Gray Market Optics
The home page for Eagle Optics warns of buying gray market optics (in my case, a Zeiss or Leica spotting scope). Seems that any warranty service must be done overseas. hotbuysbinoculars.com sells a Zeiss 85mm scope for $200 less than any other on-line company. Their store is in Brooklyn NY and that conjures up visions of a hole-in-the-wall operation that drop-ships your item from Hong Kong or Singapore. Has anyone dealt with them? If so, how'd it work out? On the other hand, Eagle Optics is located in Wisconsin. How can you not trust a guy in Wisconsin?!
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Scopes have many handlers making money on the same scope. The grey market is probably someone buying direct from Germany and selling without the USA distributers getting their cut. The way I understand, they all have to go back to Germany for repairs on anything major. USA distributers only repairs the small things, Unless you but the american made zeiss series like the conquest. Check with Alex Roy of eurooptic.com for pricing and warranty work. Alex Roy is buy far the most honest guy I have delt with, period (and has great prices too).
Mad Dog0 -
GUNSandGLASS..................? 0 -
The term "Grey Market" refers to basically,
> 'Unauthorized sales' thru people in business, but they aren't actual dealers for that product.
> Product brought in/sold around the "authorized system".
Some grey market complaints are made by those who want to control their product,...their way. Simply because that's what...they want.
Others do it to protect their business, AND provide quality AFTER THE SALE support. Something that's is more mouth than action today.
Manufacturers in most case provide service after the sale Whether they require proof of purchase point, provide stateside service to only authorized purchases-thru authorized channels, and/or will make you pay for stateside service, then file with the parent company for warranty reimbursement which can take a long time and be a hassle.
Those are things you have to actually determine, and not just take 'word of mouth'. I ask for some things in writting, like actually warranty statements. Check the 'provide' service centers. Wouldn't be the first or last time 'somebody made a mistake'.
Problem is, somebody else's 'mistake' (honest or not)will be your headache.
"Caveat emptor", let the buyer beware.
Personally was involved with "importing" the world's meanest, nastiest, and most expensive snow blowers for a couple years, Yahmaha.
Liked them so much, brought them in the USA thru an 'authorized Canadian dealer' who will remain nameless. However, even today proper service/parts support is available.
Yahmaha had actually pulled out of the US Outdoor Power Eqipment (OPE)market. They quit, we didn't.
Happy Bullet Holes!0 -
Thanks for the replies. I checked out the eurooptics.com site. They're up front telling the customer that they are not authorized dealers for certain products, Leica and Zeiss included. They also explain how the warranties differ from authorized dealer warranties. Very enlightening. 0
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