5 ms·

Co-mingling is fine for books or, really, the vast majority of products. That in itself is not much of a problem... returns are free. Supply chain definitely m

Co-mingling is fine for books or, really, the vast majority of products. That in itself is not much of a problem... returns are free. Supply chain definitely matters on anything you eat or ingest, though. Are you sure they co-mingle food and medicine?

nordsieck 7y ago
> Co-mingling is fine for books or, really, the vast majority of products. That in itself is not much of a problem... returns are free. I couldn't disagree more. One of the big reasons co-mingling works well for Amazon is because many counterfeit items aren't detected by consumers. But just because they aren't detected doesn't mean they don't do harm. If I buy an Apple USB charger, I expect to get an Apple USB charger. I don't have the equipment to check it for loaded voltage sag (check out some videos of knock off USB chargers for examples). However fast it charges is however fast it charges, but I'm still being harmed by an inferior product. If I buy a SpyderCo knife with expensive steel, that's what I expect to get. I don't have the equipment to determine whether something is AUS6 or S110V, so I'll probably just use it and sharpen it as needed. But just because I don't realize I've been sold a counterfeit doesn't mean that I haven't been harmed by an inferior product.
- SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
  > If I buy an Apple USB charger, I expect to get an Apple USB charger. I don't have the equipment to check it for loaded voltage sag (check out some videos of knock off USB chargers for examples). However fast it charges is however fast it charges, but I'm still being harmed by an inferior product. There's a very good chance you could be harmed when it bursts into flames.
  - peteri 7y ago
    Last time I bought any apple stuff I actually went to the Apple store to avoid shady knockoffs.
    - user5994461 7y ago
      Any well known physical shop would do, no need to go to Apple specifically. Last my wife went there, they were trying to charge £40 for one plastic protective film.
dragontamer 7y ago
> Co-mingling is fine for books Actually, its No Starch Press's counterfeit book examples that have served as proof for why Comingling is bad. https://twitter.com/nostarch/status/1183095004258099202 https://twitter.com/nostarch/status/1183095004258099202 At a minimum, it means that payment for counterfeit products go towards fake scammers instead of the actual publisher. You're basically paying for pirated goods. Maybe you're fine with piracy, but paying good money for it is probably a step too far for most people. Especially if the pirated books have smudge-marks and low-quality paper. > That in itself is not much of a problem... returns are free. Are you able to tell the difference from a counterfeit book on bad paper and an official book? Are you going to blame Amazon for the fake, or are you going to blame the publisher?
- CaptainZapp 7y ago
  Are you able to tell the difference from a counterfeit book on bad paper and an official book? You may, from the bad paper quality. But are you able to tell that the Canada Goose coat you just paid 1000$ for is fake? [1] In Italy, for example, when you - the buyer - is caught with a fake brand product the fine is up to 7'000 Euro. France, with a range of strong brands, also takes a very dim view on fakes. I wonder if they're more careful in fulfillment in Europe or if they hope that the same argument (we're only a platform, guvnor) will be acceptable to European courts. I don't think it will wash and it would be nice to see criminal charges laid at them for being a distributer of fake goods. What is clear to me is that they don't give a flying fuck, unless it gets expesnive for them or turns into a pr nighmare. [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/counterfeit-canada-goose-amazon/581041/ https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/count...
  - Gibbon1 7y ago
    > In Italy, for example, when you - the buyer - is caught with a fake brand product the fine is up to 7'000 Euro That's amusing. In the US the buyer is usually considered a victim.
    - Cougher 7y ago
ikeboy 7y ago
Currently, products that expire, are consumable or topicals aren't eligible for commingling (now called manufacturer barcode). >Have no expiration date Not be consumable or topical products such as skin creams, shampoos, or cosmetics https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/200141480?language=en-US&ref=mpbc_200243180_cont_200141480 https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/200141480?...
- nitrogen 7y ago
  Is there a way for a consumer to tell if a given consumable product is correctly tagged for Amazon to apply this restriction?
  - didibus 7y ago
    I'm not sure. I'd like to know as well.
  - ikeboy 7y ago
    Just look at the category. If it's in groceries or similar it will be correct. If it's in like electronics or something weird like that then something is up.
didibus 7y ago
They don't, at least there policies say they don't.
nanoscopic 7y ago
Co-mingling of books is a huge problem. I can't/won't buy books from Amazon any more because the last time I bought some tech books I got counterfeits. The text was blurry and gave me a headache; the counterfeits were that bad quality. Amazon, as expected, denied any responsibility and even claimed the books were legit.

nordsieck 7y ago

> Co-mingling is fine for books or, really, the vast majority of products. That in itself is not much of a problem... returns are free. I couldn't disagree more. One of the big reasons co-mingling works well for Amazon is because many counterfeit items aren't detected by consumers. But just because they aren't detected doesn't mean they don't do harm. If I buy an Apple USB charger, I expect to get an Apple USB charger. I don't have the equipment to check it for loaded voltage sag (check out some videos of knock off USB chargers for examples). However fast it charges is however fast it charges, but I'm still being harmed by an inferior product. If I buy a SpyderCo knife with expensive steel, that's what I expect to get. I don't have the equipment to determine whether something is AUS6 or S110V, so I'll probably just use it and sharpen it as needed. But just because I don't realize I've been sold a counterfeit doesn't mean that I haven't been harmed by an inferior product.

SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
> If I buy an Apple USB charger, I expect to get an Apple USB charger. I don't have the equipment to check it for loaded voltage sag (check out some videos of knock off USB chargers for examples). However fast it charges is however fast it charges, but I'm still being harmed by an inferior product. There's a very good chance you could be harmed when it bursts into flames.
- peteri 7y ago
  Last time I bought any apple stuff I actually went to the Apple store to avoid shady knockoffs.
  - user5994461 7y ago
    Any well known physical shop would do, no need to go to Apple specifically. Last my wife went there, they were trying to charge £40 for one plastic protective film.

dragontamer 7y ago

> Co-mingling is fine for books Actually, its No Starch Press's counterfeit book examples that have served as proof for why Comingling is bad. https://twitter.com/nostarch/status/1183095004258099202 https://twitter.com/nostarch/status/1183095004258099202 At a minimum, it means that payment for counterfeit products go towards fake scammers instead of the actual publisher. You're basically paying for pirated goods. Maybe you're fine with piracy, but paying good money for it is probably a step too far for most people. Especially if the pirated books have smudge-marks and low-quality paper. > That in itself is not much of a problem... returns are free. Are you able to tell the difference from a counterfeit book on bad paper and an official book? Are you going to blame Amazon for the fake, or are you going to blame the publisher?

CaptainZapp 7y ago
Are you able to tell the difference from a counterfeit book on bad paper and an official book? You may, from the bad paper quality. But are you able to tell that the Canada Goose coat you just paid 1000$ for is fake? [1] In Italy, for example, when you - the buyer - is caught with a fake brand product the fine is up to 7'000 Euro. France, with a range of strong brands, also takes a very dim view on fakes. I wonder if they're more careful in fulfillment in Europe or if they hope that the same argument (we're only a platform, guvnor) will be acceptable to European courts. I don't think it will wash and it would be nice to see criminal charges laid at them for being a distributer of fake goods. What is clear to me is that they don't give a flying fuck, unless it gets expesnive for them or turns into a pr nighmare. [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/counterfeit-canada-goose-amazon/581041/ https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/count...
- Gibbon1 7y ago
  > In Italy, for example, when you - the buyer - is caught with a fake brand product the fine is up to 7'000 Euro That's amusing. In the US the buyer is usually considered a victim.
  - Cougher 7y ago

ikeboy 7y ago

Currently, products that expire, are consumable or topicals aren't eligible for commingling (now called manufacturer barcode). >Have no expiration date Not be consumable or topical products such as skin creams, shampoos, or cosmetics https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/200141480?language=en-US&ref=mpbc_200243180_cont_200141480 https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/200141480?...

nitrogen 7y ago
Is there a way for a consumer to tell if a given consumable product is correctly tagged for Amazon to apply this restriction?
- didibus 7y ago
  I'm not sure. I'd like to know as well.
- ikeboy 7y ago
  Just look at the category. If it's in groceries or similar it will be correct. If it's in like electronics or something weird like that then something is up.

didibus 7y ago

They don't, at least there policies say they don't.

nanoscopic 7y ago

Co-mingling of books is a huge problem. I can't/won't buy books from Amazon any more because the last time I bought some tech books I got counterfeits. The text was blurry and gave me a headache; the counterfeits were that bad quality. Amazon, as expected, denied any responsibility and even claimed the books were legit.