How to price used flashlights?

[Dimitri Stephan]

I'd like to sell a few of my flashlights on here however I have no clue how to price them.

Is there a general criteria for this? How do you guys price your used lights so I can better price mine.

 

[scout24]

An often used method is to go back through sales posts to find similar lights that sold recently and see what they sold for. 😊

 

[bigburly912]

Start high and walk back if no bites.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Used to be able to sell some lights back in the day for profit. Not anymore. I will take a educated guess and say on average for a light in excellent to new condition plan on taking a 25% loss for what you paid new. This is my experience anyways.

 

[UFO]

You could also try eBay. Search previous sales of the same type of light. As others have already stated, you're probably not going to get as much as you'd like so trading might be another option to consider as well.

 

[Dimitri Stephan]

Lots of good info posted on here.

Will try a mix of the recommendations you guys mentioned and see how it goes thanks!

 

[bykfixer]

You can scour the WTS section here to see if the ones you have were sold here and what they sold for.
It's the main reason one requirement was/is to leave the price point showing in the post where prices are/were.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

You could also try eBay. Search previous sales of the same type of light. As others have already stated, you're probably not going to get as much as you'd like so trading might be another option to consider as well.

eBay is a great reference, especially if you are selling it there rather than here. But remember that what the general public is willing to pay for a flashlight on eBay may be different than what an enthusiast will pay here.

When using eBay, follow auctions instead of Buy It Now. Buy It Now prices can be inflated, sometimes more than you can buy the item new elsewhere, and I've seen items re-listed at the same price over and over again because the price is too high.

Auctions show the actual price the item sold for, which gives you an indication of an item's true market value. But you have to sign up to watch the auction and wait until it's over to see the selling price.

 

[AstroTurf]

i would like to add to the above post...

searching for a specific item, then clicking the completed button to the left reveals past items of that same type, and what they may have sold for.

hope this helps!

Jim

 

[Poppy]

These are all great suggestions. I was stunned when I saw that people were willing to pay almost new prices for used flashlights. Savings, like 10% off!

Personally when I buy something used, typically I am looking for 30-50% off, depending.

One must realize that when buying something used, there is only the implied warranty that it will work as intended, especially when it is not examined personally.

I have never sold a flashlight. When I am ready to part with it - I give it away.

 

[richbuff]

... ... ... ...
One must realize that when buying something used, there is only the implied warranty that it will work as intended, especially when it is not examined personally.

I have never sold a flashlight. When I am ready to part with it - I give it away.

Me too, I have never sold a flashlight. I have given away a few that I bought for that purpose.

 

[bykfixer]

But the market plays a role too.
Take an old round head SureFire 3P in mint condition or a black E1 for example. Collectors are willing to shell out new price plus on those. Those are seen by the market as sorta like a 65 Mustang Shelby for whatever reason. Yet when new SureFire couldn't hardly give those away. Some of those so called exotic numbers like a Hanko or McGizmo also command high prices. HDS lights also hold their value in the market.

Now take a product like a SureFire 6P with the anti roll head or G2 and things are vastly different. Any Maglite or Streamlight product does not command the resale value as some other brands. Same with Olights, and many of those new kids on the block.

A while ago a fellow had an early Malkoff light for sale here at the WTS that nobody bit on for weeks even though the price was pretty good. It was the model with the Kroll tailcap. Same with a SureFire A2 and Elzetta Bones. I remember because I bought them. All were around 30% off the new price and in great condition. Yet there was no interest. I bought a minty Bravo with an AVS head and hi/lo tailcap for about half the price of a new one after it sat un-purchased for several days.

All of that is why I mentioned check the WTS here to get an understanding of what the used market is interested in.

To me the eBay auction is potentially the lowest price one is willing to pay. Other times some jack up the price so that the eventual winner has to pay dearly to obtain it. I have done that myself where I kept losing at the last milli-second to computer software generated bids on a particular type of flashlight (Tom Thumb lights) so when I saw great interest in one I made sure the eventual winner paid way more than the light was actually worth. And again with 2 or less seconds to go the buyer outbid me.

At one point I jacked up the price on a Kel-Lite I wanted only to find out later I had outbid Don Keller himself. I offered to give him the light after I found out he wanted it but he declined.

The buy it now can be misleading too because there are some who scoop up a high value item at the buy it now price and auction it off for more later. Or like said above it could be the seller has an inflated price to begin with.

To me eBay is a buyers platform that is easy to manipulate where the WTS here is more dependable for the sellers.