Buying Canon online - warranties and pitfalls

cloudsteph · 23-02-2011 11:45AM #1

I'm gearing up & saving up to buy either a G12 or an 1100D in the next few weeks.

Either is working out cheaper online via Amazon UK or Pixmania but I'm afraid I'll get caught up in warranty issues if I don't buy in Ireland.

The Canon website is awful when it comes to trying to find out info about what warranties are out there and I reckon if I go into a store here to ask they're not going to be terribly helpful given I'm buying online and not from them.

What should I look out for?
Where should I buy from or avoid buying from?
Or is buying online a bad idea?

Help much appreciated

23-02-2011 05:17PM

It was a while ago when this was going through my head, and I didn't pay much attention at all, so I could be talking crap here, but I believe that all Canon's have a worldwide warranty that doesn't cover Ireland or the UK, unless the camera has an invoice/receipt stating it was purchased in the UK/Ireland (I believe Canon class us as one and the same, so if you have a receipt from a UK seller, then you should be OK within Ireland with your Canon, too).

Now, as I say, I could be completely wrong. I was asking before when I was planning on getting a 7D, but the idea left my head when I went for lens upgrades instead, so none of the information I got was really cemented in me at all

a148pro · 23-02-2011 05:35PM

I would have thought the above also, the main consequence of buying on line is you often lose the direct recourse to the particular shop, which has a vested interest in maintaining good will and may try and help you.

Bear in mind two things - if you buy online you may also be buying a foreign release of the particular item - i.e., I got a Rebel 2i which is the American / Japanese release of the 550D and I presume if I bring that to Canon Ireland I may be in trouble. They're often cheaper beacsue they're cross-imports which companies don't like. This may not be an issue with Amazon or Pixmania though.

Also consider buying in Dublin Airport - I got my camera online at least €200 cheaper than it was available here, but saw it for a similar price in the Airport (though I'm not sure if you can get in there easy if something goes wrong either!).

.Longshanks. · 23-02-2011 10:32PM

AFAIK canon warranty on lens its worldwide but on body's it's EU specific. So a USA body won't be covered here.

Anything bought in dixons in Dublin airport duty free can be sorted for warranty in curry's - their all the same brand

tommyh1977 · 24-02-2011 10:14PM

Here is my experience with Amazon. Basically i purchased a 60D mid January and within a week it developed a fault with the flash. I contacted Canon and they were quiet happy to carry the warranty through image supply systems in Dublin, however as the unit was so new they recommended contacting Amazon. I did this and to my amazement they said return the product. The return postage was approx 36.00 euro which they immediately refunded when i emailed them the receipt. I posted the Camera on a Wednesday morning and had a full refund processed by midnight Friday night, and here i am a week later with a brand new 7D also from Amazon (didnt want to risk another 60D) I dont know about Pixmania, but Amazon are first class.

Dara Robinson · 25-02-2011 12:57AM

I probably commited all the sins. I bought an very expensive camera on ebay, from outside Ireland, from an international seller, hongkong none the less but I could not be happier. Bought a Nikon D700 and saved myself over €1000.

Its actually not that much of a leap. If you are careful and follow a few simple rules.
1) Check out the seller
Look at their history. Check out the negative feedback and what you should really be looking for is "Product not as advertised" and especially if the seller has not responded. A lot of the time the sellers response will inspire confidence even though its negative feedback.

2) Pay with Paypal
If you dont have an account, GET ONE. Its an essential tool for safe online shopping. Link your credit card or if you dont have one, your bank account

3) Only buy from Paypal guaranteed sellers
ebay will tell yiou just under the bid price if Paypal will cover your purchase and if so what kind of cover. Look for fully covered sellers, then there is practically no risk for you.

I would recommend to anyone buying on ebay. I love HK

Valcin · 27-02-2011 09:30PM

kev_Longshanks100 wrote: »

AFAIK canon warranty on lens its worldwide but on body's it's EU specific. So a USA body won't be covered here.

Anything bought in dixons in Dublin airport duty free can be sorted for warranty in curry's - their all the same brand

I was looking at the ads on ebay and the Japanese version of the Canon EOS 550d goes for fairly cheap, I am thinking of getting one from a seller with a good reputation. Does anyone know how they are covered here? They are sold from Britain and they say they give a year warranty. Would that mean that after the year if something went wrong with it I wouldn't have anywhere to bring it to sort it out because it is not the european model?

Thanks.

5uspect · 27-02-2011 10:59PM

Wouldn't all the menus be in Japanese?

punchdrunk · 27-02-2011 11:39PM

5uspect wrote: »

Wouldn't all the menus be in Japanese?

no the cameras have multiple Languages installed,but your manual wouldn't be in English but you can get those as a PDF online

5uspect · 28-02-2011 12:06AM

A quick google says it has Japanese and English but no other languages.
Cool.

Thecageyone · 03-03-2011 10:33PM

How did you escape mad customs & excise charges?? I've been hit twice, speedlight each time from HK, and had to pay the 21% VAT + a payment to the postie for his troubles! I imagine with 21% slapped onto a pricey camera the difference in buying from HK is very little?

I also waited over 2 weeks each time customs seized my gear.

I searched this as I've been looking at Amazon.com, the camera bodies ar so much cheaper, I wonder does it work out much better to buy from there even with a charge on top?

What? Oh Rly! · 05-03-2011 12:47AM

No customs paid no

?

Dara Robinson wrote: »

I probably commited all the sins. I bought an very expensive camera on ebay, from outside Ireland, from an international seller, hongkong none the less but I could not be happier. Bought a Nikon D700 and saved myself over €1000.

Its actually not that much of a leap. If you are careful and follow a few simple rules.
1) Check out the seller
Look at their history. Check out the negative feedback and what you should really be looking for is "Product not as advertised" and especially if the seller has not responded. A lot of the time the sellers response will inspire confidence even though its negative feedback.

2) Pay with Paypal
If you dont have an account, GET ONE. Its an essential tool for safe online shopping. Link your credit card or if you dont have one, your bank account

3) Only buy from Paypal guaranteed sellers
ebay will tell yiou just under the bid price if Paypal will cover your purchase and if so what kind of cover. Look for fully covered sellers, then there is practically no risk for you.

I would recommend to anyone buying on ebay. I love HK

ozzirt · 06-03-2011 10:47PM

Dara Robinson wrote: »

I probably commited all the sins. I bought an very expensive camera on ebay, from outside Ireland, from an international seller, hongkong none the less but I could not be happier. Bought a Nikon D700 and saved myself over €1000.

Its actually not that much of a leap. If you are careful and follow a few simple rules.
1) Check out the seller
Look at their history. Check out the negative feedback and what you should really be looking for is "Product not as advertised" and especially if the seller has not responded. A lot of the time the sellers response will inspire confidence even though its negative feedback.

2) Pay with Paypal
If you dont have an account, GET ONE. Its an essential tool for safe online shopping. Link your credit card or if you dont have one, your bank account

3) Only buy from Paypal guaranteed sellers
ebay will tell yiou just under the bid price if Paypal will cover your purchase and if so what kind of cover. Look for fully covered sellers, then there is practically no risk for you.

I would recommend to anyone buying on ebay. I love HK

I couldn't have said it better myself. EBay is the way to go, I have used them for tree or four years now and never had the slightest trouble. I have bought two cameras, a Canon S5 and a Nikon D300 with 18-200mm lens, and I'm really happy with both of them.

I bought them in two separate financial years and did not attract any unwelcome attention from Customs in Australia, I can't comment for Ireland.

Side Show Bob · 06-03-2011 10:58PM

I bought a 10D equivalent in the United States, 18 months later camera would not even switch on, sent it to Canon in Sandyford, they accepted it in for repair one week later they offered me a loan camera as they didn't have the required part, 2 months later they replaced the camera with a new one as they still couldn't solve the problem,
Totally wonderful communication and service, the new one also had a Canon bag that the American Rebel didn't have

Buying Canon online - warranties and pitfalls

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