Pricing/selling 35mm gear.

I just checked through the forum pages and didn't see a reference to this question so I thought I would post one.
Having time on my hands in the winter I was able to sort through a lot of my kit and realized that I have way too much.Yes,I have become a "gearhead".
Should I use ebay as a benchmark when I put the stuff up for sale? Maybe KEH? I wouldn't want to sound like a chiseler by setting the mark too high.

Thanks

Mike Kennedy said:

I just checked through the forum pages and didn't see a reference to this question so I thought I would post one.
Having time on my hands in the winter I was able to sort through a lot of my kit and realized that I have way too much.Yes,I have become a "gearhead".
Should I use ebay as a benchmark when I put the stuff up for sale? Maybe KEH? I wouldn't want to sound like a chiseler by setting the mark too high.

Thanks

Click to expand...

Those are certainly the benchmarks that buyers will use - they will mainly expect (I do!) gear from a private source to be the price of a CLA cheaper than cameras from a dealer (except of course if a private seller explicitly states, and guarantees, that a camera has just been CLA'd).

Regards,

David

Thanks for the reply David.
I realise that cameras can be a bit of a "sticky wicket" when it comes to buying/selling.For instance if I were to send a Nikon to the nearest Canadian repair center to be CLAed it would set me back $100.00 plus.That kind of an investment,with no guarantee of a sale is beyond my wallet's maeger reach.Especially if the same model is selling for 50-100 on ebay.
I guess lenses would be a simpler sale.I can test them myself and have the local camera shop give them the once over.For example, I have a Canon FD 50mm 1.8 in prime shape.Nice photos from this bit of glass.Priced around $25.00 on ebay ergo asking for 25 would be fair.

I suppose eBay is, by default if not otherwise, the best "market" indicator. But make sure you're comparing apples to apples. I see too many ads for cameras that say they work fine, but when you inquire they haven't been used in years. Or have inflated shipping. Or are sold "as-is". So if you go through the effort to test the camera, describe it accurately, and offer a return privilege, I would expect a modest premium over average eBay prices.

If you're looking at eBay selling prices, ignore the "buy it now" prices, since they may have had a unrealistically low "buy it now" price. Conversely, toss out the really high outliers, especially when the winning bidder had a very low feedback rating.

If using KEH, you can look at both selling and buying price from them and price yours near the midpoint. But keep in mind that they grade conservatively and deserve a premium for that and their reputation.

I don't think you should be concerned about being considered a chiseler by setting a high price unless it's ridiculously high. As long as you describe the equipment completely and accurately (as I'm sure you will) the buyer can make an informed decision.

Sound advice mgb74. Thanks.

It's just my own opinion, but I would expect to pay a significantly lower price from a private seller than from KEH. With KEH, you have the security of a conservative grading scale, a known seller and a no-hassle return policy. Therefore KEH can charge more. -Laura

And many good sellers such as KEH have a warranty, and they are very strict about their grading. But their grading is largely visual.

But you can be clear about what you are claiming and selling. For instance, if you shoot a roll of film with a camera, and the camera performs well, the meter checks out with a known good one, frame spacing is good—that's much good information. Many—most—professional sellers never film test the camera.

I have found that your brokers such as KEH, even the e-houses like B&H and Adorama tend to be on the high end of the market. Local camera shops and private sellers in the mid range. And completed auction prices on eBay to be near the bottom. I would find a happy medium between say KEH and the average completed eBay sale. Example, Mamiya M645j's are going on eBay for $70-$100.00 USD. You might find the same on KEH for around 2. Go $125.00 to $150.00 or so.

Ebay can't tell you what your gear is worth. But, it can't give you a general idea how much ebay users are willing to pay for a piece of gear, on a certain day. If you have an ebay account, just login and go to the Advanced Search area. Place your basic camera criteria on the search line, check the "Completed listings Only" box and the "Search title and description" box, and click Search. The listings returned with prices in green are the items that sold. The reason an item sold is unique for each item. You can get a basic idea of item's condition and specifics from reading each listing. When selling gear, there is no harm in pricing your gear too high. On ebay for example, you can set your starting price, and if it's too high you get to keep your gear. I recently listed a camera on eBay. Sometimes, but not always, letting the bidders determine the value of you gear can work in your favor. When it was all over my original $100 listing turned into a $300 plus sale. I would have been perfectly satisfied had it sold for the 100 bucks. I find selling on eBay fun and challenging. I'm sure the other methods of selling previously mentioned are just as effective.