Cathe Friedrich
Administrator
Thank you for the heads up Sally!
Bootleg DVD's on E-bay?
- Thread starter ejostling
- Start date
Yikes...I bought the Timesaver DVDs from that seller! They're in great condition and I had no problem with getting them (because the seller took only checks, money orders, or credit card, I sent a check; definitely didn't want my credit card out there unprotected.) They were delivered very promptly, and as I said, they are a great quality.
I feel bad now!
I just looked at the actual dvd back...and it's silver. You think it's okay?
tpf
I feel bad now!
I just looked at the actual dvd back...and it's silver. You think it's okay?
tpf
The bottomline is this. eBay offers "lip service" to sellers and buyers for any disputes, period. To bring this organization down, will have to be a major class action lawsuit, or a major corporation suing eBay to allow their goods to be sold, when they "KNOW" the items are fakes.
I have had my identity compromised from PayPal, which is owned by eBay, and have ceased doing any business on that site. 5-7 years ago, eBay was a bargain, now it is not. Many items on that site are hugely overpriced and the sellers are outrageous in the shipping.
And as far as bogus DVD's being sold, well, I am sure Cathe has legal advice and have sent a cease and detest letter to eBay, but what good will it do? How can you not know if it is legitimate or not? It is not like eBay police are there looking at these items before they are listed? It really is a catch 22. Meaning, maybe this is why many companies "grown" about eBay but can really do little because remember, eBay is the middle man. The middle man who racks in fees, give lip service for grievances, and you really get no satisfaction in the end. If Cathe is really concerned about anything, it should be these hundreds of bit torrent sites out there where you can download any DVD for nothing, and yes, I have seen her DVD's out there, so what are you to do? Run after every ip address and try to put the law on them? The internet, you love it and you loathe it.
JMHO
I have had my identity compromised from PayPal, which is owned by eBay, and have ceased doing any business on that site. 5-7 years ago, eBay was a bargain, now it is not. Many items on that site are hugely overpriced and the sellers are outrageous in the shipping.
And as far as bogus DVD's being sold, well, I am sure Cathe has legal advice and have sent a cease and detest letter to eBay, but what good will it do? How can you not know if it is legitimate or not? It is not like eBay police are there looking at these items before they are listed? It really is a catch 22. Meaning, maybe this is why many companies "grown" about eBay but can really do little because remember, eBay is the middle man. The middle man who racks in fees, give lip service for grievances, and you really get no satisfaction in the end. If Cathe is really concerned about anything, it should be these hundreds of bit torrent sites out there where you can download any DVD for nothing, and yes, I have seen her DVD's out there, so what are you to do? Run after every ip address and try to put the law on them? The internet, you love it and you loathe it.
JMHO
compatissant
Member
>Yikes...I bought the Timesaver DVDs from that seller!
>They're in great condition and I had no problem with getting
>them (because the seller took only checks, money orders, or
>credit card, I sent a check; definitely didn't want my credit
>card out there unprotected.) They were delivered very
>promptly, and as I said, they are a great quality.
>
>I feel bad now!
>
>I just looked at the actual dvd back...and it's silver. You
>think it's okay?
>
>tpf
If it's silver, I think it's safe to assume that it's not a bootleg. As far as I know, only professional duplicating services have the technology to print silver dvds (something to do with the laser, I think). DVDrs are always purple-backed, again having to do with the duplication process.
Diane
>They're in great condition and I had no problem with getting
>them (because the seller took only checks, money orders, or
>credit card, I sent a check; definitely didn't want my credit
>card out there unprotected.) They were delivered very
>promptly, and as I said, they are a great quality.
>
>I feel bad now!
>
>I just looked at the actual dvd back...and it's silver. You
>think it's okay?
>
>tpf
If it's silver, I think it's safe to assume that it's not a bootleg. As far as I know, only professional duplicating services have the technology to print silver dvds (something to do with the laser, I think). DVDrs are always purple-backed, again having to do with the duplication process.
Diane
compatissant
Member
eBay always uses the copout - "we're a venue, we don't control the items on our site." And trying to get any kind of intelligent response from eBay is impossible. I believe their customer service is outsourced to another country and email responses are ALWAYS canned responses. The only way to get rid of bootleggers is for the copyright owners to join the VERO program and kill the auctions that are questionable. However, not everyone has the time, the staff, the patience to go through dozens of listings every day. And the bootleg DVDs are not listed obviously - it isn't until the buyer receives the product will they know if they purchased a legitimate product or not.
As always, Caveat Emptor (buyer beware).
Diane
As always, Caveat Emptor (buyer beware).
Diane
fit44
Cathlete
I unknowingly bought a bootleg Cathe dvd on Ebay. Ebay terminated the sellers account. I'm out $20 because ebay takes $25 off the top of any dispute. I will NEVER buy another Cathe dvd off ebay. I learned my lesson. I should've known better!!!
Honestly, you get what you pay for.
I buy from Cathe.com and receive excellent customer service, quaranteed quality product, reasonable shipping fees (free in most cases), and a secure shopping environment. Hey, and I'm getting a personal trainer for under $50! That's a BARGAIN!!!!
Honestly, you get what you pay for.
I buy from Cathe.com and receive excellent customer service, quaranteed quality product, reasonable shipping fees (free in most cases), and a secure shopping environment. Hey, and I'm getting a personal trainer for under $50! That's a BARGAIN!!!!
I wish I had read all of these posts before I bought my Power Hour/MIS/Body Max dvd on Ebay! I have a feeling it's a fake too. One clue is that the quality is poor with some slight fuzziness around the people. Another clue: It actually says "SET YOUR VCR TO START HERE". Did Cathe ever have this combo on video tape?
Sadly disappointed:-(
Sadly disappointed:-(
lainiefig
Cathlete
>I wish I had read all of these posts before I bought my Power
>Hour/MIS/Body Max dvd on Ebay! I have a feeling it's a fake
>too. One clue is that the quality is poor with some slight
>fuzziness around the people. Another clue: It actually says
>"SET YOUR VCR TO START HERE". Did Cathe ever have this combo
>on video tape?
>Sadly disappointed:-(
I got a couple bad Cathe DVDs on eBay and in both cases got a refund--in one case the guy gave me a full refund immediately and asked me to destroy the DVD. I was pleased to have my money back but assumed he must know it was bootleg. Some people have said to check for a purple back to the DVD, but the bootlegs I got were silver-backed. Another little clue, from what I've heard, is a little thing on the back that says, "ifpi W400". The "ifpi" has a little half circle over it as well. I know the bad DVD I was sent had that on the back, and it seems none of my other Cathe DVDs say that. The main indication on the DVDs I had was that the picture would go all "pixelly", then back to normal, then pixellated again withing a few seconds. It would do that all the way through and the sound was a bit odd, too. So I first just asked the seller about why it was bad quality. Then when they didn't act, told them I had reason to believe it wasn't authentic and requested a refund.
I now only order DVDs on eBay from sellers I really trust--roleez, lilysrosen (same seller as www.advancedworkouts.com), ihula and maybe a couple others. I mainly go by the price. If the price seems really low, it's probably not a good sign. You're just going to have to pay more for Cathe's DVDs, and of course they're worth it. It's one thing to get a slight discount because a DVD is used, but you're not going to find them for 10 bucks or anything. If you do it's probably a bootleg. That would be my best advice for telling if a DVD is legitimate! What are they charging for it? You can't entirely even tell from positive ratings, since both the bad DVDs I got came from sellers with good ratings. Sometimes buyers are afraid to leave negatives because the sellers then leave retaliatory feedback on them. I have to confess I only left neutrals on mine.
That being said, I hate to dog eBay sellers since I often sell my own old workout DVDs on eBay! And I sure hope enough people trust me to continue buying them. (I never sell Cathe, though, except for one time when I accidentally bought a second Low Max.)
***Lainie***
>Hour/MIS/Body Max dvd on Ebay! I have a feeling it's a fake
>too. One clue is that the quality is poor with some slight
>fuzziness around the people. Another clue: It actually says
>"SET YOUR VCR TO START HERE". Did Cathe ever have this combo
>on video tape?
>Sadly disappointed:-(
I got a couple bad Cathe DVDs on eBay and in both cases got a refund--in one case the guy gave me a full refund immediately and asked me to destroy the DVD. I was pleased to have my money back but assumed he must know it was bootleg. Some people have said to check for a purple back to the DVD, but the bootlegs I got were silver-backed. Another little clue, from what I've heard, is a little thing on the back that says, "ifpi W400". The "ifpi" has a little half circle over it as well. I know the bad DVD I was sent had that on the back, and it seems none of my other Cathe DVDs say that. The main indication on the DVDs I had was that the picture would go all "pixelly", then back to normal, then pixellated again withing a few seconds. It would do that all the way through and the sound was a bit odd, too. So I first just asked the seller about why it was bad quality. Then when they didn't act, told them I had reason to believe it wasn't authentic and requested a refund.
I now only order DVDs on eBay from sellers I really trust--roleez, lilysrosen (same seller as www.advancedworkouts.com), ihula and maybe a couple others. I mainly go by the price. If the price seems really low, it's probably not a good sign. You're just going to have to pay more for Cathe's DVDs, and of course they're worth it. It's one thing to get a slight discount because a DVD is used, but you're not going to find them for 10 bucks or anything. If you do it's probably a bootleg. That would be my best advice for telling if a DVD is legitimate! What are they charging for it? You can't entirely even tell from positive ratings, since both the bad DVDs I got came from sellers with good ratings. Sometimes buyers are afraid to leave negatives because the sellers then leave retaliatory feedback on them. I have to confess I only left neutrals on mine.
That being said, I hate to dog eBay sellers since I often sell my own old workout DVDs on eBay! And I sure hope enough people trust me to continue buying them. (I never sell Cathe, though, except for one time when I accidentally bought a second Low Max.)
***Lainie***
lainiefig
Cathlete
>I wish I had read all of these posts before I bought my Power
>Hour/MIS/Body Max dvd on Ebay! I have a feeling it's a fake
>too. One clue is that the quality is poor with some slight
>fuzziness around the people. Another clue: It actually says
>"SET YOUR VCR TO START HERE". Did Cathe ever have this combo
>on video tape?
>Sadly disappointed:-(
Oh, but forgot to mention that the "Set your VCR to start here" thing is fine--it's from the old videos. And the quality on the older ones aren't quite what they are on the newer videos. If it's a bootleg, though, the quality will be noticeably bad. Oh, and just so you know, one of the bootlegs I got was a Power Hour/MIS/Body Max one. One more clue on the bad one I got was that the case was white--all my other Cathe DVD cases are black. I eventually ordered it again from a reputable seller--and sure enough the case is black.
***Lainie***
>Hour/MIS/Body Max dvd on Ebay! I have a feeling it's a fake
>too. One clue is that the quality is poor with some slight
>fuzziness around the people. Another clue: It actually says
>"SET YOUR VCR TO START HERE". Did Cathe ever have this combo
>on video tape?
>Sadly disappointed:-(
Oh, but forgot to mention that the "Set your VCR to start here" thing is fine--it's from the old videos. And the quality on the older ones aren't quite what they are on the newer videos. If it's a bootleg, though, the quality will be noticeably bad. Oh, and just so you know, one of the bootlegs I got was a Power Hour/MIS/Body Max one. One more clue on the bad one I got was that the case was white--all my other Cathe DVD cases are black. I eventually ordered it again from a reputable seller--and sure enough the case is black.
***Lainie***
I have been looking on ebay as I don't have any of her dvds or vhs tapes yet. I did pre order the new one and also orderd butts and guts so I will have a new one here tomorrow. I had seen one on ebay and emailed the person and ask if they had played it and did it have any scratches, freezing, skipping or sound issues. Did not get a reply back so I am kinda leary of them on ebay. Even if they are not bootleg I am afraid they could have some problems and that is why they are being sold.
Hi Lainie,
That makes sense regarding the "set your vcr to start"...but I'm still pretty sure this is not legit. The quality it terrible. The pixels have so much movement around Cathe etc. that it almost makes me sick to watch it. And, yes, the case is all white ( a dingy white -yuck!). I've contacted the seller to ask for my money back. I will ask to trash the dvd rather than spend my time and postage sending it back (she'll probably just try to resell it anyway). The seller is sertho986 for anyone who wants to know.
That makes sense regarding the "set your vcr to start"...but I'm still pretty sure this is not legit. The quality it terrible. The pixels have so much movement around Cathe etc. that it almost makes me sick to watch it. And, yes, the case is all white ( a dingy white -yuck!). I've contacted the seller to ask for my money back. I will ask to trash the dvd rather than spend my time and postage sending it back (she'll probably just try to resell it anyway). The seller is sertho986 for anyone who wants to know.
Hello
Yes I think I have been 'done' quite recently. I purchased a couple of DVDs and the quality is very poor and pixelly. I usually purchase from advanced workouts who are excellent. But I thought I would grab myself a bargain.
Big mistake!!! I have just emailed the seller and I'm awaiting a response. Oh well I will not be caught again. I will stick with my regular supplier.
Cheers
Laura
Yes I think I have been 'done' quite recently. I purchased a couple of DVDs and the quality is very poor and pixelly. I usually purchase from advanced workouts who are excellent. But I thought I would grab myself a bargain.
Big mistake!!! I have just emailed the seller and I'm awaiting a response. Oh well I will not be caught again. I will stick with my regular supplier.
Cheers
Laura
gidget1978
Cathlete
We also have had some bad experiences with ebay but I guess they all can't be good.
DH use to sell alot of stuff on ebay and some things were promotional items he got from work. One time he sold a set of Stanley cups (they come in beer boxes during hockey season) and someone won them. While they were in the process of being shipped, the buyer decided he didn't want them anymore and he wanted his money back. Ebay refunded his paypal, which means we had to pay the difference and we never saw the cups again. He got them and didn't even pay for them. When DH contacted ebay, they did nothing about it.
I just won 2 dvds from ezaggle. They say they are factory sealed so we will see what I get when they get here. I hope they aren't stolen or bootlegged b/c I really don't have anytime for that kind of stuff.
Lori
DH use to sell alot of stuff on ebay and some things were promotional items he got from work. One time he sold a set of Stanley cups (they come in beer boxes during hockey season) and someone won them. While they were in the process of being shipped, the buyer decided he didn't want them anymore and he wanted his money back. Ebay refunded his paypal, which means we had to pay the difference and we never saw the cups again. He got them and didn't even pay for them. When DH contacted ebay, they did nothing about it.
I just won 2 dvds from ezaggle. They say they are factory sealed so we will see what I get when they get here. I hope they aren't stolen or bootlegged b/c I really don't have anytime for that kind of stuff.
Lori
lainiefig
Cathlete
> I just won 2 dvds from ezaggle. They say they are factory
>sealed so we will see what I get when they get here. I hope
>they aren't stolen or bootlegged b/c I really don't have
>anytime for that kind of stuff.
>
> Lori
Please let us know when you get them. I've seen ezaggle's stuff for sale before but been nervous about buying them (don't remember specifically why).
Also, keep in mind that bootleggers can fake the seal, especially as Cathe's don't come with all that extra tape and stuff that other DVDs have.
***Lainie***
>sealed so we will see what I get when they get here. I hope
>they aren't stolen or bootlegged b/c I really don't have
>anytime for that kind of stuff.
>
> Lori
Please let us know when you get them. I've seen ezaggle's stuff for sale before but been nervous about buying them (don't remember specifically why).
Also, keep in mind that bootleggers can fake the seal, especially as Cathe's don't come with all that extra tape and stuff that other DVDs have.
***Lainie***
Just wanted to say, I did get many dvds on ebay from Ezaggle (in one lot) before he got KICKED OFF!!! (To clarify he used to use the name mateoblem, also, Ezaggle and Ezaggle2)
Details:
Discs were "sealed" (very obviously used discs but re-sealed)and in original cases, but were not new, HOWEVER, the ad did disclose that they were used, some were somewhat scratched, but not abnormally so and they all played fine. The cases were in sorry shape (where the little spindle holding the disc on was damaged more than half the time, disc sliding about freely - BAD packing). The dvds were ORIGINALS and cathe dvds, NOT copies, I'll say that for him - and believe me, I'd know as I regularly make backup copies of any important or rare discs for travel and my own use...(which is perfectly legal under fair-use laws) and I know the difference. There's a lot of great software to help you do it and backup copies to preserve the original are cheaper than replacing the pricey original disc ...and its practical for travel to prevent loss/theft.
Problems:
Had to PESTER with nearly daily emails to get the package shipped and it still took over 2 weeks to ship (not to arrive, to SHIP) after full payment (the day of auction ending). No tracking number provided to me, though he did constantly write back that he'd provide one or that he'd sent it already (like I'm a moron who can't read a postage date)...when in fact he hadn't. Saw his feedback includede Numerous complaints about fake SD and other camera/computer storage cards, slow shipping, product not sent at all... for the same seller...and he leaves negative feedback for other buyers when they leave negative feedback for him, even when they've paid quickly, to "punish" them for negative feedback.
All in all, it was worth it to me, since I got more than 10 of the best discs for about 150 bucks (Including quite a few of the $50 titles), but I surely worked for it, hounding him with emails so I'd have proof, and I did think carefully before bidding and had read the negative feedback in advance. If it hadn't been such a good deal on the Lot size purchase, I wouldn't have considered working with this seller.
Details:
Discs were "sealed" (very obviously used discs but re-sealed)and in original cases, but were not new, HOWEVER, the ad did disclose that they were used, some were somewhat scratched, but not abnormally so and they all played fine. The cases were in sorry shape (where the little spindle holding the disc on was damaged more than half the time, disc sliding about freely - BAD packing). The dvds were ORIGINALS and cathe dvds, NOT copies, I'll say that for him - and believe me, I'd know as I regularly make backup copies of any important or rare discs for travel and my own use...(which is perfectly legal under fair-use laws) and I know the difference. There's a lot of great software to help you do it and backup copies to preserve the original are cheaper than replacing the pricey original disc ...and its practical for travel to prevent loss/theft.
Problems:
Had to PESTER with nearly daily emails to get the package shipped and it still took over 2 weeks to ship (not to arrive, to SHIP) after full payment (the day of auction ending). No tracking number provided to me, though he did constantly write back that he'd provide one or that he'd sent it already (like I'm a moron who can't read a postage date)...when in fact he hadn't. Saw his feedback includede Numerous complaints about fake SD and other camera/computer storage cards, slow shipping, product not sent at all... for the same seller...and he leaves negative feedback for other buyers when they leave negative feedback for him, even when they've paid quickly, to "punish" them for negative feedback.
All in all, it was worth it to me, since I got more than 10 of the best discs for about 150 bucks (Including quite a few of the $50 titles), but I surely worked for it, hounding him with emails so I'd have proof, and I did think carefully before bidding and had read the negative feedback in advance. If it hadn't been such a good deal on the Lot size purchase, I wouldn't have considered working with this seller.