Advice on Selling Leica M240?

[Jager]

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With the introduction of the M10 - the first M camera introduced since I joined the ranks of the retired - I'm now looking to sell my lightly-used M240 in order to help fund the new camera.  Having never sold a Leica before, can I get some advice on how to go about it?

 

Obviously, there's Ebay.  I've bought a few things there.  But I've never sold anything.  I know when I see an item I'm interested in I pay a lot of attention to the seller... are they a store or an individual, what is their percentage of positive feedback, how much feedback do they have, how many previous transactions have they done, are they foreign or domestic, how quickly do they ship, and do they accept returns?  All of those play into whether I'll take a chance on an item.

 

With the shoe on the other foot, with me as the seller, I don't believe I would bid on my own camera.  I don't have any of those qualities I look for when buying a camera.

 

I do have a Paypal account.  Sending or receiving money is not a problem (although I've heard that Paypal protections are better for the buyer than for the seller).  If a potential buyer does not have Paypal, I would insist upon cash.

 

The ideal would be to find a local buyer - someone within, say, a hundred-mile drive - such that we could meet in person, they could examine and test the camera for as long as they wish, and then pay in cash.  Given the relatively limited market for high-end Leica's, however, finding a local buyer is probably akin to coming upon a unicorn.

 

Any advice?

[Luke_Miller]

I use my dealer - Popflash.  Tony accepts consignment sales.  I send him the camera, he puts it on his website (sometimes ebay as well) and reasonably soon I get a check.

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[david strachan]

Jeff

Personal sale would always be my preference too.

You won't loose anything with an advertisement or two, in your local newspaper...you just never know, your neighbour might be a Leica nut...cheers

[earleygallery]

What about the section on this forum?

[250swb]

The least painful way would be to trade it in for the M10 at a Leica dealer. OK you get less for it than a private sale, but you don't have a whiner coming back saying this or that doesn't work, there's a blob in the sky, my wife said I'm not allowed it, it didn't arrive (an old scam that one), or I've changed my mind.

[cliffp]

I have used this forum in the past (and presently as it happens). I was lucky that someone was able to come and check over the item (75mm Cron) and give me cash but I appreciate that this won't always happen.  I would use a classified ad (or commission sale/trade in) and be prepared to be patient or flexible on price.

 

I use Ebay a lot but wouldn't be comfortable selling Leica equipment (because of the expense of the gear and the potential for inexperienced buyers to either damage items or have unrealistic expectations) there for the reasons 250swb has indicated (which would apply to Ebay). With Ebay, the buyer has you over a barrel. 

[LocalHero1953]

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Since the days of the internet I have only bought or sold cameras via dealers (I have done more private deals on lenses). As a buyer, I value the warranty, however short, to deal with obvious imperfections. As a seller I have had little luck in getting a good price on the internet (I have never tried selling a body on ebay), probably because my expectations are too high. I have sold lenses and bodies through a Leica dealer on commission: typically around 15%. It took 6 months in one case, but at least it was off my hands, the dealer had set a reasonable market price, and I knew there would be no comeback from a grumpy buyer.

 

For buyer and seller it is a matter of risk. The market price for private sales will incorporate an allowance for risk of disreputable sellers, ignorant buyers and the absence of a warranty. For commission sales through an established dealer that risk disappears and is replaced by the cost of a short warranty and the dealer's profit. It's just another trade-off.

[Jager]

Thanks, guys.

 

I'll be buying the M10 from my local Leica Store and they don't do trade-ins, so that route is foreclosed.  I hadn't thought of PopFlash.  I bought a lens from Tony some years ago and if I can't find a local buyer via Craigslist, I may try him.  Although I would imagine he's inundated with M240-generation Leica's right about now.

 

I'll certainly consider the Buy & Sell section here, but I'd imagine that's not all that dissimilar from selling on eBay or any other kind of online venue - with all the attendant risks.

 

It's mostly because of potential damage by a presumptive buyer - I can't assume everyone is as careful and conscientious with camera gear as I am - that I'm disinclined to offer a refund (and the primary reason I'd much rather find a local buyer and let him/her spend as many hours with it as they want to ensure their satisfaction).  Alas, that one thing eliminates a wide swath of potential buyers - and I understand that.

 

I'd have a lot less angst about online selling if it were a less expensive item...

Edited January 31, 2017 by Jager

[Luke_Miller]

Popflash listed two consignment M-240s yesterday, so the upgraders are selling their current bodies.  While the release of a new model always depresses the resale value of  the previous version, I think that  for the near term there will be enough used bodies competing in the market to make resale prices lower than they might be down the road.  If you cam hold off a bit it might be worthwhile.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Luke_Miller

[duckrider]

The least painful way would be to trade it in for the M10 at a Leica dealer. OK you get less for it than a private sale, but you don't have a whiner coming back saying this or that doesn't work, there's a blob in the sky, my wife said I'm not allowed it, it didn't arrive (an old scam that one), or I've changed my mind.

seems we are both men with live experience!

there are too many idiots out there only waiting for victims like us.

Thomas

[pico]

I'll be buying the M10 from my local Leica Store and they don't do trade-ins,

 

How unfortunate. I don't know why they don't take trade-ins.

 

I work through an eBay broker when I sell some things. Look around there might be some in your area.

.

[Jeff S]

 

 

I'll be buying the M10 from my local Leica Store and they don't do trade-ins, so that route is foreclosed.  I hadn't thought of PopFlash. 

The DC store will work out a buy/sell if you talk to the right person.  But, for a better deal, best to sell by consignment.  PopFlash now returns 80% of sales price, which is better than most (until recently, it was 85% if item sold within the first couple of weeks)....they won't do trades.

 

Jeff

[dkCambridgeshire]

With the introduction of the M10 - the first M camera introduced since I joined the ranks of the retired - I'm now looking to sell my lightly-used M240 in order to help fund the new camera.  Having never sold a Leica before, can I get some advice on how to go about it?

 

Obviously, there's Ebay.  I've bought a few things there.  But I've never sold anything.  I know when I see an item I'm interested in I pay a lot of attention to the seller... are they a store or an individual, what is their percentage of positive feedback, how much feedback do they have, how many previous transactions have they done, are they foreign or domestic, how quickly do they ship, and do they accept returns?  All of those play into whether I'll take a chance on an item.

 

With the shoe on the other foot, with me as the seller, I don't believe I would bid on my own camera.  I don't have any of those qualities I look for when buying a camera.

 

I do have a Paypal account.  Sending or receiving money is not a problem (although I've heard that Paypal protections are better for the buyer than for the seller).  If a potential buyer does not have Paypal, I would insist upon cash.

 

The ideal would be to find a local buyer - someone within, say, a hundred-mile drive - such that we could meet in person, they could examine and test the camera for as long as they wish, and then pay in cash.  Given the relatively limited market for high-end Leica's, however, finding a local buyer is probably akin to coming upon a unicorn.

 

Any advice?

 

 

 

Sounds like you already know the best ways to sell your 'lightly used' camera  … it's not 'rocket science … so why ask here ? Your post reads as if it's a clandestine sales advert i.e. attempting to find a buyer via the forum without paying the Leica Forum 'Buy & Sell' section very reasonable listing fee.

 

Why not pay the fee and list it properly?

 

dunk  

Edited February 1, 2017 by dkCambridgeshire

[johnbuckley]

First of all, Jeff, I would trust you :-)

 

I have traded in an M on the purchase of an SL at the Leica Store DC. They offered a fair bargain, though it's not their favorite option.

 

And I have sold an M9 and an M8 via eBay. It's nerve wracking, and there is always the issue of people trying to say what was sent was 10% less good than expected and will you cut the price? (Maddening.) But eBay and PayPal thrive by offering buyers and sellers protection.

 

The worst experience I ever had selling a camera was selling a friend's husband my Monochrom v. 1 about a week before the sensor corrosion issue surfaced. He was understanding and there was no problem, but my heart sanks as, the day the check cleared, the stories ran...

 

If you faithfully photograph your M and what's going in the well-preserved box, and price it at the middle of the eBay market price, I bet it sells, and fingers crossed the transaction is painless.

 

And you'll love the M10!

[Jager]

Thanks, John!  And Jeff and Jac.  You know, all the countless, happy times I've been in the DC Leica Store, I never knew they bought or sold anything used other than their own demo cameras.  Learn something new everyday!  Thanks.

 

Dunk, I've spent hundreds of pleasant hours over the years reading the forums here.  But other than the occasional medium format film camera or lens, I don't buy used photo gear.  Nor, as I mentioned, have I ever sold any.  So I never had any reason to visit the Buy & Sell forum.  Until you mentioned it, I wasn't even aware there was a fee to list something there.  No, I'm not surreptitiously trying to circumvent that fee, whatever it might be.  What I have seen, in countless posts here and there, is someone mentioning they sold their camera.  What I was trying to avail myself of was simply the collective wisdom of all that experience.  My question was genuine.

[Herr Barnack]

Thanks, guys.

 

I'll be buying the M10 from my local Leica Store and they don't do trade-ins, so that route is foreclosed.  I hadn't thought of PopFlash.  I bought a lens from Tony some years ago and if I can't find a local buyer via Craigslist, I may try him.  Although I would imagine he's inundated with M240-generation Leica's right about now.

 

I'll certainly consider the Buy & Sell section here, but I'd imagine that's not all that dissimilar from selling on eBay or any other kind of online venue - with all the attendant risks.

 

It's mostly because of potential damage by a presumptive buyer - I can't assume everyone is as careful and conscientious with camera gear as I am - that I'm disinclined to offer a refund (and the primary reason I'd much rather find a local buyer and let him/her spend as many hours with it as they want to ensure their satisfaction).  Alas, that one thing eliminates a wide swath of potential buyers - and I understand that.

 

I'd have a lot less angst about online selling if it were a less expensive item...

 

When you trade in a camera or lens, you will get somewhat less money out of it than if you sell it outright; there's no way around that fact.  But you also avoid the pitfalls that come with a person to person sale.  Life is too short to be jerked around by internet shysters.  In my view, coming out ahead by a few hundred dollars is not worth the potential grief that can come with it.

 

Try Camera West - they accept trade-ins.  I have done business with them for 15 years now and have never been disappointed by them in any way.  They are located on the interweb at www.camerawest.com

Edited February 10, 2017 by Carlos Danger

[Jager]

Thanks, Carlos.  I couldn't agree more that the hassles one goes through trying to sell expensive stuff to private parties on the internet is fraught with opportunity to go amiss.  Life is, indeed, too short for such anxieties.

 

That said, I did dip my toe in the water - actually, no, I jumped into the deep end, feet first - and listed my M240 on eBay.  Without reserve, starting bid under a dollar (!).  I'll know if a few days if I made a huge mistake...

[Guest]

Sounds like you already know the best ways to sell your 'lightly used' camera  … it's not 'rocket science … so why ask here ? Your post reads as if it's a clandestine sales advert i.e. attempting to find a buyer via the forum without paying the Leica Forum 'Buy & Sell' section very reasonable listing fee.

 

Why not pay the fee and list it properly?

 

dunk

 

Why trade your lightly used camera ? The M10 is not significantly better

[Jeff S]

First of all, Jeff, I would trust you :-)

 

I have traded in an M on the purchase of an SL at the Leica Store DC. They offered a fair bargain, though it's not their favorite option.

 

And I have sold an M9 and an M8 via eBay. It's nerve wracking, and there is always the issue of people trying to say what was sent was 10% less good than expected and will you cut the price? (Maddening.) But eBay and PayPal thrive by offering buyers and sellers protection.

 

The worst experience I ever had selling a camera was selling a friend's husband my Monochrom v. 1 about a week before the sensor corrosion issue surfaced. He was understanding and there was no problem, but my heart sanks as, the day the check cleared, the stories ran...

 

If you faithfully photograph your M and what's going in the well-preserved box, and price it at the middle of the eBay market price, I bet it sells, and fingers crossed the transaction is painless.

 

And you'll love the M10!

It pays to shop around.  I decided to call the small dealership that sold me my M240 3+ years ago.....after an extensive phone search back then. The owner was happy to negotiate a trade on the M240 for the first silver M10 he gets, and the deal he gave me was better than I would have gotten from folks like PopFlash, which is one of the better sales outlets, and without the hassle, delay and buyer risks/market fluctuations.  

 

A good friend is selling his through B&H.  Whatever works.

 

Depends on expectations, timing and a bit of luck....and sometimes just past relationships.

 

Jeff

Edited February 11, 2017 by Jeff S

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[Guest]

It pays to shop around.  I decided to call the small dealership that sold me my M240 3+ years ago.....after an extensive phone search back then. The owner was happy to negotiate a trade on the M240 for the first silver M10 he gets, and the deal he gave me was better than I would have gotten from folks like PopFlash, which is one of the better sales outlets, and without the hassle, delay and buyer risks/market fluctuations.  

 

A good friend is selling his through B&H.  Whatever works.

 

Depends on expectations, timing and a bit of luck....and sometimes just past relationships.

 

Jeff

I totally agree about past relationships. I have been dealing with the Leica dealer in Manchester for the best part of 40 years, and probably bought 90% of my gear from him. As a general rule we trust each other and he relies on my description. I normally do a bit of research to find out the true value of something I am about to trade in. Then it's down to " if you will do it for £? , I will pay you now" deal done. Not, I will go away and think about it.