would you use SLR Hut

Its free P&P but all the prices shown exc VAT thats still to be added at checkout, may still be bargains i dont know :)
 
macfoot said:
Hi just checking has any one on here used this site to buy any think before based in london as i am looking into getting one of theses lens
Sigma Telephoto zoom lens free p&p link to site below

http://slrhut.co.uk/product/ID30C10/google
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Mmmmmmm £132 to be added at the checkout tyotalling £850 - I'd go with onestop-digital.com for it - OSD linky...... Many have used them & I have as well on many occassions (but they are "grey market") but trustworthy (y)
 
No probs... If you google slrhut then its a question that many have asked like you have... TBH I wouldn't use them - if in doubt then leave them out....
 
Why would people not use them?. Have they got a bad rep?.
I noticed a few weeks ago the 550D was cheapest on the Google shopping feature. Even with the VAT & P&P added on.
 
Cheers. "When its to good to be true" come to mind.
 
BenUK said:
Why would people not use them?. Have they got a bad rep?.
I noticed a few weeks ago the 550D was cheapest on the Google shopping feature. Even with the VAT & P&P added on.
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Did the google shopping show what OSD can do iy for :shrug:
 
Have a look here http://panamoz.com/index.php/lens/s...m-for-canon-digital-and-film-slr-cameras.html if you want the Sigma. I bought one about a month ago and it was delivered in 3 days, with a tracking number to check on, at the price you see plus £10 P&P. Great service and I will buy from them in the future. It may be a grey import, but if you have a problem, return it to Panamoz and they will sort the warranty.

I started a thread on SLR Hut and had a mate check on their address. It turned out to be a mailbox service centre, so that put me right off for a start.
 
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I dodged a bullet today trying to buy an Olympus E-PL3 from these guys.

Registered to an american from a Post-Box in London. Wonder how many times a year he checks THAT postbox?
 
I brought a camera from these guys a week ago. It was all very smooth - and I am delighted with the goods. They took a little longer to come than I had expected, but comms via email/phone were excellent. Their website talks about a 'presence in the UK' and this is indeed a mailbox type venue (you can see the front if the premises in google street level maps). On enquiry, the purpose of this is (in part) that should a UK customer need to get something done under guarantee, s/he would ship to the London address and SLRHUT take things from there. Now - I hope that there is no need for me to use this service, but I am glad to know what the procedure is all the same...

My only recommendation with anything like this is to buy on a credit card rather than a debit one, as there are better safeguards with credit cards. Hope this helps......
 
Thank You luckychip for your post and being a valued customer. It seems alot of people are hesitant when buying high end electronics from an overseas dealer, especially when the prices are extremely low (i feel the same way). I have seen numerous posts stating if its too good to be true......

I would like to ans. some FAQ's that come up in every forum about slrhut.

1. Is SLRHut a UK based company?
No

2. Do customers have to pay duty upon arrival of my merchandise?
No, Duty is calculated when a product is added to your shopping cart

3. Can customers pick up a product at the Kennington Lane address?
No, Kennington Lane serves as a local returns center, if a return is necessary there is no need to ship the product back to the United States.

4. Is SLRHut reliable?
Yes we are, most London customers receive their package with the first 3-5 business days from when the order is charged, however our free shipping guarantee states that the package will be in your possession within 7-10 business days.

5. Why are SLRHut prices so low?
Each country has their own regulation when it comes to tariffs on goods imported into the country before being sold to the end user. Depending on the country you reside in some shoppers might be facing extremely inflated base prices on products. Unfortunately the UK seems to be quite an expensive market to shop in, what we do is dispatch the same goods from the United States at a price UK merchants cannot beat .Now you may find prices similar to ours on products shipped out of Japan. The reason being nearly every product is manufactured in that part of the world and the products have yet to be exported which only increases the end users base price. Nearly all goods for sale in the UK originate from Japan either way. Cut out the middle man and pay less for the same product.

6.Does my camera have a uk warranty?
Yes, everything SLRHut offers for sale comes w/ a 1 year Worldwide Warranty


Still have any questions?
Why not give us a call we are real people and will answer any query's you may have.

Thank You,
SlrHut
 
slrhut said:
2. Do customers have to pay duty upon arrival of my merchandise?
No, Duty is calculated when a product is added to your shopping cart


Still have any questions?
Why not give us a call we are real people and will answer any query's you may have.
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I have one simple question, but instead of calling you, I think it would be more helpful to everyone if it were answered here.

What is your VAT number?
 
and also who supplies the warranty is it you or the manufacturer ?

and most importantly have you had admin approval to advertise as a trader on TP ? :cautious:
 
StewartR said:
I have one simple question, but instead of calling you, I think it would be more helpful to everyone if it were answered here.

What is your VAT number?
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Just thinking out loud...

Is there some kind of VAT loophole here, whereby products imported via a certain route are not liable for VAT and can be sold entirely legally without VAT being paid? That would explain the price advantage.

If VAT hasn't been paid, it therefore follows that professionals cannot reclaim VAT as they normally would for equipment purchases. I believe this is indeed the case with some suppliers :thinking:
 
Have you seen the "reviews" on trustpilot? The majority are the only reviews the author has ever posted and almost without fail all use words like "fantastic", "excellent", "exceptional" etc. Many also look as if they have been written by the same person, and quite a few having glaring errors.....

The price, even with 20% duty, is 500 GBP below the UK stores -Steve Clarke New Alresford, US
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Why would someone in the UK write "500 GBP" and not £500?

The whole thing is smellier than a smelly thing that's been dead for 2 weeks....
 
HoppyUK said:
Just thinking out loud...

Is there some kind of VAT loophole here, whereby products imported via a certain route are not liable for VAT and can be sold entirely legally without VAT being paid? That would explain the price advantage.
Click to expand...

Well, if there is, then I'm sure Mr SLR Hut will be along shortly to confirm it.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Have you seen the "reviews" on trustpilot?
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To be fair to SLR Hut, I think you may be jumping to an unwarranted conclusion. Check out the LensesForHire reviews on TrustPilot for example - you'll find they're just as good (better even) but I know that every single one of them is genuine.

I don't have a problem with the notion that SLR Hut provide excellent customer service. Good for them if they do. It's the pricing policy that's the issue for me.
 
StewartR said:
Well, if there is, then I'm sure Mr SLR Hut will be along shortly to confirm it.
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Do you have a view on this Stewart?

Edit: PM if you prefer! ;)
 
StewartR said:
To be fair to SLR Hut, I think you may be jumping to an unwarranted conclusion. Check out the LensesForHire reviews on TrustPilot for example - you'll find they're just as good (better even) but I know that every single one of them is genuine.

I don't have a problem with the notion that SLR Hut provide excellent customer service. Good for them if they do. It's the pricing policy that's the issue for me.
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Okay, let's say all the glowing reviews are genuine. Reproduced below are some quotes from a thread about SLRHut on dpreview...

My name is Henry the Director of Business Development for SlrHut.Wanted to say we are are a small company
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Henry again...

some people will rather pay more than deal with a new company which is fine I respect your opinion
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From a customer...

He explained that the person answering the calls was not normally
doing that job but was a technician, who was helping out as their
where only 30 staff in because the rest of the 600 staff where not in
due to partying after the baseball game between the Yankees and
Boston
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SLRHut’s roots date back 10 years when we began offering professional camera and camcorder equipment for sale locally in New York and quickly expanded online selling to the entire United States
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So, the "director" states that they are a new, small company, but their website states they have been in business for 10 years and their sales representative told a customer they have a staff of 600? Do WEX or Jessops need to employ 600 staff to handle their online sales? I doubt it.

One final thing, as they are based in America why don't they sell anything there? All the "reviews" come from UK buyers, everything is priced in sterling and Googling SLRHut.co.uk or SLRHut.com (which redirects to the .co.uk site) only brings up posts from UK-based individuals.

You'd think at least somebody in the US would have purchased something from them, or at least a few people (think Jessops, WEX or any other big retailer) would have had problems with them, but nope, almost 100% "Excellent" reviews, no problems, no complaints.

They're either the best online retailer on the planet, or......:whistle:
 
If this guy is selling genuine goods and most of his customers are happy why is everyone hating on him, I can't understand what everyones problem is. Fair enough if you had been had by him but it seems that people with no connection or experience with him are willing to shoot him down. To be honest I can't see a problem, if he can supply cheap products to us by using a loophole regarding vat then top man. Just my opinion.
 
joel222 said:
If this guy is selling genuine goods and most of his customers are happy why is everyone hating on him, I can't understand what everyones problem is. Fair enough if you had been had by him but it seems that people with no connection or experience with him are willing to shoot him down. To be honest I can't see a problem, if he can supply cheap products to us by using a loophole regarding vat then top man. Just my opinion.
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grey imports though , so the manafacturer won't offer a uk warranty and the good would have to be sent back to the states for repair (despite what he says above - the chances are that what happens in the buyer returns the goods to kennington lane and then he ships them back) - if any warranty is offered it will be from the trader

In that respect he's no different to paramoz, urglalaxy, digital rev etc - the only difference being that he's being more disingenous about it. (he also seems to be adding VAT to his prices without being able/willing to provide a uk vat number )

(i'm not 100% sure but its possible that these foreign based importers may also fall outside the distance selling regulations and sales of goods act , if so if a camera were to fail after his 12 month waranty period you wouldnt have the potential route of 'demonstrating it not fit for purpose' as you would with a UK based dealer )

Grey importing is a dubious business practice at best with many sellers evading Uk duty (although Mr hut claims above that his customers pay the duty - although its worth noting that this figure isnt included in the cheap prices quoted on the website), Personally I would rather pay slighlty more and support the UK economy (and have the security of a uk manufacturers warranty).
 
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joel222 said:
If this guy is selling genuine goods and most of his customers are happy why is everyone hating on him, I can't understand what everyones problem is. Fair enough if you had been had by him but it seems that people with no connection or experience with him are willing to shoot him down. To be honest I can't see a problem, if he can supply cheap products to us by using a loophole regarding vat then top man. Just my opinion.
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My question is whether these are genuine customers - there are lots and lots of them, you would think therefore that at least a few members here, or any of the other multitude of other fora where these questions have been raised, would be amongst this legion of rapturously happy people leaving them glowing feedback....
 
I used this lot recently and there was a whiff of rat as soon as the telephone calls from their ordering/sales department started coming in.

Firstly they went through all the things that were wrong on their website... You'll need a battery etc etc... A chap named Jack Greene called me several times telling how much more my invoice was going to be and would I like more super duper sd cards - I have plenty - what my surcharges were and 3-5 day rush delivery etc etc... and all the time telling me that he was personally readying my camera for dispatch.

Ten days later - No Parcel - I called to find that my camera was on special order... In other words they didn't have them in stock - despite the website claiming "Brand New and In Stock" - and I'd paid for a 3-5 day "Rush" service.

Now the fun... I attempted to cancel my order on no less that 12 occasions. Thrice by phone and many, many times by email... Purely so I had written confirmation... Not a single reply.

I called and eventually spoke to 'Alan' in Billing... I remained on the phone until he agreed to cancel the order - after assuring me that my camera was due in and would be with me within three days - I was really starting to lose my cool with this guy... "PLEASE CANCEL MY ORDER AND REFUND MY CARD... PLEASE"... I called him every day over the next 4 days [I had his direct number recorded on my phone.. so no answer machines or redirects] asking for both confirmation of cancellation and refund ... Four separate calls over four days and the email eventually arrived. Each time he would explain that the camera was on a palette in the dispatch dept. and I should receive it before the end of the week... Each time I called the sales desk and each time they confirmed they were "waiting for stock"... [The website still said Brand New and In Stock]

Never in my life have I dealt with a more unprofessional and untrustworthy outfit... I took the step of actually cancelling the card I'd used for the order as soon as the refund arrived in my account.

That's how much I distrust SLRhut.
 
you can get this lens off Amazon for £715 including delivery, Its worth paying the extra for the piece of mind
 
6.Does my camera have a uk warranty?
Yes, everything SLRHut offers for sale comes w/ a 1 year Worldwide Warranty
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That would be an SLRhut warranty and not a manufacturer warranty as there is no such thing as a manufacturer world wide body warranty.

The fact is SLRhut are yet another grey import company supplying grey goods without the back up of the manufacturers warranty in this country.

Such companies are literally killing of our UK high street camera shops, a resource that we have over the last few decades started to take for granted.
Hopefully the fall of a few of the big names such as Jacobs & Jessops will have started to wake up a few who are happy to go in, try items, check items over and then buy grey imports for the cheapest price.
What price can we put on having our local camera shop? the customer service, back up, help and advise they offer us? or are we going to chase the cheapest price and only start worrying once they are gone?

I'm probably in a worse financial position than most living solely on disablement benefits and only being able to purchase gear when I sell something I've owned since my working days, so for me making each penny count is important, but I would rather use what little I have in my local shop/with a uk based supplier and help keep them in business than buy grey.
 
I have made the decision when I need more equipment to buy from a British shop. Yes I may pay a bit more but at least there'll be no worries on returns and warranties and import duties.
What you may save in the short term by grey imports may cost you a lot more in the end.
If it seems too good to be true......
 
HoppyUK said:
Just thinking out loud...

Is there some kind of VAT loophole here, whereby products imported via a certain route are not liable for VAT and can be sold entirely legally without VAT being paid? That would explain the price advantage.
Click to expand...

StewartR said:
Well, if there is, then I'm sure Mr SLR Hut will be along shortly to confirm it.
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HoppyUK said:
Do you have a view on this Stewart?
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I'm 99.999% sure that there is no such loophole. Unfortunately Mr SLR Hut hasn't shown up again to enlighten us.

Personally, I get really hacked off by parasites who sell stuff without registering for VAT. It's illegal and it just undermines the efforts of honest businesses who try to comply with the law. Unfortunately if SLR Hut are doing this - and I think they are, but I'll happily eat my words and apologise royally if Mr SLR Hut proves otherwise - then they aren't the only ones by any means. There are even some well-known retailers who advertise on your favourite photography forum whose pricing policy might not stand up to proper scrutiny, but I'll probably get myself in trouble again for saying that.
 
Ordered a Canon SLR costing near enough £700 on the 9th April.
Later read some reviews about how people shouldn't order from them etc etc, however, I paid using my credit card as I usually do for high value items, and knew that is there were to be any complication I would have back up from my bank.

However, I had no means to worry.
DHL emailed me giving me hour to hour automatic feedback about where my item was, and on the 15th April I recieved my camera, including my free starter kit, in full working order.

It goes to show, if you read everything on reviews saying negative things, especially from people who havn't actually purchased from the company themselves, then your'e silly.
They sent me a UK adapter plug for the charger also.

Furthermore, I have also managed to register the product on the Canon European Warranty website, with no issues. So I am covered for Canon Europe 12 month warranty.

I don't know what it is like for other items, but I know the Canon products register fine.

I would say, if your'e not too worried if the 12 month warranty could potentially be invalid for the items you buy, then don't buy the really expensive items, just to be sure.

Give them a go, there's nothing wrong with what I ordered and I would buy from them again.
 
EOS Fan said:
Ordered a Canon SLR costing near enough £700 on the 9th April.
Later read some reviews about how people shouldn't order from them etc etc, however, I paid using my credit card as I usually do for high value items, and knew that is there were to be any complication I would have back up from my bank.

However, I had no means to worry.
DHL emailed me giving me hour to hour automatic feedback about where my item was, and on the 15th April I recieved my camera, including my free starter kit, in full working order.

It goes to show, if you read everything on reviews saying negative things, especially from people who havn't actually purchased from the company themselves, then your'e silly.
They sent me a UK adapter plug for the charger also.

Furthermore, I have also managed to register the product on the Canon European Warranty website, with no issues. So I am covered for Canon Europe 12 month warranty.

I don't know what it is like for other items, but I know the Canon products register fine.

I would say, if your'e not too worried if the 12 month warranty could potentially be invalid for the items you buy, then don't buy the really expensive items, just to be sure.

Give them a go, there's nothing wrong with what I ordered and I would buy from them again.
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Wow, what 'convenient' feedback Zoe. Well done. :bang:
 
DaveKing said:
Wow, what 'convenient' feedback Zoe. Well done. :bang:
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Lol - I'm fairly sure thats a first for DHL as well - usually you have to go to their website and enter a tracking number :LOL: (incidentally although you can enter any number you like on the canon uk waranty website (including made up ones) when you actually come to claim against the waranty , they don't honour it for bodies bought out of territory)
 
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EOS Fan said:
key board warrior A hole.

I'm just giving people a review, incase they feel that they shouldn't buy over seas.
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Interesting choice of first post - made all the more interesting by the 'unbelievably' good service you recieved from DHL , and indeed by the fact you don't name the model of Canon SLR camera you bought for £700

of course no one here wouild suggest that the fact that some companies get people to roam the net posting good reviews is in anyway connected to this :whistle:
 
ahh, sceptical keyboard warrior A holes. They are the worst kind :)
 
At least I can be happy in the knowledge that I have been educated to a standard that can spell correctly.

....Anyway,

For those who are interested in my review, it is genuine, if you don't think it is, then feel free to spend over the odds for the same products that are on the market in Britain.

You can choose to ingore or take on board my feedback, but it seems that everyone still wants to dwell on the negatives as opposed to the positives.

I had good service from them and that's that.

Peace out. :razz:
 
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