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Any way to tell if my ebay Nikon is a knockoff?

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Optics GrassHopper
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rbl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Any way to tell if my ebay Nikon is a knockoff?
    Posted: January/05/2010 at 12:14
I bought a Nikon ProStaff off ebay and then read somepost that have me worried that it could be a Chinese knockoff. Is there any way to tell if it is a authentic Nikon?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 12:42
what is the first two characters in the serial # under the scope?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rbl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 12:44
Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

what is the first two characters in the serial # under the scope?
 
I Dont know, I havent received it yet. I was just wondering if there was anything I should look for when I get it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 12:52
look at the serial number, the pro staff scopes are new enough that they should have two letters as the first two characters in the serial# i have three nikon scopes they all start with two letters followed by six numbers.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 14:31
The best way to make sure you don't get a fake is to buy from a reputable dealer.  We recomend buying from this outfit on eBay.
 
 
or just buy from them direct at http://swfa.com/default.aspx
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 14:32
Originally posted by Chris Farris Chris Farris wrote:

The best way to make sure you don't get a fake is to buy from a reputable dealer.  We recomend buying from this outfit on eBay.
 
 
or just buy from them direct at http://swfa.com/default.aspx
 
Loco   Bandito   Wink


Edited by SVT_Tactical - January/05/2010 at 14:32
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SamC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 15:30
Originally posted by Chris Farris Chris Farris wrote:

The best way to make sure you don't get a fake is to buy from a reputable dealer.  We recomend buying from this outfit on eBay.
 
 
or just buy from them direct at http://swfa.com/default.aspx
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rbl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 17:17
Originally posted by SVT_Tactical SVT_Tactical wrote:

Originally posted by Chris Farris Chris Farris wrote:

The best way to make sure you don't get a fake is to buy from a reputable dealer.  We recomend buying from this outfit on eBay.
 
 
or just buy from them direct at http://swfa.com/default.aspx
 
Loco   Bandito   Wink

Yeah I know, but It was a impulse buy and I was not aware of this place yet. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 17:19
Okay, okay...we'll forgive you then.  PM me a link to the auction.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 18:01
Thanks for the link.
 
That scope cost $103. and you paid them $112., eBay fees plus Pay-Pal fees would be about $15.  Unless they hit you for a large shipping charge they did not make money which is a sign of counterfeit product.  They also used a Nikon "stock" image instead of an image of the actual product that they are shipping which is also a bad sign.
 
Nikon also maintains a minimum authorized price policy for the authorized dealers which this outfit is obviously not obeying which usually means they are not buying from Nikon...another bad sign.
 
Low end Nikon products are not your typical items to be counterfeited but the Chinese are always expanding their operations.
 
Keep your fingers crossed cause this one could go either way.  They do have a large feedback rating in their favor but they also sell allot of other items (like mosquito repellant) that can get their rating up high.
 
In that class of scope it would be hard to tell optically if it is fake but would be easy to tell cosmetically and mechanically as most China made scopes have a tell tell fit and finish to them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rbl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/05/2010 at 18:56
Originally posted by Chris Farris Chris Farris wrote:

Thanks for the link.
 
That scope cost $103. and you paid them $112., eBay fees plus Pay-Pal fees would be about $15.  Unless they hit you for a large shipping charge they did not make money which is a sign of counterfeit product.  They also used a Nikon "stock" image instead of an image of the actual product that they are shipping which is also a bad sign.
 
Nikon also maintains a minimum authorized price policy for the authorized dealers which this outfit is obviously not obeying which usually means they are not buying from Nikon...another bad sign.
 
Low end Nikon products are not your typical items to be counterfeited but the Chinese are always expanding their operations.
 
Keep your fingers crossed cause this one could go either way.  They do have a large feedback rating in their favor but they also sell allot of other items (like mosquito repellant) that can get their rating up high.
 
In that class of scope it would be hard to tell optically if it is fake but would be easy to tell cosmetically and mechanically as most China made scopes have a tell tell fit and finish to them.


I think it was a pretty large shipping fee around 13 bucks. Anyways I will post some pics when I get it. Thanks for the help. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pass-thru Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/12/2010 at 12:22
Where do unauthorized dealers get their large quantities of NIB product that are not knockoffs?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rbl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/12/2010 at 12:50
I sent it back, the seller said it was new but it sure did not look like it was.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/12/2010 at 13:50
Ebay can be hit or miss, I still enjoy buying things off ebay.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/12/2010 at 19:14
Originally posted by Chris Farris Chris Farris wrote:

The best way to make sure you don't get a fake is to buy from a reputable dealer.  We recomend buying from this outfit on eBay.
 
 
or just buy from them direct at http://swfa.com/default.aspx
 
Heigh thats one of my favorite stores - I buy stuff there all the time,  great guys to do business with. Thunbs Up

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