Gray Market from B & H Photo: Wondering if anybody out there has gone this route when looking for new equipment. Were there any concerns or inconveniences with the items you received.

TJBNovember Loc: Long Island, New York

Wondering if anybody out there has gone this route when looking for new equipment. Were there any concerns or inconveniences with the items you received. If you had a problem within the B & H warranty period, was it rectified to your satisfaction. Considering going this route with a couple of U.S.A. items that have been out of stock for a while, but B & H has their import versions available. A camera and lens kit, FYI.

User ID

TJBNovember wrote:

Wondering if anybody out there has gone this route when looking for new equipment. Were there any concerns or inconveniences with the items you received. If you had a problem within the B & H warranty period, was it rectified to your satisfaction. Considering going this route with a couple of U.S.A. items that have been out of stock for a while, but B & H has their import versions available. A camera and lens kit, FYI.

If its not Nikon stuff, no hey problemo !

If it breaks, use your discount $$ toward paying to fix it. Theres no expiration day for those dollars. Acoarst, stuff generally doesnt break.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

User ID wrote:

If its not Nikon stuff, no hey problemo !

If it breaks, use your discount $$ toward paying to fix it. Theres no expiration day for those dollars.

Agree. Buying Nikon grey market gear in the USA is a risky decision no matter where you buy it since Nikon won't service it.

TJBNovember Loc: Long Island, New York

User ID wrote:

If its not Nikon stuff, no hey problemo !

If it breaks, use your discount $$ toward paying to fix it. Theres no expiration day for those dollars. Acoarst, stuff generally doesnt break.

It is Nikon, B & H says they will warranty it the same as if it was Nikon U.S.A., there is however no discount, you pay the same as if it was U.S.A. goods. Don't know how they would repair any such item if it was needed, whether they do it in house of have an outside entity for it.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

TJBNovember wrote:

Wondering if anybody out there has gone this route when looking for new equipment. Were there any concerns or inconveniences with the items you received. If you had a problem within the B & H warranty period, was it rectified to your satisfaction. Considering going this route with a couple of U.S.A. items that have been out of stock for a while, but B & H has their import versions available. A camera and lens kit, FYI.

I have no problem buying Gray market camera gear from a reputable dealer if their is an advantage to doing so. A OEM warranty is worth something so their should be a cost benefit or other advantage.

In over fifty years of camera purchases and use only one camera failed and that was a USA Nikon D70. It failed long after the warranty expired and Nikon fixed it at no charge. It was a common failure for that camera.

TJBNovember Loc: Long Island, New York

joer wrote:

I have no problem buying Gray market camera gear from a reputable dealer if their is an advantage to doing so. A OEM warranty is worth something so their should be a cost benefit or other advantage.

In over fifty years of camera purchases and use only one camera failed and that was a USA Nikon D70. It failed long after the warranty expired and Nikon fixed it at no charge. It was a common failure for that camera.

No real advantage, other than the camera and lens kit is available as gray market and still out of stock as the U.S.A. version. I suppose that they consider offering their own warranty that they consider equivalent to Nikon's is sufficient reason to charge the same amount for both.

User ID

TJBNovember wrote:

It is Nikon, B & H says they will warranty it the same as if it was Nikon U.S.A., there is however no discount, you pay the same as if it was U.S.A. goods. Don't know how they would repair any such item if it was needed, whether they do it in house of have an outside entity for it.

B&H never hides the facts, but if one is FOOLISH enough to buy a grey market Nikon, (especially at the full USA price) thaz the privelege of a dedicated fanboi.

tramsey Loc: Texas

Rather than buy grey market I buy used mainly from KEH but a couple of other distributors also. I like KEH because of their grading system, there equipment is always better than what they rated it. Another reason they stand behind the sale, almost to a fault.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

TJBNovember wrote:

It is Nikon, B & H says they will warranty it the same as if it was Nikon U.S.A., there is however no discount, you pay the same as if it was U.S.A. goods. Don't know how they would repair any such item if it was needed, whether they do it in house of have an outside entity for it.

How long will B&H warrant it? And how will you get it serviced after the warranty period is over? Nikon USA won't touch it, even if you are willing to pay.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

User ID wrote:

B&H never hides the facts, but if one is FOOLISH enough to buy a grey market Nikon, (especially at the full USA price) thaz the privelege of a dedicated fanboi.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

TJBNovember wrote:

No real advantage, other than the camera and lens kit is available as gray market and still out of stock as the U.S.A. version. I suppose that they consider offering their own warranty that they consider equivalent to Nikon's is sufficient reason to charge the same amount for both.

It's a gamble, but no way would I pay full price & I would buy used before gray market.
Just weight until the item you are looking at is in stock.

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

TJBNovember wrote:

Wondering if anybody out there has gone this route when looking for new equipment. Were there any concerns or inconveniences with the items you received. If you had a problem within the B & H warranty period, was it rectified to your satisfaction. Considering going this route with a couple of U.S.A. items that have been out of stock for a while, but B & H has their import versions available. A camera and lens kit, FYI.

USA Nikon will not honor any warranty work on a gray market camera or lens.
I do not know of any other companies concerning honoring gray market warranties.
You need to check with your particular manufacture to see what their policies are concerning gray market equipment.
I believe B&H offers their own warranty on some gray market equipment.
I believe you can call B&H customer service and they should be able to answer your questions.
Why not give them a call when they open.

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

User ID wrote:

If its not Nikon stuff, no hey problemo !

If it breaks, use your discount $$ toward paying to fix it. Theres no expiration day for those dollars. Acoarst, stuff generally doesnt break.

acoarst? are you coining a new word??

Bill_de Loc: US

Now that NikonUSA does all repairs in house, why can't places that source Gray Market cameras do the same with parts?

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

English is probably not User ID's primary language.
--Bob

foathog wrote:

acoarst? are you coining a new word??