Canon is Suing “Get It Digital” and Others to Stop Gray Market DSLR Sales

http://www.photography​bay.com …p-gray-market-dslr-sales/

I think this article confuses a couple of things.
1) grey market importers who simply bring in the items and openly sell them unchanged as grey market;
2) what these people appear to have done, which is to open the boxes, alter the products to deceive customers, and thereby potentially damage the Canon and its brand.

Seems to me that 1) is perfectly OK and 2) is disgusting and should be stopped.

rick_reno wrote in post #17793402
...and 2) is disgusting and should be stopped.

Especially counterfeit serial numbers on gray market Canon products. Thanks for the link.

Wow, instead of focusing on getting back on the train with mirrorless ff cameras canon decides to sue other companies. Glad i switched to sony

davidfarina wrote in post #17793730
Wow, instead of focusing on getting back on the train with mirrorless ff cameras canon decides to sue other companies. Glad i switched to sony

I think you missed the point. This has nothing to do with mirrorless and everything to do with fraud. The companies listed are some of the scummiest retailers out there. Why I bet they even rip off Sony customers.

davidfarina wrote in post #17793730
Wow, instead of focusing on getting back on the train with mirrorless ff cameras canon decides to sue other companies. Glad i switched to sony

You didn't even read it.

Very best,

Call me ignorant that i didnt read the whole article, but it is fact that canon does not care that much to most if its customers. Where is the 5D4? Where is the 1Dxii? Where is their approach at FF mirrorless...

Sony in contrary is doing a great job in listening to their customers. As a "newcomer" as they are with their mirrorless cameras, i must admit, they also have to to compete with the big canikon...

davidfarina wrote in post #17793798
Call me ignorant that i didnt read the whole article, but it is fact that canon does not care that much to most if its customers. Where is the 5D4? Where is the 1Dxii? Where is their approach at FF mirrorless...

Sony in contrary is doing a great job in listening to their customers. As a "newcomer" as they are with their mirrorless cameras, i must admit, they also have to to compete with the big canikon...

I think you're missing the point about the lawsuit. It's about fraud and trademark infringements. I'm very sure that Sony would be trigger-happy with their Lawyers if this was happening to them. Canon's the big target now, Sony later ...

davidfarina wrote in post #17793798
Wow, instead of focusing on getting back on the train with mirrorless ff cameras canon decides to sue other companies. Glad i switched to sony

...

Call me ignorant that i didnt read the whole article, but it is fact that canon does not care that much to most if its customers. Where is the 5D4? Where is the 1Dxii? Where is their approach at FF mirrorless...

you nailed it. Canon pulled all their R&D and product engineer guys, sent them to law school in the US, and have now tasked them with suing unauthorized dealers who are allegedly selling counterfeit goods. These actions prove that not only have they abandoned their customers, they will never, ever produce anything that will be heralded as innovative ever again.


LOL, hilarious.

the product itself isnt counterfeit, however the serial numbers are.... and I cant seem to figure out why they would do such things. Swapping out accessories for counterfeit is a legit gripe if true. I dont know if a charger in a foreign country needs to be UL certified, so not sure if the claim is legit or not, however I dont see the big deal with that issue.

it just sounds like canon doesnt like the idea of gray market and looking for any technicality to catch these gray market sellers. All new shop and sixth ave were tampering with serials, getitdigital with accessories.

If you have encountered fake serial numbers, see https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1446138

Charlie wrote in post #17794124
it just sounds like canon doesnt like the idea of gray market and looking for any technicality to catch these gray market sellers.

ESPECIALLY since we're heading into the money grab that is the holiday season.

Charlie wrote in post #17794124
the product itself isnt counterfeit, however the serial numbers are.... and I cant seem to figure out why they would do such things. Swapping out accessories for counterfeit is a legit gripe if true. I dont know if a charger in a foreign country needs to be UL certified, so not sure if the claim is legit or not, however I dont see the big deal with that issue.

it just sounds like canon doesnt like the idea of gray market and looking for any technicality to catch these gray market sellers. All new shop and sixth ave were tampering with serials, getitdigital with accessories.

It's simple really. The heavily discounted grey market items "fell off the truck" and as such need to have their serial numbers changed. Think of it as an international fencing operation. You buy a perfectly fine, grey market camera at a steep discount from a company that is happy to have your business, but your camera just happens to have originally been destined for a foreign retailer before it was "diverted". I'm not saying that this is going on with GetItDigital, but it's a perfectly plausible reason for the altered serial numbers.

Scatterbrained wrote in post #17794442
It's simple really. The heavily discounted grey market items "fell off the truck" and as such need to have their serial numbers changed.

I think that would put us squarely into the black market, no? I haven't read the complaint, so I don't know what was specifically alleged, but I'm struggling to understand what the average grey market seller stands to gain by altering serial numbers.

Also, let's not forget what this is: a mere civil complaint. With a complaint, the plaintiff throws everything he's got against a wall hoping for just one or two things to stick.

PineBomb wrote in post #17794541
I think that would put us squarely into the black market, no? I haven't read the complaint, so I don't know what was specifically alleged, but I'm struggling to understand what the average grey market seller stands to gain by altering serial numbers.

Also, let's not forget what this is: a mere civil complaint. With a complaint, the plaintiff throws everything he's got against a wall hoping for just one or two things to stick.

I'm just trying to come up with a reason for the fudged serial numbers.

Scatterbrained wrote in post #17794613
I'm just trying to come up with a reason for the fudged serial numbers.

We all are! I suspect it's a red herring, because it's all we're talking about, right?