"Gray" import undermines trust: Why does even the official purchase of equipment raise suspicions among Ukrainian consumers?
Kyiv • UNN
Consumers in Ukraine are increasingly concerned about the quality of equipment due to the growth of "gray" imports. Experts advise carefully checking purchases and sellers to avoid fakes.
In Ukraine, there is growing concern among consumers regarding the quality and legality of household appliances and electronics, even those purchased with a fiscal receipt and warranty. According to experts, the reason is the rapid growth of the so-called "gray" import, writes UNN.
Details
According to economic expert Oleh Pendzin, no full-fledged studies of the scale of the illegal electronics market have been conducted in Ukraine in recent years, but currently almost all household appliances on the Ukrainian market are imported, and the "gray" segment is really filled with goods of various categories - both premium and budget.
At the same time, the latest study conducted by the European Business Association and partners recorded key consequences of gray schemes: unequal conditions of competition between legal and illegal players, losses for the state budget, increased corruption risks and threats to consumers.
Due to risk factors, even officially оформлені purchases often raise doubts among buyers. A girl shared her story about such an experience with UNN, who, after purchasing a Dyson styler in one of the well-known networks, doubted the originality of the device. Despite the fact that she received a fiscal check, she still had doubts. Checking the device through the official brand representative lasted more than two months and ended only after contacting the Dyson headquarters in Singapore, where the authenticity of the product was confirmed, and, according to the buyer, the whole process was emotionally exhausting.
And, as numerous publications in the public domain show, such doubts of consumers are often not unfounded. Complaints about suspicious checks, inappropriate packaging, lack of instructions in Ukrainian or problems with warranty service appear in forums, social networks and on specialized platforms. All this only reinforces the general feeling of mistrust - even in situations that outwardly look like ordinary, legal purchases.
The story of a buyer under the nickname "Kettie", who purchased a Dyson Gen5detect Absolute cordless vacuum cleaner in the "Yabko" store in Odesa, is indicative. The review is published on the platform. In it, the girl noted that even before the purchase, she saw information on the website about an official warranty from the manufacturer for the gadget she wanted to purchase. Therefore, already in the process of buying, when the sellers offered an additional paid extension of the warranty from the store, the buyer refused it. Later, she registered the device on the Dyson website and really received confirmation of a two-year warranty. Approximately six months later, the device started to work incorrectly: the brushes did not rotate, there were problems with switching off. Considering this a warranty case, the user contacted the store, where she was first offered to pay for delivery, and later informed that the equipment would be checked by specialists of the sales network. Later, the girl was answered that the repair would be paid due to a "mechanical" breakdown, and the request to transfer the goods to the official Dyson service was left without a clear answer.
Interestingly, another review on the same platform from user Bohdan Solyanyk about the negative experience of purchasing accessories was accompanied by a photo of a check that, even at first glance, does not correspond to the established sample – it does not contain any details by which it would be possible to carry out verification through official services.
A buyer from Kharkiv on the vidhuk.ua platform reported about a negative experience in the "Yabluka" store (shopping center "Nikolsky"), where she bought AirPods 2 headphones. The goods were not allowed to be inspected before the purchase, and the store had poor lighting, so she noticed the defect - a blue spot on one of the headphones - only after leaving. Returning to the store, she demanded a refund, but she was only offered to write a statement and wait. Later, the service center offered to replace one earpiece, while the communication, according to the client, was rude and dismissive. Doubts about the authenticity of the product remained, and resolving the conflict will probably require a court hearing.
These cases, like many other examples of negative experiences with the purchase of equipment, create a feeling of uncertainty among consumers and reduce the level of trust in the market in general. Problems with accompanying documents, warranty service or purchase conditions often raise questions - where does the product come from and how transparent are the conditions of its sale.
Against the background of expert assessments regarding the growth of "gray" imports in Ukraine, the situation as a whole harms not only buyers, who are already in a state of increased anxiety due to the war, but also bona fide businesses that operate in accordance with the law. After all, the general background of distrust is increasing, which negatively affects both consumer experience and economic stability and the well-being of citizens.
Cybersecurity expert Kostyantyn Korsun advises to carefully choose the place where you make a purchase, because this is the main criterion of security.
"If the device is purchased in an official store with a proven reputation, the probability of getting an original product is much higher. Instead, if the purchase is made, relatively speaking, "in the market", the risks of encountering low-quality or counterfeit products increase significantly. (…) To check the originality, it is worth using the official services of manufacturers: for example, Apple provides the opportunity to enter the serial number from the box on its website to make sure that the device was really manufactured by the company and to find out the date of manufacture. Similar services are available from other brands, including Samsung," Korsun noted.
Basic steps for checking a purchase may also include checking the fiscal receipt on the official website of the State Tax Service of Ukraine. This will help to ensure that the purchase was made through an officially registered cash register, and not made bypassing tax accounting.
In addition, in the case of purchasing smartphones, tablets or other equipment with a communication module, it is recommended to check the IMEI code of the device. This can be done using the international online service imei.info, which provides general information about the device by its unique code, or use the official portal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, which allows you to find out whether the device has been entered into the database of stolen or blocked ones.
Regarding Apple products, in particular the iPhone, one of the additional ways to check the legality of import is to check the serial number of the device on the website of the authorized service center of the company in Ukraine.
Let us remind
According to experts' estimates, the State Budget of Ukraine underreceives billions of hryvnias annually due to "gray" schemes of supply and sale of equipment. Earlier, the State Tax Service revealed schemes of evading VAT payment for more than UAH 286 million in the activities of the "Yabko" and Yabluka trading networks. As it turned out, these networks used up to 300 related sole proprietors on a simplified taxation system, which allowed minimizing the tax burden.
UNN also reported about the leakage of internal descriptions of "gray" schemes of Apple equipment supply in one of the small networks. Equipment is purchased through intermediaries in Southeast Asia - mostly new or refurbished devices. It is imported into Ukraine by minibuses under forged customs declarations, where cheap accessories are indicated instead of expensive gadgets. Experts suggest the existence of a "green corridor" at customs. In the future, the equipment is sold through a wide network of stores, formally оформлена on hundreds of sole proprietors, which allows to minimize taxes and avoid responsibility.
Experts note that these shadow schemes should be dealt with by the relevant authorities - namely law enforcement officers, in particular, the Bureau of Economic Security.
