To be fair and clear they don't claim or at least never did to me to be an authorized distributor. You can buy direct from Osrams distribution channels and resell without the coveted designation of a authorized distributor. They just claimed they buy from Osram not some third part china seller.
Yep Osram does not have the same strict end product authorization requirement that N***** has. I have a Osram rep I chat with now and then and could buy from if they ever gave a competitive quote.
Oh yea regardless if they were a authorized reseller, a customer that buys and resells or a person that acquires from a third party and resells they would have legal recourse against anyone selling a product with their branding that was not genuine. China sellers may be able to get away with that as it can be difficult in most cases to go after trademark infringement in China but in Europe or here in the US there are strong trademark enforcement policies.
Yep beware of a good deal. But you do have to sometimes go out there or you will never find out for sure. I would expect this and have been much more hesitant if this had been some seller on Alibaba or something like that but and a very wide range of products it seemed worth a try.
To be fair and clear, Osram distributor, dealer or not Semicom is damaging Osram's name, reputation, and product using them as a front for a Chinese smoke and mirrors deception operation. Semicom in every way possible - web site, sales correspondence, invoice and pre-payment, and delivery represented they could and would supply you with genuine Osram PLT5 488 diode product. I mean look at their web site page:
PLT5-488 : Semicom Visual. How is it possible to guess otherwise? They never indicated that you would receive other than Osram PLT5 488 did they??
The luke warm/semi-good news as you have mentioned is that you are able to get a full refund without a lot of headache, however, I would hold their feet to the fire a bit as you trusted them because they were a "company in England with a fairly decent looking site" as you say. You pre-paid in advance for genuine Osram PLT5 488 product promised by Semicom. You were in no way expecting or prepared to receive the Chinese flim-flam 2 step bogus diodes via Semicom that they shipped to you nor were youtaking that chance willingly when ordering and pre-paying the order which amounts to funding their business.
I would thank them for their refund offer proposal but tell I want the product I pre-paid an order for, funding Semicom's business, 6 weeks prior to delivery that Semicom undertook to supply and which Semicom said they would call/order in from Osram. Tell you promised them to customers with all the damage to name, reputation, and business not being able to do so implies. It is simply is not acceptable to not be able to deliver the Osram PLT5 488 diode.
Semicom Visual is must deliver what they promised to deliver in every way possible to encourage and effect the sale to you of Osram PLT5 488 diodes - on their web site, in sales correspondence, in invoicing and payment. They need to make it right. Is not just a matter of a refund and "oh well".
It was not a retail sale of a diode to an end user like a tie that was the wrong color. It was a business to business supply purchase with domestic and intenational business customers of yours time and money on the line and Semicom represented they were ordering them in from Osram to deliver to you and didn't which was lie/a deception/ a gross misrepresentation. They knew exactly what they were doing.
They didn't say in advance of shipping that you would be receiving what you receved did they? That is outright deception bordering on theft by deception as they knew exactly what they were doing.
It is Semicom's cross to bear the cost and problem to solve--it is not your problem. The customer is always right, especailly a customer who has pre-paid and should not be made your problem. You performed 110% on your end in good faith. As you say England is England, not a backroom in China.
Semicom Visual needs to apologize to you and to the LPF members, who posted 444 posts on this thread ,for letting them down and wasting their time.
Remember John Cleese's apology in A Fish Called Wanda?
It was a vey funny film and well done. It comes to mind in this situation this because, if the actual facts have been presented here, it has all been so unnecessarily pure folly what was done and let so many sincere laser building LPF members and enthusiasts down.
I have modified/adapted the apology to suit the situation in attempt to bring some humor and persepctiveto the situation.
Semicom Visul Limited needs to say in writing - somethng like this, as follows:
"Semicom Visual is really really sorry. Semicom apologizes unreservedly and offers a complete and utter rectification by supplying the genuine Osram PLT5 488 diodes promised and sold. Semicom Visuals imputation that it was the fault of a Chinese supplier was totally without basis in fact, and was in no way fair comment, and was motivated purely by malice, and Semicom deeply regrets any distress it's business practices, representations, and comments may have caused you, your customers, and LPF members, and Semicom hereby undertakes not to repeat any such hoax/misrepresetation at any time in the future and to supply the Osram product promised and pre-paid for by you, to you in good faith."
Seriously,
Semicom Visual Limited should make it right by supplying the diodes promised at the price quoted and pre-paid + apologize to both you, members of LPF who posted 444 posts, viewed 13,278 times and to viewers of LPF.
I hope Semicom Visual does the right thing and makes good their word and representations re: the order.
Just a thought.
