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Real Ethical Dilemma
I have a real ethical dilemma and would appreciate any input from the WC community. On a whim, I ordered the watch pictured above from AliExpress for about $28. I thought it would be a fun budget lark. However, this is what I received in the mail today.
As near as I can determine, this is an arrempt at an exact copy. Granted, I am comparing this to photographs online, but it really looks and feels like the real deal for the most part. There are some noticeable differences, for example, the back is printed rather than engraved, and the strap is substantially different. I am afraid I have purchased my first true counterfeit watch and do not know what I should do with it. I would be really uncomfortable wearing it, giving it away, or returning it, and selling it is out of the question, so what should I do with it? Is it even possible there is somewhere I could surrender it or report it or both? Does it just collect dust in a drawer or should I just throw it away? What would you do with it?
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Haha, people really get hung up on branding here!
Well, since the branding so offends you, remove the branding. Or does one have magical powers of evil beyond the markings that they fear?
Discarding it is an environmental crime. Debrand and/or do whatever mystical cleansing ritual one requires. Then congratulations on your new Omega, I mean watch.
They should have listed it as a fwatch! Ha!
No, just use it until it dies. There are watches for which counterfeiting would irk me, but I can't bring myself to care about the plastic fantastic stuff from Swatch. Their product is disposable anyway and only meant to last a few years -- not a lifetime.
I would keep it and just wear it around the house for fun.
It’s a counterfeit of a copy…does the double negative become a positive? At least it’s a positive in your wallet.
I wouldn’t wear that thing. Not to sound preachy or condescending, far from it, but I’d just put it in the trash.
You paid for a copy and they sent you a fake.
Fakes suck.
Take @Dingus advice.
Buddy of mine ordered a cheap AP-style watch from AliExpress, and when it arrived it was branded AP on the dial. The picture didn't say that, and he was not happy since it went from a copy to a fake. Although with the MoonSwatch you got, I almost wouldn't sweat it. I've been tempted to get one of these too, because I think this proce is much closer to what it's worth, the price of the real thing is way too much. Hell, some of these fakes are better even. Mineral crystal and a smoother sweeping chronograph hand, better than the real thing!
Haha, people really get hung up on branding here!
Well, since the branding so offends you, remove the branding. Or does one have magical powers of evil beyond the markings that they fear?
Discarding it is an environmental crime. Debrand and/or do whatever mystical cleansing ritual one requires. Then congratulations on your new Omega, I mean watch.
It's not so much that I am hung up or offended by the branding. I am just not wanting to support counterfeiting.
I personally don't support buying replica, clomage, or counterfeit watches. If it were me, I would not wear this. That is just my opinion - that doesn't make me right.
They should have listed it as a fwatch! Ha!
No, just use it until it dies. There are watches for which counterfeiting would irk me, but I can't bring myself to care about the plastic fantastic stuff from Swatch. Their product is disposable anyway and only meant to last a few years -- not a lifetime.
I guess I don't see any difference between counterfeit luxury watches and counterfeit budget watches. I would not want one of the counterfeit Casio F91W watches either.
I would keep it and just wear it around the house for fun.
Good idea. I might do just that.
Almost as funny as when I ordered a green Yolako (along with blue, red, and black from the same seller in the same order), and got sent this:
I say just wear it, everybody copies everybody nowadays anyway.
It's not so much that I am hung up or offended by the branding. I am just not wanting to support counterfeiting.
Honestly I'd rather support struggling counterfeiters than the Swiss cartel, but it's moot. The ship has sailed, they have your money. Return it and/or leave a scathing review. The object is blameless. Feel free to ship it to Swatch to show them the differences between their product and fakes so they can learn to make and price their products better.
I guess I don't see any difference between counterfeit luxury watches and counterfeit budget watches. I would not want one of the counterfeit Casio F91W watches either.
Right, but it's not like you sought it out. You already have it, and the damage has been done, so you might as well get some use out of it.
I have never returned anything to AE. Is it difficult? If not, why not send it back since they didn’t send what you ordered?
If it’s difficult, I’d feel karmically fine just wearing it as the beater of all beaters until it meets its end, or sacrificing it by opening it up to learn about its guts (and sharing the video of course).