what would you do?
 

I decided to sell off my old photo equipment and put an ad on Craigslist. Guy rings me and says he’s very keen to purchase just the body of one of my old Leicas.

I say, I’d rather sell everything together, but if you just want the body, make me an offer.

He offers me $1,400.- and I accept this as a fair price for the body—which is in perfect mechanical condition, and very lightly used, but which is a 20 year old camera.

We meet at a Starbucks, he examines the body minutely, and then hands me $1,400.-, and we part happily. He tells me he’s going out to “push a few rolls of films through it right away”.

The following day he rings me up, and tells me he was at his local camera shop, and the guy behind the counter told him he just sold a similar body that a guy traded in on a digital camera for $800.- I tell him yeah, that can happen. Camera shops often sell analog trade-ins at below market just to get rid of them.

He says he didn’t know this. I say it’s a notorious fact, that he should have known. (He’s a photojournalist who already owns a few Leicas.)

Then he says, I promised to him to take it back if he wasn’t happy with it. I replied, no I said I would take it back if it is “not working perfectly” (my words—which I chose carefully).

He then says, well he also found some humidity in the viewfinder, and the guy in the camera shop told him this could turn to mold.

I said what humidity? (We both looked through the viewfinder in the Starbucks and there was no humidity.) He says, its there in a corner if you look carefully.

I’m nonplussed by this, because the camera has been in dry storage for a long time, and I swear there was no humidity in the viewfinder. I tell him this and suggest he take a hair dryer to it for a few minutes and any humidity will be gone. He says, no the camera is defective and he paid too much for it, and the guy at the shop told him it would cost $500 to take the camera apart and have the humidity taken out, and he wants his money back.

So clearly to me this is a case of "buyers remorse"—and nothing more. He’s a nice guy, but I want to sell the camera, and now have two other buyers for the remaining pieces of the package that this clown broke up by just buying one body.

What would you do? I hate bad karma, but I’m inclined to tell the guy to take a hike. He bought the thing. In fact he suggested the price. And I have no idea what he’s done with the camera in the intervening day.

It's not your problem any more.

Obviously he has made up the humidity story; and if he successfully gets his money back he's going to immediately drive to the camera store.

You certainly have no obligation to help him out.

Caveat emptor. You wanna warranty, buy from a camera store, you wanna deal, use Craigslist.

You acted in good faith, no bad karma for you. He failed to shop around and since he owned several Leicas already would have to be a nincompoop not to know the prices. You are not required to think for nincompoops in business deals.

1.) He had a hands-on inspection (much better than you get with the likes of eBay, etc.) prior to handing over the cash.
2.) He should have done his due-diligence WRT pricing/value (especially as a pro).
3.) The camera store guy could have been blowing smoke about the price, or especially the condition of the one he sold (another tactic to get people to return to the store periodically).

Like anyone else that tries to shake me down, I would tell the guy to pound sand.

Tell the guy - with all respect - to get lost. Don't pick up the calls after that. Also, since you met at Starbucks, he doesn't have your coordinates.

George

Tell him to pound sand.

The fact that he only mentioned the humidity 'problem' AFTER he mentioned finding a better price speaks volumes of his real issue.

If I've told myself once I've told myself a thousand times: STOP SHOPPING AFTER YOU'VE ALREADY BOUGHT SOMETHING! You'll probably find a lower price. You should tell him the same thing... do your shopping first THEN make the purchase. You ain't Walmart with some lowest price guarantee!

He offered you $1,400. That's what he was happy to pay.

He inspected it.

He owns it.

His problem.

Porsche Monkey here on Pelican once told me about his "maple" warranty. He guarantees it as far as the maple tree at the end of his driveway. After that, you're on your own. I like that.

1. He is a clown.

2. You owe him nothing.

3. Deal was done in good faith, now he thinks he overpaid because of what camera shop guy told him. What if camera shop guy told him, "Wow these normally go for 5,000.00" Do you think he would have called you back and offered to pay you more money?

See "1" above

Yup. I agree. I think I'll send him a link to this thread.

Thank you kindly.

Sweet $1,400!

My parents have a few old Leicas they want to sell. I hope to find a similarly less astute buyer. Sucks you have to go through this, but as the others mentioned, you shouldn't worry about buyer's remorse.

Neil

oh well...$1400 in your pocket and he paid $1400 for tuition to the school of hard knocks!

He also got a fine camera!

Best
Tom

Well it's not quite so crass.

$1,400.- is actually the market value of these things on E-Bay. But you can occasionally find them much cheaper at used camera store that have just taken a trade-in.

The guy got an immaculate camera at a fair price. He's just suffering from buyers remorse. And I know that feeling well, having once bought an immaculate Alfa at a fair price...

Naw...the guy made an offer which you accepted. He looked the camera over and liked it.

In the past I have given a coupla customers rebates to keep them happy, those were sight unseen purchases. But with this guy you really owe him nothing.

Just tell him, "You looked the camera over, you made the offer and you got a fair price."

Tell him a bird in hand is worth 2 in the bush...he may have to wait a long time to get a similar deal.

Did you include a free roll of film?

I offer a comprehensive 90/90 warranty.


90 days or 90 feet, whichever comes first! :D

U better think twice when I show up with a tape measure and camping gear.

Lets see, you didn't want to break up a package, HE made you an offer which you accepted. Tell him to pony up the rest of the cash for the lot.. You didn't nothing wrong, you didn't even want to break it up, it may be harder now for you to sell the lot as a key piece is gone. TThe fact that he didn't do his homework before offering, what I feel, is a fair price (the camera dealer has his own interest in mind) you did nothing wrong and owe him nothing as long as the camera functioned as you stated (and I'm sure it does)

Perhaps if you could find some examples of a comparable camera body priced above $1000 to show him it would help him see that there is, indeed, a price range on these things?



Tabs, you know I would allow you to stay indoors at my place for the 90 days! SmileWavy

Move on. You're done. He's an idiot, to think otherwise.

JR

Having been both a photojournalist (for nearly 25-years now) And a "camera store guy" in what seems another life I can assure you that if this person really is a PJ then he's not much of a business man. Every photog I have ever worked with knew to the last penny what something was worth before he bought it. From cameras to rolls of film to processing to, well, we're generally a cheap bunch, so name it!
And I can also tell you that his "camera store guy" may in fact be like so many that I have known that want so badly to make their living as a photographer but for whatever reason can't/don't they will glom on to those that do. They'll tell them outrageous things, make all sort of promises, and generally kiss their fanny sideways in hopes that one day the photographer will call on them to offer work or maybe lead them to a job as a PJ where they work. Seen it many a time!
He knew what that Leica was/is worth. Leicas are like Porsches... very unique to their genre. The man that's in the market for one generally knows full well going in what the item is worth and how much he's willing to spend.
Just wondering... did you give him a Bill of Sale that would have stated that "all sales are final" and "no warranties expressed or implied" and such?
Yes, I've sold quite a few used image stealers in my years.

Fuggedaboudit. Move on down the bean row. If he hassles you, off him. Done.

Tell him to piss off. "I was stupid" is not a warranty issue.

tell him you already blew the money on hookers and blow

Game, Set Match! Stijn.

and have pics from the new camera.

Dottore,

You treated him fairly, you know it and so does he. Stick to your guns.

I have a C3 and they can go for much more than the 1400 he paid.

I have tried Craigs list for some quality stuff but I now use Ebay exclusively. Folks on ebay that buy this stuff have less risk of not knowing what they have. Also, the condition of one at a photo shop is questionable. The one he bought from you is top notch, he paid a fair price.

Exactly!

this is why people put things in writing...

the camera now belongs to him.

Personally I would consider the sale finished. He could have found a shop flogging a well worn model with brass showing all over the place and selling it for $500, but he did not.

What did you sell? I have a couple of M-4's that I am not using and had thought about letting them go. Then there is the new in the box M-4P in gold 75th anniversary that I bought in Montreal a few years back for $2400 sitting in the safe that should be worth around $10k.

They are still snapped up by loads of people. Good investment. Sadly have not used a film camera in far too long. Even have a M4-2 that was overhauled by Leica in 1992 or so that is still in the vacuum pack from the shop.

I need 30 hours per day to somehow filter into my life...

Joe A

Legally, it is definitely finished. As Byron pointed out the Buyer made the Seller a an offer (counter-offer). S. accepted; so that is that.

Remaining issue is whether you want to give him something. a social issue, not a legal one.

Personally, I'd just be nice to him or something -- if you feel guilty, throw in a body cap or something.

Mine were M6's. Sold the rest today, to happy buyers, for good price.

I hate to be negative here, but Leica produced more "specialty" "anniversary" and "commemorative" models than I have had hot dinners. Not sure if those values are going anywhere. Buddy of mine is trying to sell one of those "camouflage" editions and is having no luck.

Potential buyers often don't see those camo jobs when they're up for sale. The last time I used mine was when I was shooting my backyard cannabis crop two years ago. I set it down to pinch off a few buds and it's still out there - somewhere. Perhaps he should advertise it photographed against an international orange backdrop.