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Archive 2022 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas

  
 
jaehoppa
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


thinking about buying an expensive item from someone in Asia.
going to use paypal and have the seller send me an invoice for the item.
Can I still get scammed by using regular paypal?
anything to look out for?
everything else seem legit so far.

thanks in advance.



Nov 05, 2022 at 08:47 AM
schlotz
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


Purchasing expensive equipment overseas would not be my first or second choice.


Nov 05, 2022 at 10:42 AM
johnvanr
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


Only issue is the cost of return shipping if you’re not happy with it. Otherwise, if the person looks legit, I don’t see a problem if you use regular PayPal.

Always seems funny to me that my reputation seems to depend on where I happen to live. I’m the same fellow wherever I live.



Nov 05, 2022 at 11:03 AM
chez
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


schlotz wrote:
Purchasing expensive equipment overseas would not be my first or second choice.


Yeh, no one ever got ripped off purchasing from the US.



Nov 05, 2022 at 11:34 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


As long as you keep your eyes open, and use PayPal for goods & services (or an item)*, you should be OK. The shipper is on the hook if it gets lost (and you can get your money back through PP, if eBay gags [which they have done to me]), and so don't over-pay for insurance, but you should definitely get signature on delivery.

* PayPal for a gift, or for friends and family does not have sender insurance; don't use them for an item, no matter what the seller says (unless you get the item first, then pay).



Nov 05, 2022 at 12:06 PM
Bacalhau
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


as an add-on to all good feedback given prior, please do use your CC as form of payment thru Paypal - not directly from your bank account or any special financing offered.
Amex ALWAYS stayed behind me when I had a few issues in the past - I get refunded first, and then they go out and investigate to confirm everything, letting me know when is resolved.
(might be that other cc companies have similar approach, but this is my experience with Amex)



Nov 05, 2022 at 01:28 PM
wordfool
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


Payment is IMO the least of your worries. My main concern would be the shipping. The longer the distance something has to travel the more chance of loss or damage, so make sure the shipping option is legit and fully insured. And if it is fully insured and the full value therefore declared on customs forms, make sure you're not going to get hit with import duty, determination of which can be a complicated issue that's not always well handled by shipping companies (meaning you, as the importer, gets to clean up the mess)


Nov 06, 2022 at 06:36 PM
chez
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


wordfool wrote:
Payment is IMO the least of your worries. My main concern would be the shipping. The longer the distance something has to travel the more chance of loss or damage, so make sure the shipping option is legit and fully insured. And if it is fully insured and the full value therefore declared on customs forms, make sure you're not going to get hit with import duty, determination of which can be a complicated issue that's not always well handled by shipping companies (meaning you, as the importer, gets to clean up the mess)


Ever track a fedex or ups package as it makes it journey crisscrossing North America a few times and stopping off at more facilities than you can count on your fingers.

I’ve had packages that I purchased in Seattle and shipped to Vancouver go through Memphis, Chicago…back to Seattle and then Vancouver…each leg requiring the package to be unloaded and loaded again.

I’ve had package shipped from Taiwan arrive faster than packages shipped from the US.



Nov 06, 2022 at 07:38 PM
CharleyL
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


I would NEVER DO THIS, unless the sender was a very close and trusted relative or friend. I would likely hesitate about doing it even from such a friend.

Charley



Nov 17, 2022 at 05:13 PM
raminolta
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


Returning used items to senders overseas can be very expensive. While on Ebay, if the seller is at fault he is responsible to cover the return shipping cost, I am not sure that is Paypal's policy. Make sure that is the case.

Generally, I doubt buying from overseas sellers makes sense for Americans. I am not myself American but after living on Internet for many years, I know prices are likely to be lower in US than anywhere else in the world for a camera due to the sheer size of the US consumer market, etc.. This is true for both new and used market. Unfortunately, that is not the case for us, the Canadians. You have a good chance finding the same camera in US for about the same price or even less. If the price of the camera is extraordinarily low, it is probably a case for 'too good to be true'.



Nov 18, 2022 at 11:15 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


raminolta wrote:
... While on Ebay, if the seller is at fault he is responsible to cover the return shipping cost,...


Yes. I've bought two items that were 'not as described', for which I received full refunds. Since the sellers did not pay for return shipping, I still have the items, too. I think these refunds were 'awarded by' eBay, and 'delivered by' PayPal.

The seller is also 'at fault' if the package does not arrive, or it arrives damaged. IOW, shipping insurance protects the seller, not the buyer. The buyer's protection comes throught the selling platform (e.g. eBay) and/or the financial instrument (e.g. PayPal, credit card). Do not count on eBay to protect you, either as a buyer or as a seller.

raminolta wrote:
... I am not sure that is Paypal's policy.


I don't think that PayPal cares. If you have a justified case for a refund, they'll get it for you (e.g. didn't arrive, arrived damaged, not as described). They don't ask if the item is or has been returned to the seller. I've even had PayPal give me a refund for an item that eBay refused to refund. In this case, eBay tracking showed the item arrived in eBay's Erlinger KY shipping centre, and it never got out. The fact that eBay did not think they were responsbile for this issue, says a lot about how little eBay 'cares'. At least, it's not Twitter.

raminolta wrote:
Generally, I doubt buying from overseas sellers makes sense for Americans....


Depends on what you're looking for. If it's a vintage camera, lens, or light meter that was not originally made in (or 'for') the States, then overseas is where you'll find it. The Canadian dollar is down vs. the USD, but it's up relative to EU and UK currencies. Now is a good time for North Americans to be buying from overseas.




Nov 19, 2022 at 08:50 AM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


I only buy items that cost less than $100 and cannot be found in the states. If there is a problem with the seller and I lose my payment it is no big deal.

Lots of crooks offering expensive lenses and cameras at prices that are too good to be true. Lots of gullible people who are making purchases and even if the seller only gets one sucker a day they are making a good deal of money. The more expensive the item the more likely it is to be a con.

These are also going to be grey market and so no warranty and in some cases the US service centers will not repair them.



Nov 19, 2022 at 03:07 PM
cdubea
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


It's a big "it depends".

I've made my last 4 or 5 camera purchases from Map Camera in Tokyo via eBay.

No problems, whatsoever. None. From time of purchase to delivery in the states has been 2-3 days.

I just bought a Fuji XF16-80 from them. Had FedEx waited more than 30 seconds for my semi invalid wife to open the door, delivery would have been 2 days, from Tokyo to northern VA. As it was, delivery was 3 days through no fault of Map.

So, do your due diligence. Don't fall for the lowest price.

Be smart.



Dec 17, 2022 at 02:31 PM
johnvanr
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


cdubea wrote:
It's a big "it depends".

I've made my last 4 or 5 camera purchases from Map Camera in Tokyo via eBay.

No problems, whatsoever. None. From time of purchase to delivery in the states has been 2-3 days.

I just bought a Fuji XF16-80 from them. Had FedEx waited more than 30 seconds for my semi invalid wife to open the door, delivery would have been 2 days, from Tokyo to northern VA. As it was, delivery was 3 days through no fault of Map.

So, do your due diligence. Don't fall for the lowest price.

Be smart.


On eBay, esp. from Japan, check their feedback. MAP camera is legit. Other have 100% positive feedback, but it's mostly for small items of $1-3. They use that to build up their reputation and then scam people who buy expensive items like camera gear or watches from them. So, check whether their feedback is based on the kind of stuff you're interested in.

Source: my own experience.

PayPal saved me. Potential loss would have been $7,700.



Dec 17, 2022 at 04:02 PM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


I've bought several items from Map Camera. Everything exactly as described. The only issue, and it's not really their problem is that, although the U.S. has a Free Trade Agreement with Japan, it apparently only applies to $2500.00 or less, so I got dinged for $114 on my last purchase, which was somewhere around $3K. Not a huge deal when you've already spent the three grand but a little technicality that bit me in the ass. When I bought a $5K lens from Linhof Studio in the U.K. earlier in the year they put a separate customs invoice for 900 pounds sterling and the duty was under $50. And because of Brexit, we no longer have FTA's with either the U.K. or the EU and there's a 2.45% duty on those items.


Dec 17, 2022 at 05:44 PM
RickPJ
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


If you are buying something that should have a warranty make sure that the warranty will be honored at US warranty stations. Likewise with repair. We all know that Nikon will not even service items purchased from overseas. So if you have a problem with Nikon stuff that was purchased offshore you are pretty much stuck sending it back overseas for service or repair. Or to a third party repair facility that may or may not be up to Nikon standards and may not be able to get replacement parts.

If the reason you are buying whatever you are buying (and it would help us to know what that is before we offer specific advice) is to save money I would say that it would have to be a lot of savings before it would work for me.

Any reason you do not want to tell us what you are buying?



Dec 17, 2022 at 08:33 PM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


Too much fraud involved with overseas sellers. If a deal is too good to be true then it is not a good deal. Save yourself the grief and the loss of money and stick to legitimate sellers in the USA>


Dec 18, 2022 at 07:43 PM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


elkhornsun wrote:
Too much fraud involved with overseas sellers. If a deal is too good to be true then it is not a good deal. Save yourself the grief and the loss of money and stick to legitimate sellers in the USA>


For a lot of items, there might be no other alternative. On the last lens I bought, a Contax 350mm f/4, there were none anywhere other than one beat to crap copy at B&H for about the same price. If you're using eBay and PayPal, most of the protections are in favor of the buyer. The risk is small. The aforementioned seller in Japan has proven quite reliable and honest. As is dealing with Paula at Linhof Studio in the UK. Much better prices than you can get here and you generally get their stuff in three or four days DHL. Everything I've gotten from Linhof Studio has been brand new - Rodenstock and Novoflex and the Japanese eBay Contax stuff was priced more or less at market value. It was definitely not "too good to be true" pricing, just fairly priced and accurately described. Just because something is overseas does not automatically mean it's a scam. Probably just as many if not more scams originate from the good ol' USA.




Dec 18, 2022 at 07:59 PM
molson
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · buying an expensive camera from someone overseas


PayPal has different rules for different countries; do not assume you will have the same buyer protection buying from overseas as you would have buying in the USA or Canada. I learned this the hard way, and would never buy another used camera or lens from overseas unless I was dealing with a reputable retail store.


Dec 19, 2022 at 10:33 AM





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