Jet.com is trying to inject some new energy and ideas in the world of online shopping, and they have been getting more funding, encouraging further experimentation. However, when it comes to buying capital/investment type of gear (eg where the manufacturer’s warranty is important, such as camera gear), it’s a big risk. Why?
Jet, unlike other sellers with open-marketplaces (such as eBay, Rakuten, NewEgg, Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy), does not tell you who the seller is before you order. You don’t have to bother figuring it out or pick a particular seller from a long list or incur additional shipping fees for items sold by the 3rd-party sellers (as opposed to the “home team”). That’s nice and convenient for household items (you are probably not going to use the manufacturer’s warranty on the kitchen towels!).
However what is a plus for small purchases, becomes a big negative for things like camera gear. Because not all marketplace sellers are equal, and only some of them are authorized by the manufacturers, you have no idea whether you are getting an authorized-USA product or a grey-market product before you order. Considering all the shenanigans we know (and not love) about camera gear selling, and some sellers are less reputable and reliable than others, this is a big wild card and risk.
Good info. I was not aware that is how Jet operates.
Thanks! I wasn’t aware either until I placed an order of various random small things, then once the order went through, it showed the details of the various sellers. Almost every item came from a different seller. The names of the various smaller sellers were familiar – same ones that are on eBay, Amazon, NewEgg, etc.
It’s a convenient way to get a handful of random things, faster than separate purchases/shipping from different sellers within eBay./Amazon/etc. (it took eBay forever to come up with some sort of a unified checkout process)
I am guessing the people funding them are paying for the shipping fees 🙂
This post is an important cautionary note, especially since the holiday shopping season is coming up fast. There are so many two-paycheck households with kids, pets, housekeeping, shopping and errands to tend to in their limited time off. Add messy weather and slick roads, and it’s no wonder so many prefer to shop online in the peace and comfort of their own place. But assuming a new online retailer will offer the same transparency and consumer protections as the long-established giants invites hassles, loss or tie-up of one’s money and big disappointments. Great way to take joy out of the season.
People shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security by slick graphics and low prices on some loss leaders. Read some mind-numbingly dull fine print, check around among people you know and see if any have had experience with the new retail site. Give it a try, but do that a few times with some small purchases of routine items, not a very special, pricey present for a loved one or close friend.
This is an area in which Consumer Reports could do its members and the larger public a great service. Explaining which sites offer what consumer protections, comparing hassles involved and the time it takes to resolve problems, especially when the retail sites’ workers are stressed by the holiday crush, would be helpful.
Yeah, that’s a good idea on a permanent tracker of retailers! It’s a fast-paced thing though, I don’t know if it would be financially feasible, even for someone like Consumer Reports?
Maybe in the future 3D printers can help some of that, for smaller things, we can just purchase licensed designs, send them to the 3D printer, and have the item “cooked” in our homes/offices.