Americans from Maine to Texas can look forward to the rare treat of a total solar eclipse across the United States on April 8, 2024.
In ancient times, people who observed solar eclipses thought they were watching the sun being eaten by a wolf, dragon, or demon.
Of course, we know that the sun isn't actually eaten during an eclipse. Instead, do what you always do. In other words, it rains ultraviolet light onto everything in its path. That's why you should never view a solar eclipse without safety glasses.
However, not just any pair of glasses is suitable. To enjoy a total solar eclipse safely, the American Astronomical Society specifically warns against purchasing eclipse glasses at the lowest prices from online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
What gives? Why not save money on something you'll probably only use once, for a few minutes?
Turns out, there's a good reason for that. Because deceptive counterfeit products have invaded his chain of retail supplies. And some of them pose a health threat.
Invasion of counterfeit products
As supply chain management experts, we know that the problem of counterfeit products has increased in recent years.
Counterfeit products can be found in brick-and-mortar stores, but they're a particularly big problem in online marketplaces. Amazon removed more than 6 million counterfeit products from its supply chain in 2022 alone.
There are several reasons for this. First, our recent research shows that consumers often consider an online retailer's reputation when judging the quality of a product. Malicious third party sellers may take advantage of this fact by selling their products through reputable online marketplaces.
Fulfillment services offered by some marketplaces such as Amazon introduce another complication. With this service, third-party sellers send products directly to online retailers' warehouses for shipping and handling. This type of fulfillment service provides retailers with lesser-known benefits. If an item is out of stock, you can “borrow” it from a third-party seller's inventory.
Unfortunately, this also means that consumers who agree to buy from one retailer may actually receive a product (possibly counterfeit) from a third-party seller. Although there are no statistics on how often this occurs, there is evidence that it is a serious problem.
Thankfully, customers are becoming more aware of counterfeit products and are increasingly pushing online retailers to differentiate between the inventory of products from authorized sellers and those from non-authorized sellers. For example, Amazon maintains a list of “gated” brands, such as Asics and Under Armor, that require approval before they can be sold.
However, these protections do not apply across the board. In fact, counterfeit-prone brands such as Birkenstocks refuse to sell their products outright at some online retailers. This creates an opening for counterfeiters, who tend to offer the lowest prices.
Therefore, the American Astronomical Society recommends that eclipse watchers avoid purchasing safety glasses from the lowest-priced online marketplace sellers. And we completely agree. After all, counterfeit sunglasses can be returned, but the damage done to your eyes is permanent. In 2017, a California man suffered retinal damage while wearing counterfeit eclipse glasses.
How to find safe solar eclipse glasses
If you're looking for solar eclipse glasses, it's not difficult to get safe glasses. First, the most reliable method is to buy directly from a list of American Astronomical Society-approved brands and manufacturers. Unfortunately, many of them just sell cheap, disposable solar eclipse viewing devices in bulk.
If you need a pair, your next best option is to buy directly from a large brick-and-mortar chain retailer. Many organizations also distribute free viewers. If you do get one, you need to make sure it's made by a manufacturer on the American Astronomical Society's list.
If you must buy from an online marketplace, look for evidence of manufacturer approval. For example, American Paper Optics (an American Astronomical Society certified brand) maintains a list of Amazon sellers approved to resell their viewers.
What if I've already purchased an item from an unknown seller on Amazon? Let's say you bought a pair of sunglasses with UV protection, namely eclipse glasses. It is difficult to confirm the UV protection effect. Sure, there are standards and certifications like UV400 and ISO 12312-2, but as you can probably imagine, even those can be faked. For example, you can easily buy an entire roll of UV400 stickers online.
Thankfully, most local opticians can test the UV protection properties of your sunglasses in seconds. In other words, when in doubt, check.
