Fraud?

[patrickt]

Yesterday I was doing my grocery shopping at Sam's Club and saw a new item in their electronic's section. They had a Kindle Paperwhite. I noticed the price and that was the price of a Paperwhite 3. I looked closer at the Paperwhite in the display case and that wasn't a Paperwhite 3. It was probably a Paperwhite 2.

Very few people in Oaxaca, Mexico, have ever seen a Kindle and aren't even aware that there is a Paperwhite, Paperwhite 2, and now Paperwhite 3 and each model is different. To be fair, Kindle does not make much of a distinction in the three in marketing.

Last night I printed out prices in Mexico for the Paperwhite 3, descriptions of the Paperwhite 2 and 3, and a list of serial numbers identifiers for the three Paperwhites.

This morning I went to Sam's Club, ask for a manager, and got a very nice young women. She knew nothing of Kindles so I showed her My Kindle Paperwhite 3 and pointed out the obvious difference in the logo on the face. I explained the differences between a Paperwhite 2 and a Paperwhite 3. I told her that people who bought the Paperwhite 2 at a high price were happy until they had a problem, contacted Kindle, and learned they had an older model. I said I'd read posts from people who had bought Paperwhite 2 Kindles at a Paperwhite 3 price and they seem to blame the company.

I don't know if Amazon is dumping and the company is exploiting or if the purchasing agents for the company don't know the differences in Kindle models.

I'll find out when I go to Sam's Club next Sunday. If the Kindle is there at the same price, the problem is with Sam's Club. If it's not there or if the price is lower, I suspect the problem is somewhere else.,

[cvkemp]

I have found it to be practice to dump older models, at discount houses. I would suspect Sam's would be one place as Fry's also. Any more it is really buyer beware. It seems to be that way all over.

[Cinisajoy]

Let's say Amazon dumped these PW's on Sam's Club. If they were dumped then Sam's Club will set the price. It is also entirely possible that the employee doing the pricing just saw paper white and charged the price they saw on Amazon.
Thing is whether they change the pricing or not, without inside knowledge it is impossible to know who did what.
You also have to be very careful at places like Big Lots. Same idea of dumped stuff.
Also you said you are in Mexico, could the extra cost be import taxes?

[cvkemp]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Let's say Amazon dumped these PW's on Sam's Club. If they were dumped then Sam's Club will set the price. It is also entirely possible that the employee doing the pricing just saw paper white and charged the price they saw on Amazon.
Thing is whether they change the pricing or not, without inside knowledge it is impossible to know who did what.
You also have to be very careful at places like Big Lots. Same idea of dumped stuff.
Also you said you are in Mexico, could the extra cost be import taxes?

When any item or items come to any store there is a list of the item and a price to be charged. Now yes the local store manager can change that price, but most of the time it is some stock person that looks at the list and places the price on the item.

[pidgeon92]

I don't understand the term "fraud" used in this context. Retailers in the US can charge what they like for an item. Is it different in Mexico?

[cvkemp]

It would be fraud to sell you a PW3 but you really got a PW2.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

I don't understand the term "fraud" used in this context. Retailers in the US can charge what they like for an item. Is it different in Mexico?

Pidgeon, if I sold you a brand new Ford F-150 at the sticker price for a brand new 2016 Ford F-150 and you discovered it was a brand new, as in never sold before, 2014 Ford F-150, would you feel you had been cheated. If you buy a Paperwhite at the same price that shows on the Amazon website and you find out later that it was in fact an earlier model with lower screen resolution and less memory, would you feel you had been cheated. If the companies encouraged this sort of misunderstanding then, yes, they're frauds.

At the very least, Amazon does not make the Paperwhite models obviously distinct. They are at least culpable for aiding and abetting the sale. If Amazon actually encourages stores to price at the full Paperwhite 3 price then they are fully culpable.

If the store bought the Paperwhites at a reduced price knowing they were Paperwhite 2 and knowing priced them as Paperwhite 3s they care culpable.

If Amazon, Jeff Bezos, wishes to have "let the buyer beware" as the Amazon motto Jeff Bezos will undoubtedly by running for President. My experience with Amazon would not suggest this would be the case and I sincerely hope they start distinctly marking the packaging of Paperwhit 2, Paperwhite 3, and Paperwhite 4 for inexperienced buyers won't get a bad taste in their mouths in their first exposure to Kindles.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by cvkemp

When any item or items come to any store there is a list of the item and a price to be charged. Now yes the local store manager can change that price, but most of the time it is some stock person that looks at the list and places the price on the item.

It is entirely possible whoever was originally doing the pricing, just put the wrong price. I didn't mean the stocker. I meant the employee in charge of pricing.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

It is entirely possible whoever was originally doing the pricing, just put the wrong price. I didn't mean the stocker. I meant the employee in charge of pricing.

Absolutely. There are a variety of possiblities. But, once the store is aware of the problem I expect them to correct their pricing. If they don't, it's intentionally misleading unsophisticated customers. I would feel better about Amazon if they clearly marked the packaging on older models as Paperwhite 2 or Paperwhite 2014 or whatever.

I can imagine a third party buy a large batch of Paperwhite 2 Kindles and then wholesaling them to outlets dishonestly.

Amazon.com.mx has only recently opened in Mexico. I found out when I tried to order a Paperwhite 3 from the U.S. and was told I would have to order it from Amazon.com.mx. So, they are new at this business, and to Kindle, too.

[cvkemp]

I agree with the marking, but I am glad they left the device the same, that way I can if I choice reuse my cover.

[Anthem]

People buy electronics from Sam's Club?!

(Picks mouth off floor)

[HarryT]

I honestly see nothing remotely fraudulent in this. A PW2 is being displayed and a PW2 is being sold. It may not be a very good deal, but that's for the buyer to decide.

[soulfuldog]

It's not fraud if they are just selling it as a Kindle Paperwhite, with no other details, and they can charge whatever price they like for it. It's only if they are selling it with the advertised features of the newer model that it would be fraud.

They probably aren't even aware that they aren't the latest version of Paperwhite (if they even know there are different versions), and that is thanks to Amazon not giving them specific numbers. It just makes things confusing.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I honestly see nothing remotely fraudulent in this. A PW2 is being displayed and a PW2 is being sold. It may not be a very good deal, but that's for the buyer to decide.

So, you are one who thinks Amazon or Sam's Club have a policy of buyers beware. A buyer who is unaware that a Paperwhite is an inadequate description is fair game. You and I disagree on that. And Soulfuldog, too. I thought more of Amazon, Sam's Club, and HarryT.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by patrickt

So, you are one who thinks Amazon or Sam's Club have a policy of buyers beware.

Any store does. The store offers a product; the customer decides whether or not to buy it. It certainly isn't the store's job to tell you that a newer model is available or that you can buy it cheaper elsewhere.