1. Ask for referral from people your trust, like your friends.
2. Buy locally in a physical store with a good return policy.
3. Buy from brands you trust.
It used to be Walmart, now it's Amazon; people will impoverish their local economy to save 50 cents.
Things I bought recently:
1. A rake. I chose the 5$ more expensive one that looked more sturdy and was made in Canada (where I live) instead of China.
2. A old generation smartphone. I chose Motorola G because it's a well-known brand and it had good reviews when it launched, two years ago. It's also got one of the longest battery time.
3. Jeans. I bought Lois Jeans at a local store because it's the last barnd I know of that is still made in Quebec.
Buying is also a political action.
I once bought a higher end item because I expected it to be good quality. Ended up being one of the poorest quality items I ever bought, replaced it with something that cost 1/4th the price and is better quality.
I have a $200 phone. $600 phones also exist but the $200 does everything l need it to do perfectly. The expensive option isn't better for my needs.
Even the cheapest cars sold in the last decade are remarkably durable and reliable.
If I actually want the cheap stuff I can go to Aliexpress on my own and pay half the price.
I called customer support and wrote to the responsible regulatory body in Germany. This specific model is not available anymore. A dozen identical looking still are.
In the end I used one that is three times as expensive made by a reputable company.
That is the problem.