Upgrading your camera equipment is always such an exciting time, so much so that sometimes it’s easy to forget your old equipment.
Soon the forgotten old equipment will be sat in your attic gathering dust! But don’t let that happen, your old camera equipment can be sold and make you a little bit of cash.
In this article, we have broken down the pros and cons of the most popular ways to sell used camera equipment. We have also added an FAQ section and Seller’s Guide at the end of the piece. So, you have everything you need in one place to sell your used camera equipment.
Where to Sell Your Used Camera Equipment
eBay
It may seem obvious but eBay is such a great tool for the second-hand equipment seller, it is definitely worth considering.
eBay is an online auction site, that allows users to create their own store (or auction house) on the platform, and sell secondhand items. It has developed into being a great place for all forms of online selling.
People bidding on your items and getting competitive will often drive up the price of your items. The format has worked well for eBay for over a decade.
eBay also has a seller’s rating system, where buyers are allowed to rate the people they are purchasing from in several different categories. Keeping these scores up will tell potential new customers that you are a source of camera equipment that can be trusted.
eBay takes a commission of 2-12.5% of the final price, depending on the type of items sold. They can charge this much because the number of customers the site can expose your products to makes it completely worth the commission.
Pros
- Long-running, trusted platform
- Platform with an enormous user base
- The bidding system can often work out in the seller’s favor
- Seller’s rating can provide you with a small amount of provenance on the platform – users will be more likely to buy from you if you have a good rating.
Cons
- eBay takes a commission from your final selling price (2-12.5% depending on the type of item)
- The bidding process can sometimes work in the buyer’s favor, meaning your items may sell for less than they’re worth
Local Camera Store
Local Camera shops will offer you two options when it comes to your used camera equipment – you can either sell your pieces or exchange them and have the cost taken off your new piece of equipment.
This can be a great option if you want a quick sale, or you have large items that you don’t want to post out to a new buyer.
The one downside to using your local camera store is that they are a business that wants to make a profit, so they probably won’t offer you the best price for your equipment. However, other sellers (like eBay) will take a commission from your final price, so a camera store’s offer might still work out better than that.
Pros
- Quick sales
- Supports a local business
- Guaranteed sales
- No commission
- Can use old equipment to get a discount on new equipment
Cons
- You will get paid less than it will sell for
Facebook MarketPlace
Facebook MarketPlace is one of the newer selling platforms on the block. And such, it has become unaffectionately known as the wild west of online selling. You can sell literally anything on this platform – we actually saw someone selling a house on there the other day.
The platform allows users to upload items for sale on the marketplace, as well as on their own personal profiles – users that like the items can message the seller directly through Facebook, so if you already have Facebook no extra installation is required.
One of the downsides of the app is that there is no payment system available – so buyers will need to decide whether they want to sell in person for cash, or use a third-party payment system like Venmo or Paypal.
Because it has no in-app payment system Facebook MarketPlace has developed a reputation for both buyers and sellers cheating each other out of money. This is an option, but you may only want to use it if you’ve haven’t had any luck anywhere else.
The good news is that you don’t have to pay Facebook any commission for what you sell.
Pros
- No commission
- The system is well integrated with Facebook, and if you know how to use Facebook you will not have to learn anything new
- Can all be done on the Facebook app
Cons
- Unregulated
- Lots of people have been stolen from through this platform, and Facebook does not take responsibility for it or help users
- No payment system within the platform
Adorama
Adorama is one of America’s biggest online sellers of used electronic goods – this includes cameras and camera equipment.
The process is pretty simple, fill out their form on the website and they will give you a quote for the equipment you are trying to sell. If you are happy with the price and decide to sell to them, they will send you a prepaid shipping label.
Once your items have arrived with them they will deposit your money into your bank account (or send you a check).
Like your local camera shop, this can be a great way to sell your used equipment for a few reasons. Firstly, it is a guaranteed sale, you don’t need to sit around worrying about whether the equipment will ever be bought.
Secondly, it is a reputable site that many Americans trust. You can trust that they will pay you, and Adorama providing the shipping labels makes your life a whole lot easier.
However, just like your local camera shop, Adorama’s business model is based on making a profit – therefore you won’t be offered the price of what your camera equipment will actually sell for.
Pros
- Guaranteed sale
- Trusted source
- Shipping labels come sorted and paid for
- The money goes straight to your bank account, no fuss
Cons
- May be difficult to ship large items
- You won’t get the best price for your items
Amazon Marketplace
Amazon Marketplace is a site within the wider umbrella of Amazon where you can buy and sell used items. It can get confusing as often items will be listed on both Amazon.com and Amazon Marketplace – but this benefits anyone trying to sell used goods.
When trying to sell on Amazon Marketplace you must rate your items from ‘used – like new’ to ‘poor quality’. It is best, to be honest here as it will make it less likely for you to have a return.
You will be charged $0.75 per item that you upload to Amazon Marketplace, or if you plan to sell a lot, Amazon offers unlimited uploads for a small subscription price. Amazon also offers to handle the shipping for you, although you can fulfill it yourself if you like. They do take a commission on the items you have sold.
Amazon is a great option for sellers who want to sell at higher prices as it has such a large customer base. Amazon also guarantees all the sales on its website so users know they can trust sellers on there.
Pros
- You set the prices
- Amazon will handle the shipping for you
- Amazon is a well-trusted company
- Amazon has an insanely large customer base
- Old items get listed alongside new versions of the item
Cons
- Amazon takes commission
Depop
Depop is an app that has a similar based idea to eBay – allowing people to create their own mini-store on the platform and sell second-hand goods.
Like eBay, you can buy almost anything on the platform, including used camera equipment. The main difference is that there is no auction function – everything goes for a set price.
Depop pitches itself as a design hub, that allows users to simultaneously inspire and be inspired by their purchases.
Depop takes 10% of what you make on the app. This is about average for large selling platforms. It has been praised for its easy to use format, and if needed the whole process can be done on the app – this is great if you don’t have very long to sit around and advertise your used camera equipment.
Pros
- Easy to use system
- Can choose a set price to sell your items at
- In-app payment system
- Depop regulates sales
Cons
- Depop takes 10% commission on everything you sell
- Depop has a smaller customer base than the rest of the platforms on this list
B&H Photo
B&H Photo is a direct competitor of Adorama. They are one of America’s most trusted sources of new and used cameras and audio equipment.
The process of selling to B&H Photo is simple – head to their website and fill out the quote form on there to get an instant offer. If you decide you want to use this service, package up your goods. B&H Photo will then pay for the shipping to their warehouse and will pay you once your equipment has arrived.
It’s easiest to think of B&H Photo (as well as Adorama) as the online version of your local camera shop, so as we mentioned earlier, you will not get as much as your camera is worth from a service like this, as they will want to make a profit from your items.
B&H Photo also has a physical store in New York which is a must-visit for every camera lover.
However, using a service like this will guarantee you a sale, unlike eBay and Amazon.
Pros
- Guaranteed sale
- Trusted source
- Free shipping
- The money goes straight to your bank account
Cons
- May be difficult to ship large items
- You won’t get the best price for your items
KEH.com
KEH.com offers a similar service to Adorama and B&H Photo – however, it focuses (pun intended) solely on cameras.
This may work in your favor if you are trying to sell a more obscure piece of equipment, as going to a camera specialist may get you a better price.
The system works in a similar way to the other two websites. Log onto their website, and fill out their form to get a quote. Ship the items off to them and you will receive payment when your goods arrive.
KEH.com also offers something a little bit different, they also do trading events. Instead of posting off your items, you can go to one of their events, get an instant quote, and walk away with cash that day.
At these events, they also offer free seminars and workshops for all things cameras – like photography 101 classes and talks on the newest editing software.
They share the downside with the local camera shops and the two other big websites, in that they want to turn a profit, so you won’t be offered the best price for your items.
Pros
- Guaranteed sale
- Trusted source
- Shipping is speedy
- They run local events so you don’t have to ship bigger items
- They specialize in cameras and can offer better prices on more obscure items
Cons
- May be difficult to ship large items
- You won’t get the best price for your items
Craigslist
Is any used item selling list complete without mentioning Craigslist?
Craigslist takes the time-old tradition of the ‘classified’ section in newspapers and has turned it into an online sharing and selling platform. Craigslist is where Facebook Marketplace has taken a lot of its inspiration from.
You can find a wide range of posts on Craigslist – ranging from used items to local events to job advertisements. It’s a great local resource that’s free.
Simply upload a short description of the item you wish to sell, preferably with a few snazzy pictures, and wait for the offers to roll in.
The downside of Craigslist is that because it’s free, it doesn’t have the most modern design. But it is such a great resource it is worth powering through the design flaws.
Like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist is purely for posting/advertising that you have a product to sell. It does not, however, provide you with the means to sell it yourself.
If you wish to sell through Craigslist you will either have to do so in person using cash or set up payment through a third-party payment system like Paypal.
This is where most people have encountered issues with Craigslist as this lack of payment system does leave the process open to abuse. Craigslist also does not regulate their sellers or buyers, so you will need to take care.
However, you pay no upload fee and no commission so everything you make is yours.
Pros
- No commission on camera equipment (just on cars)
- Trusted website
- Simple to use, sleek messaging system
- Localized servers
- Large user base
Cons
- Unregulated – if you are ripped off there is nothing Craigslist can do about it
Tips for being a great used camera equipment seller
If you’re a first time used camera equipment seller then have a look at these tips. We’ve collected some tips to help your first experience go as smoothly as possible.
- Take high quality, but honest pictures of the equipment
- We’ve all been put off making a purchase online by bad quality product photos. So it will come as no shock to you that high-quality photos of your equipment are a must.
- Why not use your new camera equipment, to help you sell your old set.
- Be ready to let them see the equipment in person
- When investing in products like camera equipment many people like to see the items in person.
- Be prepared to meet up with possible customers so they can have a closer look.
- Be prepared to answer their questions
- When you are in contact with a possible buyer you should be prepared for them to ask you a lot of questions about your camera equipment.
- To prepare for these questions, think about what you would want to know if you were buying used camera equipment.
- Make sure to keep your seller’s reputation up
You will find it more difficult to sell your equipment if you have a bad reputation or rating on the site you’re trying to sell on. Places like eBay and Amazon allow customers to rate the service of the people they have purchased from. This allows customers to avoid unreliable sellers.
However, having a good seller’s rating can increase the likelihood of people buying from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get good, used camera equipment?
Absolutely! Many people, particularly professionals in the industry, frequently replace their equipment. Often before there’s been any time for the camera to suffer from wear.
If you are concerned, try buying from sites like KEH.com and B&H Photo who vet and inspect everything they sell on their website.
How long should camera equipment last? How often should I be replacing my camera equipment?
Camera models tend to be updated yearly, however, well-made equipment will last you much longer than that.
A good camera should last for between 5-10 years. With other types of equipment having a shorter life span.
