Anyone used Panamoz to buy camera gear?

Eighth Avenue

Eighth Avenue

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Iain
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Hi guys,

about to buy a 5D Mkiii form Panamoz and noticed you get £100 if you pay via BACS. They have sent me through an invoice with the details needed to make the payment but it is to a personal account, rather than a business account. Just wondering:

1. Has anyone done this before?
2. If it is being made to a UK account can I claim it on my expanses through the business? I got told if I bought it from abroad I couldn't as they don't pay tax but surely he would (or should) if they have a UK account?

Thanks

Iain
 
Eighth Avenue said:
1. Has anyone done this before?
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Yes, I got my 70-200 f/2.8 IS II from there.

Eighth Avenue said:
2. If it is being made to a UK account can I claim it on my expanses through the business? I got told if I bought it from abroad I couldn't as they don't pay tax but surely he would (or should) if they have a UK account?
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Difficult one. They state that "all import taxes and duties are covered by us. We are responsible for all additional tax charges". However, having a UK account means very little and you do not end up getting a VAT receipt from them so you can deduce what you will from that.
 
I bought a 5Diii from Panamoz and have had more than one purchase form them - paid by BT every time. No problems and delivery was always within the week.

As far as a business expense is concerned, if the camera purchase is 'wholly and exclusively for business use' then there is no problem whatsoever claiming it as such. However, there is no VAT element on these purchases (unless you get a doorstep bill from UPS/DHL) so you will not be able to claim back VAT which hasn't been paid. So, tax deductable = YES, but VAT reclaimable = NO (unless you get a separate bill from the courier).
 
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Iain

We have used Panamoz numerous times in the past, and always paid by BT. We have never had a problem but do a search on here and you will find lots of positive posts as well.

With regards to the business expense, whether or not you have bought it from a UK supplier or overseas supplier is irrelevant. If it is a business expense you are eligible to deduct it from your revenue, when calculating your profits (or capitalise it and claim capital allowances or AIA's).
 
You can take the (helpful) knowledgable posts here for free and enjoy your camera......

or, you can spend your savings on an accountant who will tell you what we have already.;)

Have fun.(y)
 
i purchased a 50-500mm sigma from them a couple of weeks ago.... customer service was appalling- it took 8 days to arrive when i'd paid extra to get it to me within 3 days... only good thing was they refunded my 'quick shipping fee'...

had they been more customer orientated i may well have purchased the 11-16mm sigma lens from them to, but after my experience i ended up buying it from hdews instead, and i cant recommend them highly enough!!!

panomoz had lots of reviews, sadly not all good, that i sifted through, and after several more reassuring ones, that persuaded me to buy from panamoz, but it was a worrying 8 days of being 900 quid out of pocket, recieving pathetic emails from them- when all i wanted was the lens i urgently wanted..
 
I'm not aware of a Panamoz 'quick shipping' 3-day system. Are you sure you are talking about the same company? :thinking:

Delivery for my 5Diii took about a week but it all depends upon when you order due to time differences and weekends.

Iain - fear not - I'm a typically cynical Scot but it all worked perfectly well for me over several purchases.;)
 
I have purchased 2 lenses from them costing £1,750, no worries whatsoever, I'll be using Panamoz again in the future, great service and prices.
 
I have posted my views on grey imports previously. Having been in the factories I know that second rate components and cosmetic fails are used for domestic market, which then become the grey imports for us. I would buy a good used official stock item before buying grey.
Also, when it comes to China, second rate components and cosmetic fails are the least of your problems, copies are rife and commonplace.
I understand many people are happy with there purchases, just trying to highlight some risks from what I have seen firsthand.
 
testbloke said:
Having been in the factories I know that second rate components and cosmetic fails are used for domestic market, which then become the grey imports for us.
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Have you specifically been in the Canon factory and witnessed this as I find it very hard to believe that they (or Nikon/Sony etc) would use different (inferior) components for different markets.

For clarity, I'll ask that question again and you may perhaps give a one word answer.

Have you specifically been in the Canon factory and witnessed this?
 
So to be totally fair to two of the worlds top camera manufacturers, you cannot suggest that the domestic (Japanese) equipment offered by Canon or Nikon is any different to what we see on our shelves here. In truth, given the Japanese ethics and business models, I'd be extremely surprised to find them fobbing the locals off with anything other than 100% kit.:shake:
 
I am merely giving a different side to things. You are being extremely naive with regards Japanese ethics and domestic market. Look at the imported cars, Miata being one of the most prominent. Compare a Miata to a UK supplied MX5 and you see thinner windscreen that is nit laminated (****in lethal) and an undercarraige with almost no corrosion inhibitors.
Why, because local market don't seem to care that a laminated windscreen us safe and there is no law to enforce it, hence that can save money. But, they pay little more than half what we do for the same car.
Now, back to canikon. Given the appoling exchange rate, it costs me almost exactly the same to purchase kit in Japan as it does in the UK, then I still have to import it and risk paying duties etc. I know because I check frequently, the yodabashi camerashop in the akihabara is the THE place to get the best deal in Japan. Google it and you see little price variance.
Therefore, how can a company legitimately import these and still save you 20% plus on UK retail price ?
B grade stock or worse still Chinese copies ?
Fwiw, copies of all the big names are rife in China and copyright is pretty much non-existent. Do you want the Sony tv at £1000 or the "Sony" tv for £650 ? Been there, seen it. Anyway, putting the soap box away, its up to you
 
Well I bought a D7000 and paid by BACS, was over £700 including the other bits and bobs I bought. Had no issues at all and there is no reason to think its anything other than pucker Nikon gear.

I was slightly nervous about the BACS but given the positive reviews on here at the time I considered it to be a risk worth taking.
 
testbloke said:
how can a company legitimately import these and still save you 20% plus on UK retail price ?
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Because you are not paying UK VAT (20%) which is a simple tax on top of the wholesale price.

My 5Diii cost the same from Panamoz as I could buy it (excluding VAT) in the UK. Panamoz et al are simply a VAT dodge, exploiting a window in the UK's enforcement system, for non-VAT-registered individuals who typically can't avoid the sales tax.

As someone who has been VAT registered for over fifteen years, and who imports and exports electronics for business, I can assure you that I have a very good grasp of what these things cost.

Many of Canons warranties are worldwide and their L-Lenses in particular are world class. Please don't suggest that my 500mmF4II is different to the same product from a specific domestic market elsewhere on the globe.

Cameras are not cars - whose manufacture and specification are far more subject to geographic / market specific idiosyncracies and regulations. For example, USA cars had air-bags long before we did.
 
Guys - in your experience how long to Panamoz take to respond to quote-requests and questions submitted through their website?

I requested a quote for a 5D3 yesterday around 4pm - am I likely to get a response today so I can purchase it?

Also does anyone know what courier they use?
 
4pm here was the middle of the night there! You will probably see a response from Tina by about 2pm today.(y)

Couriers used are typically UPS or DHL in my experience.
 
Bang on almost. I got my invoice through at 1pm! Paid it instantly... hoping for it to turn up by Tuesday. Ill post back with my experience.
 
cokebottles said:
Bang on almost. I got my invoice through at 1pm! Paid it instantly... hoping for it to turn up by Tuesday. Ill post back with my experience.
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I'd expect a Monday delivery if you paid today.
 
domino1999 said:
I'd expect a Monday delivery if you paid today.
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No point in building up your hopes.:LOL: Monday would be great I'm sure but Tuesday (or even Wednesday) would probably be perfectly acceptable all the same. To be fair, if it's in-stock and despatched today, these parcels can move a long way over the weekend.

You should get a parcel tracking e-mail from them which will show the product at their depot, then the airport, then possibly Dubai and Hamburg (IIRC). Once it's in Germany it's usually at your local depot the next day.(y)
 
Thanks guys!

Still waiting for my payment confirmation! As long as it comes by some point in the first half of next week that's fine for me!
 
Another great purchase from panamoz canon 70-200 IS II arrived today. This company is too good, fast delivery and great prices £1303!!!!! 1 year Replacement warranty.
 
I just ordered a Nikon D600 and Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G lens and a 16GB card for £1550 delivered. They included the one-year replacement warranty for free on the body (already included on the lens).

They said it should be delivered by Thursady. Fingers crossed!
 
Hello all - first post on this forum - in fact I registered because of this thread. I stumbled upon this discussion having found what I think is a great price for a 5D Mk III. I too have been trying to find out more about Panamoz before I commit a good chunk of cash, potentially via bank xfer. I don't want to get burnt, so to speak (or anyone else for that matter).

What do people make of this: http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/ltd/panamoz

I assume this is the same outfit?
 
Looks like somebody registered the company name but did nothing with it, companies house will have had them struck off the register as a dead company. Might be the same folk who changed their minds about the venture or it might be someone completely different. There's probably dozens if not hundreds of similar £1 companies started and ended every year.
 
cokebottles said:
Thanks guys!

Still waiting for my payment confirmation! As long as it comes by some point in the first half of next week that's fine for me!
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Very impressed with Panamoz and their handling of my first order!

  • Ordered and did the BACS transfer on Thursday
  • Payment confirmed, and item shipped on Friday
  • Camera arrived from Hong Kong (via Dubai and Germany) on Monday!

The plug was an UK 3pin type, with an English manual. I got a feeling this camera may have been sourced from the Thai market.

Very very happy!
 
cokebottles said:
Very impressed with Panamoz and their handling of my first order!

  • Ordered and did the BACS transfer on Thursday
  • Payment confirmed, and item shipped on Friday
  • Camera arrived from Hong Kong (via Dubai and Germany) on Monday!

The plug was an UK 3pin type, with an English manual. I got a feeling this camera may have been sourced from the Thai market.

Very very happy!
Click to expand...

Told you it would be Monday :D
 
I've used Panamoz about half a dozen times for various items so far and the fastest delivery has been less than 3 full days. I ordered a Canon 70-200 f2.8 MkII on a monday at around 3Pm and it arrived at 9.30Am on the thursday and it was a fantastic buy.

The real test has just started though, I bought a Sigma 150-500 OS on january 1st this year and it's recently started making a 'hollow' sound when zooming out and it's gone really soft. I've sent it back to them and I'm just waiting to find out what the problem is. They said if it's faulty they will supply me a new one. Hope it's not going to take too long, if their service for warranty is as good as their sales it shouldn't take long.
 
Hope all goes well with your repair/replacement - I'd be very interested to hear how you get on.
 
SpikeK6 said:
Woohoo got my lens today and tried it on the camera, it is so sharp its unreal well impressed with it.

Right on the VAT front it does not have "import VAT pre paid or any other wording about VAT.

What it does have is a description of the contents and these are stated as "Sample toy accessories - No Ba" so unless they pay VAT on sample toy accessories then they do not pay VAT on a £1300 lens.

So although they say they pay all import duties they do not pay for what is in the box.
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I posted this in one of my threads, it seems to explain how they can not charge VAT or other taxes.

Here is the lable that was on the box


label1 by SpikeK6, on Flickr

spike
 
I emailed panamoz yesterday afternoon and still had no reply :-( how long does it take them to get back to you?
 
jamesLglass said:
I emailed panamoz yesterday afternoon and still had no reply :-( how long does it take them to get back to you?
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You'll probably get a reply around 1pm today...that seems the norm.
 
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