alnitak pointed this site out to me - the similarities in the site design to Amazon.co.uk are quite breathtaking. For the most blatant example, have a look at their safe shopping guarantee and compare it to that on Amazon - they're word-for-word identical, as is much of the "Where's My Stuff?" etc. section at the bottom of each page. Google searching turns up virtually nothing for amkells other than link shops.I'm not quite sure what's going on there, but it certainly smells like fish to me.
Updates: The email I fired off to Amazon has had nothing but a form reply so far. Googling for amkells now turns up my LJ on the first page :)
More updates: The information in this comment does lean towards their legitimacy, but on the other hand, the site appears to be down at the moment...
Re: amkells - kelkoo points to them regularly
Anonymous
March 11 2004, 11:22:21 UTC 17 years ago
It was only when I did a bit of research and found these messages that I had cause for concern. I immediately cancelled my credit card and changed my passwords. I then sent a message to Amazon and Kelkoo asking them what it was all about.
I got the following reply from Kelkoo: -
Thank you for contacting Kelkoo with your enquiry.
All the merchants that are listed on our site go through vigorous tests
before they appear live. We search our merchants site for particular
features like, security and contact details.
We would not list a merchant if we thought that it wasn't OK to buy from
them.
You can contact Amkells through the following link:
http://www.amkells.co.uk/enfinity/amkells.storefront/404de5ea02f43c1c2740d92
95a810684/Catalog/2775?helpref=Contact-Us
I hope this is of reassurance to you.
Regards
Hamish Rouse
Kelkoo.co.uk
Which I expected to get seeing as they were the ones that directed me to Amkells in the first place, however, I also got the following reply from Amazon: -
Dear Customer
After looking at the site in question it appears that the
similarities are due to www.amkells.co.uk using Amazon.co.uk Web
Services.
Amazon Web Services enables Web developers to seamlessly integrate
Amazon.co.uk features and content into their websites. This is why
the features look so similar.
Please contact www.amkells.co.uk for further information about their
services.
Please let us know if this e-mail answered your question:
If yes, click here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/resolved-yes?comm_id=yhba2361
If not, click here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/resolved-no?comm_id=yhba2361
Warmest regards
Andrew Hill
Customer Service
Amazon.co.uk
It appears that Amkells ARE legitimate! I think concerns would be less if they had actually said on their website that similarities were due to Amazon designing their website rather than let people think it was a dodgy copy!!!
I don't know if I'll order through them in future but a bit of digging certainly answered my questions!!!
Alex Trickett
Re: amkells - kelkoo points to them regularly
Anonymous
April 15 2004, 07:13:18 UTC 17 years ago