How to know if it's a grey market Canon (urgent... buying soon)

J

jordy2324

Well-known member
Hi,

I saw a posting on Craigslist advertising for a Canon 60D for about $900 for body only. They guy I talked to said the camera was still sealed, included everything, and had a USA Canon warranty.

I've bought a T1i off Craigslist before for a cheap price (though it was used) and everything was perfect. This guy seems like an honest guy, but I'm slow to trust people. He said he bought two from a trade show, only used one and for some reason either couldn't return the other or didn't want to go through the hassle. Plus he said he needed the money back quickly.

So what can I do to make sure it's not grey market?

I know you can call Canon, but I'm not sure what number and how late they're open. I know to inspect the box, make sure it's legit and make sure all the manuals, accessories and everything are unopened.

What else can I do and does anyone have the number I could check with Canon?

Thanks
 
jordy2324 said:
Hi,

I saw a posting on Craigslist advertising for a Canon 60D for about $900 for body only. They guy I talked to said the camera was still sealed, included everything, and had a USA Canon warranty.

I've bought a T1i off Craigslist before for a cheap price (though it was used) and everything was perfect. This guy seems like an honest guy, but I'm slow to trust people. He said he bought two from a trade show, only used one and for some reason either couldn't return the other or didn't want to go through the hassle. Plus he said he needed the money back quickly.

So what can I do to make sure it's not grey market?

I know you can call Canon, but I'm not sure what number and how late they're open. I know to inspect the box, make sure it's legit and make sure all the manuals, accessories and everything are unopened.

What else can I do and does anyone have the number I could check with Canon?

Thanks
Click to expand...

It sounds to me like you are going to risk a lot for just a little bit of savings- Id rethink it.
 
videohog said:
It's called "stolen" where I come from.
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While this deal does sound shady, I think there needs to be some clarification between "grey market" and "black market" items.

Black market is stolen, plain and simple.

Grey market is perfectly legitimate, and legal, and acceptable. What grey market means is that it is an item that was not manufactured for sale in the US (or, if you live in another country, that country) but has been legally imported. It is often at a slightly lower cost, and does not carry the manufacturer's warranty.

B&H sells grey market, and it can be a good way to save a few bucks. Look for "imported" or "USA" next to the item name in their listings. The imported versions come with all the same accessories as the USA versions. I bought a "Nifty Fifty" from them, and got the imported version. It is the exact same lens, and for an inexpensive lens like that, the warranty didn't mean much to me anyway.

Now, there is a third category here that hasn't as much to do with black market vs. grey market as it does sleazy merchants. Yeah, these are often grey market items, but what makes them scams is that the seller has stripped the accessories in order to charge you obscene amounts of money to replace them. That is called bait-and-switch.
 
Yeah Craigslist + crazy low price = grey market best case scenario. Stolen worst case. Offer them half price and you swear you won't turn them in- jk.

Noah
 
I don't see the point in buying gray market items from B&H. Usually, the shipping is not free, as in the non-gray market item, and the prices become comparable.

Here's an example. The gray market Canon 24-70mm is $1329 + $15.30 in shipping, bringing it to $1344.30. The USA-intended lens is $1349 and shipping is free. Savings? $4.70.
 
Jordan_S said:
I don't see the point in buying gray market items from B&H. Usually, the shipping is not free, as in the non-gray market item, and the prices become comparable.

Here's an example. The gray market Canon 24-70mm is $1329 + $15.30 in shipping, bringing it to $1344.30. The USA-bound lens is $1349 and shipping is free. Savings? $4.70.
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It really does depend on the item. I wouldn't buy grey market for everything, only certain items... and a warranty on a $1400 lens is certainly more worth considering than on a $99 lens.

I think I ended up purchasing the imported 50mm because the USA version was not in stock at the time. And if you look at the EF-S 18-55mm lens (white box), the USA version does not have free shipping. So the $10 difference does make a difference... not that I'm recommending that lens.
 
C2V said:
Grey market is perfectly legitimate, and legal, and acceptable. What grey market means is that it is an item that was not manufactured for sale in the US (or, if you live in another country, that country) but has been legally imported. It is often at a slightly lower cost, and does not carry the manufacturer's warranty.
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20% reduction in price a week after it's released where the owner (?) can't return it?.........and it does have a usa warranty.

You can call it grey market if you want.........
 
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