Since the inception of Ebay and online retailing in general, a lot of random items have sold for amounts that far surpass their true value. On the other hand, I know some people who have, including me, managed to get a few deals without having to leave their house. If you can tolerate the typical shipping delay of 5-7 days, online retailing is a good choice for many purchases.
But after 13 years in the business of breath alcohol testing, I always question how you can buy a “quality breath alcohol tester” for under $40. Perhaps my biases are coming into play, but these devices are about as useful as random number generators with brightly coloured lights on a convenient keychain. I have purchased some just to perform accuracy testing and confirm my suspicions. They just don’t work.
When introduced to someone at a social event, inevitably I’m asked “So what do you do for a living?”. After a brief explanation, I often hear “Oh, my brother just purchased one of those alcohol testers over the internet for a few dollars”. Needless to say, I quickly clarify the differences between the various alcohol testers on the market. Then, I encourage them never to rely on those trinkets for any level of accuracy – especially before driving. The risk is too great.
Does this mean you shouldn’t buy things over the internet? Of course not. It’s incredibly convenient and appears to be the way of the future. But like all purchases, do your market research and make informed buying decisions – even it you are only spending $40.
Chris Wilson
Business Unit Manager
Breath Test Products
2 comments:
In my mind, the challenge becomes producing a device of ACS caliber that is affordable and competitive with the existing (lesser quality) products on the market. Additionally, how can we educate our community how to shop for a quality device?
Just do ebay research for free before doing Anything at all on ebay.
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