kintekobo wrote:
I thought that this imported/grey import versus official channel warranty issue had been addressed. I am pretty sure that it has here in the UK. unless I am mistaken I am pretty sure that the manufacter must honour the warranty no matter where you buy the product.
"Grey market" refers to products imported directly into the US, rather than through the manufacturer's authorized agents / distributors. It is perfectly legal to directly import & sell these products in the US; the term "grey market" was coined by manufacturer's authorized distributors who wanted to discourage consumers from buying these (less costly) goods.
With no factory authorized middle-man involved in the import of these products, costs are lower, so the price is lower to our customers. Many items which are in short supply or not imported at all by the manufacturer's authorized distributors are available in direct import.
Any Adorama products which are being sold as such will be clearly marked, and you are more than welcome to contact me directly should you have any concerns regarding a specific listing.
There is no difference in the actual products. Occasionally manufacturers will name them differently for example the Olympus USA Digital Stylus Cameras are called Olympus MJU Cameras in Europe.
On direct import products purchased from Adorama, we offer the same warranty as the USA warranted products carry for a period of one year. The only difference is that you would need to ship it to Adorama for warranty service.
For, I think, about the past 10 years, the policy of Canon USA has been to honor their warranty for any unit sold though an authorized Canon reseller, whether it has been imported by an authorized agent or is direct import.
All the customer requires is original receipt to verify the reseller and the date of sale apparently you don't need the warranty card - and even if you do have the warranty card, you will still have to provide the receipt.
Some consumers believe that the only practical reason to buy a USA warranted lens is if you think you may require warranty service outside the USA.
Equipment classified as USA, purchased from an authorized dealer in the United States, will be eligible for Canon warranty service (almost) anywhere in the world. "USA" equipment is specifically categorized for distribution and sale in the United States through the network of Canon dealers.
They will service any Canon item with a fee if it is otherwise not under warranty, but Nikon USA will not service a direct import item at all, whether the customer is willing to pay or not.
(BTW, I understand that this company is a Nikon authorized repair center, and WILL service all Nikon units, including direct import:
http://www.nikoncamerarepair.com/)