Boxed or not?

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parkmoy

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One of the questions I frequently see in the classified ads is 'Is it boxed?'. It seems people prefer lenses etc. in the original boxes and are willing to pay a premium for this. My first question is 'Why?' What extra qualities does a piece of cardboard confer on the item?
The boxes themseves are usually pretty flimsy and don't offer a lot of protection from heavy handed postmen, then they are consigned to a cupboard until the item is resold, if indeed it ever is.
My second question is this. If you had the choice of 2 lenses exactly the same condition and age, one boxed the other not, worth say £250, how much extra would you pay for the boxed one or conversly how much less for the unboxed one?
 
Good question,
Its probably a psychological thing. I know i dont ever throw the boxes away in case i sell the item at a later date. I think you just imagine the item has been looked after better if the boxes is still present, which is pure nonsense.
Dean:)
 
I think people would rather buy a lens off someone if they have the box because if they have kept the box it is likely they take better care of the lens.

Well thats my opinion but I will buy anything if the price is right :D
 
Suppose its because it seems 'complete' if it comes with everything that it came with when new.
Also as said above, it gives the impression that the previous owner looked after it and cared enough to keep everything with it.
Daft really...

Kev.
 
I've never understood it either. I don't keep any of my boxes but I look after all my kit—the notion that they're linked is bizarre.
 
Its a bit like buying a car, you feel more confident about buying it if it has all the manuals and tax discs e.t.c
 
Actually if its a lens, the oringinal box and packaging offer very good protection from the postman
I personally would always rather have the box and pay a few quid extra.
 
It means the seller is more likely to have a loft or a garage.
 
Seems strange I know, its only a bit of cardboard after all.

i just bought a 50D and a canon 100-400 and both where sat on the box when I got to the house, I do not know why but it just looked a better set up knowing everything was there.

Mind you, I would have still bought the said items if they did not have the boxes as they are in A1 condition anyway.
My 400D that i will be selling with the canon 75-300 lens will be sold without a box as i did not get them when i bought them, but both are in excellent condition.

Spike
 
Well, given your example David if there were 2 identical lenses, identical condition and one was boxed the other wasn't, I would probably be willing to pay £10 more or so for the boxed one. Weird isn't it?

Agreed, it's probably a psychological thing that the item has been better looked after and that your buying a "complete" item.

I know I'm wrong paying £10 for some cardboard, but I probably would :cuckoo:

How much extra would you guys pay?
 
I keep all of my boxes. In fact, when we emigrate in 26 days time (I'm not counting!!) I'll be getting Pickfords to pack the empty boxes!! Hubby thinks I'm mad!!
 
It isn,t just photographic equipment.Any electrical gadgets,phones.Ipods,dvd players etc.People always prefer items with a box.I have a shedfull of boxes in my loft.Or should that be a loftfull.:)
 
I only have 2 lenses that have boxes, the rest came without although all but 1 have the cases or pouches that would have been with them from new. Pricewise it makes no difference to me if there is a box or not - its the lens I use not the box so I am far more interested in the image quality.
 
is there a market opening here for the sale of empty original boxes

you could just line them up on the mantelpiece, and swop with other box collectors who have a rare lens empty box !
 
swag72 said:
I keep all of my boxes. In fact, when we emigrate in 26 days time (I'm not counting!!) I'll be getting Pickfords to pack the empty boxes!! Hubby thinks I'm mad!!
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i can just see the Customs Officer...so madam, whats in this empty box ??
 
Yardbent said:
is there a market opening here for the sale of empty original boxes

you could just line them up on the mantelpiece, and swop with other box collectors who have a rare lens empty box !
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Already is - people buy and sell boxes on Ebay and forums.
 
I always prefer the original box....but im not sure why :thinking:

If the product has got a warrantly, then it tends to be easier to send/take things back in the original box

I would probably pay an extra tenner for something with its box (on a £250 item)
 
Yardbent said:
is there a market opening here for the sale of empty original boxes
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You could be on to something here. Use ebay to research how much a boxed vs unboxed 2nd hand lens goes for, then try and flog the box to people, telling them it will increase their lenses value by £xx if they're thinking of selling.
 
I've managed to pick up some bargains because I don't mind about the box. I would rather get a good lens at a good price.
 
I've seen Iphone boxes sell for £25+

I think a lot of it is psychological, if it's boxed, it's closer to being new.
 
The thought that goes through my mind is "Ahh its boxed, that will make it easier to sell"

:geek:
 
mdollan said:
I've seen Iphone boxes sell for £25+

I think a lot of it is psychological, if it's boxed, it's closer to being new.
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Time to sell my MBP box then! it is only a cardboard, and doesn't do anything useful.
 
mdollan said:
I've seen Iphone boxes sell for £25+...
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OMG - I have an absolute treasure trove of boxes in the loft

TV
microwave
Nikon
kettle
PC
monitor
the list is endless.................................:clap:
 
I tend to keep boxes until the warranty on an item has expired (but even after that they'll probably stay in the loft. Although having said that, I prefer to buy secondhand goods that are boxed but like everyone else, I don't really have a logical reason for it.

I think I just like boxes! :D
 
Yardbent said:
i can just see the Customs Officer...so madam, whats in this empty box ??
Click to expand...

that made me laugh so much!

im the same though, i'd be willing to pay more, and have done in the past for an item with a box. Now you've asked the question, i really cant think of why?
 
I was contemplating this topic of boxes last night when I was sat in my loft having a clearout. It seems a good quarter or more of the available space is taken up by empty boxes. I don't often sell stuff and I was thinking that most of them could go in the paper bin and it would be no great loss. But it's a strange life when we buy things, put the box in the loft, then some new owner insists on having the box just to put it in his own loft.

Having seen empty boxes being traded on ebay for a few quid or more, I think next time I sell something I have a box for I'll offer two prices - adding say 10 or 15 quid to have the box. That should sort out the box lovers.
 
Always boxed if possible for me, I have a stack in the attic. Makes life far easier for returns, moving around (original packaging is secure) also when I come to sell anything I have a certain pride with it, I like to sell items in as near new condition as possible and having the boes in my opinion helps to show you have a certain level of care for an item. I would definately pay more for a boxed item then unboxed.
 
parkmoy said:
One of the questions I frequently see in the classified ads is 'Is it boxed?'. It seems people prefer lenses etc. in the original boxes and are willing to pay a premium for this. My first question is 'Why?' What extra qualities does a piece of cardboard confer on the item?
The boxes themseves are usually pretty flimsy and don't offer a lot of protection from heavy handed postmen, then they are consigned to a cupboard until the item is resold, if indeed it ever is.
My second question is this. If you had the choice of 2 lenses exactly the same condition and age, one boxed the other not, worth say £250, how much extra would you pay for the boxed one or conversly how much less for the unboxed one?
Click to expand...

You can easily answer the first question yourself: if you ordered a new lens, would YOU be happy it being delivered in a jiffy bag with no box?
 
Sophotogenic said:
You can easily answer the first question yourself: if you ordered a new lens, would YOU be happy it being delivered in a jiffy bag with no box?
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Me? Yes, in a heartbeat. They can keep all the boxes, poly bags, polystyrene, inch thick manuals with 20 different languages and all the proclamations of doom unless you follow these safety precautions. And no, I'm not an earth-saving environmentalist - far from it.

Hard drives used to be delivered in sturdy well-oversized boxes and inches of foam. I have a sizeable stack of them in my loft. The past few that I've bought recently have been in nothing more than a simple clear plastic tray or an inflated polythene tube (within the suppliers delivery box). More than adequate.
 
Boxes are pretty, has anyone seen the new diet coke promotion boxes?

They got a pink pattern on them, thinking about keeping one after my housemate finishes with the contents.

But its ok, im a well known hoarder of junk :D
 
It's an an odd one, the fascination with boxes, one of my watches came in a nice wooden storage box with a brown corregated card outer box, which is usually thrown away by the shop and to all intents and purposes has zero value- yet in collecting circles it adds £50-100 to the value of the watch.

Same with collectable toys, a mint boxed item can be worth hundreds of pounds more than a mint one, yet the box if sold on it's own might only be worth £10-20 - there's nowt as queer as folk....

Now, does anyone have a box for my 1954 Ilford Advocate? I'd pay good money for that :lol:
 
It's not just us as private individuals who are willing to pay extra for boxed goods. Last time I traded in any kit, the fact that it was boxed and had all its associated paperwork was a big help in getting good prices for the kit (as was it being an mint + condition). I've bought 2 lenses without boxes and both were absolute bargains because of the lack of the cardboard.

I've got all my empties in the loft and in each one is the original sales receipt and all the paperwork (manuals, warranties etc) so I know where to find it if I need it. Got all the boxes for old Hi-Fi stuff too.
 
I think it tends to depend on why you are buying the object.

If it is to use it, the box really doesn't matter.
 
I prefer to buy a boxed lens, almost entirely to maintain resale value. I'm in the process of building up my kit, I know that the lenses I have now will be gradually sold off and upgraded, and I know it'll be easier and cheaper to keep the boxes, or buy boxed ones. Possibly silly, but I wouldn't do it if people didn't pay more for the boxes :D

That said, I'd never turn a good deal down if it was just the lens, but it would all depend on how good a deal it was really!

Chris
 
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