These big box retailers are allegedly selling fakes and getting involved in wide tech scams.
If you’re in the market for a new pair of AirPods, you might want to think twice before heading to Walmart, Costco, or Target. Recent Reddit posts have revealed a troubling trend of customers receiving fake or tampered products when purchasing AirPods and other devices from these retailers.
Walmart and Costco’s Electronics Dilemma
Reddit user ParkerApplejax shared that he bought AirPods from Walmart but realized they were fake as they had no serial number.
When he tried to return them, the Walmart staff allegedly said they had a policy against returning Apple products. They recommended he go to an Apple Store instead.
However, the Apple employee told him to return the product to Walmart.
“I went to the Apple Store to confirm that they were indeed fake (no serial number along with 10 other issues. They broke in half when I pulled the ear tip off for the first time as well).” he shares.
“The Apple employee confirmed they were fake and said “yeah you would need the order number etc. So you would return them at Walmart, just like any other Walmart purchase”.”
On his second return to Walmart, he was denied again, even though his receipt showed a 30-day return policy for electronics. It was only after he mentioned involving a lawyer that Walmart refunded him.
Similarly, Redditor Logical-Pie918 had trouble with an online order from Costco.
His AirPods arrived with the outer package sealed, but the AirPods’ box itself was open. Inside the box was a coil nut instead of a pair of AirPods.
Costco offered a refund. However, the user remains concerned about a second order (an iPad) that is scheduled to arrive.
Prevalence of the Issue
The experiences shared by many other Reddit users suggest that receiving fake or tampered electronics is not a one-time thing.
Many customers have also reported similar incidents when buying high-value items like AirPods, iPads, gaming consoles, and other electronics from major retailers. They shared experiences of receiving opened boxes or missing parts when purchasing from retailers like Amazon and Target.
According to a Target employee, scammers can easily rewrap items to make them look unopened. This makes it hard for retailers to spot tampered products. A Target employee mentioned that they have to open expensive returned items to confirm the contents. Opened items are not resold even if they are the correct product.
In his one experience, a buyer got an Xbox from Target that turned out to be a box filled with books.
Many other users shared similar experiences.
Some users also reported receiving used or broken items when buying electronics from retailers.
Potential Causes: Scammers and Distribution Chain Theft
According to the users, the issue seems to come from two main sources: return fraud by scammers and theft by employees in the distribution chain.
Some Reddit users believe that the problems come from widespread return fraud, not dishonest employees. Scammers allegedly buy real products, replace them with fake or inferior items, and then return the package for a refund. The fake products are then resold to unsuspecting customers.
According to a former Walmart employee, some workers also struggle to spot these scams. As a result, they unknowingly accept tampered items and put them back on the shelves for resale.
Theft by employees in the distribution chain, particularly those working for shipping companies like UPS, has also been identified as a contributing factor by some users.
In some cases, workers have allegedly been caught stealing high-value items from packages. They replace them with other objects before resealing the packages.
A recent example is a case where a former UPS worker was caught stealing Apple products from a warehouse and selling them on Kijiji. Other users also shared similar stories involving employees from UPS, FedEx, and even USPS supposedly tampering with mail and packages.
The thread mentions how standards vary among superstores like Walmart and Costco. One Redditor said it leads to inconsistencies in store policies and how employees are trained.
Tips for Buying Expensive Electronics Safely
To avoid risks when buying high-value electronics, consumers are advised to purchase them from the manufacturer whenever possible.
But, if buying from a third-party retailer is necessary, some Redditors suggested these tips to ensure you get genuine, undamaged items:
- Ship to Store: Send your items to a nearby store for pickup. This lets you check the product with store staff immediately after receiving it.
- Open at the Counter: Open the product at the store counter or in front of your home’s doorbell camera. This records how the item looks when you first get it.
- Check the Security Seal: Always look at a product’s seal before you leave the store to ensure your item is untampered. High-value items, like Apple products, have a seal that tells you if someone has opened the box.
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