Safe and Ethical Shopping

Is it safe to buy from the Teacher Syndicate?

• Yes!  We think it is the safest way to buy education products online and get the best access to new products.  Let's face it - 80% of online shops are fraudulent in some way.  Buying through an agent like The Teacher Syndicate dramatically reduces the contact you will have with fraudulent sellers.

• Our exclusive use of PayPal protects you and protects us.  PayPal offers the best (and I think only) protection from fraudulent sellers.

• Our use of PayPal Shop Maker to operate the 'Shop' is a simple but highly safe application.  You can read more about the extremely high level of security at this FAQ.

• If you are not satisfied with any purchase, you can contact us directly to request a refund or exchange.  Use this link:  issues@teachersyndicate.com

• If you are not happy with the way the Teacher Syndicate has handled the refund or replacement, you can open a dispute directly with PayPal. 
  • You can open a dispute if:
    - You never received your order or if the item is significantly not as described.
    - You have been unable to arrange a refund with the seller.
    - Less than 45 days have gone by since payment.
• This is a very quick and effective way of resolving your issue.  Log in and visit the Resolution Center.

• We use certified 'green' technology for the shop and all communications.  

• And we provide special products and ideas for teachers to reduce, reuse and recycle (and now, repair!)
• We talk about fraudulent shopping openly and honestly, because we have nothing to hide - see our photo story here.

What if I am a bit scared of buying through the internet, or this is my first online purchase?

• This is entirely natural, especially with stories we hear on the news or through our friends.

• Please be assured PayPal is the most secure e-commerce solution available today. Do some research on PayPal's site as a lot of common questions are answered there.

• PayPal has the most rigorous security process for buyers and sellers, has great relationships with credit card providers, and has a very fair dispute resolution process.

• I exclusively use PayPal software to manage the purchasing process.  There isn't any way sensitive information can be collected or leaked from this service.

• One idea for complete security is to buy ‘gift’ Visa cards available at many post offices, convenience stores and news-agencies.  A $50 gift card can let you buy $50 of any type of goods without giving PayPal any personal banking details – just the numbers on the gift card and the delivery address.  Of course you do not have to use the entire card value in one purchase.  You may want to spend $30 at the Teacher Syndicate and $20 at your local grocery store.

• You can use funds in your PayPal balance, PayPal Buyer Credit, PayPal Plus Credit Card, eBay MasterCard, debit or credit card, or confirmed bank account.

• It's perfectly OK to test out the Teacher Syndicate by buying one small product like the $0.99 pig flash light, just so you can experience the thorough buying process.  

What can I do to maximize the security of my online purchases?

• Always use an online shop that you trust or that has been recommended by someone you know.

• Always use a service like PayPal, or at least a credit card company as an independent moderator for each purchase.  PayPal and credit card companies will generally take your side in a dispute, process the refund immediately,  and will then probably conduct an investigation into the seller.

• Be very suspicious of a merchant who does not accept PayPal.  To become an accredited PayPal merchant, I had to supply a lot of personal details, supply identification documents, I had all of my bank accounts verified (including my credit card and my savings account) and I suspect my credit and criminal history was checked also.  I pay to  use PayPal because I can cut down on fraudulent purchases, which saves me time and money.  A small percentage is charged for each transaction, but it is quite reasonable.  Do not believe sellers who tell you they have a cheaper way of selling you goods to avoid the PayPal fee.

• Try not to use Western Union, cash or send a cheque.  These methods are difficult to trace, and do not include a dispute resolution process.  If a merchant only accepts these payments, start being suspicious.

• Don’t believe ridiculous offers, like genuine 8GB iPods for $0.11.

• Do not be to tempted to buy a genuine brand-name product at a heavily discount price.  Major retailers like Nike, Apple and IMB  will not choose a Tikitaki379, a small exporter in Hong Kong, as their exclusive reseller of surplus stock.

• Avoid products with any genuine labeling that are obviously fakes.  These are usually illegal to import into a country.  The products can be ceased, you will lose your money, and you may also face criminal charges. 

Is the TS an ethical and moral business?

• Well, I tend to think we’re doing pretty well on that front.  The last thing I would want is to have a school related company associated with any form of child labor or slavery.

• What I can say with 95% certainty is that I buy my inexpensive products from the factories that you buy very expensive products from.  The difference is our products are 'raw' and have yet to go through a branding and packaging process, 

• It is extremely difficult to research the issues and reality of child and slave labor.  There is a great and recent documentary (Fake Trade, 2008)  at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5947862651880646162  that investigates these issues.  I also keep up with the professional forums hosted in the wholesalers' collective I am part of.  When you work on a 3-5% profit margin, you really don't want your goods ceased, as you're instantly 103% in debt.

• And don't forget the other side of the coin and get caught up in the incorrect and illogical guilt-based information you may hear.  Just because a $5 wire-based product is white and plugs into an audio player, doesn't make it fake and / or illegal copy of a more expensive product that retails for $85.  If no patents are being broken, no fake branding is applied to a product, and the product is not sold though deceptive means, then it's OK to buy a piece of white wire for $5 and save yourself, and your school, a lot of money.
  

• Just as teachers use the concept ‘duty of care’ and 'risk reduction', the Teacher Syndicate does everything we can to reduce the possibility of children or slave labor involved in manufacturing these products.  In fact, you cannot guarantee any child or slave labor is not involved in the production of high end retail products, so just by purchasing genuine and full-priced products you are not ensuring they come from an ethical factory.   

• However, I can take steps to ensure the chances of this are extremely low:
  • Factories and services I am affiliated with are huge.  For example, one of my main suppliers just won the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 China 2008 Award, was rated the 7th top company in China by the China Times, and was fully investigated before being profiled by  Reuters as a model company.  The company is by far the highest Asian PayPal account holder.
  • These factories have extremely high international profiles, employ internationally recognised Chair-People and invest in establishing and maintaining customer bases. They would not want to risk being excluded from the group of quality assured manufacturers as their customer loss would be substantial
  • Funds go directly to the factory and manufacturer, not a middle man.  I tend to think this promotes factories that look after their employees better than others, but that's my personal opinion after watching a few documentaries. 
  • I only deal with factories agreeing to PayPal terms and conditions, plus an additional, similar set of conditions in place between wholesalers.
  • I do not deal with products identified in the legislation covered by the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, Chemical Weapons Convention, or Trade Practices Act goods (restricted import).
  • All items within the packaging are clearly listed on the postage label, being completely honest with customs (not declared as a "$5 Gift" a common practice with a some suspicious sellers)
  • I continually read and review news items and blogs/comments about the factories I work with
  • I don’t deal with dodgy suppliers.  These are suppliers that offer highly suspicious prices and services, that would not be possible to achieve under normal working conditions.  This may also mean the products are stolen, so I have no contact with these companies.