KEH Camera has been buying, selling and trading pre-owned photo and video equipment for more than four decades to creative professionals and hobbyists alike. Founded in 1979, the Smyrna, Ga.-based company has more than $100 million in annual sales. It has become the largest North American marketplace for pre-owned gear while championing sustainability through the circular economy.
Here, Glenn Kaufman, chairman and chief executive officer, discusses the company’s history, its emphasis on service, tariffs and the future of the used camera market.
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WWD: Tell us about KEH Camera, when and where it was founded, and why.
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Glenn Kaufman: KEH Camera is the largest company buying, selling and trading pre-owned photo and video gear in North America. It’s also the original business that has been operating since 1979. We were founded by King Grant Jr., who started the business by buying and selling camera gear through ads in Shutterbug Magazine and then in catalogues thereafter until the introduction of the web in the mid-1990s. Our tag line is “Better than new,” and we have deep conviction behind that. We turn products that might have been sold once, used for a number of years, and then left sitting in a closet or attic for a decade into products that may be used by three, four or five people over its lifetime. By doing that, we allow people to get better value — and hence much better equipment for their dollar. And we help the planet by powering the circular economy.
We are a modern, technologically sophisticated business that has a DNA driven by an employee base of photography, videography and gear experts, many of whom have been here for decades. So while the brand is 46 years old, and we have certainly utilized technology to continuously improve the customer experience, our mission, values, quality and expertise are very much in line with what they have been since our early days.
Today, we have the largest breadth of photo and video gear of any company in the country, and it ranges from the hottest products in the market today to mid-level items to classic film cameras. And we employ over 200 people around North America, including at our HQ in Smyrna, Ga., where we stock and ship 275,000 pieces of gear that become incredible creative tools in the hands of people, rather than being sent to landfills.
WWD: How would you describe the value proposition of KEH for consumers?
G.K.: It’s quite straightforward. We provide consumers with the broadest array of photo and video equipment anywhere and offer it to them fully inspected and warrantied by the largest company in the industry that has a 50-year history of trust. The consumer gets far more value than they can get any other way, and does so while also benefiting the planet. The products they get are indeed better than new.
Our KEH Certified experts have hundreds of years of combined experience, having worked with every camera manufacturer and carrying irreplaceable knowledge, which is something we pride ourselves on and a big part of why our repeat purchase rate has been tremendous for almost 50 years.
At the same time, we offer consumers with existing photo or video gear the easiest, most convenient and most trustworthy way to turn their gear into either cash or other gear — online, through our virtual buyers, in our retail stores, or at 200 events we hold around North America each year.
WWD: How would you describe your target customer?
G.K.: KEH is for everyone, from the professional who needs top-quality gear to the urban hobbyist looking for entry-level professional-grade equipment that’s priced competitively.
In today’s world, where the creative economy is central, photos and videos are ubiquitous and growing in number exponentially. The reality is that people of all types want to increase the quality of the equipment they use to express themselves, personally and professionally. And nobody offers the breadth of photo and video products and value to do so at all levels like KEH.
Cameras on phones are a given, but the output has a sterile and generic feel, and so people of all ages have stuck with, returned to or begun to adopt “real” cameras as a way to improve the quality, authentic and individualized nature of what they share. Nobody is better than KEH gear experts at helping people find what will help them accomplish their goals at tremendous value.
WWD: What do photographers expect when shopping for used equipment? And what role does trust play in their shopping experience?
G.K.: Trust is essential. Truly essential. Purchasing pre-owned equipment is truly compelling, in large part because you get the same product at a far greater value. But that is only true if you know you are getting the same quality product and if you have a first-tier brand and company standing behind it. KEH has earned trust by delivering quality products and backing it up for almost 50 years. Nobody else has done that, and nobody takes its focus on its relationships with customers more seriously than KEH.
Beyond that, photographers and videographers — of any level — want great selection, convenience and the ability to buy, sell and trade. KEH doubles down on service to connect with customers as no other photo and video gear company does — online, on the phones, at hundreds of community events. And we do it with the most knowledgeable and consumer-friendly experts who love to share their passion and understanding with everyone from beginners to experts.
At a minimum, professionals are looking for dependable inventory, top-quality and professional-grade equipment, effortless trade-ins, excellent customer service and reliable and fast repairs. At KEH, we take it a step further and have real professionals supporting you along your camera journey.
WWD: How is KEH positioned and insulated from current tariffs?
G.K.: KEH is built on a circular economy model where the vast majority of what we sell comes from what is already in use and owned by other consumers. As a result, we source very little of our product from overseas, something that makes us and our customers largely unimpacted by tariffs. If the prices of most products rise in a meaningful manner, do not be surprised that the prices of products are far less impacted, making the value KEH delivers to consumers even more significant.
WWD: How do you see the used camera market evolving? What’s next?
G.K.: The creative economy and the circular economy are each powerful forces that continue to be in their early stages of growth. While KEH has grown significantly year after year and is the leader in pre-owned gear in North America, the market continues to grow and will continue to grow.
The ability to deliver the greatest value to customers will never go out of style. And as KEH continues to double-down on expanding its breadth of product, its expertise and the additional offerings it brings to those using photo and video gear, we hope to welcome and empower countless more customers. Better for your wallet. Better for the planet. Better than new. We couldn’t think of anything else we could go do that would be better than that.