Avoid Scams When Buying Tools

Scams and fraud are as pervasive now as ever, and the broad access that the internet provides us all often serves as an unwitting carrier for them.

Power tools in particular have been a hotbed for fraudulent sales and goods for the better part of two decades. But that needn’t be true. Let’s put an end to it today.

Take a Step Back

Before you make any purchase, sit back and take it all in. If a seller is pressuring you in any way – for example, with very short time limits – then all the more reason to step back and consider what you’re being offered. The more time you give yourself to scrutinize the deal, the less chance there is of missing red flags.

What a Bargain!

A low price point is the first red flag. Power tools are expensive for a lot of very good reasons. If the price seems too good to be true, then ask yourself why it’s lower than you would expect. At the very best, it’s due to low quality design and manufacturing. At the very worst, it’s a scam – except a receipt from a company that will disappear before you realise what’s happened.

How Much?!

The flip side of course is inflated prices. This one’s much easier to defend against. Always make sure you do some proper price comparisons between other sellers of the product. Comparing against reputable sources will give you a more grounded idea of how much the product is typically worth.

Do Some Digging

Most scammers have something in common: they don’t hang around to face the music. Look for their social media presence. If they don’t exist anywhere but their own website or physical location, then be extra sceptical. An established social media presence shows some reassuring permanency.

Establish Contact

Contact details are an absolute must-have. If they don’t offer a physical address, phone number, and email address, then walk away without a doubt. If they do provide contact details, then make sure they’re legitimate. If the company is based in the UK, then you can check the Companies House registry: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/.

If you’re still unsure, call them on a customer service number and ask some questions.

Rip-Offs

It’s one thing to be sceptical of a freshly branded – or even conspicuously unbranded – product, but scams come in many forms. UK manufacturing and supply are very clear on this: using other brands on products is strictly off-limits. However, much of modern manufacture and supply is sourced from places that aren’t beholden to the same rules. Counterfeit goods are widespread, and on the surface are very convincing. But the innards have no real need to be on par.

If a seller is offering branded products, then pay particular attention to how legitimate they are. Be wary of any third party selling branded products that they aren’t directly connected to. If in doubt, go straight to the source. Properly licensed distributors of reputable goods will have a similar good reputation. If you can’t find any good reviews of them, then it’s likely that they’re not offering the real deal.

Return Policies

An absolute must for any purchase. UK and EU suppliers are strictly held accountable for goods, so a proper returns policy is a strong safety net for any… ‘guided misunderstanding’ or the occasional faulty-on-arrival scenario. If it doesn’t work as advertised, or arrives faulty, you have a legal right to repairs, replacement, reduction in price, or full refund. If you buy from outside these areas, you’re on uneven ground.

Find out where they are based. Find out what their return policy is.

Unmet Expectation

Back in March 2015, Volkswagen plead guilty after being caught installing specialised devices, explicitly designed to defeat emissions testing, giving great results on paper, but shutting down during normal use. This “defeat device” was installed into nearly 600,000 vehicles.

So big brands themselves are not exceptionally immune to trickery. Thankfully, since they sell so many more units, there tends to be much more in the way of public reviews and reputation history. Searching the internet for others’ experiences with a product and brand is a great way to gauge whether or not you’ll get what you’re looking for.

So, to recap:

• Take your time. You’re the buyer: you have control.
• Low prices are often too good to be true.
• High prices rely on you not being aware of true prices.
• Look for online presence to figure out how permanent they are.
• Make contact with them, and make sure that contact is legitimate.
• Be on the lookout for look-a-likes. They can be remarkably convincing for a while.
• For extra security, buy from UK and EU suppliers.
• Nail down the return policy.
• Make sure you’ll get what you expect. Find reviews.
• Be aware of claims about the product’s performance, and hold them to it.