IndianMascot
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How does Amazon India deal with fake products? A couple of days ago, we were alerted about an allegedly fake Xiaomi Power Bank being sold on Amazon India, with verified buyers writing reviews indicating that the product being sold is fake. (Hat Tip: NT Balanarayan)
What’s worth noting is that this product is a part of the “Fulfilled by Amazon” program, which means that it is being warehoused with Amazon India, and delivered by them. Given that fake goods are being sold online, and brands are warning consumers against purchasing products online (details here), the fact that a product is being Fulfilled by Amazon would make a consumer more confident about purchasing it.
Ashish Jain wrote in his review: “The product I received is fake. No 20 digit code for verification and several other conclusive signs of its being a fake product. I Xiaomi India customer care and inquire about their product generally. I was told by them that every original product has 20 digit verification code which shows its originality.” Other comments by verified buyers: here, here and here.
We wrote to Amazon India, asking them three questions:
1. How does Amazon India ensure that products being sold on its marketplace by sellers are genuine? In your statement to us, you claimed with certainty that “All products sold on Amazon.in through our sellers are genuine.” So do you inspect each product shipped for whether it is genuine?
2. What recourse do buyers have if they are, as it is alleged in this case, sold products that are fake?
3. What action are you planning to take against sellers of fake products, like it is alleged in this case? Please share details of action taken in the past, in case there have been any such instances.
Given Amazon’s response to us (below), it appears that:
- Amazon doesn’t check products for authenticity prior to shipment, whether Fulfilled by Amazon or not. It does random checks via mystery shopping and for complaints about fake products, apart from processes that they’re not willing to explain (“we do not break open the seal of the products we have mechanisms in our FCs to ensure that the products are genuine”)
- It has transferred liability to the seller. It offers buyers 100% purchase protection through an A-to-Z Guarantee. It works with sellers to offer a refund or replacement with a genuine products, if the product is not Fulfilled by Amazon. In case of Fulfilled by Amazon, it offers buyers a replacement.
- Amazon delists sellers, if they’re selling fake products.
Our take: We’re not sure of how effective Amazon’s processes are in identifying complaints in reviews on the site: The first mention of the product being fake was October 6th 2014, and despite subsequent comments from buyers, it took an email from us for them to investigate the seller. Also, note that the only action against the seller that Amazon has mentioned is delisting of the seller. So unless someone complains, by chance a mystery shopper buys the product, or Amazon’s (apparently slow) processes figure things out, the buyer can keep selling? Something here needs fixing.
How Amazon India deals with Fake Products - MediaNama
How does Amazon India deal with fake products? A couple of days ago, we were alerted about an allegedly fake Xiaomi Power Bank being sold on Amazon India, with verified buyers writing reviews indicating that the product being sold is fake. (Hat Tip: NT Balanarayan)
What’s worth noting is that this product is a part of the “Fulfilled by Amazon” program, which means that it is being warehoused with Amazon India, and delivered by them. Given that fake goods are being sold online, and brands are warning consumers against purchasing products online (details here), the fact that a product is being Fulfilled by Amazon would make a consumer more confident about purchasing it.
Ashish Jain wrote in his review: “The product I received is fake. No 20 digit code for verification and several other conclusive signs of its being a fake product. I Xiaomi India customer care and inquire about their product generally. I was told by them that every original product has 20 digit verification code which shows its originality.” Other comments by verified buyers: here, here and here.
We wrote to Amazon India, asking them three questions:
1. How does Amazon India ensure that products being sold on its marketplace by sellers are genuine? In your statement to us, you claimed with certainty that “All products sold on Amazon.in through our sellers are genuine.” So do you inspect each product shipped for whether it is genuine?
2. What recourse do buyers have if they are, as it is alleged in this case, sold products that are fake?
3. What action are you planning to take against sellers of fake products, like it is alleged in this case? Please share details of action taken in the past, in case there have been any such instances.
Given Amazon’s response to us (below), it appears that:
- Amazon doesn’t check products for authenticity prior to shipment, whether Fulfilled by Amazon or not. It does random checks via mystery shopping and for complaints about fake products, apart from processes that they’re not willing to explain (“we do not break open the seal of the products we have mechanisms in our FCs to ensure that the products are genuine”)
- It has transferred liability to the seller. It offers buyers 100% purchase protection through an A-to-Z Guarantee. It works with sellers to offer a refund or replacement with a genuine products, if the product is not Fulfilled by Amazon. In case of Fulfilled by Amazon, it offers buyers a replacement.
- Amazon delists sellers, if they’re selling fake products.
Our take: We’re not sure of how effective Amazon’s processes are in identifying complaints in reviews on the site: The first mention of the product being fake was October 6th 2014, and despite subsequent comments from buyers, it took an email from us for them to investigate the seller. Also, note that the only action against the seller that Amazon has mentioned is delisting of the seller. So unless someone complains, by chance a mystery shopper buys the product, or Amazon’s (apparently slow) processes figure things out, the buyer can keep selling? Something here needs fixing.
How Amazon India deals with Fake Products - MediaNama