When It’s Too Good To Be True

We’ve all experienced a moment where something seems so good – so perfect or amazing – that we can’t believe that it could actually be real. Like when an African princess wants to share her treasure trove of diamonds with you, and needs your bank account information to transfer many millions of dollars over to you. Or when you stumble across a bunch of unbelievably cheap Indramat parts online. While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding the deal of a lifetime, keep a level head. If something seems to good to be true, there’s a good chance that it is.

The catch

There’s a reason people always tell you to read the fine print. This prevents any surprises, and helps make sure you know what you’re getting. Of course, sometimes there’s no fine print to read to avoid getting suckered. Someone selling cheap Indramat parts online isn’t going to say, “Yes, these parts are cheap, but I soldered them together without knowing what I was doing, and they will stop working after a couple of years and cause a whole slew of other problems with your motion control system.” They just say, “Need a cheap servo motor?! I’ve got you covered, buddy!”

Be skeptical

That’s not to say immediately disregard anything that sounds like a good deal. Just do a little digging. There isn’t always a catch, but make sure something is legitimate if it seems unbelievable. Doubt it, ask questions, and make sure that you get satisfying answers. Do the legwork required to be confident in your purchase.

How to tell if a deal is too good to be true.

Let’s say you find a great price on eBay for a servo motor. Here are some things you should look for.

  • Huge disparities in price. This is usually a huge tip off. Something costing a fraction of what it should cost is a red flag.
  • Little, vague, or no description of the parts. Sometimes a vendor is lazy, or not good with words. Sometimes they don’t want you to know that the product is no good.
  • Poor quality images, no images, or stock photos. Again, a lack of good images isn’t necessarily an indication of foul play, but you should consider asking for images.

If it seems to good to be true, don’t take your chances. It might seem like it’s worth the gamble, but it’s not. It’s not as simple as trying out a super cheap servo, and if that doesn’t work, just buy one that does. Cutting corners on your machinery can cause serious damage which may require expensive repair. Get it done right the first time. Give us a call at 479-422-0390.