Bad time to sell?

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Archive 2008 · Bad time to sell?

G. Thomas
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p.2 #1 · Bad time to sell?

Yeah, I've seen a few lenses that have been here for sale for a loooooong time. Well before the implosion of the economy. I look at this place more like a place to dump gear I don't need/want safely, rather than as a money-making venture. I'm not going to argue or say anything if you price your items high, but in my head...

Nov 04, 2008 at 06:56 PM

marcus riley
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p.2 #2 · Bad time to sell?

Ya, I agree. I've been trying to sell my 1d2 at a pretty low price, or trade it for a 5d and there is almost no one bitting right now. Pretty dead around the used camera market.

Nov 04, 2008 at 07:21 PM

MMallory
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p.2 #3 · Bad time to sell?

I just purchased a few items here. I have stuff from my other hobby "R/C planes" which I can't sell at all (for a reasonable price). If anyone wants to trade fast long glass for a Turbine powered model F15 see me

. I see there are a lot of listings for the same product too. Also, many people are hiding the smaller items by not including them in the subject line.

Nov 04, 2008 at 07:54 PM

roger coen
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p.2 #4 · Bad time to sell?

Very simple---

Price it to high..it sits.
If you really want it to sell---price it below what others are asking.

Seems like common sense but I'm amazed at those who just don't get it.

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:04 PM

saaketham
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p.2 #5 · Bad time to sell?

roger coen wrote:If you really want it to sell---price it below what others are asking.

So, if A lists something for $1000 and B lists it for $900, then A has to re-list for $800, which means B now has to relist for $700. And so on. I like it.

Anyone want to sell me a 500mm L for $1000?

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:18 PM

Michael H
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p.2 #6 · Bad time to sell?

I would say yeah, it's not the best of times to sell. People around the country are just not spending. Its clearly a buyers market on many items, especially if you are patient.

I mean really a 1DMK2 is only worth $1200? I think that is far too low, but that's where they are. And the price dropped quickly and was not tied to a new release.

I've also seen the basic foundations of what this place used to be wither away. We used to be a solid community of people with like-interests. There were fair and some very good deals to be found. The trust factor was also high. Now we have dealers trying to hide behind a user name peddling wares. We see people coming in here trying to make $50 a card for CF after they get them for $6-7 dollars after the rebate. In past times, we would simply tell each other about how to get the deal.

This whole trend towards the scam of MS Live is just rediculous too. I'll sell it for this highly inflated price, but you can get a rebate (maybe) from MS for buying it this way. Just list the dang thing for a fair price. If someone decides to gamble on the chance of a rebate, fine. Let them try it. You get you -fair-selling price, the seller gets a good deal if it all works. Don't tell me it's $1000 here, but you'll do me a "favor" and list on ebay for $1200!

I'd love to see this get back to the roots of what is once was. I'm afraid however that we've just turned past that point and look more like eBay than I'd like.

And yeah, 90-95% of the new selling price is just stupid. Price it right, sell it fairly.

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:19 PM

gwm247
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p.2 #7 · Bad time to sell?

Items aren't moving here not because of the economy but because of the new Microsoft/Ebay alliance (conspiracy..whatever). Cash Back is gaining popularity. That is MSFT is offering 25% to a max of $200.00 on items if BIN is selected. How can anyone argue with that? Don't like Ebay? Then have your seller place the item on Ebay so you can take advantage of the Cash Back. (looks as though we were typing at the same time)

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:28 PM

GeorgeK-NJ
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p.2 #8 · Bad time to sell?

roger coen wrote:
Very simple---

Price it to high..it sits.
If you really want it to sell---price it below what others are asking.

Seems like common sense but I'm amazed at those who just don't get it.

Agreed, there was a used 40D priced at the same price that you can get new at B&H ($865). People need to know the market.

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:40 PM

Russell Smith
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p.2 #9 · Bad time to sell?

All true Scott. But I will say that when I was selling a lot before getting out of DSLR business in July 2007 I always sold in minutes after I posted. But I made the price attractive. I wanted to get rid of the item and knew I would lose a few bucks but had a deal very quickly. Now,it seems that many price high and do not want to bargain at all.
Yes, deleting the price is not best IMO

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:40 PM

Russell Smith
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p.2 #10 · Bad time to sell?

Nov 04, 2008 at 08:45 PM

zzziippyyy
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p.2 #11 · Bad time to sell?

AnthonyRhoades wrote:
kidtexas wrote:
I sold about $4000 worth of stuff in this last month. Pretty much got the prices that I thought the equipment should and would get, but *not* the prices that I *dreamed* about.

I think too many people price their used gear way too high. Anything above 80% of retail value is silly. Probably above 70% is pushing it. This results in equipment sitting around and not selling.

Ditto all except I've been happy about the selling price on the items I've sold. I'll reiterate what kidtexas has said though. Most things are priced way too high. No one cares if you only used the item once if your price is within a few dollars of the new, full warranty price, especially when you add paypal, ebay and shipping fees. Sorry, but your stuff isn't selling because you aren't realistic about the price.

Having said that, I've made A LOT of purchases this month; nearly equal to what I've sold. But, I've purchased items that were priced as they should be.

I agree 100% when you look at a lens that has use and you purchase it used for 80% of new or higher and add in the $ after the fees, shipping, etc. You really have to remember you are buying a USED item with most times no return policy and its normally not in warranty period and if it is you have to make sure you are getitng the original receipt and the blank warranty card. So with that said add in the uncertainty of the current economy and its a tough sell. Personally I have passed up certain lenses I have seen on here and purchased new instead for the warranty and established return policy.

If some sellers would make a concession after a nice pm to them explaining why you are offering them 10% less than asking price instead of rudely not replying or saying tough than I would bet there would be a lot more successful sales. I search the sold prices of items on here "thanks for the new system of seeing old post

" and if an item is close to what I think is fair value but higher I will politely pm or email a seller and offer a little less. some that work with you to get the sale the rude ones I wont bother again.

But overall sales are down yes.

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:07 PM

Bob Loundagin
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p.2 #12 · Bad time to sell?

I am a buyer. Not often, but it took a long time for me to gather up enough of my retirement and disability to buy a couple of pieces of quality glass to play with. You can be sure that I spent tens of hours looking at prices, here and at places like KEH so that I could judge what was reasonable for a used lens. I wasn't out looking for the deal of the century, but I also didn't want to spend anymore than was fair. I managed to find a UV dated 70-200 f2.8 for just under $900. To me that seemed like an acceptable price for such a new (for a used) lens. To be honest, my ability does not warrant such a fine piece of glass, but you can be sure that I am going to try to do right by it.

Something else to consider is the impact the credit market is having on the way people shop, I was raised with the cash on the barrel head system. Many now are finding they have to adopt the same method, and are suddenly readjusting their ideas of what they "need".

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:08 PM

zzziippyyy
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p.2 #13 · Bad time to sell?

Scott T wrote:

I also think the recent trend of deleting prices once something has sold has made it harder to determine the going rate?

this forum now has a feature to look up older post in a thread its linked to all post that are edited. This eliminates the above problem.

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:10 PM

gmazz
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p.2 #14 · Bad time to sell?

Perhaps the FM BUY&SELL needs a Federal bailout. It seems as though most of the FM'ers are also holding on to what they have.

Gmazz

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:18 PM

Justin Stone
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p.2 #15 · Bad time to sell?

Another thing to consider is that the prices of canon equipment tend to fall this time of year to bolster sales. Also the rising dollar should help us with imports. I second the notion that prices have been too high on here as of late. More than 85% of new price for a used item is no longer a good deal imo. Sellers in this forum who want 90+% on their sales are expecting too much.

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:20 PM

Wickedfn4u
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p.2 #16 · Bad time to sell?

Russell Smith wrote:
Wickedfn4u- I hope you consider yourself fortunate...

Yes, the items which are big ticket items will sell because they are bought usually by people with plenty of disposable income. Sort of the same old story concerning any talk of finances. The rich get richer...on and on. Right now we have a couple of generations or more who have not known any really bad times.

I don't count myself fortunate because I make what I have I don't rely on fortunate or luck.

The rich don't "just" get richer they either have worked hard or smarter than the person watching. I bust my a$$ to make my business successful when others in my industry are folding the doors because they don't know how to run a business. People who are successful got there by sweat and intelligence not by being lucky. (unless you won the lottery)

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:53 PM

Kepola
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p.2 #17 · Bad time to sell?

I didn't think my 100-400L would sell so quickly because of the economy--I thought it would be posted for more than a week. If there's a need for a certain item, there will be someone waiting. I have had my Crumpler 4 MDH bag posted for over a week and still no takers. --debbie

Nov 04, 2008 at 09:57 PM

AnthonyRhoades
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p.2 #18 · Bad time to sell?

One must also consider those, I'd imagine much of the population of this site, that do not make a living from photography. When the economy tanks, a lot have to give up their hobbies. For me, I'm not selling gear to make my mortgage payment.

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:12 PM

thebac1
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p.2 #19 · Bad time to sell?

I'd like to join the chorus here, too--I just picked the first three posts selling lenses and compared the asking price on the board to the B&H price for a new US lens; these are the percentages that I came up with:

Lens 1: 95%
Lens 2: 81% (reduced from 87%)
Lens 3: 89%

In fairness, the B&H price does not include shipping (or tax, if you're in NY)

However, the FM price often does not yet include shipping or PP fee, either.

Also, you could knock a few bucks off the B&H price by buying used from KEH or B&H, or buying a grey import from B&H (with one-year warranty).

Also, you're getting a real warranty. Unless you're buying a Canon lens, you're also forgoing several years of warranty coverage (Nikon: 5 years, Tamron: 6 years, Sigma: 4 years). Even with Canon, a new lens will get you a one-year warranty, a used lens will get you at best the balance on the one-year warranty.

FWIW, all three are Canon lenses (none of them include extras, and one of them is the lens and caps only), and for whatever reason they retain their value much better than Nikon or the third-party guys. Still not a good deal if you ask me.

Also, I saw someone post a lens/filter combo for sale at $400 which he bought at $250. Is it really that surprising that it's not selling? It's since been marked down twice, with the current asking price 6.25% lower than the original asking price.

This brings me to my second point--what's with people pointing out that the PRICE was REDUCED? If you have to reduce your price because you asked too much originally, it's still a bad deal. If you reduce your price from $1025 to $1010 on a lens that costs $1150 new with five-year warranty at B&H, that's still a bad deal. I don't care that the price was reduced, I care what the price is now.

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:14 PM

Wickedfn4u
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p.2 #20 · Bad time to sell?

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised how fast one of my bodies 1DM3 sold, it was fairly priced and the buyer thought so too. The needs will always sell, the wants.. might just take a little more looking at.

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:26 PM

JustinThyme
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p.2 #21 · Bad time to sell?

Some are listing high while others are now listing far too low driving down the resale value of everyones gear.
The current economy does not affect me as my primary source of income is a job that does well regardless of the economy.
Who is to thank for this, those responsible for pushing the sub prime loans with a guarantee they could not back up. To keep it out of politics a simple google search will show you the way and it isnt about change.

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:26 PM

Mark Peters
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p.2 #22 · Bad time to sell?

Michael H wrote:This whole trend towards the scam of MS Live is just rediculous too. I'll sell it for this highly inflated price, but you can get a rebate (maybe) from MS for buying it this way. Just list the dang thing for a fair price.

The flip side of this though is everyone wanting you to put it on e-bay at what you already believe to be a fair price - without recognition of the increase in transaction costs for the sellers. Or even asking that it be broken into multiple items and each listed to try and double or triple up on the rebates - thus putting the seller at risk that the big ticket item in lot 1 (i.e. a body) is purchased for 1/2 of its value, while lot 2 (e.g. the batteries and strap) which was listed seperately goes untouched - there is no real recourse for that other than failing to follow through and having to deal with the e-bay repurcussions.

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:28 PM

SLD
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p.2 #23 · Bad time to sell?

Yes, it's bad timing to sell.

I listed one 1Ds Mark II in new condition with 4k clicks @$3300 for sale, and for about 5 hours without a PM

...

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:46 PM

Philip Krol
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p.2 #24 · Bad time to sell?

Is the MS Live US only? I just want to be 100% sure.

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:48 PM

adsmitha
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p.2 #25 · Bad time to sell?

yes -- US only (and it's a good thing as it's got a sort of sub-prime crookedness to it)

Nov 04, 2008 at 10:50 PM


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