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MPB

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Breathe new life into old kit Turning your unused kit into cash is easy withMPB. So easy, in fact, you’ll be scouring the cupboards in no time

“When you,ve appraised your current stash, mpb.com has an online valuation tool ready and waiting”

YOU’RE AMONG FRIENDS HERE. Used-kit expert MPB knows you have photographic equipment going unused. In fact, the company also knows there’s a good chance you’ve bought some items with every intention of regular use, but they’re yet to see the light of day. Right now, they’re languishing in an unopened gadget pack or gathering dust at the back of a cupboard. How does MPB know this? It’s done the research to prove it. Here are some of the numbers. MPB estimates that, every year, £6.7 billion worth of new photo and video kit enters North America and Europe. If you take into account failure rates, depreciation and all that stuff, about £37 billion worth of kit is currently residing in gadget bags across those two continents. Put it another way, that’s about 10 million items. Keeping its number-crunching hat firmly in place, MPB estimates that 5% of that

stockpile is bought and sold as used kit. That accounts for £1.8 billion, but leaves a staggering £35.2 billion worth of cameras, lenses and multifarious peripherals remaining with their original owners. This kit could be getting regular use, but MPB knows that’s not always the case – it’s already providing wantaway owners with 100,000 product quotes each month. We can tell you’re enjoying this stat attack. So, before explaining why you should also use MPB’s services to breathe new life into your kit – and get cash in your pocket – a small confession is in order. Even at MPB – the home of used kit – 31% of employees admit they have kit they don’t use, but have never quite got around to selling. What’s more, a further 30% say they haven’t sold the kit because they might need it ‘some day’ in the future. The moral of the story? Don’t feel ashamed if you’re still hoarding

rarely used gear. Nearly two-thirds of MPB’s own employees are guilty of exactly the same thing! SEIZE THE DAY! With lockdown slowly easing, the days getting longer and the weather warmer, it’s the perfect time to reappraise your photographic kit. And, whether you’re looking to rationalise what you have, or add some extra bits and bobs to broaden your photographic horizons, MPB should be the first port of call. Selling kit really couldn’t be easier – ask the previous owners of more than 20,000 kit items sold to MPB each month. When you’ve appraised your stash, deciding the bits to put back into play, mpb.com has an online valuation tool ready and waiting. Simply type in the details and condition of the item(s), add your email address, and you could have a price in a matter of seconds. Prices for some items take a little longer, but MPB’s experts aim to get an offer to you in hours, not days. You don’t have to limit items to just cameras and lenses, either.

LEFT The dealer offers exceptional service, whether you are buying, part-exchanging or selling imaging kit BELOW MPB takes its own product images, so customers can check kit condition online

22 Photography News | Issue 87

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