Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Deceptive Advertising ? Or Fraud ?
Self (vanity) ^ | 1/29/15 | jimt

Posted on 01/29/2015 6:10:47 AM PST by jimt

I wanted to buy my wife a new wifi enabled blue ray player. As I have for many hundreds of successful purchases before, I went to ebay. Under the search for "blue ray player wifi" further restricting selections were available to narrow the search: brand, features, price, etc. One was NEW or USED.

I clicked NEW. 541 listings came up. Among those were many whose listing titles described them as "new other".

WTF ?

Turns out these items are REFURBISHED or REMANUFACTURED or just plain USED in the original box. They are NOT NEW.

Have we become so corrupted (largely by 'Rats) that this kind of perversion of our language is acceptable ? Is this like "I did not have sex with that woman" ?


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last
I find this appalling. Since when has such deceptive/fraudulent wording been allowed ?
1 posted on 01/29/2015 6:10:47 AM PST by jimt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jimt

It’s new to you.
Many times, “open box” or “refurbished” means the previous buyer was too stupid to figure out how to use it.


2 posted on 01/29/2015 6:13:01 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you are not part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt
"I did not have sex with that woman" ..
Once that was allowed to slide,,, responsibility became useless in our culture.. imho
3 posted on 01/29/2015 6:13:54 AM PST by ßuddaßudd (>> F U B O << "What the hell kind of country is this if I can only hate a man if he's white?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Since 1789, at least.

Let the words caveat emptor be your guide.


4 posted on 01/29/2015 6:15:10 AM PST by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Perhaps ebay should allow a greater range of choices than simply NEW or USED for those who are selling products.


5 posted on 01/29/2015 6:16:28 AM PST by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt
a lot of New/Other is bulk overstock, in situations were the vendor needs to have spares for swap outs, etc. They we just not packaged for retail sales but are not used and from the Mfg. The best example of this would be a call phone swapped out for a defect, where you get the device only, and not all the accessories and packaging.

Read the details of each auction for explanation of product. Ebay has a great guarantee and will insure what you buy is described exactly in the auction. M2C.

6 posted on 01/29/2015 6:21:53 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature ($1.84 - The price of a gallon of gas on Jan. 20th, 2009.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Holy moly ! Is it necessary to learn a new language now to buy something ? Whatever happened to plain English ?

I think the language evolution has been going on for a long time. Remember when newspaper classifieds advertised HOUSES ? And how it all of a sudden changed to HOMES ?

Sorry for the rant. It really pisses me off !


7 posted on 01/29/2015 6:27:52 AM PST by jimt (Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Does the term “fresh frozen” disturb you too?


8 posted on 01/29/2015 6:27:57 AM PST by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

It’s e-bay.

I have a friend who buys a lot on e-bay. Claims he has never been bitten.

Yet, his account is continuously being hacked.

He has gotten car parts that are not even close to what they are supposed to be.

A hand held radio set that had no range whatsoever.

A car, yes a car, that was supposed to be in excellent condition but when he went to pick it up had a gouge down the side.

On and on, yet he continues to use it.

I guess he enjoys the hassle.


9 posted on 01/29/2015 6:32:29 AM PST by SolidRedState (I used to think bizarro world was a fiction.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

“new-other’ key word ‘other’. other than factory new in original box. could be a factory refurb (OK with me as long as there’s a warrantee), or new, unused, maybe something was removed from the box, or something that someone got as a gift that they never used and don’t want...

again key word: OTHER


10 posted on 01/29/2015 6:32:58 AM PST by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt
Since when has such deceptive/fraudulent wording been allowed ?


"Did God reeeeeeeeeeeally say....."

11 posted on 01/29/2015 6:33:23 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Drango

Jumbo Shrimp might be disturbing


12 posted on 01/29/2015 6:33:30 AM PST by UB355 (Slower traffic keep right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Amazon tells us, when an item is refurbished.

EBay apparently doesn’t, and will be laying off a lot of workers.


13 posted on 01/29/2015 6:34:54 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Will French, German & Belgians make anti-terror raids on our White House, AG Dept and Homeland Sec.?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Amazon tells us, when an item is refurbished.

EBay apparently doesn’t, and will be laying off a lot of workers.


14 posted on 01/29/2015 6:34:59 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Will French, German & Belgians make anti-terror raids on our White House, AG Dept and Homeland Sec.?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Amazon tells us, when an item is refurbished.

EBay apparently doesn’t, and will be laying off a lot of workers.


15 posted on 01/29/2015 6:35:12 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Will French, German & Belgians make anti-terror raids on our White House, AG Dept and Homeland Sec.?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: jimt
Since when has such deceptive/fraudulent wording been allowed ?

Since the birth of the free market system.

Caveat emptor. You have to read every single word in an eBay ad before doing anything. Reject those that have even a scintilla of fraud or falsehood. Or even lack of information. As in all negotiations you have to be prepared to simply walk away. Let market forces weed out the scammers.

16 posted on 01/29/2015 6:38:06 AM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (Life and death are but temporary states. But Freedom endures forever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

It’s all in the “definitions” that are allowed on that site. Be aware of what the defined words mean, and then you won’t have any trouble.


17 posted on 01/29/2015 6:39:20 AM PST by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt
It has nothing to do with being dems or 'pubs. It has to do with marketing for maximum profit being more important than reputation or a few disgruntled customers.

Words like "remanufactured" are tested and found to offend the least number of consumers so they're chosen.

You don't matter. If you become a movement that affects the bottom line, then you do.

Do I like it? Of course not. What I like even less is the computer service I pay a monthly fee to use being inundated with trarget adds based on my purchasing and online habits.

18 posted on 01/29/2015 6:39:52 AM PST by grania
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

I bought a “refurbished” computer at $500 less than a new one from the Apple Store and used it happily for 7 years. Most of the items sold this way are returns (maybe gifts that didn’t go over well?) or they might have had a small defect which was easily fixable, but the buyer insisted on getting an exchange for a new one or returned it for a refund. So they really are “new” in the sense that no one has used them.

In any case, as long as the seller stands behind the product, I wouldn’t be reluctant to purchase something of this description as long as there were significant savings to you.


19 posted on 01/29/2015 6:47:16 AM PST by randita (Obama entrusted the transformation of the best healthcare system in the world to a scam artist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimt

Ebay? If you’re looking for something you can be sure is legitimately new, go to Amazon.


20 posted on 01/29/2015 6:48:05 AM PST by JennysCool (My hypocrisy goes only so far)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson