Why are so many digital camera sales on the internet fraudulent or gray market?

[TommyVercetti]

If you look at Ebay (specifically their message boards), you a thread daily warning of digital camera fraud. Usually some seller will advertise a high end camera (ex: Canon 10D, Nikon 5700) and then not deliver. This happens a whole lot from what I hear and specially with digital cameras.

Not only that, there are a whole lot of shady dealers with both brick and motar stores and online stores which peddle gray market cameras. I read a report in PC Magazine about these stores, and most of them look like make shift stores trying to sell digital cameras at low prices, but want you to purchase expensive accesories.

So, my question is, why are digital camera sales so much involved in fraud and gray market sales?

 

[Occifer]

They fetch a good price and people are willing to pay it.

 

[ElFenix]

cuz thats how most camera stores are

 

[TommyVercetti]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
cuz thats how most camera stores are

Is that how they have always been, or this a new internet thing?

 

[Crucial]

If it works and is cheap who cares?

 

[Salvador]

A lot of companies, particularly on the east coast, have connections to buy goods through improper channels and then take advantage of it. There are a few good companies that sell gray market goods and they tell you up front that it's a gray market product. One such company is B&H out of NYC. If you look at their magazine ads, they will list prices for Gray Market and USA warrantied goods. Some things are fine to buy Gray Market like filters, lenses, etc.. B&H stands behind their Gray Market goods and will replace it if you have a problem with it. Some things are not good to buy like electronics, cameras (digital and film). With a lens or filter, it's either good or not, but a camera has electronics and can break on you, so it's good to have a US warranty in case you need to have the camera fixed under warranty. Most companies will not even look at a camera that is gray market. You usually have to send it to the company of origin.

Is that how they have always been, or this a new internet thing?

Well.. Before the internet, there was mail order. I've done mail order business for years and the only difference really is that you can see something and order it online. There has been an increase in these companies since the internet because it's a lot cheaper to put up a web site than place ads all the time in the back of camera magazines. You also get a lot more exposure on the internet because it's so accessible.

Sal

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: TommyVercetti

Originally posted by: ElFenix
cuz thats how most camera stores are

Is that how they have always been, or this a new internet thing?

its how camera stores have always been. started well before the internet. they've always been selling gray market items and too good to be true pricing