Where is the best place to sell used gear?

Depends on where you're located. In the US, accessories can often be sold on Craigslist. But the usual safety caveats apply to in-person meets. Lenses can be sold on CL, too, and usually for more than you'll get from KEH or MBP (which are the two places I get prices from and pick the best). Other places have analogs (e.g. Gumtree in Australia). eBay can work if you often sell there, but if you have limited or no ratings as a seller, it would be tough to sell an expensive item like a lens.

Personally, I used to sell only on Craigslist but a few years ago I decided it was not worth the hassle (tons of emails that are either spam or people wanting to pay half of your fair price), and now I just fill out the forms on KEH (instant quote) and MBP (emailed quote in minutes) and let the one offering more send me a shipping label.

a.jiang said:

I see. Thanks so much!

I'll probably go with KEH or MBP then.

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FYI...if you are US based and also a healthcare worker, first responder, military/veteran, student or educational staff, MPB offers 5% additional when you sell to them (or discount when you buy). I don' know if KEH offers any similar perks, but I've taken advantage at MPB multiple times.

I use MPB exclusively now. You'll potentially get more with Craigslist or FredMiranda. ebay takes their 10% and it can be a trainwreck with some people. There's no chance of scams either, and there are some good ones.

KEH and UsedPhotoPro/Roberts Camera also partner with local camera shops to have buying events around the United States. The events are listed on their websites. They'll send a rep to the store to evaluate your gear and make an offer on the spot. Every time I've gone to one of these events, they've had a promotion where you get something like a 10% bonus on your offer if you opt for in-store credit at the camera shop. When I decided to get rid of some Sony gear I hadn't used in years, the offer with bonus ended up being exactly the cost of an RF 135mm, so I shopped local.

Otherwise, I've had good experiences getting a quote through KEH's website and shipping my items to them. One time they even rated an item's condition higher than I did on the estimate and increased the offer accordingly.

I used to sell on eBay, but the fees and risk of scams now just aren't worth it. I'm willing to take a hit on price in exchange for the ease and safety of selling to KEH, MPB, or another reputable retailer.

One warning about KEH, though it’s not their fault. Depending on the value of the gear you sell to them, you may end up adding complexity to your tax return. If you opt to have them pay you via PayPal (or any business pays you that way, really) and the amount exceeds a threshold, that triggers a 1099-K form that you’d need to deal with at tax filing.

The threshold used to be $20,000, then it was lowered $600 for the 2023 tax year but there was an outcry and the IRS deferred implementation and it’s supposed to be $5000 for this tax year. BUT it varies by state, for example in MA they did not defer the implementation of the $600 threshold for 2023. I had made the ‘mistake’ of sending a lens to KEH and I got a 1099-K that I was able to ignore for federal tax but not state tax. Not a huge issue, since it’s a sale for a loss, but it meant more paperwork.

The lesson for me was if I sell to KEH, I select the option to have them mail me a check.

MPB pays via ACH (direct deposit to your bank account), so no worries there.