Buying Used Photography Gear Online: A Guide

Shutter Cub exists to help people find camera gear they're looking for without breaking the bank. Sometimes that means the lowest cost gear available, other times it's all about maximizing bang for buck with a sizeable budget. Let's dive into some of the best money-saving tips for buying used online.

The Idea

Do Your Research

Sites like Shutter Cub, eBay's completed listings, and respected retail sellers give you a wealth of research to know exact what a product is worth. Shutter Cub's database of 3700 cameras and lenses is a great start. You can see the market value for items, what's available to purchase, and the pricing trends. You can also use our Bundle Pricer to get a feel for what an entire kit you're considering buying is worth.

When looking up prices, make sure you compare apples-to-apples and consider things like condition, extras, and the trust level of the seller (retailers like KEH and MPB will sell used at a premium, but you get more security knowing the deal is legitimate).

Buying A Camera? Check The Shutter Count.

If you're buying a camera, make sure the seller provides the shutter count. While the shutter count can't tell you exactly how much life a camera has left, it's a great indicator of just how hard it was used. But remember! Cameras used primarily for video might have been heavily used but still have a low shutter count because the shutter locks open during video.'

Buying On eBay

eBay is a great place to find good deals. They have the largest selection of preowned camera gear in the world, and go a long way to protect buyers in transactions to protect their reputation. eBay is also the best place to buy bundles and save huge sums of money (we'll talk about that shortly').

And if you want us to save you the constant checking of eBay, set up some Market Alerts and we'll send you the deals below a price you set, filtering out all the rest.

The Best eBay Deals are Often "Classic Auctions" not Buy It Now Listings

Looking to maximize your money? Find a kit in a classic auction style. This means a camera and lens, or several lenses, up for sale without a Buy It Now price. These often go for far lower than the total market value. Retailers who sell on eBay use Buy It Now style listings almost exclusively. This means that classic auction you're looking at is likely an individual trying to get a little money back to cover already upgraded gear. Or even better - an individual who just wants to get rid of their camera gear.

One Trick for Low/No Feedback Score

Many users don't do a lot of volume on eBay or other marketplace platforms, and don't have a high feedback score. One trick you can use is to look up when they registered. A 0 feedback account that joined 5 years ago is a lot less risky than a 0 feedback account that just signed up yesterdan and listed a Canon R3.

Auction Snipers are Your Friend

After you’ve priced out that camera or bundle and know what you’re willing to spend, head over to http://auctionsniper.com (no affiliation) and setup a bid snipe with the maximum price you’re comfortable with. Then set it & forget it. Often your winning bid will be well below your max bid. And it’s always a fun game to see how much money you saved on autopilot!

Sell with Buy It Now, Not Classic Auctions

To enhance your selling strategy, consider doing the opposite of your buying approach: use BIN, not auctions. When listing an item with a "Buy It Now" option, set the price slightly higher and include a "Best Offer" feature. This enables you to discern potentially fraudulent buyers. If you receive a best offer from a buyer with zero feedback, you have the option to decline, which isn't possible with a standard "Buy It Now" listing.

Don't Sell a Kit

Even if your camera initially came with a kit lens, consider selling its components separately instead of as a bundle. While bundling may seem advantageous, you can potentially earn more by parting out the system, including any additional items beyond two batteries. For instance, selling a kit with five batteries might undervalue your items. Opt for a lower initial price with just two batteries included, and then separately sell the remaining three batteries on platforms like eBay for around $20 each. This strategy can maximize your earnings rather than leaving potential profits on the table.

Look for "Extras"

Many people are selling their entire kit, or selling with a camera a number of added goodies whose value really add up. Extra batteries and chargers are a huge win. Grips, ND filters, memory cards, these are all things you're probably going to buy, and they all add up!

Facebook - Beyond Marketplace

Facebook marketplace is a good, and obvious, place you should search for camera gear. But a warning: the general "marketplace" listings are full of scammers. A better way to leverage Facebook for your used gear journey is to join the specific groups dedicated to either selling by brand, or the more general ones. Here are a few big ones:

• Photography Gear Exchange – Buy & Sell Camera Equipment
• Canon Equipment: Buy and Sell
• Fuji X Buy/Swap/Sell
• NCGD Nikon Buy & Sell Group
• Sony Camera Gear: Buy & Sell

Forums

If you're a savvy seasoned pro, you can buy on forums like Fred Miranda and DP Review. Here are a few tips:

• Buy from established users with an aged join date
• Be wary of low post count combined with recent join date. Be SUPER wary if one of their first posts is listing a very expensive popular item.
• Don't pay (or accept) Venmo or Cash App or Friends and Family PayPal
• If the forum has a feedback section, request positive feedback after transaction, and reciprocate

Tips for Researching Sellers on Forums

Before completing a transaction, it's prudent to search the seller's username online. Frequently, individuals maintain consistency with their usernames across multiple platforms, providing insights into their social circles. If a search yields no results for the username, it could raise red flags and warrant further investigation.

Once the price is settled, conduct an online search using the seller's email address. Just like forum usernames, individuals often utilize their email addresses in various contexts. It's common to discover that a buyer's email address is linked to their workplace, which indicates reliability. Additionally, if the email address contains a name, it's worthwhile to search that as well.

Stop Using PayPal Friends and Family

There's no seller protection and the fee savings aren't worth it. Just don't.

Consider Trusted Preowned Retailers

In our beginning photography budget article, we mentioned retailers like KEH, Adorama, MPB.com, B&H, and UPP offer a wide selection of preowned with an abundance of trustworthiness. They're going to cost more than the random individual eBay seller, but they offer condition transparency, fast shipping, and have return policies. With these retailers, you're paying a little extra for some very valuable assurance you're not getting scammed.

Which Platform for You?

The advantage of using eBay lies in its quick turnaround times. However, there's a significant downside: eBay takes a substantial portion of your earnings. With a 10% commission (up to $250) taken by eBay and an additional 3% by PayPal, your net profit from selling a product like $1700 camera would be around $1479 before factoring in shipping costs.

When selling on eBay, it's essential to price your item accurately and opt for the "Buy it now" option. For particularly sought-after or expensive items, consider listing them at 5-7% above market value with a "best offer" feature. This helps deter scammers and grants you the opportunity to decline offers you're not comfortable with. Without this option, buyers can purchase your item without your input.

If time isn't a pressing concern, you can explore alternative avenues such as Facebook and forums. While still ensuring secure payment methods like PayPal, you'll save significantly on fees and potentially enjoy a more personalized selling experience.