The short answer is all of the above. The long answer is that it depends. Sometimes you can get a better price only, sometimes offline. You can dicker offline and your buy/sell price is to some extent based upon how well you do that. Online prices seem to be take it or leave it in the case of listings, and dependent on how badly someone else wants it in the case of auctions.
Location and availability drive offline prices. Availability is higher online, but that is offset by people who are out of your local market driving prices up or down. It amazed me how quickly some of the lenses I had on my website sold. It amazes me that I have not had a nibble on the 28mm despite having it listed cheaper than both local and online competitors. The 50/f2 is a bit high and I will probably drop it some. The 28/3.5 Takumar lens hood is a bit of a collectors item and I would expect it to take awhile to sell. The website is my first online selling experience. So, as I said, in the short answer, there is no particular answer. Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: Alexandre Gaudeul <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 8:21 AM Subject: Buying/Selling online vs Buying/Selling offline > I have seen very interesting discussion here about how the ability to trade > photographic equipment online has affected the way you, and camera outfits, > do business (buying, selling your gear). > I was especially interested by how this benefits camera outfits (they can > offer more trade in, sell their stock quicker) but also how this steals > business from them. I was also interested by the advantages for buyers > (They have more choice at better (?) price), and disadvantages (they do not > get to manipulate the product) > I would like to have some of your opinions on how different the prices are > online and offline, and where the difference stems from. For example, have > you ever been able to negotiate offline a price down (if you were the > buyer) or up (if you were the seller), or was the price a "take it or leave > it" offer ? Do you think it is easier and less costly (in terms of > reputation and hassle) to return a good you were not happy with online or > offline ? Do you think you get better deals as a buyer or a seller online > or offline ? What do you look at when trying to know if you made a good > deal or a bad deal ? > What type of strategies have you seen used by camera experts (like you or > your preferred camera dealer) to take advantage of any possible discrepancy > between the two ways to buy and sell camera and lenses ? > I already have gained much insight from your discussions, but i would be > happy to see if there are something I missed or you would like to add in > that debate. > My motive for asking all this is economic research as i am doing a thesis > on how internet changes the way to do business. I am also a Pentax user, as > some of you may know. > > > Alexandre Gaudeul > - > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
