Or, why don't a 3rd party provide this, and provide a website isthislegit.com/THERANDOMID (typing or API or QR) that returns red or green? Hey, startup idea!
The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
21–30 of 69 posts
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#22Or, why don't a 3rd party provide this, and provide a website isthislegit.com/THERANDOMID (typing or API or QR) that returns red or green? Hey, startup idea!
The code has to be logged at Amazon warehouse though so it can linked to your amazon account number. Manufacturer -> Distributor -> Customer. Otherwise I could buy one real product off Amazon, copy the code onto my fake product and sell on Amazon marketplace.
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
What’re the odds of using RICO here?
As the 'R' in RICO stands for 'Racketeer' (which is explicitly a set of repeated criminal acts) and as Amazon hasn't been alleged to have committed any crimes ... I'd say slim to none.
This subthread is entirely about the allegation that Amazon engaged in a repeated pattern of actively promoting wire fraud (a RICO predicate offense) as a commercial enterprise.
They haven't previously been charged with a RICO predicate offense, but RICO doesn't require you to be separately charged with a predicate offense (either before or concurrently with RICO charges), only that the required relation to a predicate offense be in the allegation supporting the RICO charge. In fact, the central point in RICO is to allow charging people/orgs involved in schemes to promote predicate offenses for commercial benefit who might not otherwise be able to be charged as principals of those offenses.
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#24Or, why don't a 3rd party provide this, and provide a website isthislegit.com/THERANDOMID (typing or API or QR) that returns red or green? Hey, startup idea!
The problem is that you don't know if it is counterfeit until you get the item and scan the code. That's only marginally better than the status quo -- most counterfeits on Amazon are rather easy to spot once you have it in person.
With Amazon's program, they can do it when they accept the shipment and potentially destroy the entire stock of the seller's wares.
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#25So create a system that encourages abuse, profit from that abuse at the expense of brands, and then charge those companies to use your proprietary tracking system if they want to eliminate it? This is straight out of a racketeering playbook, "It would be a shame if someone counterfeited your products and ruined your brand..." This is Amazon's problem and they should be responsible and accountable for this. This artic…
I don't think I fully understand your perspective. Aside from simply offering a marketplace on which people may sell various products, what has Amazon done to encourage abuse?
I don't necessarily know their validity one way or the other, but the points that tend to be made are:
- In today's world, Amazon isn't just a marketplace, it is THE marketplace. For many brands, not selling on Amazon isn't a realistic option.
- Amazon's marketplace makes it very easy to counterfeit due to co-mingling, the difficulty of holding foreign sellers accountable, and the prevalence of fake reviews.
- Amazon has done little if anything to combat counterfeiting.
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think I fully understand your perspective. Aside from simply offering a marketplace on which people may sell various products, what has Amazon done to encourage abuse?
I don't necessarily know their validity one way or the other, but the points that tend to be made are: - In today's world, Amazon isn't just a marketplace, it is THE marketplace. For many brands, not selling on Amazon isn't a realistic option. - Amazon's marketplace makes it very easy to counterfeit due to co-mingling, the difficulty of holding foreign sellers accountable, and the prevalence of fake reviews. - Amazon…
>Amazon has done little if anything to combat counterfeiting.
This article is entirely about Amazon doing something to combat counterfeiting...
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a standard protection racket; create and profit from crime, and then charge the victims for your protection against the crime you are profiting from so you profit either way.
What’re the odds of using RICO here?
Its almost _never_ RICO:
https://www.popehat.com/2016/06/14/lawsplainer-its-not-rico-...
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#28So create a system that encourages abuse, profit from that abuse at the expense of brands, and then charge those companies to use your proprietary tracking system if they want to eliminate it? This is straight out of a racketeering playbook, "It would be a shame if someone counterfeited your products and ruined your brand..." This is Amazon's problem and they should be responsible and accountable for this. This artic…
It's strange how you attack specifically Amazon for this, while every e-commerce platform that allows 3rd party sellers has this problem. Amazon is the only one doing something about it; they should be applauded.
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is the reason why I cancelled my Prime account. I could not trust the electronics I buy on Amazon. Too many fake items sourced directly from shenzhen. Now I go directly to the manufacturer's website and pay full price (which is usually about $10 more), and at least I know I'm getting the real thing.
What are you buying that you have had issues with?
I've had fake DSLR camera batteries, Headphones, USB cables, and the list goes on
Re: The Amazon Transparency Program Is a Counterfeiter's Worst Nightmare
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
transparency requires a per-unit sticker with a unique code. Brands do not generally share exact volumes per product or their production rates.
Couldn't they be per-unit shipped/sold on Amazon? Does the brand need to use the same unique code system in, for example, their own brick & mortar location?
Yes, because Amazon days you can't stop resellers from selling your x on Amazon (per my reading). Thus you must tag all units.