Panamoz - Pros and Cons?

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ProG77

ProG77

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Hi All,

I’m just about to buy a Nikon Z6ii kit. The price difference between buying from a national chain vs Panamoz is £360, so a hefty saving. I’ve never bought anything from Panamoz before but have seen several members here refer to it. I’m a fairly risk averse person so before I fork out over £2k on something, I want to be confident that I’m not getting scammed or will be left with other issues like invalid warranties.

So who’s bought from Panamoz recently? What’s the crack? I understand their products are grey imports (is that right?) but are they an absolutely genuine company to deal with? And are there any potential downsides of buying through them?

Also, they say 4-7 days for deliveries. Is this fairly accurate or is the wait for delivery significantly longer?

Many thanks.
 
There are many threads regarding Panamoz and other grey import companies but the upshot is that these companies buy stuff from abroad while not paying any VAT, hence the price drop. The item comes direct to you from the overseas supplier and that's about the end of it, although there is no manufacturer's warranty. Occasionally the customer will be caught out by customs and the VAT office and will have to pay the VAT, then Panamoz will refund the customer that cost. Panamoz get away with it a lot of times and so don't worry about the occasional VAT payout. If anything goes wrong with the item, Panamoz will honour their own guarantee. It's a grey import and the ethics are also grey but they've been in business for many years so from their point of view they are doing OK. Whether or not the same can be said for the British taxpayer is another discussion.
 
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ProG77 said:
And are there any potential downsides of buying through them?
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Excellent supplier in my experience. I think the price advantage has narrowed in recent years though.
Their warranty and service have been first class - I have bought many items from them over several years.
Only had to have warranty work once and it was sorted incredibly quickly and with absolutely no fuss.
 
ProG77 said:
Hi All,

And are there any potential downsides of buying through them?
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Apart from breaking the law not much else.
Also your 3 years warranty is based on them continuing operations for next 3 years. If they stop for whatever reason then you have no warranty.
You have no legal standing as far as I'm aware for their warranty, it's mostly a "gentleman's agreement"
 
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Nothing wrong with them at all. They're a great company to deal with IME - far better than most UK retailers.

Contrary to what some say - buying from them is NOT illegal. This topic has been done to death on this forum, so do a few searches.

Why settle for a year's guarantee when you can get a three year one and pay less money?
 
I used them just before Xmas, great service, quick delivery, good price, will be using them again for my next lens purchase
 
Sky said:
Contrary to what some say - buying from them is NOT illegal. This topic has been done to death on this forum, so do a few searches.
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Buying from them is NOT illegal but buying from and evading tax IS illegal which is clearly what OP is indenting to do to save money i.e. by tax evasion.
If he was going to declare it he might as well buy it in the UK.

Sky said:
Why settle for a year's guarantee when you can get a three year one and pay less money?
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Because only way to save money is by tax evasion which is illegal
 
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nandbytes said:
so are you and by looks of it an angry one at that
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You're right. I'm very easily angered by self-righteous, holier-than-thou people that deliberately give out false information.
 
For = Very probably cheaper than you can buy in the UK.
Against = They avoid paying tax which everyone should be able to accept is at the very least highly questionable.

I'm torn on this. The NHS and the police and everything else have to be paid for and I sympathise with UK sellers as no one is getting rich here and shops seem to be going out of business left right and centre but times are tight and many many people are involved in what are certainly low level questionable activities and seem to be able to live with it so I think it's best not to moralise or lecture and to let people make their own minds up.
 
nandbytes said:
Buying from them is NOT illegal but buying from and evading tax IS illegal which is clearly what OP is indenting to do to save money i.e. by tax evasion.
If he was going to declare it he might as well buy it in the UK.


Because only way to save money is by tax evasion which is illegal
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Erm haven’t you done exactly this yourself?

Could be wrong but pretty sure you said previously that you have bought from Panamax yourself?

Did you inform HMRC?
 
I have bought from them and E-infinity and will do so again if need be, never had a problem. As expected the do gooders have come out of the woodwork again.
 
Sky said:
You're right. I'm very easily angered by self-righteous, holier-than-thou people that deliberately give out false information.
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not being self-righteous or holier-than-thou and the information given is factual and correct

you only need to look as far as my sales threads (currently in sales) to see I have bought from panamoz. but that doesn't change the fact that tax evasion is illegal.
 
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nandbytes said:
not being self-righteous or holier-than-thou and the information given is factual and correct

you only need to look as far as my sales threads (currently in sales) to see I have bought from panamoz. but that doesn't change the fact that tax evasion is illegal.
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You are though.

Especially funny when you have done this yourself. Bit much to act all holier than now.
 
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swiftflo said:
I have bought from them and E-infinity and will do so again if need be, never had a problem. As expected the do gooders have come out of the woodwork again.
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Versus the wrongdoers are you saying?
 
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f/2.8 said:
You are though.

Especially funny when you have done this yourself. Bit much to act all holier than now.
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If he just gives factual information, as he does, how is that “holier”, if anything, it’s you who are claiming to be holier.

As I’ve said before, I’ve smuggled goods (though a long time ago) so hardly holier but it is in fact smuggling if you import a camera and fail to declare it. That’s a risk, which the OP asked about. It’s not moralising or being holier to point that out. The other valid point is that the ‘guarantee’ is a ‘gentkeman’s agreement’ so if Panamoz goes bust the ‘guarantee’ will disappear.
 
sphexx said:
If he just gives factual information, as he does, how is that “holier”, if anything, it’s you who are claiming to be holier.

As I’ve said before, I’ve smuggled goods (though a long time ago) so hardly holier but it is in fact smuggling if you import a camera and fail to declare it. That’s a risk, which the OP asked about. It’s not moralising or being holier to point that out. The other valid point is that the ‘guarantee’ is a ‘gentkeman’s agreement’ so if Panamoz goes bust the ‘guarantee’ will disappear.
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How am I being holier than now? I didn’t give an opinion either way at all.

He gave a strong opinion even though he has been smuggling himself which is hilarious.
 
sphexx said:
As I’ve said before, I’ve smuggled goods (though a long time ago) so hardly holier but it is in fact smuggling if you import a camera and fail to declare it. That’s a risk, which the OP asked about. It’s not moralising or being holier to point that out. The other valid point is that the ‘guarantee’ is a ‘gentkeman’s agreement’ so if Panamoz goes bust the ‘guarantee’ will disappear.
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Panamoz don't necessarily need to go bust for the warranty to disappear they could just stop doing business in the UK.
At least a couple of grey importers stopped doing business in the UK last year after Brexit (my guess being sneaking things in via. EU became a hassle for them).
One of them was called e-global or summat you can look it up there is a thread on this forum about it.
 
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f/2.8 said:
How am I being holier than now? I didn’t give an opinion either way at all.

He gave a strong opinion even though he has been smuggling himself which is hilarious.
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I have given no opinions let alone a strong one. I have simply stated factual information.

I have neither confirmed nor denied your accusations for all you know I may have declared to HMRC.
I am glad you found my posts funny and I hope you continue to do so.
 
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This subject has been done to death, and always brings out the worst in some people.
Mind the doors.
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