Best way to price used gear?

C

Ccoppola82

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It’s time to start thinning the collection a bit. I’ve gotten over the new user, let’s try everything phase and have settled into what I know I like. That being said, there’s a bunch of things I need to let someone else use. What’s the best way to price these? I checked eBay but I’m curious if people take a % off the average price of eBay items? 10%, 20%? Just curious so my prices are fair to everyone. Thanks!
 
Ebay is the world’s biggest marketplace, so it has no equal in determining what things actually sell for, i.e. “what they are worth”, because a thing is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, on the average. If it’s special to you, or is demonstrably better than things which routinely sell for more, is irrelevant.
Ignore the asking prices of items on ebay which are identical to what you want to sell; go directly to the “advanced” window next to the search button, and select for sold items. Take an average of those, and adjust accordingly for the condition of your example vs. the sold ones. The result of all that is the price for which your item will sell, pretty much 100% of the time on ebay.

If you want to sell it on ebay, just list it and you’re done, because you have priced it fairly and reasonably. But, ebay takes a significant cut for allowing you exposure in the marketplace where it is more likely to sell, and sell faster, than any other. It used to be 10% + 3% for Paypal, but now it’s “more”. How much more isn’t easy to determine, because it’s become something of a sliding scale and the exact amount is very hard to determine from looking at their terms of service. Let’s say 10-12% for ebay, + 3.4% for Paypal if you accept Paypal, or whatever your credit card carrier charges if you use that. That’s a big chunk.

It is possible to sell it other places, and make it more appealing to buyers by just reducing your price by the 10-12% ebay charges the seller. Everybody wins. You end up with as much money as you’d get from selling on ebay, and the buyer on the alternate forum gets bargain, because they have snagged one at 10% off the average selling price.
There’s no reason to discount it 20% from the average ”Sold” price on Ebay, unless feel you are Santa Claus. On the other hand, advertising items at forums that don’t take a cut, and advertising them at the same prices the buyer could get the same thing on ebay any day of the week, is not dissimilar to price gouging. Of course some people think they should pocket that extra 10-12% from their forum “friends”. It was ever thus.
And if you want to be “fair”, price in 3.4% over the legitimate worth if someone is paying with Paypal, and reduce it by that much if they pay in cash.
 
Too bad the used photo world cannot just agree on one preferred place to buy/sell camera gear. There are just so many options beyond eBay -- Mercari, Etsy, Facebook marketplace, all sorts of internet forums like Fred Miranda, Photrio, this site, etc. I agree with Larry, that 10-20% below ebay "sold" prices are a good start. Or even that percentage less than the KEH price. If you are looking to get a camera into someone's hand to use (I am of the same mind), you can go even lower.
 
davidde1000 said:
I agree with Larry, that 10-20% below ebay "sold" prices are a good start.
Click to expand...

Why would you go lower? They are not a store... so their price usually reflects the used market well. Also, it is never smart to start low... let someone else make you a lower offer.
 
Selling an item on Ebay cost "about 15%~20%" between Ebay, Paypal, etc. There is also the Ebay hassle factor for individual sellers, with Ebay typically siding with buyers on most anything.

Depending on the quality and price: if it is in prime/ ready to use condition and would sell for above $250, look at Popflash selling it on consignment. Popflash charges 25% for consignments over $250 and handles the hassles.
 
Sonnar Brian said:
Selling an item on Ebay cost "about 15%~20%" between Ebay, Paypal, etc. There is also the Ebay hassle factor for individual sellers, with Ebay typically siding with buyers on most anything.

Depending on the quality and price: if it is in prime/ ready to use condition and would sell for above $250, look at Popflash selling it on consignment. Popflash charges 25% for consignments over $250 and handles the hassles.
Click to expand...

I've purchased from Popflash...and spoken at length several times with Tony. they were very good with dealing "hassles" probably relieving the seller of some trouble.
 
Let me know if You would like to sell back to me
my f3.4 super angulon (I have an ltm f4 on my barnack)

RE; Ebay
What I do not like about ebay is that I have to pay sales tax on the purchased product be it NYC or anywhere
hence I prefer here on RFF or shops like
Camera West, Leica Miami where I do not pay sales tax

Cheer & Best ` HH
 
It used to be 60% off new if in great condition, but things sell higher than that now. Echo the suggestion to check eBay "sold" prices. Consign to dealer would certainly eliminate "hassle" factors and that's worth something.
 
Larry Cloetta said:
Ebay is the world’s biggest marketplace, so it has no equal in determining what things actually sell for, i.e. “what they are worth”, because a thing is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, on the average. If it’s special to you, or is demonstrably better than things which routinely sell for more, is irrelevant.
Ignore the asking prices of items on ebay which are identical to what you want to sell; go directly to the “advanced” window next to the search button, and select for sold items. Take an average of those, and adjust accordingly for the condition of your example vs. the sold ones. The result of all that is the price for which your item will sell, pretty much 100% of the time on ebay.

If you want to sell it on ebay, just list it and you’re done, because you have priced it fairly and reasonably. But, ebay takes a significant cut for allowing you exposure in the marketplace where it is more likely to sell, and sell faster, than any other. It used to be 10% + 3% for Paypal, but now it’s “more”. How much more isn’t easy to determine, because it’s become something of a sliding scale and the exact amount is very hard to determine from looking at their terms of service. Let’s say 10-12% for ebay, + 3.4% for Paypal if you accept Paypal, or whatever your credit card carrier charges if you use that. That’s a big chunk.

It is possible to sell it other places, and make it more appealing to buyers by just reducing your price by the 10-12% ebay charges the seller. Everybody wins. You end up with as much money as you’d get from selling on ebay, and the buyer on the alternate forum gets bargain, because they have snagged one at 10% off the average selling price.
There’s no reason to discount it 20% from the average ”Sold” price on Ebay, unless feel you are Santa Claus. On the other hand, advertising items at forums that don’t take a cut, and advertising them at the same prices the buyer could get the same thing on ebay any day of the week, is not dissimilar to price gouging. Of course some people think they should pocket that extra 10-12% from their forum “friends”. It was ever thus.
And if you want to be “fair”, price in 3.4% over the legitimate worth if someone is paying with Paypal, and reduce it by that much if they pay in cash.
Click to expand...

Ebay's not that bad, when you consider that dealers would take more of a cut, but there's a definite hassle factor involved.
 
hap said:
Don't like taxes? Don't do business in California. Sorry Tony:(
Click to expand...

I am in NY, so if I buy from Tony or Stephen / Popflash or Camera Quest , no sales tax / out of your State there is no sales tax
Ebay charges You sales tax no matter what
 
I haven't figured out the sales tax thing yet. Some places charge me and others don't. B&H always charges me but MPB doesn't. KEH used to charge it but stopped on the last few orders and Amazon charges it on everything.
 
I might not have been clear earlier. If selling on ebay, just list it for the average of the “sold” rate on ebay. As John says, that’s the going market price, the price people are obviously willing to pay. So, you’ll get that. If selling someplace like a forum community, like here, my personal way to price things is to always take 10% off of that. Why? Because as the seller I am getting exactly the same amount, and the buyer gets a deal. I am not hurt at all. And if it is truly a “community” that’s how you treat your neighbors. Seems to me. But, I’ve seen that not everyone does it that way.
 
Larry Cloetta said:
I might not have been clear earlier. If selling on ebay, just list it for the average of the “sold” rate on ebay. As John says, that’s the going market price, the price people are obviously willing to pay. So, you’ll get that. If selling someplace like a forum community, like here, my personal way to price things is to always take 10% off of that. Why? Because as the seller I am getting exactly the same amount, and the buyer gets a deal. I am not hurt at all. And if it is truly a “community” that’s how you treat your neighbors. Seems to me. But, I’ve seen that not everyone does it that way.
Click to expand...

Good advice.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I don’t plan to use eBay unless it’s a last resort. I enjoy this forum the most so I will list here first in the next few days. Helen, the 21SA is pretty much glued to my M2 but if I ever sell, I’ll text you first.
 
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