Goodbye Everyone

@elliottbnewcombjr I've started selling/buying locally via USAM and the experience has been all positive. Had a nice gentleman over listening to my system and the tube amp that I was selling to him. We listened for an hour even though the room was far from ideal. Best part is, he really liked the amp with his Magnepan, some older model. 

I hope to have the chance to buy/sell locally more often and meet more fellas with the same passion/hobby. 

@elliottbnewcombjr I am very familiar with the meeting with others to enjoy the common interest of Listening to Recorded Music on the Systems in use in a selection of Homes. My Local Group is now up to Nine Members. At present all my listening is done on Systems owned by others, even though some of the devices demonstrated on a day are occasionally supplied by myself.

I am not really keen on being a shut away in a room sole listener anymore, the evolving in number social side and getting a measure on the capability of ones own system, as a comparison to other in use, has become the most desired experience to be maintained. Prior to the Local HiFi Group becoming available, I have travelled frequently to meet on a social basis with like minded individuals, some return Journeys having been quite substantial.

As for Photography, I don't do a great deal of forum visits, I participate more, with Nature being my main subject. There are places I visit within a month, where there are good facilities, and it is quite easy to encounter others after a excursion at a on-site Coffee Bar and engage in conversation about subjects and equipment. 

I am transitioning from one Camera Technology to another and have been selling the older technology equipment.

To Date using Ebay, the option for Cash on Collection or Bank Transfer as the only Payment Method, has kept me secure as a Vendor and I have sold all offered items, even if some sales took a little longer to find the Buyer accepting this method of payment.

It is nice to know that there are customers who accept the info offered in the Advert and are not looking for a Back Door to have their own advantage over a sale, or use a sale as Hire Only and return goods once they have been used for the Buyers purposes within the allowed for returns period.     

lewm, others

I encourage you to re-consider eBay. It’s the largest audience of international buyers and sellers.

I buy and sell on eBay very successfully for many years, as has Donna and her twin sister. I gotta get back to selling after my upcoming back surgery.

Cameras and Lenses: I have bought and sold a few used on eBay. I don’t have any experience with other camera sites, except buying from B&H Photo used dept.

Audio: eBay: bought tube amp, tube preamp, cd/sacd player; yamaha receiver; 2 pairs of AR-2ax speakers, Luxman Tube Amp; Chase Remote Line Controller(s); tube tester; AV Power Controller; 2 Turntables; several R2R tape decks; over 500 R2R tapes

Sold lots of tapes, lps, McIntosh SS amp; McIntosh SS Preamp; Carver AM/FM; Carver Amp; helped a friend sell postal stamps to buyers all over the world.

Buying: I always ask questions and get answers in writing, to have a ‘paper trail’ in case of rare trouble. I’ve had a few over the years, and always got full refunds.

Also, I use my credit card with best protection to fund my PayPal account, to get double protection. The tonearm from Russia, I called the CC company 1^st, they assured me I would be covered.

Ship: I always double box and require it: because single box does not qualify for insurance claim if needed. Forget friends and family, pay or split the fee and get the buyer’s protection.

Sell: I have carefully thought out ‘general’ notes, then I add ‘specific’ notes, darn good photos, and encourage questions. I take the time to understand both domestic and int’l shipping costs, weigh stuff, IOW, no surprises to me or buyer regarding shipping cost. Sometimes list the weight and box size, let the buyer figure it out.

UPS Pack and Ship: I have both offered it, and used it. Buyer makes arrangements, seller simply drops unboxed item at local UPS office, buyer pays UPS directly to pack and ship.

I always offer unconditional return/refund. I’ve had only 1 piece of equipment arrived destroyed (my fault that time), 1 tape destroyed by usps, 2 other R2R tapes when I gave full refund even though ….

Feedback supports my 100% rating, if done right it can be fun and rewarding.

I’ve used Facebook Marketplace, to sell tires, buy used bicycles, but that’s all ‘quick, real bargain’ deals, not a good source for selling in my experience.

Hifishark has led me to many other sites, all successfully. I’ve got an account setup to bid on Yahoo Auctions, have the patience to wait for stuff from China, Japan, …..

Professionally, designing and building Corporate Office Space for 46 yeasrs: part of my success was in anticipating what could go wrong, and finding methods of preventing that. Got me ready for eBay!

Here is why I don’t like eBay for selling:

I sell, either audio or camera gear, very infrequently, but I certainly do have experience with eBay. I just bought something on eBay, and I noted that I have 140 feedback entries, all positive, but that is over a period of more than 20 years, probably much longer, and in the vast majority of those transactions, I was the buyer. For the person who is running a business, eBay is probably a godsend. For the hobbyist like me, as a seller, eBay is a pain in the arse. First, they decide on the shipping cost, even when I can almost always ship at a lower cost than they estimate. Then they crank in the cost of shipping when they calculate their own percentage of the total transaction dollars, which artificially inflates their premium. Why should they take a percentage of the shipping cost? Second, I have a problem with returns, if I am selling to a total stranger. I have had the experience of a buyer breaking the item and then sending it back to me for refund, BECAUSE of the damage. The damage in such instances is definitely not due to mishandling by the shipper or poor packing. This has happened more than once. Third, the questions they ask of sellers, when you are filling in their pre-sale questionnaire, are not relevant to the single-time user, yet you cannot get past the questions unless you respond to them all, no matter how nonsensical.

So, I am still hoping that someone can suggest an alternative market for photography goods on the internet. B&H and Adorama, etc, are great businesses, and I probably would buy from them, but I am just guessing that they don’t pay too well for used gear, compared to what one might receive in a person to person transaction.

I’ve donated several cameras to a local high school that has a photography course, rather than selling them on eBay. That’s how I feel about eBay, as a seller.