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Experience selling to KEH?

RoamingScott
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Experience selling to KEH?

I have a Mamiya medium format setup that I simply can't move on FM. I'm about ready to just liquidate it to a site like KEH and get what I can out of it. I've heard middling experiences from people who have BOUGHT from these sites, but not much from people who sell to them. Any thoughts, or perhaps another site to look at?

Jan 02, 2024 at 05:03 PM

snegron7
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Experience selling to KEH?

I have sold to KEH on 3 occasions. They don't pay top dollar, but they don't lowball you either. They are pretty fair.

Jan 02, 2024 at 06:24 PM

Kingfishphoto
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Experience selling to KEH?

Scott, ive been dealing with them since King Grant started his business (he has since sold it) and i believe they are quit honest and fair to deal with. I would r ecommend you get a second offer from
MPB in New York I would stay away from those big store guys..

Jan 02, 2024 at 07:03 PM

madNbad
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Experience selling to KEH?

I have bought and sold equipment to KEH since 1979 and have never had a problem. The new owners are a bit different than when the Grant family held controlling interest but the service is still the same. Getting a quote on line is easy to do, enter your equipment, add the condition and there is a close estimate to what you’ll receive. Once they have evaluated it, you get an offer. You can accept the offer or have the gear returned. They have a generous return policy and also offer repairs.
They do give you a bump if you’re trading towards equipment they have in stock.

Jan 02, 2024 at 07:23 PM

jtford9
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Experience selling to KEH?

I had a different experience with KEH. First two times I used them I got the amount I came up with using their initial self appraisal of the equipment I was selling. But the third, and last time I used KEH they came back with a low ball offer. I submitted a 5DIV and an R body as well as 2 L lenses. My appraisal came up with a price of $5k, they replied my lenses were full of dust and were in “as-is” condition and offered me $3800. I told them I’m not accepting their offer and they said they would recheck their evaluation. Two weeks later no word, so I called them. Was told their evaluation was the same. I think they wanted me to just give in and accept their offer. Told them no, ship the gear back to me. After receiving it back I sent it exactly as it was to MPB who also gave me a $5k estimate. Two weeks later MPB sent me an email increasing their offer to $5200 based on the condition of the very same gear. Will never use KEH again.

Jan 02, 2024 at 10:57 PM

rklee
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Experience selling to KEH?

I had only one dealing with KEH, and it was not very positive. In 2020 I sent them my EF-S 60mm Macro which was used a few times indoors, never taken outside, in what I thought was like-new condition. My Lightroom catalog shows only 5 pictures taken with the lens. Based on their website, it was worth $123. After receiving my lens, they came back with a quote of $102, graded at EX. Wfhen I asked them why, they said: "The lens was graded in EX condition by our technicians. This is why the offer was different than what you were quoted. Please let me know how you would like to proceed with this quote." I accepted their offer, but will not sell them any more items.

Jan 04, 2024 at 11:05 PM

SoFoFo
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Experience selling to KEH?

I agree that things may have changed a bit with the new team running the operation. Also I have found the offers for my things I have sold to KEH tended to be slightly higher when I took them to the local buying events they occasionaly have.
www.keh.com/events

Checking with MPB, as well as listing it yourself on phototrio, are two options I would encourage after lsting here.

Jan 05, 2024 at 01:39 AM

dugaut
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Experience selling to KEH?

I would add mpb into your decision. I mostly sell to them, probably a dozen items, cameras and lenses. I recently sold a lens to them, and it arrived badly damaged. I went through their process to satisfy the insurance they have to deal with this issue, and within a week or two I had my money. Anecdotal, but it's still nice to see the process work. I sold it to them the week before Xmas so I imagine FedEx was just going as fast as they could.

Jan 05, 2024 at 08:07 AM

BPsmith511
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Experience selling to KEH?

I'd classify it as MPB may give you a lower initial quote, but 9/10 times that is the price you will be given. KEH lately almost never gives me what the quote is and generally tries to grossly underrate the equipment I've sent in.

Jan 05, 2024 at 09:06 AM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Experience selling to KEH?

Thanks for all the feedback!

Jan 05, 2024 at 09:09 AM

ratherfish
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Experience selling to KEH?

I've also noticed that the prices they list on many used items for sale have crept much closer to retail prices. Lower buying quote + higher selling price = higher profit margin.

Jan 05, 2024 at 09:19 AM

padrelar
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Experience selling to KEH?

I have used KEH a lot in the past and been pleased, but noticed the they are paying lower on "buys" and asking more on what they sell the last couple of years. Still if you are dealing in older film stuff...

For modern things, I am turning more to MPB of late. They seem to do really well.

Jan 05, 2024 at 10:37 AM

jwpstl
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Experience selling to KEH?

I used to both buy from and sell to KEH but no longer. It’s exactly as you say…their prices are too close to retail and their offers for gear have gone down. The latter wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t lower their offer once receiving the gear but they do. I told myself never again and so far I’ve stuck with it. Might try MPB.

ratherfish wrote:
I've also noticed that the prices they list on many used items for sale have crept much closer to retail prices. Lower buying quote + higher selling price = higher profit margin.

Jan 05, 2024 at 10:41 AM

Norm Shapiro
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Experience selling to KEH?

I have bought from KEH over the past years via online. And I sold them a large batch of cameras and lenses that I shipped to them, on their dime, and received less than I expected. But I took it as I did not want to sell it myself locally or online.
A couple of months ago KEH came into town on a buying trip. Before hand I had made a list if everything and KEH selling prices fir these items. It took an hour for them to log in all my gear and come up with a bulk price which I thought was low. We talked a bit and they raised their price to about 1/2 their selling price which I thought was fair.
The surprising part was they did not look at anything that carefully, no cameras were turned on, no lenses looked through or checked to see if they would autofocus.
Keep in mind when selling to a company they have to make money so don’t expect top dollar. If you want that sell it yourself.

Jan 05, 2024 at 02:10 PM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Experience selling to KEH?

MPB told me straight up they have no interest in my Mamiya kit

KEH at least gave me a quote.

Jan 05, 2024 at 02:30 PM

BPsmith511
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Experience selling to KEH?

RoamingScott wrote:
MPB told me straight up they have no interest in my Mamiya kit

KEH at least gave me a quote.

Yeah unfortunately MPB doesn't really do film stuff.

Jan 05, 2024 at 03:18 PM

CanadaMark
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Experience selling to KEH?

I've tried to sell to KEH twice (they hold events in Canadian stores sometimes to buy equipment), both times they offered me comically low values, less than 40% of 'going rate' used market value for my particular items, which they went as far as commenting that they appeared to be brand new. So in my experience, they were after a ~100% profit margin. I understand they have overhead costs and would never expect them to be paying anyone full market value, but I felt that was an egregious amount to pay for the convenience factor of not dealing with private sales. It was a D850 and 16-35VR, both popular items they would have had zero trouble selling.

Needless to say I sold them myself on the used market, slightly more hassle, but I got way over double what KEH offered. I don't find their prices to be particularly attractive either on the buy side, but I guess they like their enormous margins

Jan 05, 2024 at 05:53 PM

jmckayak
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Experience selling to KEH?

Try UsedPhotoPro. I’ve bought and sold there. No problems at all. Not sure if they deal with MF equipment

Jan 05, 2024 at 07:03 PM

Robin Smith
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Experience selling to KEH?

I have sold many times to KEH. Very few items get accepted as like new minus. You might think your item is, but they rarely agree. So if you put that it is LN- via the instant quote, you may well be disappointed. Otherwise, given they are a business trying to keep afloat, they offer a good service. They offer roughly half the retail value for an EX+ item. Sometimes a little more. Often they really are not interested so they won’t take it at all or you will get a silly price offer. That’s capitalism. Time is money. It’s very quick and easy. I also recommend MBP and Roberts/Used Photo Pro, which often have better prices, but usually not the stock and variety.

Jan 07, 2024 at 10:18 PM

madNbad
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Experience selling to KEH?

As we move out of the pandemic restrictions, check and see if KEH is having a buying event in your area. I have been to a couple of them and when you're dealing directly with the buyer, you often get a higher price for your gear.

Jan 08, 2024 at 01:23 AM

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