capmike Loc: New Bern, NC

About 2 months ago I got a quote from these folks for a Canon GS9, $175. I sent it off, 3 weeks later they offer me $148. That camera was new, in the box, extra battery and a case. Not worth arguing about, so took their offer. 3 weeks ago I sent in my Nikon 300mm PF after receiving their offer of $515. Took them 8 days to advise me they had received the lens, and another 8 days to send me their offer: $355. Really?? 3 weeks for them to change their offer on a like new lens, with everything that came in the box, and the box as well. No explanation. I called, waited 15 minutes to talk to someone who had no reason, so I told them to return it.

I personally will never do business with them again. When the lens is returned, I will post it here for $500, then if there is no interest it will go to B&H, who presently have offered $515.

CM

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I have found KEH great for buying used equipment from. I have only privately sold any equipment I no longer wanted. Also I have given away things with no market value to the right new home. I have also purchased via the UHH.

azted Loc: Las Vegas, NV.

I had the same problem with KEH. It must be corporate policy to make a higher offer than the competition, and then reduce it once it is in their hands. You are better off selling your gear to B&H because they do get a premium when reselling it. But always try selling to the UHH membership first.

pj81156 Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

eBay folks.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

There's a lesson here: don't buy new camera equipment and then plan to sell it like some form of an appreciating asset. There's a global glut of camera equipment, especially anything related to ancient single-lens reflex technology, aka flapping mirrors. The savvy shoppers purchase used equipment and use it forever. Everyone else gets disappointed when they find out no one cares about their underused, overpriced camera equipment they're trying to unload.

In this buyer's market, I'm sure no one is sitting around the KEH warehouse with their boots on the desk, reading comic books, waiting for some lone box to arrive, and then figuring out how to screw that customer.

Don't believe there's a glut? Consider the market is down about 85% since the 2010 peak in bodies sold. Before you believe another UHH lie about needing a new camera, consider what you have and why it needs to be replaced.

You can save the most money by not buying equipment you don't need.

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

I couldn't agree MORE with you. They are rip off artists. They double talked me as well. there wasn't a mark on my 7DII and they claimed it had marks in it. They sent it back But the connector cord between the camera and computer was missing. I wouldn't go near those creeps.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The majority of my equipment is used, and nearly all of it came from KEH, and probably via the buy something new every year UHH community...

KEH is the best thing to happen to photography since George Eastman.

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

I'm surprised that KEH has performed badly. I've only bought from them, not sold to them, and have always been satisfied. Thanks for the warning.

Mark

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

Maybe for the the BUYER it is. They are unscrupulous to the seller. I hold them in VERY low esteem. But I learned fast. I sold the camera (w/canon battery grip) and two lenses to people on here. AND both my customers and I made out better that way.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Paul's observations are absolutely consistent with what I have seen in my local camera stores. Established customers who acted quickly and preordered new equipment got fairly generous offers for their equipment, and it sold pretty quickly.

Now, both of the stores close to me have stopped buying or trading for used equipment at all. I've not been priviledged to see what's in the back room, but what is in the display cases is mostly a bunch of weird odds and ends that changes very little from visit to visit. If you track the "For Sale" section here, even it is quite limited and slow-moving.

You are actually fortunate that someone is willing to buy your used items at all. The market has shifted. I suspect that there will eventually be something of an enthusiast market, with individuals selling to individuals at camera shows, like there is among model railroaders and coin collectors. And there is always online buying and selling for the very brave.

These are difficult times for those of who are buyers, also. Prices are probably higher than they really should be, and many times, what's being offered for sale isn't quite what it's claimed to be.

So I hope you are able to work out a sale that you are happy with. Just be aware that these are not ordinary times.

pnbarne

I sold a bunch of gear through KEH. I have always gotten more than their original estimate. Used gear is cheap right now and getting cheaper. KEH pays the market rate and the market isn’t so good.

therwol Loc: USA

The other scenario is needing it and then no longer needing it. Maybe you get old and can't handle the heavy equipment any longer. Maybe you have a stroke. Maybe your equipment is more than ten years old and it's time for a refresh. It's unfortunate that it's hard to get a decent price for used equipment these days, but that's reality. I think the goal should be to try to get what the big stores are selling the equipment for, not what they're going to offer you. Starting on UHH is a good idea. eBay might work out, but there is quite a glut of equipment there too. Yours would really have to stand out.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Moreover, in a world of $1000 phones (digital camera), dedicated cameras are a premium good, not a necessity. Canon's CEO said something along the lines of the worldwide market for dedicated cameras is about 6-million units for his foreseeable future. And, those aren't the 'entry level' units. Rather, just the ultra-premium of these premium products.

So, buyers enjoy, sellers beware. Buy only the best equipment, especially the lightly used. Sellers beware. Take what you can get from a buyer of last result like KEH, when you can't find any buyer, anywhere, at any price for your underused, overpriced excess camera equipment.

johonew

I had quite the opposite occurrence when selling my equipment to KEH. During Covid, they started to do Zoom evaluations and I had one with a guy named Brian. He gave me an offer that I thought was fair, as I didn't want to deal with eBay at the time. I sent in my equipment and several days later I received an offer for MORE than the original, as they stated that my equipment was much cleaner than they realized on the Zoom call. Needless to say, I was quite happy with the experience. With that, I sold KEH some equipment a second time, and again received a fair offer that I again agreed to. I would have no problem with selling to them again, but I do understand your hesitance to utilize their services.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

There's many reasons. But, you've been here long enough to see UHH buyer's remorse is far, far more frequent than health and age.

A truism of modern camera equipment is that every day you hold onto unused equipment is another day it gets worth less. Someone buys a new camera, decides they'll hold onto the old one as a "backup". Six months later, they've never used it once, and finally decide to sell, to find it's lost another 1/3 value of what it might have fetched 6-months earlier. Assuming you can find any interested buyer anywhere. That's when your buyer of last resort, KEH, comes into play.