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Posted by Doug Clifford on July 02, 1999 at 00:25:19:
In Reply to: question on pricing collectible cameras posted by douglas bailey on July 01, 1999 at 17:15:56:
: anybody out there know of any online camera/equipment price guides, like mckeown, only on the web.i cannot just trust some dealer with a vested interest, and possibly questionable competence, to give accurate info. anyone know how to sleuth this out?
Here are the basic factors which determine the selling price of a collectible camera:
1. Scarcity. If they are everywhere, they aren't going to
appreciate much in value. Some cameras have been so successful in
the marketplace that they will never become valuable.
2. Condition. Shutterbug magazine's grading system is the most
prevalent but is by no means the only grading system in use by
dealers. To get an entertaining overview on how one dealer grades
his cameras, we recommend you read the method used by Pacific Rim
Camera in Salem, Oregon.
http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/misc/grading.htm (hyperlink is
below)
3. Comparables. Visit several dealers' web sites and examine ads
in Shutterbug magazine to determine what an item is being sold
for. Sometimes you will find many dealers charging almost the
same price; other times you will find the same item with
supposedly the same condition being sold by different dealers for
vastly different prices.
4. The Marketplace. Ultimately the selling price of a collectible
camera represents what someone is willing to pay for it. There
has been a substantial increase in collectible cameras in just
the past five years, perhaps a 50% increase or more.
Realize that the buying price (the price a dealer pays for a
collectible camera) will usually be less than half of what he
plans to sell it for. Is this fair? Yep.
end of archived message
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