Knifenews reports about Amazon and counterfeits

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http://knifenews.com/government-study-highlights-third-party-seller-counterfeit-risk/

Government Study Highlights Third-Party Seller Counterfeit Risk
March 28, 2018

A recent study by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirmed that consumers who buy from third-party sellers on major online e-commerce websites risk ending up with counterfeit products.

Although no knives were included in the GOA investigation, they report that more than 40% of purchases made through third-party sellers on sites like Amazon, WalMart, eBay, and Sears turned out to be counterfeit. Amazon, the largest online retailer in the U.S., has more than 3,000,000 such third party entities participating in their Marketplace, including many who peddle knives. Sales through the Marketplace make up nearly half of Amazon’s total business.

According to industry watchdog The Counterfeit Report, “Amazon’s 13 global websites operate under a huge legal loophole, virtually immune to prosecution, IP laws and safety standards. The foreign sellers are difficult to identify and escape liability.” The glut of sellers and inconsistency of product listings make it hard to discern fake from genuine products. “Amazon also utilizes a crafty approach to avoid removing reported counterfeit listings claiming ‘Your trademark must be in registered status in [each country the item is sold in],’ ignoring their own counterfeit policy,” The Counterfeit Report points out.

In some cases, Amazon does remove reported listings, but that doesn’t stop spurious sellers from making new accounts and continuing as before. According to The Counterfeit Report, with its open door policy, Amazon emulates the notorious eCommerce outlet Alibaba, which has been on the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s Notorious Markets List multiple times, most recently in 2017.

Other products are shipped from and sold by Amazon directly. Buyers often assume these products are the real thing, but in 2016, Apple found that 90% of chargers it purchased directly from Amazon, using official Apple imagery on the product listings, were fake and even dangerous. As early as 2015, Spyderco said they could not authenticate or otherwise guarantee the genuineness of any knife purchased from Amazon “due to their practice of co-mingling inventory with their 3rd party marketplace vendors.”

Some brands like Real Steel and Kizer’s Tangram operate official Amazon Marketplace storefronts, so customers who wish to buy from Amazon know they are receiving product directly from the manufacturer. But, if you want to reduce the risk of ending up with counterfeit knives, your best option is to buy from a reputable knife dealer.
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This has echoed what many of us have seen too.
 
Yep, I got burned by a third party seller on amazon who disappeared after a few days, amazon luckily refunded me my money.
 
it really stinks, because I had thought items direct from amazon were 'safe'... avoiding 3rd party sellers is only partial protection it seems

I suspect they won't really fix it until their knife sales hit zero...
perhaps it would be enough if only knives over $150 hit zero sales, so they realize that anyone serious doesn't trust them anymore
 
marcinek said:
Anyone who would by a knife from a third party seller on Amazon instead of buying from one our supporting dealers kinda deserves what they get.
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I take no pity on those who know better, but are trying to save a buck. I do take pity on someone who doesn't know any better, gets a crappy knock off, and then thinks that knife X sucks.
 
austonh said:
I take no pity on those who know better, but are trying to save a buck. I do take pity on someone who doesn't know any better, gets a crappy knock off, and then thinks that knife X sucks.
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Yeah. Unfortunately the people who don't know better aren't here. Kinda a catch-22.

That's why I don't let friends buy knives on their own! :eek:
 
marcinek said:
Anyone who would by a knife from a third party seller on Amazon instead of buying from one our supporting dealers kinda deserves what they get.
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The truth is, most knife users don't know about this forum. They don't know one internet vendor from another. Doubtlessly there are areas of life where you are in the same position. So if you get scammed will you be owning up to it and say you deserve it, or will you be screaming for your money back & justice?
I don't know you, so you might do the former. From what I know of people it's more likely you want police & compensation.
 
marcinek said:
Anyone who would by a knife from a third party seller on Amazon instead of buying from one our supporting dealers kinda deserves what they get.
Click to expand...

austonh said:
I take no pity on those who know better, but are trying to save a buck. I do take pity on someone who doesn't know any better, gets a crappy knock off, and then thinks that knife X sucks.
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I think anyone paying money for goods or services should get what they are paying for. If the ad says a spyderco pm2 dlc blk for $100.00 that’s what it should be.

What you are saying is like, if you hire a local electrician or plumber to run some pipe or wire up your new garage, and they screw you... you deserve what you get for hiring the guy who screwed you, instead of the guy who did the job correctly.

You are just asking for bad ju ju.
 
I once saw a bunch of cameras and equipment for sale by third party seller on Amazon. He had several pages of quality stuff as ridiculously low prices. Without biting, II niquired about an item. He said that he doesn't accept payment on Amazon, and said he would send an invoice to me if I gave him my email. That being a super bright red flag, I contacted Amazon. Miraculously, all the stuff for sale and store front were gone. Amazon had no info on him and asked for any email correspodence.


This guy had one hell of a shadow scheme. Its as if Amazon site was hacked and then abandoned.. If it looks to good to be true, run like a scalded dog. I'm sure someone was foolish enough to pay this scammer. This was extremely well organized. Amazon prime for me.
 
I had an Amazon gift card and decided to use it to buy a spydie. I purchased directly from Amazon, not a 3rd party and got a fake.

Instead of returning it immediately I ordered an Endura from a legit knife shop and broke them down so I could do a side by side comparison with pictures to post in my Amazon review. Highlighting what to look for on a fake endura to keep anyone else from getting burned.

Amazon refunded my gift card but refused to post the review.
 
Welcome to third world values. I quit Amazon prime. Too many orders lost in space. The UPS/USPS alliance: cheap is expensive in the long run. Knife nuts otta know better
 
shinyedges said:
You bought your first knife in 2007? I thought you were around on a few other knife forums way back...
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Actually I may have begun at another place, came here, went to yet another place, then settled back here. Been a while.

And, yes, push comes to shove anybody here who buys from anybody other than one of our supporting dealers deserves what they get. Which makes the original post kinda pointless. Kinda a "tell us something we don't know thing."

But people who don't do research have no right to complain when they get crap. And you do take you chances not buying from "Ships from and sold by Amazon" or from a brand that has their own store on Amazon like Levi's.
 
marcinek said:
Actually I may have begun at another place, came here, went to yet another place, then settled back here. Been a while.

And, yes, push comes to shove anybody here who buys from anybody other than one of our supporting dealers deserves what they get. Which makes the original post kinda pointless. Kinda a "tell us something we don't know thing."

But people who don't do research have no right to complain when they get crap. And you do take you chances not buying from "Ships from and sold by Amazon" or from a brand that has their own store on Amazon like Levi's.
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Gotchya, I remembered you'd been around the block. Can't disagree with bladeforums members buying from untrustworthy places being responsible for their own burn.

Uninitiated oblivious people SHOULD do enough research to prevent them selves getting scammed but with so many products in life to research I can see how things slip through.
 
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