There is no way I would send off money and wait for the goods... that is just asking for trouble...and generally if folk are conned they dont say a thing so one never knows how many sour deals are done. ..........
As for paying more than retail for fancy scopes..they are already over the top price wise and by paying that you are crazy let along paying higher than retail...and so many of these folk who swear by a fancy scope I suspect dont have eyes good enough to tell...people say its paying for a name..I say it is paying for your stupidity.
Alex
Frankly I don't agree here Alex. I would never send an item off to someone else without payment. I am not that naïve. You want it you pay for it first like in the shops. If you manage to buy or sell equipment like that, well good luck to you.
If you have ever owned a high end scope or mount you would not be making that statement. The quality is there and the views are outstanding. It like driving a Ferrari or Aston Martin. AP scopes are made in such low numbers and to such a high standard that the price of them increase over time, even when another run is made of a particular model. Particularly the ones of very limited runs. RCOS scopes which have not been produced for many years, still demand high prices. Software Bisque Paramount ME mounts even 15 years old still are quite valuable. Takahashi scopes right now are demanding high resell prices because of the shortages and because they are high quality. If you want to buy one now you would have to either wait 12 months or pay higher prices. In some cases you will never be able to buy a particular scope again new and yet pay a price much higher than when it was sold new.
Trevor I get your point of view, it brings out the cheap skates trying to buy something of quality for 50% or less. Personally 60-75% is fair for equipment in good condition. Anyone who wants to buy any piece of equipment for less that 50% is just dreaming. Sometimes you have to wait a long time to attract a buyer who needs that piece of equipment.
Personally 60-75% is fair for equipment in good condition. Anyone who wants to buy any piece of equipment for less that 50% is just dreaming. Sometimes you have to wait a long time to attract a buyer who needs that piece of equipment.
Well said Paul, and JP. It's all swings and roundabouts, and patience is a virtue, especially now with the supply difficulties. "Fairness" being the key word here. Trevor's price was well in the ballpark, the location probably narrowed his market. Having said that, I've never sold a scope, they're given away. (refer JP's pro-rate dollars/enjoyment), but nor have I been in the enviable position of buying "high-end" (which would be wasted on my poor old eyes anyway and deserve a much better home) I'm still waiting patiently to sell my astrophotography rig, barely used, virtually BNIB.
I sell at around 50% of new value and so far I have had no quibbles.
I go on line,see the price and divide it by 2.
It works for me.
A friend said to me a few weeks ago
Something is only worth as much as what someone is willing
to pay.
Cheers
That’s about right, it’s less than arbitrary. Retail markup In Astro 20-50% freight, handling. Targeting 50% of new is fair, just and reasonable and likely to result in a quick sale.
Just to add to this. I'm getting back into AP after a location enforced break and am looking at some of the secondhand gear here. There's one bit of gear that was sold in 2020 to the current owner, who now wants an extra $750 for it. He pretty obviously took it as insulting when I pointed this out and offered what I actually considered a fair price for it. It's now offered for $4250 (seemingly not-negotiable), was sold in September 2020 for $3500, I offered $3000. New price would be about $9k.
Not complaining that my offer wasn't taken up, a bit miffed that someone here wants to profit by flipping gear.
It's amazing to see a few Taks I have bought and sold before going for higher than not only I sold for but for what I paid. Says a lot about quality gear, but more so about perceptions of value.
Just to add to this. I'm getting back into AP after a location enforced break and am looking at some of the secondhand gear here. There's one bit of gear that was sold in 2020 to the current owner, who now wants an extra $750 for it. He pretty obviously took it as insulting when I pointed this out and offered what I actually considered a fair price for it. It's now offered for $4250 (seemingly not-negotiable), was sold in September 2020 for $3500, I offered $3000. New price would be about $9k.
Not complaining that my offer wasn't taken up, a bit miffed that someone here wants to profit by flipping gear.
Cheers
Stu
Years ago I remember seeing an ad on Astromart for a couple of Astro-Physics refractors, one being a AP155. They were mint condition, never been used and in original packaging. The buyer sole intention was to buy these at market price, hold onto them for a few years ... in this instance 10 .. and sell them for a profit. They sold quick at nearly three times the purchase price.
Years ago I remember seeing an ad on Astromart for a couple of Astro-Physics refractors, one being a AP155. They were mint condition, never been used and in original packaging. The buyer sole intention was to buy these at market price, hold onto them for a few years ... in this instance 10 .. and sell them for a profit. They sold quick at nearly three times the purchase price.
They were his self managed super fund.... Come to think of it....
I'm fairly new to astronomy, and so have been searching almost daily for used gear, here, AA Buy & Sell (Canada and UK also), Astromart, Cloudy Nights, Gumtree and even ebay, for about 3 months.
Seems to me, anything at reasonable prices seems to sell quickly with many prices close to new.
I'd buy new and pay it off but very often "Sold Out"
