Fake Sennheiser PC350 help!

[pgl]

Hi,
I've recently bought I pair of sennheiser PC350 on ebay which I'm quite sure is counterfeits, I've done some research myself and I've provided some pictures below:
Anyone have some pictures of the real ones for comparison?

Overview of the headset, it looks genuine from the outside:
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/2507/headsetn.jpg

Here is where I got suspicious, the earcup is glued together, It felt like someone didn't want me to get in there!
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4711/leftearcupglue.jpg

Overview of the opened headset (left earcup):
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/6480/overviewi.jpg

Closer look inside (left earcup):
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7311/leftearcupopened.jpg

Closer look at the wiring, shrink tubes are used to connect wires, It doesn't look pretty!
And there should be a noise reduction filter, but there is no trace of any circuit board.
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6499/leftearcupinside.jpg

Closer look at the speaker, first of all the soldering is terrible, and there is no inner cup for the speaker for attenuating environment sounds.
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3310/leftspeaker.jpg

I've filed a claim on paypal, the seller claims he has no knowledge that the headset is fake even after providing pictures, but he can give me a refund... After I return the headset... but I've to pay return shipping ($15 - $25) which I don't feel like paying to return fake goods. Need some advice on how to proceed from this point, do I need provide any proof to paypal?

Best Regards
Pgl

[Matt]

I have no experience with this particular pair of headphones, however to proceed to your claim, you need to choose the 'Counterfeit" ... choice in the paypal resoultion. You might be asked as I have for the lady gaga case to go to an independant ... audio shop to get verification that the headphones are fake. I did this with the Lgg's even though the shop I took them to isn't dealer of Monster headphones. I jst needed verification on headed paper.

1) how much did you pay?

2) can you give me the link so i can check the seller out?

3) Tell the seller that it's illegal to ship counterfeit items and that legally you are unable to send them back.

Make sure it's a 'Counterfeit' claim - illegal to ship fake items!

Sorry I can't be of any more help at this stage.

[pgl]

Here is the ebay item:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250605042828&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm570%26_nkw%3D250605042828%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

I paid $60 + shipping $18 = $78

[Matt]

The answer from me is; I haven't heard of counterfeit PC350's but I've got my hands on many counterfeit Sennheiser's this week and I couldn't believe how wide the fake Sennheiser range is.

In answer to your question is 'at best' I would assume these have fallen of the back of a lorry! (english slang for half inched, pinched, nicked, stolen) On amazon.com, there are some cheap 'used' versions at around the $70 mark. But amazon warehouse deals have them at $111.99 (23rd May 2010).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0012XFDWO/sr=/qid=/ref=olp_tab_used?ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=&sr=&seller=&colid=&condition=used

One thing I can tell you is that seller liaoqin_25688 the feedback reveals a host of what I regard as evidence for counterfeit headphones. The Sony headphones are too cheap, and the seller has already had negative feedback concerning fakes, not good

SONY MDR-V900HD for $35, J&R on amazon.com have these at $168.00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000EGJTLQ/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1274649558&sr=1-2&condition=new

I've got an idea. why don't you email headphone.com and get and quote for a price. Just get a quote and see how much they 'should' retail for.

Headphone.com - contact them for the real price!

Next stage would be to contact Sennheiser.com.

Again for the time being try to stall the seller for a few days, and remember to tell the seller that it is illegal to ship counterfeits, so you are unable to send them back.



quick update

there is this

Q:   Hello. How come sennheiser pc350 headphones are being selled for only 60 $? Are they made by sennheiser? Are they new? Are they top quality? They usually cost around 150 euros.   Apr-15-10
   A:   To uberleonah, Hello! We sell is new, we sell a simple box with no packaging, so we sell cheap, please rest assured that we sell are authentic, not satisfied can return. Thank you

But nearly half the price for a missing box still sound iffy

[Matt]

This si the reply I got. If I were you, I'd be launching some form of paypal dispute. this is not a good reply. I know full well that at $35 those Sony's are fake! Who's going to sell a genuine sub $170 headphones for $35 I don't care about invoices, what, you don't think it's possible to get invoices for counterfeits

Dear m_scarlett,

Dear friends,
We sell packaging is simple, low cost than other products, so we sell cheap, our headphones are true, we have invoices to prove, you see that our products are counterfeit, the customer is malicious fraud, received a threat to our products to give him a refund or else give us feedback! Please understand!
We believe that you are a great buyer, please give us a good feedback! Thank you!
Best regards

- liaoqin_25688

[jaywalkra]

The PC 350 is Sennheiser's flagship gaming headphone. Selling it at USD60 is a joke. In my country, HD 201 G4ME alone costs SGD55.

The price of those cans is an instant giveaway. Now where the hell did I put my "Senn 2010 headphones" catalog but the PC 350 has the same base design as the HD 380; which I'm guessing is more expensive than the HD 280 Pro. So I'm thinking they cost pretty much more or less around the $150-$200 mark.

And that eBay seller "liaoqin_25688", instantly I know that that guy is from China because it's a typical Chinese name. That user also sells the XB-700 at USD60, while HeadRoom has them at USD129....signals something really obvious there doesn't it... 

[Matt]

Dear m_scarlett,

Hello!
We do not sell V900HD headphones, I am sorry, we sell only pc350, thank you

- liaoqin_25688

I don't know what to suggest. I personally have no evidence that they are fake, however I believe them to be counterfeit. I certainly don't trust this seller.

[pgl]

Already contacted sennheiser about 2 weeks ago, asked them if they could confirm that the headset was fake and also informing them about the seller. But no answer so far. Do they have a special department for reporting counterfeiting I should contact? I've not found any on the sennhesier nordic site I'm redirected to.

Contacted the seller and told him i couldn't return the headset and I got a angry answer:

Hello! We do not want to communicate with you, you say that our products are fake, you can view other people give us feedback! We bought a lot of products have been given good feedback! Why only you think is fake, we suspect you are deliberately, you will be transported back to our products, we will refund the payment to you.

- liaoqin_25688

I'm goining to escalate the dispute to a claim so we'll see what paypal says.

[Matt]

Already contacted sennheiser about 2 weeks ago, asked them if they could confirm that the headset was fake and also informing them about the seller. But no answer so far. Do they have a special department for reporting counterfeiting I should contact? I've not found any on the sennhesier nordic site I'm redirected to.

Contacted the seller and told him i couldn't return the headset and I got a angry answer:

Hello! We do not want to communicate with you, you say that our products are fake, you can view other people give us feedback! We bought a lot of products have been given good feedback! Why only you think is fake, we suspect you are deliberately, you will be transported back to our products, we will refund the payment to you.

- liaoqin_25688

I'm goining to escalate the dispute to a claim so we'll see what paypal says.

No answer from Sennheiser, sounds like them alright!

first thing is that you need to be certain that they're fake, and if Sennheiser aren't helping you out, I guess it's down to us!

Just ask the seller "what assurances can they give that they are genuine." and you need to state that it's "illegal to ship counterfeit products!"

[jaywalkra]

I don't know about other Sennheiser branches in other countries but my local one is easily contactable.

Maybe try calling instead of e-mailing? I'm sure that their inbox is clotted with so much mail that the CSO is too lazy to go through one by one...

[pgl]

The seller isn't to much help, asked what assurances he could give and got this answer:

Hello! Please leave your headphones be returned to us, we have the money returned to you, we do not want to cooperate with you, we believe the buyers only and into cooperation. Thank you!

I've also some new pictures of a friends genuine sennheiser pc350 and here is the pictures and some of the pictures of the fake for comparison:

Overview of the headset opened:
Real:
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/493/realoverview.jpg
Fake:
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/6480/overviewi.jpg

Left earcup inside:
Real:
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/7057/realleftearcup.jpg
Fake:
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6499/leftearcupinside.jpg

Left speaker:
Real:
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/3892/realinnercup.jpg
Fake:
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3310/leftspeaker.jpg

[jaywalkra]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1388026/what_to_do_if_you_have_bought_fake_pg2.html?cat=46

In all circumstances, refuse his request to ship the item back to him. Forcefully tell him that it is illegal to ship counterfeit products. Arm yourself with the evidence (photos) and open up a PayPal dispute. Make sure it's a counterfeit claim.

Tell him that you are have all the rights to demand for a refund. http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en.nsf/root/sound_counterfeiting

-Sennheiser website
"In the event you have bought a counterfeit please return it to the seller and demand a refund."

However since shipping counterfeits is illegal under international law, the only solution he has left is to provide a refund.

[booslee]

Do note you may have to call Paypal and talk to them first about the legitimacy of shipping counterfeit products. My dispute was automatically raised to a claim and I was forced to ship back my fake AKGs (see the thread somewhere). However, I didn't really bother talking to Paypal about this before or after the escalated claim, I just wanted to get my money back.

If you do talk to them and they say that you must ship back the product, do also note that in their refund to you, they do not cover the return shipping charge. In my case I've lost about AUD$7 due to the stupid registered postage (must be registered so you can receive a postage receipt to show Paypal)

[pgl]

A litte update on the case, I escalated to a claim an got the answer that I have to return the item to the seller which I called paypal about and got the claim escalated to another department, they now want third party confirmation:

Please provide documentation to confirm that the item you purchased is not
authentic. This documentation should be from an unbiased third party, such
as an appraiser or dealer. The third party should be someone who is
qualified to appraise the item you received.

So now I'm looking for a local dealer that can provide this document and thats not easy.
Does anyone now if there is another way of doing this, I've photos but that was not enough for paypal, can I send photos to someone to get a confirmation?

[Matt]

pass. this is where I didn't want you to be, i don't understand why paypal has asked you to do this. I guess each case is taken on it's won merits. the only reason i had to do this for my lady gaga headphones, was because i chose the 'item not described' complaint instead of the 'counterfeit' complaint.

The only reason I got through it was because i had both the genuine and fake pair. You need to look on the Sennheiser site and find your nearest local dealer and ask for their help in doing this.

BTW on my claim there was a time limit. !0 to get the proof in and 3 days for the affidavit.

But there are two things here.

1) the seller has given you no proof of authenticity

2) price, it seems to good to be true

find your local dealer.