reasonable price for BNIB 70-200 IS II

not sure if this is the right section, but here goes

my bday is coming up, and as a Bestbuy Reward Zone member, i get a 3x points certificate from them as a gift. id love to take advantage of this, on a big ticket item, but unfortunately i dont have any need for a big ticket item such as a tv or an appliance. so, i thought maybe i can get a 70-200 IS II from them for $2500, and get the whopping 7500 points, and then resell the lens as BNIB.

i see these come up on FS all the time, but not BNIB. can i recoup my $2500, or will i be likely looking at a small loss, all for just points?

ekinnyc wrote in post #13315368
not sure if this is the right section, but here goes

my bday is coming up, and as a Bestbuy Reward Zone member, i get a 3x points certificate from them as a gift. id love to take advantage of this, on a big ticket item, but unfortunately i dont have any need for a big ticket item such as a tv or an appliance. so, i thought maybe i can get a 70-200 IS II from them for $2500, and get the whopping 7500 points, and then resell the lens as BNIB.

i see these come up on FS all the time, but not BNIB. can i recoup my $2500, or will i be likely looking at a small loss, all for just points?

Good question, I think realistically, you'd need to knock off a few hundred dollars simply because if most people were to pay full price for a BNIB, they'd go to the "reputable" dealer. Make sure you include the receipt in the sale so the buyer can still take advantage of the warranty if necessary. Realize to you it's still BNIB, but not to someone looking to buy one, you're still competing with other "used" lenses for sale once you have title of it. Just my opinion of course.

Tom

Keep in mind 7500 pts is only $150 in reward zone certificates, with which you'd have to spend on another one of their overpriced products. Doesn't sound too bad, but factor in that you likely won't get the BBY NIB price for it, since usually their lenses are cheaper online than in the store. Factor in gas, shipping, insurance for shipping, and I don't think its really worth the risk/effort. I guess if you don't get 2500 for it then you could just return it to save any losses, but again, your call I guess.

My $0.02 -

I don't see you getting over $2,250 for it even BNIB. As was mentioned earlier by tkjeta; if you ask for anything more than that, most buyers will simply purchase it new (with no taxes and free shipping), thus eliminating any concerns about warranty or getting a lemon.

I am not a big fan of Best Buy or their Rewards program (too many on the fly changes, petty rules, worthless discount offers, expired points, etc). I also would tend to agree with akakong that you are going to do a lot of running around and incurring expenses for a minimum return. Unless there is something specific you are planning on purchasing at Best Buy (that is not available somewhere else cheaper), you will end up doing a lot of work just to overpay on something that either you don't really need, or could have bought cheaper somewhere else.

That's my $0.02 worth - good luck if you decide to go for it!

thanks guys

exactly what i needed to hear. still, too bad i dont get to take advantage of the 3x offer. maybe i can find a friend looking to buy a tv or something, haha

ekinnyc wrote in post #13315585
thanks guys

exactly what i needed to hear. still, too bad i dont get to take advantage of the 3x offer. maybe i can find a friend looking to buy a tv or something, haha

This is what I do. I allow any friends or family who dont have their own to use it because not only do I get alot of points but they get a better deal like extended return policy, free installation, etc. Plus it helps me to retain my silver membership.

Sorry your plan won't work. Happy Birthday anyway...

John Mc

Stand at the checkout and offer to give someone 1x cash if they use your 3x rewards card instead.

Profit!