Couple’s $800 from Walmart camera breaks, Nikon says it’s “gray market” and won’t repair it
Jul 30, 2021
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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A couple bought an $800 Nikon P1000 for bird photography. And when it broke – the company could do nothing to fix it. Even though the camera was bought at Walmart, Nikon considers it to be “gray market gear” and won’t repair it, leaving the couple with a “$800 paperweight.”
Bruce Gaylord bought the camera for his wife Lisa back in September 2019. Before the bird migration season this year, she spotted the problem. “You should be able to see through the viewfinder and it only shows black,” she told CBS 2. “When I press the on/off button, the lens should extend. I turn it on and nothing.”
She tried different Nikon batteries, thinking that the one she used when the problem appeared was dead. However, each of them gave the same result. Apparently, the camera was broken. When she took it to the repair service, she learned that it wasn’t under warranty. She says that Nikon refused to repair it saying “we think it’s a gray market.”
Since the couple bought the camera at Walmart, they couldn’t understand how it could come from the “gray market.” It’s not a random third-party seller, so it was quite confusing. The thing is – the camera was imported. Walmart’s website did have an “intl.” abbreviation in the camera model’s name, but there was reportedly no description of what it means. Also, while some cameras come with a “no warranty” warning, CBS found several other models that don’t come with it. “We at least want people to know. To be careful,” Lisa Gaylord told CBS.
In early 2020, Nikon made it more difficult to get your camera repaired. From more than a dozen repair shops, it all came down to only two facilities in the US. The rest of Nikon’s Authorized Repair Stations became non-authorized, losing access to official parts and software. Earlier this year, Nikon made things even more complicated. The company announced that it would no longer offer an international warranty for lenses and accessories. This basically means that, if you buy a piece of gear with a regional warranty, you can’t repair it for free in the Nikon repair center in another country.
To be fair, Nikon USA does have a “gray market warning” on its website. It reads that “Nikon products that are imported and sold by anyone other than Nikon Inc. USA are considered Gray Market products.” The manufacturer warns you to look for terms such as “import model,” “seller warranty,” “Nikon import” and so on as a clue that the product falls within this group. In case you buy any of the “gray market gear,” you won’t be able to repair it. Not only it won’t be covered by Nikon’s warranty, but you also won’t be able to pay for the repair at Nikon USA’s repair service.
On the other hand, how many people read the “gray market warning” on the camera company’s website? I know I never did. I was lucky to buy my first camera from a store that turned out to be an official Nikon retailer in Serbia, but now when I think about it – it wasn’t the case with any other Nikon gear. So, in order not to end up with a really expensive ornament or paperweight, make sure to only buy from Nikon Inc. official retailers… Or buy used gear.
[via CBS 2]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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295 responses to “Couple’s $800 from Walmart camera breaks, Nikon says it’s “gray market” and won’t repair it”
How long was it before it broke ? Couldn’t they take it back to Walmart ?
Stewart Norton It was a year and a half old. Normal warranty is usually a year so it would’ve been outside that warranty anyway.
Steven Naranjo it is not that u have one yr warranty from Nikon plus 2 yr from store? (We don’t have Walmart in the UK)
Marcin Pietrzak sounds like it’s just a US versus UK thing. I’ve never seen anything over a year unless you buy an extended warranty which sounds like they did not
Under EU law an item must be free from manufacturing defects for a period of two years.
In the UK an item must function without defect for a “reasonable period of time”.
The UK Government argued that this stipulation provided better protection for consumers than just adopting the EU directive of a two-year warranty. In reality it allows retailers and manufacturers to get away with fobbing off customers.
In the UK the onus is on the retailer to resolve the issue, not the manufacturer, and if a credit card was used to purchase all or even part of the retail cost then this offers extra protections.
If the fault was present from the outset then the retailer would be expected to sort it out by offering a refund, replacement, or possibly a fix.
Many shopworkers in the UK are not trained sufficiently in consumer law however, so many consumers are easily fobbed off by being told that an item falls out of a one year warranty and unless the item has a high retail value using the county court to seek redress might not be worthwhile.
James Head Even if it’s gray market??? It was imported (under the table) by a reseller, not by Nikon.
Assuming it was UK (although it applies to any country) the fees that Nikon UK would get for a camera they would properly imported camera haven’t been paid to Nikon UK since this is a gray market camera, so if they haven’t seen a penny of the sale they aren’t responsible.
They bought a camera with no (local) warranty coverage. They would have to go to the gray market importer for any warranty (if any).
@James Head. Same in this banana monarchy. The company previously named Uneto-VNI , now “techniek Nederland”, has a list of all categories of equipment and how long it should last depending on its purchase price .
Now if it’s economic lifespan is to be 5 years and it fails after 3, then one has to pay 40% of the repair costs.
In practice I have things that lasted me 3 to 10 times as long and are still going.
Nikon UK is the representative of Nikon Japan. Even if Nikon UK is not to cover expenses, their refusal to do any repair is hurting Nikon worldwide.
Mike Fellhauer In the UK this wouldn’t matter even if the retailer obtained it from the Grey Market.
Under UK law your contract is with the retailer and it is their responsibility to sort things out for you,
The UK consumer rights act says items must be as described, fit for use, and of satisfactory quality.
An item such as an expensive camera of a recognised world-class brand should be expected to have a significant “durability”.
Items over six months the retailer is allowed one opportunity to repair or replace the faulty product if you can show that the item is faulty.
Seems like the onus would be on Walmart to make it perfectly clear that they are buying international goods that may not be covered by warranty. Nikon is clear on the gray market stuff, but one generally doesn’t buy from Nikon–>one buys from Amazon, or Walmart, or whatnot.
They could try to return to Wally World, though…
Juan Camargo I’d bet that the end of this story was that Walmart made good on it.
I wouldnt be surprised… Their return policy is quite generous.
Juan Camargo it’s was purchased online and Walmart site does third party sale like ebay, Amazon , etc… it states on every item who it’s sold by
Jeff Grubbs for a camera bought in 2019?
thats what you get when you dont buy from an authorized nikon dealer…..
Joe Spowal Jr. it’s not true. As previous worker from Nikon store. Nikon is quite often play unfair with customer for example ur camera is broken and u send it to Nikon services with question of the quote for repair, they inform you but if is to expensive for you and you don’t agree they send you back camera without putting back parts together, and they have double standards different for “normal” people and different for people with more professional cameras “NPS system”.
Marcin Pietrzak Nikon has NEVER repaired or honored “gray market” gear….not in the years Ive been shooting…..Maybe in your corner of the world it was unfair….but here in the states its a different situation.
Joe Spowal Jr. but still how is possible that Nikon camera made by Nikon can come from grey market if was made in theirs factory is 0 logic for me, it’s more like excuse. As far as I know Walmart is huuuge company..
@Marcin Pietrzak, then Walmart should take care of the warranty, but they “only offer a marketplace” for ‘independent’ sellers, just like eBay, Amazon, AliExpress, Alibaba, taobao, and such.
Marcin Pietrzak ‘and they have double standards different for “normal” people and different for people with more professional cameras “NPS system”’
As do many other brands both in the camera market and other markets.
Usually such is part of the premium price you pay for ‘professional’ equipment, and often it requires a separate subscription of kinds on top of that.
And it makes perfect sense, and while it means they do have different standards, the wording ‘double standards’ has a meaning which does not apply here.
Marcin Pietrzak
The camera was made by Nikon, not NikonUSA. NikonUSA is being asked to fix a camera which they did not make any money on. NikonUSA is very clear regarding their stance on gray market items.
or just avoid nikon
Came here to make the same point. The whole gray market thing has always seemed like a price fixing scheme to me, anyway. Maybe someone can set me straight on this.
Even B&H Photo sells import/gray market goods. The premise is that the selling price is 2-4% lower than the normal items, but it is hardly worth it. If you are referring to Nikon as benefitting from the arrangement, I don’t think it is likely the company has a strong grip on its wholesalers to prohibit the practice of side loading cameras to the US market.
Basically when you buy a Nikon camera in the US through a legit source, it has been bought wholesale from the Nikon factory by “Nikon USA” which is distributor and importer, and a different entity than “Nikon” the camera making company. I believe it is wholly owned by Nikon but not every nikon distributor in the world is. Nikon USA is who provides the warranty to the cameras they import and distribute. A camera from outside this circuit is not theirs to worry about, and may even come from another importer from another country who may not even be owned by Nikon, who dumps them in the US market at a discount because they know they’ll never be responsible for warranty claims.
Which is a terrible business model that penalizes the customer.
I go on a trip and my camera is lost, stolen, falls off the leaning tower of Pisa. I buy a new one at a shop in Italy and continue on.
Now I can’t get that camera repaired once I am back in the US. That is not how you treat a customer.
Your camera would be covered by Nikon US as long as you had a receipt from the proper country (in your example Italy). It’s cameras bought in the US that bypassed the US distributor (Nikon Inc in the US).
No actually it won’t be covered. I know a few folks who got bitten by this issue. Nikon views it as you having purchased the camera in another country to get it at a lower price. You are now the grey market importer in Nikon’s eyes.
Yes, but they will not even let you pay to have it repaired. It’s a racket to sell more gear. We need right to repair passed so that manufacturers cannot prevent you from having your property repaired. Only Nikon authorized repair centers can get the parts and they will not allow a “grey market” camera to be repaired under any circumstances. So yes, screw Nikon.
I don’t think you understand “right to repair” as Nikon is not stopping third-parties from servicing their cameras. They are simply refusing to service cameras that were imported from other regions, no one is standing in the way of allowing them to be serviced. Third-party shops are free to do so.
No, you are wrong. They are preventing third parties too. Naturally, you can do as you like, but all third party services will be unable to obtain parts.
Albert not sure what country you live in but the US you can. There are several third party repair shops. I have one that services my cameras and has no problem obtaining parts. Hell I can buy parts from their service center. So getting parts is easy. But getting service from Nikon is the issue.
Maybe you have not followed the news. As of March 31, 2020, Nikon revoked the Authorized status from ALL third-party services, denying software and parts. The only authorized are those of Nikon USA itself. https://www.diyphotography.net/nikon-is-about-to-make-it-a-lot-more-difficult-to-get-your-camera-repaired/
Tell that to the patent office or customs in a country that you do business in. Companies license much of the technology that goes into their components, some of those patents or licenses only apply to certain countries. Half of it is the difficulty of stocking parts that are not intended to be used in a particular region, the other half is about doing so legally. A camera company is not going to violate patents or sell their patented technologies into a country that does not uphold the rights of the patent holder. It’s a lot more complicated than you make it out to be.
What are you talking about? It is every bit as simple as I made out. Their goal is simply a monopoly on services and prices. Much like Apple’s new special screw.
Clearly you have not done any research into the subject. The information is out there.
That’s false information
No they aren’t because Nikon won’t sell them the parts needed to make repairs.
Those parts may be embargoed or not available in certain regions due to patent rights. You can’t expect a company to violate the law just to service a camera that was not available in that market to begin with. The components like sensors and processors may be different in other regions to begin with. That is why you should do your homework before considering a gray market purchase. Even third-party repair shops will run into difficulty sourcing parts legitimately.
If the parts were unavailable in the US, or illegal, then Nikon could not replace them for you in the US either, since selling them to you as a replacement in your camera is no more legal than selling it to a service center to replace in your camera. Your position is untenable, and it is not at all clear why you are going out of your way to try to defend this egregious act by Nikon.
None of the issues you bring up are real issues. You are just making things up. If they were actual issues then Nikon USA would not be able to repair the cameras either.
Gray market is a mixed lot.
Yes it is a price fixing scheme to maintain the brand’s prestige and high end status.
Grey market means it’s Nikon Asia instead of Nikon US. Also different quality standards, why US doesn’t fix Asia cams.
Nikon the manufacturer is separate from Nikon USA who has to maintain and operate distribution, repair and warranty facilities and pay for promotion and advertising. That’s what the additional cost is from in domestic models as well as a warranty itself which isn’t included with grey models.
Better yet, don’t buy relatively high end cameras at a place that sells trashy clothes and empty gratuitous flavored calories. Sorry that most of the local photography stores have disappeared and Walmart seems like a replacement.
Photography stores are not a stable business in most areas. We have one photography store here and it is the most overpriced shit show I have ever walked into. I’m not paying nearly $100 over MSRP just to keep a store open.
Yes local overpriced photography stores are gone. So where do you suggest people buy their cameras?
Problem solved.
I would avoid walmart when buying a camera. Buy from a reputable source that has the backing to fix a camera they are responsible for. Tough lesson learned.
In my country Walmart would be liable as the contract of sale was with them not nikon
But it was Walmart’s “Marketplace”, a third party seller on Walmart’s website. Same goes for third parties on Amazon.
And thats why nikon sucks.
Jerimiah Miles EVERY camera manufacturer does exactly the same!
And EVERY electronics company too!
Jürg Wolf then they all suck.
Taxes should not affect the right to repair.
Its the $ difference on a Z7 body only from authorized nikkn dealers $ 2199.00 +. Or from Grey market $. 1599.00 thats a huge price difference.
You pay for the warranty.
@Mike Fellhauer, only one year. Every other country it is 2 years, or more.
Buy used!
So if I buy a camera or lens while traveling abroad, will Nikon refuse to service it when I’m home in the US?
Yep
maybe. better have your receipt and a good excuse. I’m a Nikon professional services member and I’ll tell you that if something has a gray market serial number on it, you’re not likely to get anything repaired at all unless you’ve got a paper trail and a good explanation.
Well, I guess I will look at other camera companies when I make the eventual switch to mirrorless. I don’t feel I should need to have an excuse to satisfy a vendor.
I live in the US. I was in London when I dropped my Nikon. I took it to Grays of Westminster and they explained that the repair would take two weeks. Since that would leave me without a camera for too long, I had to buy a replacement on the spot.
If you travel, this kind of thing happens. You might need to have your equipment repaired while you’re away from home, or you might be in a position where you have to buy equipment abroad due to failure, damage, or an unforeseen need. The fact that Nikon considers this naughty behavior and will punish customers for it is a deal-breaker.
Canon etc will not treat you any differently. Remember you’re not dealing with “Nikon” the japanese manufacturer with your warranty claim, you’re dealing with “Nikon USA” the wholesale importer and distributor for the US market. If they didn’t sell you the camera why should they be responsible for fixing it? The Nikon factory in Japan isn’t who honors the warranties. It’s the distributor who sold the camera. This has nothing to do with punishing customers or “naughty behavior”.
Warranties have to be structured this way partly because the FTC can’t exactly go after a company in japan if they are misbehaving. There needs to exist a usa-based company they can hold responsible for the products being sold here. Hence NY based Nikon USA, and in other industries ie Toyota USA, Samsung US, etc.
I’m not asking about warranty coverage. I’m 100% willing to pay Time & Materials for repair work. Nikon refuses this as well.
It seems that a problem like this would be moot with one or two solutions:
1. Nikon charges and credits regionals for repairs based on where the item was purchased, or
2. Nikon prices its products so there isn’t such a disparity in retail prices, negating any reason for someone to purchase a grey market product.
If Nikon USA is paying the same price as other regional distributors and simply marking up product more, then it should be required to support any repair with its fatter margins. If it isn’t it should complain to Nikon Japan about the disparity. But isn’t Nikon USA owned by Nikon Japan, anyway? So it’s all the same money anyway.
Canon will repair your grey market item they simply charge you a reasonable repair fee. I’ve done it before.
This is why I carry 3-4 cameras for pro work. Backups are crucial.
Excellent response. Especially if you’re a known NPS Member. Same with CPS.
Yes they will refuse to repair it.
I think we all know why Nikon does this. They price the same products differently in different markets and want to create a disincentive for people to buy in a less expensive market. One way they do this is by trying to penalize people for buying outside the country they live in by withholding service.
My understanding is that Canon and Sony don’t do this. They won’t honor warranties from other countries, but they will repair Canon gear for Time and Materials costs.
I won’t be considering Nikon when I move to mirrorless.
It wasn’t imported by gray market. You bought it yourself. Keep the receipt to show Nikon.
things like this will hurt Nikon much more than it helps it in the long term. I’ve used Nikon cameras for over 40 years and I understand people attempting to save money buying gray market goods. I also understand that if you have a product and are willing to pay whatever is asked to have it repaired, it’s pretty ridiculous that the company refuses to do it. I’m surprised that the Federal trade commission has not intervened before now on this very subject. if I buy a car in another country that is a USA sold brand, I’d not sure that the US arm of that entity would not fix my car. they may not honor a warranty from another country but they would certainly take my money and repair it as all of the parts are interchangeable. I think it’s probably one of the most harmful things that Nikon could do or any camera company could do given the state of the photography industry.
if you have a repairable product and are willing to pay for the repair once you understand that there is no warranty repair, what good comes of pissing off a customer? they can understand that they made a mistake buying a gray market product but the logic of not repairing the product will do nothing but harm.
Actually the car analogy is a bad one to make. Back in the 70s and early 80s Mercedes dealers were being eaten alive by so-called “gray-market” imports – it was significantly cheaper to buy a better equipped Mercedes in Europe, ship it to the States, and then have it “federalized” to meet various US standards. Mercedes spent millions lobbying Congress trying to stop these “parallel imports” and was eventually successful. While there are a few exceptions to the rules, it’s basically illegal to import any car that isn’t 25 years old or older into the US. The government will seize and destroy cars that were imported illegally or misrepresented… But that’s a whole ‘nother story.
But will an official Mercedes dealership service or diagnose and repair an out-of-warranty “gray market” vehicle and charge the owner accordingly? You bet your auspuff they will. Nikon isn’t winning over any customers by denying service to owners of grey-market equipment. When my blood pressure finally dropped and I was calm enough to shop for a replacement camera, I shopped everyone but Nikon (and spent more than twice what I originally spent on the P600). Nikon made it abundantly clear they do not want me as a customer, and I’m going to respect their wishes.
The problem with cars versus cameras is that the standards for headlights and emissions are in fact different from country to country. there are essentially no differences between camera bodies although occasionally they may sell a particular model as being different from country to country. The internals are all of the same though. My point would be that the Nikon D5 that is sold in the US is the same product that may be sold in Australia. Nikon USA keeps a list of serial numbers. most US imported lenses have an US before the actual numbers.
if you’re thinking Nikon is bad, Leica is worse. you are lucky to get anything repaired in any kind of reasonable time frame regardless of who or where it was purchased. I have a 16-18-21 tri-elmar that actually vibrated almost apart completely from riding in a car. It was still under warranty and they accused me of taking it apart. they refused to take care of it under warranty and it had to be sent to Germany for repair. if you want to utilize certain tools, you put up with their insanity at the service side.
Maybe, read my reply and see why Walmart is at fault and why Nikon is blameless. I deal and fix gray market cameras.. because it’s often, easy to do with little more than the micro screwdriver set you can buy at most drug stores. I have a kit with security bits I bought for $45 on Amazon.. but I have been voiding warranties for years.
I think it’s partially Nikon to blame, they could at least offer a paid repair.
However yes, the biggest share of the blame should go to Walmart. “Intl” could mean anything to some buyers that are not aware of this problem, e.g. the ability to switch the camera to international languages.
You think Nikon is in the business of fixing broken cameras that they never made money off of. Your talking millions of gray market units. “Hey Nikon why don’t you just give thousands of cameras away” ridiculous comment.
Next time buyer be ware.
Why part of ‘paid repair’ did you not understand? I wasn’t talking about warranty, I was talking about at least offering a repair for money.
Its a liability issue, these gray market cameras have not passed by Nikon QC facilities. Does Nikon know for sure this camera does not have other issues, No.
Is Nikon in a position to totally disassemble the camera to make sure all components are the latest greatest that they them selves have put in , no.
what about recalled units, they cant keep track of gray market units. imaging a tech trying to figure out whats wrong with a particular camera, all the while there is a recall on the unit he is working on, but has no way of verifying against Nikons inventory system. Does the tech/Nikon just say screw it lets just give everyone new cameras, regardless of where they picked it up. come on now. Companies dont just give away product and stay in business.
Of course they pased Bikon QC facilities. They are even exactly the same product. Very likely they were even manufactured in exact the same factory. The only difference is, where they were sold.
If it turns out that it is a counterfeit unit and does not contain Nikon hardware at all, then that is an entire different story.
The differences are where they were sold *and how much they cost*.
Right, that’s why I never said Nikon USA shall take warranty for gray markets.
Nope different cameras with different features
No, this is not the case, gray market units are simply units that either have not gone through QC even tho they may be made in the same factory, or have not gone through their inventory system or have not been made with updated components from original factory. Each and every camera does not go thru a full QC, only batches do. Out of a batch of say 100 units, 3 are selected at random for a full QC inspection. Then that batch goes to the inventory system. If a batch does not get any full QC inspection, that batch is considered Gray market. ,As far as Nikon is concerned they wash their hands of the units. But do sell them at a lose to an intermediate third party, with no implied liability or warranty. which in turn the third party sells it for example to walmart for a small profit. which in turn walmart sells for a profit again.
Nikon simply does not stand behind these gray market units for various reasons.
Where did you get this information? I’ve never heard anything close to this before and it makes no sense… Nikon has established a consistent, worldwide reputation which they would not have been able to do if they had explicitly different quality product in different regions. It is a pricing and licensing issue.
My info comes from a family owned business of Import/export for two generations in dealing with electronics mainly from east to west. I’ll leave you guys to debate this further.
But yes i agree Nikon has a good rep for quality products, but it is for the reason i stated above that they are able to keep this quality control in their products.
Thanks for your time.
They actually do sell different products in different regions. Sometimes because of regulations, sometimes because of market factors. But yes the cameras from different regions may lack certain features like WiFi or may have a completely different processor and there for different performance. If a Nikon USA service center knows it’s going to use parts that they don’t carry, they aren’t going to offer to service it.
I didn’t deny different products (nor different versions), I was referring to different product quality standards.
You are confusing grey market with black market
You don’t have the facts son
This is not true. The cameras are made by Nikon and go through the same QC. The difference is that the retailer did not buy the unit from Nikon in the US, so since Nikon in the US was bypassed (and did not make any money on the unit), Nikon USA will not provide service for said unit (free or otherwise). Now if you had actually purchased the camera in the proper foreign market (and have the receipt to prove it), Nikon US would’ve honored the international warranty. But they will not (nor should they) repair a camera bought in the US specifically bypassing them (in order for the buyer to save a few $). Think of it like buying a TV from a store and wanting to return it to a different company. It’s not the same thing but the sentiment is the same.
Not remotely the same thing. And it seems they could make money off the repair work. I get not honoring the warranty. But not even repairing the unit for money just seems stupid. A lot of people are completely unaware of grey market and what that means. Most companies will repair the units if you pay (and I think Canon may charge you an additional fee on top of the repair costs). It all just seems to be a way to screw over people who maybe couldn’t afford the price on their website and thought they were getting a good deal. Or people who picked up a used unit and then can’t get it repaired. Again, people who couldn’t afford new.
No,it’s just Nikon being a crappy company. They’re trying to reduce any expenditures associated with repairs because they have been in the red for several years running. And this is only going to make matters worse because nobody but nobody is going to buy Nikon anymore. Except for a few aging fanboys.
That’s funny on its face. Nikon is in the red because it doesn’t condone unapproved under priced grey market cameras. Listen to yourself
Yes, that seems to be the craziest part of the whole story, Nikon not allowing those camera to be repaired at their facilities, even for a cost to the owner. They have the special tool and OEM parts to repair them right.
Different parts sometimes
How do you conclude they never made money off the cameras?
Never made money of…? What? It is not a knock off. It is made by Nikon, it was sold for profit. End if story. If customer goes back to Wallmart and Wallmart goes back to importer and importer goes back to Nikon with the warranty than it should be covered. Why is the warranty void by the transfer of ownership?
Nikon the manufacturer is separate from Nikon USA that has to maintain and operate distribution, repair and warranty facilities and pay for promotion and advertising. That’s what the additional cost is from in domestic models
Nikon is far from blameless. They set the crap policy.
Actually you are more clueless than Nikon is to blame
And they wonder why there stocks are dropping
Michael Yi Same as every other camera and lens manufacturer.
Joshua Meadows cameras are dying
More a comment on lack of grey market support, but yeah sales for non-pro cameras are definitely dying as cellphones cover that market.
Joshua Meadows Sony definitely isn’t struggling the same. Canon isn’t struggling the same. Nikon is just making poor business choices.
Tommy Nguyen I see a lot of parts and 3rd party repair centers for Sony cameras
Joshua Meadows why are manufacture threating the grey market like as if those are fake and knock off when that same product comes from the same factory. I find this a stupid policy.
@Joshua Meadows, Nikon is falling faster than all the others. They do have a big backup in Mitsubishi Keiretsu.
Adrian J Nyaoi, that is just typically Nikon.
Stefan Zandburg this is not confined to Nikon.
Tommy Nguyen Try getting grey market good repaired at those repair centers. Same policies across the board.
Adrian J Nyaoi The cheaper price of grey market has to do with the lack of paying distributors and all the things that entails. Personally I think there should just be an option to pay for the repair anyways. Sigma is the only company I know that does this. The other option is to send the grey market good back to the region of origin for warranty repair work.
I bought the Nikon 50mm f1.4 lens on Amazon and they won’t repair it for the same reason. I’ll never buy Nikon again.
Just for clarification, the lens stopped focusing after about 4 hours of use, several months after purchase and was never dropped or damaged in any way.
So you bought a product that was faulty
I live in the US. I bought a Nikon at an authorized Nikon shop while in London. So you’re telling me it’s perfectly sensible that Nikon USA won’t repair the camera I bought overseas even if I’m willing to pay for the repairs?
If you have the receipt, you should be fine on the international warranty since you bought it yourself in London. It’s not gray market unless it’s imported in the US without going through Nikon USA. You’re a customer, not an importer.
You’d think, right? But there’s another commenter in this thread who moved to the US from Taiwan and says Nikon USA won’t service his cameras.
Should’ve bought that extended warranty, or not purchased from Walmart at all.
Joshua Meadows They didn’t buy it “From” Walmart a 3rd partly seller on their website. Anyone can sell on Walmart.com just like Amazon.
Well then the article is mis-labeled. “Couple can’t get their camera repaired because it’s a Gray Market camera purchased from a 3rd party seller at Walmart.com.”
It sounds like the camera wasn’t purchased from Walmart, rather purchased at Walmart.com. This is the same as buying on Amazon. Most of the time, you are buying from a vendor selling through that marketplace. One must pay attention to what you are buying and from whom, particularly when dealing with expensive electronics.
That’s often just a cop out to prevent competition, particularly in the digital age where companies have more control over everything. Used to be camera ships, electronics stores, etc. that all sold products, but now we are increasingly being shepherded into fewer and fewer fronts with less ability to repair, less ownership, less ability to choose, less competition. It’s basically just a way for them to force everyone to pay higher prices and kill the secondhand market (Apple much more aggressively goes after repair shops. Oh, and those “warranty void if removed” stickers? Bullshit and against the law. The FTC has even sent out warnings to everyone from Microsoft to Sony regarding those every so often).
This story is bunk. Go to Walmart dot com and try and buy a Nikon DSLR that is sold by Walmart. Many people don’t know that Walmart dot com is a bit like Amazon with resellers on there. They purchased through the Walmart platform but through a 3rd party seller.
It’s really stupid. Both Walmart and BestBuy should really stop having this practice. Either have what you sell in your stores or don’t carry under your brand. It’s deceptive selling. Amazon gets away with it because it doesn’t have a large retail presence, tho the way they’re carrying on that may change soon. Beyond all that, don’t buy Nikon. Not a great company after all their shenanigans.
Craig Faichney it’s only deceptive if you’re an idiot with zero reading comprehension. It’s called a marketplace
Craig Faichney it’s pretty clear on the site that items are sold by other sellers. It’s great for sellers and buyers so they don’t have to search all around. People just need to be aware and they work pretty hard to make it clear.
Eric L. Roe My friend named Joe owes me $5.00, so another person named Joe should pay me the $5.00! Same faulty logic.
It’s not difficult, however, on Amazon to find out who the dealer actually is and to check whether it’s an authorized dealer.
Actually, it was apparently not through a 3rd party, but Walmart themselves. Read the article next time, lest we find ourselves in a similar situation again
Marko Lekic yeah, read the article yourself. They bought it through Walmart but it wasn’t from Walmart. The thought they bought it directly from Walmart but they are misinformed.
Find me a Nikon DSLR on Walmart dot com that isn’t from a 3rd party.
Eric L. Roe I’d like to see this story formally verified. IF it is true THEN every purchase anyone makes has to be accompanied with the question “Who will honor the warranty?” But you would want this answer in writing, because the business of selling Gray products is … business.
Eric L. Roe From the article:
“Since the couple bought the camera at Walmart, they couldn’t understand how it could come from the “gray market.” It’s not a random third-party seller, so it was quite confusing. The thing is – the camera was imported. Walmart’s website did have an “intl.” abbreviation in the camera model’s name, but there was reportedly no description of what it means.”
Thank you, come again!
Eric L. Roe
Markie Mark my guess is if they are buying a DSLR via Walmart dot com they aren’t the most sophisticated people and didn’t realize they were buying from a 3rd party. The article doesn’t really even make it clear they bought it on the website, but there are clues.
Another clue that they bought it from a 3rd party seller is that you can’t find a single Nikon DSLR sold directly by Walmart at all.
Marko Lekic you put way too much faith into the reporting. But prove me wrong. Please share a link to a Nikon DSLR from Walmart that is sold by Walmart. I tied and I couldn’t find one.
The more likely answer is they didn’t realize that the were buying from a 3rd party seller. You need to do some critical thinking for yourself and a bit of research.
I’ve only bought on walmarts site once that I can remember and had no idea they weren’t selling only things they sell in store.
I seen this headline a few times as I follow everything photography related and was surprised walmart was selling grey market items but didn’t care enough to hit the clickbait. Glad i finally seen it here to see they aren’t… kind of…
Marko Lekic so here is the actual line from the actual story.
“But it’s not like the Gaylords bought their Nikon on some random website. They purchased it through Walmart.”
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/07/27/gray-market-nikon-camera-lisa-bruce-gaylord-glen-ellyn/
The story in the OP link is a rewrite of the story from CBS 2. They even cite CBS 2. So if you click the link to the original story you’ll see the words I quoted above. Are you sticking to your guns that it wasn’t a third party seller?
Craig Faichney Amazon has a very large retail presence now. Anyway, should that matter? Neither Amazon nor Walmart is a clear “we’re just facilitating transactions” place. They have their own products and ship from their own warehouses. Now, ebay, yes, I understand ebay doesn’t have to stand behind anything, they’re just a marketplace, but you can’t buy any ebay branded products, and nothing ships from ebay warehouses.
Craig Faichney I agree 100%. If not, they need to make it perfectly clear where it’s coming from with an “I understand and agree” pop-up window before finalizing the purchase.
In this case, Joe#1 looked like Joe #2 and made the loaner think he was the same person to begin with.
Craig Faichney Canon, and Sony have the same policies with gray market products. Suppose they aren’t a great company too because of their shenanigans.
Craig Faichney Best Buy doesn’t do this.
That title though…
Right to repair, hopefully there’s an independent repair shop that can help
But at a cost…no warranty, no free repair!
Parker Russell Nikon has quit selling parts to independent service outlets.
Right to repair is not yet a reality. Independent repair shops can’t get the parts and other support needed to repair Nikon cameras.
I am wondering if it can be repaired at a general camera repair facility. Maybe even a former Nikon authorized repair facility.
This is why right to repair legislation is so important.
Yes, or at Nikon in Japan.
Back when I repaired Panasonic VCRs all the units sold in Canada ended their model number with a “K”. If a VCR came in for warranty repair and the model number didn’t end with a “K”, that means someone bought it in the US and brought it across the Canada-US border, and that meant no warranty service!
If they wanted warranty repair they would have to send it to a US service outlet.
Mike Fellhauer What a bummer of a process.
Mike Fellhauer that may be fair for non-portable products but cameras are bought to be taken around the world.
Peter Reber If your camera breaks while on a one-week vacation you’re not going to wait two-weeks while they are trying to get the part to fix your camera…you’re going to wait until you get home to get it fixed.
Now if you are a pro you would probably be a member of Nikon’s pro program (that you pay money for) which includes loaner cameras if yours breaks while on a shoot.
When you buy a gray market camera all the warranty cards will have been removed…there is NO warranty from Nikon, ANYWHERE in the world! The “warranty” is the responsibility of the Walmart Marketplace Seller (not Walmart in this case)…Nikon only received money for the camera hardware itself, no Nikon distributor charged their markup of the camera price that would go to pay for services like telephone support, warranty, and of course the local office in your country. That’s why the importer was able to provide the camera so cheap. Many times a gray market camera will also have third party (non-Nikon) battery, charger, and other accessories.
https://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/gray-market.htm
Gmom Nelms
So… Walmart is not an authorized retailer for Nikon?
Herb Kateley was likely sold by a third party using Walmart’s platform.
Wow! I purchased my Nikon D5600 from Amazon, loved the camera, my card jammed inside once I got it out it would not stay on. I had purchased with extra warranty. Sent to Nikon and it came back so fast, I was like wow! Then I read the explanation Grey Market no repairs. It really sucks! I love Nikon but may jump to Canon
Even if Nikon repairs a legit camera for a pro there can be total issues. When I was an Nikon Pro Services member back in the mid 1990s, I had to send in an FM2 for a puked shutter. Ok, no problem, sent it away and they sent me another members newer autofocus Nikon in return. I was livid. I pretty much barked to Nikon and they ate the repair. I have been using Canon since 1997, so it has no longer been an issue as CPS is most excellent.
Canon also will repair grey market items.
Nikon will too if you send them to Japan.
You don’t have to send your Canon to Japan though.
I’m curious. A NPS Member with a FM2? I never knew they considered those to be NPS level/eligible.
They weren’t NPS eligible during my time. I had a Nikon FM2n and an FA. My N90s, F5, D1, D1h, D2h, D3, and D3s were all eligible back in the day. I think my D3s is the only one still eligible… and my D500.
It is likely that the camera has a Nikon International Warranty. If that is the case go to small claims and you will get a judgement in your favor.
Nikon made the @#$%ing camera and it needs to honor the international warranty.
Nikon only started to eliminate it’s international warranty the beginning of this year.
What they are doing is bullshit.
They peddle adventure bla bla bla but if your camera needs a warranty repair while you are out of the country you are screwed.
https://www.dpreview.com/news/2010937851/nikon-is-killing-off-its-international-warranty-in-favor-of-regional-warranties
If it is grey import probably just Singapore warranty, Hong Kong warranty, or no warranty at all.
Nothing about it is CRYSTAL CLEAR. Keep your assumptions to yourself, please. Perhaps pros that live in forums know this, but the everyman out there probably thinks “gray market” means it comes in gray color. I almost bought a Nikon DSLR
in Toronto ~20 years ago. They told me it was “gray market”. I wasn’t sure what that meant and had to look it up. Don’t know that I was clear with after that either. Seemed confusing, so I didn’t buy it.
This couple doesn’t sound like the kind of people that spend their lives reading the fine print on some corporation’s webpage. They bought a highly-regarded name off a semi-highly-regarded website and expected no problems. A learning experience for them, yes. But a complete and total disaster for Nikon PR. Nikon is shooting itself in the foot with these penny-pinching measures. They seem to have forgotten that customers are the ones that make their business thrive or fail. How many Nikons do you think this couple will ever buy again. My money is on ZERO. How much bad word-of-mouth will Nikon get? Quite a lot, I assume. When I have a terrible experience with a company, I’m not shy about it- don’t want others to suffer a similar fate.
So you tell me that Average Joe will go to the product’s website and read all the warnings before buying a product ?
I know how to look for information but even i don’t think to look for warnings on the producer’s website.
Besides, show me on https://www.nikon.com/ where it says anything about gray market ? Even searching the site for “gray market”or “grey market” does not reveal anyhting related to the subject.
Mercedes doesn’t offer any insight into direct importation of their EU spec vehicles either. And why should they?
Walmart.com is now “semi highly regarded” as a photo friendly website?
I’m amazed. Really. ;-)~
For warranty repair, I get it. However, for none warranty repair then it doesn’t make any sense. I also have to fight for repair for items I purchased at Taiwan when I was living over there. They said it’s grey market but it’s actually not. It is also weird for them to think that photographers don’t move overseas.
It’s also weird for them to think photographers don’t travel.
I broke my Nikon while traveling in London so I had to buy a new one there. I bought it from an authorized Nikon dealer (one of the most highly-regarded in London). It probably cost more there than if I had bought it at home.
But now, I can’t get it repaired at home if it breaks? There’s no justification for that policy at all. If you’re a professional photographer, sometimes you have assignments outside the country, and sometimes you have to buy equipment while there. Nikon is unhinged.
I’m a Nikon camera user and have bought everything with the USA warranty except a grey market asf-d 300mm f/4 . I was talked into the Grey market lens from a B&H rep over the phone and they sold me a Square Trade 3year warranty. Saying it was better than the Nikon 1 year warranty. And said I could send the lens overseas to get repaired or there were many shops in the US that could repair it if I didn’t want to wait for the out of country repair.
The sign of a great company is how they stand behind their products and getting the customer “their” products serviced .
My beloved Nikon I so want to get the upcoming Z9 . I am having reservations just because of your policies on product repair. It’s your responsibility to make your loyal customers happy and get the products they buy from you repaired . Repaired to the highest quality no matter where is was purchased or how it was purchased. I have Nikon products dating back to 1959 . I love the “old” Nikon . Quality is more than just the build of the product but also the Name the company stands upon .
Luckily, if your lens is greater than 5’years old, a schematic exists. Japan Hobby Tool #30 grease is your best friend in rebuilding older AF lenses. I use vintage Minolta glass on my Sony’s and you are right.. the vintage colors truly make an image.
A very similar thing happened to me earlier this year. Back in 2015 I bought a Nikon P600 from Amazon. I registered the camera with Nikon through their website and the system accepted the serial number and activated my warranty. Fast forward to April of this year. I logged into the Nikon website and scheduled a repair. Again, the system did not throw up any red flags or issue any warnings about my cameras serial number. I shipped the camera to New York and 10 days later I got an email asking for proof of purchase, which I found strange since I was looking for an estimate and repair, not a warranty claim. A week or so later I got a nasty email from Nikon basically telling me that I was a terrible person for buying a “gray market” camera and that no matter how much I begged and pleaded or how much money I was willing to throw at them they wouldn’t touch my camera and I should feel lucky they were even sending the useless lump of plastic and glass back to me. Now I know a P600 is not exactly the cutting edge of photography nor was it the most expensive camera I’ve ever purchased, but the whole experience really ticked me off. I’m stuck with a broken device the manufacturer won’t even recognize or repair, and I needed something to replace it with. Guess who doesn’t get my business any more? I’m very happy with my new Lumix G7, thank you very much. Nikon can go fly a kite.
Did they buy it from a third party seller? Just remember that Wal Mart’s website is a marketplace wasteland like Amazon.
Clint Gardner Too many websites are turning to this garbage model… I hope we can change the laws to make it easier to protect consumers from “sellers” on NewEgg, Walmart, BestBuy, Amazon…
I have read up on this article. I am going on 15 years in customer service (theme parks, pharmacies while I was a medic, and a hardware store (inside wireman/industrial electrician). I make more doing other work, but I feel satisfied helping people who are eager to grow/learn.
While I feel for this couple but you literally Need To Read Every Last Detail. I know this.. I work in a job where advice is advised against.. because it will literally kill someone. Most outlets in your home that are spec grade or over 15 amps, are packaged in a box. Inside that box are installation instructions. Thank me later.
I buy gray market products because they end up being cheap.. and I know it’s gray market so I also contact someone for a service manual and order broken cameras or parts via eBay.. but I enjoy fixing stuff. Licensing helps via community college classes.
I am shocked/astonished? That no one offered to help but, I get it.
Typical Karen that uses a garden hose once and returns it because it ‘kinks’. Every hose kinks..every camera breaks.. and for the jerks that return shovels because they tried to use them as pry bars… You should all return your brains.. your brain is clearly, defective.
I will still sell you electrical parts but your attitude determines the help my normally $75 an hour union job offered but if you forgot your glasses, we sell them up front by the cashier kiosks. I am not going to read the directions for you. You cannot legally do electrical work without a license and if you need my help, it will cost you $250 for me to show up at your door because you did not read all of the instructions or understand what you were getting yourself into. Good on Nikon for this.
I love you Nikon . I am a Sony User (got my start in Minolta.. it was a b-day gift) for denying the repair.. because you clearly have it listed on your site that you won’t repair gray market junk (it’s often reconditioned and no longer under warranty). Sadly the bearer of responsibility lies with Walmart. While international models are considered gray market because those products avoid heavy taxation. If any entity is to be sued, it is Walmart for not describing what an international model means, gray market.
How did they store their P1000? I store my gear in various tamrac/gitzo bags along with those silica gel packs we all tend to throw away. Where do they live? If it’s the Midwest or the Northeast.. the humidity causes cars to rot.. I have so many questions about the owners.
I also buy up estate lots that feature a mix of film and often early digital cameras. More often than not, the early Nikon point and shoot cameras just need fresh batteries. This is why I question the owners of a new camera. Nikon makes products that last.
You sound like a Nikon shill. The company should fix its products, grey market or not. That’s how you build customer loyalty.
They’ve “built” customer loyalty since EPOI days in the 1950’s…
These issues have nothing to do with their trying to remain viable in the face of iPhones and Canon. It’s all about tech and market evolution.
Absolutely deluded take, hot damn
Have you handled a Nikon P1000? They are not built to last. I have had one sent in for repairs twice now for the zoom lens failing.
It’s a camera dejour. It’s a point and shoot. It’s mostly plastic. It’s a good value until it’s not. I’ve given away many many point and shoots. And sadly(?) the iPhone 12Pro has replaced them all.
It is a nikon.
They manufactured it.
Not a fake.
Broken?
Not functioning?
I will not buy a nikon
Never.
lol. right! There is nothing wrong with any of these cameras, other than the fact they were made by Nikon. They are all genuine Nikon.. These cheapskates just want to avoid supporting their products.
Just my opinion, avoid Nikon entirely – get a Canon instead. I think they are objectively better cameras.. That is to say, after years of this hobby, I’ve got many functional (aging) Canon cameras, and more than a few broken Nikons.
My experience has been the opposite. Took my Canon EOS 1d out in the rain to shoot football, same as my Nikon D2h. The Nikon still works to this day… the Canon had to go in for repairs and eventually quit working. The Nikon got a lot more use than the Canon. Plus, I can use my old manual focus lenses on any of my Nikons… couldn’t do that with Canon. I don’t use Canon anymore.
I mostly get Nikon refusing to cover warranty on grey market cameras. But stopping PAID service is very anti-customer. They did make it. They did make money selling it.
Tim Rochte
NikonUSA did not make it. NikonUSA did not make an money selling it. This item never came through Nikon USA’s hands.
NikonUSA (not Nikon) is the distributor in the US and would be the firm providing the warranty repair or paid repair. Since the item in question did not come through the Nikon USA channel, Nikon USA did *not* make any money selling it. It would be like buying a lawn mover at Lowes and taking it to Home Depot to fix an issue with it.
Bob Scola what an entirely nonsensical analogy. Nikon USA (Nikon Inc.) has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Nikon Japan since it bought Ehrenreich Photo Optical Incorporated (EPOI) in 1973, who were then a major importer/distributor of Nikon products in the US.
Nikon USA are simply trying to force people to fund their business as an expensive middle-man or risk being denied access to parts and service when all they will do is drive customers to other brands who are less restrictive. Having worked in wholesale distribution before I get that it costs a lot to provide the infrastructure to support an entire country market but they are really fighting the tide on this one. This argument has been ongoing for the past 10+ years and all they’ve managed to do is further drive down their market share.
Aaron Hunt It’s a perfectly apt analogy. NikonUSA is still a seperate business entity and are in charge of distribution, repair, and marketing in the US. As for grey market handling their policies are in line with Cannon and Sony, and lens manufacturers like Tamron. Heck, Sigma which used to be pretty open with grey market goods has even been changing their policies to be more inline with others.
Aaron Hunt As someone who works in camera sales, I completely agree with you. Nikon has made it increasingly difficult for dealers to work with them and for customers to get service for their equipment. The Nikon beancounters are literally driving themselves out of business.
Joshua Meadows No, it’s not. As best I know both Lowes and Home Depot are independent publicly listed profit seeking corporations whereas we’re talking about two levels of an integrated manufacturing and wholesale distribution channel in which both manufacturer and distributor share the same owner. In most businesses of this nature internal accounting and preferential taxation treatment in different jurisdictions determines where they will aim to make the lion’s share of the profit. In my experience it is typically a case of run the mfg business lean, covering costs whilst writing off R&D investment but making as much profit as possible at the distribution end of the chain.
This model worked for decades whilst their was sales growth, but with these same companies now distributing their wares in to emerging markets at discounted prices to achieve growth no longer possible in mature markets, they run the risk of creating a grey market. What this really represents is that consumers in those mature markets no longer see value in what the wholesaler does and are seeking to remove that overhead from the cost of the goods. Now rather than slim down their go to market strategy to suit these new globally integrated markets and their inherent pricing disparities, companies inevitably double down on stupid in an attempt to preserve the status quo. Let’s see how that works out for them in the next few years…
They bought it from a third party vender on the Walmart storefront. The ad clearly said international model. Grey market has been around a long time.
The average person has no idea what grey market means or that “intl.” means grey market fir that matter.
Most aren’t even going to the manufacturer website to pick a product.
They should Google what it means or ask a photo professional. A simple Google search will explain it. *shrug* I’ve helped all my friends and family with this issue since the ’80s when I became an advanced student photographer and into my pro career.
My point is they aren’t going to google it because they don’t know it’s a thing to google. Websites selling grey market cameras in general don’t advertise the fact. Unless it’s B&H or Adorama.
Nikon was great in the time of the F2, FM, FE, FM2, FE2, FM2n and FA. Thereafter they became arrogant. During 1986-1990 many professional photographers switched to Canon because of Nikon’s bad pro-grade (paid subscription) service, not because Canon was technically better. They did despite they also lost compatibility with their current investment.v
Stefan Zandburg The D850 is a wonderful camera.
Seriously, why Nikon handles stuff like this is just beyond me. It hurts their brand name and reputation a lot. And they’re struggling already on the camera market.
I used to know Nikon acting in the total opposite way. Super-good, reliable, fast and knowledgable customer service! Sure, that’s maybe 20 years ago. But that’s what made users become Nikonians back then who would never change to other brands …
This gray market issue has been around a lot more than 20 years… there were gray market models and lenses in the ’80s when I got started. This is all old news. If you want International models repaired, you have to send them to Japan. *shrug* It’s nothing new. Buying USA models is always preferred if you live in the states.
This is exactly why Right To Repair needs to be mandated, so corporations can’t get away with this nonsense and at the same time disallow everyone else any documentation to repair their cameras.
Nikon digging their own grave every day. I’ll never buy any of their new stuff.
The “grey market” BS is nothing more than price fixing to maintain a brand’s status as a “high end” item. It’s just about prestige.
Considering how the camera market is doing this kind of thing is just poor business on the part of Nikon.
I’ve purchased grey market Canon equipment in the past from B&H and had no issues with getting it repaired by Canon.
Also it’s nice to see all of the elitists saying “buy only from authorized dealers and not from places selling for a more reasonable price” I’m happy for all of you that your doing so well financially. It’s also nice that you’ve taken so much time to read the fine print on manufacturers websites. Very few people do that. So the average person, who you look down upon, doesn’t even know there is any issue with buying something imported, because all Nikons are imported.
You make a product you support that product, no matter what store it was purchased from. It wasn’t stolen so Nikon didn’t lose any money on the sale.
none of them are imported illegally….they arent drugs
#righttorepair we should all be very worried about this. Only TWO licensed repair facilities in the US. And products being sold in the US aren’t even allowed to be fixed in the US. sounds like a big scam.
Mia this has noting to do with right to repair.
grey market cameras hurt the industry and US retailers, most of all local camera shops. Nikon USA has every right not to warranty or repair items that has absolutely nothing to do with them. Consumers need to educate themselves on why grey market is harmful, and maybe need to perk up when they see an item $50 to $100 less than everywhere, there has to be a reason. Personally, I’m very happy Nikon refuses to decline grey market repairs, they are making a stand to protect US retailers & jobs.
Robby Yankush why does this have nothing to do with #righttorepair ? Nikon can refuse to repair under warranty but why can’t there be independent repair facilities that have the capabilities to repair “gray market” products? It should be consumer choice;, just like it is to buy any product, you should have a better accessible choice if you want to fix the broken product.
I, too, purchased a Nikon camera (Coolpix P950) from Walmart back in April 2020 and had no idea it was a “gray market” camera. The original post on the Walmart.com website did not indicate it was an “international or gray market” camera; it was sold by TriState Camera out of NY. Unfortunately, my camera needed to be repaired as it accidentally fell off a table and shattered the LCD screen I contacted Nikon repairs and per their instructions I sent my camera to them to repair – this is when I found out it was a “gray market” camera and Nikon would NOT touch it! I was shocked as I’d never heard of a “gray market” camera. I contacted Walmart.com for help as I had read a review that indicated if you purchased a gray market camera without a disclosure, you should received a refund but I got no where. I then contacted Walmart Corporate Office in hopes of some help but nothing. I ended up having to send my camera to TriState Camera in NY and they did repair it, for a price, and it took several months to get it back. When I looked at the Walmart.com site recently, the ad does state that the Nikon Coolpix P950 is an “international” model but not sure anyone would realize it means it’s not a camera Nikon will warrant or repair. I will never purchase another camera off the Walmart site. Buyer beware!
“Grey market” imported name brand photo gear has been a well known issue since at least the 1980’s. Maybe sooner.
Sorry you’ve been blissfully unaware.
Don’t buy from third party sellers. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
But Audi will replace the transmission, that’s the issue. The folks who bought the Nikon can’t even pay Nikon to repair it.
And why should I, the customer who paid quite some money be the one to take the blame ?
You want to fight gray market, be my guest, but make sure people know what a gray market item is before you force me to have an expensive paperweight.
This is not the end-all argument you think it is. Policies are not handed down by God. There are many, many examples of companies being compelled to change or abandon bad policies.
Illegally imported? How do you figure they were imported illegally?
David, yes they can. They have to send it to Japan for repairs.
Not illegally (that would be black market)… just that they were imported without going through Nikon USA… they were imported legally by third parties, making them gray market. The third party importers do not offer a warranty but Nikon USA does.
they are NOT ILLEGALLY imported
That’s not at all how it works. Nikon simply partners with a camera repair shop, then for a fee trains the repair shop employees and sells the repair shop the parts, at cost, it needs to make repairs. The repair shop pays it employees not Nikon. The repair shop manages it’s own system.
It’s nothing but a profit making enterprise for Nikon.
You don’t understand how the majority of people purchase products today.
They go to Amazon or Walmart or similar and research what they want based on reviews. Many people buying a Nikon camera, probably the majority will never click on Nikon.com. So no their policy is not crystal clear to most people.
You fix what you make or you makes the parts available so others can fix it.
This is what good customer support looks like:
“Built for a lifetime of performance – if at any time your Leupold riflescope, mounts, red dot, binocular, or spotting scope doesn’t perform, we will repair or replace it for free – whether you’re the original owner or not. You don’t need proof of ownership or a warranty card, and there’s no time limit. We do this because we believe in superior quality and craftsmanship, and we’re confident your Leupold won’t let you down.”
https://www.leupold.com/support/lifetime-guarantee
Nikon could learn from this example.
Grey market rules on warranties need to be legislated out. Simple as that. If the camera came from Nikon, then it’s their warranty where-ever it is. And the companies simply need bill each other for out of area service costs (eg Nikon USA bills Nikon UK if a UK camera is repaired in the US).
Ok, say this happens, what
Typical of Nikon
Justin Johns Typical of Sony, Typical of Cannon, Typical of Tamron, why it seems like it’s pretty industry standard. Beware Gray Market goods.
That’s what $800 gets you.
Serious and semi-serious photogs know about grey-market cameras.
This has been the policy of camera companies for a long, long time.
Don’t blame Nikonusa – —
And stay out of wallyworld —–
Mike, many corporations in the US sale gray market products, even Amazon. It is not Nikon fault that people do not understand their policies, the first and only time I found out that amazon was selling gray market products was when I purchase a camera and 3 monts later it need is repair. I did some research on Nikons website after I try to register the camera on line. That was when I found out that it was gray market. I called Amazon requesting refund and they say “sorry out of warranty. So, I mentioned that they have sold a gray market product and IMMEDIATELY! they refunded my money. My advise to the couple is to, return the camera to Walmart, they know that they are selling gray market products.
Nothing wrong with grey market camera kit. It usually comes with a better warranty that the manufacturer’s one. Just do your research before you buy and you’ll get fine, plus you’ll save £££!
I may come with a usually worthless store warranty.
Bob Scola Most grey market stuff comes with a 3 year warranty that allows for local repairs.
Writer mentioned that he bought a Nikon from an authorized Nikon dealer in Serbia. Nikon would consider that a grey market camera in the US. Nikon gets downright nasty about their cameras. If you are on a trip – say to Japan, and buy a Nikon camera there, you would have to send it back to Japan for Nikon repair.
Stephen Franz This is how it works for ANY brand. If you buy Sony from HK you will get warranty service ONLY in HK. Not in the states or in EU.
This is not NIKON policy. It is what the standard is. You are not paying taxes in that country. So the Local Franchise or office are not in any way part of the ones you bought your camera from.
Just send it to Keh and have them fix it. Done.
Lance Shuey ^ Needs more likes. This is the solution.
It’s absolutely ridiculous to assume the average buyer can wade through the tangle and disaster that is a manufacturer’s gray market designation.
If I buy a sealed box product from a reputable seller, and I go to the company website to register it (or I send in the warranty card), if that product registers properly, the manufacturer should fix it. End of story.
I can obviously understand a manufacturer not supporting counterfeit products or something that has been altered. But if it made it, it should honor the warranty and honor paid repairs after the warranty expires.
whenever people wonder how canon overtook nikon as the best-selling professional camera brand, you only have to look at this article. for decades BH PHOTO has sold both gray market and US Nikon, and if anyone cared to research it, this is the reason.
Canon sells gray market gear too and has for a very long time. What is your point?
Canon overtook Nikon because of the popularity of the Rebel line for amateurs… not because of sites selling gray market Nikon gear (which they also sell for Canon).
Nikon has not repaired Gray Market equipment for several years. Other brands will fix it but will charge you (no US warranty). Anytime you buy camera equipment online, be careful!
I worked for Nikon and used these precise words to an owner once.
Walmart sold it, they are responsible.
Derek Rimmer No a 3rd party sold it on Walmart.com
Just buy a warranty when you get the camera from a 3rd party, they can’t fix it during the term, they refund purchase price!
WalMart offers warranties
Eassy answer Boycott Nikon, don’t buy their stuff
Jeff Stanton Better boycott Sony and Cannon too then, they have the same grey market rules.
OK I don’t buy Sony or Canon
Mary Jo Muñoz thank you. It sucks that this happens
Mary Jo Muñoz thank you. It sucks that this happens
Mary Jo Muñoz thank you. It sucks that this happens
this is why there is need for the right to repair.
Sounds like the solution might be to not but Nikon and to buy from someone with a better warranty.
Tyler Fields No, the moral of the story is to buy from a reputable store such as an actual camera shop. Or, from Nikon themselves!
Someone explain why any reasonable sane person would ever shop at Walmart!!!!!! Too many discount stores are available to have to not support a company with such absolutely vile and disrespectful company policies.
I’m not understanding why they couldn’t return it to Walmart? I thought consumer protections kick in in such cases? I’ve found Walmart to be pretty good when I have had an issue.
Nikon has been spiraling the bowl since 2011 when they were found to actively sponsor bodycount wildlife slaughter contests, and to be the top financial supporter of anti-wildlife groups like Safari Club International. Then they were caught doing fundraising for the DC lobbyists of Safari Club. Total scumbags. Nikon makes hunting gear.
Nobody buys Nikon cameras any more. Their camera division was losing money the last couple of financial reports and would have gone out of business if they were not being subsidized by the non-camera divisions of the Nikon company.
Meh … Just buy an iPhone. You can repair it anywhere and anytime.
Hopefully they go bankrupt.
If Walmart pulled that stunt in the EU they would end up having to pay for either the repair or a new camera for the customer.
I think Nikon would be even further in the firing line. They are basically trying to price fix by aggressively preventing imports. In the EU they could face a fine of 10% of their wordwide turnover.
Nikon market is shrinking yearly…part of it is their warranty policy…same happened to Sony 12 years ago! There are plenty of options more user friendly (repairing, customer service, etc..)
Thanks I was in the market of buying camera.. Even looked at the Walmart Nikon as my first choice as I always do.. But I’ll rethink it now
I have one that was not from a gray market. Nikon also refused to do warranty work on it and then told me they couldn’t send it back without charging me for something. I had to repeatedly refuse any service and they finally gave it back.
Is that man really named Gaylord as his last name of is editorial having a field trip at work at the moment?
It was listed as an international version and I am sure it was much cheaper that others they looked at, people need to do their due dilligence. I have many nikon cameras and lenses , most bought new USA versions, some are refurbished, some grey market. I know what I buy when I buy it. It this camera did not work then why didn’t they return it to Walmart? If nothing else they could have gotten store credit
I don’t understand what does Nikon USA has to do with this. There is no reason why Nikon should service the gray market cameras. The issue is with Walmart and the buyer who should be aware of gray market. There is a huge price difference between USA warranty and gray. So what is the big deal? Go and buy another one brand new
take it back to walmart
Just because they bought it from Wal-Mart’s website does not mean they bought it “from Wal-Mart”. This has been a problem for years with major retailers allowing scammers to sell overpriced junk on their “marketplace”. You always have to filter the seller before searching or buying, internet 101.
This article is misleading and makes it sound like this happened in one of their stores.
Personally, I find it completely outrageous. These are legitimate owners simply trying to pay to fix their camera. They’re not demanding anything for free. I currently own a Nikon DSLR, which I love, but when I move to mirrorless I will almost certainly be switching to a brand that values their customers.
Save a little money now, pay a lot later.
Bring it to an independent camera repair shop.
Yet another reason to avoid walmart.
Must have been from a reseller.
Don’t buy cameras from WalMart.
People are really twisting themselves up in knots to bow down to Nikon.
Another reason to shoot Canon.
Well I have been a Nikon shooter for many years and with today’s prices and camera phones getting so much better I think Nikon would be smart to service all their cameras no matter what market it was intended for, grey market. There is a big difference in grey market and knock offs. So if I am living in the UK and relocate to Canada I have to send my camera back to the UK for repairs. Authorized dealers should be able to service any Nikon camera. Nikon shot their selves in the foot by lagging behind with the mirrorless and hopefully the Z9 will pull them out, but these policies of to me is just shooting themes in the others foot. All these years later I can see making a move to another system
#RightToRepair
This is silliness. Why not just take it back to Walmart, return it, and buy a new one that is not imported “gray market,” from Nikon? Or purchase a different brand.
It boils down to the ole buyer beware. Also, you need to do your homework with OL buying. However, with that said, Nikon/Walmart should step up to the plate here and assist. Buy, customer loyalty is something that went out the window along with 8 track tapes…
I regularly buy gear in the US but live in the Philippines so, when it comes to “gray market,” that pretty much describes most of my gear. I’ve had a few incidents where I needed repair on some of them and usually found someone to repair one thing or another. It’s quite disappointing that Nikon USA won’t repair gray market gear. I can understand the lack of warranty but when they won’t even charge for it, that seems rather harsh. I’ve had incidents where I needed repairs done by Canon, Sony and Dell and the rates they charged me, while pricey, were fair. And the fact that they repaired gray market items is much appreciated.
It says right on the product web page who is distributing the item through Walmart. Com. Might as well be eBay