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wideangle
05-02-2010, 9:38am
I am curious. Why can grey market imports be so much cheaper than local stock, to the point where in some cases one can be saving a substantial amount? Take for example the Canon 7D. One can be bought through grey market for as little as $AU1550, whereas in Australia with local warranty you would be looking at around $2300. That's $700 more! Even taking into account customs/Duties at say 20% the grey import would still come to $1860. Could some products that are sold as grey market be second hand/refurbished goods? Or is it that Australian's pay higher prices for most goods, and that if you walked into a shop in Hong Kong that the prices that local pay are the same as grey market imports for us? Inform me!

Bear Dale
05-02-2010, 10:00am
No there not refurbished.

wideangle
05-02-2010, 10:05am
No there not refurbished.

Care to comment further?

I @ M
05-02-2010, 10:08am
Most grey imports come from the Asian market.
Many Asian countries have a much less rate of tax on items both at the import level and then at the sales level.
Many Asian countries run on much lower overheads to run their businesses and rely on high sales figures to maintain profit levels.

Australia charges duties to the importer (Canon, Nikon, Pentax etc. etc.) and then applies the GST to the sale at the retail level.
Australia is a relatively affluent country where wages and living conditions are comparatively high so the importer/ distributor and the retailer have to factor the cost of opening the doors every day at a higher rate than many Asian countries.
Australia has a much lower population base and therefore less sales to make a profit on than many other countries so the distributor and the retailer have to apply a higher profit margin to keep in business.

I don't find it hard to see where the extra $700.00 comes in to play when you look at all the points along the way before we, the camera hungry consumer gets our paws on a local import. :(

There are a few other factors in the equation as well.
I would quite like to see the Aussie market treated the same as the US market where much longer warranties and faster service times are applied to the slightly higher prices we are paying for the same (non grey) items.

Lani
05-02-2010, 10:10am
No they are not refurbished...well, none of the things I bought, and that's quite a few :D), just we are being overcharged in out market. you only have to look at prices at Adorama etc to compare. it's not just the Australian market that is more expensive, most other markets pay differing amounts...it's what the big player manufactures can get away with charging.

Bear Dale
05-02-2010, 10:11am
Care to comment further?

I don't know the ins and outs of all grey importers, but the extensive amount of gear that I've bought from DDP is all brand new and not refurbished.

I @ M
05-02-2010, 10:12am
And yes, they may be refurbished, many many warranty or changeover bodies and lenses are resold to anyone that cares to buy a bulk lot and they in turn pass them on to the consumers via many outlets.

The emphasis is strongly on the may in that sentence, I know of two bodies that were bought as new from an Asian ebay seller but were in fact Nikon USA refurbished items and came packaged as such.

fillum
05-02-2010, 10:33am
Something else to keep in mind is that even though the product may be new some of the box contents might not be appropriate to the local market, particularly if buying direct from Asia. For example, my D300 (DigitalRev HK) came with (what looks to be) a photocopied manual, and the battery charger didn't have the Aussie electrical connection (although an adapter was included). Considering a $700 saving against the local price this wasn't a concern to me but may be to some.



Cheers.

damnameany
05-02-2010, 10:56am
Ditto to most a what I @ M said.

It is the same in the UK most luxury items are more expensive. Take a car built in England that is then shipped to Ireland will be cheaper for me to buy and ship back to England than to buy at the local dealer. After government taxes the biggest cost is labour, to pay for higher wages you need a bigger margin.

justdave
05-02-2010, 11:08am
im pretty sure that grey market is not refurbished like 98 % sure.

they would have to clearly mark that it is as the consumer would be paying retail for second hand goods.

just all comes down to the cheaper costs from china etc

and buying bulk and cutting out middle men

digital rev - 10000 units @ x price will get better deal than

harrys cameras - 10 units after getting through canon aust. etc

its a shame but if canon aust let the grey market slide then imagine the market in aust for cameras would die cos everyone would just import from over seas

at one stage when the dollar was really shit americans could buy the cameras from canon australia cheaper than canon us. including shipping

Kym
05-02-2010, 11:08am
Its complicated.

Some would say
** Retail Price - Grey Price = Margin of Australian Importer and Retailer above Margin of Grey importer.

But that is not quite true.

There are other factors.

Product sales volume being the main one. GST being another.
'Accountants hat on' ... Simply: the distributor fixed costs amortised per unit sold are higher here in Australia as our sales volumes are lower than USA, Europe, Japan and the rest of Asia.

The cost of a retail shop front & staff in Australia is another huge factor.

Marketing costs also come into play.
Grey importers have very low marketing costs; usually just a web site.
Anyone see the Nikon TV ads etc?

That said, Pentax (CR Kennedy) seem to be much closer to global pricing than Canikon and Sony,
to the point that I got my K-7 body for within $20 of what I could get it from B&H etc.
And CR Kennedy will price match Sigma lenses.

All of the things that I @ M said come into play as well.

The Australian/International warranty is the biggest issue.
Will you get the local warranty support if you need it?
That's a risk you need to evaluate.

Tricky
05-02-2010, 11:18am
Yes, ditto what I@M and Kym said. Any remaining differences in price after taking into account tax/georgraphy/rent etc relates to market segmentation strategies, ie pitching a product at a price point that a market will bear. Where the difference becomes too great, grey importers appear and undertake arbitrage.

Companies like Canon and Nikon are keen to maintain their market segmentation strategies (and higher profitability), hence discourage grey imports with threats of not honouring warranties. Where a product has been bought "in Australia" (eg an online shop with Australian ACN/ABN, with payment in Au$, even if product is being shipped in from abroad), then normal consumer product laws apply and a product has to be fit for purpose and of merchantable quality, regardless of whether imported through official or parralel channels.

Kym
05-02-2010, 11:39am
Companies like Canon and Nikon are keen to maintain their market segmentation strategies (and higher profitability), hence discourage grey imports with threats of not honouring warranties. Where a product has been bought "in Australia" (eg an online shop with Australian ACN/ABN, with payment in Au$, even if product is being shipped in from abroad), then normal consumer product laws apply and a product has to be fit for purpose and of merchantable quality, regardless of whether imported through official or parallel channels.

And that is where it can get tricky! (excuse the pun)

A hypothetical:

If the product (lets say a Nikon D3s) was purchased from an ABN holding grey importer in AUD$ but not an 'authorised' Nikon Australia retailer for $1000 less than an authorised retailer.
Then...
The D3s has an issue, say the sensor dies.

Who is legally responsible for repairs?

The answer is in fact the ABN holding grey importer, who needs to go back through their supply chain, which does not include Nikon Australia.

Nikon Australia is this case has no responsibility whatever; even though ultimately via the grey importer supply chain Nikon HQ will cover the cost of repair.

The problem is that the grey importer has to send the faulty D3s back to Taiwan or wherever to get it fixed.
And they are often reluctant to manage the problem due to the paperwork and having to get a return authority for OS and shipping etc.
They then start insinuating the Nikon Australia should 'do the right thing'; which is total BS.

Substitute 1DmkIV and Canon for D3s and Nikon; same story.

In the mean time, on forums, we get people complaining the Nikon/Canon/Pentax/... Australia should repair (at no cost) their grey import kit.

Its all based on the trail of margin/revenue on the supply chain.
The Australian distributor never got their cut so they have no obligation on the grey import product.

wideangle
05-02-2010, 12:38pm
The Australian/International warranty is the biggest issue.
Will you get the local warranty support if you need it?
That's a risk you need to evaluate.


I do question the warranty issues, as if one saves from buying grey import, the costs of repair - even if you send it back to manufacturer - are probably going to work out less than if you have bought it here in Australia and had Australian warranty. My original example with the price of a camera around $1600 for import, whereas at the local shop I just checked its a "cheap" $2699!!:eek:

Tricky
05-02-2010, 1:05pm
And that is where it can get tricky! (excuse the pun)

A hypothetical:

If the product (lets say a Nikon D3s) was purchased from an ABN holding grey importer in AUD$ but not an 'authorised' Nikon Australia retailer for $1000 less than an authorised retailer.
Then...
The D3s has an issue, say the sensor dies.

Who is legally responsible for repairs?

The answer is in fact the ABN holding grey importer, who needs to go back through their supply chain, which does not include Nikon Australia.

Nikon Australia is this case has no responsibility whatever; even though ultimately via the grey importer supply chain Nikon HQ will cover the cost of repair.

The problem is that the grey importer has to send the faulty D3s back to Taiwan or wherever to get it fixed.
And they are often reluctant to manage the problem due to the paperwork and having to get a return authority for OS and shipping etc.
They then start insinuating the Nikon Australia should 'do the right thing'; which is total BS.

Substitute 1DmkIV and Canon for D3s and Nikon; same story.

In the mean time, on forums, we get people complaining the Nikon/Canon/Pentax/... Australia should repair (at no cost) their grey import kit.

Its all based on the trail of margin/revenue on the supply chain.
The Australian distributor never got their cut so they have no obligation on the grey import product.

Hi Kym

No hypothesising needed - please read the real life tale of my 40D's untimely death here (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=42507) ;):)

I think the key point is that Canon Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon Inc. Hence the separation you refer to between the global company and the local Australian one, and their responsibilities, isn't clear cut.

Its one thing to say that Canon Australia won't honour the warranty (as the original (say) HK warranty clearly says any claims must be made in HK). This I agree with, as it reflects the terms of a contract between Canon HK and the customer. But its another to say that Canon Inc can ignore consumer protection laws in Australia in relation to a Canon product sold in Australia. As my communication with Canon Australia shows, they accept that they are in effect the same company as Canon Inc and are bound by consumer protection laws.

My experience with the 40D, although a relatively happy outcome, nevertheless led me to buy my 7D from an authorised Canon dealer (NGP). However, I would have no qualms about buying a lens grey import, as Canon's international warranty on lenses is - by all reports - honoured in Australia.

wideangle
06-02-2010, 8:20am
Hi Kym

No hypothesising needed - please read the real life tale of my 40D's untimely death here (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=42507) ;):)

I think the key point is that Canon Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon Inc. Hence the separation you refer to between the global company and the local Australian one, and their responsibilities, isn't clear cut.

Its one thing to say that Canon Australia won't honour the warranty (as the original (say) HK warranty clearly says any claims must be made in HK). This I agree with, as it reflects the terms of a contract between Canon HK and the customer. But its another to say that Canon Inc can ignore consumer protection laws in Australia in relation to a Canon product sold in Australia. As my communication with Canon Australia shows, they accept that they are in effect the same company as Canon Inc and are bound by consumer protection laws.

My experience with the 40D, although a relatively happy outcome, nevertheless led me to buy my 7D from an authorised Canon dealer (NGP). However, I would have no qualms about buying a lens grey import, as Canon's international warranty on lenses is - by all reports - honoured in Australia.

Just checked out your 40s death thread and you made and raised some very good points in there about returns.

peterb666
06-02-2010, 8:31am
Most grey imports come from the Asian market.
Many Asian countries have a much less rate of tax on items both at the import level and then at the sales level.
Many Asian countries run on much lower overheads to run their businesses and rely on high sales figures to maintain profit levels.

Australia charges duties to the importer (Canon, Nikon, Pentax etc. etc.) and then applies the GST to the sale at the retail level.
Australia is a relatively affluent country where wages and living conditions are comparatively high so the importer/ distributor and the retailer have to factor the cost of opening the doors every day at a higher rate than many Asian countries...

There is no duty on cameras. The only tax is GST which is levied at 10% at every stage, but as everyone along the way except for the poor mug at the end left with the goods gets to claim back what they paid against what is due, just the poor buyer left with the 10% tax.

While overheads are relatively high in Australia and volumes are comparatively low, this will add a bit to the cost but it won't double the cost.

The biggest problem is that pricing is largely based on what the market will bear. We have been paying high prices for many decades. Recently when the dollar went down, wholesalers increased prices (justifiably), but since our dollar bottomed, it has increased in value by more than 50%. That means prices should have dropped by 1/3rd. Have they? No.

People keep buying so there is no incentive to importers & wholesalers to lower prices.

Kym
06-02-2010, 8:34am
I think the key point is that Canon Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon Inc. Hence the separation you refer to between the global company and the local Australian one, and their responsibilities, isn't clear cut.

I think it is clear cut; as much as we want an alternate.
The key issue is that Canon Australia is a separate legal entity; who were NOT in the supply chain.
This has been ruled upon in terms of consumer legislation in the past; so it is what it is legally.

Edit: I used to work for IBM who have some strange support arrangements. Most of their gear is covered by international warranty; but there are odd quirks.

I note from your other thread that Canon did not admit any liability and did things in 'good faith'.
From my understanding; even under the TPA; the manufacturer is not Canon Australia but their parent.
The legal issue spins on the direct supply chain. Canon Australia did not offer that specific item for sale.

Xenedis
06-02-2010, 10:39am
Grey (or parallel) importation refers to the practice of importing camera equipment outside the manufacturer's supply chain.

These are not factory seconds or refurbished goods; they are new and legitimate; just not sourced from the manufacturer.

Sellers of grey-market goods often do not have the supply chain and retail overheads costs that traditional retail stores do, so they can offer those goods more cheaply.

As many grey-market items are sourced from America or Asia, the exchange rate also affects prices, and when the exchange rate works in our favour, lower prices can be offered.

Speedway
07-02-2010, 11:16am
There is no duty on cameras. The only tax is GST
This is incorrect. the only time there is no duty is if the item is under $1000 the following is from the customs website.

Example 3: Import of goods (other than tobacco products or alcoholic beverages) valued above $1000
AUD$
Customs value (Cval) 2000.00
Customs duty (Duty) @ 5% of Cval 100.00 (Payable)
International transport and insurance or postage (T&I) 150.00
Value of the Taxable Importation (VoTI) (Cval+Duty+T&I) 2250.00
Goods and Services Tax (GST) @ 10 per cent of the VoTI 225.00 (Payable)
Total payable Duty + GST 325.00

Keith.

I @ M
07-02-2010, 12:13pm
There is no duty on cameras. The only tax is GST which is levied at 10% at every stage, but as everyone along the way except for the poor mug at the end left with the goods gets to claim back what they paid against what is due, just the poor buyer left with the 10% tax.

While overheads are relatively high in Australia and volumes are comparatively low, this will add a bit to the cost but it won't double the cost.

The biggest problem is that pricing is largely based on what the market will bear. We have been paying high prices for many decades. Recently when the dollar went down, wholesalers increased prices (justifiably), but since our dollar bottomed, it has increased in value by more than 50%. That means prices should have dropped by 1/3rd. Have they? No.

People keep buying so there is no incentive to importers & wholesalers to lower prices.


This is incorrect. the only time there is no duty is if the item is under $1000 the following is from the customs website.

Example 3: Import of goods (other than tobacco products or alcoholic beverages) valued above $1000
AUD$
Customs value (Cval) 2000.00
Customs duty (Duty) @ 5% of Cval 100.00 (Payable)
International transport and insurance or postage (T&I) 150.00
Value of the Taxable Importation (VoTI) (Cval+Duty+T&I) 2250.00
Goods and Services Tax (GST) @ 10 per cent of the VoTI 225.00 (Payable)
Total payable Duty + GST 325.00

Keith.


Peter and Keith, the terminology may be confusing to some.

Peter, photographic equipment is mostly free from tariffs which are a totally separate form of charges than duties payable.

Keith has the correct summation regarding duties applicable to general goods.

My reference to the above duties and charges are in relation to an importer who has a registered business in Australia and imports goods on a regular basis such as Canon Aus; Nikon Aus; CR Kennedy etc. etc.
They do pay GST, customs duties and probably more fees related to importing goods than most ordinary people realise which sometimes the grey importers may not pay one or more of those charges depending on their business practices.

I am not having a go at grey importers or the prices charged by the "official" distributors, merely pointing out where the savings can come from when goods are parallel (grey) imported.
I am the same as most people, I enjoy a bargain and would very much like to see lower prices on my chosen brand items but at the same time I can see why prices are higher from same companies than others. :)

Wayne
07-02-2010, 12:47pm
I look at it like this;

Cheaper by some margin = buy grey market and bypass hungry Australian distributor & retailer
If warranty is needed, send it back to it's country of origin and get it repaired, the cost of freight to get a D3 from here to HK and back by global express (Aust Post courier network) was $140. It is not that much hassle sending to Asia, and even less so to send something back to B&H or Adorama in the USA.

If you saved $1000 on the purchase price, you are still way in front, and that assumes something went wrong, which is not all that likely with camera gear.

If only a couple of hundred cheaper to get it grey, then probably just buy it here, haggle hard and bite the bullet.

I'm currently looking for a 400/2.8 Nikkor, and I can say that so far Hk sellers are by a long way the cheapest, with the cheapest Australian quote so far almost $2K dearer. With global warranty on lenses, why would I buy it here and make some distributor/retailer rich. The $2K saving will buy the 1.7TC, gimbal head, lenscoat, CPL, Glass taxi, monopod and still leave change.

Tricky
07-02-2010, 3:37pm
I think it is clear cut; as much as we want an alternate.
The key issue is that Canon Australia is a separate legal entity; who were NOT in the supply chain.
This has been ruled upon in terms of consumer legislation in the past; so it is what it is legally.

Actually, as per my 40D death thread, Canon DID admit that they were liable under the Trade Practices Act with respect to my grey import camera. However, they claimed that 'electronic faults' (as opposed to 'manufacturing faults') aren't covered by the Trade Practices Act's merchantable quality provisions (they never satisfactorily explained the rational for this assertion). At that point they offered to act in good faith, without admitting that the electronic fault fell within the TPA merchantable quality provisions. In this specific situation (failed shutter, outside 12 month warranty period), I don't think it would have mattered if the stock was grey or official; they would have taken the same view of the TPA's reach.


From my understanding; even under the TPA; the manufacturer is not Canon Australia but their parent.
The legal issue spins on the direct supply chain. Canon Australia did not offer that specific item for sale.

Correct - it is parent company Canon Inc that is the manufacturer and it was them that I was going after. It just so happens that their representative in Australia is 100% subsidiary Canon Australia, so it was with them that I lodged my complaint. To be clear, my dealings wtih Canon Australia was in their capacity as manufacturer, not as the official importer (as I didn't buy the item from them). I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with the ACCC on this point and it was their advice that led me to pursue the manufacturer rather than the grey importer.

coolie21
07-02-2010, 3:48pm
Interesting to see the 'smaller market' theory trotted out to justify higher prices. In reality the elevated prices have reduced the domestic market size as the internet has allowed consumers other cheaper choices. It would be interesting to speculate what fraction of the 'true' market (Aus + grey + purchase overseas) the Australian retailers actually get.

blackjacknz
08-02-2010, 10:01am
Peter and Keith, the terminology may be confusing to some.

Peter, photographic equipment is mostly free from tariffs which are a totally separate form of charges than duties payable.

Keith has the correct summation regarding duties applicable to general goods.

My reference to the above duties and charges are in relation to an importer who has a registered business in Australia and imports goods on a regular basis such as Canon Aus; Nikon Aus; CR Kennedy etc. etc.
They do pay GST, customs duties and probably more fees related to importing goods than most ordinary people realise which sometimes the grey importers may not pay one or more of those charges depending on their business practices.

I am not having a go at grey importers or the prices charged by the "official" distributors, merely pointing out where the savings can come from when goods are parallel (grey) imported.
I am the same as most people, I enjoy a bargain and would very much like to see lower prices on my chosen brand items but at the same time I can see why prices are higher from same companies than others. :)

Just to clear up the duty on buying a camera on the net and bringing it into Australia. I sent an email to customs to ask about purchasing a DSLR for $3000 from Honk Kong...and got this reply...

Hi Steve

Sorry that the link doesn't work

Your digital camera would be free of duty but subject to 10% GST.

You can find the Customs Tariff on our website under "Importing Export" the "Customs Tariff"

Kind regards,
Craig C
Senior Customs and Border Protection Officer | Customs Information and Support Centre | CE&CS
Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Customs House, 10 Cooks River Drive, Mascot NSW 2020
P: 1300 558 099 | F: 02 8339 6713 |

Xevious
09-02-2010, 3:19pm
And yes, they may be refurbished, many many warranty or changeover bodies and lenses are resold to anyone that cares to buy a bulk lot and they in turn pass them on to the consumers via many outlets.

The emphasis is strongly on the may in that sentence, I know of two bodies that were bought as new from an Asian ebay seller but were in fact Nikon USA refurbished items and came packaged as such.

How would you tell if an item was refurbished though? Is it a sticker on the box or do you have to contact the manufacturer to find out based on the serial number?

I @ M
09-02-2010, 3:32pm
How would you tell if an item was refurbished though? It is a sticker on the box or do you have to contact the manufacturer to find out based on the serial number?

In both the cases that I know of they came in a grey box instead of the normal gold package and with the wording "Nikon reconditioned product" and a sticker detailing the model and that they were covered by a 90 day limited warranty.
Both the sellers are no longer on ebay, I guess they made their dollars and closed up "shop".

The situation with the examples that I gave are more deceptive marketing because anyone looking to buy the items would only have seen and been told the same as any of the more prominent sellers tell you on their websites.

As in most things in life, buyer beware. It just helps to go into these sorts of deals with a little bit of knowledge before hand about what may happen.

littleblightie
09-02-2010, 7:58pm
And CR Kennedy will price match Sigma lenses.

Are you sure this is still the case?

arubaato
10-02-2010, 10:21am
My personal experience:
bought 5d2 when I was in HK for approximately AUD3000 (May 2009)
DDP price at the time was $3400 (grey importer with 1 year store warranty)
JB Hifi price at the time $4200 (Aust stock with 1 year Canon warranty)

the question would be Is the 1 year Canon warranty worth the extra $1200 for the camera. I think not.

Kym
10-02-2010, 10:40am
Are you sure this is still the case?

Well this seems to say yes... http://www.crkennedy.com.au/v1/index.cfm?pageID=465

SIGMA AUSTRALIAN WARRANTY ON GREY IMPORTS

C.R. Kennedy & Co P/L will only undertake warranty repairs on products sourced through us. All products imported directly from overseas and resold are not covered by our warranty. This includes purchases through ebay and through grey importers such as www.camerasdirect.com.au,
www.d-d-photographics.com.au, www.DealsDirect.com.au, www.globalmediapro.com and www.photobuff.com.au.

Mark Harrison from www.camerasdirect.com.au has been directly advised by Sigma Japan that C.R. Kennedy, the only authorised Sigma agent in Australia, will not cover warranty on Sigma products bought through www.camerasdirect.com.au

We will match, through our authorised Sigma dealer network, any legitimate advertised internet price on Sigma lenses by these grey importers.
These prices do not include traditional pre-sales and after sales service normally given by your local retail store. We suggest that you research the product thoroughly before making any purchase.

wideangle
10-02-2010, 1:42pm
Getting back on topic - Thinking about it, there are probably brick and mortar shops are probably selling refurbished goods as new when someone takes back a camera or lens they return for whatever reason. I have seen bought stock put back on a shelf after it being returned in a shop.

JM Tran
10-02-2010, 1:52pm
Getting back on topic - Thinking about it, there are probably brick and mortar shops are probably selling refurbished goods as new when someone takes back a camera or lens they return for whatever reason. I have seen bought stock put back on a shelf after it being returned in a shop.

only if its a few days or up to a week depending on the store policy of the returned item. Obviously we would check it to see if its still in pristine condition - if there are any marks or noticeable faults we would return to stockist or charge customer full price. If a store returns every single product that a customer would be disatisfied with or exchange it for something else - within a few days - the store would make a big loss re-ordering all the time, and be out of business faster than Canon coming out with new ***D models:D

wideangle
10-02-2010, 3:29pm
Yes, but its just a case in point that you never know if you are getting a brand new camera/lens when you buy as it may have been 'used'

I @ M
10-02-2010, 3:35pm
Yes, but its just a case in point that you never know if you are getting a brand new camera/lens when you buy as it may have been 'used'

That is why Nikon pack their cameras in "open" bags and not hermetically sealed ones, they don't want you to know.

wideangle
10-02-2010, 7:36pm
I don't believe Canon pack in sealed bags either, just comes in soft plastic cloth type material by memory

justinharwoodran
11-07-2010, 8:08pm
DigitalRev are the BEST. 5 working days and arrived with DHL free postage. Saved $1000 on just 3 items. No joke. The body, the battery grip and a 50mm lens and BANG............one big fat pony in my pocket saved. Brand new all the fruit no tricks no 2nd hand junk. Support local business...........sure I'll be in next week for a cleaning cloth.

JH

98octane
16-07-2010, 11:56pm
Very interesting thread. Late last year I bought a Canon 70-200mm f4 L from B+H for 50% less than the Australian retail price. I'm very impressed with this lens and I've had no issues so far.

I now want to buy a Canon 15-85mm lens. Given some reviews suggest there are some 'bad' samples (e.g. front focussing, right focussing etc), I want to make sure I could make a call on the warranty to Canon Aust. I called Canon Aust today and asked this question explicitly - i.e. I'm buying a Canon lens online from the USA with a USA warranty, so will you honour the warranty in Australia? - and the answer was yes they will honour it. Can anyone confirm this? Any experiences on calling on warranties on grey imports from US/Asia etc?

Bear Dale
18-07-2010, 4:44pm
DigitalRev are the BEST. 5 working days and arrived with DHL free postage. Saved $1000 on just 3 items. No joke. The body, the battery grip and a 50mm lens and BANG............one big fat pony in my pocket saved. Brand new all the fruit no tricks no 2nd hand junk. Support local business...........sure I'll be in next week for a cleaning cloth.

JH

Good savings there Justin :wd:

bigdazzler
18-07-2010, 5:03pm
I called Canon Aust today and asked this question explicitly - i.e. I'm buying a Canon lens online from the USA with a USA warranty, so will you honour the warranty in Australia? - and the answer was yes they will honour it. Can anyone confirm this? Any experiences on calling on warranties on grey imports from US/Asia etc?

I dont use Canon gear but I believe this is the case. Its been discussed on here before and I recall reading that Canon will honour warranty on grey market and OS imports.