# What has been your experience: Best online place to sell lenses?



## ahsanford (Jul 22, 2014)

Gang,

I've had a 24-70 F2.8L I sitting unused since I opted for the 24-70 F/4L IS (which is a joy to use, by the way). I made up my mind to sell it some time ago.

So I went through one online quoting process with a few folks -- KEH, B&H, Adorama, etc. -- and kept seeing quotes of X and the same lens being sold at the same sites for 1.5X. 

I lack the eBay time to rack up happy customers, and I'm told that eBay is a customer-tilted justice system in which I may be found guilty without a proper trial.

So I am asking: what is the easiest way to sell lenses that minimizes drama, maximizes simplicity, and doesn't involve me giving it away for nothing. 

_Easy_ question, right?

Annnnnnnd: Go!

- A


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## ahsanford (Jul 22, 2014)

And I think I'm a jerk if I dangle that I have a 24-70 F/2.8L I and do not let people have a look at it.

Attached advert from a guy who clearly has not sold much gear. Reach out if interested with a message.

- A


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## Steve (Jul 22, 2014)

eBay is the best bet to sell it fast at fair market value but there are fees. Craigslist is cash in hand, no fees, but it can take a looooooong time to sell a big ticket item like a lens and you have to deal with the tire kickers and flakes. It also depends on where you live - if you live in a big city its a lot easier to sell on CL. You might be able to sell it on Fred Miranda but I think you need to have an established post history to sell there. Selling to any retailer, like KEH or Adorama is obviously not going to get you the most money because they have to resell it at a mark up but at least its quick and sure.


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## RustyTheGeek (Jul 22, 2014)

You might also consider setting up a seller account on Amazon.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 22, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> And I think I'm a jerk if I dangle that I have a 24-70 F/2.8L I and do not let people have a look at it.
> 
> Attached advert from a guy who clearly has not sold much gear. Reach out if interested with a message.
> 
> - A




Your ad contains too detailed information and niceties IMO for the eBay or Craigslist customer. My lengthy ads have fared much poorly than short ones.
You can, however, use this post in FredMiranda.com, and you definitely should. I have sold multiple items in that site and the transactions have always been very pleasant (and hey, I can put in a line vouching for the fact you are a regular poster in Canonrumors, FWIW). You can use Paypal which is very secure, and apart from the 3% Paypal fee there is nothing else.

P.S.: As Steve says, feedback on FredMiranda goes a long way, but everyone had to start somewhere, right? Some things that convince buyers are good English and feel of genuineness (I think your post has that), good pictures (put your username on a post-it and put it in the pictures), and prompt and clear responses if questions are asked.


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## ahsanford (Jul 22, 2014)

Steve said:


> eBay is the best bet to sell it fast at fair market value but there are fees. Craigslist is cash in hand, no fees, but it can take a looooooong time to sell a big ticket item like a lens and you have to deal with the tire kickers and flakes. It also depends on where you live - if you live in a big city its a lot easier to sell on CL. You might be able to sell it on Fred Miranda but I think you need to have an established post history to sell there. Selling to any retailer, like KEH or Adorama is obviously not going to get you the most money because they have to resell it at a mark up but at least its quick and sure.



I am in a major city, but I get the heeby jeebies that they'll know (a) I own other decent gear and (b) where I live, so it becomes a 'meet me at Panera Bread' highly public transaction. Not a fan. They could ask to hook it onto their body for test shots -- a totally fair request -- and _then just walk away_.

eBay is a dead end for me as I don't have any sales racked up. No one would trust an unproven seller with a nice lens purchase, one would think.

So I'm leaning towards the fire-and-forget big online houses, but I'd love to hear of another option if there is one.

Thx,
A


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## RustyTheGeek (Jul 22, 2014)

I think there are different buyers, some would appreciate the detail in your listing, others would be put off by it. So do both. List the main points concisely first, then announce more details further down the page and separate the two sections of text with the pictures which are superb.


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## bholliman (Jul 22, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> ahsanford said:
> 
> 
> > And I think I'm a jerk if I dangle that I have a 24-70 F/2.8L I and do not let people have a look at it.
> ...



+1 For selling on FredMiranda.com. I have bought and sold on eBay for many years with good success, but their recent fee hikes have forced me to look for other options.

I've been using CraigsList off and on for a few years, but we live in a small town so it's hard to find buyers close. Also, you have to deal with lots of thieves who make bogus offers at elevated prices and accompanying fake PayPal payment emails hoping to trick sellers into shipping products overseas. I current have a 430EX II speedlite listed on CL for $220. Yesterday, I received an "offer" for $350 including overseas shipping to ship to the buyers brother in Nigeria. But, it was urgent that I shipped immediately or they would not receive it in time for their birthday. Yeah, right! When I responded that I would not ship overseas until the PayPal payment had cleared the Buyer stopped communicating. These type of fake offers are common with CL and even eBay in my experience.

I have a friend who fell for one of these scams a few years ago. They were selling a collectible item on eBay. She received an inquiry from a scammer who offered $200 more than what the item was worth if she shipped to a relative of the buyer in Romania. The scammer requested my friends email/PayPal address and said they would send PayPal payment, but my friend had to ship immediately as their relative was moving to a new address in Romania soon. My friend was getting ready to leave on a business trip and in a hurry to wrap things up before she left. She received a fake email payment notification from PayPal and shipped the item to Romania without verifying payment at the PayPal website. The next day she did check PP, and no money received. She tried to contact the seller, but they never responded. Tried to recall the package from USPS, but apparently that isn't possible for international shipments. So, she was out a collectible worth a few thousand dollars.

Ive been selling a few items recently at FredMiranda.com and it's a pleasure by comparison with eBay and CL. The buyers are all legitimate and knowledgable photographers. Prices tend to be fair market prices and FM does not charge any fees, so PayPal fees are the only ones that apply. Those are not insignificant, but worth it to me to avoid the hassles on CL with scammers. I had a few additional questions from potential FM buyers since I lacked selling history, but I responded to their their questions and sent additional pictures as required. Some ask me to share my eBay user ID since I have a good seller rating there, and this helped. As others pointed out, you have to start somewhere.

Good luck


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## captainkanji (Jul 22, 2014)

I've had good experiences with eBay. I've only sold 3 items (7D, 70-200 f4, and 24-105). It is a lot harder to get scammed nowadays. eBay holds the paypal balance for a short period after the sale to protect the seller and buyer to help prevent scams. Your seller status determines how long this period is. I usually get my funds a day or two after the item has been delivered. The key is having good photos and being completely honest about any wear or scratches. I purchased all of my gear on eBay and have had zero issues, but I usually buy from top sellers.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 22, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> I am in a major city, but I get the heeby jeebies that they'll know (a) I own other decent gear and (b) where I live, so it becomes a 'meet me at Panera Bread' highly public transaction. Not a fan. They could ask to hook it onto their body for test shots -- a totally fair request -- and _then just walk away_.



I'd say that is a bit cynical. I live in Houston, not the safest of cities- but I have never yet had a person who seemed remotely shady meet me to purchase a lens. I have met many videographers and photographers, a couple of firefighters who shoot for pleasure, and befriended quite a few permanently. 
Give CL a shot- you can always talk to the person on the phone and be able to judge. And meet inside a coffee shop. Don't let him touch the lens without paying if he doesn't seem totally reliable. My 2c.


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## Phenix205 (Jul 22, 2014)

I have been having good experience selling on CL. As long as your asking price is reasonable (I typically ask for 85%-90% of the new item price depending on how long I have had the item for), it is usually sold within a week to fellow enthusiasts or professional photographers. I also often lower the price by another 10-20 bucks when the buyer is serious. To me, selling it quickly and starting enjoying the new lens is more fun than posting the item around. Good luck.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 22, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> I am in a major city, but I get the heeby jeebies that they'll know (a) I own other decent gear and (b) where I live, so it becomes a 'meet me at Panera Bread' highly public transaction. Not a fan. They could ask to hook it onto their body for test shots -- a totally fair request -- and _then just walk away_.



I've sold plenty of gear on CL, meeting in front of my work (where Security is watching) or at Starbucks. Several of the items have been >$1K, no issues at all.


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## shawnc (Jul 22, 2014)

I've had very good luck with craigslist. Sold multiple bodies and lenses, and bought a lens in a transaction as smooth as any sale. Also sold cars, motorcycle, furniture, bikes... Most sales have been at my house, but a few Starbucks sales-depends on comfort level after a phone call. With camera gear it's pretty obvious who the pros and enthusiasts are.
Re editing your ad: Think "Lens excellent cond. minor scuffs on hood" Make it a quick outline read. Nobody wants to read a long cl ad unless it's funny.


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## RobertG. (Jul 22, 2014)

Hi, it really depends where you are. Here in Germany the best place is probably our largest camera forum with more than 420.000 users. You open up a thread, add a few pictures and wait a couples of days for the private messages to arrive. Customers pay upfront by bank to bank transfer or Paypal. I bought two cameras and more than a dozen lenses like this and would do it again.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 22, 2014)

The "Best" place depends on the Seller. Both ebay and Fred Miranda will net you about the same price, Craigslist buyers know the values and will want a discount.

Unless you have a lot of good feedback, ebay will not work well. On Fred Miranda, even a new seller can advertise local viewing / pickup. Craigslist works very well, just meet in a secure place.

Depending on where you live, consignment at a local photo shop might also be a possibility.

You will get less selling to a dealer, they do intend to try and resell it for a profit, so they will not pay full price.

I buy stuff on Craigslist frequently, but there are so many asking crazy prices that its getting difficult to find a good deal. I usually end up selling my equipment for a high price on ebay, and often it only takes 2 hours. But, I have thousands of positive feedback.


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## ahsanford (Jul 22, 2014)

Local camera shops here in Los Angeles were the same story as B&H, KEH, Adorama, etc.: they offered around $650 for something they'd clearly flip for $1100-1300, so that's out.

I've opted to give Fred Miranda a try. We'll see how it goes.

My only hangup was the call to describe my lens as a 9 or 9+. I believe it to be a perfectly clean lens other than scuffing on the hood, so I called it a 9+ but was sure to flag the hood scuffing. We'll see how I do!

- A


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## bosshog7_2000 (Jul 22, 2014)

In the early 2000's I used to use Ebay...a lot. I gave up on Ebay around 2007 as the fees for listing/selling were too high and shipping is a pain in the butt. Since then I have used Craigslist exclusively. I usually get what I want for my gear and have sold numerous cameras this way including: Leica M8, Canon 1DSII, 7D, G12, 20D and numerous lenses. In addition to selling, I have bought countless gear on Craigslist too which is a nice way to meet other photographers, not to mention try the gear before you hand over your money.

The thing on Craigslist is to sort out the flakes from the people who are serious...also, for Craigslist to be viable you need to live in a populated area (Vancouver, BC is where I am). No matter what, do not ship to anyone on CL....cash deals only, in person, usually at a coffee shop.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 22, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> Local camera shops here in Los Angeles were the same story as B&H, KEH, Adorama, etc.: they offered around $650 for something they'd clearly flip for $1100-1300, so that's out.
> 
> I've opted to give Fred Miranda a try. We'll see how it goes.
> 
> ...



I've bought a few 24-70 MK I's for $600 or less on craigslist. A dealer can get more, but a private party is going to have to sell for less. If the lens has been checked recently at Canon, that's helpful. There are some internal spacers that commonly break on that lens, and owners often are not aware of the issue, but it decreases AF accuracy. I always add in a trip to Canon as part of the price. That used to cost under $200, but now its over $300, so $700-$800 is the max I'd pay without a warranty, or recent clean bill of health.


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## wsheldon (Jul 22, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> Local camera shops here in Los Angeles were the same story as B&H, KEH, Adorama, etc.: they offered around $650 for something they'd clearly flip for $1100-1300, so that's out.
> 
> I've opted to give Fred Miranda a try. We'll see how it goes.
> 
> ...



I think that's reasonable - hood scuffing from bag transport is completely normal, and often described in listings for 9+ or 10 lenses. Just disclose and you should be fine.


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Jul 22, 2014)

bosshog7_2000 said:


> In the early 2000's I used to use Ebay...a lot. I gave up on Ebay around 2007 as the fees for listing/selling were too high and shipping is a pain in the butt. Since then I have used Craigslist exclusively. I usually get what I want for my gear and have sold numerous cameras this way including: Leica M8, Canon 1DSII, 7D, G12, 20D and numerous lenses. In addition to selling, I have bought countless gear on Craigslist too which is a nice way to meet other photographers, not to mention try the gear before you hand over your money.
> 
> The thing on Craigslist is to sort out the flakes from the people who are serious...also, for Craigslist to be viable you need to live in a populated area (Vancouver, BC is where I am). No matter what, do not ship to anyone on CL....cash deals only, in person, usually at a coffee shop.



I actually did much better on CL in a somewhat less populated area. Buyers were apt to pay a lot more. In a very large market the buyers seem to be very much wanting to find mega-bargains or else just buy new.


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## Lyle Krannichfeld (Jul 23, 2014)

I've bought and sold a TON on photography-on-the.net, it's a Canon specific forum. Definitely worth looking at!

Lyle


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 23, 2014)

LetTheRightLensIn said:


> bosshog7_2000 said:
> 
> 
> > In the early 2000's I used to use Ebay...a lot. I gave up on Ebay around 2007 as the fees for listing/selling were too high and shipping is a pain in the butt. Since then I have used Craigslist exclusively. I usually get what I want for my gear and have sold numerous cameras this way including: Leica M8, Canon 1DSII, 7D, G12, 20D and numerous lenses. In addition to selling, I have bought countless gear on Craigslist too which is a nice way to meet other photographers, not to mention try the gear before you hand over your money.
> ...



+1.
I found it easier to sell in a college town with 171,000 people than in a city with 2.5 million people.


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## ahsanford (Jul 23, 2014)

Hey gang,

I've already gotten two private message inquiries on my lens, but as I lack 25 posts at FM, I cannot respond to them privately! 

Is there some way I can contact these folks directly, or must I reply to my own advert with a public answer to a private question?

- A


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 23, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> Hey gang,
> 
> I've already gotten two private message inquiries on my lens, but as I lack 25 posts at FM, I cannot respond to them privately!
> 
> ...



That doesn't make sense. Do you not have an upload/sell account set up (subscription required).
I had no problem sending PMs before I had 25 posts.


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## wsmith96 (Jul 23, 2014)

Yes, this isn't my thread, but I've also got some gear I want to shed to invest in better gear. The info here has been valuable for me. Thanks to the OP for asking and to all who have replied.


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## ahsanford (Jul 23, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> That doesn't make sense. Do you not have an upload/sell account set up (subscription required).



Of course. You can't post items for sale without one. But even then, it did not let me PM with a 'you have less than 25 posts' error message. 

Non-issue in this instance, though. *Lens just sold for a good price and is on its way.* Thanks for everyone's advice!

- A


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 23, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> sagittariansrock said:
> 
> 
> > That doesn't make sense. Do you not have an upload/sell account set up (subscription required).
> ...




Must be some bug in the site. FYI, I have posted several PMs when I had less than 25 posts.
If this happens again, you can contact the moderator.
Anyway, congrats on the sale.


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## Jamesy (Jul 23, 2014)

I have bought and sold tons of stuff on CL with no issues. There is also a local meetup group that has a buy and sell with similar good results. Finally, I have bought three or four times from Fred Miranda and the community over there is excellent - they have very high standards and a grading system for used gear. Like eBay, you get to rate both the buyer and seller.


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## RGF (Jul 23, 2014)

bosshog7_2000 said:


> In the early 2000's I used to use Ebay...a lot. I gave up on Ebay around 2007 as the fees for listing/selling were too high and shipping is a pain in the butt. Since then I have used Craigslist exclusively. I usually get what I want for my gear and have sold numerous cameras this way including: Leica M8, Canon 1DSII, 7D, G12, 20D and numerous lenses. In addition to selling, I have bought countless gear on Craigslist too which is a nice way to meet other photographers, not to mention try the gear before you hand over your money.
> 
> The thing on Craigslist is to sort out the flakes from the people who are serious...also, for Craigslist to be viable you need to live in a populated area (Vancouver, BC is where I am). No matter what, do not ship to anyone on CL....cash deals only, in person, usually at a coffee shop.



Perhaps I had back luck on Craig's list but all I was scam offers - "I'll pay extra 50% to ship the lens to my cousin in ..."

No serious offers, so after 2 or 3 items I only list on ebay (10% fee plus 3% paypal fee hurts) or Fred Miranda.


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## ahsanford (Jul 23, 2014)

RGF said:


> bosshog7_2000 said:
> 
> 
> > In the early 2000's I used to use Ebay...a lot. I gave up on Ebay around 2007 as the fees for listing/selling were too high and shipping is a pain in the butt. Since then I have used Craigslist exclusively. I usually get what I want for my gear and have sold numerous cameras this way including: Leica M8, Canon 1DSII, 7D, G12, 20D and numerous lenses. In addition to selling, I have bought countless gear on Craigslist too which is a nice way to meet other photographers, not to mention try the gear before you hand over your money.
> ...



Seems PayPal is the online tool of choice for cash changing hands. Has anyone tried Google Wallet or PayPal's other competitors?

- A


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## RLPhoto (Jul 23, 2014)

Ebay is good. I've bought and Sold lots of equipment through them. I'm selling alot of my kit right now at the moment and I know someone somewhere will buy it.


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## ryebread (Jul 24, 2014)

FM charges you to join their selling community, right?

CL - You can hit the lottery and find a real buyer and boom, cash in hand. otherwise, it's a terror. people just suck.

POTN forum, I used to sell everything there. but now the members are too cheap there, now. they want 30+% off the original price. I usually like to start with 15% off for nice gear, maybe move to 20% if I have to... hey, it's clean, it's like new, it's going to last the next buyer 20+ years, why take such a big hit?

EBAY is the best for me. people pay higher prices. it covers the fees. you can write off the loss and fees, and shipping with your accountant.


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## ahsanford (Jul 24, 2014)

ryebread said:


> FM charges you to join their selling community, right?



Yes. $9 for the ability to post sales for 30 days. 

- A


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## wsmith96 (Jul 24, 2014)

RLPhoto said:


> Ebay is good. I've bought and Sold lots of equipment through them. I'm selling alot of my kit right now at the moment and I know someone somewhere will buy it.



What are you selling?


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## RLPhoto (Jul 24, 2014)

wsmith96 said:


> RLPhoto said:
> 
> 
> > Ebay is good. I've bought and Sold lots of equipment through them. I'm selling alot of my kit right now at the moment and I know someone somewhere will buy it.
> ...



http://www.ebay.com/usr/elzaz444


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 24, 2014)

RLPhoto said:


> wsmith96 said:
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> > RLPhoto said:
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Your pic shows the c-pol with the 50mm but description says uv filter.
FYI.


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## RLPhoto (Jul 24, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> RLPhoto said:
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> > wsmith96 said:
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I grabbed the wrong Box.


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 24, 2014)

RLPhoto said:


> sagittariansrock said:
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> > RLPhoto said:
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Guessed as much. Thought I'd caution you in case some buyer claims you were supposed to include a c-pol.


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Jul 24, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> LetTheRightLensIn said:
> 
> 
> > bosshog7_2000 said:
> ...



Yeah CL near NYC is a pain (although now and then you can get it to work out best, but only very now and then), but down in triangle area of NC it was a breeze.


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## dstppy (Jul 24, 2014)

ryebread said:


> CL - You can hit the lottery and find a real buyer and boom, cash in hand. otherwise, it's a terror. people just suck.



I have now, successfully sold most of my stuff on CL; the direct benefit is zero comeback if the sale goes through. If you use PayPal and you have someone who knows how to game the system, 'buyer protection' becomes a nightmare.

Once you get used to it, it's pretty clear who's who among scammers. 
1) Local/Cash Only --- anyone who talks about something else, or you driving 50 miles or mailing it is 99% a scam
2) Make sure they know you're going to meet some place with security cameras -- if they take your stuff and run, don't chase 'em, call the cops (Chase Private Client has been superb about this in Fairfield County CT; they even gave us a desk to sit at once!) -- if it's over a few hundred, meet at a bank and let the bank 'count' the money for you; it does a counterfeit scan
3) Ask for a cell, google any info they give you to make sure it's a real person

Out of everyone I weeded out via e-mail/phone, I only met one guy who was an odd duck (tested a lens for 40 minutes) -- I'm super paranoid but I've been surprised the rest of the time how very nice people are.


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Jul 24, 2014)

sagittariansrock said:


> ahsanford said:
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> > sagittariansrock said:
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I think it's a new rule on FM to help fish out robots/scammers/trouble-makers a bit.


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## slclick (Jul 24, 2014)

amazon seller account


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 25, 2014)

dstppy said:


> ryebread said:
> 
> 
> > CL - You can hit the lottery and find a real buyer and boom, cash in hand. otherwise, it's a terror. people just suck.
> ...



+1

Sold my 16-35/2.8L II today to a CL buyer, went fine as usual. 

I've met quite a few nice, interesting people. I did have 'comeback' of sorts, one time. I listed a lens, and got an email from someone to whom I'd previously sold a lens (I use similar language in my posts)...he ended up buying the second lens as well.


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## mpphoto (Jul 25, 2014)

I have three lenses I want to sell, and I am trying to figure out how I want to sell also. I sold a lens on eBay last year and the fees were too high.

I have tried twice to sell on Craigslist, and I never had any interested buyers despite being in a highly-populated area. I think I'll give CL another try. 

My local police department actually went on a PR blitz publicizing how people are welcome to do Craigslist transactions in their lobby, since there are security cameras and it is staffed 24 hours a day. I figure if someone isn't willing to meet at the police station, they must be pretty shady. I also bought those pens that are used to tell if currency is fake since I only want to take cash.


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## dstppy (Jul 25, 2014)

mpphoto said:


> I have three lenses I want to sell, and I am trying to figure out how I want to sell also. I sold a lens on eBay last year and the fees were too high.
> 
> I have tried twice to sell on Craigslist, and I never had any interested buyers despite being in a highly-populated area. I think I'll give CL another try.
> 
> My local police department actually went on a PR blitz publicizing how people are welcome to do Craigslist transactions in their lobby, since there are security cameras and it is staffed 24 hours a day. I figure if someone isn't willing to meet at the police station, they must be pretty shady. *I also bought those pens that are used to tell if currency is fake since I only want to take cash.*


Nearly useless. It only detects cheap paper . . . before the enhanced security went in, they resorted to 'bleaching' singles to print as higher denominations.

As I said further up, if you meet at a bank, their money counter has some level of counterfeit detection built in. Also, if your bank takes it, it's NOT your problem 

That is super slick about the police department. I'm always happy to hear when local government takes proactive steps to make things easier on citizens. It's not always the case :/


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## wsmith96 (Jul 25, 2014)

RLPhoto said:


> wsmith96 said:
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Thanks! - Checked it out, but nothing I was looking for. I'll be in San Antonio next weekend which would have been convenient.

Regards,
-w


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