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Reputable or Con?
Legitimate Or Illegitimate?
Internet Store
Scams - Gray Market Goods
That
flashy looking "Internet Store" may have no real company
behind it.
John
Doe living somewhere has a web page. John sees an ad by a 'fulfillment
company' that will set up a "free web site" for John (that
looks very sharp and very legitimate) and John can sell 'their'
products and keep half the profit and all without having to do any
work.
John
signs up, and presto a new internet 'store' is born. It happens thousands of times every single day.
So
you buy something from the website which looks very sharp. Then you
wait and wait and wait and wait. You call John, but John was never
involved and gives you a number to contact. Busy line. No answer.
There
are many legitimate fulfillment companies and other businesses that
offer great products and services both on the internet and right down
the street...
But
before you shop check to see who really owns the "store" you
are shopping at and spend a few minutes reading about how to minimize
your risk of being conned.
Some
Straight Talk for Both Retail Store and Internet Buyers
Like
all businesses, both storefronts and web businesses have both
reputable and fly by night outfits. So how do you tell the difference?
That's what this page is about.... more on ways you get ripped off.
Some
Additional Questions to Ask
The
other day a man came in and said "Boy, was I conned...., I wish I
had checked up on that business" ... more on how you can check up on a business.
Conclusion
If
the deal is too good to be true, it could very well be, and probably
is, a con ...conclusion.
Many companies rip you off by:
- 1.
Selling used,
refurbished, demo, seconds, fake, pulled computers, hardware, and
software items as new. Just little companies doing it? The
federal government (1996) got Packard Bell for doing this. Many
small dealers don't even know they are buying pulled, pirated, or
used components, often using price as their only consideration. When
buying, know
who you are buying from.
That applies to your dealer and to you.
- 2. Using
pirated or the cheapest (in every sense of the word) components in
assembled computers and other products sold. Did you know that fake
Intel Pentium Chips are on the market? And fake copies of
Microsoft Windows 98? If the price is too low, usually something is
wrong Find out how long the company has been in business (one of
the best indicators of legitimacy) and if possible, their
reputation.
- 3. A million
promises. Then failing to help you after the sale. We hear this one
every day. The person buys and the company either vanishes or
refuses to help. It turns out that a salesman can promise you
whatever he wants and its perfectly legal. Its called salesman's
"license".
What is your recourse? Do you get
your money back?
- 4. Giving
you a 'free' multi year warranty. They probably won't be here to fix
it so what good is the warranty?
Not much is free.
A lesson that is
hard to learn.
- 5. Computer
dealers rarely stay in business more than a year or two and perhaps
not as long on the internet. If the dealer is not authorized by the
manufacturer, your warranty may be non existent because some
manufacturers will not honor warranty if the product was not
purchased from an authorized dealer. Is the reseller
authorized to sell the product you are purchasing?
- 6.
Installing software illegally or on the cheap i.e.where you do
not get the manufacturer's disks or product manuals. Insist on the
disks and manuals. While they could still be pirated, the chance is
reduced.
Be
sure you will get all manuals and disks. See next item.
- 7. Selling
you pirated software. Pirate copies of programs like Windows are
difficult to discriminate and the dealer gets conned and you get
conned by default. Where does this reseller get his
merchandise?
- 8. Selling
you an extended warranty without keeping the funds in reserve to
provide for you if they (or the 3rd part service company) fail. Who is the
underwriter of your extended warranty? Ask.
- 9. Giving
you 'fantastic references': ask for references from the
company or person before purchasing.
Call the references.
See below.
- 10. Offering
you "unlimited customer service and support". Does the
company have service facilities, proper service equipment and offer
customer support? Ask to look around. If its a web site, read the
customer service section especially if customer service and customer
support could be a consideration for you.
Determine what
support and service are offered and how much they will cost.
Some
additional guidelines & USC info
- 2. How
many years computer (or whatever) experience does the average
employee have?
Legitimate companies tend to hire more experienced people. U.S.C. employees average
over
15 years of electronics and computer
experience.
- 3. Product
Source. What distributor or manufacturer does the reseller use?
USC buys factory direct and also via America's largest
distributors: Ingram Micro, Tech Data, Merisel, & D&H.
- 4.
GRAY MARKET
GOODS Is the reseller authorized
by the applicable product manufacturer to sell the companies
product. U.S.C. is authorized. If the dealer is not authorized you may have
no warranty.
- 5. New
products? Will the reseller certify in writing that all
products are new and not refurbished, factory pulls, fakes, customer
returns, factory seconds. used or other wise inferior products?
U.S.C. certifies that when you purchase any product from U.S.C.
that, unless you are informed otherwise (want to purchase a demo,
etc) , the product is new and all components used in the computer
are new first quality components and that all hardware and software
is legitimate (not pirated or otherwise illegally copied).
- 6. More
on references. Ask for a printed reference list containing
customers that have dealt with the company for over one year minimum
and preferably over a period of years. On request, USC will provide
you a written reference list. You can
search our customer
database (for names, not personal data) or read what customers say.
- 7. Ask
how many customers (total) the company has. If fewer than 1000
customers you are probably at risk. U.S.C. has thousands of customers.
- 8. Look
at the appearance of the employees and of the business.
Do the employees dress and act well? Does the business
have substantial visible assets .. lots of product on the shelves?
One look is worth a thousand words. Unfortunately on web sites
anyone can appear legitimate. But its easy to tell. Does the web
site have a section about the company? Does it say anything when you
get to the page? Legitimate companies will always have page(s) with
historical and or financial information about the company.
- 9. Does
the company have a good credit rating? If you are spending
$1000 on a computer product it's probably worth spending another $15
or so to find out.
http://www.d&b.com. Warning: there are
con companies on the web selling fraudulent or undocumented credit
info. Dun and Bradstreet is inexpensive and reliable.
- 10. Is the
dealer really authorized?
Call the
manufacturer and check to see if the dealer is authorized
to sell the product you are purchasing.
Conclusion
All of us
want to save money. But most of us, at times, are penny wise and pound
foolish. U.S. Computer Corporation saves you money by offering you the
most cost effective and the most reliable components. Legitimate
products and legitimate prices from a legitimate company.
Few computer
resellers have been in business
longer than we have. U.S. Computer
Corporation traces its history to a company founded 1960
In nearly 40
years of doing business in the United States and worldwide and with
customers over those same years ranging from the man next door to such
giants as General Electric,
no complaints have ever been filed
by any of our customers to the Better Business Bureau (to the best of
our knowledge).
We will
listen and we will take care of legitimate concerns. Period.
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