No COAs

[Mayostardayonnaise]

This isn’t regarding a vendor from this forum, just a hypothetical, and hopefully this isn’t already posted somewhere or isn’t allowed:

How often have you come across a grey vendor since you’ve started, that does not provide COAs? Or that only does a “representative set” of COAs every 3-6 months?
To be really clear, I’m not talking about vendors that do preorders, then they do a COA weeks later. Just, you know, no COA.
Thanks!

 

[lessthanhalf]

I have been looking for a vendor since SSA disappeared that does not require crypto and has good prices and has the ones I am looking for, and finally found one yesterday. MXM, lots of posts and pictures from seemingly happy customers, but they have one COA on their pepchat page since July, which is a bit of a concern.

 

[ktg123]

I'll pay more from a vendor with COA's. The only time I buy without them is if what I want isn't available otherwise.

 

[SummerX]

Vendor COAs arent worth much, to be honest.

Who's to know you will be receiving the same batch of product that was tested?
Vendors definitely wont share failed reports either.

I see them as what they are, marketing material.

 

[IshimaruKenta]

I'd rather they have them and post them, then not having any at all. I don't like vendors that only post 1 or 2, especially if they offer a wide variety of products. I wanted to buy some ARA-290 but every vendor that carried it, never had a COA for it. So I ended up going with PGB, since they had COAs and shipped in the US.

Can a vendor take a COA? Sure, but at least have it to give someone a reference to how much is there. We don't want to be taking "10mg" when it actually contains 15.

 

[cldfront]

Vendor COAs aren't worth much, to be honest.

This. If there's not third party testing on a singular full batch, I invest in my own testing. This means that it's usually cheaper to pay a bit more per mg up front for a group buy that provides testing and/or going with a vendor that has both vendor and third party testing for each batch.

 

[Mayostardayonnaise]

Thanks for all of this good insight! I’m experiencing buyers remorse even though they have no negative reviews, which isn’t worth as much after reading this. I’d honestly rather be irritated with myself, than them. I will now have to go back and send off for testing to feel safe enough. I already finished a full kit. Zero sides, but pretty thankful and lucky I dodged those. I am pretty new (4 months in) so this is a good lesson for me. 💯

 

[miss-sanne]

I do like COA's 'just because'....
I know they are really worth nothing, but I like them. 🙂
But I did buy from a few vendors who are huge and have a tons of followers and tons on good reviews without COA's. I didn't test it yet though. But they had the best prices, so.... ;-)

 

[ChokeHldCharlie]

Yeah I think personally for me COA's should at least be mandatory. Again, it is on us to ensure what we are buying is up to standards, but I think it helps me when purchasing. Typically I would say I'm about 80/20 in favored of a source that has COA's when I make a purchase. As mentioned above if its a source that's highly talked about sometimes I will send it without worry.

 

[Nathanologist]

Three hunters are walking through the woods. They come upon what looks like a pile of bear poop. The first one picks up a piece, smashes it between his fingers and said, “boy this feels like bear poop!” The second one bends down and buries his nose deeply into it and takes a whiff and says, “Boy this sure smells like bear poop!” The third one bends down, grabs a bite into his mouth and exclaims, “Boy this sure tastes like bear poop!” They all three walk away patting my each others backs, saying, “Glad we didn’t step in it…”

I’m honestly not sure how that joke relates to any of this testing and COA stuff, somehow I feel like it does! I value vendors reputation in the community more than any COA, except the one I pay for with my name on it from the batch that I purchased and received.

Edit: v2t errors

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Yep, I'll take a vendors reputation amongst the fine upstanding patrons on this site any day over random COAs with no reviews.

 

[Laxfinity]

I do like COA's 'just because'....
I know they are really worth nothing, but I like them. 🙂
But I did buy from a few vendors who are huge and have a tons of followers and tons on good reviews without COA's. I didn't test it yet though. But they had the best prices, so.... ;-)

I don't even remotely get this logic. COAs are not "worth nothing".

So.. you are starting out at low dose Sema.. .25mg. You buy a 5mg vial but the COA says it is a 7mg vial. That is a bit much to be off on to start, right?

Even my reta 15mg vial... it tested at 23mg. So, if you are titrating up and think you are at 5mg you really aren't. If you reconstitute that vial like you would a 15mg vial with three doses at 5mg.. you are now injecting almost 8mg per pin (7.666667mg). That is crazy.

People... be careful. If you want to just pin whatever and not do the research and do it properly.. that is on YOU. I would rather pay more and be safe then pay low prices without COAs on stuff I am injecting into my body. 🙄

There is at least a year and a half to two years worth of information on here on how to stay safe if you take the time to read and do your own research.

Be safe...

 

[Nathanologist]

Yep, I'll take a vendors reputation amongst the fine upstanding patrons on this site any day over random COAs with no reviews.

Case in point, Amo/Bff seemed well spoken of but doesn’t provide COAs that I’m aware of. He’s honest about wanting to see YOUR test results, and if you get a bad batch, proven by jano testing, apparently he makes right. I reached out and went back and forth a bit, then decided between comments in the community, and my gut reaction to communication with him, that he would be a good vendor for me to “cut my teeth” with. Waiting on some group testing, but felt comfortable enough to jab my first pins.

A couple other vendors, I caught faking their COA’s. I’ll never even consider them in the future regardless of what anyone here says. Dishonest in little things means dishonest in everything. Still others have a good reputation, but when I reached out, they seem like jerks! Kindness and respect cost nothing but self control, so if they aren’t able or willing to give those what other corners are they cutting? Consistency takes discipline, if you find one lacking the other will also be. We live in a world where common sense is a superpower.

It’s all about risk tolerance. Which, for the record, means performing due diligence and making an informed personal decision. It does not mean ignoring, not understanding, or lying to yourself about the risks and moving forward regardless.

 

[Nathanologist]

I don't even remotely get this logic. COAs are not "worth nothing".

So.. you are starting out at low dose Sema.. .25mg. You buy a 5mg vial but the COA says it is a 7mg vial. That is a bit much to be off on to start, right?

Even my reta 15mg vial... it tested at 23mg. So, if you are titrating up and think you are at 5mg you really aren't. If you reconstitute that vial like you would a 15mg vial with three doses at 5mg.. you are now injecting almost 8mg per pin (7.666667mg). That is crazy.

People... be careful. If you want to just pin whatever and not do the research and do it properly.. that is on YOU. I would rather pay more and be safe then pay low prices without COAs on stuff I am injecting into my body. 🙄

There is at least a year and a half to two years worth of information on here on how to stay safe if you take the time to read and do your own research.

Be safe...

I may be misunderstanding the post quoted, but in context I think he means “vendor” COAs are worth nothing. I’m sure most would agree getting you supply tested on your own is invaluable.