Grey import

<p>Morning all,</p>

<p>One of the things a lot of people here have advised me against is 'grey imports'. Can someone please explain them to me and why I should avoid them?</p>

<p>Hugs<br>

Belinda</p>

<p>With regards Canon photo gear I have no idea why people are advising you against grey imports if you are in the USA. Canon, to their very great credit, do carry out warranty repairs on non USA bought equipment, many companies don't. That is one reason why there is very little difference in price between Grey and USA import Canon gear.</p>

<p>I buy much of my equipment via Canon South America and have had warranty work done in the USA. This situation might well not apply to the Canon importers in other countries though so this advice is very USA specific.</p>

<p>It depends on what you mean by grey market. Most people don't use the term as Scott does, to refer to goods you purchase yourself outside the US. Usually, it refers to goods purchased in the US that are brought in via channels other than via the US distributor. These are often NOT covered by the manufacturer's warranty. E.g., B&H labels these grey market imports as "imported" and attaches this explanation (to Canon products as well as others):</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Items marked "USA" are imported and/or distributed by the manufacturer or the manufacturer's official licensed importer/distributor and are warranted by them. Items marked "IMP" are imported and/or distributed by other entities and are warranted by B&H Photo-Video. "IMP" products do not qualify for manufacturer's rebate programs. There is no difference in the item itself.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>In the case of B&H, I would not worry too much, as I would trust their warranty repairs, but perhaps because of the cost of warrantying the goods, their prices for grey market and US goods are often not very different. Check out the EF-S 15-85 on their website. Normally, the grey market lens is $40 less, but because Canon now has a rebate that does not apply to grey market goods, the grey market lens is temporarily $20 more.</p>

<p>Personally, I generally don't buy grey market from B&H because the price difference is small. I would not buy grey market from a retailer with much cheaper prices unless I had reason to be confident of the quality of their warranty work (which means, virtually never).</p>

<p>40 years ago, I did buy a grey market Canon FTb because that was all I could afford. In those days, the retailers drilled out the C and N, so my FTb and its lenses were labled "ano". They all lasted for years, but in those days, cameras like that were built like trucks.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Can someone please explain them [‘grey imports”] to me</p>

</blockquote>

<p><strong>Grey imports</strong> are goods which are sourced outside the country of the purchaser and are either:</p>

<ul>

<li>Sold direct to the purchaser from that (overseas) business, avoiding the local office of the manufacturer’s distribution chain – in your case I assume Canon.</li>

</ul>

<p>OR</p>

<ul>

<li>Sold to the purchaser by a local business, which sources the goods other than from the local office of the manufacturer’s distribution chain.</li>

</ul>

<p>Two Practical examples:<br />I live in AU and I buy a canon camera from “acme cameras Hong Kong / USA / Singapore / Malaysia / London” via their mail order service or whilst I am overseas. This is a grey imported purchase.<br /><br /><br />I live in AU and I buy a canon camera from “William’s Camera Shop, Melbourne” a legitimate and registered business.<br />William has two identical cameras for sale: one he mentions is a “grey import” and the other is not.<br />The one which is a “grey import”, William has bought from a distributer, OTHER THAN Canon Australia: that other distributor may be located overseas or not – the defining point is, that the item is not sourced through Canon Australia.</p>

<p>***</p>

<blockquote>

<p>and why I should avoid them?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>As I mentioned these matters previously, this is my view, applicable to (my assumption) of your specific situation, and in accord with the last time I referenced the rules of the game.<br />My concerns are re garding "<strong>grey imports</strong>":</p>

<p>Apropos EOS Cameras bought in AU from ATO, GST registered business:</p>

<ul>

<li>not warranted with Canon Australia.</li>

</ul>

<p>Apropos EOS Cameras bought in O/S and posted to or carried into AU:</p>

<ul>

<li>not warranted with Canon Australia. </li>

<li>subject to customs clearance, maybe fees, maybe duties and maybe GST.</li>

<li>no Tax Invoice available</li>

</ul>

<p>Apropos EOS Lenses bought in AU from ATO, GST registered business:</p>

<ul>

<li>no issues</li>

</ul>

<p>Apropos EOS Lenses bought O/S and posted to or carried into AU:</p>

<ul>

<li>subject to customs clearance, maybe fees, maybe duties and maybe GST.</li>

<li>no Tax Invoice available</li>

</ul>

<p>However: my advice is for you to confirm my understanding with suitable primary sources; as the rules of the game (and also the enforcement of them) have been a fluid, to say the least, over the past few years.</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p><br /><br /></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Belinda: If you use the search field at the upper right and enter "grey import" you will find plenty of examples.</p>

<p>Hugs to you too.</p>

If you are making an expensive purchase focus on who you are buying from. If it looks cheaper than Adorama or B&H

be very careful - there are some less reputable sellers out there.

<p>Be very careful means don't buy from other than Adorama, B&H and a handful of others [recommended by reliable sources], but basically these 2 will have a great price, great return policy and just great experience.<br>

When selling in the future, buyers might prefer US models, some do.</p>

<p> . . .</p>

<p>yeah but:<br>

It is a global economy ... and this is a worldwide forum.<br>

For example:<br>

I (just looked up)... I can buy US$1369 (grey) and US$1399 US version EF24 to 70F/2.8L from one of those US stores mentioned above. . . but 30km from me, I can buy the same lens for AU$1574.<br>

ATM the $AU is at US$1.04 (approx) - so that gives me leverage to make the (grey) purchase from the US store about equivalent to AU$1360 . . .<br>

But when landing here I am up for 10%GST, so we are up to AU$1496.<br>

Maybe clearance fees - let's say AU$20 that comes to AU$1516.<br>

And we didn't look at international delivery / postage and insurance - let's say $30 + $20 (I dunno I didn't look)... grand total about AU$1566. . .<br>

And (in the rare likelihood) the goods are DOA - you got to send the lens back to the US... and pay for postage (and insurance).</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p>Dan quoted the short version of our <em>US vs IMP</em> explanation. From there we link to a longer one but I've been asked not to post URLs to our site here so someone else will have to oblige.</p>

<p>The short answer is this: There is NO difference in the product (camera, lens, speedlight, etc) itself at all. There is no difference is quality or performance or manufacture. They're not seconds or in any way lesser products. They're THE SAME.</p>

<p>The differences are:</p>

<ul>

<li> price - "grey market" is almost always less expensive.</li>

<li>rebate - "grey market" products are NEVER eligible for a manufacturer's rebate.</li>

<li>Warranty - "grey market" products are warranted, if at all, by the retailer, not by the manufacturer or authorized US distributor.</li>

</ul>

<p>In the case of Canon products, Canon USA will perform in-warranty service on a "grey market" Canon product if you can provide a dated invoice showing the purchase date. They will do out-of-warranty service for parts + labor, just as they would for a Canon-warranted product.</p>

<p>For the record, B&H sells "grey market" Canon lenses and speedlights but we do not sell any "grey market" digital cameras.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

<p>This is one web page at B&H, which I found easily: <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/USGrey.jsp">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/USGrey.jsp</a><br>

Also their web pages which outline international orders, etc., are easily found<br>

DISCLOSURE: I have no relationship with B&H other than reading Henry's words on these forums, which by the way I have always found forthright and honest.</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p>@William W: Thank you.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>