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Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

cnbc.com

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Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#111

Post by tehwebguy »

lisper wrote: post #36
saosebastiao wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They only do it with standardized products (like those that have registered UPC codes), so that they should be indistinguishable. They try to control the situation, but it has gotten so bad with some product types due to chinese knockoffs that they have had to shut it off for entire categories. A particularly humorous situation has evolved from this with matchbox toy cars. With matchbox cars, any 1 car box is entirel…

> they should be indistinguishable That seems to me to be missing the point rather badly (by Amazon, not by you). Counterfeits are designed to be indistinguishable, at least to casual inspection. Forging a UPC code is trivial.

Also, categories like Health are gated to keep noobs out. So are high-counterfeit categories like clothes and fashion accessories.

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#112

Post by [deleted] »

syshum wrote: post #6
macNchz wrote: post #4

This has become a frustrating part of shopping on Amazon, to the point that I typically filter to only show things sold by Amazon themselves. Too many of the marketplace items are fake crap with paid-for reviews. Since they're mixed in together by default, the effort in trying to discern good from bad makes for a pretty crummy experience overall.

This will not always save you. If a company uses the "Fulfilled by Amazon" service they ship their stuff to amazon and it is co mingled with all of the other SKU's purporting to be the same item, including Amazons own stock

[deleted]

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#113

Post by tehwebguy »

cstejerean wrote: post #102
dharmon wrote: post #93

The book The Everything Store talks about how Amazon uses counterfeit goods to sort-of blackmail high-end goods to letting them sell. I think the book gave the example of a high-end kitchen knife brand, maybe Wüsthof, that would not allow Amazon to sell their knives. Before you know it, cheap knockoffs appeared claiming to be Wüsthof knives. When they let Amazon sell the real deal, suddenly the knockoffs disappeared…

I don't think it's blackmail. I wonder if brands like Wüsthof got exclusive agreements as part of selling on Amazon so that nobody else is allowed to list their product, therefore eliminating the knockoffs. But without an official listing then Amazon would have to sort through every reseller to see if they are selling legitimate products or not, and what incentive would Amazon have to do that?

Amazon does make deals like that. GoPro, Sony, Samsung, Nest and tons of other brands are (for the most part, at least) locked down.

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#114

Post by happyslobro »

dfc wrote: post #103
spriggan3 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There absolutely is a loss of "savoir faire" in the west in every industry China has completely taken over. Furthermore we basically exchanged real growth for credit backed one AKA fake growth, because of all the real jobs moving to China. That's why we have all these housing market crisis. It is something the west will deeply regret 20 years down the road. Business is war, globalism won't change that fact.

> "savoir faire" I don't understand this phrase. All the definitions i found seem to be about personal behavior. Is there an alternate definition? What are you trying to convey?

"know how" in French

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#115

Post by [deleted] »

dmritard96 wrote: post #67
dmritard96 wrote: post #39

Its interesting how much sympathy is expected for these people who make a silly little product and have foreign competition, but would a reaction be similar if it was an Amazon Basics product?

Not sure I understand the downvoting here but fine. perhaps clarifying my question would help. Today: Brand 1 makes product and sells on Amazon. Files IP to try and prevent others from copying their idea. Brand 2 (Chinese company) makes similar product and sells through amazon - results in headlines like - Amazon has a Chinese problem. Brand 3 (Amazon Basics) - makes similar products and has Chinese supplier add logo…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#116

Post by jgalt212 »

I bought a new "Sony" universal remote from Amazon. It came wrapped in a clear plastic baggie with no box or instructions. It worked and looks legit, so more likely this item was stolen or sold as new when it wasn't more so than a fake from China. But maybe it was a fake, just a very good one probably made at the same factory that makes the "real" Sony remotes.

As Brexit has shown us, there are plenty of downsides to Globalization. Amazon needs to get better at KYC, but Jeff's growth at any cost mantra just won't embrace that and his lieutenants will find it's hard to argue with results. Until this sort of stuff makes a dent in Amazon's top line, I believe they won't really crack down on this.

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#117

Post by saosebastiao »

ikeboy wrote: post #90
Zuider wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could SellerA withdraw his iPad from stock, effectively trading a fake iPad for a real one? Let's say there was a SellerB with a real iPad for sale, located closer to the buyer. Could Amazon swap ownership in that case? Would SellerB be liable for fraud and damaged reputation if his real iPad was switched with a fake?

They'll still be liable, as the buyer will report it and Amazon will track it back to Seller A.

Maybe they're better at tracking now, but at least while I was there tracking them down was a massive problem.

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#118

Post by ikeboy »

saosebastiao wrote: post #117
ikeboy wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They'll still be liable, as the buyer will report it and Amazon will track it back to Seller A.

Maybe they're better at tracking now, but at least while I was there tracking them down was a massive problem.

You worked for Amazon, or you were a seller? My info comes from https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=..., which says commingled stuff is tracked by seller under "How Amazon Tracks Stickerless, Commingled Inventory".

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#119

Post by kev6168 »

My anecdote: more than a few times I was asked by small Chinese sellers on Amazon and Ebay (introduced by mutual acquaintances) to help them write emails to press unhappy customers to remove their negative reviews left on Amazon or Ebay, in exchange for freebies and credit. The sellers would ask me to write all sorts of fake sad stories like some poor girl would lose her job or the company had to shut down if the negative review was not turned into a positive one. I was really disgusted and turned them down each time. The moral: in most cases don't believe those fake stories. The review system needs to be protected for everyone's benefit.

Re: Amazon's Chinese Counterfeit Problem Is Getting Worse

#120

Post by veidr »

grenoire wrote: post #75
CamperBob2 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My anecdote: I like gold colored Ray-Ban aviators with a brown or dark polarized lens. The two stores near me didn't have them in stock, I couldn't find my old pair and I was leaving for a week long motorcycle ride in two days. I ordered them up and immediately knew they were fake. They were too light, the nose pads weren't right, all the usual tells. I returned them 3 different times until I just cancelled. The othe…

The Wayfarers and Aviators are all produced exclusively in Italy. It is not hard to tell fake Luxotticas.

No longer true; earlier this year I ordered a pair of aviators[1] from Ray-Ban directly (to avoid precisely what this entire thread is about), and they were made in China.

[1]: http://www.ray-ban.com/usa/sunglasses/RB8307%20MALE%20011-av...

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