Why you shouldn’t buy “grey import” cameras

When you’ve been hunting for camera bargains online, you may have come across certain sites that seem to offer impressively low prices, often on brand new gear. The cameras appear to be genuine, and there doesn’t seem to be anything overtly wrong with them. As a savvy consumer, your first thought is probably, “What’s the catch?”

These aren’t counterfeit products or anything like that. They are likely what’s called grey imports. And while the low prices of grey imports can make them exceedingly tempting, there are a few things worth knowing before you hit “buy” on one. So, let’s take a closer look.

What are grey imports?

Grey imports are cameras that originate in a different geographic market to the one they’re being sold in. Camera manufacturers have different branches for different parts of the world that import the goods and handle local distribution. For instance, when you buy a Canon camera over the counter at a Wex store, you’re buying from Canon UK.

A grey import is a camera that was originally sold in other regions such as Asia or the US, and has been imported unofficially and directly to the UK. When you buy a grey import online, you may be buying from a company that bought a load of Nikon mirrorless cameras in China and then shipped them over to sell, or you may be buying from a shop in China who will then send the product directly to you.

Doing this allows companies to avoid official channels, taxes and tariffs associated with imported goods, and these savings are reflected in the lower price of the product. This may sound good in theory (who doesn’t like saving money?), however, there are downsides to the practice that can end up hurting you, the consumer, in the long run.

What are the pitfalls of grey imports?

Because grey imports don’t come through manufacturers’ official channels, they often are not covered by manufacturers’ official warranty. This means you may not have any recourse if the camera develops a fault or proves to otherwise not work correctly, leaving you with no choice but to foot the repair bill yourself. Some manufacturers won’t even do chargeable repairs on grey imports, meaning you’ll have to seek out a third party. Again, this will add to the cost.

Grey imports are also not eligible for cashback promotions or any other deals or offers run by a manufacturer’s UK arm. It’s also worth noting that just because the seller hasn’t paid import duties or VAT on a product, it doesn’t mean they don’t still need to be paid — and in many cases, those costs may end up being passed on to the buyer, cutting significantly into any savings you had made in the first place.

Grey imports may also not come with the correct charging accessories (as they were built for territories with different plug sockets), meaning you’ll need to find a workaround. Many UK second-hand camera shops also won’t accept them for trade-in, reducing your options when it’s time to upgrade.

Another important consideration is the timescale for receiving and returning grey imports. Delivery can take significantly longer than buying from a local UK retailer, and returns or repairs can involve international shipping, which can add weeks or months to the process.

Additionally, because grey imports bypass standard import duties and VAT, they can have wider implications for businesses. Local retailers who comply with tax regulations face higher costs and may struggle to compete, potentially affecting the viability of independent stores. On top of that, depending on how you purchase a grey import, you may still be liable to pay import duty and UK VAT in addition to the amount paid to the seller.

All in all, a grey import camera can seem like a good way to save cash. But if anything goes wrong — i.e. if the camera breaks down, doesn’t work correctly or is no longer suitable — you may find yourself with few options for dealing with it.

What should you buy instead of grey imports?

The cost of living is rising, and we all want to save money on cameras, which is one of the reasons grey imports can be tempting. Fortunately, there’s a much better solution: used camera gear.

Buying used is a tremendous way to save cash on camera kit. You can nab huge discounts on cameras and lenses that have been checked over by professionals to ensure they are in working order. At Wex, we pride ourselves on our clear and transparent process for selling used cameras, which we use to inform you exactly what you’re getting. We also offer a limited warranty on used kit, so if anything does go wrong, you’ll be able to get it sorted without incurring extra costs.

And then, when it’s time to trade-up, you can send us the kit again and get a fair price to go towards your next purchase. So, if you’re tempted by that grey import, we’d strongly recommend going used instead. You get a much better deal, on much better kit.