Our guide to selling your old camera equipment
Selling your used Canon camera is a great way to raise money for new equipment, and with the right price and right sales platform you’re sure to find a buyer.
Photography can be an expensive hobby. There’s always another new ‘must-have’ piece of equipment just around the corner, and a decent camera really does make all the difference to your photographs.
If you’re hankering after the latest Canon camera model, selling your old and unwanted equipment can give you the funds you need to make that purchase.
Choose the right platform
The first thing you need to decide is how and where to sell your Canon camera, and there are a number of options available to you.
Auction sites such as eBay can be a good place to start, helping you to reach a large audience of potential buyers, and offering a level of protection for buyers and sellers alike. However, you will be competing against lots of other sellers, which means that you may not get the price you were expecting. It’s also worth remembering that eBay also takes a small commission on sales, which will further eat into your profits.
Second-hand selling sites such as Gumtree and Craigslist, or social media platforms such as Facebook’s Marketplace, let you sell your goods commission-free. However, these sites are more vulnerable to scams, so make sure you take steps you protect yourself to avoid losing out.
In our opinion, the easiest way to sell your camera is to go through an experienced dealer in used photographic equipment. As well as second-hand camera shops, there are also lots of reputable online dealers out there who sell used canon camera equipment. They will be able to provide you with an immediate quote and, once the camera has been checked over and approved, you will receive immediate payment for your goods. The dealer obviously takes their cut, so this method of selling does often result in slightly lower profits for you, however the time and hassle it can save you makes it worthwhile.
Find the ‘going rate’
Setting the right price for your used Canon camera can be a bit of a minefield. The last thing you want to do is to give your equipment away too cheaply, but equally you don’t want to put off potential buyers with a price that is far too high. To avoid these situations, take the time to do some research and find out the going rate for these types of products. Websites that sell second-hand cameras are often a good source of information. Alternatively, you could take a look on eBay to see how much similar items sold for.
Increase your chances of a sale
To encourage a sale and increase your chances of getting the best possible price, it’s important to put in some effort and make sure your camera equipment looks its best.
If you still have the camera’s original box you’re already moving in the right direction, as cameras that are presented in their original packaging tend to fetch higher prices. But even if that box was thrown away long ago, you can still make the best of what you’ve got. Give your camera a good clean and try to include as many of the original accessories as possible. And of course, don’t forget to take some great photos of your camera so that you can present it in the best possible light.
Selling your second-hand photography equipment doesn’t have to be difficult. With a good quality product, a fair price and, perhaps most importantly, the right sales channel, you’ll soon find a buyer for your Canon camera, leaving you with the cash you need to purchase the latest model and take your photography to the next level.
