Goodrich wrote:
Is it not the case that these HK companies just pretend that they are sending you a tax-free gift and, if they are caught by customs, just pay the VAT / duties / fines? Since they don't get caught every time, they share the VAT / customs savings with their customers. Tax evasion by any other name. Sorry, but I couldn't get to the page as it was asking me about cookies, in German, so I gave up, in my legitimate interest.
EDIT: Stefan has now provided a translation. See the next post if you want the complete text.
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I declined the cookies (in German) as all I wanted to do was reading the text Stefan linked us to.
In short: Yes, it's grey import, a discussion about pros and cons and why it can be totally OK to use grey import. Discussion about the global companies maximizing their profit by avoiding price wars in [at least] Germany [I see it clearly here in Sweden as well]. Then the writer tells us about a god experience from having bought a camera body from Hong-Kong thanks to different tax and custom rules. Further, good experience from buying from the company named Panamoz where support and warranty seems to work just fine. Saving varies and is highest for high end gear.
Please correct me if I missed something essential Stefan!
EDIT: Checking the prices at Panamoz I can see that the Sony A1 Mark ii actually is cheaper to buy the usual way from a dealer in Sweden. OTOH, if you want an A9 Mark iii the Panamoz price is about EUR 1300 lower.
Goodrich wrote:
Is it not the case that these HK companies just pretend that they are sending you a tax-free gift and, if they are caught by customs, just pay the VAT / duties / fines? Since they don't get caught every time, they share the VAT / customs savings with their customers. Tax evasion by any other name. Sorry, but I couldn't get to the page as it was asking me about cookies, in German, so I gave up, in my legitimate interest.
EDIT: Stefan has now provided a translation. See the next post if you want the complete text
I declined the cookies (in German) as all I wanted to do was reading the text Stefan linked us to.
In short: Yes, it's grey import, a discussion about pros and cons and why it can be totally OK to use grey import. Discussion about the global companies maximizing their profit by avoiding price wars in [at least] Germany [I see it clearly here in Sweden as well]. Then the writer tells us about a god experience from having bought a camera body from Hong-Kong thanks to different tax and custom rules. Further, good experience from buying from the company named Panamoz where support and warranty seems to work just fine. Saving varies and is highest for high end gear.
Please correct me if I missed something essential Stefan!
EDIT: Checking the prices at Panamoz I can see that the Sony A1 Mark ii actually is cheaper to buy the usual way from a dealer in Sweden. OTOH, if you want an A9 Mark iii the Panamoz price is about EUR 1300 lower.
Goodrich wrote:
Is it not the case that these HK companies just pretend that they are sending you a tax-free gift and, if they are caught by customs, just pay the VAT / duties / fines? Since they don't get caught every time, they share the VAT / customs savings with their customers. Tax evasion by any other name. Sorry, but I couldn't get to the page as it was asking me about cookies, in German, so I gave up, in my legitimate interest.
I declined the cookies (in German) as all I wanted to do was reading the text Stefan linked us to.
In short: Yes, it's grey import, a discussion about pros and cons and why it can be totally OK to use grey import. Discussion about the global companies maximizing their profit by avoiding price wars in [at least] Germany [I see it clearly here in Sweden as well]. Then the writer tells us about a god experience from having bought a camera body from Hong-Kong thanks to different tax and custom rules. Further, good experience from buying from the company named Panamoz where support and warranty seems to work just fine. Saving: EUR 1800 [camera model unknown].
Please correct me if I missed something essential Stefan!
EDIT: Checking the prices at Panamoz I can see that the Sony A1 Mark ii actually is cheaper to buy the usual way from a dealer in Sweden. OTOH, if you want an A9 Mark iii the Panamoz price is about EUR 1300 lower.
Mar 08, 2025 at 05:05 PM
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