Grey market

Parallel goods (grey market) traders selling goods

A grey market (or parallel market) is a market where goods are sold legally, but outside the commonly-used channels and at lower prices. They are sold without the permission of the manufacturer. Consumers buying grey market goods risk not having warranties honored. They risk getting user guides and software in the wrong language. Packages may not include all accessories needed for a particular market. Sometimes grey market goods are sold without packaging, user guides or needed accessories. There is usually no after-sale support for products. Grey market products are often sold via the Internet without charging customers any sales tax. Products sold by grey marketers generally sell for much less than authorized dealers. This causes a loss of tax revenue to governments.