Warning! KEH sold me a new lens when I paid for used

[T O Shooter]

This nonsense on the condition cuts both ways.

A bs assistant tried to say a well-kept camera on a trade-in was the lowest grade because it had a screen scratch. It was just a tiny spot where the chemical coating had come off that didn't show with the screen turned on. The rest of the camera looked excellent. You had to wonder if the store would bump it up a grade when the trader leaves.

I won't ever buy a camera with a screen scratch. Not sure if it should be marked "Bargain" for it though. But their grading system is not nonsense and works great for buyers.

It seems that there's no wiggle room on condition when selling to them. Their business model works for them and leans heavily to the buyer. I can't imagine why I'd sell anything to them when someone within a mile of me would pay much more.

I checked them for selling my 70-200 VRII. Their offer was 875.00. I sold it in a matter of hours on Craigslist for much more without hassling, grading and shipping.

Rob

Craigslist has been mostly a waste of time for me. I am in an area of around 150,000+ people and I have sold equipment on Craigslist, but usually no response on my really good deals. I have got some great deal though on buying from craigslist.

You can figure about half the retail price if your lucky selling to companies like B & H or KEH. Its mostly for convenience for trading in for new equipment, but you lose a lot by doing business in this way.

As far as grading my equipment both B & H and KEH have been fair, but as stated above its still a poor way of selling your equipment.

Larry

Larry,

I would think it would be hard in an area of about 150k to sell some of the better lenses you've parted with. Here in the Toronto area there are 6 or 7 million people, tons of money floating around, and the big, expensive stuff can still be a tough sell. And, contrary to what you read here, no one wants Nikon anymore compared to 2 or 3 years ago.

I bought a brand new, never taken out of the box, Nikon 200 f2 VRII, Canadian model with receipt, for $2900 USD last December and it sat online for 4 or 5 days before I grabbed it. That would not have happened in 2014, 2015. Stupid thing is, is that it's still in the box.

But are you listing for a retail price but selling it to fellows like KEH for a wholesale price? If that's the case and you have something listed at retail and it doesn't move, pull the ad, come up with completely different text and images and re-list. Pick a price somewhere in the middle. For some reason, a price drop raises a red flag, or turns fellows into vultures. At least around here.

And for God sake don't word your ad as Robert suggested.

 

[NikonMike]

• I also bought a Nikon 70-200 f4 from KEH a few months ago. I think it was an EX+. It did have a small abrasion on the rubber zoom ring but not a big deal. Certainly not enough to send back. Imperfections create character anyhow. The glass was perfect and it's sharp.

 

[DasCC]

I bought a used 17-55 2.8 from them and ended up with only a lens hood in the box...... :-(

They were great to work with though... admitted their error and rush delivered the lens to me without a hassle. I was my first purchase from them so I was a bit concerned.