Oceanic Canada just sucks !!

[craracer]

When I think of "gray market", I think about 'fakes'. I know it's not correct though.

What makes a gray market item gray market? The manufacturer doesn't authorize them to sell their merchandise?

[sarcastic mode on] I, as a manufacturer, can see why I wouldn't want a lot of businesses purchasing items from me, and I would hate to have 'too many' places around the globe selling my items. Making more money and growing as a company just isn't a good business model.

As asked before, how does an unauthorized business get their hands on merchandise? Do they buy it from an authorized dealer at retail cost (which the manufacturer requires), and then turn around and resell it at a lower price (losing money is a good business model)?

Again, I am an ignorant blithering nincompoop. Thus, I invite an education.

[gummybun]

Grey market - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Best free education going. But I would still think that IF this were the case - LP is distributing Grey market product- that would be a LOT of product from a very VISABLE seller and Oceanic would act to stop it. Oceanic's lawyers would act against LP's 'representation' that the goods they sell are covered by a 'Oceanic' Warranty on the LP web-site. Also they would know where the goods Oceanic originally shipped to, and they would shut down that supply route as that distributer would surely be voiding some contract limitation/condition.

[craracer]

So, the issue may be that there is some obscure governmental regulation that a product might not adhere to. Thus, without approval, the manufacturer isn't allowed to sell an item within that geographical area.

[gummybun]

When I was younger and buying 35mm photographic equipment I could not believe the prices advertised in NYNY for Nikon lenses and Paris for Angenieux lenses compared to what we paid in Canada. The difference was crazy. The locals here always talked about 'grey market' product - off the back of a truck or second rate goods from the factories back door.

Strange thing was when I was in NY or Paris all the shops had the same low prices and lots of product with the warranties all printed in the local languages all proper boxes and packaging and LOTS of it. Not what you would imagine if it were some small scale theft. I bought lenses there and they were among the best optics I have ever owned. I think the Grey Market is as much fear mongering as real and also it provides cover for manufactures to open alternate markets.

For instance the so called 'black market' importation of tobacco products INTO Canada in the 1990's to undermine the Canadian government taxation. It was found the tobacco companies were knowing and willing partners in the importation. That much product could not have been sold and shipped without the companies knowledge. They plead guilty and were fined a few bucks.

[r1cook]

Yep I just spoke to the US Ocenaic Tech and found out that the two reg sets I purchased while on vacation will not be covered for the life time service agreement because I did not buy it in Canada. The dealer in the US seemed to have no issue with me being from Canada and stated I should have no issue as it is a voluntary program. He was very happy to show me the agreement on the WORLD WIDE Oceanic web site. Turns out the US will not reimburse the Canadain distributer so if he honors it here he is out the money. But if I am willing to send to any US dealer and pay the shipping both ways then the same guy will pay for the parts no problem. So the only one really making any money is the shipper and the US guy pays for it anyway. How is he out more morney than if he sent the cash to my Canadian guy? So protectionism is the service they truly provide not customer service. So if I buy in Canada and then go diving in the US but forgot to get my regs checked I have to pay for the parts. Does this make sense to anyone? If I have no dealer in my town I can shop online and get the same regulator cheaper and faster from Florida then I can from 400 km in Canada ..I love the equipment but with us being so close and a supposed global economy out there this should be much simpler than this. Customer service?? In our small towns dives shops come and go every year. So supporting our LDS is always front and center but lets be real 200 dollars more for the same product after shipping ??!! I want to support them not put the kids through College on my own. The warranty should ve valid where ever I dive and need service. Might be just me but diving is definitely a sport that takes you around the globe to e
njoy. To bad the service stays at home.

[r1cook]

I would like to put a different twist on this subject. If one goes to the international website for Ocenaic it explains in full detail the warranty you get. I did this as I was brand new to diving and was looking for good equipment to buy. Yes I could have gone to a local dive shop but I was working out of town and in a short time that town would not longer be my home town and it would then be a 4 hour drive away. So I read the agreement ( there is none posted on the Canadian Distributer site by the way so this is the only place to get details on the Oceanic product and warranty) and ended up bying from a US shop. When it came to getting the annuals done where I know lived I was lucky to have an Ocenaic dealer BUT he could not get reimbursed for the part so he would have to charge me...350 dollars for both sets I had purchased. Turns out the Oceanic EOS are ridiculously expensive parts wise. He apologizes everytime he charges me. He spoke of a possible ability to "re-register" my regs for a one time fee and get the service parts free but that died once he called Oceanic. So the short story here is I read Oceanics site and believed that I would be covered anywhere in the world if I need service as I believed that divers travel to all corners of the world to dive so it made sense. Yes I was a newby to the sport but it seemed to make sensse so I had no reason to believe otherswise as I read it in black and white on the Oceanic site. I challenge anyone to find even one word that sugggests you are warrantied only in the country of purchase on teh Oceanic site...I just hope you don't have trouble if you go to some warm sunny place, you would have to ship your regs back to your country of purchase not the great shop down the road. I am wiser now and always support my local shop but lets face it guys the world is going global and if our sport can't go with it then it will not survive..

In what world would a supplier have to warranty a product bought in a different country!!
I will put it in simple words for people who can't grasp difficult concepts. Oceanic WW sells product to a Canadian Distributor called Cross Country for x dollars he then sells it to a retailer (store) who then sells it to the consumer (guy who buys it), when there is a warranty problem customer takes it back to where he bought it (selling dealer) they will then send it back to the original distributer for warranty. In other words if you bought it in the US it goes back to the US. If you bought it in Canada it goes back to Canada.
So maybe you should keep your money in Canada, where we live, and then you can expect warranty on your items!!!
Another person thinking he should take money away from his Canadian neighbours and use to to help the American economy instead of ours!!
What you buy in the state has no warranty in Canada - never has and probably never will!!
Even better he calls himself an instructor!!