markriv From United States of America, joined Sep 2012, 22 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
I've been using Amazon a lot lately, especially since with Amazon Prime, since things get to me sometimes the next day with the distribution center just up the road from me, and this has me somewhat worried. I had only bought an Apple TV and Magic Mouse from them, but the point about Apple accessories is a big one, since the fakes are being sold under the same listing that Apple provided. Buyer beware, I would say.
Quote: Amazon.com is one of the first places that millions of people around the globe go to, in order to find and buy anything from books to music to electronics and, as of last week, wine. Having successfully ordered everything from books to flatscreen TVs to cookware from the company, Amazon was the first place I turned to when the Smart Cover for my iPad began to fray.
My initial expectation was that I would quickly find the Smart Cover for my iPad and receive it quickly, having experienced quick fulfillment times and with Amazon Prime’s free two-day shipping, possibly even saving a few dollars in the process. But when I looked at the search results on Amazon, the prices on the genuine Smart Cover by Apple seemed too good to be true, as much as 73% off the $39.99 retail price.
This raised some suspicions, so I started to read the customer reviews and this is what I found...
njxc500 From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 219 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (7 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
This illustrates the problem, and it's a BIG problem at amazon. If you click on brand=apple, you get all the knockoff stuff too, which can still be good, but the brand is NOT apple.
Ken777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7525 posts, RR: 5 Reply 2, posted (7 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
Unfortunately fake products always seem to spring up when companies deliver products consumers want. Look at Rolex watches. Apple is no different - there are even fake Apple Stores in China.
In terms of your purchase, Amazon should do a rapid review and ban the seller from their site ASAP. That, and a refund, is about all they can do in most cases.
I love Amazon and buy a lot of stuff from them. And the key thing I do is make sure I only buy direct from Amazon itself and not one of their "marketplace" resellers. I am sure Amazon does not want to explicitly state that as a option as the marketplace is probably a big money maker for them, also quite frankly the reviews are a dead giveaway and as in the case noted in the article there is no reason why someone would not be able to know that something was amiss. And finally Amazon does have an excellent return and refund policy which protects the consumer. Though I have occasionally purchased items form one of the resellers I only do so after careful research.
So just click "Amazon.com" in the "Seller" selection section in the column on the left side of the web page and you are well assured to get good and OEM material.
Tugg
I don’t know that I am unafraid to be myself, but it is hard to be somebody else. -W. Shatner
dcann40 From United States of America, joined Sep 2012, 303 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (7 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
Quoting tugger (Reply 3): So just click "Amazon.com" in the "Seller" selection section in the column on the left side of the web page and you are well assured to get good and OEM material.
I suspect most people don't know this but it is good advice.
ltbewr From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12365 posts, RR: 12 Reply 7, posted (7 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1070 times:
First rule of consumers looking for a bargain; if the price seems too good to be true, it probaby is. E-Bay, Craigslist and other private seller sites are rife with vendors of phony stuff at cheap prices.
Jetsgo From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2971 posts, RR: 5 Reply 8, posted (7 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
I ran into a similar issue earlier this week when trying to buy an Otterbox for my iPhone. I knew something seemed too good to be true when the Defender series was only $15 instead of the usual $50, however I went through with the order anyway because it was fufilled by Amazon. Sure enough, it was a knock off which I promptly returned. I was disappointed that Amazon would fill an order for a blatantly obvious knock off. As for Apple products, I only buy them from Apple - too much crap out there elsewhere.
tugger From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 4654 posts, RR: 7 Reply 9, posted (7 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
Quoting Jetsgo (Reply 8): I ran into a similar issue earlier this week when trying to buy an Otterbox for my iPhone. I knew something seemed too good to be true when the Defender series was only $15 instead of the usual $50, however I went through with the order anyway because it was fufilled by Amazon. Sure enough, it was a knock off which I promptly returned. I was disappointed that Amazon would fill an order for a blatantly obvious knock off. As for Apple products, I only buy them from Apple - too much crap out there elsewhere.
As far as I can tell "fulfilled by Amazon" means that Amazon has the material on hand in warehouse space they control and that the "retailer" is leasing from Amazon (along with Amazon's web and other services). Amazon does not go through every item that every retailer sells to validate if it is "real" or not, that is not their job and it would be impossible to do. FedEx and UPS both also do similar inventory management services (as do many other companies, known as "Centralized Managed Inventory") but do not have a web portal with their name on it.
I know plenty of people that "go for the deal" when they know it is probably too good to be true and then say the retailer is at fault but ultimately it was their choice. I sometimes find it hard because the deals look soo good, but I always want "good product" over a "good deal" for what could be questionable product.
That is why I always buy direct from Amazon (as I noted above, and that does not include the "fulfilled by" retailers) unless the quality/authenticity of the product is not an issue or concern.
Tugg
[Edited 2012-11-17 09:40:17]
I don’t know that I am unafraid to be myself, but it is hard to be somebody else. -W. Shatner
I wouldn't exactly say it's impossible for them to do as it would require minimal investment on their end and places most of the legwork on their vendors. For example a local business I do work with does transportation/logistics/warehousing for many businesses including Toys R Us and Amazon to a lesser extent (they maintain their own warehouses, one of which happens to be local). The difference in requirements for these two companies is night and day starting with the fact that product for Toys R Us is electronically verified with the manufacture for legitimacy prior to arrival at the warehouse. If Amazon would require this of their vendors, it would go a long way in cutting down fake Otterboxes ect. I certainly don't blame Amazon for me getting a fake Otterbox, I knew the risk and gambled anyway knowing I could easily return it.
The whole transportation/logistics/warehousing field is extremely advanced and I find it facinating honstly. Geek much?
dcann40 From United States of America, joined Sep 2012, 303 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
Quoting tugger (Reply 9): That is why I always buy direct from Amazon (as I noted above, and that does not include the "fulfilled by" retailers) unless the quality/authenticity of the product is not an issue or concern.
But there are some products that amazon simply doesn't sell at times and are only available from either "fulfilled by" or "marketplace" retailers. And I still think most people don't really realize whom they are buying from in such cases.
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