3 ms·

I'd really like Amazon (and other similar sites) to improve customer service by being more transparent and providing some modest authentication to the goods sol

I'd really like Amazon (and other similar sites) to improve customer service by being more transparent and providing some modest authentication to the goods sold. * Clearly state if the seller is an OEM, An OEM authorized 3rd party, or 'other'. * NOT co-mingle products* * * Unless authorized and then enumerate with which other sellers the co-mingling is authorized. * Allow filtering by all of the above.

whitepoplar 8y ago
Yes! If available, I try to buy all my electronics from Abt.com or B&H Photo, primarily to avoid fakes and co-mingling. For non-electronic items, it's often surprisingly difficult to find them off-Amazon, at the same-or-better prices, and with expedient shipping. I'd buy more high-ticket items from Amazon if they implemented better supply-chain controls.
- ikeboy 8y ago
  B&H does a ton of grey market though
  - whitepoplar 8y ago
    Sure, for camera gear, but it's clearly marked on the item's page. There's also nothing explicitly wrong with grey market items.
  - fmajid 8y ago
    They're up-front about it, and those are still genuine products, just not meant for the US market. Amazon's nonchalance about counterfeiting and fake reviews looks increasingly like willful ignorance. Bezos could probably buy Fakespot.com or equivalent with loose change from his sofa, but no, they only pay lip service to cracking down on fake reviews and thus the search results in Amazon are highly questionable. I don't think this will change until someone is electrocuted by a fake iPhone charger sold by Amazon from stickerless commingled inventory, and they are sued for billions.
    - whitepoplar 8y ago
      I think this could be the class action lawsuit of the century. If the plaintiffs can prove that Amazon was negligent and they can show damages, I can imagine a potential verdict in the billions, even tens of billions.
    - ikeboy 8y ago
      Having seen several accounts go down for counterfeiting claims I strongly disagree that Amazon is ignoring the issue. Reviews has nothing to do with authenticity.
      - whitepoplar 8y ago
        Would you feel comfortable buying this?: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MD819AM-Meter-Lightning-Cable/dp/B014LFT8H0 https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MD819AM-Meter-Lightning-Cable/d... Note that Amazon lists the brand as Apple, and the default seller is a third party.
        ikeboy 8y ago
        Apple will be restricted to only authorized sellers on Amazon very soon. For now, that particular offer looks to be geniune - if they weren't policing that against people selling knockoffs the price would be somewhere in the $10 range (compare eBay). I'd prefer to buy a cheaper off brand cable from Anker or Amazon basics though, there's no reason to pay an extra $10-15 just because it's Apple branded. Some of the off brands are cheaper and higher quality than the Apple ones. Edit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Original-OEM-Apple-Lightning-To-USB-Charging-Cable-iPhone-5-6s-Plus-7-2m-6ft/183524575555 https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Original-OEM-Apple-Lightning-To... $8.99 in retail packaging on eBay, almost certainly fake.
mjevans 8y ago
I forgot to mention one other pair of related things. * Clearly indicate who the OEM of the product is. * Clearly indicate the exact mode number(s) the product might be (including revision number). That would complete actually 'advertising' a real and specific product. If sellers lie about things then they can be hit with fraud charges and actually punished. The lack of co-mingling or white-listed only co-mingling (and actually tracking who's touched a given product) would allow for determining the authenticity and reputation of sellers / returned item fraud issues. Including items should be returnable for reasons including 'fraud, item not as listed / shown'.
- ikeboy 8y ago
  Not as described is an option when returning and if you get too many of those Amazon will suspend
  - mjevans 8y ago
    You'll note the description of my proposed return reason includes the photos as part of the description (not sure if that's currently implied) as well as requiring actual product manufacturer and model numbers.
    - ikeboy 8y ago
      The brand name is required on listings and there's a model number field
      - mjevans 8y ago
        Not /the/ brand name, /a/ brand name. I'm saying the actual manufacturer should be required, as in, whichever factory made the parts, not the fly by night name so many rebranded products have.
        ikeboy 8y ago
        What if, like many products, it's made in multiple factories?
izacus 8y ago
It's almost 2019 and we still can't filter out products that don't ship to my location (products I CAN'T BUY EVEN IF I WANTED TO!) from search. I have no hope of Amazon improving.

whitepoplar 8y ago

Yes! If available, I try to buy all my electronics from Abt.com or B&H Photo, primarily to avoid fakes and co-mingling. For non-electronic items, it's often surprisingly difficult to find them off-Amazon, at the same-or-better prices, and with expedient shipping. I'd buy more high-ticket items from Amazon if they implemented better supply-chain controls.

ikeboy 8y ago
B&H does a ton of grey market though
- whitepoplar 8y ago
  Sure, for camera gear, but it's clearly marked on the item's page. There's also nothing explicitly wrong with grey market items.
- fmajid 8y ago
  They're up-front about it, and those are still genuine products, just not meant for the US market. Amazon's nonchalance about counterfeiting and fake reviews looks increasingly like willful ignorance. Bezos could probably buy Fakespot.com or equivalent with loose change from his sofa, but no, they only pay lip service to cracking down on fake reviews and thus the search results in Amazon are highly questionable. I don't think this will change until someone is electrocuted by a fake iPhone charger sold by Amazon from stickerless commingled inventory, and they are sued for billions.
  - whitepoplar 8y ago
    I think this could be the class action lawsuit of the century. If the plaintiffs can prove that Amazon was negligent and they can show damages, I can imagine a potential verdict in the billions, even tens of billions.
  - ikeboy 8y ago
    Having seen several accounts go down for counterfeiting claims I strongly disagree that Amazon is ignoring the issue. Reviews has nothing to do with authenticity.
    - whitepoplar 8y ago
      Would you feel comfortable buying this?: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MD819AM-Meter-Lightning-Cable/dp/B014LFT8H0 https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MD819AM-Meter-Lightning-Cable/d... Note that Amazon lists the brand as Apple, and the default seller is a third party.
      - ikeboy 8y ago
        Apple will be restricted to only authorized sellers on Amazon very soon. For now, that particular offer looks to be geniune - if they weren't policing that against people selling knockoffs the price would be somewhere in the $10 range (compare eBay). I'd prefer to buy a cheaper off brand cable from Anker or Amazon basics though, there's no reason to pay an extra $10-15 just because it's Apple branded. Some of the off brands are cheaper and higher quality than the Apple ones. Edit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Original-OEM-Apple-Lightning-To-USB-Charging-Cable-iPhone-5-6s-Plus-7-2m-6ft/183524575555 https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Original-OEM-Apple-Lightning-To... $8.99 in retail packaging on eBay, almost certainly fake.

mjevans 8y ago

I forgot to mention one other pair of related things. * Clearly indicate who the OEM of the product is. * Clearly indicate the exact mode number(s) the product might be (including revision number). That would complete actually 'advertising' a real and specific product. If sellers lie about things then they can be hit with fraud charges and actually punished. The lack of co-mingling or white-listed only co-mingling (and actually tracking who's touched a given product) would allow for determining the authenticity and reputation of sellers / returned item fraud issues. Including items should be returnable for reasons including 'fraud, item not as listed / shown'.

ikeboy 8y ago
Not as described is an option when returning and if you get too many of those Amazon will suspend
- mjevans 8y ago
  You'll note the description of my proposed return reason includes the photos as part of the description (not sure if that's currently implied) as well as requiring actual product manufacturer and model numbers.
  - ikeboy 8y ago
    The brand name is required on listings and there's a model number field
    - mjevans 8y ago
      Not /the/ brand name, /a/ brand name. I'm saying the actual manufacturer should be required, as in, whichever factory made the parts, not the fly by night name so many rebranded products have.
      - ikeboy 8y ago
        What if, like many products, it's made in multiple factories?

izacus 8y ago

It's almost 2019 and we still can't filter out products that don't ship to my location (products I CAN'T BUY EVEN IF I WANTED TO!) from search. I have no hope of Amazon improving.