Do you have any experience with counterfeit goods?



Story - http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/08/amazons-chinese-counterfeit-problem-is-getting-worse.html

.

In this day of make it cheap as possible is there any difference between counterfeit and original goods?

 

[Grooveriding]

Received a counterfeit Wii U pro controller from a 3rd party seller, fulfilled by Amazon. Returned for refund and reported it to Amazon. Left feedback on the seller that I received counterfeit goods, Amazon didn't approve the feedback for reasons. Seller is still in business.

3rd party sellers are no better than the scammers on ebay.

 

[piasabird]

My biggest problem is that I ordered from them on the 4th of July and this is Saturday and they still have not packed or shipped my order. Online ordering from these sites is taking longer and longer. Amazon is suppose to be the seller. One item was shipped by a third party and I received it in about 2 days.

 

[natto fire]

buncha amazon noobs in here having problems (along with buncha amazon vets who know the drill).

the real problem here is pebcak.

This.

Caveat emptor is so old that the language is not even spoken anymore...

 

[Jeff7]

This.

Caveat emptor is so old that the language is not even spoken anymore...

Though there were some regulations put in place here and there that were supposed to chip away at the whole "buyer beware" BS.


As products become more complex, leaving the buyer fully responsible for entirely testing something is.....well, silly.
Want to buy a cellphone or a car? Are you prepared or equipped with the millions of dollars of equipment that is necessary to fully test all of its subsystems and components to ensure that the seller is in fact delivering on the specifications? Is your anechoic chamber prepped, with calibrated measuring equipment to ensure that the EMI output of the phone's electronics are within FCC specifications, and that the signal output strength and receiver sensitivity are as-advertised? Are you prepared to x-ray the ICs to try to determine if they are genuine?

Regulation is supposed to be there to hold sellers to their word or face significant legal consequences. Instead, we see protections eroded away or bypassed, as is happening with Amazon and other such "marketplace" locations that go to great effort to make the marketplace aspect appear fairly seamless. "Buyer beware" - if you don't even know that there are certain kinds of problems to look for, how would you even start?
"Google: Please tell me some things about something that I don't know I need to be asking about."
Unknown unknowns.

 

[natto fire]

Though there were some regulations put in place here and there that were supposed to chip away at the whole "buyer beware" BS.


As products become more complex, leaving the buyer fully responsible for entirely testing something is.....well, silly.
Want to buy a cellphone or a car? Are you prepared or equipped with the millions of dollars of equipment that is necessary to fully test all of its subsystems and components to ensure that the seller is in fact delivering on the specifications? Is your anechoic chamber prepped, with calibrated measuring equipment to ensure that the EMI output of the phone's electronics are within FCC specifications, and that the signal output strength and receiver sensitivity are as-advertised? Are you prepared to x-ray the ICs to try to determine if they are genuine?

Regulation is supposed to be there to hold sellers to their word or face significant legal consequences. Instead, we see protections eroded away or bypassed, as is happening with Amazon and other such "marketplace" locations that go to great effort to make the marketplace aspect appear fairly seamless. "Buyer beware" - if you don't even know that there are certain kinds of problems to look for, how would you even start?
"Google: Please tell me some things about something that I don't know I need to be asking about."
Unknown unknowns.

Good point, but considering the average consumer doesn't even think twice about a product costing half as much and expecting it to perform as much as the real deal, it is no surprise that fakes are easy to pull off. Just like the "CE" mark being used interchangeably with "Conformité Européenne" and "China Export".

I think that some people just need to realize that other people might deserve an honest wage and the supply chain could be well fed to make something to higher standards. If not, by all means, keep getting your fantastic third world labor deals, but don't complain to ANYONE when the product you paid a huge discount for is lower quality.