Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

> I have wondered if even when buying from what looks like an official amazon brand store, you can still get product from multiple suppliers/locations, including some that have counterfeits? Anyone know if this is feasible?

Yes, it's called inventory commingling, there are plenty explanations online. The TL;DR is that if two sellers claim to have the same item, amazon will ship the item from the closest warehouse rather than from the seller you bought from.




To be fulfilled by Amazon it has to go to Amazon's warehouse where they don't differentiate sellers. If seller A sends in "widget Z" and seller B sends in counterfeit "widget Z", Amazon puts them both in a box for widget Z and pulls from it randomly.


Even when I'm ordering from what looks like an official brand store? eg https://www.amazon.com/stores/GOLDTOE/page/9736A557-DAD9-4EB...

Yeah, I guess that doesn't mean anything but marketing, it still all comes from the same place.

The OP article doesn't discuss this, but it seems to me a likely explanation for someone getting crap levi's ordered on amazon?


AFAIK for items shipped by Amazon the only way to rule out commingling is after delivery: If the barcode starts with an X that's an FNSKU (specific to a seller), meaning the item did not come from commingled stock. Items sold by Amazon itself never start with an X, so...




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2025 batch! Applications are open till May 13

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: