Grey imports

HoppyUK said:
Further to this, there's a post on this thread http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=275803&page=23 showing a recent invoice from HDEW for a Canon 5D3, VAT paid at 20%.

Edit: TBH, I'm not sure why there's such a fuss from distributors about warranty work, regardless of where and how a product has been purchased. The problem is all theirs, and the parent company, and the solution is in their hands.

The distributor's argument is that since they've not supplied the product, and therefore received no profit from the sale, any warranty work is not their problem. However, the parent company has received their cut, so why not simply carry out the repair FOC and send a recharge note back to Japan to cover the work?

They may then kick up a fuss and say that UK retailers can't compete with grey traders, but that's the parent company's fault. They know exactly who they sell which products to, at what cost, where they end up being sold and at what prices - they can control that at source. If they really wanted to that is... I'm not sure they do.
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I was aware that HDEW supplied VAT receipts but only on specific requests. I'm not aware of anyone requesting one and not getting it.

I think you have to be specific and make sure and request a proper UK charger and manual. IF you don't there is a chance you may get an EU charger etc.
 
I've put the receipt for my 5D3 in the loft in the box it came in so I can't check that one for certain that it showed the VAT specifically, but the one I got for a 5D2 and 24-105 last november shows it all so I've no reason to believe the 5D3 receipt is any different. I'm not in business though, and not claiming VAT back, so it wouldn't really matter to me if it hadn't shown the VAT specifically.

I didn't know that a lens has to be specifically put on a parcel instead of camera accessories, which it is anyway. I've had 2 parcels come through from the USA that were marked as 'Camera Accessory'. One was a second hand 70-200 2.8 MkI lens and the other was a Tamrac shoulder bag, and both of them were stopped by customs and duty had to be paid. As I've had similarly marked parcels from HK without having to pay duty I'd assumed (maybe incorrectly) that the MOU had something to do with it.
 
HDEW are a UK business, though. It looks like they're importing the goods (grey, but paying duty and VAT) not their customers, and then reselling them from the UK.

I must admit I'd never looked at them much before just now, but they're based just a few minutes' drive from my house - I go past their premises every day on the train.
 
Musicman said:
I must admit I'd never looked at them much before just now, but they're based just a few minutes' drive from my house - I go past their premises every day on the train.
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I go to St Helier hospital every Monday and am having to resist like mad the urge to call HDEW to hold a 5d mk3 for me and make a short trip over there on the bus :)

D
 
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