Grey Market Rip Off (Page 5): Did you by chance check the Better Business Bureau to see what, if any complaints have been filed? See if the company is even registered. Then file a BBB...

jpgto Loc: North East Tennessee

Did you by chance check the Better Business Bureau to see what, if any complaints have been filed? See if the company is even registered. Then file a BBB complaint. Your credit card company would be a good bet! Or Pay Pal! Good luck.

drrobins Loc: San Francisco East Bay (Walnut Creek)

I bought a Nikon SB-700 speedlight from TriState recently, at a rather low price. Realized after it was gray market. But TriState sent me a 1 year warranty from them, which I assume would cover repairs due to manufacturer defects etc, not user-caused damage of course. So, this would cover the same 1 year that NikonUSA would have, too. I would hope they would have done this with your Canon camera.

After the year runs out, I planned that since I'd need to pay anyway, and Nikon would not touch it, I found several Nikon-authorized repair stations around the country that would fix it.

Now, however, with the new upcoming loss of parts and support for repair businesses than the factory NikonUSA depots (Melville and LA), I'm not sure what I will be able to do. However, it is only a $214 flash with low use, so I expect the odds of a problem will be small.

I think this be my last purchase from TriState though. Not worth the hassle.

Twobuells

Twobuells wrote:

Bought a new Canon Sx70HS from a New York camera shop only to find out from Canon that it is not approved for sale in the USA. In turn they would not repair the broken LCD screen under warranty. The repair cost is $308.00. What if anything can be done , as Tri-State camera will not reply or return my calls.
Thanks for any input.

Let me clarify my post , I did not know the camera was a grey market item , and I did pay close to full retail price for it ( $495.00 ) and I did not break it . The LCD screen flickered on occasion and then went black and quit completely while on my trip to the Arctic Circle this past summer. The camera was not dropped or handled roughly in anyway. There is no damage to the LCD screen or camera. The camera still works fine , using the view finder.

LouV Loc: Juno Beach, FL

Based on some of the comments it seems some people are still confused about grey market and manufacturers’ warranties. Maybe this will help.

Virtually every camera you buy comes with a manufacturer’s warranty. But here’s the thing: Canon USA (and Nikon USA, etal) are NOT the manufacturers. Rather they are completely separate corporate entities established as authorized importers and resellers. In return they receive support, training and OEM parts from the manufacturer and agree to honor the warranty for any equipment they sell. If they didn’t sell it, they’re not going to fix it under warranty. It’s as simple as that.

A grey market camera still has a manufacturer’s warranty but you need to send it to the manufacturer, not the importer, to have it fixed. Obviously, that is often not cost effective.

Some grey market sellers offer their own warranty in which case the repair is done by them or an independent repair facility of their choosing.

John O.

Twobuells wrote:

Bought a new Canon Sx70HS from a New York camera shop only to find out from Canon that it is not approved for sale in the USA. In turn they would not repair the broken LCD screen under warranty. The repair cost is $308.00. What if anything can be done , as Tri-State camera will not reply or return my calls.
Thanks for any input.

The SK 70HS is currently being sold by Canon USA. Check the Canon site.

drrobins Loc: San Francisco East Bay (Walnut Creek)

So, not user damage, just a non-working screen. Is the Canon still within 1 year of purchase, and if so, will TriState issue/honor their own 1 year warranty, and fix it? You have the sales invoice etc.?

I called them and had no trouble getting through; you were having trouble. Maybe I just lucked out??

I just returned their warranty card today that they mailed me 2 weeks after purchase, they said this warranty should have come been in the package I received originally.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Twobuells wrote:

Bought a new Canon Sx70HS from a New York camera shop only to find out from Canon that it is not approved for sale in the USA. In turn they would not repair the broken LCD screen under warranty. The repair cost is $308.00. What if anything can be done , as Tri-State camera will not reply or return my calls.
Thanks for any input.

There are other repair facilities than Canon. Try KEH, you can probably get a rough estimate over the phone. If you Google this you may get other places to check out.

Next time make sure you know what you are buying and don't be so careless with your gear. I have no sympathy for you.

Twobuells

Ok , I will be extra careful.

Twobuells

joer wrote:

There are other repair facilities than Canon. Try KEH, you can probably get a rough estimate over the phone. If you Google this you may get other places to check out.

Next time make sure you know what you are buying and don't be so careless with your gear. I have no sympathy for you.

Ok Thanks , I'll be extra careful , No sympathy needed at this time.

Abo

Pixeldawg wrote:

Generally, you have to have a "world wide&quo... (show quote)

Ahha.

I live in Australia, ironically I acquired my Nikon D700 in the US, so
it's a grey camera.

Even though it is "grey", If I had the need to take
it to my local repair centre; the "Camera Clinic" it would be fixed (for a cost)
and I would be confident that the quality
of assembly and adjustment is literally better than brand new... check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkZ2MuxVl_8

Having said that, of course my D700 is a long way out of warranty
and I'm guessing if I took a "grey" Nikon to them that was
otherwise under warranty they would repair it, but one would have to pay
for their outstanding service.

BebuLamar

Abo wrote:

Ahha. br br I live in Australia, ironically I acq... (show quote)

In your case I don't think it's grey! I asked Nikon USA before I went to Japan that if I buy a camera in Japan would they service it? They said yes if I have the receipt proved that I bought it in Japan. (and not a dealer in the USA)

Quote the email received from Nikon

"Hello My Name,
Your support question has been answered by one of our team members.
Question details:
If I buy a Nikon camera from Japan and bring it back to the USA. Would Nikon service it if I need it serviced?
Created: 03/05/2019 by Email | Reference #: 02828025
Response from Alexandra G.
Hello My Name Here,

Thank you for contacting Nikon, I hope your day is going well.

You can send it in for service if it needs it, just make sure you keep your proof of purchase, because you would have to provide a copy.

Thank you

Responded: 03/05/2019 by Email

Abo

BebuLamar wrote:

In your case I don't think it's grey! I asked Niko... (show quote)

The issue is one of honouring a warranty, not of it being "serviced" as in your
communication with Nikon USA. You see, the "Japanese" camera you cite, may be readily
serviced in the USA, but there is no claim in the Email from Nikon that, that would be free of cost.
So, the email you have presented is totally inconclusive, I'm sorry to report.

Also you are talking about having a Japanese camera serviced
in the USA; not a USA camera being serviced in Australia...
or more to the point a USA Nikon warranty being valid in Australia.
So the possibility of a USA Nikon in Australia being a "Grey Import"
still exists. ;-)

Having said all that, my Nikon D700 from the US still functions flawlessly... touch wood...so! What the hey!

MrGNY Loc: New York

Abo wrote:

Ahha. br br I live in Australia, ironically I acq... (show quote)

If you bought the camera at an authorized dealer and have the receipts it is not a grey market item. I called Nikonabout this as I was traveling outside the U.S. and wanted to know if I bought a camera, lens etc outside the US would there be an issue if I needed warranty repair. I was told no issue as long as you have the receipts and bought from an authorized distributor/retailer.

henryp Loc: New York, NY

drrobins wrote:

I found several Nikon-authorized repair stations around the country that would fix it.

You may want to look again. From Dec 2019: Nikon Shuttering Its Authorized Repair Program
https://petapixel.com/2019/12/10/nikon-is-shutting-down-its-authorized-repair-program-in-march-2020/

Abo

MrGNY wrote:

If you bought the camera at an authorized dealer and have the receipts it is not a grey market item. I called Nikonabout this as I was traveling outside the U.S. and wanted to know if I bought a camera, lens etc outside the US would there be an issue if I needed warranty repair. I was told no issue as long as you have the receipts and bought from an authorized distributor/retailer.

If that is true there is no such thing as a "Grey Market" camera is there?
as usually if you don't have receipts, you don't have a warranty no matter
where the camera is sold or located anyway; because you're saying if a "grey camera"
has providence it has a warranty... which is exactly the same deal for a "white?" camera...
You see, by your logic there is no difference warrantywise (which is the crux of the discussion)
between a grey market or white market camera.

Anyway, I did buy the camera in the US. But it is in Australia
and I was referring to how it would be viewed by an Australian
Nikon repair centre.