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Backcountry
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I think the term "grey market" means that the product is authentic but that it got into the USA through quasi surreptitious channels to avoid import-export tariffs.
Because the commie Chinese have counterfeited virtually every product on the face of the Earth, I would be VERY wary of purchasing what you think are high-end binoculars from anybody but an authorized dealer. I just watched a 60 minutes episode last month that focused on this issue. For example, lots of people are buying high-end golf clubs on eBay, thinking they were made by “Callaway” and that normally cost $1500, for prices of around $400. When the clubs broke (as the Chinese copies are wont to do) and were returned to Callaway for repair under warranty, guess what? Callaway doesn’t repair/replace what they didn’t manufacture. Apparently, people on trips to China & Hong Kong snatch this crap up, bring it back to the USA in their luggage, and then sell it on eBay for a huge profit.
Now, I’d guess that it’s certainly possible to buy a grey market pair of Swarovski’s at a discount that are authentic, but really, how are you going to know for sure that they are real until you send them in for maintenance? By definition, the “grey market” is not operating fully within the bounds of lawful commerce, so right there you should expect to be dealing with folks whose business ethics are suspect. On that 60 Minutes episode, even the Callaway engineers could not tell the real from the fake until they Xray’d the clubs. What IS interesting, golf pros COULD tell the difference by the way the club felt and the fake clubs under hit the real clubs by about 25 yards.
With binos that cost $1,000 and up, if I found the deal of the century I'd make damn sure that they are real before making the purchase. If you have ANY doubt, call the US representative of Swarovski, Leica, or Zeiss and ask them what to do.
Caveat emptor!
Backcountry
Because the commie Chinese have counterfeited virtually every product on the face of the Earth, I would be VERY wary of purchasing what you think are high-end binoculars from anybody but an authorized dealer. I just watched a 60 minutes episode last month that focused on this issue. For example, lots of people are buying high-end golf clubs on eBay, thinking they were made by “Callaway” and that normally cost $1500, for prices of around $400. When the clubs broke (as the Chinese copies are wont to do) and were returned to Callaway for repair under warranty, guess what? Callaway doesn’t repair/replace what they didn’t manufacture. Apparently, people on trips to China & Hong Kong snatch this crap up, bring it back to the USA in their luggage, and then sell it on eBay for a huge profit.
Now, I’d guess that it’s certainly possible to buy a grey market pair of Swarovski’s at a discount that are authentic, but really, how are you going to know for sure that they are real until you send them in for maintenance? By definition, the “grey market” is not operating fully within the bounds of lawful commerce, so right there you should expect to be dealing with folks whose business ethics are suspect. On that 60 Minutes episode, even the Callaway engineers could not tell the real from the fake until they Xray’d the clubs. What IS interesting, golf pros COULD tell the difference by the way the club felt and the fake clubs under hit the real clubs by about 25 yards.
With binos that cost $1,000 and up, if I found the deal of the century I'd make damn sure that they are real before making the purchase. If you have ANY doubt, call the US representative of Swarovski, Leica, or Zeiss and ask them what to do.
Caveat emptor!
Backcountry
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Read this transcript about all the fake crap coming out of China...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/26/...ain595875.shtml
Backcountry
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/26/...ain595875.shtml
East Sloper
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SDHNTR, The key is the US Warranty. Be sure you get it...
