How to find out if a product is a grey import from online sellers

Crabbegom

Crabbegom

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mike crabbe
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Trying to ask amazon if a product there selling ,which is considerably cheaper than any one else is a grey import
And all I can get is , I don,t know!
 
If something is considerably cheaper and is the only one of a few that is cheaper then I would take a guess that it would be a grey import.
 
Do you mean Amazon, or a third party seller on Amazon?

Generally speaking if something is roughly 20% cheaper than the majority (check: http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk), it's probably an import.
 
Amazon is normally UK (if not you can return it. it will be obvious when you get it by warranty card). Other sellers have a high risk of being grey, even if the price isn't reflecting the case.

As Chris has said, look at Camerabuster for best prices.

You could consider grey though if you buy a warrenty but beware, must insurance agents insist on VAT registered UK sellers.
 
Leading on from your question, beware of grey imports...or at least make sure you have proof VAT was paid upon importation into the UK.

I recently tried to trade-in my Canon 70-200 2.8 IS L-Series 1 lens for a Series 2 version with MPB. Because I didn't have any documentation proving VAT was paid upon import (I bought the lens for cash off a Gumtree seller), MPB wouldn't deal with me.
 
ST-PHILIP said:
Leading on from your question, beware of grey imports...or at least make sure you have proof VAT was paid upon importation into the UK.

I recently tried to trade-in my Canon 70-200 2.8 IS L-Series 1 lens for a Series 2 version with MPB. Because I didn't have any documentation proving VAT was paid upon import (I bought the lens for cash off a Gumtree seller), MPB wouldn't deal with me.
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Is this a case of proof that vat has been paid or proof of ownership
"I bought it off gum tree for cash " is a bit like saying I bought it off a man in a pub
 
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If it's canon then....

1)* If it's a lens then it doesn't matter if grey import.. canon UK will honour the warranty
2)* If it's a body then canon will honur the warranty if you ahve a UK reciept from a UK seller (business)

The only problem you have is if it's a imported body and you didn't source it froma UK business then canon would not homnor the warranty .... thats the official line..in reality they mostly do according to TP members

PS UK or grey.. there the same product...at the end of the day none of this stuff is made in the UK so it's all grey :)

1)* and 2)* I asked canon and thats what they say
 
Don't really see what MPB, is moaning about. If I bought a lens while in America and bought it back with me and paid the USA sales tax, Why get taxed yet again with UK VAT. How many people actually keep purchase receipts of equipment maybe bought many years ago anyway?
 
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realspeed said:
Don't really see what MPB, is moaning about. If I bought a lens while in America and bought it back with me and paid the USA sales tax, Why get taxed yet again with UK VAT. How many people actually keep purchase receipts of equipment maybe bought many years ago anyway?
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zoll.jpg
 
realspeed said:
Don't really see what MPB, is moaning about. If I bought a lens while in America and bought it back with me and paid the USA sales tax, Why get taxed yet again with UK VAT. How many people actually keep purchase receipts of equipment maybe bought many years ago anyway?
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Imagine you've just bought a big, expensive white lens from MPB. You take it on holiday. On the way back, UK Customs ask you to cough up VAT because it has never been paid on it. Would you be pleased with MPB?
 
Llamaman said:
Imagine you've just bought a big, expensive white lens from MPB. You take it on holiday. On the way back, UK Customs ask you to cough up VAT because it has never been paid on it. Would you be pleased with MPB?
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Are you sure that is even a possibility of ever happening?
 
realspeed said:
Don't really see what MPB, is moaning about. If I bought a lens while in America and bought it back with me and paid the USA sales tax, Why get taxed yet again with UK VAT. How many people actually keep purchase receipts of equipment maybe bought many years ago anyway?
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Presumably if said lens cost more than £270, you declared it on the way back into the UK and paid the appropriate duty/tax anyway, so nothing to worry about, and if you still had the receipt from HMRC I'm sure MPB will accept that.
 
I bought my lens from a legitimate seller on Gumtree, which is similar to eBay. The guy bought it for wedding photography, but his partner had just had a baby, so needed the cash. He showed me some wedding photographs he had taken, so was genuine enough. I didn't think to ask for proof of VAT payment, as it never crossed my mind it could be an import.

Rebel t3i, perhaps you didn't intend your post to infer it, but it seems to me you are suggesting I deal in 'dodgy' or stolen goods, something I take exception to....there is nothing incorrect about buying goods for cash. If that was not your intent, then I apologise.
 
ST-PHILIP said:
I bought my lens from a legitimate seller on Gumtree, which is similar to eBay. The guy bought it for wedding photography, but his partner had just had a baby, so needed the cash. He showed me some wedding photographs he had taken, so was genuine enough. I didn't think to ask for proof of VAT payment, as it never crossed my mind it could be an import.

Rebel t3i, perhaps you didn't intend your post to infer it, but it seems to me you are suggesting I deal in 'dodgy' or stolen goods, something I take exception to....there is nothing incorrect about buying goods for cash. If that was not your intent, then I apologise.
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Not what I mean at all
my posts are merely to show that MBP imo need proof of ownership rather than proof that VAT has been paid
 
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