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You're 1.) implying that Amazon isn't actively trying to fix it (otherwise they would be "walking the walk") and 2.) that it's a widespread issue (all I've hear

by plandis 10y ago

You're 1.) implying that Amazon isn't actively trying to fix it (otherwise they would be "walking the walk") and 2.) that it's a widespread issue (all I've heard about counterfeit products are from a few HNers)

FreakyT 10y ago
Same here -- I've seen a lot of comment sections upset about it, but I haven't encountered the issue myself yet. I'm sure it's a problem, and I certainly hope Amazon is trying to fix it, but I don't think it's the massive company-destroying thing that people are making it out to be.
veidr 10y ago
It's absolutely a widespread issue. I know it happens repeatedly to me, and every Amazon user I know well enough to have ever discussed this issue with, but don't take our word for it: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=amazon+counterfeit&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=amazon+... (I do think this is probably a hard problem, however, so I don't necessarily accept that Amazon isn't working hard on it...)
ctdonath 10y ago
Oh, it's an issue. You just may not have gone after high-value easy-to-copy products as others have. I haven't had a problem with top products being counterfeit, but maybe because I tend to buy them directly from the manufacturer (Apple) or from brick-and-mortar stores where I have the goods in-hand before purchase (Nikon); I'm willing to pay a more those ways for the assurance that I'm getting what I think I'm getting. The bigger problem I've found is counterfeit & knock-off accessories. Once I've paid US$X,000 for a products, I can't trust Amazon to show me suitable batteries, chargers, lenses, etc - there's so much money in selling those things, and it's so easy to make crap that ...works... but which is problematic somehow (dangerous knock-off chargers, batteries that swell or die, etc). Amazon is great for stuff that nobody would seriously try to copy & undercut in a deceitful manner. Yes, you can get great deals on stuff people would seriously try to deceitfully copy & undercut, but with enough money riding on it working right, I'll spend a few bucks more elsewhere to be sure I'm getting the real thing.
mikestew 10y ago
Are you implying that what OP says is not true, or just pointing out the obvious?
- bigtimeidiot 10y ago
  >Are you implying that what OP says is not true That Jeff Bezos is "allowing" counterfeit goods on Amazon to ruin the customer experience? Yes, that's untrue. I'm sure if he could snap his fingers and fix the problem, he would. But the problem is a bit more nuanced than that, and can't be solved over night (perhaps ever, if the analogy is digital piracy).
  - mintplant 10y ago
    They're actively contributing to the problem and damaging trust in their brand by comingling inventory with third-party sellers.
  - tajen 10y ago
    > if he could snap his fingers and fix the problem, he would Well, he invented the idea of losing traceability by commingling inventory "in good faith". He can reinvent traceability any time. As much as HSBC's business became moving drug money, it pretty much became Amazon's business to find gullible customers for counterfeit goods.
  - sf_rob 10y ago
    My experience with Amazon support is that they won't refund 3rd party counterfeits until you've argued with the seller for weeks and come back with the documentation of the counterfeit and lack of refund. I spend thousands on Amazon a year, if I have a well-documented counterfeit claim I want a quick and easy refund.
mbesto 10y ago
Re: 1) I know for a fact they are.
Spoom 10y ago
I've encountered this recently when I had price alerts set for the Nintendo Switch. Third party sellers flooded the market with below-retail offers (they soon wised up and made slightly above-retail offers). These sellers filled up pages of the available products list and had very little feedback on their profiles. People who actually bought from these sellers never actually got their consoles and had to file an A-Z claim with Amazon to get their money back (the seller always marked it as "shipped", so the credit card payment went through, but never included a tracking ID). I would imagine they were long gone with the money by the time Amazon processed the refund. Thankfully my BS detector went off and I stopped trusting third party listings for that product.
oneshot908 10y ago
TRX workout sets are notoriously counterfeit on Amazon. Example: https://www.amazon.com/TRX-PRO-Suspension-Training-Kit/product-reviews/B00A5ICP32 https://www.amazon.com/TRX-PRO-Suspension-Training-Kit/produ... More recently, I got a counterfeit fitbit charger that flat out didn't work. It got replaced, but it's still annoying.
- cmdrfred 10y ago
  At $199 for what looks like some elastic and metal I imagine they do pretty well on that one.
  - baddox 10y ago
    Not even any elastic. The TRX I've seen is just some nylon lashing straps, cambuckles for length adjustment, and two plastic and foam handles.
Nomentatus 10y ago
It's not just counterfeits as in IP violations, but useless goods. It's not at all rare to be burned.

by plandis 10y ago

FreakyT 10y ago

Same here -- I've seen a lot of comment sections upset about it, but I haven't encountered the issue myself yet. I'm sure it's a problem, and I certainly hope Amazon is trying to fix it, but I don't think it's the massive company-destroying thing that people are making it out to be.

veidr 10y ago

It's absolutely a widespread issue. I know it happens repeatedly to me, and every Amazon user I know well enough to have ever discussed this issue with, but don't take our word for it: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=amazon+counterfeit&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=amazon+... (I do think this is probably a hard problem, however, so I don't necessarily accept that Amazon isn't working hard on it...)

ctdonath 10y ago

Oh, it's an issue. You just may not have gone after high-value easy-to-copy products as others have. I haven't had a problem with top products being counterfeit, but maybe because I tend to buy them directly from the manufacturer (Apple) or from brick-and-mortar stores where I have the goods in-hand before purchase (Nikon); I'm willing to pay a more those ways for the assurance that I'm getting what I think I'm getting. The bigger problem I've found is counterfeit & knock-off accessories. Once I've paid US$X,000 for a products, I can't trust Amazon to show me suitable batteries, chargers, lenses, etc - there's so much money in selling those things, and it's so easy to make crap that ...works... but which is problematic somehow (dangerous knock-off chargers, batteries that swell or die, etc). Amazon is great for stuff that nobody would seriously try to copy & undercut in a deceitful manner. Yes, you can get great deals on stuff people would seriously try to deceitfully copy & undercut, but with enough money riding on it working right, I'll spend a few bucks more elsewhere to be sure I'm getting the real thing.

mikestew 10y ago

Are you implying that what OP says is not true, or just pointing out the obvious?

bigtimeidiot 10y ago
>Are you implying that what OP says is not true That Jeff Bezos is "allowing" counterfeit goods on Amazon to ruin the customer experience? Yes, that's untrue. I'm sure if he could snap his fingers and fix the problem, he would. But the problem is a bit more nuanced than that, and can't be solved over night (perhaps ever, if the analogy is digital piracy).
- mintplant 10y ago
  They're actively contributing to the problem and damaging trust in their brand by comingling inventory with third-party sellers.
- tajen 10y ago
  > if he could snap his fingers and fix the problem, he would Well, he invented the idea of losing traceability by commingling inventory "in good faith". He can reinvent traceability any time. As much as HSBC's business became moving drug money, it pretty much became Amazon's business to find gullible customers for counterfeit goods.
- sf_rob 10y ago
  My experience with Amazon support is that they won't refund 3rd party counterfeits until you've argued with the seller for weeks and come back with the documentation of the counterfeit and lack of refund. I spend thousands on Amazon a year, if I have a well-documented counterfeit claim I want a quick and easy refund.

mbesto 10y ago

Re: 1) I know for a fact they are.

Spoom 10y ago

I've encountered this recently when I had price alerts set for the Nintendo Switch. Third party sellers flooded the market with below-retail offers (they soon wised up and made slightly above-retail offers). These sellers filled up pages of the available products list and had very little feedback on their profiles. People who actually bought from these sellers never actually got their consoles and had to file an A-Z claim with Amazon to get their money back (the seller always marked it as "shipped", so the credit card payment went through, but never included a tracking ID). I would imagine they were long gone with the money by the time Amazon processed the refund. Thankfully my BS detector went off and I stopped trusting third party listings for that product.

oneshot908 10y ago

TRX workout sets are notoriously counterfeit on Amazon. Example: https://www.amazon.com/TRX-PRO-Suspension-Training-Kit/product-reviews/B00A5ICP32 https://www.amazon.com/TRX-PRO-Suspension-Training-Kit/produ... More recently, I got a counterfeit fitbit charger that flat out didn't work. It got replaced, but it's still annoying.

cmdrfred 10y ago
At $199 for what looks like some elastic and metal I imagine they do pretty well on that one.
- baddox 10y ago
  Not even any elastic. The TRX I've seen is just some nylon lashing straps, cambuckles for length adjustment, and two plastic and foam handles.

Nomentatus 10y ago

It's not just counterfeits as in IP violations, but useless goods. It's not at all rare to be burned.