42nd Street Photo: I recently bought a lens from them because it was substantially cheaper than other Internet sellers. I was concerned that the discount could be due to it being gray...

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

I recently bought a lens from them because it was substantially cheaper than other Internet sellers. I was concerned that the discount could be due to it being gray market which I did not want a gray market product. Since the website said nothing about white or gray market, I called and asked the salesperson point blank if it were gray market. He said emphatically yes and that the US warranty would be enclosed with the lens. The lens arrived and did include something about US and foreign warranties. This did not arouse my suspicion.

I found out from the manufacturer, Sigma, that 42nd Street was not an authorized dealer and that the lens was gray market. Consequently, I returned the lens and did receive a full refund of the purchase price.

Those are the facts. Here is my feeling: I do not like being lied to and deceived. Caveat emptor. And shame on me. I hope no one else falls prey to this unscrupulous merchant.

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

Glad they refunded the money to you. I have always been suspect of their pricing and this seems to prove my suspicions right.

anotherview Loc: California

Thank you for sharing your experience in factual terms.

Let me note salespeople will say almost anything to make a sale.

abc1234 wrote:

I recently bought a lens from them because it was ... (show quote)

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Everything I have read about them says "Stay Away". I'm glad you didn't get burned.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

42nd Street Photo to the black list...
Check. :hunf:

Thanks for the heads up.

ssajn Loc: Milwaukee, Wi

I bought a Sigma lens with accessories from them thru Amazon. One of the batteries included in the deal is DOA. I sent them an email reporting it and received a call saying they would replace it. At the same time I received an email saying they could not find my Amazon order. I've tried calling customer service for a week, left voice mails and have not heard back. This has been over two weeks ago.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

ssajn wrote:

I bought a Sigma lens with accessories from them thru Amazon. One of the batteries included in the deal is DOA. I sent them an email reporting it and received a call saying they would replace it. At the same time I received an email saying they could not find my Amazon order. I've tried calling customer service for a week, left voice mails and have not heard back. This has been over two weeks ago.

Communicate with Amazon. They are somewhat famous for being ruthless with third party, contract vendors.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

And they boast they are the name you can trust for more than fifty years. Ha!

In a bit of irony, this UHH page has a banner ad from 42nd Street for the lens in question.

Bret Loc: Dayton Ohio

You are very lucky...go and buy a lottery ticket....just in case...lol

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Bret wrote:

You are very lucky...go and buy a lottery ticket....just in case...lol

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Swamp Gator Loc: Coastal South Carolina

I have no experience with this particular seller but if an item is 'grey market' with no USA warranty that does not necessarily make it junk or not worth buying. It's still a brand new item and identical to the US version. The buyer just has to decide if a lower price at the outset is worth taking a chance on potentially having a problem later.

For instance you can get a brand new grey market Canon 7D body for $750 while a U.S. warrantied version will cost you $999.
Is the $150 savings worth it? It might be to some as it's extremely likely nothing will go wrong with the camera within a year.

I've had five different Canon DSLR bodies, and five different Canon L series lenses over a dozen years and never had a single one needing a warranty repair, all have performed flawlessly with heavy use.

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

abc1234 wrote:

I recently bought a lens from them because it was ... (show quote)

Maybe I have missed something here, and if so, I apologize...
But you say above, that you called, and the person told you it Definitely was GRAY Market, yet you bought it anyway and are now unhappy.

Mike

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Swamp Gator wrote:

...For instance you can get a brand new grey market Canon 7D body for $750 while a U.S. warrantied version will cost you $999.
Is the $150 savings worth it?....

Gator, check your arithmetic. That is minor. However, you other point is well-taken. As a buyer, I have the right to decide whether the price difference is worth it. In this case, $100 was not. For example, if I wanted to check the autofocus, a common problem, Sigma would do so free for a US lens but charge more than $100 for a non-US lens. And this is true for other repairs.

I would rather pay the extra $100 and never need it than get caught for a repair larger than that. 42nd Street Photo robbed me of that choice.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

venturer9 wrote:

Maybe I have missed something here, and if so, I apologize...
But you say above, that you called, and the person told you it Definitely was GRAY Market, yet you bought it anyway and are now unhappy.

Mike

Mike, you embarrassed me. My enormous blunder. He said it was WHITE market. Shame on me.

You are right. If I knew that it was gray market, I would never have bought it. Thank you for catching my goof.

Swamp Gator Loc: Coastal South Carolina

abc1234 wrote:

Gator, check your arithmetic.

Ha! You are correct. Stupid ipad (notice how I blame the computer) :)

Should have been a $250 difference. So even better.