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> Type in "wireless headphones" and the top results look like what you'd find on a corner in Chinatown than a legitimate electronics store. This is the most ap
by cs702 8y ago
> Type in "wireless headphones" and the top results look like what you'd find on a corner in Chinatown than a legitimate electronics store.
This is the most apt, insightful description I've seen so far of what is evidently a growing problem for Amazon: more and more retail consumers no longer trust the merchandise being sold by Amazon.
I write this as a longtime Amazon Prime member who, recently, for the first time ever, decided to buy a relatively inexpensive product (filters for a fairly expensive espresso machine) from a bricks-and-mortar retailer instead of Amazon, because I could not trust that the products listed for sale on Amazon were genuine (as opposed to knock-offs) or even the right kind (made with the right kind of silicon).
- Symbiote 8y agoI first stopped buying memory cards, camera batteries and so on from Amazon, after I received a counterfeit battery. Having found other retailers for those items, they now also benefit from other purchases. I haven't bought anything from Amazon for over two years. I've also told my parents not to use Amazon for electronics. They won't notice if they get a counterfeit charger that could burn their house down. It's unlikely, but not worth a $2 saving.
- matwood 8y agoEven before Amazon became a problem, anything camera related I always ordered from B&H or Adorama. Camera equipment is just so ripe for fakes and grey market stuff.
- astura 8y agoB&H openly sells grey market products. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/HelpCenter/USGrey.jsp https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/HelpCenter/USGrey.jsp Just to be clear, the only thing that's really wrong with grey market products is they don't come with a warranty. The are the same exact products you get on the white market.
- matwood 8y agoAnd aren't they clearly marked? I'm not against buying grey market equipment. The problem is getting sent grey market stuff when paying US prices.
- DanBC 8y agoHow can they come without a warranty? Isn't the seller responsible for returns?
- wmf 8y agoThey come with a warranty in some country, but that country isn't the US.
- DanBC 8y agoAh, right. I was confused because in the UK (possibly Europe) the retailer is responsible for returns. It doesn't matter where the retailer sourced the product from.
- astura 8y agoIt's important to note that warranties and returns are different things.
- Tijdreiziger 8y agoStill, the retailer is responsible for both across the EU.
- jjeaff 8y agoThey probably do in the US as well if you press hard enough. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/05/the-word-on-warranty-protection/index.htm https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/05/the-wor... Some have, and have one. Though none that I know of were specifically for grey market products.
- 8y ago
- tscs37 8y agoThe real kicker is that I've gotten more consistently genuine electronic products from AliExpress than from Amazon.
- NinaJZapala 8y agoThis is so true. I don't buy dog products made in China for obvious reasons but it's hard to discern what is truly made in America, or what's packaged in America and made in China. So I typically opt for other reputable pet websites. My 2¢.