what is with grey imports? why not save myself money?

Zephyr

Zephyr

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Okay, I know there is another thread on onestop digital below however I want to know what the deal is on this 'grey import' business, from what I can gather they're items which have a warranty for another part of the world and don't come under uk trading legislation etc, so what does this mean for me as the consumer?

I notice they have the mt-24 macro flash and the mp-e 65mm which if I were to buy both, would save me around £500 (maybe more), as long as I'm insured against damage and problems, I don't see any problem. Am I missing something? I see people have dealt with them before on here.
 
I think the biggest issue is potentially a lack of warranty or having to ship back to HK in case of problems
That said I know a lot of folk who have used OSD with no issues and I believe you can pay a bit extra £10-£20 for a Mack warranty which would mean any repairs are done locally rather than sending back to HK (via Calumet I think but others will know better)
 
It depends...

I've certainly bought amateur radio gear from the states before and saved quite a bit at the time. As for cameras, I've bought lit from B&H and from Hong Kong and done ok too. But it really does vary with time and circumstances.

If the kit is perfectly OK, as it should be, then potentially you can save money, even more so if it goes straight through Customs without having duty and VAT added to it. But that in itself can cause problems especially if you ever want to take the kit abroad in the future.

The real problem is if it's faulty. Some companies are better than others at dealing with faults, but overall I don't think it's worth the hassle. You will pay more if you buy it from the genuine UK importer, and I can't excuse the difference (personally I think it's pure profiteering). But guess only you can make the decision.

cheers
 
Lenses it is really no issue, they all have international warranty.

I don't know about flashguns - would be worth checking.

Having the facility to get a product serviced quickly in the UK is often well worth it - as the cost of shipping to HK can get prohibitive is you do need to get a problem resolved.
 
You can buy from the likes of DigitalRev a HK seller who has a UK address for warranty returns or Kerso who sells gear from the U.S. and supplies a tax paid invoice.
 
RichardtheSane said:
Lenses it is really no issue, they all have international warranty.
Click to expand...


Sigma don't, neither do Tamron. They have "worldwide" warranties, but that's not the same as ain international ones. All it means is that the same warranty applies in all markets, the lenses still need sent back to the country where they were originally sold for any warranty work to be undertaken. Not that that is really an issue with grey market lenses as you are not classed as the original purchaser, so the warranty is null and void anyway....
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Sigma don't, neither do Tamron. They have "worldwide" warranties, but that's not the same as ain international ones. All it means is that the same warranty applies in all markets, the lenses still need sent back to the country where they were originally sold for any warranty work to be undertaken. Not that that is really an issue with grey market lenses as you are not classed as the original purchaser, so the warranty is null and void anyway....
Click to expand...

That's not correct on a number of fronts..at least for Nikon equipment. I looked into this in a lot of detail before buying my Nikon 70-200 VR II. The Nikon Intl lens warranty states that you need to be the first consumer to buy the lens...there is no such language as "original purchaser"...so if you buy from a recognised camera retailer (does not have to be a Nikon dealer) you are covered....you are not covered if you buy from someone flogging lenses on eBay they have personally imported from HK.

Certainly in the case of Nikon lenses they are repaired in the UK....I checked myself with A.J. Johnstone and Fixation who both confirmed they will fix grey market lenses under warranty. You simply need to have proof of purchase from a recognised retailer in your name.


The other point is that the common misconception about the warranty card/registration form which people often ask for in classifieds....you don't need the registration card and just because something hasn't been registered it doesn't mean anything..you need a receipt in your name so people thinking warranty can be transferred are mistaken. Sometimes people buy equipment on here thinking it's still under warranty or it's transferable where it isn't unless he vendor agrees to act on your behalf.
 
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