The Holosun Store -- buyer beware

[Whisper]

I've  become an admirer of Holosun red dot sights after outstanding experience with two of their sights, and a few days ago I ordered a third -- the one a 507K X2 model.  Knowing that some online optics vendors sell counterfeit items, I ordered this one through Amazon from the Holosun Store, figuring from their name that I'd be assured of getting the real thing.

It arrived yesterday and here's what I found in the package -- apparently a genuine Holosun box and manual, but inside the case is a West Lake red dot sight -- a cheap knockoff, and not even a knockoff of the 507K, but a different model.

Back it goes.  But I'll not be ordering again from the Holosun Store.  

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by Whisper

[Frog4aday]

Thanks for sharing your experience, which should save others from the same trouble. Amazon becomes more & more like eBay every day. You just never seem to know if you will get the genuine product or not. 

[Defender]

Amazon is so damn easy to order from and usually great prices. I've seen may stories like this...makes me afraid to order anything of substance from them.  I also hate how a search turns up shady results.  I just picked up a new Holosun HE507k-GR-x2.   Didn't trust Amazon, Optics Planet farts around with their availability, so ordered it from Kenzies Optics.  Got a 10% discount so got a great price, free shipping and a really fast delivery. Haven't tested it yet, but looks really great.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Defender

[Chucktshoes]

My guess (and there is no way to know) is that someone bought that, swapped it out and returned it. Amazon didn’t actually check it and placed it back in stock so you got the bunk item. 

[brat]

Thanks for posting. I avoid amazon at all costs. I've had used items sent before. Not to mention their political agenda, which is enough for me personally. YMMV. +1 on Kenzie and Primary Arms. Had great service from both. I'd rather pay more and support a small company than save a few dollars and feed the machine. My 2 cents.

[Whisper]

4 hours ago, Defender said:

Amazon is so damn easy to order from and usually great prices. I've seen may stories like this...makes me afraid to order anything of substance from them.  I also hate how a search turns up shady results.  I just picked up a new Holosun HE507k-GR-x2.   Didn't trust Amazon, Optics Planet farts around with their availability, so ordered it from Kenzies Optics.  Got a 10% discount so got a great price, free shipping and a really fast delivery. Haven't tested it yet, but looks really great.

Defender, the two previous ones I got came from Kenzie's.  They're good and honest people.  Different story with the Holosun Store.  Lesson learned.

 

[Defender]

I tested mine today and it works.  Need to play around with it some more, but the green reticle seem different from my red one, and I mean aside from the obvious, lol. Could be my eyes and it isn’t mounted yet either.  I have a spare 365XL without an optic, which is the reason I wanted this one, but now Im obsessing over the Spectre, so I might just wait til I get that and put it on that. 

Edited June 15, 2021 by Defender

[mikegideon]

5 hours ago, Defender said:

Amazon is so damn easy to order from and usually great prices. I've seen may stories like this...makes me afraid to order anything of substance from them.  I also hate how a search turns up shady results.  I just picked up a new Holosun HE507k-GR-x2.   Didn't trust Amazon, Optics Planet farts around with their availability, so ordered it from Kenzies Optics.  Got a 10% discount so got a great price, free shipping and a really fast delivery. Haven't tested it yet, but looks really great.

Their returns are almost as easy as their ordering. So, at least you're not stuck with it.

Edited June 13, 2021 by mikegideon

[Whisper]

23 hours ago, Chucktshoes said:

My guess (and there is no way to know) is that someone bought that, swapped it out and returned it. Amazon didn’t actually check it and placed it back in stock so you got the bunk item. 

Well, remember that Amazon didn't fulfill the order -- the Holosun Store did.  So they're responsible for shipping out the counterfeit, no matter how they received it.  If Amazon had done the fulfillment instead of a third-party vendor doing so, I'd be raising hell with them too.   In this case, Amazon just processed the order.  Of course Amazon does some of their own order fulfillment, so this is also a good reminder to see who is fulfilling your Amazon order.  I placed another order, this time not to be fulfilled by the Holosun Store, and it's supposed to arrive today.  I'll see if these guys send me a real Holosun or another fake.

[Defender]

Crazy question, but i think the obvious may not always be the right answer, but is the Holosun Store on Amazon  run by the Holsun Company>?

[mikegideon]

27 minutes ago, Defender said:

Crazy question, but i think the obvious may not always be the right answer, but is the Holosun Store on Amazon  run by the Holsun Company>?

Looks like it might be...  

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Holosun/page/4577F447-7A26-43F3-B61E-A4B9B2A0B37F?ref_=ast_bln

[Maize And Blue]

Thanks for the heads up!

I recently purchased a M&P 15 Sport II and have been researching ideal optics, and learned about past instances regarding Amazon & Ebay purchases, still sucks to see happen, though. 

I've read good things about Holosun, but I'm leaning towards the Sig Sauer Romeo5. Can't go wrong with either though I imagine, both good product lines, indeed. 

[Whisper]

30 minutes ago, Defender said:

Crazy question, but i think the obvious may not always be the right answer, but is the Holosun Store on Amazon  run by the Holsun Company>?

Not a crazy question at all.  I assumed they probably were connected, but I can't document that.  I can't find a website for the Holosun Store, although there's one for Holosun Optics and another for just Holosun.

 

[Whisper]

3 minutes ago, Maize And Blue said:

I've read good things about Holosun, but I'm leaning towards the Sig Sauer Romeo5. Can't go wrong with either though I imagine, both good product lines, indeed. 

Sig Sauer optics are actually made for them by Holosun.

[Maize And Blue]

1 minute ago, Whisper said:

Sig Sauer optics are actually made for them by Holosun.

Good to know, learn something new every day. 

[Snaveba]

You can call Holosun and speak directly to them. I had to with an issue with a product. Their customer service was top notch.  You could ask them directly if the Amazon Store is affiliated with them. 

[mikegideon]

1 hour ago, Whisper said:

Sig Sauer optics are actually made for them by Holosun.

Beat me to it

[hipower]

On 6/14/2021 at 12:31 PM, Whisper said:

Sig Sauer optics are actually made for them by Holosun.

That I did not know. Very interesting. I have a friend who convinced me to go with Holosun because his Romeo 5 died on its first range session.

I have 4 Holosun units now and am exceedingly happy with them. Have bought from Amazon and Optics Planet without any trouble from either. 

But that could always change. Online ordering is so very easy, but I just miss walking into a brick&morter store and actually seeing and handling things before buying. But that kind of shopping is rapidly disappearing.

[Whisper]

44 minutes ago, hipower said:

Online ordering is so very easy, but I just miss walking into a brick&morter store and actually seeing and handling things before buying. But that kind of shopping is rapidly disappearing.

Kenzie's Optics, one of the more reliable dealers selling Holosun products, used to have tables at the Murfreesboro gun shows, and that's where I bought mine back before the pandemic ended gun shows.  Now that things are easing up, maybe Kenzie's will be back (and maybe they were at the show this past weekend -- I didn't make it to that one).

Cheers,

Whisper

[Whisper]

Update -- A new Holosun 507K X2 from a different Amazon vendor arrived yesterday and is totally acceptable.  I'm a satisfied customer...but will never order anything from the Holosun Store again.

Cheers,

Whisper

Edited June 17, 2021 by Whisper

[Mowgli Terry]

On 6/13/2021 at 11:46 AM, Defender said:

Optics Planet farts around with their availability.

I don't think Optics Planet has an inventory. I'm convinced Optics Planet is a modified Ponzi scheme.  Amazon will make it right PDQ. My final dance with OP took several moths to resolve.

[Ronald_55]

The issue on Amazon is that in a lot of cases Amazon houses inventory for their vendors. That would be fine except they pool the item and do not separate it by who sent it to them. So some bad vendors have inferior products shipped in with the box and SKU of a well know valuable item. So when you order, Amazon just grabs the first one and ships it. You could be ordering from Amazon directly, Vendor A, or Vendor B and still get a package sent to co-inventory by Vendor F. So somethings when you see a Sold by Vendor X, but fulfilled by Amazon, this is what is happening. Shines some light on how some vendors can sell items at such good prices, they sent counterfeit items into the pooled inventory. Then you play roulette as to what you actually get. Not saying this happened here, but could explain it. I used to run into this with software A LOT. Order Office and get a good looking box containing a CDR with Sharpie written on  it. 

[TennesseeCamper]

If I read reviews/complaints about the item as counterfeit, I don’t order it from Amazon. In those cases Midsouth or Midway will get my order.  I had one bad experience with Optics planet and I don’t bother with them anymore. 

[Snaveba]

Optics Planet might be slow, but I have also had good luck ordering some parts.  Just know that if it is not on stock it might take months. 
 

Midway, Primary Arms, Brownell’s, and Natchez Shooter’s Supply all have been better on getting the items to you quickly. 

[Mowgli Terry]

On 7/12/2021 at 11:14 AM, Ronald_55 said:

The issue on Amazon is that in a lot of cases Amazon houses inventory for their vendors. That would be fine except they pool the item and do not separate it by who sent it to them. S

I do much of my buying for ordinary stuff is with Amazon. The most problem I have is with books that are not in the advertised condition. The book is replaced and the old first book is left with me.

Another incident was on printer cartridges. Absolutely the wrong cartridges were sent. The money was quickly refunded. A warning was put on vendors site. Much of the stuff I get is from vendors. Maybe, I have been lucky. Only in one instance did I have minor problems with a vendor. That was when I ordered a Tom Threepersons holster from the maker. YMMV 

No Inventory: Optic Planet is a scam who only orders from their vendors when customer orders come in. It's your time and money. Have at it.