You might want to re-consider buying from grey imports :(

[Nexus]

Raymond, spotted that you told him what nobody else has... That he is being a total douche and his email is ridiculous! It's hard to feel for the guy when he acts like such a child.

Plus I don't understand why he keeps going on about them not understanding him because its not their language! English is an official language of HK and given that DR have a heavy foreign selling stance, it would be ridiculous for them not to have English speakers! When they phoned me to run a security check, the member of staff spoke English perfectly and understood everything I said!

Conclusion is that perhaps this guy is actually a child.

 

[Amp34]

So why doesnt Canon come out clean and say it as it is ie sorry everyone but we cannot repair grey imports no matter the cost and situation.

simple.

but wait, if they do that, they may breach of there own terms and conditions and therefore get screwed over.

sounds like to me Canon is pulling a fast one as it makes a bit of sense to make up some BS saying the serial number is fake(come on we all know that is HIGHLY unlikely that the serial is fake) rather then telling people "sorry we do not accept repairs of all shape and form for u bargain hunters not bending over and coughing up double the price just to buy it in jessops"

They are unlikely to be breacking their own T&Cs because it really isn't their product. A camera bought from Hong Kong will be a Canon HK product, not a Canon UK product. Two different companies, much like going I to curries and trying to get a refund for something bought in the purple shirt world. The product was built by Canon inc then "sold" to their subsiduries. Its not just canon and Nikon, most companies work like that. It becomes a bit clearer when you start looking at companies like Tokina who have an independent importer to sell their lenses in the UK, same system though.

If you didn't know grey imports had issues with warranty at least you know now, its the risk you take and why most don't import stuff.

 

[Amp34]

Perhaps people should ask Canon to officially comment.
If Canon refuse to repair any products even outside of warranty, just because the origin of the products isn't within the UK or Europe then that is a pretty big deal.

Not really, Tokina take that same stance. Their official importer will not repair grey imports in the UK, even in the UK. On the other hand I just bypassed the importer and went straight to the company that is contracted to repair them and paid for it there. You can do the same with Canon equipment too, there are plenty of companies that repair canon kit, a lot of which are also used by canon as official repair outlets so no big deal if you're willing to pay for it.

 

[Amp34]

I think the guy who started the thread in POTN wanted to get it repaired under warranty.

DR said fine, ship it to us in HK but you will have to pay the £120 shipping excess as they only cover £40.
The guy said, no way ! I want it fixed here in the UK as advertised on your website.
DR said fine, send it to Canon UK and DR will fit the repair bill.

Now, this is where I don't understand.

Did he send it to Canon UK and ask for it to be repaired under Warranty, or did he send it to Canon UK and asked for it to be repaired? (although since the camera was released world wide under 12 months ago it is under warranty anyway and no need for an invoice, may be that's why Canon asked where he bought it from.)

Did he send in the invoice from DR?

I understand Canon's stance in trying to control the market of their product distributed but in this day and age, people travel a lot and there is nothing illegal or even unethetical about buying something aboard. My excuse could easily be that my main camera died after the airline lost it and I was on my way to a location shoot and needed one right then so I bought one whilst out there.

I really don't buy the whole fake serial thing. What reason is there for a retailer or person to replace a legit serial sticker with a fake one? A new camera with a serial number is unregistered. If you are going to replace the serial sticker, you replace one that is stolen from a user because it is registered. To fake a serial number on the body and the box but the camera is real? Makes no sense. It sounds like the serial is just not registering on their system.

Then again, the moral of the story is that to buy it on credit card.

I presume yuou would also go through the "something to declare" isle in the airport on your return to the UK to pay the tax on your purchase? Otherwise it is illegal...

 

[Raymond Lin]

I presume yuou would also go through the "something to declare" isle in the airport on your return to the UK to pay the tax on your purchase? Otherwise it is illegal...

I've never bought any camera bodies or lenses outside the UK.

 

[Tachyon]

Taking DR's stance out of this, it seems canon's refusal to repair is due to mismatch in serial on body to EXIF data.

I am sure if it matches they wouldn't care and would fix anything as long as you pay. And to repair under warranty then UK invoice required.

Which brings us back to square one. What it was before this all started.

Having an import myself I'm hoping that's the case. Was always under the impression that any work done to imports would need to be paid for and that that was a risk taken into consideration when purchasing the import. Be interesting to see how it pans out. Can't understand the mismatch of serial numbers though unless it was some refurb sold as new, I'm not really sure.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Raymond, spotted that you told him what nobody else has... That he is being a total douche and his email is ridiculous! It's hard to feel for the guy when he acts like such a child.

Plus I don't understand why he keeps going on about them not understanding him because its not their language! English is an official language of HK and given that DR have a heavy foreign selling stance, it would be ridiculous for them not to have English speakers! When they phoned me to run a security check, the member of staff spoke English perfectly and understood everything I said!

Conclusion is that perhaps this guy is actually a child.

He has since calmed down now it seems.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Well, I'd thought I check since that thread on both my bodies.

One from Kerso - US sourced, one from Digital Rev - HK sourced.

Both matched.

He really just got unlucky, likely a refurb that got into the supply chain, like a replacement outer shell.

 

[Amp34]

I've never bought any camera bodies or lenses outside the UK.

It was a devils advocate question. Most people wouldn't do that but you're technically breaking the law if you don't..

 

[Rojin]

I do wonder how long this importing malarkey will carry on. Essentially you are avoiding import tax and VAT which surely isn't legal. If your package gets stopped you have to pay these fees (and get re-imbursed if the seller offers that), so I wonder how they get the majority of orders through? Everyone likes a bargain but with the authorised repair status for newer bodies only being Canon, you will have to send back to HK or pay for Canon to repair (unless your serials don't match!). I'd only buy something that I knew I could get repaired at Fixation etc.

Canon must be looking into the grey market situation, although ultimately I imagine it doesn't effect their profit margin. It just means a HK area sale rather than UK, and as a bonus they don't have to honour the warranty! HMRC however I'm sure will be interested in the practice as these companies (especially the UK based importers like *******) surely can't be paying all they should into UK plc?

 

[Rojin]

It was a devils advocate question. Most people wouldn't do that but you're technically breaking the law if you don't..

Nothing technically about it, you are! There is a £ limit though isn't there where you able to bring back stuff you bought?

 

[Amp34]

Ooooohhh Yes....

You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 without having to pay tax and/or duty.
If you arrive by private plane or private boat for pleasure purposes, you can only bring in other goods worth up to £270 tax and duty free.
If you bring in any single item worth more than your allowance, you must pay duty and/or tax on the full item value, not just the value above the allowance. You also cannot group individual allowances together to bring in an item worth more than the limit.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingnoneu.htm

So in reality no matter how you do it someone (you or the shop selling it to you) is breaking the law.

You dirty tax evaders. I don't want to hear you say anything about companies like Amazon, Boots etc who do the same!

 

[Raymond Lin]

I think its not a single item either, HMRC will add up all your purchases. So even if the lens is under £390, if you bought a flash with it and the total is over £390, then you will be taxed.

Otherwise you can ship in a thousand new Canon Flashes and make a small fortune.