Are you for real?

April 15, 2007 1:12 PM

Hope me! How can I verify if this online merchant, which also masquerades as this online merchant, is for real?

Usually I don't bother with any site I consider potentially unscrupulous, but my story is this: I need a Denon FG-5000 replacement drive for my Denon DN-S5000 turntable, and this appears to be the only retailer online in North America claiming to have one in stock.

I've searched high and low, and short of importing one from Europe - which isn't a viable option with the exchange rate - this appears to be the end of the line.

Is it possible to verify if this retailer is for real?

posted by forallmankind to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

Have you tried the Better Business Bureau? (My Interweb machine is frustratingly slow this afternoon; otherwise I would've looked it up myself.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:20 PM on April 15, 2007

Just put it on your credit card. If it doesn't come, then you can do a chargeback.

(Of course, if they steal your credit card number, that's another issue)
posted by delmoi at 1:20 PM on April 15, 2007

btw, back in the day I used to buy computer parts from all kinds of crazy retaliers on the internet. Those were the heady days before the dot-com crash, and now I try to buy only from 'legitimate' retailers. But, i never once had a problem, other then the late shipments, or overcharging for shipping. No one ever ripped me off.
posted by delmoi at 1:23 PM on April 15, 2007

What delmoi said. Just call up your credit card issuer first to request a single-use number. That way if you do get ripped-off, you just contest the charge and they've got a number that's worthless.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 1:42 PM on April 15, 2007 [2 favorites]

Here are a couple reviews on ResellerRatings for CopyStars. I couldn't find the other one.
posted by Hankins at 2:13 PM on April 15, 2007

Seconding the single-use CC number idea. Most good credit cards, American Express definitely, and most major banks' Visa/MCs, have a way of requesting (usually on their website, but if you're not familiar with it, it may be faster just to call) a one-shot credit card number. Then I would use it and cross your fingers.

I had a situation not unlike this a while back, when I wanted a particular model digital camera that had been discontinued by the manufacturer. Only one, very sketchy, store had any left. I used a one-shot number and figured I'd never see the merchandise and probably end up on the phone with the bank the next month, doing a chargeback. But much to my surprise, after a little haggling with them on the phone ("no, I don't want to buy any other crap, just send me the camera, scumbuckets...") I got the merch. I'd never do business with them again except under duress, but sometimes you just don't have any better options.
posted by Kadin2048 at 7:31 PM on April 15, 2007