[EarlVonTapia]

Wow stormtech. Did you look into my brain and steal my thoughts?

For me over the past few years, this was how I determined which lenses I wanted. There is no other way in my mind to actually try a lens out. Yes, I've lost a bit of money over the years doing this, but I have now come down to a kit of lenses that I really like. It's pretty much over for me now as far as the buying/selling used lenses.

This x1000. It's okay to ask for advice about lenses here on the forums and to read the endless reviews on sites like pzone and Amazon, but at the end of the day nothing beats having a lens in hand and trying it out to determine whether or not it's a good fit for you. I've moved on from lenses that get praised here, while some other lenses that get brushed off all the time have become staples in my current set.

Over the past few years doing this, I've become fairly versed in what most lenses are worth used. When I do sell a used lens, I tend to price it to move quickly rather than trying to start high, then bumping the thread continuously trying to get someone to bite. The way I look at it, even if I loose 20% or so on a used lens, that is kind of like my rental fee for trying it out.

That is also my take on it. Also, my time is better spent doing other things than haggling with someone for a final $10-$20 for days on end through email/pm.

No regrets at all doing this - but am really glad I am through that stage and have settled on my current kit of lenses that I am very happy with. Without doing the buying/selling I would still be wondering what that next lens is like........

Me too. I feel like I've tried out every Pentax lens I want to try. I'm happy with what I have, and each of the lenses I have has a logical replacement/upgrade that I can just walk into a store or go online and buy if and when the time comes.

[EarlVonTapia]

Actually, PayPal is fairly reasonable on it fees - about 3%. It is eBay which gouges - 10%.

3% + $0.30 is not reasonable. 10% is just atrocious.

PayPal also has a withdrawal fee, and they also use some magical exchange rate that is always a few cents lower than what is shown in real time on Google, further eating into your profits.

I only use PayPal because it is sadly the most convenient way to exchange money with other people online. I wish there was an alternative. I am not alone on this.

On my sales threads here I always offer the option of email money transfer to Canadian members with good feedback. I also like to push for local cash sales when I can.

[robtcorl]

I've been a buyer/seller on eBay since 1997, but don't do much of either anymore.

In its earlier years, real bargains could be found for photo and many other items.
In the past, I've bought on eBay, then resold on eBay several cameras, lenses, and etc for a fair amount of profit.
Can't do it these days due to the high fees, and high shipping costs.

maybe it's been mentioned, but eBay owns PayPal.

[stevebrot]

Good to see I'm not the only one refusing to sell at a loss.

Heck! I don't sell at all!


Steve

(...slowly running out of shelf space...)

[Lloydy]

I've even bought lenses that I haven't got a camera for.

[Action Jackson]

I've even bought lenses that I haven't got a camera for.

[Lowell Goudge]

I've never even contemplated selling any of my lenses, but thinking about it again, I probably should, even if at a loss, before I croak... because if my wife finds out about all the lenses I bought and stashed around the house, she'd surely kill me!!!

But what is the point. When your wife finds out after you croak, what can she do to you, it is much too late to kill you, as you are already dead or did I mis something

[Lowell Goudge]

Sell lenses....that's funny. This is a joke, right? You don't actually sell lenses? (LOL)

Yeah. I found it funny too. Actually, it is much smarter to not sell anything, because just like stocks, it really only is a loss if you sell.

[Just1MoreDave]

I definitely learned a lot from buying and selling. The education is the most valuable takeaway. I'm also confident that my current kit works for me.

I also made money, sometimes easy, but spent way too much time at that. I would not recommend trying to make money as the primary objective.

[altopiet]

But what is the point. When your wife finds out after you croak, what can she do to you, it is much too late to kill you, as you are already dead or did I mis something

You don't know my wife!!

[whojammyflip]

I find it helpful to budget for and record what I have bought, so that I can reflect on what has been done and stop it if necessary. There is no reason why someone should not be able to buy and sell lenses on Ebay for nothing; trying to turn a profit is a waste of time in my opinion. Given that the average job in the UK pays a couple of grand a month, the Ebay game is not worth the candle. However, its obvious that when someone is parting with their money, there will always be someone willing to take more than the fair price off them, or pay them too little.

My general observations on buying and selling stuff (I have a rating of about 800 at the moment and its all pretty much camera kit, over a period of about 5 years or more):
i) Keep a list of what you have bought, what you have sold, and the current value of everything you have not sold, if you were to sell it, ie a lens balance sheet
ii) Keep a track of the price of lenses including postage which you intend to buy
iii) If you think you might want to sell something again, and its being listed often, try to buy it for less than average
iv) Costs include Ebay listing and selling fees, postage and packaging, and the value of your time
v) Spend less time on Ebay than doing washing up for the wife...
vi) Live near the post office
vii) Spend less time on Pentaxforums than doing washing up for the wife...

On tracking prices, some items like a 15mm are relatively rare, so its worth watching things like this just in case they enter your wishlist at a later date. With these big ticket lenses, its often the case that similar lenses from other brands can give you a guide on what the fair price is. Net net net, I have made a bit from Ebay, but its from single big ticket items, such as a Kiron 105/2.8 which I bought for 50 and sold for 200, and an Oly digital macro flash system, which I bought for 75 and sold for 150. On common items like a M50/1.7 you are destined to lose the 15% fees charged by Ebay and Paypal and some postage costs too, as everyone is watching them.

[sandpipe]

When the lifelong pentaxian lba'er croaks, and the wifey liquidates, wherefore doth the fast classic glass go?