eBay doesn’t always live up to the “if it’s too good to be true” mantra as users around the world use the site to find gadgets way off retail. More often then not (*statistically dubious), it works out for the buyers and seller. But what about knock offs?
Case in point: check out this iPod controlling ski jacket. Spyder is a brand of expensive ski clothing and eBay is chock full of “Spyder gear”. Take http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260547949386&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1182. it appears to the be the $3000+ jacket Engadget wrote about a while back. So the $3k jacket plus pants sold for $160. Obviously a fake, right?
Your Asian connection
Check here: www.dhgate.com. In fact, look here. This eBay-like service puts users in touch with factories in Asia for all kinds of products. From sporting goods, to gadgetry to software to building supplies, you can find it here and all the sellers look to have decent ratings and fast shipping. Sounds like a deal?
Well, not so fast. Even though most users have ratings, it appears that these ratings are manipulated by the site – at least according to users I spoke with. That’s right, fake ratings. It seems the site will go and change your negative review/rating to a positive as it sees fit, according to my sources.
I found a seller who bought from the site intending to resell the goods. They agreed to answer some of my questions.
Here is my Q&A:
Gadgetell: It looks like you’ve had some issues with getting your order/getting your money back. What can you share? Do you resell the products?
Seller: I did buy to re-sell on eBay (suspended for one month) and also on Amazon UK sites but I have since been reinstated
Gadgetell: Have you left any negative feedback and if so, was it altered?
Like so many other people I have left negative feedback only to find that it has been changed at a later time to positive.
Gadgetell: Can you recommend buying from DHGate?
I would advise against making any purchases whatsoever from DH Gate, almost everything sold on their site is counterfeit – and not even of good quality. They act as an Escrow agent in transactions between the seller/buyer but always come down firmly on the side of the seller whenever there is a dispute of any kind. I have provided written and photographic evidence at their request but it is still not enough to get a full refund. They are in business to line their own pockets and those of their sellers.
They are thieves, no doubt but what I find incredibly galling is that their site is incredibly similar to that of eBay – is there some connection..? In addition, PayPal allows a buyer to make purchases from the DH Gate site and in doing so, in my opinion, are assisting with the importation of counterfeit goods. They are complicit in illegal activity.
How to tell them apart
Another source gave me some good tips on how to avoid ending up with a knock off. Search on the item description, often descriptions are lifted right off a site like dhgate (you bet there are more than one site like them). Look at the images, if something looks “off”, something probably is. Check the manufacturers site, do they offer anything like that? Inspect logos. Is it close?
Remember, it’s buyer beware for a reason.
it is all boil down to the price, at this price, what you expect?