Canon 20d

[webbrage]

I been trying to buy a 20D, It seems every camera shop I call, it ends up being a grey market camera their selling, not only that, the sell people on the phone have been so rude...... I dont get it, you think they want to make a sell........... :confused:

[mark589]

Try a site like http://www.resellerratings.com/.
You can see other people's experience with any particular seller, etc.

The nice thing about the Internet is that reputation is not hard to look up.

Most of the photo discussion boards relate decent experience with B&H Photo / Video in New York City. Their site clearly calls out which products are "grey market" and they have a decent reputation for doing what they say.

You won't get the same price breaks, but don't overlook your local camera shop if there is a decent one in your area. For an expensive, complex item some people find great value in being able to deal with a human across the counter - and have somewhere to come back to if something isn't right. Of course each is different, so it depends on how well run the business is -- just like the guys on the 'net.

One final thing - there are ads out there claiming to sell the 20D for well under $1000. Those are the ones to run, do not walk, away from.

[J.R.Criton]

what's a gray market camera?

[mark589]

what's a gray market camera?

The "gray market" refers to equipment which was purchased and imported outside of the manufacturer's distribution system.

For example, the retailer has contacts in the wholesale distribution system in Japan, buys cameras there, imports them into the U.S. vs. buying them from an official U.S. distributor.

Frequently the equipment is slightly cheaper.

It is USUALLY the same hardware, only the packaging, etc are probably in Japanese, though the manuals are available on line.

The parent company may, or may not, honor the U.S. warranty terms. It's up to them. The word on the street is that Canon does honor warranties as long as you have a purchase receipt, but it's a buyer beware situation. REPUTABLE retailers will warranty the equipment themselves if the original manufacturer does not.

The practice is not illegal, it is simply operating outside the manufacturer's intended distribution network and taking advantage of some price differentials.

The orignal poster, however, was likely encountering some of the MANY less-than-honest retailers out there. It is common for them to:
- Break up kits, price the camera at a ridiculously low price, then tell you you also have to buy things that come with it like the batteries and charger.
- Work to spend your time putting together a package, then "discover" that the model you ordered isn't in stock, and tell you the "U.S. version" is available, for more of course.
- Tell you that the "gray market" camera you want is somehow inferior to the more expensive "U.S. version - imply, for example, that it is manufacturered to inferior specifications.
- Work to upsell you on things you did not want - a fine line here between high-pressure upselling and simply offering something they believe you may want in the spirit of true customer service.
- Demand payment by wiring funds, then ship you something totally different from what you ordered.

NONE of this has anything to do with "gray market" - I mentioned them because the two issues frequently get intertwined.

I would point out that a lot of reputable stores sell "gray market" electronics gear, stand behind what they sell, and serve their customers very well. By itself, that isn't the issue. Rather it is disclosure, so the customer knows what he is getting.