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Kev M

Kev M

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Play.com have the Sony A700 at a very attractive price at the minute. The girl on the phone couldn't 100% say whether it was uk stock or not and I don't want to end up in a situation where if I send it to Sony I'll have warranty problems. Does anybody here know if in general Play.com stuff is official imports or parallel(grey)?

Cheers,
Kev
 
Dont forget quidco if you buy from play.com
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Remember there could be vat and import duty to pay.....
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Surely not if you are buying from a UK company ?

As to whether it's an import or not, buy it, contact Sony with the serial number and, if it is a grey import, send it back as you are entitled to do under distance selling regulations.
 
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did you not read what i had linked to?

# If your delivery address is outside of Jersey, you may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are levied once a shipment reaches your country. Any such additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by you. You should note that customs policies vary widely from country to country; Play.com advises each customer to contact their local customs office for further information.
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It says 'may'. I do wonder if its mainly the dvds etc that ship from the channel Islands.

I've bought electronics from them (£80 item) and never paid tax/duty.
 
who? said:
It says 'may'. I do wonder if its mainly the dvds etc that ship from the channel Islands.

I've bought electronics from them (£80 item) and never paid tax/duty.
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I've never been charged import duty on items from Play.com either and don't know anyone who has. They're probably referring to individuals outside the UK and Channel islands.
 
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Play.com have a UK warehouse, I have dealings with it through my job. maybe that some of there DVD's come from Jersey like Tesco's do as well I beleive.
 
Actually now that I remember I think a lot of Plays "other" stuff comes directly from the UK now, and I'm thinking that may include electronic items like Cameras, if not then I don't see how they would avoid duty or tax on big ticket items.
DVD's, cd's are alright for avoiding tax but I'm sure HMRC would be checking anything bigger.
 
I bought a £620 camcorder from play.com and didn't have any trouble with import duty. TBH, I thought it was genuine UK stock, I never thought it might be an import.
 
Had loads of stuff from play, including laptops and never had any problems. IMO one of the best online retailers.
 
Cheers for the input everyone, now I just need to decide how much I need one.:shrug:
 
Play do source stock from other regions as I had experience of this with a Sony PS3 remote which was a Canadian model and UK Sony would not replace, also Play only offer a 28day warranty (something to do with being based in Jersey) I have not bought anything electronic since I found this out as don't want to take the risk of being pushed from pillar to post (I spent a number of calls between Sony and Play with both of them saying I had to deal with the other to get a replacement :shake:

See below for the clause from their Ts and Cs that states they will advise you where to send items for repair within the warranty period ie they accept no responsibility for the warranty themselves!!!

"All electrical products are covered by a twelve month manufacturer's warranty. If your product develops a fault while under warranty, please contact Play.com and we will advise you where to send it for repair. It is a "return to base" warranty therefore there will be a delivery charge to return the product back to the relevant UK service centre."
 
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nictry said:
See below for the clause from their Ts and Cs that states they will advise you where to send items for repair within the warranty period ie they accept no responsibility for the warranty themselves!!!

"All electrical products are covered by a twelve month manufacturer's warranty. If your product develops a fault while under warranty, please contact Play.com and we will advise you where to send it for repair. It is a "return to base" warranty therefore there will be a delivery charge to return the product back to the relevant UK service centre."
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Sounds standard to me. :shrug: I have recently had to have a Sigma lens repaired under warranty. I sent it back to Sigma rather than the retailer. What would be the point of sending it back to the retailer? They would only pass it on to the manufacturer for repair, costing them in additional postage/courier and meaning that the customer will have to wait longer to get the product back. It is a manufacturer's warranty, therefore the manufacturer has to repair the item, not the retailer.

As for the delivery charge, also quite normal if you have bought online.
 
fabs said:
Sounds standard to me. :shrug: I have recently had to have a Sigma lens repaired under warranty. I sent it back to Sigma rather than the retailer. What would be the point of sending it back to the retailer? They would only pass it on to the manufacturer for repair, costing them in additional postage/courier and meaning that the customer will have to wait longer to get the product back. It is a manufacturer's warranty, therefore the manufacturer has to repair the item, not the retailer.

As for the delivery charge, also quite normal if you have bought online.
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Nope in the UK your contract is with the retailer not the manufacturer. In addition in Jersey they do not have a Sale of Goods act which in the UK provides the consumer with a basic degree of protection if a purchase goes wrong, buying from a retailer in Jersey you have no such protection

I did a quick looksee to find any other refernces to retailers in Jersey and came across these comments:

You have to be very careful with Play because it's not a UK company. It's a Jersey company, and the UK consumer protection laws don't apply. You really do need a decent warranty if you buy from Play, because their returns policy is absolutely awful:

"Our returns policy is valid for 28 days from receipt of an item."

A UK retailer wouldn't be able to get away with this because of the Sale of Goods legislation which protects consumers. Jersey doesn't - yet - have one in place

Although not 'legally binding' does seem to suggest others have fallen foul of the Jersey issue?

Here is a nice link detailing exactly where you stand after 35 days from purchasing from Play.... basically you are on your own as their trading Ts and Cs state all purchases are conducted under Jersey law and as such you have no consumer protection - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=536378
 
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nictry said:
Nope in the UK your contract is with the retailer not the manufacturer. In addition in Jersey they do not have a Sale of Goods act which in the UK provides the consumer with a basic degree of protection if a purchase goes wrong, buying from a retailer in Jersey you have no such protection

I did a quick looksee to find any other refernces to retailers in Jersey and came across these comments:

You have to be very careful with Play because it's not a UK company. It's a Jersey company, and the UK consumer protection laws don't apply. You really do need a decent warranty if you buy from Play, because their returns policy is absolutely awful:

"Our returns policy is valid for 28 days from receipt of an item."

A UK retailer wouldn't be able to get away with this because of the Sale of Goods legislation which protects consumers. Jersey doesn't - yet - have one in place

Although not 'legally binding' does seem to suggest others have fallen foul of the Jersey issue?

Here is a nice link detailing exactly where you stand after 35 days from purchasing from Play.... basically you are on your own as their trading Ts and Cs state all purchases are conducted under Jersey law and as such you have no consumer protection - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=536378
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The contract of sale is with the retailer, the warranty is with the manufacturer. If the product fails whilst under warranty you can send the product straight to the manufacturer for repair. Going back to your quote from Play's Ts & Cs (Which is what I was replying to)

"All electrical products are covered by a twelve month manufacturer's warranty. If your product develops a fault while under warranty, please contact Play.com and we will advise you where to send it for repair. It is a "return to base" warranty therefore there will be a delivery charge to return the product back to the relevant UK service centre."
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This is no different to purchasing from Warehouse Express. I had a lens fail last year which I had bought from them and they said I could return it to them. They then passed it to the manufacturer who repaired it and returned it to Warehouse Express who then returned it to me. If I had returned it direct to the manufacturer, I would have got it back probably a week earlier.
 
fabs said:
The contract of sale is with the retailer, the warranty is with the manufacturer. If the product fails whilst under warranty you can send the product straight to the manufacturer for repair. Going back to your quote from Play's Ts & Cs (Which is what I was replying to).
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Good luck with Sony on that one then :shake:



fabs said:
This is no different to purchasing from Warehouse Express. I had a lens fail last year which I had bought from them and they said I could return it to them. They then passed it to the manufacturer who repaired it and returned it to Warehouse Express who then returned it to me. If I had returned it direct to the manufacturer, I would have got it back probably a week earlier.
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I sense you have a real issue with anyone suggesting Play can be excused from their consumer rights so I don't intend to continue this discussion as my point in posting was to ensure the OP was well informed prior to his purchase. The fact remains you may have been lucky with your lens but a lot of manufacturers will refuse to deal directly with a customer and will send you back to the retailer, in Play's case they will also refuse to deal with you as under Jersey law they have no obligation to do so, they also supply non UK items as I originally stated so again you will have no recourse with a UK manufacturer if they choose not to offer any warranty with their non-UK product which again they have no obligation to do.

You pay your money and take your chance with Play is my advice
 
nictry said:
Good luck with Sony on that one then :shake:

Just had to send my camera to Sony for repair, the service was exemplary. :thumbs:



I sense you have a real issue with anyone suggesting Play can be excused from their consumer rights so I don't intend to continue this discussion as my point in posting was to ensure the OP was well informed prior to his purchase. The fact remains you may have been lucky with your lens but a lot of manufacturers will refuse to deal directly with a customer and will send you back to the retailer, in Play's case they will also refuse to deal with you as under Jersey law they have no obligation to do so, they also supply non UK items as I originally stated so again you will have no recourse with a UK manufacturer if they choose not to offer any warranty with their non-UK product which again they have no obligation to do.

You pay your money and take your chance with Play is my advice
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Where on earth do you get the idea that I have an issue with anyone suggesting Play can be excused from anything? You quoted from some Ts & Cs which are pretty standard for a retailer IMO (And I worked for one of the largest electrical retailers in Europe for 12 years) and I responded to that. I have dealt with Sony and Sigma direct over the last couple of years and had absolutely no problems. If they supply non UK items then that is a different matter and not what my original reply to you was about. In the case of the goods being non UK, the Ts & Cs stae that Play will tell you where to return the goods to so it looks to me like they are honouring the warranty either way.
 
fabs said:
Where on earth do you get the idea that I have an issue with anyone suggesting Play can be excused from anything? You quoted from some Ts & Cs which are pretty standard for a retailer IMO (And I worked for one of the largest electrical retailers in Europe for 12 years) and I responded to that. I have dealt with Sony and Sigma direct over the last couple of years and had absolutely no problems. If they supply non UK items then that is a different matter and not what my original reply to you was about. In the case of the goods being non UK, the Ts & Cs stae that Play will tell you where to return the goods to so it looks to me like they are honouring the warranty either way.
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Jersey law and any reference to absolving the retailer of responsibility doesn't count as standard ts and cs in my book :cuckoo:

Your working for an electrical retailer doesn't mean a thing to me, so not sure why that should make you any more knowledgable on consumer law than anyone else?

I am pleased you have had no problems dealing direct with the manufacturer, perhaps you have been lucky, the point is that Play do supply non-uk stock and if you receive non-uk stock you and something goes wrong then you will be stuck between a rock and a hard place, that is why I posted to warn the OP and not sure how you read their Ts and Cs to say they are honouring the warranty either way :bang:
 
nictry said:
Jersey law and any reference to absolving the retailer of responsibility doesn't count as standard ts and cs in my book :cuckoo:
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I was pointing out that those particular Ts & Cs were pretty standard amongst electrical retailers, I made no reference to Jersey law.

nictry said:
Your working for an electrical retailer doesn't mean a thing to me, so not sure why that should make you any more knowledgable on consumer law than anyone else?
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Because as such I know how warranties work especially as I worked in the relevant department.

nictry said:
I am pleased you have had no problems dealing direct with the manufacturer, perhaps you have been lucky, the point is that Play do supply non-uk stock and if you receive non-uk stock you and something goes wrong then you will be stuck between a rock and a hard place, that is why I posted to warn the OP and not sure how you read their Ts and Cs to say they are honouring the warranty either way :bang:
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As I said, more than once, my response was to your quote of the Ts & Cs, nothing to do with non UK stock! :bang:
 
I think I might give Play a miss on this occasion. When I spoke to them they couldn't garuntee(sp) it was UK stock. When I aired my concerns over sending the item to Sony for a warranty repair in the event of a problem and them not touching it because it's an import I was told I could just send it back to them to sort out. Don't fancy that much, especially if their T&C's only cover you for 28 days.

Think I'll keep my eyes open for a deal elsewhere.

Thanks all.
 
If it makes anyone feel any better that deal at Play is now over and the price is now £689.95!!
 
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