All I know is the for sale section, after the recent changes, has become klunky, null, and void. Fewer people are selling, so fewer people are finding what they might like. Was that worth stopping an unfair bump or two?
People don't search the FS section because they don't know what they might be interested in. Search for what? "Dallmeyer 3B" might come back empty because someone listed it as "Dream Lens". 99.9% of the users will simply click the For Sale link, look up and down the first page subject lines. Less than half of them will even click on page 2. The argument that we should "train the world" to workaround a klunky system is....well, a stupid workaround. The main problem is that a bump doesn't bring it to the top. Fix that, it's all back to good.
Garrett
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Sheesh! LFPF is a poor venue for selling equipment. It doesn't reach enough potential buyers. If you're trying to sell here you have to accept that unless you offer desirable items at relatively low prices you'll make few sales.
Fair market value has a meaning, and sellers (that's you) don't get to set it. It is what items usually sell for in markets with many sellers and buyers. eBay, for example.
I think you're looking for rich suckers here and not finding them. Fancy that.
I consider my equipment investments, I am a professional photographer. I expect my film gear to hold at least 70% of it's value, in many cases it has held 100% of it's value or more.
As for your other point, look, all I did was suggest that the new rules are too restrictive. I didn't kick a table over or throw a beer in anyone's face. If you don't agree with me then make your opposing argument or move it right along. If my opinion is so earth shattering to mods or forum members then I'm totally fine with the thread being deleted. It's just my feedback which I believe I should be free to give.
Fair market value as in I searched through recent closed FS ads and priced my equipment according to those sales. Where on earth do you get the idea that I was saying FMV means a number I pulled out of my head? Most 45N-2s on this site have been selling for $800-850.00 and that's where I priced mine. Yeah if I were to set it at $500 dollars someone would buy it right away! But I don't feel like getting particularly fleeced.
And I would counter that LFF is one of the best places to sell...wait for it...LARGE FORMAT equipment. If you go over to FM, GetDPI, or Camera Gear on Facebook most people just want Canon and Nikon stuff. This one one of the few places where I can list a Fujinon 150/6.3 and someone will know what it is.
Other than giving things away, "market value" is not something anyone can accurately gauge every time. Prices (since they are required!) are a guess based on best judgment at the time and are liable to change...but the point is no one sees the change unless they subscribe to the thread. I wonder how many do that?
Twice now I have posted items at what I consider ridiculous prices here (low), and they refused to sell, and then sold on eBay for 20-30% more...and then days/weeks later I was messaged with a firm offer for purchase here. I believe the problem was not the price but the (lack of) exposure. I don't remember weekly threads in the feedback forum about the Classifieds before the changes, nor do I remember obvious heavy moderation.
*duplicate post*
Yeah no sh*t. ONCE AGAIN: I BASE MY PRICES OFF OF PREVIOUS LISTINGS ON THIS WEBSITE AND CONSIDER THAT NUMBER FAIR MARKET VALUE. I am not trying to advocate for higher prices. But when you sell something for what it's worth, you often have to wait a while before a buyer comes along.
Maybe you should take a reading comprehension class because I never ever was trying to argue the point that I should be able to sell items at higher prices than what people are willing to pay for them.
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