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Fine camera over priced?.
by Bob Hutchinson
In the last couple of months I have been doing a lot of search and research stuff at bigcamera.com using the my ebay research tools there. I have studied Graflex XL, XLS and XLSW as I could with the small volume for these items. I have researched Koni Omega and Rapid Omega bodies, lenses and accessories, Mamiya Standard, Super and Universal and all accessories. I have received a fair education on Graflex and Graphic backs Vs Mamiya backs and roll film holders, Mamiya Graflok back frames for Universal and Graflex roll film holders for Graflok backs and which roll film holders will fit up to the Graflok or RB or Horseman and . . . . . . . Well, I do do know more than I did a couple of months ago.
I have researched Pentax 645, 645N 6X7, 67, 67II. There is lots-a traffic and lots of sales in all these items. What a surprise when I researched the fine Mamiya 7 equipment. Lots of auctions, very few sales. The big majority are failed auctions. After two months of Mamiya 7 auctions only 4 or 5 sales indicated at ebay. About 95% failed auction because of "Reserve not yet met" or worse, "Zero Bids".
As an ebay watcher and user, 95% in medium and large format photography, I can say that this surprised me. After a few days to think about it I can only come a couple of focused conclusion. This camera system is overpriced - the value is sagging and the owners wont accept it.
Failed Auctions
When a piece of camera equipment at auction at ebay fails repeatedly to bring bidding up
to the reserve, or worse, not bring any bids at all, we certainly know what the camera is
not worth. But in this case the owners keep putting them up for auction at high reserves
that are not met. We must accept the fact that presentation of cameras gear in this
fashion for sale does establish the fair market value on a very current basis. And we can
track the value everyday.
This may just be a temporary market condition. Perhaps the ebay market is saturated with 7s. Perhaps the camera is overpriced. Could be, competition is great from all of the medium format companies. I suppose the 67 Pentax is formidable competition at prices much lower the the M7. If Mamiya 7 values continue to sag at ebay, they may sag everywhere.
Plus 25 to minus 50
I teach companies how to cash
in on e-marketing in the Wireless industry. I also teach ebay marketing to companies here
in Houston. A business man recently asked me, "What can I get for this stuff at
ebay.com?" Now that's one hell of a question with no easy answer. I gave him
the best I could - "With good html, a well written and complete description
of the condition of the item and great pictures - you can get what we normally consider to
be retail value - plus 25%. With a poorly written incomplete description and no
pictures you can get value less 50%.
An ebay sleeper is not an ebay employee sleeping on the job. It's the ebay seller with zero ebay skills putting up for auction fine equipment with no pictures and a description of, "Camera in good shape. Takes great pictures." I love to find these items and buy-em at "Value less 50%". Sometimes I send an email about a week after the auction is over without a sale. This is the period of "seller's failed auction remorse" and when I make my offer.