Obviously buying directly from the manufacturer is ideal, but not always possible. Manufacturers sell out, and then what. Also, sometimes manufacturers only sell in bulk. Such was the case with Ibelink's recent DM11G. Anybody unwilling to break their "only buy from manufacturer" rule couldnt buy that model, unless they joined a group buy.
For instance, right now the L3+ is sold out on Bitmain. While that would be ideal, its sold out.
For a 400-500 dollar premium, u could pick one up from a verified retailer like Eastshore.xyz
Whether that premium is worth it is up to each individual, but IMHO saying "only buy from manufacturer is a bit simplistic
i'm sorry, Kranga. I'm new to the boards. What is a "Whois" and how do I make one?
Don't be stupid, there are only a handful of bitcoin mining hardware manufacturers. If you aren't purchasing directly from them you are making a big mistake.