"white box"?

What is the significance of the "white box" designation for a Nikkor lens? B&H sell the 18-55 mm Nikkor zoom for $179.00 or a "white box" version

for $159.00. As far as I can tell everything is the same including the USA 5 year warranty.

It's probably the version that would normally be included in a kit packaging of a camera body, with lens. Some retailers break up the kits, and some buyers - who have no need for the kit lens - just trade it in, un-opened, towards something they actually need. For some bodies, especially early in their life cycle on the market, the only way to get them is with a kit lens. The results are lots of bundled-in lenses rolling around on the market as less expensive solo items.

Thanks Matt

I've also seen white boxed Nikon items for factory refreshed lenses and bodies and flashes. These were bodies that were either used by sales people, for demos at conventions/exhibitions or possibly were loaned out for review or possibly as loaners for Nikon Pro Services. Nikon gets the gear back, goes over it with the proverbial fine tooth comb, brings it back to factory specifications, and then sells them. Because they are used items they cannot be sold by Nikon as new gear.