eBay for Camera equipment Poll

[terri]

When I buy I generally like to get as much info as I can before buying. I Google a lot, read my books, whatever it takes.

So far so good...

That sounds more like my experience. I've learned to get past feeling too awkward to ask a question, and - most important - if I don't get a reply that answers my question fully, I've learned to just let stuff go. Which can be hard sometimes.

Nowadays, I like to have at least one Q&A exchange with the seller before I even bid. I also agree with what Matt was saying: only go with sellers with lots of positive feedback and who have an return policy. That tells a lot about the seller backing up his statements about the item.

 

[Corry]

I've bought things on ebay, but never sold them...and I've always had good luck. I'm happy with what I've gotten so far. I don't think I'd ever buy anything huge on there, though. I got my Rebel through NewEgg, but my Canon AE-1 Program I got off of ebay for $60. I've also gotten a lense, and a/c slave strobe, a set of two light stands...a DVD..can't remember what else.

 

[minew_m]

I've bought basically all my camera equipment on ebay. I haven't had a problem with any of the stuff yet either. As long as you find the right sellers, and look around for the best deals, ebay can be awesome!

 

[walter23]

The poll doesn't cover my category of ebay use. So far I've only used it for inexpensive and used items. Never anything expensive or electronic where I'm interested in having warranty protection. I'd have no problem buying stuff up to maybe $200 in value, with the appropriate investigation into the reputability of the seller of course.

 

[Walt]

I've had pretty good luck on Ebay. Found a few oddball things I've needed for less money than the shipping. Gotten some good deals on lenses and such and communicated with some really good people.

 

[lazarus219]

i use ebay very regularly i htink you just have to know how to pick good buyers,

I reccomended a friend buy here phone on ebay because after having a quick look through listings i foudn soem good deals on the particular phone she wanted and checked feedback for her as she was new to the ebay system. After watchign it for a few days for her i told her not to bid on a particular one, she listened but then the next one up was cancelled and the next one didnt finish for 4 days, she was impatient and bought the one i warned her against- didnt recieve the phone for 2 months. just because she didnt want to wait

My only other bad story is with the people that sell wholesale lists (people to buyy products off) but put in the description somethnig like- brand new 20D never opened, if you just glance at it when its about to end and go quickly because you want to get a bid on before it ends, you are winning and then relaise your not gettign an actual 20D for it, just a peice of paper.

Ive made about 10 purchases on ebay- from my S5100 to 2 mp3 players, SDRAM, phones, and a few other little things. As long as you check each listing thoroughly i think it is pretty safe (considering you use safe payment services as well)
wow i just wrote a book....

 

[Rob]

I think my main concern about eBay is that things can look great in a picture, but actually be knackered in real life! That's without the person being good at Photoshop!!

I supose if the price is a fraction of high-street second-hand then it might be worth a pop, but not if it's approaching it. I ordered in two f1.2 Nikkor lenses to Jessops which were described as mint, however, looking at them in the flesh they had both clearly had serious knocks - yeah they might work, but all my kit is perfect, even if it is 50 years old.

 

[railman44]

Ebay is the greatest thing since sliced bread. If you check the sellers feedback and communicate with them via email, you should be good to go. Find out if the item is returnable or sold "as is". All of my camera "stuff" came from eBay and I'm very happy. The digital boon has brought many good deals to us 35mm people! In fact just yesterday I received from an eBay auction “Architectural Photography” written by John Dean in 1981 and it’s packed with tips that wowed me! I've found most people using eBay to be honest. Sure, there are some bad apples but I have yet to find one...

 

[Rob]

I'm really surprised by the results of this poll - I would have suspected that there would be more horror stories! I might even try eBay as a result!!

 

[DustinC]

I have bought and sold hundreds of items on ebay and think it is a good site. Their fees are getting to be outrageous though.

Dustin Cannon
http://www.prophotosource.com

 

[panocho]

I've used ebay several times and had very good experiences so far. But that's something you've got to work on. You cannot just look for what you want, pay for it and expect it to be ok. Specially with photography equipment. In my case, though, I got some things that you just wouldn't believe if I told you the price and the quality of them. But to get that, you've got to be patient and careful: there's a lot of crap around. Always check the seller, their feedbacks (read them and check the items that produced those feedback, that's a good idea).

Another story is the people from ebay. They charge quite a lot to the sellers, to judge by the service they offer: rather poor. I was (still am) involved in a fraud suspicious transaction; I notified them, but I still have to deal with it myself. Poor attention.

In short, take care of what you buy (it might be crap or even not be!), specially with great bargains... but they do exist! I own some of them!

 

[Jeff Canes]

Have bought a tone of stuff on Ebay will little problems. The only real troubles I have had are with two Ukraine/Russian cameras. I will never buy Ukraine/Russian against!!

3 Canon A-1 with lenses
2 FD power wider
2 EOS 1
Hassy 500 cm w/80mm & 220 back
Hassy 50mm lens
2 Hassy 120-back
Rolleiflex TRL
Rolleiflex Baby TRL
Kiev 88 kit / Sh**
Ukraine Leica copy /sh**
Kodak Box (red)
Kodak 120 Browne
Zeiss Netter
Zeiss/Voigtlander 126

But on the negative side about two or three years ago there were a lot a scams worked around DSLR. And IMO at that time Ebay was not making it easy to report illegal auctions. It took a real effort to find the reporting page. I personally reported 3 pyramid scams on Canon 10D, it was such a pain in the butt to report them so I just stopped.

 

[Uselessdreamer1]

i got my 1st camera there. its a rebel 2000 with sigma lens, it was refurbished, got it for 130 dollars. and its a dream. awesome.

 

[uberben]

I actually own a company that liquidates merchandise for local stores on ebay. I find that as long as I list thing completely and honestly I have very few problems. As far as buying goes, I have probably bought in the ballpark of 400-450 things on ebay and have always recieved my items. At most I have had really slow shipping. I always get insurance on my spendy or fragile items.

 

[steve817]

I tend to trust people about as far as I can throw them. So I usually pick listings apart to the n'th degree. So far I only had one poblem and the seller took care of it. That one wasn't for camera equipment though.

I got My Elan 7E and just about all of my lenses from ebay.