As above if its retail sealed theres no way really for it to be resealed without being obvious... I have seen a number of OEM CPUs straight from suppliers tho that have marking around the IHS - possibly ones pulled out for testing or just how they come off the line.
-
Competitor rules
Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.
New 5870 - suspect may have been used/opened
- Thread starter Flanno
- Start date
As above if its retail sealed theres no way really for it to be resealed without being obvious... I have seen a number of OEM CPUs straight from suppliers tho that have marking around the IHS - possibly ones pulled out for testing or just how they come off the line.
can confirm that this deffo happened at 2 of the shops iv worked for. its also how i managed to get a hold of very good over clocking cpu's in the past.
i suspect the same play is being practiced on the op's gfx card. although from my experience its mainly done on oem cpus.suffice to say, doubt anyone has noticed this happening on bottom end gfx cards etc, since no one bothers to cherry pick a turd.
At the risk of adding fuel to the fire, (and I will hastily add that I'm very happy with the products I've bought from ocuk), apparently receiving a brand new product with a half ripped opened bag and protective sticker missing doesn't mean it's been returned, it's exactly the way it's meant to be! 
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18056540
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18056540
Would hate to go clothes shopping with you lol! seriously what do u expect them to do? its ppl like you that cause things such as the long distance selling act to be removed!
You mean you are quite happy to pay for new items and receive second hand goods instead. Thats up to you of course but i prefer to actually get what i pay for, not to get someone elses cast off rejects.
Taking a video card as an example... who knows what "timmy" could have done while deciding if hes keeping it. He could have overclocked it to within an inch of its life, he could have used software to alter voltages etc.
To pay for a retail boxed item and expecting it to be received in the way the manufacturer intended is not exactly expecting too much is it?
As i said i have worked in the business, and still do. I understand the situation in regards to the bottom line and to costs the retailer has to endure with this kind of thing, but at the end of the day i am a customer and i want the item i pay for, not for an item they think is "good enough" to let me have instead.
If you sell things over the internet you have to accept and make allowances for the distance selling regs. Dont like it or your business model doesnt allow you to absorb the costs? then dont sell over the internet.
Last edited:
Exactly, if you're going to sell things as a store over the internet, you have to accept the rules, if you don't accept the rules, you have no business opening up shop.
I'd be annoyed too, cos even if testing and quality control was all done with good intentions it still leaves you liable later on for any potential damage caused during that testing.
I'd rather get a brand new card that didn't work and return it, than a 2nd hand card that works initially and packs in soon after cos of damage caused during "testing"
Of course it may all be due to getting the product out the factory door as quickly as possible, and involves shipping it with used or damaged packaging. Still isn't really an excuse when you're paying that much money for brand new tech!
I'd rather get a brand new card that didn't work and return it, than a 2nd hand card that works initially and packs in soon after cos of damage caused during "testing"
Of course it may all be due to getting the product out the factory door as quickly as possible, and involves shipping it with used or damaged packaging. Still isn't really an excuse when you're paying that much money for brand new tech!
My Sapphire was the same I just put the opened sticker down to it being a defective sticker that wasn't very sticky. 
It was the left side of the box iirc and I purchased day of release so no chance of it being a return, whether someone has tampered who knows... be interesting to know if anyone who ordered one from elsewhere has had the same.
It was the left side of the box iirc and I purchased day of release so no chance of it being a return, whether someone has tampered who knows... be interesting to know if anyone who ordered one from elsewhere has had the same.
Last edited:
OCUK should really comment on this. I don't mind a loose sticker but my driver cd was used, has a couple of faint scratches and the envelope is tatty. This means there is a possibility my card is used too. When I buy new I expect new. I expect when I get my parts next week the card wil work. But still, it's something that doesn't sit well with me, especially as I want to buy a 2nd 5870 for xfire.
Learn to read!
Associate
- Joined
- 15 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 839
Same with mine, one of the seals on the box lid was open, not torn, just not stuck to the box but my 5870 was wrapped in a black anti-static bag and everything looked fine to me.
I get your point, but what happens to the items that get returned then? do they just get binned?
If they don't get sold on then soon we wont be able to return such items and purchasing expensive hardware with all its compatibility issues could be a big risk!
They should be used in systems, sold as OEM and reboxed in brown cardboard or sold as returned grade items for a lower price. Thats what should happen.... the reality of course is being discussed in this thread.
The main issue it that the distance selling regs were never really meant to provide MORE rights than you would get if you walked into a shop and bought the item there, just the same rights. However if you did walk into a reseller with cash and bought a card and returned it next day, you would be charged a restocking fee in most places ( usually 10% ) if the item was not faulty. Buying in person meant you had no right to just change your mind and expect a full refund for no reason without cost. Some places would, and thats fine if thats the terms they have, but by law they can charge a restock fee to offset the loss of value of the item now it is "used".
If you walked into a store and wanted a gfx card you may be allowed to open it and inspect the card prior to purchase, but a lot of places wouldnt let you. The distance regs were meant to offer that same level of inspection... in many cases that would be to see the box and thats about it!
You mention imcompatibility. The practice of buying items to test in your rig and send back if they are incompatible with something you already have is misusing the distance selling regs.
This has never been a reason to return an item for a full refund when buying "in person" at any place i have worked for. Shops will always have a disclaimer stating that they cannot promise compatility and that its down to the customer to check before purchase. The distance selling regs were not meant to be a try before you buy system for computer parts, but thats more and more the case now. The risk of compatibility is down to the customer and not the retailer, this has always been the case but the distance selling regs now provide a shield by which people can mess about buying parts to test them out.
The arguement is that if you want a fully compatible pc then buy a compete system off them. If you buy parts its upto you to get it working etc. This was always the case before internet trading took off big style.
The big issue here is trust. If you cannot be assured that a new item is in fact new, then how can you trust them to provide after sales care.
( note for those not reading the entire thread... this is NOT about ocuk, this is about retailers in general )
I could go into detail about all manner of things ive seen when working in places. I wont as it would shock some people to death
But such practices as selling refurbished hard drives as new, and sealing them in anti-stactic bags and putting warranty stickers over the "refurbished" labels is the sort of thing.... or taking entire shelves full of knackered gear ( that had been tested as faulty ) down to computer fairs in a van at the weekend and flogged off. Ive seen it personally, and all i will say is that the place that did it is still trading and still has the same management! ( and no its not ocuk, its a place in the city of manchester )
Last edited:
To exercise his right to return under a ruling that exists solely for that very purpose, how silly of him.
yea lol
Some good points, u seam to know a lot about this!
Would i return the card tho? ok so the cd case is tatty but the card could be un touched! is it really worth send back? i can guarantee ocuk would not refund postage, they are useless at times like these, i will give them that!
But i still come back.
If the card works fine then by all means keep it. Thats your personal choice of course.
Im just stating that i personally would send it back as the history of the item is now in question.
I do know a lot as ive worked in the tech/returns area for about 10 years all in all, so ive seen and done it all. ( before that i was in sales... nearly as bad but we got to sit in leather chairs! )
Im now self employed and far more happy, making my own choices and not having to work for business's that care only about making money above all else.
Last edited:
Of course it's in your every right to return the product if you're not 100% happy with it I agree. But IMO if the card works 100% like it should then is it really worth the hassle? What if you get another one in the same condition? You'll just be returning it because it's not sealed and looking all pretty?
Not sure if it's just me but two hairline scratches on the driver CD is hardly something to worry about, It doesn't even get used anyway. Besides the paper CD envelope is hardly scratch proof is it?
Not sure if it's just me but two hairline scratches on the driver CD is hardly something to worry about, It doesn't even get used anyway. Besides the paper CD envelope is hardly scratch proof is it?
That's not the point though is it. The fact the driver cd envelope was opened and creased up, and the cd itself had some scratches means someone fluted around with the driver CD when they should not have. It doesn't matter if no one uses the CD. Because it was interfered with, it means the box was possibly opened after it was sealed. So they could have done the same to the card or maybe they didn't but how am I to know. It doesn't inspire confidence does it. What happens if it gives trouble at some stage. Maybe the person who opened my box played with the card, maybe they dropped it, maybe they didn't, who knows. When you buy new you expect new. As I bought the day after launch I expect it is new to be honest. And chances are if the card works, I will keep it. As you said, it's not worth the hassle returning it in that instance. But it's not acceptable for OcUK to sell something as new with the seals broken, be it the box, or the contents thereof. I wouldn't accept an Xbox 360 that had the seal broken, or an LCD which had the screen protector removed. In fact I don't accept console games unless they are sealed and shrinkwrapped. This whole incident leaves me with thought for pause.
Last edited: