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)
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
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
So you never think of how fortunate you are to be able mentally and physically to do the work you do. Not fortunate in having intelligence and will power. These things seem important to me so I am thankful and feel that I am fortunate. Many are not born with your credentials and consider themselves fortunate in having enough to eat daily. I am a lot older than you, so knowing how to run a business is something I do understand. We just think differently.
I bought all the gear I just sold when the aussie dollar was 97USD now its plummeted to 67USD.
I got back more than wat I actually paid for the stuff, by quite a large margin too. Given I don't shoot much if at all anymore it was a perfect time to sell.
Russell Smith wrote:
So you never think of how fortunate you are to be able mentally and physically to do the work you do. Not fortunate in having intelligence and will power. These things seem important to me so I am thankful and feel that I am fortunate. Many are not born with your credentials and consider themselves fortunate in having enough to eat daily. I am a lot older than you, so knowing how to run a business is something I do understand. We just think differently.
No not fortunate, proud. Proud of the effort I put in while in school, proud in the fact I put myself though college because my parents could not, proud of the life I have made for my family and myself. Proud of the choices I have made, taking pride in the right ones and learning from the wrong ones. Proud of what I do for and give to the community. Fortunate is for someone that believes HOPE will bring change. The only thing that brings change is hard work.
We do think differently, I believe we are of free will, how you use that determines your place in life. I have seen totally well to do kids make wrong choices and end up a waste of skin and those that should not make it in this world bust their hump and shine. Its not a class thing or race thing it is a will to live thing.
You sound like an asset to your community, and to the world in general. I am happy for you. I do think your meaning of the word fortunate is not quite right, and that is part of what I meant by saying we think differently. Pride goeth before destruction, is written in the book of Proverbs in the Bible I use. You may prefer another religion, or none at all, but keep those words in mind. Lotta difference in a good man and a proud man.
I will not pursue this regardless of any answer you see fit to write. It would obviously fit your way of thinking and it would be pointless for me to continue. As I said, I am a lot older than you and have been through the Great Depression, WW11, college, raising six children with my wife's kind help. I worked as a pharmacist in this town for forty years and saw all kinds of people's problems, helped many of them out in times of need. Never have been PROUD. I am humbled by my fellow man's misery. I see misery and you see someone who is worthless because he hasn't a job, just didn't have what it took to make it.
Something else to consider is that many people are probably waiting to upgrade since the announcement of the 5D mkII and the D700 rebate. I see a lot of crop bodies and crop lenses for sale, which has saturated the forum, driving prices down, and at a period where there is lower demand for those bodies and lenses (and in general). Personally, I ordered a D700 and had to sell my D300 and 17-55 amongst a sea of others to help pay for it. I had to price aggressively, but they eventually sold over the weekend.
ehhh, I wonder how many may not be able to think in terms of 5D, et cetera. I have been watching several 30Ds and xtis and not a bite on any of them and most have been hanging around for over a week easily. But I saw a friend sell a xsi in a few hours even with several of them already listed. You have to be at the right place with the right item, looks like. Good feedback number helps, too...
There are definitely lots of people who can't think in terms of high end cameras. Not saying everyone is looking to upgrade, but from what I've seen there have been a lot of people dumping D300s and 17-55s with the reason "Just bought a D700."
Really, you've gotta be at the right place at the right time with the right item at the right price. Good feedback, a good description with some pics, and a friendly demeanor are also helpful.
Well, I have been a member of this forum for a short period of time so those with more history may disagree with me.
I have been looking for a few high ticket items 500 f/4, 300 f/2.8 IS and a few others. A WTB ad did not yield as many people interested n selling as I would have expected and FS ads for these lens were being responded to very very quickly. So big items, when priced at or slightly below average are going fast and people aren't getting rid of them either.
Smaller items (under $1000), when priced right seem to go really fast as well (ie. lots of Canon 17-55 IS at or below $800, many probably from the time that you could get them new from B&H at or below that). Pricing an item right seems to be the trick. A few people respond very favorably to something priced at or slightly below going prices, $40-$50 seems to make a big difference on how fast things move.
I think that the used market is strong and the area that is benefiting the most from the slowdown. This is where people seem to be looking at when trying to be financially responsible at uncertain times. POTN for instance has a lot of items sold and those that do not sell are typically 'unreasonably' priced for used items.
What's really interesting is what's happening in the 'New' market. I have been keeping track of prices for a Canon 300 f/2.8 IS new and it appears that the Amazon price for this lens moves with the price of a barrel of oil. I remember it being sold new for approx. $3700 not long ago and approaching $4100 recently. Canon has hiked most prices up significantly on new items.
One thing is for sure, there is a lot of turnover of very good equipment both here and in POTN.
