Buying Equipment on Ebay?

Two_In

Two_In

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Is Ebay a good way to buy a 2nd hand camera?

Are the prices competitive? Some sellers appear to be dealers, so their stuff should be reliable? Are their better ways to buy a camera?
 
You will get people telling you not to touch ebay with a barge-pole becuase they have had a bad experience and you will get people who have had positive experiences saying it's OK if you research your prices and the seller. As you say sellers with a reputation to maintain are likely to give you good service.

One alternative is MPB.com but there again there are reports on here of people who have had both good and bad service from them.
 
A couple of years ago I bought my Sony a6300 + Sony 16-70 used off ebay
I was tempted to jump in and buy it straight away but noticed it didn't seem have generated much interest at the time so I added a "watch item" to it.
It didn't sell and was relisted at £200 less than the original price so needless to say I bought it there and then.
Everything was perfect so I think I got a bargain :giggle:

Like everything else for sale on ebay, you take a chance when you buy used goods but as far as I know, I think you are covered by ebay and paypal
 
Its a way.

Some prices good. Many average. Some slightly above average, but still a fair price considering what you get. Some dreamers.

I have bought and sold camera equipment on Ebay and been happy. For the right piece of equipment I'd do it again, but I like to check the item out personally before paying for it. Whilst eBay tends to side with the buyer more often then not, I'd prefer not to get embroiled into a dispute with anyone.

There are many dealers who have a secondhand camera section such as MPB / Wex etc., who give a warranty. Some may have an ebay presence also.
 
If buying on ebay have a good look at the sellers feedback. Look carefully at the photos. Don't be frightened to ask questions.
Most importantly, have a budget in your head and don't go a penny over it. There will always be another item around the corner.
 
Prices vary widely, some are too good to be true, others are based on whet the previous user paid even 75% of the new price several years after it's been replaced.

The seller may know nothing about photography (or may know of an intermittent fault & pretend they know nothing...)

My personal experiences have been generally good, & I've been able to return the duff camera for a full refund. This last is not always practical especially if buying from overseas.
 
I've bought cameras off Ebay (and sold, too). No big problems so far.

But my most recent experience is that CameraJungle, MPB and LCE seem to be better value (and you have some protection, though the dealer's Ts&Cs and your credit card).
 
Must admit, the past few purchases I've made I've found mpb used section section to be pretty close in price, and the extra makes it worthwhile for the peace of mind of section 75.
 
Two_In said:
Is Ebay a good way to buy a 2nd hand camera?
Click to expand...
The short answer is yes, but I must qualify that. You have to be a bit canny but it's all common sense really. Things to check are seller feedback and how detailed (and knowledgeable) the descriptions are. Sometimes you have to know the right questions to ask. The less that the vendor seems to know about what they're selling then the greater the risk.

I've bought and sold quite a number of photographic items by this channel. As a seller I've even occasionally made a profit, but even more satisfying is after you've described something that you no longer need honestly and fully, that the buyer is appreciative of what you've sold them. A happy buyer makes my day.

As a buyer in particular, of course there is risk as with everything.

As for prices, generally you'll get something at a better price in an auction sale. Buy-it-now prices seem generally to have settled into being dealer-led, and are sometimes inflated. As at any auction, decide your top whack and stick to it. Stay sober and alert! Bargains can sometimes be had!
 
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Like a lot of places, there's good and bad out there. Don't just assume that because it's on Ebay it's cheaper, and also make sure you do your checks on the seller as well as the item itself.
 
I have bough loads of stuff on Ebay from peanuts to up to £1500 I have had very few problems and no unresolved ones,.
Last month I bought a dog of a Samyang 7.5 lens, which was mint looking but decentered. I returned it and got my cash back in a few days. I bought another equally mint but perfect , a few days later.
You can get an Idea of the going price by looking at the "Sold" listings. then have a little patience. I usually have a price in mind and bid with Snipe, to avoid a bidding war, with those who don't know any better.
 
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