Great advice. Never thought about taking photos before I ship. I guess I could also record how I pack the item.
My experience with MPB USA
- Thread starter Barbara
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Generally good experience with MPB in the UK. Prices are fair and usually more than I would get on e-Bay after paying fees etc. Service has been good for me with prompt payment.
MikeInMI
Active member
I recently got quotes from a few companies including MPB and KEH. I went with KEH as the quote was higher by more than $50. Out of a total quote of $722, they knocked off $9 when they received the 3 items without telling me why. Now $9 was trivial so I didn't quibble, but thought it odd they would bother and potentially risk ill will for $9 (but maybe they assumed, correctly, that $9 wasn't worth discussing). Anyway, it is nice there are a few companies out there that can give comparison quotes.
Had the same experience with KEH expect the final price was MUCH lower and it was very hard to get an explanation. I have found MPB customer service to be very helpful if a bit slow (they accepted a high priced return from me on a malfunfunctioning lens outside of the return window). But I haven't dealt with either vey often.
does MPB and KEH pay shipping for an item to be sent in? Is insurance included with the shipping? Never had a problem shipping an item but an item could get lost and then if KEH/MPB/... does not receive it, I guess I would SOL.
They pay shipping (as does UsedPhotoPro) but I don't recall whether MPB includes insurance. I know that UsedPhotoPro doesn't.
MPB provides and RMA for the shipping. I never checked on the insurance but I do not think so. I do not buy insurance from the carrier since I leave the gear I am selling on my scheduled item insurance until the deal is done and money in my bank. My insurance has no deductable and would cover loss or damage.
I have similar insurance but it is not clear to me that it would cover equipment that has been "sold" and is shipped to the seller
I have sold and purchased from MPB and KEH, I will say that I got better service from MPB than KEH (who reduced my offered price because in their opinion my lens had minute dust) . MPB was a little slow with payment but what I purchased was as advertised. My desire with shipping or receiving is not good at this time as FedEx lost another delivery last week.
I have sold to Used Photo Pro (Robert's camera). For the most part, they have had the best prices as well as good to great service. Have noticed that it takes them around a week to evaluate my equipment once it arrives, perhaps that is common w/ all these stores
Not that the evaluation time is likely to be a deal-breaker for anyone, but I have had the opposite experience with UsedPhotoPro. They got my items last Friday, sent me the final quote on Monday. (Same amount as quoted before shipping.)
I'm not sure my insurance would cover things lost or damaged in shipping, whether "sold" or not.
I'm not sure my insurance would cover things lost or damaged in shipping, whether "sold" or not.
Why I double checked with my insurance before I shipped without insurance
Through all of the sales I made after discovering there were options to KEH and B&H for selling used gear quickly I found that MPB offered the best prices and Used Photo Pro (Roberts) was usually the next best and on a couple of less expensive items were a touch higher than MPB USA but the total quote was quite a bit higher from MPB so for my convenience and speed I went with MPB on the whole package.
It will probably be quite a while before I have more gear to sell now that my transition out of DSLR's and F mount glass is complete. But given some issues that have been reported in this forum I will get quotes from both MPB and Used Photo Pro I seem to hear few if any negatives about them Used Photo Pro so that gives them an edge.
An A+ in most recent transaction. Respectable offer for body+2 lenses (Fuji) last Wednesday, receipt acknowledged on Friday, quote revised upwards by $200 Tuesday, money in the bank Thursday.
BlackHorsePhotos
Member
KEH's business policy is that 95% of people will accept whatever quote they give you when the camera equipment arrives. Their CEO was quoted saying that during an interview. I've had a very bad experience with them both selling, and buying.
I wouldn't recommend any of these "reseller" camera companies unless you simply don't care about being rooked.
I heard MPB was caught taking parts out of equipment sent in to them that was told to be sent back. Imagine sending in an expensive telephoto and finding out they took the VR element, or autofocus motor out and replaced it?
Also, HI. I'm a refugee from Dpreview.
What the poster heard might have been my own story (posted here) about what happened when I sent MPB my Sigma Sport 150-600mm zoom in really pristine condition. They told me that there was "light moisture" internally and dropped the value significantly. This didn't smell right to me, so I asked them to return the lens. They returned it without 1) the Lenscoat, worth upward of $100, and 2) the substitute lens foot I had purchased from Joby at a price of around $80. They apparently "lost" these. Moreover, there was (and is) nothing wrong with the lens at all.
I think people need to be very wary of these companies, which is most cases get away with downgrading the value of particular items, assuming that the seller will shrug off the "small difference" in value.
BlackHorsePhotos
Member
I just don't want to get sued for defamation, but the story is that they sent in a 600mm f/4 for sale and when they presented them with a lowball offer the seller requested it back.
When he received it back his VR element didn't work (thunked repeatedly) and the AFS motor had been swapped out as well.
Yikes.
Weird I sold my 600 f/ 4E to them a year ago all was fast smooth and 1k more than any other offer