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Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

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Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#51
post #21

I was always taught to never view an eclipse directly with any kind of filter/glasses. Use a simple lens, or even a pinhole, to project the image onto another surface and view it that way.

That's what we did in elementary school last time it happened in our area years ago. I believe we used a shoe box, took off the lid, poked a pin hole on one side and viewed it.

Here's a link to it's construction.

https://www.livescience.com/33906-solar-eclipse-viewer.html

I'd say the box the glasses come in from Amazon is probably more useful than the glasses in many cases. :)

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#52
post #6

This isn't limited to glasses. I purchased a 12x12 sheet of solar filter film from a seller on Amazon, manufactured by Thousand Oaks Optical (who are listed on the American Astronomical Society's list of reputable vendors), and I'm also being refunded. I checked the Thousand Oaks Optical site and they have a list of legitimate resellers of their products, and the Amazon seller I used is listed. I'm surprised Amazon d…

> the Amazon seller I used is listed

If it was "fulfilled by Amazon", it doesn't matter what seller you chose, you could have been sent a counterfeit item from another seller.

Sellers using fulfillment-by-Amazon send their stock to Amazon's warehouse, where it gets thrown in the same bin as all the other stock of that item from everyone else selling it. When it gets pulled to ship to you, there's no guarantee you get one that came from the authorized seller, versus a counterfeit someone else sent in with the same SKU.

Sellers can opt-out of commingling inventory at extra cost but most don't. Given you got a proactive refund, that seller probably has commingled inventory with everyone else, and Amazon is worried they sent you a fake that'll get someone injured and cause them liability.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#53

How do we still have issues with counterfeit products in 2017? There should be electronic records with audit trails for every shipment into the US. This ordeal is probably going to bankrupt several small businesses.

Because amazon hasn't been sued enough to care yet.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#54
post #34

What goes around comes around. Amazon has been turning a blind eye to counterfeit products for a long time, it's been getting worse, not better. And now that they got a clue this particular fraud could CAUSE WIDESPREAD BLINDNESS, they have to take responsibility for their own cesspool.

> turning a blind eye

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#55
post #34

What goes around comes around. Amazon has been turning a blind eye to counterfeit products for a long time, it's been getting worse, not better. And now that they got a clue this particular fraud could CAUSE WIDESPREAD BLINDNESS, they have to take responsibility for their own cesspool.

Yeah I hope the discovery resulting from the lawsuit from this issue will be explosive enough to force Amazon to change. If it surfaces that they've been knowingly selling counterfeit products... Wow.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#56

You don't need eclipse glasses. If you are traveling to (or live in) the zone of totality, don't bother viewing the partial eclipse at all. It's not what you are there for. You are there to experience the total eclipse in all its glory, and you can't use eclipse glasses for that. Your best viewing tool for the total eclipse is your own eyes and a good pair of binoculars. Yes, plain, unfiltered binoculars. During tota…

I think they are useful to wear in the last minute before totality, simply as a safe way to determine when totality arrives. Without them it is too tempting to keep glancing up st the sun to see if it is total yet.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#57
Is there anything particularly dangerous about viewing the sun directly? When I was dumb and young I'd look at the sun for seconds at a time without any problems developing so far. Is the danger that an eclipse encourages you to stare at the sun without encountering any pain?

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#58

You don't need eclipse glasses. If you are traveling to (or live in) the zone of totality, don't bother viewing the partial eclipse at all. It's not what you are there for. You are there to experience the total eclipse in all its glory, and you can't use eclipse glasses for that. Your best viewing tool for the total eclipse is your own eyes and a good pair of binoculars. Yes, plain, unfiltered binoculars. During tota…

I think they are useful to wear in the last minute before totality, simply as a safe way to determine when totality arrives. Without them it is too tempting to keep glancing up st the sun to see if it is total yet.

That is an excellent point; thank you for mentioning it!

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#59

Better now than the 22nd. Bravo Amazon. The walmart i know still has them for $1.

Bravo? Amazon sells counterfeit shit all over. They're panicking and trying to avoid a tiny bit of the inevitable damage. I bet they'll settle quickly versus risk the full extent of their malicious behaviour become public knowledge.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#60
post #30

I ordered the top-rated eclipse glasses on Amazon a few months ago and they were counterfeit. If you put them on during daytime you can see indirect sunlight and even my kitchen light. They were shipped from China despite having "Made in the USA" markings and all the proper ISO certification fine print. I haven't received any communication from Amazon, so people who haven't heard from them should not assume their gla…

It seems incredibly careless of them to tell people if they did not get an email they're OK. There's no way the impact from refunding everyone that bought any such product outweighs the coming lawsuits.

I feel bad for people about to be injured. But hopefully this will screw Amazon hard and make them change their ways.

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