Caution all ye Ebayers

Just an FYI bout a problem I came across.

My gf bought last year a set of these "Heelside" Tactic XLT bindings
off ebay: see link below

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Heelsi...QQcmdZViewItem

While they worked ok, there is one major problem with them...they are
not made by Heelside, and they haven't been made for over 5years. So
what's the prob Jrobb?

The problem is the old molds are still over in China and are being used
to produce an inferior product while using and discrediting the good
name of a reputable company. My gf was mislead via the seller's add
into thinking these were genuine Heelside bindings but alas they are
just dollar store knockoffs...the Rolax of bindings so to speak.

But why am I ****ed and what's with all the questions? Well the
forward lean adjuster fell off the binding not due to quality issues
but more than likely operator error but replacement parts are out of
the question as these are not made by the "claimed" manufacturer nor
have they been made in over 5years now. Yet they are being sold as
"Brand-New". I have been in contact with the Heelside sales/customer
service dept. over this issue and they are looking into replacing the
highbacks which is great on their part, but I did not get the
impression that this issue was too big of a deal to them.

I have not used any authentic Heelside bindings so I don't have
anything to compare quality to but some of the hardware parts are less
than stellar on these "Heelside" bindings sold on Ebay...primarily the
retaining springs on the ratchets and the quality of the ratchet
itself. Corrodes very easily, more so than bindings way older with
much more use than the 2seasons my gf's have seen.

While it's entirely possible that these are just remnants of a
stockpile of older bindings that were actually made by Heelside, I
doubt the quantity that has survived is completely authentic. I just
don't see how a company can know about this going on and not really
seem too committed to putting a stop to poor products being sold with
their name on them. Maybe they are in the process of doing so and are
unable to comment about what is going on, but the sense I got from the
person I spoke with was that they knew (he spoke of the prducts on
ebay) and were not sure how this company was able to do this. I'd be
livid, but that's just me.

Conclusion: More often than not, $60 or $75 "Brand-New" bindings
being sold on Ebay are not authentic products made by the actual
manufacturer.

Buyer Be Ware

J

What do you expect for $39? The guy only has one bad feedback so
there was absolutely no deception.

the bindings were not purchased from the Ebay seller that the link
points to.

The link was just providing visual reference to the model in question.
I have no idea who the seller was for the set my gf bought, but the
product was identical. The point is there are probably multiple
sellers of the same "bootlegged product".

"What do you expect for $39?"

If they were sold for full price would there be any difference?

"The guy only has one bad feedback so
there was absolutely no deception."


Did you understand ANYTHING that I wrote?

These are NOT Heelsides, made from 5yr old Heelside molds yes but not
by Heelside.
How is that not deception?

I can take a Sportmart special snowboard and paint it up to match to a
"T" a particular Burton model and sell it as such...is it a Burton?
Even better, I could get the design specifics of and old school Burton
Air and make my own batch of them and sell them on Ebay as brand new in
plastic Burton Air collector items and make up some bs about how they
were stuck somewhere in some wherehouse and now are for sale ...
but they are still not Burtons.
i could go on but I hope you get the point.

J

J

I don't get the point. You bought some crappy bindings without a
warranty. Live and learn.
Be a stand up guy and buy the lady some proper equipment.

Og, you're a class act...


Now run along and let the grown folks talk.
Oh and per your advice, I have already done so...you know to be a
stand-up guy and all.pshh

J

Jrobb wrote:
the bindings were not purchased from the Ebay seller that the link
points to.
The link was just providing visual reference to the model in question.
I have no idea who the seller was for the set my gf bought, but the
product was identical. The point is there are probably multiple
sellers of the same "bootlegged product".

While I agree that low-quality knock-offs are to be avoided, how did
you know that they are not actually clearance equipment that was
sitting in a storage container for a couple of years... it happens
quite often. Or are there obviously telltale details on the bindings?

From what you've described in your post, I don't see anything
particularly deceptive in what the seller did. I think "never used" is
generally accepted as being "brand new" even if the item left the
factory 5 years ago. Ebay's "New to Ebay - Buyer's Checklist"
(http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/buyer_checklist.html) lists several
tips that would have avoided this situation. A check to Heelside's
website would have pointed out the binding model was not a current one.
Heelside is not a well-known brand - another Internet search shows that
their stuff isn't highly valued (compared to other obscure companies
like Catek, F2, etc...) and there is a chance are that even if you
gotten this season's model it still would have malfunctioned and you
still would have had trouble with it.

In general, I usually only buy things on Ebay when I know exactly the
model, condition, type and value of the item I'm bidding on.

I agree with you Lonerider 100% but this fyi isn't really aimed at the
experienced riders now is it? I do thorough investigating when
purchasing online and if I don't know about something, I dig deeper.
This is mainly for the noobs, and unawares like my gf (she bought these
before I could really look into them ). It's them that this was
pointed to. Even a quick look to the website would only tell one that
they are not the latest model...you still don't know How old they
really are. This whole fiasco was brought to my attention by the
customer service guys at Heelside themselves when I inquired about a
replacement part that I was having trouble finding. I don't really
fault the sellers that much ( though it may have sounded so) they could
to have been mislead. Just look at the black market for the fashion
industry.

Jrobb wrote on 7 Mar 2006 00:40:43 -0800:
I agree with you Lonerider 100% but this fyi isn't really aimed at the
experienced riders now is it? I do thorough investigating when
purchasing online and if I don't know about something, I dig deeper.
This is mainly for the noobs, and unawares like my gf (she bought these
before I could really look into them ). It's them that this was
pointed to. Even a quick look to the website would only tell one that
they are not the latest model...you still don't know How old they
really are. This whole fiasco was brought to my attention by the
customer service guys at Heelside themselves when I inquired about a
replacement part that I was having trouble finding. I don't really
fault the sellers that much ( though it may have sounded so) they could
to have been mislead. Just look at the black market for the fashion
industry.

So really, it has nothing to do with ebay. What you're really saying
is don't buy things off the internet (or anywhere, really) without
finding out what it is you are actually getting.

Good advice, if a bit obvious.

--
David Taylor

Jrobb wrote:
I agree with you Lonerider 100% but this fyi isn't really aimed at the
experienced riders now is it? I do thorough investigating when
purchasing online and if I don't know about something, I dig deeper.
This is mainly for the noobs, and unawares like my gf (she bought these
before I could really look into them ). It's them that this was
pointed to. Even a quick look to the website would only tell one that
they are not the latest model...you still don't know How old they
really are. This whole fiasco was brought to my attention by the
customer service guys at Heelside themselves when I inquired about a
replacement part that I was having trouble finding. I don't really
fault the sellers that much ( though it may have sounded so) they could
to have been mislead. Just look at the black market for the fashion
industry.

True true, many people don't bother to read the instruction manual (and
or FAQs). So it's always good to give them an explicit warning like
"hey... remember to..." I agree that I'm surprised at how trusting some
people are about things on the Internet. Good point.