Can a store unbundle Canon mfg warranty?

[alanrusso]

<p>Hi - I recently bought a Canon 5D MKII body from Photoloon.com... finding the experience frustrating at many levels. I'll kick myself for being a bottom feeder on the price later, but I did find one aspect of their service very wrong.<br>

During the sales process, I ended up having to call an agent to claim a free 8GB memory card that was part of the online deal, and of course was subject to the usual hard upsell pitches. At one point he explained that at the online price they only offered a "store warranty", and that if I ever wanted to have Canon service the unit I've have to pay the Canon deductible. I told him I just wanted the Canon standard MFG warranty - and he tacked about $100 onto the price.<br>

Is this legal? Is it possible to unbundle the manufactuer's warranty?<br>

I can't believe Canon would condone this type of behaviour in it's channel if true.<br>

Thanks,<br>

Alan</p>

<p> </p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>Technically, if the camera was not sold to you by an authorized canon dealer, the warranty is null and void. So if you bought a gray market import like lots of these people sell, you are SOL as for the actual factory warranty. Canon will not condone this behavior... but they will for some reason service your equipment. While I hate to complain, when you get a good deal on what is likely an illegally imported camera (and hence the cheap price) it inflates mine (and everyone else who bought a legitimate copy) service costs. </p>

[PuppyDigs]

<blockquote>

<p>While I hate to complain, when you get a good deal on what is likely an illegally imported camera (and hence the cheap price) it inflates mine (and everyone else who bought a legitimate copy) service costs.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>My, my you're feeling a wee bit self righteous tonight aren't you? And dispensing bad legal opinions to boot!</p>

<p>First, gray market products are not illegally imported. They are simply bought from someone other than the official importer for your geographic sales region. True, Canon Europe, Canon USA, or whatever your sales region is, does not get the money from a gray market import. But, ultimately, Canon corporate gets the money. Why? All Canon cameras were originally purchased from Canon.</p>

<p>I'm afraid the weak USD against the yen is responsible for recent USA price inflation, not gray market sales.</p>

[paddler4]

<p>The issue is simpler than this. Canon (and many other manufacturers) will not provide a warranty for items not sold by the dealers they have authorized in your area. It's not illegal to import them, but Canon has no obligation to provide a warranty. Some quality dealers make this explicit. Go to the website of B&H, which is where I buy most of my toys. Look for an item that they sell as both 'USA' and 'imported', such as the 100mm macro lens. The word "imported" is a live link that takes you to this:</p>

<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>

[john tonai]

<blockquote>

<p>It's not illegal to import them, but Canon has no obligation to provide a warranty.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Canon is obligated to provide a world-wide warranty. Because Canon USA is a different distributor, the world-wide warranty is good everywhere except the US. There used to be a world-wide warranty station in NY. I don't know if this is still the case.</p>

<p>Canon USA provides the US warranty. If it isn't Canon USA's product, they aren't obligated to fix it under warranty. They aren't even obligated to fix any gray market equipment but most companies do.</p>

[alan_bryant1]

<blockquote>

<p>Is this legal? Is it possible to unbundle the manufactuer's warranty?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Probably not. But shady camera sellers are expert at operating in legal gray areas. They have decades of experience in doing what they do. Your best bet is to avoid them altogether.</p>

<p>If you got a working camera at a semi-decent price, my advice would be file the experience under "lessons learned" and don't go back to them again.</p>

[scrivyscriv]

<p>Ay, it kills me to see companies do crap like that to people! That sort of thing ruins the photo and video experience for a lot of folks who simply don't know any better. Sorry you got burned Alan, and the answer is no Canon doesn't charge an extraneous fee for a USA warranty... The price of the Canon USA warranty item is almost always higher than the non-USA warranty item though, by a small percentage. And the usual tactic of sellers like the one you bought from is to charge extra for Canon USA warrantied items and ship you gray market items, which I believe (correct me anyone) can't be registered with Canon USA and *technically* are supposed to be shipped out of USA/North America to a worldwide warranty station, like in Europe, UK, something like that, if you ever need service.</p>

[fxdonny]

<p>Alan, I think this is just the camera shop acting like a scam artist. It's NOT an unusual practice done by online retailers that advertise too good to be true kinda price.. Basically, if the camera is covered by US warranty, Canon can not unbundle those warranty. The fact that he charged you an extra $100 just for the canon warranty proves to me that the camera shop is the one that is doing the inappropriate thing. It has nothing to do with Canon.</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>Under federal and state lemon laws (Magnuson Moss act) you will have some comeback although this can be difficult to enforce. I think that you are deaaling with a company that is not reputable - there are several of them around. In general i always doubt people who sell below B&H and Adorama unless there are unusual circumstances. There are several companies who advertise very low prices than add on shipping, warrenty, options charges or will bundle an obsolete lens or similar accessory. in essence they are really using a low price to get your business and then selling extra items to restore their profit. I recall an article a few years ago (I think in Pop Photo) where a few were tested. In many cases when the buyer refused to buy the adduitional warrenty or accessories the product was never supplied. You should cjheck with canon if they are an approved dealer.</p>

[alanrusso]

<p>Thanks everybody... yes... a lesson learned!</p>

[zafar1]

<p>If I buy a camera in US, and later move to Asia or Europe, would Canon Worldwide provide the warranty service? In most cases the regional service center will honor Canon USA warranty. Similarly If I buy a camera in Japan or Taiwan, Canon USA would honor the warranty. This is not unique to Canon, most global companies will do this.<br>

What maybe different is that if there is a special regional deal, then you may not get it outside of that region. For example, Canon Europe offers two year warranty on some (or all?) DSLR. If I buy a camera in Europe, and bring it to US, it is possible that Canon USA may not honor the two year warranty (though I am not sure, it depends on actual warranty terms).<br>

<br /> Nikon USA offers 3/4 year of extra warranty on their lenses. It is possible that that extended warranty is not worldwide.<br>

<br /> In this case OP is simply being ripped off by a bait-and-switch shop as others have pointed out. Canon does not sell a camera without warranty.</p>