Crackdown on sellers selling stolen goods
CNBC reports that sellers are getting account suspensions for selling stolen goods, mostly brand-name appliances and home electronics. The article points to a web of small wholesalers and resellers who get their hands on "stolen cargo" and then resell them through social media and telegram accounts:
A seller in Miami said in an interview that in the back half of last year, he began working with a handful of new suppliers he’d found on Instagram, hoping to expand into the popular home appliances category.
The merchant, who asked to remain anonymous, paid over half a million dollars for pallets of air fryers, food processors, and espresso machines, according to invoices and bank statements reviewed by CNBC.
The documents showed that several of the suppliers claimed to have purchased the items directly from brands or liquidators. The Miami merchant said the suppliers offered the goods at “regular wholesale” prices.
On March 17, Amazon suspended his account for allegedly selling stolen items. In correspondence between the seller and Amazon, the company refused to say which products were in violation.
The article mentions Amazon policies about stolen goods, but doesn't touch on Amazon's sourcing policies.
I can't share the link. Search for CNBC + Amazon sellers say they were kicked off site after unknowingly hawking stolen goods.
Seller_4zBzdtgCyS9EI
they bough merch from "distributors" that were clearly not brand authorized, therefore they didn't do their due diligence.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
It's amazing how people totally forget that the BRANDS will actually have the Serial Numbers of the items that they sent to the legitimate retailers.
When those stores get robbed (or the shipment is hijacked on the way someplace) ALL those Serial Numbers end up in a stolen goods data base.
Since the Feds have finally stripped websites of any shields they THOUGHT they had against responsibility for such problems on their websites expect A LOT of additional suspensions and FURTHER tightening of rules about being authorized by brands and sourcing from authorized wholesalers coming soon to a website near you..................
Seller_6gweQTfF1fC8h
being suspended is now the least of his problems now, selling stolen property on platforms is a federal offense. And stores have been hit hard by this so they want the feds to make examples out of people.
Seller_ZVOOuHQkq7sar
Why are we dog pilling on the seller? He was not intentionally selling stolen merchandise. In this day and age, it makes it very difficult to tell what is stolen and what is not. It is a shame that people on this form are blaming him for not doing due diligence, in reality, they are just happy there is one less seller to compete with.
Seller_BeWo5Xt3t43rn
Data in more honest reportage shows that the small brick and mortar businesses are the main sellers of this stolen merchandise that you would not find being hawked at a local flea market due to price point and size of item. Locally sidewalk sales of stolen merch is common but police are requesting receipts to try to put a lid on it.
Seller_8sP6ffckcRn6v
I saw him mobbing the Amazon truck in the riot last weekend in San Fransisco.
Or was it Los Angeles?
Seller_WtOwWhtSrFjva
Unknowingly?? You are supposed to know everything about your business. Especially where the product is coming from.
But chances are they were drop shipping and that is what really got them deactivated.
Seller_WtOwWhtSrFjva
I used to go to flea markets. You see all new brand stuff at reduced prices. It is because it is stolen, in my opinion. I was hired as a loss prevention officer at a local grocery store. It was the team members that they wanted me to watch. The flea market seller had lots of diapers. I wonder how many church pantry's were raided for these? Good people with good intentions forking over their hard earned money for these things just to be scammed and not even know it. In my opinion.
