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Understanding parallel imports… and the risk to you

The perils of the parallel import purchase

What exactly is a parallel import? Quite simply, a parallel import is a non-counterfeit product imported from another country, without the permission of the intellectual property owner.

Also called grey or direct imports, these are products that you buy from a seller who does not have specific permission from the manufacturer to sell those products in the Australian marketplace.

OSA is fiercely proud of the partnerships we have established and maintained with national and international manufacturers and suppliers, across a range of market verticals.

As Australia’s Number One independently owned designer and distributor of world class network solutions we only supply and use authorised products from our integrator partners…

…authorised products which are backed by the manufacturer’s guarantee and guaranteed to work in Australian conditions.

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The perils of the parallel import purchase...

OSA encourages our network of clients to take extreme care regarding purchasing and/or using parallel equipment in Australia. In particular, products from Sumitomo Electric.

Here are a few key reasons why.

Safety
Equipment purchased from other global regions may not be designed for our Australian power supply and electrical safety standards.

Performance
Equipment purchased from other global regions are likely to have key design differences – and their performance may differ to equipment that has been purchased through authorised channels.

Warranties
OSA and Sumitomo cannot provide a global warranty policy, and must decline any grey import warranty claim. So what initially seemed like a cheaper option actually can quickly become an expensive problem.

Software Compliance
In line with changing fibre standards globally and continuous improvements, it is recommended that software updates be applied at service intervals. This is not possible for grey import equipment purchased in Australia, therefore making compliance an issue.

Buyer Certainty
By purchasing through an authorised distributor, the buyer is guaranteed that the product or parts of the product are the genuine product, not inferior copies.

Refund or Remedy
While consumers have the same consumer rights when purchasing from a non-authorized source, the practicality of enforcing these rights may be difficult. Promises and good will at time of a grey purchase may fade quickly and potential short-term savings may be quickly overshadowed.

The real cost of parallel imports

The real cost of parallel imports...

Small expensive unit. Pretty easy to bring in …

…but is it really worth the risk?

Whether it’s safety, performance, compliance or just the certainly that the product you’re using is fit for purpose, the real cost of parallel imports can often end up costing a lot more than buying the same product from the official supplier.

‘OSA are a factory-approved Sumitomo warranty centre. All parts are Sumitomo originals, and all staff are trained by Sumitomo and approved for warranty and repairs’ Mike Thomas, Optical Solutions Australia.

Find out more about our range of Sumitomo products.

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