I bought some bluetooth headphones recently, 'cos theyr'e bluetooth and i hate faffing around untangling wires which inevitably needs doing with wired ones.
They were a lot cheaper (£30) than on the manufacturer's site (about £80) and they came unboxed and without instructions, just in a bag.
Anyhow, after the first ride, they kept cutting out, so that, and the OEM-ness led me to believe they may be counterfeit.
So I asked the manufacturer who said there were certain signs, but if I was unsure i could send them to them with proof of purchase (they were keen to stress that I had to enclose proof of purchase), and they would be able to tell me for sure. This I did, and enclosed a covering letter.
However, only a few days later I got an envelope from the manufacturer, with the proof of purchase and my covering letter, and the headphones. But no letter from them telling me whether they were fake or not!!
However, they were in a bag again, identical to the one i got them in (I hadn't put them back in the bag to send them back) and they had another set of the different sized earpiece rubber covers, again which I hadn't sent back.
What's more, they didnt' instantly connect, and I had to pair them again.
This suggests they may be a different pair! But to me, they look exactly the same.
So why would they replace them, when surely they're not obliged to, 'cos I've spent way below the price they charge for them? (If indeed that's what they've done?)
And why haven't they explained whether they were fake or not?
Which is the most likely scenario:
a) they were fake, and they're grateful to me for identifying a seller of fake ones so have given me a new set as thanks, but don't want me to know that for whatever reason?
they're just numpties and they just flashed the chip to make them have to repair, and rebagged them so I'll think they're a new pair?
c) they're numpties and they sent me the same ones back and it's just luck that they now work, and they may fail again in future?
d) they sent me a new set by default and they don't care whether they're fake or not?
I'm quite confused. I have sent them a message on their website asking them which it is, but obviously they haven't replied yet...
However there are a lot of fake things going around, so if in doubt, and it matters, then buy direct from the manufacturer or a reputable retailer, not some unheard-of internet firm. Just want to make people aware of this as much as anything really.
They were a lot cheaper (£30) than on the manufacturer's site (about £80) and they came unboxed and without instructions, just in a bag.
Anyhow, after the first ride, they kept cutting out, so that, and the OEM-ness led me to believe they may be counterfeit.
So I asked the manufacturer who said there were certain signs, but if I was unsure i could send them to them with proof of purchase (they were keen to stress that I had to enclose proof of purchase), and they would be able to tell me for sure. This I did, and enclosed a covering letter.
However, only a few days later I got an envelope from the manufacturer, with the proof of purchase and my covering letter, and the headphones. But no letter from them telling me whether they were fake or not!!
However, they were in a bag again, identical to the one i got them in (I hadn't put them back in the bag to send them back) and they had another set of the different sized earpiece rubber covers, again which I hadn't sent back.
What's more, they didnt' instantly connect, and I had to pair them again.
This suggests they may be a different pair! But to me, they look exactly the same.
So why would they replace them, when surely they're not obliged to, 'cos I've spent way below the price they charge for them? (If indeed that's what they've done?)
And why haven't they explained whether they were fake or not?
Which is the most likely scenario:
a) they were fake, and they're grateful to me for identifying a seller of fake ones so have given me a new set as thanks, but don't want me to know that for whatever reason?
they're just numpties and they just flashed the chip to make them have to repair, and rebagged them so I'll think they're a new pair?c) they're numpties and they sent me the same ones back and it's just luck that they now work, and they may fail again in future?
d) they sent me a new set by default and they don't care whether they're fake or not?
I'm quite confused. I have sent them a message on their website asking them which it is, but obviously they haven't replied yet...
However there are a lot of fake things going around, so if in doubt, and it matters, then buy direct from the manufacturer or a reputable retailer, not some unheard-of internet firm. Just want to make people aware of this as much as anything really.
