larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Some of the "facts" being vigorously argued and debated here are actually anything but. I think we need a little clarification.

First...I'm pretty sure that Nikon will be happy to repair any of their cameras for which they continue to have a supply of parts if that camera is returned to their headquarters in Japan. I'm sure that this is true regardless of where that camera was originally sold (or intended to be sold).

Second...NikonUSA, which is a company organized and licensed as a US company, has an agreement with Nikon in Japan to be the sole importer, distributor, and provider of support for all Nikon cameras brought into the United States and sold at retail in the United States. While this is not the only model for importing and selling products, it is a very common one. As far as I know, Canon and other camera companies follow exactly the same model and have done so for a long number of years.

Third...entities who wish ​to sell Nikon cameras at retail apply for the privilege to do so. If accepted, they enter into a legal agreement with NikonUSA, promising to abide by the rules of that agreement. This is also a common practice for all sorts of products.

Fourth...in the case of NikonUSA, one of these rules specifies the minimum resale price for which cameras and certain other products can be sold. The prices are not fixed...only the minimum price is specified.

Finally...NikonUSA has the authority to determine how warranty service and other repairs will be handled. This includes what they will service and to whom they will sell parts. They cannot tell anyone that they can't repair the cameras and lenses, but it is fully within their rights to decide to whom they will sell parts. They used to sell some parts directly to customers. Now they sell essentially none this way. They used to have a network of "Authorized Service Stations" who received training and could buy parts. Now they have only two.

As can be read elsewhere, NikonUSA receives no money from the sale of any camera sold from another market area, so there is no incentive for them to provide free repairs on such a camera. The tough stance on gray market products is intended to battle continued flagrant violation of the distribution agreement by making such products unattractive to customers.

Anyone is free to buy any camera he wants at the price he wants to pay. I vigorously defend that choice. But I also vigorously defend the right of any company to protect its market area and not to be required to assume liabilities for which it is not responsible.

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

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Sounds like a speech John D. Rockefeller might have made in the 19th century as to the competition and restraint of trade to build a near monopoly in oil? Certainly a person can therefore decide if they want to pay inflated Nikon prices or buy third market or competing lenses and cameras. And---it should be thoroughly investigated as to restraint of trade by the FTC as I said in an earlier post on this thread.---ew

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Sounds like you're a troll and you keep demonstrating your complete lack of knowledge about modern, and comon, business practice. If you don't like Nikon, simply son't buy any. If you remain in this forum, lets talk photography. 1200 posts about nothing in two months? Really!

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

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If you don't think telling about NIKON underhanded business practices is germane to photography---maybe you should quit trolling and go elsewhere? I happen to think that this form of photographic business practices should interest people--even those claiming "always Nikon--hail Nikon--forever." They sound like farmers arguing between International Harvester tractors vs John Deere. Purely childish--school yard. Is that you, also? So---my posts over these moths are about nothing. Then I might suggest you take some medicine for brain acuity. You need some with snarky remarks like that.---Have a good day and health to you?----ew

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

As usual, ranting ad nauseam about things you clearly don’t understand. Nikon didn’t “invent” the gray market. You can buy gray market cameras from any manufacturer and none of them will perform warranty repairs on those cameras. When you buy a new camera built for the USA market it’s sold through a US entity of that company. You’re paying for a US warranty from that entity. If someone buys a camera that wasn’t imported through that entity it’s not protected by the entity and it is not covered by a warranty. It’s not some kinda voodoo, just business.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

[quote=OldSchool-WI]

Where is restraint of trade. Nobody is keeping you from buying a Nikon on the gray market, but you can’t expect an entity like Nikon USA to support a product they didn’t import.

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

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Again, as usual or always---you prattle on without reading the thread just to make trouble--superflyTNT? We are not talking warranties in these repair questions in the original thread here. Certainly warranties have always been restricted to registered first purchasers or at least current cameras which have been sold as new with the registration cards unused. Is that understood. But monopoly selling only through the registered list price authorized dealer should be against the morals of any camera buyer. Cameras have always had an American import company channel. In the days of film that was no different. If you bought a German Exakta, for instance there was one NYCity importer. But you were not penalized or cut off from a warranty if you didn't buy yours from them, but bought from a dozen competitive stores competing in price in Popular Photography. Obviously that marketing model has changed in an attempt to create a monopoly of list prices. As someone commented---reviews no longer give STREET PRICES, as they did a few years back. "Call in the FTC!"----ew

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

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If the camera is sold with a warranty card that is current for that item and has not been registered--IT SHOULD CERTAINLY BE HONORED, regardless if purchase from the licensed importer or from "Joe Blow." If you disagree---that is your business. A current warranty card not yet registered should follow a new current in production model regardless of the hands the camera was sold through.

Obviously you and others disagree. If so--the terms must be stated in the warranty--that only POP from the registered importer will be honored. We are talking law as well as restraint of trade which is usually an issue of determination by FTC anyway. They have latitude like a star chamber or a grand jury. I once sat in on a FTC grilling of a little man selling a dictionary he called an encyclopedia. The little man looked like a street peddler from the "old country" and they had his little dictionary on the carpet. It had little black and white line depictions like 1920s automobiles. I never did know what they were about to charge him with. They rocked back and forth. elevated in their semi-circle of high backed leather rocking chairs, frightening the little man half to death. They should put a Nikon representative in the hot seat and grill him, but of course they won't only little people get grilled by big people.---ew

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

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P.S. Public Regulation of Business used to be an important course in the field of economics---particularly where I did graduate work at the University of Maryland. I would expect there are many thousand of pages devoted to public reg in the "Code of Federal Regulations for the FTC to dig up something on Nikon's restraining business model if they had a mind to do so. But I am not a lawyer. Again---government only picks on little folks they know they can beat easily---not the big players like in Silicon Valley.---------ew

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I've purchased lots of used Nikon gear through the years. On three occasions I received gray market. In each case I was able to return it because the seller represented it was not gray market. In one case the seller bought the lens from B&H who represented it was US product, and it wasn't until I had the lens in hand and checked the serial number with Nikon directly and discovered it was gray. I sent a copy of the email to the seller who issued an immediate refund and a return mailing label - and he was a private individual, not a retailer. So now, I not only ask if it is US product, but I also get the serial number in advance - and avoid needless back and forth.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Try and buy a Cadillac from a Chevy dealer. Manufacturers are completely within their right to set conditions for their retailers, their establishments and repair facilities. It it their choice to do what they need to do to maintain the prestige of the brand. It is up to the individual seller to set the price. The only thing Nikon does is set the msrp - Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price. The fact that Nikon limits sales to their most trusted retailers - is entirely their choice - which in essence is how they protect their brand. There is nothing standing in the way of entering a negotiation with a retailer and ending up with a better deal - if the retailer has a need to do so. But faulting Nikon for any of this is misplaced blame. Every manufacturer has a right to protect it's supply chain, its importers, its retailers and its customers and to do what is necessary to discourage gray market channels. Personally I don't agree with Nikon's heavy handed approach, but like many things in life -I've chosen to get over it an move on. I've been a Nikon user since 1967, and never regretted it.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

No it isn't authorized to repair Nikon, as of April 2020, when Nikon ended its support for its Authorized Repair network. The only places that are authorized are Nikon in Melville, NY and Signal Hill, CA. It was well-documented in advance of April 2020. Nikon no longer provides parts, tools, manuals, training or support for anyone trying to fix a camera/lens/accessory with their name on in.

So no, Southern Photo Repair may claim they are certified to repair Nikon, but they will have to do it with foreign-sourced parts and that is often the cause of a long turn around. You are being sold a bill of goods. But I am glad you got your camera repaired.

https://slrlounge.com/nikon-to-end-its-authorized-repair-program/
https://www.dpreview.com/news/5564430488/nikon-is-killing-off-its-authorized-repair-program-in-march-2020
https://gizmodo.com/nikon-just-made-it-a-lot-harder-to-get-your-camera-quic-1840324480

VTMatwood Loc: Displaced Vermonta in Central New Hampsha

I had a similar situation to the OP's and contacted KEH at Nikon's suggestion. According to the KEH rep that I spoke with, they can repair most Nikon DSLR issues with their existing inventory of parts. They have repair prices listed on their website as well (he said they do 90% plus of their repairs for the quoted estimates on their site but will advise you if it will be more before proceeding with the repair). I sent the camera off to them earlier this week after getting a similar story from Nikon and having my camera returned to me.

Incidentally, I complained to Nikon that they knew before I shipped them my camera what the serial number was and that it was a non-US serial number (you have to fill out a web form before you send the camera in), and should have told me it would not be serviced and saved me the shipping cost. They agreed to reimburse me for the shipping cost ($43 with insurance from USPS). I emailed them a scan of my receipt. Still waiting for the check after a week or so. Won't hold my breath.

Gspeed Loc: Rhinebeck, NY

I think it would be appropriate to back to Nikon and go up a couple layers in management until you find someone willing to take responsibility and stand behind the Nikon name. Their response is not acceptable.

Use all your negotiating skills. You have a case.

Don’t give up, keep going!

~ Eileen

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Nikon cameras are not made differently for different countries.

Look on eBay for a used D7200 that doesn't need repair. It looks like there are some good deals here, especially considering how much Nikon would charge to fix yours. See if you can get a shutter count before you buy.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=nikon+d7200&_sacat=0