Amazon's fake products and sellers - Is there any legal action I can take?

DougConnor

In the past two months I have tried to buy similar products from seven different vendors on Amazon UK only to have the orders cancelled after between one and four days ("Preparing to ship")? It turns out that all the vendors were probably fake. This has taken up a lot of my time and caused me a great deal of stress - is there any legal recourse that I can take against Amazon?

[Deleted User]

DougConnor wrote: »

I This has taken up a lot of my time and caused me a great deal of stress - is there any legal recourse that I can take against Amazon?

So you want compensation because you've been protected from purchasing from fake vendors?

What actual losses have you incurred?

Time and "stress"?

Really? :eek:

naedanger

DougConnor wrote: »

- is there any legal recourse that I can take against Amazon?

You could stop using them in future. It's what I tend to do when I am unhappy with a supplier.

POPPYOSCAR

Engage a solicitor.

DougConnor

I expect products offered through Amazon to be real, they are not. It takes time to select them, you have to budget for them, you order them in anticipation of a need, the order is accepted and then it is cancelled because the vendor was not real. Probably 20 hours of my time so far. Seven similar products from seven fake vendors. Is that itself not a con?

DougConnor

No I am not going to use them in future. Though as a first-time Amazon purchaser I am staggered by the fact that all seven of my initial (more or less identical products) have all been fake. Have other people encountered anything like this.

DougConnor

I would rather not engage a solictor. I was hoping that there might be some kind of ombudsman or small claims system to take this to. Amazon shouldn't be allowed to get away with trying to sell stuff that doesn't exist from vendors that do not exist.

[Deleted User]

DougConnor wrote: »

I was hoping that there might be some kind of ombudsman or small claims system to take this to.

As your losses are precisely nil, your "compo" will be exactly the same amount.

No solicitor will be interested in taking up your "case", simply because you don't have one. Amazon have protected you from purchasing these fake items, as such they have fulfilled their duty of care.

If you want to be sure that your orders are fulfilled there are a few steps you can take yourself;

Take note of the Feedback rating of any third party seller.

Be suspicious of very low prices. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Purchase only from Amazon directly.

DougConnor wrote: »

Amazon shouldn't be allowed to get away with trying to sell stuff that doesn't exist from vendors that do not exist.

Clearly, in your case Amazon haven't "got away" with any such thing.

DCFC79

DougConnor wrote: »

I would rather not engage a solictor. I was hoping that there might be some kind of ombudsman or small claims system to take this to. Amazon shouldn't be allowed to get away with trying to sell stuff that doesn't exist from vendors that do not exist.

You could send them a letter.

Good luck trying to find an ombudsman, you would be looking for something that doesnt exist.

Could try the small claims court but what would you base your claim on, what costs have you incurred ? You cant claim for time lost nor the stress, well I guess you could.

Ive not experienced the issue you have had.

If they were removed for being fake you should be happy they have prevented you from buying a fake. Just dont go near ebay.

naedanger

DougConnor wrote: »

No I am not going to use them in future. Though as a first-time Amazon purchaser I am staggered by the fact that all seven of my initial (more or less identical products) have all been fake. Have other people encountered anything like this.

Personally no, but I tend to buy from Amazon themselves, especially for items that I know are often faked.

I am glad to hear they are clamping down on fakes.

My main complaint with Amazon is that so many of their reviews appear fake (and not just those where the reviewer disclosed they received the item for free).

[Deleted User]

naedanger wrote: »

My main complaint with Amazon is that so many of their reviews appear fake (and not just those where the reviewer disclosed they received the item for free).

The feedback rating of third party sellers isn't fake, though.

My pet hate is that Amazon customer reviews for books, DVDs etc lump together all the reviews for every format.