awesome14 Loc: UK

I've never purchased used gear anywhere but eBay. In 22 years I have never had a problem, and eBay offers a money-back guarantee: you receive the item you purchased, or eBay will refund you including shipping. EBay then collects from the seller! I know it's easier to navigate life using broad, sweeping generalizations (saves all that time thinking), but then you end up shooting yourself in the foot every time you subject yourself to 1/1000th the selection and double the price with non-eBay sellers.

I wanted a 200-400 f4 zoom. I looked on eBay, and there were 64 of them for sale, ranging in price from 1,000-2,400 dollars. EBay means you will always have the greatest selection, the best price, and trouble-free transactions. So, what you mentioned about eBay is 100% correct except the part to avoid it, and that there's problems.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

With eBay, you can get a rough idea of what people are willing to pay. It's gone in a week, and you have your money. With a camera dealer, you don't have to take so many pictures and write a description. You might not get as much money, but it's gone, and you got paid without dealing with bidders asking questions. I'm tempted to sell a camera or to two a dealer.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I also forgot to mention that I purchased the wrong type lens for my 5D. (I didn’t read the nomenclature). The eBay seller would not take it back. Rather than fight with the guy, I sold it to MPB and got a decent price. I was able to buy the correct lens for the right price.

It depends where you go to sell and what you want pay.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Apparently you have little experience in this area. Adorama (and please include the other re-sellers) have been at this for many, many years. The have and know the hidden costs as re-sellers. Insurance covers much of the mark-up. Individuals have no concerns relating to insurance, their choice. Adorama also has to cover overhead for the store and ALL their employees. Then, they are confronted with NYC taxes, another bite individual re-sellers can ignore. Your comparison to e-bay is pointless as e-bay is simply an unregulated free-for-all, buyer beware! You love their pricing? Then they love you, and all the money you want to donate their way. And, yes, "this kind of beating and is this standard" is the law of the jungle. You do not want the items any longer, what makes you think others place as high monetary value as you on unwanted items? You are trying to squeeze pennies from a seller and so is Adorama. Nothing is stopping you from getting those higher figures, but you have to find your own buyer.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

The original poster (mud duck) has little experience in this matter. That is why they are here on the HOG. This is the forum for asking questions and getting answers. True. I don’t know much about selling cameras and even less about Hassies. But I don’t insult people and I want to share the LITTLE experience I have had. Every reseller has costs that we don’t know about and that factors into the price they offer and what they will sell your gear for.
This doesn’t have to be a win-lose exchange. Rather than get more money then you thought, how about getting a tax deduction from a school and the knowledge that you started some high school kid on the glorious journey of photography. That is a great win-win puzzle.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

It seems very few on here understand the cost of doing business or the value of used equipment! The best advice is to try other stores and get other prices to compare. KEH would be a good start. Then sell to the highest bidder or keep your stuff and quit whining! It's worth what it's worth, which may not be what YOU think it's worth. Best of luck.

Mongoose Loc: Dublin, Ohio

I agree with muddck, the price quotes by those buyers are to low. Especially when you consider how much they ask for those items once they are put back into the market. I understand they need to show a profit but a large profit is just outrageous.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Recent SALES of cameras on eBay can give you a pretty good idea what to expect in a private party sale...

Two Hasselblad H3D II body-only (39MP back but no lens) sold recently for $1899. One offered free shipping, the other charged $16.

One Hasselblad H3D II with 31MP back and 80mm lens sold for $2500, plus $20 shipping.

A "Mint" Hasselblad H3D II w/39MP back, 80mm lens & even orig. box... $3500 + $95 shipping (from Japan).

elee950021 Loc: New York, NY

The same camera and lens (but with a 31MP back while yours is 39 MP) with some accessories is going for a "Buy It Now" price of $3300 and $59 postage on eBay, see:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403809177204?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1NfVlZuPOQjO_re2Rgo0FRw83&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=403809177204&targetid=4581046489808872&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418640322&mkgroupid=1239149842233245&rlsatarget=pla-4581046489808872&abcId=9300602&merchantid=51291&msclkid=d2f3e3ffc33611366090810827a9fcf3

It does have 21K exposures! The camera as is yours is an older model and only supports Hasselblad backs only. And how many exposures were made with your camera before your 500 exposures? Trying here to compare apples with apples! I would imagine your outfit would go for approximately $3000 to a ready retail buyer.

Adorama could sell it quickly or it could sit on the shelf but I don't believe it should go to them for only $1000. I think these resellers sometimes lowball their offers and potential sellers should do some actual price research which is easily available over the net!

For you to get a decent price, I suggest you sell via UHH or eBay or take a chance with Craigslist. Several months back, I purchased a 2-camera Nikon D750 outfit (with recent Nikon CLR servicing receipts) and 8 Nikkor lenses and other accessories for a package price from a portrait photographer here in NYC. Using Craigslist, he listed the package as he was going to a medium format Fuji 50 or 100 MP camera and wished to sell the whole enchilada. Great deals do happen occasionally!

Be well! Ed

piano44

Here in the Detroit area, there are at least 3 camera stores that deal in used equipment. See if there are any near you, where you can bring your stuff in and get a quote, with no shipping cost.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Personally, I think the name “CRINGE-LIST” is a better name.


Try opening this gem on the Ugly Hedge Hog! At least you know the Hogger will give it good loving care.

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

My solo experience trading to Adorama was not the best. They quoted me one number up from, then after four weeks in their shop for “evaluation” quilted me substantially less. I told them to send back the equipment. Then they changed their tune and increased their quote back to almost their original quote pre inspection. I never even attempted to sell them anything since that time about 5 or 6 years ago. I deal exclusively with MPB or KEH, both of which I have been very satisfied in my dealings.

stevemdr

I used to sell a lot of gear to Adorama. Until about a year ago, their pricing was transparent: Take their price for the same used equipment sold by them, and assuming your gear was in Excellent condition, they offered you 70% of their used price. If you were a known seller with a good track record, they might go to 75% of the price. This was fair to all parties concerned, but lately, I have received some low-ball offers. The offer was always contingent on their equipment inspection, but lately, they haven't been willing to make a firm offer saying what they would offer would be based mainly on their inspection. MPB said the same thing but "misplaced" the equipment so that I couldn't sell it to anyone else for the better part of a month when they made what I considered to be a very low offer.

Thus I'm back to relying on eBay, making my price competitive with the ones changed by US sellers. It's also good to remember to never package expensive accessories with cameras or lenses, especially when you are selling them to dealers. They will be valued at zero. When I recently sold a Leica, I offered it at a rock-bottom price and sold the Leica thumb grip in another transaction for about 50% of its used price if sold by a dealer.

Similarly, pricing on eBay should be about 75 percent of the used price from an authorized dealer but remember that you'll have to eat the eBay commission and fees. These will typically run as much as 15% of the price. Also, be sure you build into your price the cost of "free" shipping and insurance for costly items or levy a separate charge for these items. A $2,000 camera, if fully insured, can easily cost $40 to ship.

Royce Moss Loc: Irvine, CA

Royce Moss Loc: Irvine, CA

Might want to try MPB. I have gotten quotes from alll the major camera stores and found that they pay the most. Do keep in mind they are in business to make a profit. You will probably get more on a private sale or even ebay but it will more than likely take longer.