You know those electronics stores littered around Manhattan that sell flip cell phones for like $10, calling cards, and $15 digital cameras that nobody shops at because it's so obvious what you're getting?
Why does it seem like people lose their sense online? If you're not buying from the manufacturer or a seller you're familiar with, do some research.
And don't buy from anywhere outside the Western world. The rest of the world is rife with liars and counterfeiters. There are still some here, but they are much fewer and are almost always trivial to distinguish.
I was under the impression that items "Sold and shipped by Amazon" were actually purchased by Amazon as well, which would imply quality control (for example, I don't expect Amazon to buy Apple products from anyone other than Apple). I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation, yet I learned from this thread that it's not the case.
Why does it seem like people lose their sense online? If you're not buying from the manufacturer or a seller you're familiar with, do some research.
And don't buy from anywhere outside the Western world. The rest of the world is rife with liars and counterfeiters. There are still some here, but they are much fewer and are almost always trivial to distinguish.