Have you ever wondered how much money you have stored on studio shelves and buried in gear bags? According to research from MPB, there is over $650 billion in unused tech sitting in American homes. What’s your share? In this article, we’ll look at how you can clear out your closet and fund your next camera upgrade at the same time. Don’t let your collection of used photo and video gear gather dust — sell it. Here’s how.

The problem

It’s the start of your career, and you want to invest in yourself as a visual storyteller. So, you purchase a few key pieces of gear: a basic camera, a few lenses and a tripod. Your small kit serves you well for a while. Eventually, however, as you learn more about your gear and your creative goals, that first basic camera begins feeling a bit too basic. You upgrade, but now your old lenses don’t match your new camera’s lens mount. So, you upgrade those, too. In the meantime, you discover you need a fluid-head tripod to capture truly smooth panning shots. Time to upgrade that as well. And the cycle continues. 

Jump to now, and you have tons of extra video production and photography equipment sitting around, taking up space and gathering dust. It might be overwhelming but don’t feel alone. While the average American spends around $500 on tech upgrades every year, half of US adults say they have never traded a used item for a new one. Instead, this untapped value is sequestered away in attics and garages. MPB estimates that the average American owns nearly $2,500 in unused technology. Moreover, the average US adult has at least one camera they no longer shoot with.

The solution

Despite the widespread accumulation of video and photo gear, the solution is as simple as it is overlooked: Sell your used gear for cash. Selling the gear you no longer use supports a more sustainable and inclusive economy while at the same time making more room in your studio – and your budget – for the gear you really want. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of selling your used photo and video equipment.

The benefits of selling your used gear

Selling used gear isn’t just good for you; it’s good for everybody. When you sell your used photo and video gear, you contribute to the circular economy. In a circular economy, products are reused and recirculated for as long as possible. Rather than being stored indefinitely or simply tossed, cameras can find new life in the hands of another videographer or photographer. It’s a more sustainable and inclusive form of consumption that prevents excessive e-waste and makes affordable gear available to more people. 

But if protecting the environment and helping out your fellow visual storytellers isn’t enough, selling your used gear is also a great way to declutter your closet. You’ll get the most out of your gear when you can actually find it, but over time, it’s easy for your kit to get out of hand. Before your gear bags all burst at the seams, figure out which pieces you reach for all the time, set those aside and sell the rest. Marie Kondo would be so proud.

Now here’s the exciting part. Selling your used gear can make you money. Use the cash to fund your next upgrade or jump-start a special project. Maybe you’re ready to invest in a more capable camera or lens. Or, if you already love your camera setup, it might be time to expand your kit with more support options, lights or audio gear. Professionals will appreciate the opportunity to expand the scope of services offered. For example, purchasing a more specialized drone or action camera could launch your business into a new market.

The extra income could also give you an excuse to flex your creativity or grow your storytelling skillset. For instance, you could use the money you make from selling your unused gear to produce a short film project. Or, the cash could fund a photography trip to the nearest National Park. 

As you can see, selling your unused photo and video gear comes with a lot of benefits. So, how do you do it?

How to sell your used photo and video gear

The first step in selling is deciding what you want to get rid of and preparing it for sale. That means cleaning up each piece and doing your best to address any existing issues. That said, don’t try to hide faults and flaws in your gear. That’s not fair to potential buyers.

Next, you’ll need to determine the price you want to get for your gear. Consider the age, popularity and condition, and check prices of similar gear on the market. From there, come up with what you consider a fair price range.

After that, all that’s left is to find a buyer. One option is to post your gear to a marketplace where potential buyers can view your listing and contact you directly if interested. This peer-to-peer selling process generally takes a while since you’ll need to wait for an interested buyer to find your post. It also usually involves negotiation, which could be either good or bad depending on your haggling skills.

On the other hand, if you’d rather sell your gear quickly for a fair price, consider selling your extra gear to a used camera resale platform like MPB. This method offers a streamlined sales process and eliminates any waiting or coordinating with buyers.

Why MPB

There are clear benefits to selling your unused photo and video gear, but there are also barriers. Some people don’t know how to sell their unused tech while others don’t feel they have time to spare. Young people tend to think selling their gear will take too much effort, while older Americans don’t believe they can make much money. Fortunately, MPB makes getting a fair price for your used photo and video gear a lot easier.

MPB is committed to sustainability with a 100 percent circular business model that keeps gear in the hands of visual storytellers and out of landfills. In addition, all packaging is 100 percent plastic free and the cloud-based platform uses 100 percent renewable electricity. MPB aims to be net zero carbon in all areas by 2035.

On top of providing a sustainable way to buy, sell and trade photo and video gear, MPB also offers instant, data-driven quotes for your gear. Guaranteed for 14 days, quotes are based on your gear’s reported age, popularity, brand and condition. And if your gear is in better condition than expected, MPB will increase your quote. On average, customers earn $900 with each sale, and they get paid within days.

With this easy, free selling process you can sell directly to MPB, not through a marketplace. No waiting. No negotiation. No fees. With MPB, you can sell your used gear for cash without leaving your home.MPB buys a wide range of digital photo and video gear including cameras, lenses, photo and video accessories and more.

If you’re ready to sell your used video production and photography gear, head to www.mpb.com to learn more and get your instant quote.