Selling Old Camera Gear: Tips, Tricks and How Not to Get Scammed?

LPowershopz on 09/07/2023 - 11:35
Last edited 09/07/2023 - 11:36

I used to be a semi-professional photographer many years ago but now have a bunch of old gear I want to get rid of. Gave up the hobby for a long time due to work/family general disinterest but have recently picked up a new setup. I have a bunch of DSLR gear and lenses from around 2005-2010 as well as some semi-rare medium format film gear from the 1980s. Sold my Leica M3 via facebook marketplace last year but took ages to find a buyer.

A long, long time ago (2000-2010) when the Aussie dollar was at parity I used to buy and flip a lot of photography gear on eBay and would sell to both International markets and Australia. Would just use Paypal for payments. Never had any major issues and never got scammed.

Have researched a bunch of prices from eBay, Facebook and Gumtree and have about $5K worth of gear to sell.

I've been looking up a bunch of facebook groups, online discussion forums and it seems like everyone is a scammer these days. Seen lots of complaints about high eBay fees and Paypal not offering very much protection as a seller? How much of this is hyperbole?

General Tips from one of the facebook buy/sell groups I joined -
1) Do not PM anyone, have all of your discussions openly on the post. Even if I or the other admins can't monitor all discussions, many other members can and often let us know when we have missed something.
2) Use Paypal. Goods and services only option.
You have some buyers protection that way. Never Direct Deposit. If you are in the same city organise to meet somewhere public if you want to use cash…
3) Research the buyer/seller. Have a look at their profile page, if your not comfortable (ie the page is blank/has nothing but repetitive posts, even if the last post was, for example, 4 years ago and all of the sudden active and selling) then DON'T
4) Some posts will tell you that you need to phone or email only. I feel that this is not being open in regards to the sale, Its up to you. *
*5) [email protected] emails that some post are nearly always a scam….. (its amazing that i have said this before and we still get them)
*6) If you see a post that is exactly the same (yep it does happen) Report it! *
*7) If it seems to cheap, step away from the sale. *

Looking for any recommendations on online websites to sell gear through?
Any general advice on not getting scammed (besides "Cash ONLY")?
Is Paypal fine to use? or do I only accept cash on pickup?
Is Facebook Marketplace a good bet, or just full of time wasters/scammers?
Any ways to get around eBay fees? Are the reduced fees bonus offers worth it?

I'm generally pretty savvy but the recent thread about PayID transactions getting reversed has got me worried as I haven't sold any second hand gear in a decade so am very rusty.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

General Discussion Camera Accessory

Comments

  • randomusername2017 on 09/07/2023 - 11:52
    -1

    Common sense filter.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 09/07/2023 - 11:54
    +6

    not to get scammed

    Cash and cash only, no pay id, no transfer, no funny business. cash and count it on the spot in a public place preferably with some kind of security and a backup person with you if high value.

    I used to go through a phase of collecting/selling/trading cameras and camera gear back in the day. The scariest was the time I was actually thinking I was going to get rolled by a big bunch of huge Māori basketballer guys for my mavic kit. Was literally 10 to one and they had me surrounded. Luckily the dude was legit, did not get rolled and you bet I rushed back to the car and locked the doors asap was transaction was complete.

    I had some good experiences trading with trusted members on ocau photo marketplace but that place is pretty much dead now.

    • zonra on 09/07/2023 - 12:33
      +10

      cash and count it on the spot in a public place preferably

      Don’t trust the house keeper.

    • foxmulder on 09/07/2023 - 21:19
      +2

      The guy brought 9 guys as backup :) he was as scared as you.

  • duk242 on 09/07/2023 - 12:07

    Make sure if it's something you're posting that the money has cleared before you ship it off!
    I got scammed years back selling a GTX1080ti - The guy paid via Paypal Cheque or something like that - he seemed nice and I shipped it off then I realised that the money never actually cleared.
    It was a sad day for all humanity.

    • JIMB0 on 09/07/2023 - 20:30
      -1

      At least you had his address to pass onto the bikies.

  • holdenmg on 09/07/2023 - 12:10
    +1

    Have in your mind a price that is realistic, not one that recoups you what you paid and add in Packaging, Insurance, Listing Fees and PayPal costs.

    Determine if you are selling as single items or Bundle (Body + Lens).

    I prefer to sell Single Items and dispatch as same as it is harder for a buyer to claim two separate items got lost, damaged or stolen.

    Record Serial Numbers of Items your sell.

    • Powershopz on 09/07/2023 - 19:24
      +1

      I have Min/Ideal prices for what I want for them.

      Good idea about the separate sends.

  • Twix on 09/07/2023 - 12:25
    +1

    Cash only for Facebook and Gumtree deals. Both platforms are full of PayID and PayPal scammers asking for your email address. Use Facebook Messenger and the Messages section in the Gumtree app. Don't give them your phone number and email address.

    If it's the forum post I think it is they didn't even use PayID. It was a fake cheque.

    It is also important to remember PayID will never send you an email, text or message directly. If you receive one of these, it is a scam.

    • Member 0230 on 11/07/2023 - 13:25

      When you and the OP mention PayID scams / reversals, do you mean this sort?

      • Twix on 11/07/2023 - 13:29

        Yeah they ask for your email and send a scam email saying you need to pay to upgrade your PayID account to a PayID business account. The scam email is written in bold text and usually sent from a @gmail.com account.

        Also lookout for fake payment screenshots and wait until the money clears in your account.

        • Member 0230 on 11/07/2023 - 13:41

          Right! 95% of the time I sell on Gumplace/Marketree I do in-person-in-cash (I know, I know, should be 100%), but the once or twice I accepted PayID, the payment had to clear right there and then so no problems so far.

          Doesn't protect me from a grab-and-run, but I don't think anything would. Unless your backup peep(s) are big/fast runners 🤔😂

          • Twix on 11/07/2023 - 13:45
            +1

            @Member 0230: PayID is mostly fine to use in-person. Some banks hold new PayID payments for up to 24 hours so that's where cash is king.

  • thatonethere on 09/07/2023 - 12:56

    If it is obscure camera gear but pricey ebay worked better for me. Better reach. But risk of scam, damage in post etc

    Where i am locally fbm and gt dont have enough people for obscure stuff. Good for std things like your old iphone etc.

  • MS Paint on 09/07/2023 - 13:23
    -4

    Hardly anyone is scamming people for old camera gear. Mainly apple phones and laptops. Just use common sense.

    • thatonethere on 09/07/2023 - 13:26
      +1

      You probs wont be scammed for the camera gear but more to trick you out of money (eg send some money to this address and a courier will come to pick up the gear and bring you your cash and some more)

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 09/07/2023 - 13:55
      +1

      Welcome back @Muzeeb.

    • coxjon on 09/07/2023 - 14:52
      +1

      My wife was hit with an attempted scam for $10 cosmetics. I guess scammers just cast a wide net

  • Mokr on 09/07/2023 - 13:50

    If you live in a good neighbood sell to local FB

  • brad1-8tsi on 09/07/2023 - 14:21
    +2

    I've sold lots of camera gear on eBay. Prices were up and down but never had any issues with returns, etc.

    Have sold a little bit on FB Marketplace. I do cash only and pickup from my place. The prices are so cheap that it's not worth going out of my way.

    I had one guy have a whinge that I wasn't being very cooperative so I told him the deal was cancelled and the item was going in the bin if he'd like to come and hunt for it on bin night.

  • brendanm on 09/07/2023 - 14:50

    I've sold many thousands of dollars worth of camera gear though eBay. Was prior to them bringing in there own payment system though.

    If you want to sell stuff on gumtree it Facebook, make it pickup cash only if you are worried. What brand gear are you selling?

    • Powershopz on 09/07/2023 - 19:32

      35mm Digital-
      Nikon gear: D700, 14-24 f2.8 G, 24-70 f/2.8 G, 70-200 f/4 G VR, 50 f/1.4G, 35 f/2D, SB900 speedlight.

      35mm Film -
      Canon gear: Eos 3

      Medium Format Film -
      Bronica gear: 2 x SQA body, WLF, Viewfinder, Speed Grip, 2 x Backs, 80mm f/2.8, 150mm f/3.5

      • brendanm on 09/07/2023 - 21:38

        Lenses should be easy enough to sell anywhere. Have you tried a dedicated Facebook page for medium format stuff?

        • Powershopz on 09/07/2023 - 21:43

          Nah, haven't joined anywhere yet. Any recommendations?

  • JIMB0 on 09/07/2023 - 20:33

    Be sure to delete any personal media from the devices, especially videos filmed in the bedroom.

    • terrys on 11/07/2023 - 09:25

      "personal media from the devices"

      This is professional gear, not a $99 point & shoot. The Bronica and Canon have little internal memory and the Nikon uses its for settings and image processing with the storage on a compact flash card - something the owner is probably quite aware of.

  • mxda on 11/07/2023 - 13:03

    uh what if the buyer is using counterfeit money? at least with Up bank you can give them an email address that's only associated with your account for PayID

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join