Advice on buying from Hong Kong: I am thinking of buying a lens from a merchant in Hong Kong using Amazon. For whatever it is worth, the merchant rating is very high. The US street...

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

I am thinking of buying a lens from a merchant in Hong Kong using Amazon. For whatever it is worth, the merchant rating is very high. The US street price is $1,250 while the Hong Kong price with the input duty is $1,000. No shipping charge in either case. The Hong Kong product is new with all accessories and in the retail box. One-year warranty. The US warranty is three years.

What experience do people have with such sourcing?

heyrob Loc: Western Washington

Buyer beware!

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

heyrob wrote:

Buyer beware!

That goes back at least 2,000 years. The Romans had an expression for it, caveat emptor. But that is all right, the buyers settle the score with caveat vendor.

I figure that with Amazon and PayPal, I have a reasonable degree of protection.

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

I have spent around 10K on ebay in the last couple of years, mainly on photographic gear from Hong Kong. Maybe I have been lucky, but I have only ever had one issue, & it was sorted out promptly, to my satisfaction.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Thank you Dook.

RTFM

Just bought a 50mm F1.2 from a Hong Kong dealer. Saved me $400. Used Paypal, great service, delivered in 3 days. No such thing as a grey lens.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

RTFM wrote:

Just bought a 50mm F1.2 from a Hong Kong dealer. Saved me $400. Used Paypal, great service, delivered in 3 days. No such thing as a grey lens.

Thank you RTFM.

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

Only if absolutely necessary.
Otherwise find a local source.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Thank you Bear.

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

abc1234 wrote:

I am thinking of buying a lens from a merchant in Hong Kong using Amazon. For whatever it is worth, the merchant rating is very high. The US street price is $1,250 while the Hong Kong price with the input duty is $1,000. No shipping charge in either case. The Hong Kong product is new with all accessories and in the retail box. One-year warranty. The US warranty is three years.

What experience do people have with such sourcing?

As was previously mentioned, using Paypal through Ebay gives you a reasonable amount of protection. I have only purchased two things directly from Hong Kong via Ebay but both worked well and saved money AND, their shipping time is impressive.

RaydancePhoto

I have bought many things (for about 10 years now) from HK / China and Japan and had only minor issues on 2-3 items. Sometimes the shipping is slow, customs can hold something up for weeks, but this is rare.

Always use Paypal if possible, for your protection.

I have probably purchased 30 camera related items from HK / China, and never a problem.

Once, about 2000, I bought a replacement engine for my Camery from Japan, delivered to my door for <300.00 engine only had 20,000 miles on it. Worked great.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Over Amazon, I've never had issues with sellers in HK, China or Japan. Not once. Something I can't say about U.S. sellers, unfortunately - they often ship wrong items, broken items or items with parts missing.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

abc1234 wrote:

I am thinking of buying a lens from a merchant in Hong Kong using Amazon. For whatever it is worth, the merchant rating is very high. The US street price is $1,250 while the Hong Kong price with the input duty is $1,000. No shipping charge in either case. The Hong Kong product is new with all accessories and in the retail box. One-year warranty. The US warranty is three years.

What experience do people have with such sourcing?

Just remember your warranty is no good here, you will have to return it to Hong Kong should you ever need service, at your expense, and you will have to add import and export duties which will all end up costing you a LOT more than the initial savings.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

MT Shooter wrote:

Just remember your warranty is no good here, you will have to return it to Hong Kong should you ever need service, at your expense, and you will have to add import and export duties which will all end up costing you a LOT more than the initial savings.

Very prudent advice. Plus only one year, not three as here. Would probably be cheaper and certainly faster to get it serviced here. If I were hard on equipment, I would stick to buying it here. But I am not so I am in quandary. If only I had a crystal ball....

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

abc1234 wrote:

I am thinking of buying a lens from a merchant in Hong Kong using Amazon. For whatever it is worth, the merchant rating is very high. The US street price is $1,250 while the Hong Kong price with the input duty is $1,000. No shipping charge in either case. The Hong Kong product is new with all accessories and in the retail box. One-year warranty. The US warranty is three years.

What experience do people have with such sourcing?

I think that I would actually trust this vendor, I looked into them at one time and satisfied myself that they would take care of me if I were to encounter a problem with the products that they sell. I came to this conclusion after reading several independent reviews that did not come from their site or advertising... I read several where people had warranty problems that were handled to their satisfaction... something that most Hong Kong retailers are not well known for.

http://www.digitalrev.com/