help me analyze the ethics of this situation

[ZippyDan]

this is not a life or death or otherwise epic situation, just a simple purchase

i purchased an item on Amazon which i intended to take apart and mod, knowing full well that this would void the warranty

i could only find the item on Amazon from a third party seller, but since i have Amazon prime and since i prefer to deal through a trusted intermediary, i went ahead with the purchase

when i received the product, it looked real, and i set about taking it apart, including the removal of the sticker that very clearly warns that removal will void the warranty

after it was in pieces, i was able to determine that it was in fact a clone

now, i want my money back. i know that taking the item apart voids my warranty, and the seller will probably be pissed to get their merchandise back in pieces, but i feel that the seller violated the original contract of the sale by advertising something as an original and then sending me a clone. if it was an original, i would have been glad to accept the risk of voiding the warranty.

the description on Amazon now lacks any specific mention of the original manufacturer (so they must have received other complaints), but i know that it used to mention the original manufacturer when i bought it. a discussion with Amazon customer service says that they cannot go back and view the description at the time i bought it. oh well.

i still feel kind of guilty returning an item in pieces. someone give me their two cents.

 

[sixone]

You thought you were buying original equipment, but that's not what you received.

The pieces don't matter. You can buy an item for any purpose you want, including taking it apart and voiding the warranty.

You're returning it because it's not as advertised, not because of a warranty issue.

 

[Captante]

Sorry to say but I think your stuck with it.

I do agree that if the seller knew it was a clone that was unethical, however once you took the item apart all bets were off.


Edit: Have you asked the seller what if anything they are willing to do for you?

 

[Theb]

What was it?

 

[PottedMeat]

if it's a clone i bet the seller knows and will give you your money back without asking that it be returned

if you get your money back, rat the fucker out

 

[lxskllr]

You'd be in the right returning it AFAIC, but depending on the cost, I might not bother. <$20 I'd probably eat it. My inclination to return would increase linearly over $20.

 

[dabuddha]

Agreed with Sixone. If you broke it in the process of taking it apart, then your warranty would be void (though technically there wouldn't be a valid warranty anyways if its a clone). Regardless, this has nothing to do with voiding the warranty.

Personally, I believe that if the description did not say it was a clone, then you have the right to ask for your money back. The default assumption is always that you're buying genuine products, not knockoffs.

 

[smackababy]

This is why I avoid third party sellers on Amazon. If it is not sold by Amazon, I won't buy it. Can't trust all those guys nobody has ever heard of. Even a lot of items on Amazon are fakes. They don't check the items, even if it is fulfilled by Amazon. They just hold it and ship it.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Not only do you have the right to raise hell, you have an obligation to raise hell. Like ebay feedback, take the opportunity to protect the field. If the seller is knowingly selling clones without disclosing it they deserve to get dragged through the mud and if they're not aware of it they would definitely want to know.

 

[Imp]

Agreed with Sixone. If you broke it in the process of taking it apart, then your warranty would be void (though technically there wouldn't be a valid warranty anyways if its a clone). Regardless, this has nothing to do with voiding the warranty.

Personally, I believe that if the description did not say it was a clone, then you have the right to ask for your money back. The default assumption is always that you're buying genuine products, not knockoffs.

I'm running with that. What warranty?

 

[Captante]

I'm running with that. What warranty?

Valid point.

 

[Imp]

Valid point.

If the company's willing to peddle a clone as the real thing, they'll probably claim that they never said it was genuine and the warranty was to be provided by them... until the customer voided it. Probably up to Amazon now.

Edit: To clarify, when you say "clone", do you mean something like a "mePhone" or a counterfeit iPhone?

Have they crossed the line into counterfeit territory?

 

[MrColin]

I think you are entitled to return it on the grounds that it is counterfeit. Any warranty is null and void a priori for the same reason. They may be willing to give you more than just a refund if they want to keep their shenanigans under wraps.

 

[pete6032]

You should try contacting the company that produces the original item and let them know that someone on Amazon is selling cheap knockoffs of their product.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I'd need a little more information to make sure it wasn't your fault for mis-reading the original description.

Does the description in your order confirmation email differ from the current description?

If they've changed the description from "genuine BlapCo Widget" to "replacement widget for BlapCo cameras" then they deceived you. If you misread what you wanted to see then it's not ethical to return a work-alike that you decided to disassemble.

Edit: Why don't you give us the ASIN so we can see the current description?

 

[zinfamous]

Agreed with Sixone. If you broke it in the process of taking it apart, then your warranty would be void (though technically there wouldn't be a valid warranty anyways if its a clone). Regardless, this has nothing to do with voiding the warranty.

Personally, I believe that if the description did not say it was a clone, then you have the right to ask for your money back. The default assumption is always that you're buying genuine products, not knockoffs.

Bingo.

You really don't have to explain to the seller your suspicions of why the product wasn't genuine. You know it's a fake, they know it's a fake.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Bingo.

You really don't have to explain to the seller your suspicions of why the product wasn't genuine. You know it's a fake, they know it's a fake.

I'd still like to see the Amazon listing before agreeing with this. Sometimes non-OEM parts are legal and listings are open about it.

 

[SKORPI0]

"Take part and mod", OP what was the item? Yes a link to the Amazon page would be nice.

 

[lxskllr]

"Take part and mod", OP what was the item? Yes a link to the Amazon page would be nice.

He was probably turbo charging a vibrator "for science". That's why he hasn't posted the item :^D

 

[richardycc]

more like a knockoff than a "clone". lol

 

[PottedMeat]

He was probably turbo charging a vibrator "for science". That's why he hasn't posted the item :^D

is this it?
D:

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

PLEASE CAN I HAVE A FULL REFUND ?

 

[waggy]

Fuck yeah you should get a refund. You didn't get what you paid for. the fact that it is in pieces shouldn't matter

 

[Ns1]

Fuck yeah you should get a refund. You didn't get what you paid for. the fact that it is in pieces shouldn't matter

this

 

[OBLAMA2009]

if you wanted to make that claim you should have done it before you ruined it. at this point you cant return it in the same condition you received it so tough luck for you, thats my opinion