Buying used equipment, hard work!

Sangoma

Sangoma

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Steve, Coventry, England
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I decided I would replace a Panasonic 100-300 Mega OIS with a Power OIS version.

Firstly, most of the websites are poor, not easy to find what you want (especially if they sell new as well, seem to like to find the new items).
Then one had photos of the wrong lens, and none had decent photos, that you could see anything properly.

One site you have to message them and they will send you a link to buy, in a few days time it seems.

One I decided to buy as they had a large selection to choose from, got right to the end and they add postage, most of the other sites were free postage.
Closed the page and went to ebay.

Glad I did, the total price for a brand new one, from the manufacturer, with 12months warranty was a whopping £24 pounds more than an "excellent" one with 6 months warranty.

I would have thought that firms would have made their web experience enjoyable and informative, but compared to ebay, they are a royal pain :)
 
I know what you mean I started looking for a wide angle lens for full frame but gave up although it didn’t help in my case as I wasn’t sure what I needed but as you say the descriptions are often vague
 
I think I must have a charmed life as mostly I've done ok.

I did have one experience of a company saying they'd send me a link to buy and it didn't go well. I find ebay hit and miss and I think it's easy to pay more than you'd pay from a reputable well known dealer with a warranty. I try to only use ebay as a last resort for small cost items and things that that can't be found anywhere else.

I have had success ringing smaller shops which don't have a website or if they do it's just a list of kit. I've had some good deals from those sort of places.
 
Mpb are among the worst , but saying that when I recently used them what they missed out were bonus items that turned it from a good buy to a ultra bargain.
I have said it before I think there checkers ,listers have no interest in photography with only basic knowledge
 
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woof woof said:
I think I must have a charmed life as mostly I've done ok.

I did have one experience of a company saying they'd send me a link to buy and it didn't go well. I find ebay hit and miss and I think it's easy to pay more than you'd pay from a reputable well known dealer with a warranty. I try to only use ebay as a last resort for small cost items and things that that can't be found anywhere else.

I have had success ringing smaller shops which don't have a website or if they do it's just a list of kit. I've had some good deals from those sort of places.
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I buy quite a lot on ebay, most of my cameras too. Never had a problem that hasn't been very quickly rectified.

The new lens on ebay was only £24 pounds more than a second hand one from a "reputable well known dealer with a warranty" and had double the warranty.
 
I have bought and sold loads of camera stuff off eBay - with care everything goes ok. These days for buying, it is only for vintage or hard to get stuff that you can't find in a dealer or when I am selling.

For most other stuff ( and I normally buy used ) I use dealers - WEX, LCE and MPB recently - a lot of others over the past 3/4 years.

Yes it can be clunky sometimes but I couldn't give a monkeys - I just want good stuff at a good price.
I find it easier and quicker i.e. instant to just phone them ( well nor MPB OK ) then you can haggle . I have also negotiated a good discount about 75% of the time especially with LCE but also WEX. MPB not so much.

The reasons I go the dealer route are:

- they tend to be conservative in rating their stuff. I have had a B- from WEX that would have gone down as excellent on the Bay
- if I get a problem ( and stuff happens ) then it gets fixed easily and quickly.
- they are most times cheaper than eBay unless you get lucky with a snipe.
- you get at least a 6 months warranty - 12 from WEX - 24 from CeX.
 
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Sangoma said:
I buy quite a lot on ebay, most of my cameras too. Never had a problem that hasn't been very quickly rectified.

The new lens on ebay was only £24 pounds more than a second hand one from a "reputable well known dealer with a warranty" and had double the warranty.
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I've never had a problem that hasn't been resolved by escalating to ebay but I have had so many faulty and not as described items that I now see ebay as mostly a recourse for low value things I can't get anywhere else.

Good luck to those who've had good experiences but the cost in wasted time and energy is enough to put me off and I'd much rather buy from elsewhere. Unfortunately I think Amazon is going down the same way as ebay now.

Glad you got a good buy.
 
Sangoma said:
The new lens on ebay was only £24 pounds more than a second hand one from a "reputable well known dealer with a warranty" and had double the warranty.
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Thoughts on this...

Handling a new item: get box. Put standard photos on web, (probably using existing ones from when you have sold this before). Probably sell dozens from this one listing.
Handling a second-hand item: clean it, examine it, take photos of it, have a go at choosing a price that suits its condition and also doesn't offend the market, store it carefully, put it on the website for a one off sale. Deal with personalised questions from individual buyers. Sell one item per listing.

I'd think it is tougher to sell secondhand items
 
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woof woof said:
I've never had a problem that hasn't been resolved by escalating to ebay but I have had so many faulty and not as described items that I now see ebay as mostly a recourse for low value things I can't get anywhere else.

Good luck to those who've had good experiences but the cost in wasted time and energy is enough to put me off and I'd much rather buy from elsewhere. Unfortunately I think Amazon is going down the same way as ebay now.

Glad you got a good buy.
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Camera wise I got several G3s, all under 1k shutter count, my G80, G7, G5, GX9, G9, G2, G1, GF2 and GF3, FZ82, TZ60, TZ70, most of my Canons before that, all from ebay, all well under the going price, and have not had a problem. I always bid in the last few seconds, so I make up my mind what I am prepared to pay, and if I don't get it, there is the next one :)
 
Pound Coin said:
Thoughts on this...

Handling a new item: get box. Put standard photos on web, (probably using existing ones from when you have sold this before). Probably sell dozens from this one listing.
Handling a second-hand item: clean it, examine it, take photos of it, have a go at choosing a price that suits its condition and also doesn't offend the market, store it carefully, put it on the website for a one off sale. Deal with personalised questions from individual buyers. Sell one item per listing.

I'd think it is tougher to sell secondhand items
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As a buyer, I'm not really concerned about the sellers problems, my concern is to get the best value for my money, I'm not out to reward the seller for his hard work, I'm out to reward the seller with the sharpest pencil :)

When I'm selling, I look what I'm up against and see if I can compete.

I agree, selling one of items is hard work, but the example I quoted was from a dealer, who should be better at it than a couple of percent below new price for a used one.
 
Sangoma said:
As a buyer, I'm not really concerned about the sellers problems, my concern is to get the best value for my money, I'm not out to reward the seller for his hard work, I'm out to reward the seller with the sharpest pencil :)

When I'm selling, I look what I'm up against and see if I can compete.

I agree, selling one of items is hard work, but the example I quoted was from a dealer, who should be better at it than a couple of percent below new price for a used one.
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A race to the bottom, where price is the singular measure, might give short term gains, but in the long run, benefits no one.
 
Pound Coin said:
A race to the bottom, where price is the singular measure, might give short term gains, but in the long run, benefits no one.
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It's not race to the bottom, it's a race to the top, who can give the best overall price, service and experience combined.
The race to the bottom is won by those who refuse to see the market and react to it.


I've hear similar to "A race to the bottom, where price is the singular measure, might give short term gains, but in the long run, benefits no one." so many times before in different places, usually from those who can't cut it :)
 
Sangoma said:
It's not race to the bottom, it's a race to the top, who can give the best overall price, service and experience combined.
The race to the bottom is won by those who refuse to see the market and react to it.


I've hear similar to "A race to the bottom, where price is the singular measure, might give short term gains, but in the long run, benefits no one." so many times before in different places, usually from those who can't cut it :)
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Well, I read your first post on this thread and gave some suggestions as to why that is. The market is not just price.
 
Pound Coin said:
Well, I read your first post on this thread and gave some suggestions as to why that is. The market is not just price.
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I fully agree, but when there is no service to compare with, and no experience to compare, ie they all seem as bad as each other, the only thing left is price :)

Most people want value for money, and that value can be made up of other things than price , I agree.

I value helpful knowledgeable people to deal with in particular, and that is worth quite a bit and can offset a price difference, but if it is not there?
 
viewfromthenorth said:
I’ve spent a lot of time recently browsing usedlens.co.uk as I’m consolidating to a Nikon Z system. I’d highly recommend it, makes searching for gear far more straightforward!
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Thanks.
Just had a look, but all the same places.

Interestingly the link to this one on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25532113...55-0&campid=5338707158&customid=&toolid=10049 which is £60 pounds more than a new one from Panasonic on ebay :)

But I will remember that site for future use, certainly easier than looking at each site in turn
 
WEX is my preferred option these days. I have had two really good buys from them recently, that and the 1 year warranty does it for me.
I am currently waiting an a slight issue with a recent EBay purchase. The lens was sent to a Collect + location I have used many times before, but they refused delivery and it is currently on its way back to the seller. He has agreed to re post it to my home address and as it was such a bargain, I have offered to pay the postage again.
Let’s hope it was not refused delivery because of damage. Hopefully I should have some update on it this week.
 
leaky5 said:
The lens was sent to a Collect + location I have used many times before, but they refused delivery and it is currently on its way back to the seller. He has agreed to re post it to my home address and as it was such a bargain, I have offered to pay the postage again.
Let’s hope it was not refused delivery because of damage. Hopefully I should have some update on it this week.
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He probably neglected to put the eBay reference number on the address label.
 
Sangoma said:
I fully agree, but when there is no service to compare with, and no experience to compare, ie they all seem as bad as each other, the only thing left is price :)

Most people want value for money, and that value can be made up of other things than price , I agree.

I value helpful knowledgeable people to deal with in particular, and that is worth quite a bit and can offset a price difference, but if it is not there?
Click to expand...
I guess helpful knowledgeable people cost more, and there lies the rub.
 
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