Buying equipment from CEX

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Anthony78

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I had a quick look through the window of my CEX and saw that they had a few lens and cameras. What is the general view on buying from here. Are very expensive and how do you know the equipment is working correctly ? I don't use eBay as I hate it and I've looked at MPB which seems a good second hand shop?
 
Cex is hit and miss normally, they are overpriced on what they sell mostly and underpriced on what they offer you cash wise (although better if you take store credit). In terms of what they sell its very much a case of inspect it thoroughly, a lot of the lenses i have seen in there before now haven't been well looked after which is where the likes of mpb do much better because they know their stuff due to being specialists in camera gear and offer decent warranties to boot. You may find an absolute steal at cex and if you do then grab it, just be very careful when you buy from them.

Games consoles etc they are normally alright at though since that is their usual market, they just don't really know what they are doing with camera stuff
 
I would buy from MPB as they seem trustworthy but I'd be dubious about cash converters or CEX for optical stuff
 
keeweeman said:
Cex is hit and miss normally, they are overpriced on what they sell mostly and underpriced on what they offer you cash wise (although better if you take store credit). In terms of what they sell its very much a case of inspect it thoroughly, a lot of the lenses i have seen in there before now haven't been well looked after which is where the likes of mpb do much better because they know their stuff due to being specialists in camera gear and offer decent warranties to boot. You may find an absolute steal at cex and if you do then grab it, just be very careful when you buy from them.

Games consoles etc they are normally alright at though since that is their usual market, they just don't really know what they are doing with camera stuff
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That's what I was thinking. I think I'll give them a miss although I do enjoy finding a bargain!
 
Anthony78 said:
I agree. I don't think there staff care to be honest
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It's worth remembering that with cex a lot of their staff are just kids/students working there to get by so they probably don't, i think to work in a camera shop you really should have a genuine interest in photography. A little judgmental and possibly naive to think that of photography shops i know, but i find it reassuring to think that way should i want to buy second hand gear
 
I don't think I would buy an expensive camera from them, but I did buy a second hand Google Nexus phone for my son after he dropped and smashed his.

I think it came with a 1 or 2 year guarantee (can't remember now) and they allowed us to power it up and test it in store before we made the purchase. Was also told to return it if we discovered anything wrong with it after we got home.

They even offered us 1p for the smashed phone :rolleyes:
 
I've bought a couple of camera bits and pieces (and a fair amount of other stuff) from them - a lot of camera equipment has to be bought in as untested, so there are often some stupidly good prices if you're willing to actually go in and try something out rather than buy online.

Of course, this also means they take in some crap, but I find they're generally the best out of all the high street used electronics places when it comes to selling things which are likely to actually work. Go in, take your camera if buying a lens (or vice versa) and make sure everything works, although their return policy is pretty good if you miss anything.

Certainly better than Cash Converters, that's for sure. :D

(I'll also say that my local CEX has far more enthusiastic and cheerful people working in it than my local camera shop - although that's really not hard!)
 
Fuzzdog said:
I've bought a couple of camera bits and pieces (and a fair amount of other stuff) from them - a lot of camera equipment has to be bought in as untested, so there are often some stupidly good prices if you're willing to actually go in and try something out rather than buy online.

Of course, this also means they take in some crap, but I find they're generally the best out of all the high street used electronics places when it comes to selling things which are likely to actually work. Go in, take your camera if buying a lens (or vice versa) and make sure everything works, although their return policy is pretty good if you miss anything.

Certainly better than Cash Converters, that's for sure. :D

(I'll also say that my local CEX has far more enthusiastic and cheerful people working in it than my local camera shop - although that's really not hard!)
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To be honest I've been in a couple of times to my local CEX and they staff are great to get along with but like you say id take a lens or vice versa when buying from them. They always seem to have sigma lens in
 
ecoleman said:
I don't think I would buy an expensive camera from them, but I did buy a second hand Google Nexus phone for my son after he dropped and smashed his.

I think it came with a 1 or 2 year guarantee (can't remember now) and they allowed us to power it up and test it in store before we made the purchase. Was also told to return it if we discovered anything wrong with it after we got home.

They even offered us 1p for the smashed phone :rolleyes:
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Lol did you sell it to them for 1p? And I think you are correct with the returns policy, I think you get 30 days to return which is good ?
 
I've seen cameras on display in CEX minus a body cap or lenses minus back caps to not be confident of buying camera gear from them anymore. The staff just don't have a clue about cameras.

It would have to be much cheaper than a proper camera shop (or even second hand privately) to make me consider them these days.
 
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Dave1 said:
I've seen cameras on display in CEX minus a body cap or lenses minus back caps to be confident of buying camera gear from them anymore. The staff just don't have a clue about cameras.

It would have to be much cheaper than a proper camera shop (or even second hand privately) to make me consider them these days.
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Luckily the CEX near me always cover with body caps or lens caps but I can imagine there are plenty that don't and that's slightly off putting !
 
Personally I would be wary. I ordered a CPU from them online last year and it arrived in a jiffy bag. No box, no packaging, nothing. Literally a naked processor in a (slightly) padded envelope.

Needless to say it went straight back, but if that how they treat a CPU I'd wonder how they treat cameras.....
 
EspressoJunkie said:
Personally I would be wary. I ordered a CPU from them online last year and it arrived in a jiffy bag. No box, no packaging, nothing. Literally a naked processor in a (slightly) padded envelope.

Needless to say it went straight back, but if that how they treat a CPU I'd wonder how they treat cameras.....
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wow, that probably sums it up then! |I dont blame you for returning it, guess i will stick with MPB
 
Personally I prefer to buy S/H gear from the classifieds on here.

Over the years I have bought virtually all of my stuff on here and have never been disappointed or scammed.

However I do like to see that the seller has a number of sales ( 5 or more) under his/her belt and 100% satisfaction rating.
 
petersmart said:
Personally I prefer to buy S/H gear from the classifieds on here.

Over the years I have bought virtually all of my stuff on here and have never been disappointed or scammed.

However I do like to see that the seller has a number of sales ( 5 or more) under his/her belt and 100% satisfaction rating.
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Yes that seems to be the best way. I once used eBay until I got ripped off on a lens that arrived smashed , very poorly protected and I never recived a penny in compensation!
 
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