New toy from ebay

[timtheenchanter]

whats the lead like? I've had a couple of adaptors like that, both with equally suspicious leads, one I swear had only 3 or 4 strand of "copper" in there, despite being printed as 0.75.
my adaptors, one came form a known hong kong company, the other came with my Tablet, form what I thought was a UK company (ie spelling, grammer in the ad was ok, uk seller on fleabay) the PSU had US pins on it, and came with an equally poor adaptor to RFs, the PSU got noticably hot during use, so binned it, and use one of my usb chargers for it.

 

[RF Lighting]

Never thought to check the lead. I'll chop it up tomorrow and have a look

 

[Astra99]

The connecting cable (mains lead) looks like it has the figure-of-eight connector at the unit end. These cables can be bought for under £2 retail, so what the (you know what) is the supplier doing? Surely the costs of purchasing "legitimate" cables could not be much more than the sub-standard adapter they are supplying. This is one of the rare occasions when I agree with BAS. This supplier should be prosecuted, and ordered to send to all purchasers where non-compliant adapters have been supplied, a replacement cable with instructions to destroy the non-compliant adapter.

 

[bernardgreen]

Some of these cheap and so called flexible leads have little or no lubricant ( french chalk or similar ) between the sheath and the inner insulation which results in strain on the conductors which eventually break. Some times the cable burns as the last unbroken strands over heat.

 

[shedbang]

The amount of this sort of kit (the adaptor) floating around the world is terrifying. I've worked in most of Africa and the Middle East, and China is just pumping it out. Much of it has 'BS' certification or a Union Jack on it or some other claim to genuine quality.

Many of these countries have UK style power sockets and 3 pin plugs, but much of the hardware is European sourced, so 'converting adaptors' (usually unshuttered) and all manner of innovative and ingenious solutions are used instead.

I went to our office in Ghana one day to find that the IT Manager had 're-wired' all of the desks with 6-way adaptors over the weekend. All of them had Union Jacks on, and were sold as 'British Standard'. When I pulled the plastic apart we found wiring inside that was generally less than 0.5mm thick (despite thick plastic cladding on the main cable), unfused plugs and no shuttering.

The sad fact is that if you wanted genuine UK (ie safe) gear it would be almost unobtainable and twice as much as it costs in the UK.

Frankly I'm amazed there's not more of this rubbish in the UK Market.

 

[bernardgreen]

Some reputable UK based manufacturers have unknowingly sold sub standard items sourced "from overseas". The first batches supplied were of acceptable marketable quality but once the supply contract was up and running the quality dropped, in some cases to extremely poor quality.

Samples and intial batches produced in a well set up factory. Later batches are produced in sweat shop workhouses or by home workers on a kitchen table. Some home workers may not have a table to work on.

 

[securespark]

Quaint Yorkshire sarcasm.

Just call me Sheldon.

 

[FatallyFlawed]

See www.bs1363.org.uk

There are thousands of such illegal products on eBay and Amazon, Amazon show no inclination to remove them, but eBay will if it is done through trading standards, we have so far had over 5000 listings removed.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I can assure you that Amazon would remove them in the blink of an eye if they faced the prospect of their business being shut down and their directors going to prison if they facilitate the sale of illegal products.

Them being allowed to say "we can't police it" is unacceptable - if they can't then they stop providing that service, it really is that simple.

In order to protect the revenues of multinational entertainment companies we can, it seems, shut down websites and deny lawful users access to their files, we can force ISPs to block access to sites.

We can do the same for consumer protection - it just needs government to stop accepting the whining of companies like Amazon and eBay.

 

[FatallyFlawed]

I can assure you that Amazon would remove them in the blink of an eye if they faced the prospect of their business being shut down and their directors going to prison if they facilitate the sale of illegal products.

Them being allowed to say "we can't police it" is unacceptable - if they can't then they stop providing that service, it really is that simple.

In order to protect the revenues of multinational entertainment companies we can, it seems, shut down websites and deny lawful users access to their files, we can force ISPs to block access to sites.

We can do the same for consumer protection - it just needs government to stop accepting the whining of companies like Amazon and eBay.

BAS It is nice to be able to agree with you.

I urge anyone who has not already done so to look at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2008/12/amazon_marketplace_offering_da.html
Then go to Amazon and seach for "pepper spray or CS spray.

I have no explanation as to how Amazon is above the UK law, but I do know that there is some background work going on which is going to cause them a lot of future pain, just wish the authorities were able to speed it up!

 

[JohnW2]

There are thousands of such illegal products on eBay and Amazon, Amazon show no inclination to remove them, but eBay will if it is done through trading standards, we have so far had over 5000 listings removed.

I'm sure that we would all like to see something done about this but, unless we simply outlaw things like eBay and Amazon Marketplace completely, it's hard to see how this can be achieved.

Such organisations are fairly unique in that they are involved in the sale of products which they have never seen (and could never hope to see all of them) and are hence reliant upon product descriptions and/or photos provided by the sellers.

If initiatives result in, say, increasing number of eBay listings being removed, one fears that this could result in sellers (certainly 'commercial' ones) becoming much more clever in making sure that the dangerous nature of their products cannot be determined from the description and/or photos - which would mean that even those of us 'in the know', let alone the public in general, would not be able to determine which of the products were more likely to be safe to buy.

It seems to be a very difficult problem.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Such organisations are fairly unique in that they are involved in the sale of products which they have never seen (and could never hope to see all of them) and are hence reliant upon product descriptions and/or photos provided by the sellers.

Not good enough.

They are running a business of providing those sales channels.

They are making money by providing those sales channels.

They must be held responsible for what those sales channels are used for, and if they really cannot control the use of something they provide and they profit from then yes, shut it down.

Trust me - they would soon find a way.

If initiatives result in, say, increasing number of eBay listings being removed, one fears that this could result in sellers (certainly 'commercial' ones) becoming much more clever in making sure that the dangerous nature of their products cannot be determined from the description and/or photos - which would mean that even those of us 'in the know', let alone the public in general, would not be able to determine which of the products were more likely to be safe to buy.

Maybe it would be no bad thing if eBay went back to being a place where private individuals buy and sell - get rid of all businesses using it.

 

[FatallyFlawed]

Such organisations are fairly unique in that they are involved in the sale of products which they have never seen (and could never hope to see all of them) and are hence reliant upon product descriptions and/or photos provided by the sellers.

I would like to see specific requirements for what is shown in the photograph, and a requirement that the photograph be of exactly the product to be delivered. In the case of anything intended to plug in to a BS 1363 socket there should be a clear photograph of the plug pins. The photograph should also show the mandatory markings on the product, including the manufacturers identity (which is required by both the plugs and sockets regulations, and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations.)

If initiatives result in, say, increasing number of eBay listings being removed, one fears that this could result in sellers (certainly 'commercial' ones) becoming much more clever in making sure that the dangerous nature of their products cannot be determined from the description and/or photos - which would mean that even those of us 'in the know', let alone the public in general, would not be able to determine which of the products were more likely to be safe to buy.

Sadly, this is true. Since the campaign to remove counterfeit plugs got under way it has become common to show plugs from the side opposite the pins, or with one of those little plastic pin protectors in place so they cannot be seen. Hence my photo comments above.

 

[JohnW2]

Not good enough. They are running a business of providing those sales channels. They are making money by providing those sales channels. They must be held responsible for what those sales channels are used for, and if they really cannot control the use of something they provide and they profit from then yes, shut it down. Trust me - they would soon find a way.

Very laudable sentiments, but I still still seriously question the practicalities, and therefore don't think I can 'trust you' in the manner you suggest. I find it very hard to see any solution other than 'shutting them down' - and I don't think many of the general public would thank you for that.

Maybe it would be no bad thing if eBay went back to being a place where private individuals buy and sell - get rid of all businesses using it.

That might change the scale of the problem, but the remaining private sellers will often not even know whether what they are trying to sell (almost by definition 'second-hand products) is safe or dangerous, so the problem certainly wouldn't go away.

Kindest Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

I would like to see specific requirements for what is shown in the photograph, and a requirement that the photograph be of exactly the product to be delivered. In the case of anything intended to plug in to a BS 1363 socket there should be a clear photograph of the plug pins. The photograph should also show the mandatory markings on the product, including the manufacturers identity (which is required by both the plugs and sockets regulations, and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations.)

That would all help in terms of the things which specifically interest you, but that is obviously a minute part of the big picture. Millions of items, of all conceovable types are offered for sale via these media, and many of them are associated with potential safety concerns of one sort or another (whether regulated or not). It would, IMO, be totally impractical for the likes of eBay to come up with 'requirements' such as you suggest for each and every conceivable type of product and to have/acquire the expertise to judge acceptability in each and every case.

Sadly, this is true. Since the campaign to remove counterfeit plugs got under way it has become common to show plugs from the side opposite the pins, or with one of those little plastic pin protectors in place so they cannot be seen. Hence my photo comments above.

That is a very serious problem. Measures such as are being discussed would probably result in a considerable increase in 'true counterfeits' (complete with fake markings etc.) which could not be detected by any sort of 'required photograph'. I do believe that we have to think carefully about 'frying pans and fires' before being too quick to propose 'solutions'!

Kind Regards, John