Thread: bringing in a camera from hong kong

Currently looking at a keen price at valuebasket.co.nz for a Nikon D7100/D7200. I didnt realise it was overseas until pricespy said it was overseas. Anyway has anyone had issues with bringing in a camera from NZ customs? valuebasket says they pay the GST so it should be OK, but that would be an expensive oopsie if not.

Maybe just check that the warranty is valid here and that the local agents won't make you ship it back to HK yourself for service if anything goes wrong with it?

According to my photographer wife, Nikon don't have a service centre in NZ, so you'll have to send your camera to Oz for anything more than a lens or sensor clean, even if it's an NZ bought model. Those manufacturers that DO have NZ service centres (Canon, etc), won't touch anything parallel imported, even if you carry it over the border yourself.

If you want to minimise the risk of getting pinged at customs, discard any packaging, take some photos, argue that it's a used item if questioned.

Originally Posted by steven

Currently looking at a keen price at valuebasket.co.nz for a Nikon D7100/D7200. I didnt realise it was overseas until pricespy said it was overseas. Anyway has anyone had issues with bringing in a camera from NZ customs? valuebasket says they pay the GST so it should be OK, but that would be an expensive oopsie if not.

Watch those bastards , I brought a Fuji off them not realizing they were overseas (NZ email , web address , phone number) , got a call form Toll Freight saying it was been held in customs and there was $180 customs clearance and GST to pay before they would release it which i paid , spent the next two weeks emailing them with bullshit replies saying they will look at it , wasnt until i raised a claim with Paypal that i got anywhere . finally got a refund of the fees (they didnt want a bad paypal against them)

I had a Nikon lens rebuilt last year (insurance job after I cleverly dropped it on its head so the camera shop sent it through the official channel), pretty sure it was an outfit in Wellington that did it.

Originally Posted by Looseunit

Watch those bastards , I brought a Fuji off them not realizing they were overseas (NZ email , web address , phone number) , got a call form Toll Freight saying it was been held in customs and there was $180 customs clearance and GST to pay before they would release it which i paid , spent the next two weeks emailing them with bullshit replies saying they will look at it , wasnt until i raised a claim with Paypal that i got anywhere . finally got a refund of the fees (they didnt want a bad paypal against them)

Thanks, I was hoping for some feedback. I thought maybe I would use paypal as a buffer, I know VISA etc wont give a toss. What did paypal say btw? I have never used them as a big stick.

paypal worked well , as soon as the claim was raised Valuebasket came back and sorted it real quick

Over $400 and there is a good chance that you will get pinged at customs if you are shipping it in. If you are bringing it in leave the box but take the rest and no one can argue where you bought it.
I bring things in from the UK, clothes etc and customs are starting to get wise to it. Mind you a computer thing i bought in from ?china they just put a lower value on the packaging than $400.
Take your chances and see what you get