jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

Option 1:
There may be some other options. Was it purchased here in the US? If so, what state? When did he buy it and when did he find out it was Grey Market and tried to return it? And what does his receipt say? And what does the website say (screenshots). There are laws governing return of merchandise and misleading advertising. And, did he use a credit card; and if so what is there policy?
Option 2:
Then..figure out if it is worth 'his time' and money to pursue this course of action. Deduct a portion of this assessment and sell it for the cost less this aggravation.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

But it might warn others not to do business with them. If people make a major purchase online without checking out the merchant, especially if the price is lower than well regarded companies, they deserve what they get.

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

Refer to some quotes below regarding Consumer Protection in New Jersey. If the OP's friend has related the facts correctly--and has not then used the camera after determining it was grey market-- I would consider having a 'lawyer friend' send a certified letter to the seller requesting and immediate exchange and refund.



New Jersey has some of the strongest consumer protection laws in the country. The chief protection is the Consumer Fraud Act, which prohibits deceptive sales practices. ... The consumer Fraud Act prohibits deceptive sales practices in almost all industries.

The law gives customers protection against unfair selling practices. You do not need to know specific Acts but you do need to understand how fair trading regulations protect consumers. The consumer has basic legal rights if the product is: given a misleading description.

chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

Usually a significantly cheaper price is a grey market red flag....but there are several considerations.

1. I would just keep it at this point, if he doesn't shoot professionally (ie., earns a living from the camera). Realize grey market cameras have lower resale even brand new, in the USA context.

2. Grey market cameras are equivalent in every way to the USA model with a few exceptions - packaging, default menu language (if you don't know Japanese that can be a bitch!), power plugs, instruction manual language, and the biggie - USA warranty support or any support.

3. Eventually, (and eventually could mean 5+ years) Nikon seems to QUIETLY support SOME grey market cameras (for time and material cost, no warranty coverage) such as the D810 which has been out some time....so maybe the D850 may be added to that list.

4. Get a second D850 (grey or USA) for back up and/or parts. Eventually non-working D850s will appear on eBay "for parts" - good to scoop these up on the cheap for future insurance as well - especially if the shutter is intact.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

No worries.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Unless he is able to contest the sale, and others have suggested ways of doing so, he should not try reselling it himself or you. You would have to lie now to unload it. And not being incorporated that subsequent fraud could have consequences. He should just use it. It would likely only crap out 366 days after the purchase anyway. Or two years if the manufacturer's warranty was in effect. Since 1979 I have only had one piece of warranted photo equipment fail on me. It was a lens that for my copy seemed to have a focus motor defect that was although common was not recalled by the manufacturer. By the time it totally died and I realized what had happened since I had other lenses I could use the manufacturer would only repair it for a fee and not exchange it. In the end I fixed it myself by hacking the firmware. It has taken near perfect images since just not with the silent mode. So there is now a little sound like my other AF lenses. I hear latered that newer copies did not have the defect. The only piece of new Pentax equipment that failed on my. Though I did have an issue with an accessory back before 1982 that I never had need of anyway. One rather used camera I stupidly bought without noticing it was a reissue so to speak Chinese Hoya Pentax K1000 and not an actual Asahi Pentax. The knock-off uses inferior parts and actually looks different from a "real" K1000 film camera. I was replacing a stolen K1000SE but made a poor uninformed choice. The issue with the used camera is that the mirror is de-silvering and so looking in the viewfinder it looks like a big black spider. I subsequently bought a used early vintage authentic Asahi Pentax K1000 that came with a K-Series 55mm lens and not a M-Series 50mm like most K1000s sold.

Linda Ewing Loc: Lincolnshire,UK

I have bought several items, camera wise, from grey market, the company is Panamoz I think they are ex cellent they do what is says on the tin, miles cheaper than the likes of London Camera Exchange, every item has been brand new and perfect. If the item purchased ie D850 looks new, acts and performs like new, what is the problem. I bought my son the D850 a year ago ancd it is still perfect. It definitely was brand new as well.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

It could be a problem if it ever needs repair. If someone wants to knowingly buy a grey market camera betting it won't need repair, that is one thing. But this buyer wasn't told it was grey market and likely didn't know that there may be a problem getting it repaired even after the warranty runs out, which I think is unique to Nikon. The buyer has to decide whether to just keep it and hope it won't need repair, or try challenging the purchase with the credit card company or legal authorities. But if he keeps it, I hope he will go online and write bad reviews of the merchant wherever he can to warn others about them.

gmsatty Loc: Chicago IL

If there is a 30 day return policy and the company won't take it back, and, assuming he used a credit card, he should call the credit card company and dispute the charge. He will get his money back. Even if no return policy, all he has to say is that he did not know it was gray market to the credit card company and most likely they will stand behind him.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

A 'grey market' Nikon camera is not the same as a counterfeit knockoff. They are most likely made in the same factory using all of the same parts. The difference is that Nikon (and others) have specific distribution channels for the sales territories such as the USA.

When someone sells the brand new camera outside of the authorized territory it becomes what is known as being 'grey market' and that territory distributor (such as the USA) has no obligation to provide a warranty should it need one within the normal distributed product period of time.

There is nothing wrong with the camera, lens, cell phone, etc. other than that it came in via an avenue other than the factory's territory assigned authorized distributor such as Nikon USA in this case.

Same product, just no obligation to provide a warranty period.

Personally, I never buy warranty programs for our company sold them and they were a large part of our income. The owner would bet with their money in advance that something would break and we had their cash betting that it would not. We won that bet many, many more times than the customer's would.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Grey market doesn't mean sub-standard. It just means the US company won't fix it if it fails. However, I have owned many cameras in my day and not one of them had a problem. So if I was your friend I'd go ahead and enjoy it. Chances are it will provide many years of service.

BebuLamar

I would say try to return it because that is not what he intended to buy. He wouldn't buy it if he knew it was gray market. Now I don't know how difficult it is to return or it's even possible but that would be the first thing.
Chances are that he can not return it then in that case keep it and use it. Reselling it he would lose too much money and it becomes that the saving in money is worth the risk of the gray market camera.
For the prices they sell gray market items I feel that the saving isn't enough to take the risk but if he has to sell it at a loss then the saving is sufficient to keep the camera.

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

riderz49

Going through his credit card issuer is the best idea.

joecashew Loc: N.C.

Use it till it dies. then get you a good one.