At $32.8 million, Nikon is the 8th highest-grossing brand on eBay

Nikon has cracked the list of 10 highest-grossing brands sold on eBay, generating an amazing $32.8 million / £27 million / AU$47 million, according to a new report.

In the last few years, the cost of entry level cameras has increased massively as more models are being fitted with advanced features such as in-body image stabilization, fast continuous burst modes, and high-precision autofocus. While this is exciting news for those who can afford to splash the cash, many people are turning to used cameras as a way to keep costs down. 

• These are the best Nikon cameras so you know what to look for on eBay!

For as long as I can remember I’ve bought and sold cameras on eBay relatively successfully. It does require a bit more work than just taking your old kit to trade in at a local camera retailer, but even with the listing fee I find that you make more money – and you can pick some seriously good used cameras at a fraction of the price. 

According to a study by Wholesale Clearance UK, Nikon is the 8th highest-grossing brand sold on eBay. With popular cameras such as the Nikon D500 or the Nikon D7500 now discontinued, eBay is an excellent place to find the older kit at very good prices, whether you’re after the best Nikon lenses or the best Nikon cameras . The site even sells the most up-to-date releases, although you rarely save much when purchasing brand-new equipment. 

Although Nikon is the only camera brand to appear in the list of top 10 brands on eBay, other electronic retailers include Apple in first place – grossing almost triple the amount of Samsung, which sits in second place. The rest of the list features everything from toy companies to luxury watch brands: 

When buying used equipment on eBay, there are some things to look out for – all of which ensure that you'll get the best price, should you want to resell in the future. Anything sold in original boxes tends to go for more and, should you decide to trade it in instead, some camera retailers will even give you a higher grade for keeping hold of the boxes. 

Another important thing to look out for is shutter count. If you've found an insanely cheap camera that seems almost too good to be true, it might be because the shutter mechanism is nearing the end of its life. On average, entry level cameras have a shutter life of around 150,000 while pro bodies such as the Nikon D850 have an average shutter life of 200,000 actuations. 

There is also a huge market for grey imports on eBay – models that were originally destined for a specific territory, such as the US, but have been sold in a different market for less money. While the camera itself won't be any different, warranties will not be honored outside the product's intended region – so you may find that it's harder to sell on, and that you need to sell it for less.

It's no wonder that people are turning to second-hand equipment, especially considering how much the cost of living has gone up recently. Even entry level cameras cost close to a grand these days, which for many people looking to get into photography is far too much, so eBay provides a platform where you can buy real bargains. And if you bid down the wire, you get an added adrenalin rush that you just don't find on other platforms.