Grey imports

[jgharding]

Has anyone noticed just how many grey importers there are now in the UK for camera gear?

 

This is the latest to appear in search terms. 

 

The stylish Union Flag at the top and stock photo of businessmen really inspire confidence... LOL

 

jeez... 20% VAT really is taking its toll

 

http://www.igadjit.co.uk/about-us-1-w.asp

[Axel]

The stylish Union Flag at the top and stock photo of businessmen really inspire confidence... LOL

 

'That photo of the flag looks like photoshop'.

'It is, Qasim. I have no Union Jack. But you know what, you're right. I apply one, two filters, like so ...'

'Now it looks crumpled.'

'But more real.'

'As if dragged out of a cow's arse.'

'Nobody would fake that. So it looks real.'

[P13]

I'm more concerned that there's iffy (and sometimes borderline illegal) price differencials in Europe.

 

I'd recommend anyone buying gear that's want EU gear, EU warranty (usually 2 years) and cheaper than a UK price to check: http://www.photospecialist.co.uk/

 

Only thing to watch is their prices fluctuate and the Sterling shifts against the Euro..  Weeks ago the GH3 was less than £1000.

[/p/]

Do people actually still buy locally anymore? (Not including the US), I import any electronics I buy from either B&H in the US or HK, both are considered grey importing. 

 

I don't particularly like walking into a camera store to have some teenager with 2 weeks experience and an EOS rebel tell me the discontinued GF3 (NOT GH3) is a "new" "top of the line" mirrorless camera that replaces DSLRs and that I can pick one up WITH KIT LENS!!!11 for a measly $899............... All I was doing was buying a new rocket air and looking in the Panasonic/Olympus display cabinet.

 

Not only that, everyone should know by now manufacturer warranties are just a ploy to get unwitting consumers to buy locally and not grey import.. 1. Manufacturer warranty is limited 12 months here and has so many stipulations it's practically useless anyway 2. On some products, the amount you could save would probably cover a repair anyway should anything go wrong 3. Most companies that offer grey imports (including large electronic stores like B&H) offer their own warranty becausssssssse they can offer a product at a lower price and also make extra money with their own warranty which 10 times out of 10 is 10 times better than any manufacturer warranty.

 

As an example, 5D Mark III costs $3,799 at my local camera store.. I could grey import it from a reputable grey importer, have it delivered to my door from their Australian warehouse within a day or two and save $1,000 brand new unopened in the box. If anything is defective out of the box they will replace it, they give their own warranty which they honor and offer the same extended warranty all the local stores offer. It's a no brainer. Oh and the reason I started grey importing? The owner of an authorized nikon service centre told me it's a good idea, that was when I had to get the only camera iv ever had break repaired.. And I bought that one in Australia.

[Mirrorkisser]

True. I dont be local at all anymore. Just small things where its not worth to pay for delivery. In Hong Kong you get a lot of stuff way cheaper, my only concern is VAT and customs, who are a pain in the ass here in europe.

[jgharding]

Don't get me wrong, 20% tax is absurd, as is adding duty. Also I've never used a warrant yet. But the point of the post is that some of these look distinctly fly-by-night and dodgy!

B&H, Digital Rev, these grey guys have been going forever. But every time I search there seems to be a new one. I think people should be careful...

[jgharding]

With regard to price and staff, agreed, that's why Jessops closed here in the UK. Angry college kids or odd blokes who lived with their mum, all stuck on minimum wage and selling you kit at a huge markup. I didn't work on any level. They once asked for £40 for an HX9v battery. I actually laughed!

It was quite ironic that staff posted notes about "thanks for supporting Amazon" when in fact the growth of Jessops is what wiped out the majority of knowledgable independant camera shops through buy outs and fierce competition in pre-Internet times.

[KirkGaydon]

I have been importing my cameras for the last few years now ended up selling a Canon 60D for the same price I imported for 2 years earlier with international warranty! I recently got the Panasonic GH3, UK version from a website called 'Onestop Digital', they paid the import duties and it was delivered via DHL in less than a day! The body cost £899 (they've upped the price to £1039 now?) and I paid £40 for a 3 year Mack International warranty and I think that will be sufficient for my purposes. Compare that to most UK companies selling the camera for a little shy of £1200. Onestop Digital used to have an ebay shop for ages, if I never knew that in the first place I wouldn't have bought from them.

[jgharding]

I'm sure I'll buy from such a retailer at some point again, especially if I go for 5D MKiii, as it's about £400 cheaper. But I don't think I'll use one that's appeared yesterday and has a business registered to a residential address in a random British town like a few of them do. It always pays to google...