In which country can you buy a Nikon or Canon or Sony for lower price than the USA? (Page 2): I don't want gray market equipment. I just wonder which countries were their intended...

BebuLamar

JohnSwanda wrote:

If you want gray market equipment for less, you can get it here in the USA.

I don't want gray market equipment. I just wonder which countries were their intended market? Because they can't be the EU or England not even in Thailand or Vietnam or China.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have been under the impression that Nikon grey market cameras in the US are the same as standard cameras. The price difference is because the standard camera price includes some sort of fee that goes to Nikon to support the repair facilities in the US. That's why grey market cameras won't be repaired by Nikon. So basically, it's insurance.

If serial numbers are used to keep track of standard and grey market cameras it's just because they produce different pools of cameras to supply the different types. Purely paperwork.

This is what I have inferred from comments on the internet. I have no direct business knowledge when it comes to Nikon.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

BebuLamar wrote:

So the question is where these gray market good come from? Don't they have to come from a country where the price is less than the USA?

Partly covered here.
https://petapixel.com/gray-market-explained/

BebuLamar

Grahame wrote:

Partly covered here.
https://petapixel.com/gray-market-explained/

It said they use a syndicate in Hong Kong but the goods were shipped to another country first. What I really want to know that which countries are these good originally intended to ship to.

NickGee Loc: Pacific Northwest

BebuLamar wrote:

It said they use a syndicate in Hong Kong but the goods were shipped to another country first. What I really want to know that which countries are these good originally intended to ship to.

Holy cow! Bebu, do I ever feel your pain. Two pages of answers to all sorts of questions other than the one you asked. That's so typical on this site. Guys gotta answer whether they know what they're talking about or not ... and typically not.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Legitimate dealers in the United States do not buy cameras or anything else from Nikon. They buy them from NikonUSA, a USA corporation headquartered in New York. NikonUSA then sells those cameras to US retailers. NikonUSA also provides warranty coverage and repair service, with their own US technicians and parts inventory, which is replenished as needed from Nikon in Japan.

The cost to provide warranty service and technical support is covered by the markup from what NikonUSA pays Nikon to the price for which they sell the cameras to their dealers. Gray market cameras contribute nothing to the money pool to cover warranty repairs (nor to NikonUSA's profit line), so NikonUSA has no interest in repairing or servicing them. They are also not interested in drawing from their parts invenvory to do paid repairs.

It's really that simple...no pay, no play. TANSTAAFL. Each of us is likely to take the same approach. There's nothing sinister about it.

niteman3d Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA

Of all the ways I've purchased cameras, grey market seems to make the least sense for the buyer and the most for Nikon. They get their reduced purchase price up front and never have to deal with that unit again... no after sale warranty work to worry about, ever—no product support of any kind. On the other hand, the buyer is stuck with a paperweight if it fails. Buying used or refurbished at least gives you a limited warranty and if you make sure you're getting US versions of the equipment it's repairable as well, even if you have to pay for it. With new you get all the advantages including recalls, etc. I should also mention third-party warranties since I've had good luck with those. If you know and trust the dealer you're buying from, their store warranty can be a lifesaver as well. It all depends on how much risk you can tolerate. I agree with the OP, it's a little baffling as to why the prices aren't lower in the countries that our grey market comes from. Tariffs and import regulations?

Grahame Loc: Fiji

BebuLamar wrote:

It said they use a syndicate in Hong Kong but the goods were shipped to another country first. What I really want to know that which countries are these good originally intended to ship to.

I did not read it as the goods were shipped to another country first, they went to an HK 'syndicate' (read dodgy company) direct from the Nikon manufacturer. But it is complicated.

From there, the HK syndicate, they are distributed to various places around the world and sold cheaper and called Gray Market goods.

BebuLamar

Grahame wrote:

I did not read it as the goods were shipped to another country first, they went to an HK 'syndicate' (read dodgy company) direct from the Nikon manufacturer.

From there, the HK syndicate, they are distributed to various places around the world and sold cheaper and called Gray Market goods.

"Once it arrives, the retailer calls their local contact to on-sell at a predetermined price instead of unpacking the items. Pallets of stock are then moved into awaiting trucks and flown or shipped to an awaiting Hong Kong syndicate."

It doesn't seem that the goods were intended by the manufacturers to be sold in Hong Kong. Besides I didn't find prices in Hong Kong any cheaper than in the USA.

Grahame Loc: Fiji

BebuLamar wrote:

"Once it arrives, the retailer calls their local contact to on-sell at a predetermined price instead of unpacking the items. Pallets of stock are then moved into awaiting trucks and flown or shipped to an awaiting Hong Kong syndicate."

It doesn't seem that the goods were intended by the manufacturers to be sold in Hong Kong. Besides I didn't find prices in Hong Kong any cheaper than in the USA.

Agree, the 'goods' were not intended solely for sale in HK. You say that you didn't find the prices any cheaper in HK, but do you know whether you were looking at authorised Nikon resellers goods or sellers with Gray Market goods?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

BebuLamar wrote:

Well Billnikon said it's cheaper in South Africa and I have never been there so I don't know. So far I haven't been to any country where prices are better than the USA yet they said the gray market cameras were bought from countries where they sell cheaper than the USA so I have to wonder where would that be?

Abe's camera specializes in GRAY MARKET Nikon camera's. I dare you to contact them.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

BebuLamar wrote:

In which country where the camera prices are lowest? I've been to China, Vietnam, Germany, France, and none have better prices than in the USA. In Japan some models are priced lower but not by much.

I've bought demo cameras from Eastern Europe for very good prices. My Sony A7R IV was about 40% of new price, had a shutter count of 63, in like-new condition and complete in the original box with an international warranty.

bwa

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

If you want cheap prices, just shop at Abe's.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

CHG_CANON wrote:

If you want cheap prices, just shop at Abe's.

Yes indeed, or even better, 42nd street - such a deal you’re gonna get

MDI Mainer

BebuLamar wrote:

Well Billnikon said it's cheaper in South Africa and I have never been there so I don't know. So far I haven't been to any country where prices are better than the USA yet they said the gray market cameras were bought from countries where they sell cheaper than the USA so I have to wonder where would that be?

Remember the price at issue is the wholesale price for bulk sales, not the retail price available to an individual purchaser abroad. Also, the currency exchange rate between the country where the goods are purchased and the US will also affect the price at which merchandise, purchased in a foreign currency, can be profitably offered for sale in US dollars.

So it may not be possible readily to identify the cheaper, source country for gray market gear, at least by anecdotal evidence.