Online shopping in 2009: bargains, fakes and customs
A pair of Dockers cost $30 in the US and €80 in Spain. Online shopping in 2009 promised savings, but between counterfeits and customs, not everything was a bargain.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Online shopping in 2009: bargains, fakes and customs
More than fifteen years ago, online shopping was still pioneer territory. While Amazon was just taking off in Spain, savvier consumers were already roaming half the virtual world in search of bargains. Electronics at rock-bottom prices, branded clothing at a third of the store price, and one recurring problem: how to tell the genuine article from a fake?
Electronics: a paradise of margins
DealExtreme, SimplyElectronics and the various European Amazons were the star destinations for tech. A recurring example: a laptop power adapter cost 21 euros with shipping on eBay, versus the 50-80 euros charged by any brick-and-mortar store in Spain. The temptation was obvious, but not everything was rosy. "Don't even think about buying a USB stick on AliExpress," warned one analyst, referring to the dubious quality and counterfeits running rampant.
Clothing: the borderland of imitations
The biggest blind spot of online commerce was clothing. Platforms like iOffer offered The North Face jackets for 120 euros, when they cost 350 at Barrabés. But the reality, verified by more than one buyer, was that the imitation showed in the details: the printed lining came off, the GoreTex turned out to be ordinary fabric. "If it's just for show, go ahead and buy it; if you're heading to the Pyrenees, don't," summed up a mountain veteran. For those seeking quality at a good price, Taobao was the holy grail, but with two tolls: a Chinese intermediary and the patience to translate the site using the English version of Google Chrome.
The customs drama and opticians' margins
One of the juiciest debates revolved around the legality of importing counterfeits. "If you get stopped, you have to say you didn't know and give up the goods," explained one experienced participant. But not everything was illegal: prescription glasses bought online exposed a scandal. A site like Optica Directa sold glasses with lenses from 15 euros, and a complaint from the ophthalmologists' association revealed that brick-and-mortar stores had margins of 500-600%. A pair of Dockers that cost 80 euros in stores sold for $30 on the official US website, though it refused to ship outside the US. "What sons of bitches," concluded the man who found the deal.
Currency exchange and the end of an era
At the end of the 2000s, buying from Amazon UK was the perfect plan: the pound traded as low as 0.93 euros. But the crisis and monetary policy turned the tables, and by 2011 the pound had plummeted to 0.71 euros per euro, making Amazon Germany far more attractive. The geography of savings was shifting, but the underlying problem remained the same: customs. "After taking a look, I think I'll give it a try. What I wonder is whether there might be problems at customs," wrote a newbie. The answer, fifteen years later, is still ambiguous.
With price gaps like these, the migration to e-commerce should have been massive. It was, but the trail of counterfeits, returns and defective products made it clear that saving money came at a price. And not always in euros.
Related forum threads
More than fifteen years ago, online shopping was still pioneer territory. While Amazon was just taking off in Spain, savvier consumers were already roaming half the virtual world in search of bargains. Electronics at rock-bottom prices, branded clothing at a third of the store price, and one recurring problem: how to tell the genuine article from a fake?
Electronics: a paradise of margins
DealExtreme, SimplyElectronics and the various European Amazons were the star destinations for tech. A recurring example: a laptop power adapter cost 21 euros with shipping on eBay, versus the 50-80 euros charged by any brick-and-mortar store in Spain. The temptation was obvious, but not everything was rosy. "Don't even think about buying a USB stick on AliExpress," warned one analyst, referring to the dubious quality and counterfeits running rampant.
Clothing: the borderland of imitations
The biggest blind spot of online commerce was clothing. Platforms like iOffer offered The North Face jackets for 120 euros, when they cost 350 at Barrabés. But the reality, verified by more than one buyer, was that the imitation showed in the details: the printed lining came off, the GoreTex turned out to be ordinary fabric. "If it's just for show, go ahead and buy it; if you're heading to the Pyrenees, don't," summed up a mountain veteran. For those seeking quality at a good price, Taobao was the holy grail, but with two tolls: a Chinese intermediary and the patience to translate the site using the English version of Google Chrome.
The customs drama and opticians' margins
One of the juiciest debates revolved around the legality of importing counterfeits. "If you get stopped, you have to say you didn't know and give up the goods," explained one experienced participant. But not everything was illegal: prescription glasses bought online exposed a scandal. A site like Optica Directa sold glasses with lenses from 15 euros, and a complaint from the ophthalmologists' association revealed that brick-and-mortar stores had margins of 500-600%. A pair of Dockers that cost 80 euros in stores sold for $30 on the official US website, though it refused to ship outside the US. "What sons of bitches," concluded the man who found the deal.
Currency exchange and the end of an era
At the end of the 2000s, buying from Amazon UK was the perfect plan: the pound traded as low as 0.93 euros. But the crisis and monetary policy turned the tables, and by 2011 the pound had plummeted to 0.71 euros per euro, making Amazon Germany far more attractive. The geography of savings was shifting, but the underlying problem remained the same: customs. "After taking a look, I think I'll give it a try. What I wonder is whether there might be problems at customs," wrote a newbie. The answer, fifteen years later, is still ambiguous.
With price gaps like these, the migration to e-commerce should have been massive. It was, but the trail of counterfeits, returns and defective products made it clear that saving money came at a price. And not always in euros.
Related forum threads
- I've gone back to using Win XP · 22 replies
- I'm trying out Linux Mint and... · 44 replies
- Strong plastic smell on Chinese products · 12 replies
- Everyone in TuPac t-shirts. Was he really that good? · 35 replies
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (99 replies).
More summaries
-
AliExpress Tariffs: €3 Per Category, Not Per Package
The EU removes the €150 exemption: a basket costing €13 now totals €20 due to tariffs, charged by TARIC category, not per package.
-
The €3.61 Fee Killing AliExpress Purchases
The €3.61 per-category tariff has inflated AliExpress purchases by up to 80%. Consumers are stopping buys, and revenue is falling. Does it actually protect...
-
Lidl's frozen sardines at €3.90/kg vs. fresh ones
A kilo of frozen sardines costs €3.90 compared to €9-€10 for fresh ones in Madrid. The question is whether the flavor holds up after freezing.
-
Cholesterol: the myth the industry doesn't want you to know
A total cholesterol of 220 is not necessarily dangerous; triglycerides and the TG/HDL ratio matter more. We look at the conflicting views between medicine
-
Lidl's Thermomix-style kitchen gadget: cheap copy or real alternative?
Lidl's kitchen robot versus the Thermomix: is it a cheap knock-off or a viable cooking alternative? We look at quality and price.
-
Homemade bread: the real savings vs store-bought, by the numbers
A breakdown of the real cost of homemade bread: from €1 a loaf down to 60 cents with sourdough. Is a bread machine worth it? Data and tips to save money.