10 ms·
Are Levi's from Amazon different from Levi's from Levi's?
- randycupertino 2y agoArchive link: https://archive.ph/R9T6i https://archive.ph/R9T6i I doubt the jeans the author is buying from Amazon are genuine product, maybe just really good knockoffs.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- felixgallo 2y agodid you try reading the article?
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- nothercastle 2y agoIt dose not prove or disprove that assertion.
- adolph 2y agoWhat makes Levi's "genuine" given the diversity within Levis' supply chain quoted from the article below? Is a cane sugar Coke from Mexico a "genuine" Coke when it is imported to the US, where it is made with corn syrup? [0] Levi’s sources its fabric from dozens of mills across the world, from luxury supplier Candiani in Italy to sites in India, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Turkey. The six pairs I tested were manufactured in three places: Cambodia, Macau, and Mexico. The company’s supply chain is vast, and to some extent, it makes sense that jeans made to the same specifications from different mills, dye facilities, and factories would result in different products. 0. https://www.seriouseats.com/coke-vs-mexican-coke https://www.seriouseats.com/coke-vs-mexican-coke
- gnopgnip 2y agoMexican coke made for the US market is made with cane sugar, not corn syrup. Sucrose in cane sugar decomposes to glucose and fructose via hydrolysis. With an acidic bottle of coke, a week after bottling nearly all of it is converted. The ratio of glucose and fructose is 50/50 from sucrose, with high fructose corn syrup it's a 55/42 ratio.
- adolph 2y agoYes, acknowledging the difference in composition between countries of a product named the same was my intended question. Not certain how to format the question: Assert different and equally genuine: a Coke cane sugar from Mexico a Coke corn syrup from US
- jrochkind1 2y agoi have had issues with clothing I think is inferior quality and likely counterfeit from amazon -- including when buying from what looks like "official" brand stores on Amazon. One example is Gold Toe socks. I have wondered if even when buying from what looks like an official amazon brand store, you can still get product from multiple suppliers/locations, including some that have counterfeits? Anyone know if this is feasible? It doesn't seem likely to me that (eg) Levi's or Gold Toe are doing this on purpose. It would also mean it would be hard to 'test' because you might get different things on different orders, it's not that the entire amazon supply is counterfeit, but that counterfeit stuff is in there somehow.
- doix 2y ago> I have wondered if even when buying from what looks like an official amazon brand store, you can still get product from multiple suppliers/locations, including some that have counterfeits? Anyone know if this is feasible? Yes, it's called inventory commingling, there are plenty explanations online. The TL;DR is that if two sellers claim to have the same item, amazon will ship the item from the closest warehouse rather than from the seller you bought from.
- jrochkind1 2y agoEven when I'm ordering from what looks like an official brand store? eg https://www.amazon.com/stores/GOLDTOE/page/9736A557-DAD9-4EB7-B8D1-C4B31E080095 https://www.amazon.com/stores/GOLDTOE/page/9736A557-DAD9-4EB... Yeah, I guess that doesn't mean anything but marketing, it still all comes from the same place. The OP article doesn't discuss this, but it seems to me a likely explanation for someone getting crap levi's ordered on amazon?
- flotzam 2y agoAFAIK for items shipped by Amazon the only way to rule out commingling is after delivery: If the barcode starts with an X that's an FNSKU (specific to a seller), meaning the item did not come from commingled stock. Items sold by Amazon itself never start with an X, so...
- hayst4ck 2y agoI don't know if Levis are, but I have absolutely ordered other branded items that are different on amazon compared to in a store, including entirely different and lower quality fabric on amazon. It's not at all surprising for anything to happen after co-mingled inventory, which should absolutely be illegal. Walmart created a business practice where many black Friday deals were lower quality products produced explicitly for black Friday sales. So underhanded deceptive business practice in large retailers isn't anything new. Without a regulatory authority we can expect companies to act in decreasingly bad faith, because who will provide consequences, the other definitely not colluding competitor?
- bena 2y agoIt's not limited to Black Friday items. A lot of companies have general WalMart versions of products.
- derekp7 2y agoFor one good example, look at the Soundcore Boom 2 "SE" -- the "SE" is specific to Walmart, and has some features cut. Back to denim, Walmart caries "Levi's Signature" -- those are lower cost (and lower quality) versions of the normal lines.
- kasey_junk 2y agoThey have to because Walmart drives them so hard on price.
- diyftw 2y agoAnd fickle consumers drive Walmart. The blame for the race-to-the-bottom doesn't rest solely on corporations.
- DrillShopper 2y agoI don't know that I would call them fickle. Real wage growth hasn't happened (effectively) in at least 40 years. Of course people are going to be sensitive to price increases especially if the price increases faster than people's wages increase.
- bena 2y agoThis is WalMart all over again. Since WalMart has so much leverage in negotiations, they get to essentially name their price for goods. Which causes manufacturers to make special WalMart versions of their items.
- phendrenad2 2y agoI've noticed that "outlet stores" (stores with names like "<Brand X> Outlet" that you can find at outlet malls, such as the San Francisco Premium Outlets) sometimes sell SKUs that aren't sold by the company normally. Likewise, on Black Friday, you might find inventory in stores that isn't there normally. If an item isn't normally in stock, it's retail price is only hypothetical, and they can get away with saying that it's "60% off" or whatever.
- sethhochberg 2y agoOnce upon a time, outlet stores generally were all end-of-season, B-stock, etc... but fickle consumers didn't like that it was possible to go to an outlet store and not find anything to buy, so the brands started making cheaper "outlet" lines to fill the shelves. Stuff like this, or the JC Penny experiment years ago where the new executive team tried to get rid of deep discount sales and have consistently low prices only to be met with consumer uproar, make me really glad that I don't work anywhere near consumer retail.
- taeric 2y agoI remember being very confused on this when going to an outlet store after college. They were basically rebranded malls, at that point. Not at all what I was expecting from high school days going to outlets.
- figgis 2y agoI apologize for jumping in this convo with unrelated stuff but I was looking at my history and since I can't message you I just wanted to let you know years later how much your reply here resonates with me now. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18475792 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18475792
- taeric 2y agoWow, that is a blast from the past. I don't recall my frame of mind in writing that, well. Hopefully it isn't quite as cynical as I feel the past few months. At least, hopefully that isn't the part that is resonating! :D
- TacticalCoder 2y ago[dead]
- iamben 2y ago(Denim head) Anecdata - buying Levis from Amazon (or any other store), pick up at least a couple of pairs in the same size. It's likely different people/factories making them, but often you'll find variation in size/denim even when the labelling in the same. One pair of 32/32 might feel 'off' and the next is the best pair you've ever owned. Completely agree with going 'smaller' brand if you want consistency though (and that's a whole different world). But better tip - (if you're not looking for 'smart' denim) buy from eBay. Only buy pairs where everything has been measured properly (waist, inside leg, rise, etc) so you can get close to what you know you fits. You can find 20+ year old Levis for less than $20 - the denim is heavier, the quality is good and they have that perfect 'broken in' feel that makes the jeans feel like your best friend. Plus you can afford to try a few pairs to find ones you love.
- hydrogen7800 2y agoI had the same experience when buying from Macy's, which I felt would avoid any possible shennanigans from Amazon. Same story. 4 pair of the same style and size, but different colors. All fit differently.
- do_not_redeem 2y agoPhysical products are HARD. Programmers take for granted our digital assembly line, where it's possible to generate millions of byte-identical products with ease. As a software "engineer" I do not envy real engineers one bit.
- ViktorRay 2y agoWait but then why is one physical iPhone identical to another physical iPhone of the same model? I’m not asking to criticize. I’m genuinely curious. Not even all electronic products always feel the same in one’s hands like iPhones of the same model do. For example I remember back in the day my Xbox controllers would feel different from my friend’s Xbox controllers even though they were the same model and supposedly manufactured the same.
- osigurdson 2y agoI don't know about Levis, but I can attest that Ernie Ball guitar strings from Amazon are different / crappy. It is almost like Amazon is selling knock-offs or something.
- p_j_w 2y agoIt seems to me Amazon is now just Aliexpress with a better coat of paint.
- mook 2y agoAs far as I know AliExpress doesn't do commingling; so on AliExpress at least you get products from the correct seller. That is to say, Amazon under that coat of paint is probably worse.
- svelle 2y agoWhat country are you in? Haven't seen this in Germany yet and I've probably bought close to over hundred packs of Ernie Ball strings in my life, both from Amazon and Thomann as well as local shops.
- xtracto 2y agoPeople, read the article. The conclusion is not as "terrible" as what you may infer from the title (we all think the worst I guess). Basically, it says Levi's jeans are manufactured in several different countries, so that most likely accounts for the variations. And that some of the jeans she bought from Amazon were actually better than non-amazon. Still. I prefer buying from the Amazon competition in my country. Amazon regularly sends me wrong items.
- tiahura 2y agoAgreed. I’ve got a Levi outlet nearby. I noticed some time ago the significant variation in batches.
- kstrauser 2y agoOutlet clothes are often made specifically for outlets, and are generally lower quality. I wouldn't go to the Levi's outlet and hope to get the good stuff.
- ysavir 2y ago> Still. I prefer buying from the Amazon competition in my country. Amazon regularly sends me wrong items. Out of curiosity, why is the preference for buying from "the Amazon competition" rather than directly from the manufacturer?
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- vander_elst 2y agoNot op, but operating the same way. The competition might be cheaper than the manufacturer.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- noisy_boy 2y agoNot Amazon but I bought some Levi's trousers from their brand outlet in Woodbury Commons and the quality is so much better than the stuff I usually see outside US (not sure why/how because all of it probably gets made somewhere in Asia). Also, there are multiple lengths available for a given waist size so you retain the original hem stitching compared to the cut-and-stitch common in non-US locations.
- smrtinsert 2y agoFrom what I understand this is a Levis thing. They supposedly use lots of different factories where the product has a surprisingly wide range. For example, one size from one factory will be noticeably bigger or smaller than other. Stretchiness seems to vary also as well as tightness. I had honestly thought this was my imagination of years of using them, but ran into more than one person shopping for jeans that randomly brought this up. I guess Levis super fans can spot each other.
- jonheller 2y agoLike the majority of "Don't buy from Amazon" articles I've read, this one doesn't seem to make any mention (unless I missed it!) of if these Levis were shipped by _and_ sold by Amazon. There's no doubt Amazon has a problem with fake or imposter products. But every post I seem to read about this is people who unwittingly by from a marketplace seller. Of course Amazon should do better to regulate those marketplace sellers, but it seems similar to me to someone buying a Rolex from a street peddler in Times Square and being shocked it isn't the real thing.
- plorkyeran 2y agoThis isn't a "Don't buy from Amazon" article and the conclusion of the article is that while there's a difference it's quite plausible that they aren't fake.
- ziml77 2y agoI've heard that even shipped and sold by Amazon isn't a guarantee because of how they lump inventory together. I haven't run into the problem myself, but I still buy electronics from Best Buy or direct from the company rather than Amazon much of the time, just to avoid the chance of getting a fake from their comingled inventory.
- DeathArrow 2y agoI've found that Wrangler and Lee have less quality variance and are of better quality when compared with similarly prices Levi's.
- adolph 2y agoA classic story in life: In 1962, Avis was in search of a new advertising campaign. Since its inception, the car rental company had trailed behind the market leader, Hertz. So the ad agency Doyle Dane Bernbach decided to embrace Avis’ second-place status as a sneaky way to tout the brand’s customer service. “When you’re only No. 2, you try harder,” went the new tagline. “Or else.” https://slate.com/business/2013/08/hertz-vs-avis-advertising-wars-how-an-ad-firm-made-a-virtue-out-of-second-place.html https://slate.com/business/2013/08/hertz-vs-avis-advertising...
- andrewl 2y agoDoes something similar happen with shoes, like at Zappos?
- woopgttt 2y ago[flagged]
- megaman821 2y agoI actually order a bunch of Levi's to try on from Amazon last year. I wasn't expecting much out of Levi's since there denim has felt very thin at every physical store I have went to, but the sale price was good. Every pair I recieved had pretty good quality denim, like the denim they sold from 20 years ago. They all had pretty close fits to each other, so I kept all of them. I guess I will pay more attention to country of origin in the future.
- underseacables 2y agoI noticed that in the early 00s, GAP would produce a product, then use cheaper materials and sell it through Old Navy, and use more expensive material the sell it through Banana Republic. Same style, different materials.
- jeffbee 2y agoWait until you hear about Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln. Or Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Cadillac.
- j45 2y agoManufacturers can have different graders of products for full retail, different price point department stores (Nordstroms vs winners vs ..), amazon, Costco, etc. Imagine meeting price points, within a range of supplied products. I'm sure denim experts could expand on why some jeans still last and others wear out.
- neilv 2y ago> [...] one pair ordered from Amazon, one pair sent by Levi’s for each style. [...] It seemed the tipster was half right. The tests confirmed a lot of variability between two pairs of the same jeans — you could buy the same style from Amazon and Levi’s and feel a difference. But it didn’t add up to gaps in quality; there was no indication that the Levi’s from Amazon were worse. All this time, researchers have been wasting money on sample sizes larger than 1 before drawing conclusions. Also, I find the word "commingling" nowhere in the article. It's very relevant to the question of what product you're receiving when you buy from Amazon.
- tclancy 2y agoFWIW and only anecdata, I have been using the same Buy It Again link for a pair of Levi's on Amazon for about a decade and they vary wildly from order to order.
- ethbr1 2y agoAt the end of the day, most modern clothing isn't made in brand factories. It's subcontracted out to tons of shop, who then subcontract their orders out to even more shops. Unsurprising that given such a system product varies.
- kyleee 2y agoYes, and reducing the variation would increase costs. There are likely acceptability standards in play, but they are probably very lax standards.
- opan 2y agoDo you wear them anyway, or return or tailor them or what?
- tclancy 2y agoI mean, they’re jeans and I live in New England. I will beat them to hell living in them and I am married. Sending them to a tailor feels funny!
- tantalor 2y agoA counterfeit jeans ring operating out of my car hole! https://youtu.be/hT89K-6iJF4?t=60 https://youtu.be/hT89K-6iJF4?t=60
- palmotea 2y agoI don't know about Amazon, but years ago I read an article about Walmart that made the case that products sold there from the same brand tend to be worse than those available elsewhere. Levi's jeans were an example. For Walmart, they have scale and a monomaniacal focus on lowest cost. Each time a contract with a vendor is renegotiated, Walmart demands a lower cost, and they're big enough they get it. The predicable effect is the vendors skimp and cut costs on what they send to Walmart because they're under so much pressure, and Walmart doesn't care as long as they get a lower price. That can mean vendors doing stuff like binning by quality, and sending the worst stuff to Walmart; using a special grocery-store shrink ray for Walmart, special Walmart-specific cost-reduced designs; etc.
- FuriouslyAdrift 2y agoWrangler 13MWZ for the win... Mexican co-workers turned me on to them and I have never looked back. Heavy duty, well made, and a good value. Keep in mind they are cowboy cut, 14.5 oz., with no stretch.
- FuriouslyAdrift 2y agoAlso The Gap has good jeans that are decently priced (when on sale) if you are looking for something a bit more "upscale."
- jhot 2y agoGap's soft jeans have been my go to for the past couple years. I could sleep in them they're so comfortable and are more durable than Levi which I wore for many years before.
- gautamcgoel 2y agoI just bought one of these... from Amazon. Now I'm wondering if I got the real thing or some cheap knockoff created specifically for Amazon. I paid only $30 for my jeans!
- jerlam 2y agoIf the knockoffs are good quality, does it matter if they're the real thing or not? They could be even better.
- joostdecock 2y agoNo matter how hard I try, I cannot make two pairs of jeans that are identical. Same pattern, same denim, same person making them (me), they don't fit/feel the same. Consistent results when using fabric is hard. Also keep in mind that good denim is practically sheet metal in comparison to most fabrics, so on one hand easier to get consistent results, but on the other hand, even small differences are more noticeable than something lighter or (god forbid) stretchy. You cannot just engineer your way out of some of the challenges inherit in garment construction (trust me, Ive tried).
- mrkramer 2y agoAnother example, imported food we get in the Eastern Europe is much worse than they get in the Western Europe.
- m463 2y agoLots of companies DO make different skus for different retailers. I don't know if Levis is doing this with amazon. A friend of mine worked in construction and said paint from a retail store was thicker and better, compared to the "same paint" from home depot. I think it might be the same paint, with a special "home depot" sku for paint that is more watery or somehow made at lower cost. Here's an (archived) article talking about name brands and walmart: https://web.archive.org/web/20050101092353/http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html https://web.archive.org/web/20050101092353/http://www.fastco... Personally, I have found amazon with name brands to be hit or miss. It seems you might get a name brand through an intermediary (like a retail store) when the name brand won't sell through amazon itself.
- bombcar 2y agoPart of the “paint thing” is that Sherman Williams can assume the buyer knows what they’re doing - Home Depot needs to sell paint that works for anyone and even when badly applied.
- klik99 2y agoThe bigger question for me is if Levi’s from outlet stores is worse quality - I’ve heard that originally outlets sold surplus, but when they realized it was a good business bringing lots of customers they started making inferior products specifically for the outlet market. Maybe it’s not true, but I had 3 pairs fall apart and it’s made me stop buying Levi’s. I’m interested in ways brands can damage their reputation for short term gains, but never knew if this one is true or a rumor
- shaftway 2y agoI know this is only a sample size of 1, but I get my Levi's from the outlet store. I got two pairs of 531's about 6 years ago and basically lived in those two pairs. I wasn't sliding around on the ground, but I was doing woodworking so they took a beating and got pretty dirty. I just took a look at them and they only spot that even looked worn was at the top of the seat, right where 4 seams come together. Otherwise nothing. I only replaced them because I dropped 4 inches off my waist and they'll just fall off me now.
- randcraw 2y agoI wore Levis 501s and 505s for decades then gave up about 15 years ago due to their severe drop in denim quality and jump in price at my main source (Kohl's). I find they wear out in less than a year now. I switched to All American Clothing AA101s and Duluth Trading Ballroom relaxed denim (not flex). The Duluths are durable, look like denim should, fit consistently, are triple stitched and gusseted, and sell for only $60. And gladly, neither of these jeans contains any elastic.
- civcivciv_ 2y agoI only buy my Levis used and preferably pre the 90ies. Lots in good condition and they will literally last for my entire life
- epolanski 2y agoI don't buy Levis anymore anywhere the quality of their threads and fabrics took a nosedive compared to what I was used to late 90s and early 2000s.