Proving hardware is new and not second hand

[kirsty roland]

When you buy new hardware from a dealership either online or in store, how do you know that it is really a new product and not one that has been previously sent out to another customer and then returned, refurbished and put back on sale.

There are a lot of hardware reviews on uToob. The reviewers probably don't buy it instead just use it for a few weeks to make their video then send it back under the terms of the relevant distance selling regulations.

For instance if a retailer sends a faulty or unwanted synth back to the manufacturer and it gets fixed, reset (so no user patches), cleaned up, repackaged and sent out to another dealer can it be sold as brand new.

If the retailer is a bit naughty and doesn't advertise the product as used, is there any way to be confident the product you are buying is actually brand new.

[cryophonik]

Happens all the time IME. Guitar Center is particularly infamous for this. Whenever I go into the store, I always tell the salesperson to make sure they grab a new unopened/unreturned package from the stockroom. They will still sometimes return with a box that has obviously already been opened, returned, and taped up (usually rather poorly).

[chk071]

When you buy new hardware from a dealership either online or in store, how do you know that it is really a new product and not one that has been previously sent out to another customer and then returned, refurbished and put back on sale.

It's still sealed. With sellotape.

Joke aside. I don't think there is an obvious way to "prove" that. Buy at legit stores, and you won't have that issue.

Selling B stock is actually not permitted, if you don't tagt it B stock. But, frankly, I've seen even some legit stores do it. So... guess you can't be sure. But, normally, you'll notice it.

[cryophonik]

But, normally, you'll notice it.

Yup. Outer cellophane wrapping is gone, factory tape is gone or taped over with packing tape, box is ragged at the openings, inner bags for supplies are torn open, cables aren't perfectly wrapped, etc etc etc, and in the worst cases, accessories are missing.

[vurt]

some manufacturers use heat sealed plastic bags for the power cable/manual/entire product. as opposed to folded and taped.

some manufacturers also have, like on mobile phones, those security tabs.

but there's no real way you can prove most things haven't been opened, although they are rarely sealed back up looking new. and contents always look tidy in a new item, but messed up in a return usually.

[kritikon]

Selling B stock is actually not permitted, if you don't tagt it B stock. But, frankly, I've seen even some legit stores do it. So... guess you can't be sure. But, normally, you'll notice it.

Aaaah...that's what B stock is. I saw it recently on the Thomann site and wondered what it is. Never seen anything labelled B stock in NZ - mind you we don't have that much in the way of trading law - it's a pretty dog eat dog market down here, with some very unscrupulous selling, price-gouging, monopolies etc. Our law mostly seems to be "get away with what you can", and is deliberately so.

[lfm]

If retailer has very long like 60 days return policy is greater risk that you can get a return, I think.

Look for B-stock anything, if they have none on any product, they probably ship returned stuff as new.

B-stock is legit, and usually a little discount on it.

[kirsty roland]

Last week I walked away from some new speakers because the salesman brought out a box where the outer packaging looked like it had been through a combine harvester.

If all the packaging has been replaced with new and the security tab is intact I suppose there really is no way to tell just from the hardware alone if a product is second hand.

Caveat emptor.

[Constructed Identity]

When you buy new hardware from a dealership either online or in store, how do you know that it is really a new product and not one that has been previously sent out to another customer and then returned, refurbished and put back on sale.

There are a lot of hardware reviews on uToob. The reviewers probably don't buy it instead just use it for a few weeks to make their video then send it back under the terms of the relevant distance selling regulations.

For instance if a retailer sends a faulty or unwanted synth back to the manufacturer and it gets fixed, reset (so no user patches), cleaned up, repackaged and sent out to another dealer can it be sold as brand new.

If the retailer is a bit naughty and doesn't advertise the product as used, is there any way to be confident the product you are buying is actually brand new.

Reputable stores will always inform you it is B-stock. Other stores, like Guitar Center, will not.
There is NO WAY to tell by looking if it has been sent to someone else. Sometimes it is obvious, like the ModX I bought last year that arrived with retaping all over the box and a part of plastic floating around in the box... Other times it may look brand new, like the b-stock Pro3 I bought last year through Reverb.

[Wriggle]

Andertons have sent me a clearly used Rev-2 and a Matriarch they later admitted was ex-display. Supposedly an error. I have emails and photos to back this up. Won’t use them any longer.