B&H Photo B & H B&H sent me Nikon Grey Market lenses that Nikon will not warranty - I was ripped off!! New York, New York

The grey market Nikon lenses that B&H sells have the same B&H part number and the same Nikon part number as the Nikon USA lenses.  I ordered a lens in the USA from a company that is located in the USA.  I should have received a Nikon USA lens.  They sell the Nikon USA lens for the same as the grey market lens and they sell them for the same price!!  Only an idiot would buy something for the same price that has a lesser warranty.  B&H told me that if I would have noticed the problem within 30 days they would have exchanged it.  The lenses they sent me were packaged in nearly identical boxes as the real Nikon USA lenses.  There was no way to know that they were grey market lenses until I sent them to Nikon for factory service. 

B&H never offered to repair my lens at no charge.  They said it would cost $450 because they claimed impact damage.  Even if I would have paid that, I still would have ended up with a lens that I can't get repaired by Nikon.

I have to repeat this because it's true.  They ripped me off with a bait and switch tactic!!!!

Never buy anything from these jerks!!!!!

We appreciate this customer's orders and regret his dissatisfaction. B&H does sell some products in both US-warranted and "grey market" a/k/a IMP versions. When we do (or when the "grey market" a/k/a IMP version is the only one available) the item is clearly marked on our site with explanation.

Each lens is marked "USA" or "Imported," and those labels are linked here, where we say:

About USA and Imported Products
Items marked "USA" are imported and/or distributed by the manufacturer or the manufacturers official licensed importer/distributor and are warranted by them. Items marked "Imported" are imported and/or distributed by other entities and are warranted by B&H Photo-Video. "Imported" products do not qualify for manufacturers rebate programs. There is no difference in the item itself. Click here for additional information.

That links to a longer and more complete description. The lenses purchased all included this when purchased and include this today.

In this case one lens was returned to us for repair, since we cover "Imported" Nikon lenses for one year under our own warranty. Our repair facility reported the lens was not working due to impact damage, which neither Nikon USA nor B&H would cover as a warranty repair. Nevertheless we offered to extend the terms of our warranty coverage from one to three years as a courtesy. The customer declined, instructed us to return the lens to him unrepaired and asked us to exchange the lenses for Nikon USA warranted lenses. Since this purchase took place during February 2012 and it is now January 2013 we are not able to make this exchange. Nevertheless we regret his dissatisfaction.

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Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video