Ksocha Loc: Bethesda, MD

This is a really interesting post. About two weeks ago Used Photo Pro had a desk at a photo journalist conference in Arlington VA. I brought my old Contax G film camera and some good lenses and a few other random items collecting dust and walked out with $1700 in cash! Very nice to work with.

wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

I bought and sold on ebay for decades - many hundreds of mostly photo items. But my last sale made me aware of their new (to me) policy of unlimited returns for any reason, and you have to pay the return postage for the buyer.

I sold an Excellent or better Nikon lens, and after 5 days the buyer checked whatever the "return" box is on ebay that triggers the return process. Reason given? "Not as described" with an explanation like "aperture ring won't turn." When the lens came back I discovered that the aperture ring was locked in the "auto" position using the lock knob on the lens. All Nikon auto aperture rings work this way. Unlock it and the ring turned freely. Didn't matter - ebay's emails are very clear, either authorize a return shipping label within x days (at my cost) or they will do it and charge me. The tracking label notifies ebay when I get the package, which triggers another email directing me to authorize a refund to the buyer or they will do it and charge me. There is NO way to keep from refunding a purchase if the buyer asks for it within the ebay time limit for doing so. (I got an email for another buyer of stuff I sold at the same time - liquidating my Nikon equipment - who claimed a lens had a problem, that he had paid a local repairman to fix it and wanted me to refund half the repair cost. It was past the ebay return period and I told him to p#ss off.)

I will never sell another item on ebay. I do look there to see what prices are on things I'm interested in, and I have bought some things from what appear to be "dealers" with large volumes and excellent feedback. But never another sale.

DennisC. Loc: Antelope, CA

When you give them your account and routing number they can only deposit money not withdraw it. I wondered about that too.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

MPB is a very good vendor. I think MPB is using the volume of sales versus highest dollar per sale method, make a little on a lot of items...possibly to firmly plant their footprint in the marketplace. They have also offered the best $$ on about 75-80% of items I've had qouted/sold. Purchases from them have been great. KEH is right behind them, though, and Robert's UsedPhotoPro. Like Billnikon, I use Ebay quite a bit. The couple of stinkers (purchases from Mom&Pop Camera stores through Ebay) I've encountered were quickly fixed by either the seller or Ebay. All the rest have gone well, for the last few years. Have also been happy with B&H, Adorama, and Cameta.

DennisC. Loc: Antelope, CA

You will not get 60% more from EBay than MPB after to subtract the EBay and PayPal fees, plus the fake bidders on some auctions that will never pay. I sold over $10,000 of Nikon gear to MPB when I switched to Sony. It would have taken me over a year to sell it on EBay.

ronpier Loc: Poland Ohio

I prefer to buy with caution but not sell. IMO Ebay is still the Wild Wild West. I still try to use recognized vendors with return policies is at all possible.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Did they PAY you the $143.00-higher amount?

When you get an OFFER from any of the used equipment dealers, it is SUBJECT TO CHANGE when you send the item to them and they examine it themselves. Their opinion of its condition could vary from yours.

Happened with me on a lens. No need to say who the dealer was. I just decided not to sell the lens to them. That is their right.

WayneL Loc: Baltimore Md

Just sent it to them. If they low ball me I will have them send it back, but I don't think they will since it looks new with less then 400 clicks.

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

I am another positive MPB customer. Have done several trades, purchases and selling.

DennisC. Loc: Antelope, CA

If you are honest and realistic about the condition of the equipment they will pay exactly what the quote is.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Except for something I honestly and realistically believed was a perfectly functional and useable item (lens) for just about anyone, that the dealer rejected for "excessive" contamination internally.

Condition can be an honestly and realistically subjective opinion. It's just a matter of agreement between buyer and seller, neither of whom has intent to deceive.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Yes, it is subjective, but if most people are honest with themselves about the condition of what they’re selling they’ll get what they were quoted. It sounds like your lens might have some internal fungus that wasn’t obvious to you. They are gonna take a good look inside any lens you send them.

WayneL Loc: Baltimore Md

They just paid me the amount of the quote