Are you OK with paying ebay prices at local stores?

[RetroRich]

There is a store by my house that sells used games, movies and cd's. They have very fair prices, usually either what it goes for on ebay or a few dollars less.

I personally don't have a problem with paying the prices if I like the store. You have to factor in the convenience of actually having the game in your hand and seeing the condition, and being able to walk out with it the same day.

My question is, do you refuse to buy games at a store if it's ebay prices? Or do you pass if it's not a few bucks.

[Tupin]

If it's at eBay price, I don't buy it.

It's not 1998. Digital cameras are common. You want to scam some idiot out of $50 by selling them a game worth $15, give yourself a bigger audience of idiots.

[Edmond Dantes]

It depends. Sometimes I'll pay the price just to support the store, but...

Whenever I hear of a store that isn't making ends meet, and they're charging eBay prices, well... I just wanna say "no shit, you're charging prices nobody is willing to pay." Like a store locally had Lufia and the Fortress of Doom... with a half-torn label... going for $50. I'd buy it for $20 maybe, but not $50. $50 is how much I'd pay for CIB.

The worst thing is, it means less games for me. I remember when I used to go to game stores and find tons of RPGs and stuff for $3 apiece, and now that almost never happens.

Bottom line: Unrealistic pricing = less money spent. Eventually people will be forced to realize this.

[hamburglar]

I'm assuming the question is in regards to Classic games, since it is posted in the Classic Gaming subforum.


I always thought the higher prices on Ebay were because of the convenience of being able to find most of the time what you are looking for from different sellers in hopefully the condition you want it in, if you want to buy something locally you'd have to drive to the store, hope they have what you want, in the condition you want. If not you 'd try another store, how many classic games stores does the average person have located near them?

What I really dislike is when local sellers say, "this goes for X amount on Ebay" usually they mean they saw someone list some item at a high BIN, they don't get that anyone can go on there and put anything on there with a high BIN price, doesn't mean it will ever sell, if they were going by actual completed sold listings, I'd have no problem.

[Gameguy]

If they're around ebay prices and not well above them then that's ok. Most common games are under $5 on ebay, if you can pay the same prices for several games at once without having to pay shipping then that's fair. Plus stores take trade ins so you won't always have to pay full price for games, if you can find others cheap enough worth trading in.

Usually that doesn't happen though, stores tend to charge well above ebay prices on anything worth buying and give less trade in than you could easily sell them for yourself. That's not even considering the full amount you could get if you took your time selling your games, I meant what you could still get quickly for games even at half of their full value. Plus I have most of the games I'm looking for, most of the ones left are either rare so they don't turn up too often or they're expensive so I'm not willing to pay that much for them. I rarely go to stores anymore.

[A.C. Sativa]

No fucking way. Well, maybe if they're charging what multiple people have ACTUALLY PAID on eBay, than fine. But just looking at what people are asking and charging that amount? Fuck that! Not only will I not pay the price for that item, I won't but anything else from that store, and will do my best to steer business away from them.

[Steve W]

If I wanted to pay eBay prices, I'd buy games off eBay. I don't shop on eBay mainly due to the inflated prices and bad experiences I constantly hear about.

[Rickstilwell1]

It depends. Sometimes I'll pay the price just to support the store, but...

Whenever I hear of a store that isn't making ends meet, and they're charging eBay prices, well... I just wanna say "no shit, you're charging prices nobody is willing to pay." Like a store locally had Lufia and the Fortress of Doom... with a half-torn label... going for $50. I'd buy it for $20 maybe, but not $50. $50 is how much I'd pay for CIB.

The worst thing is, it means less games for me. I remember when I used to go to game stores and find tons of RPGs and stuff for $3 apiece, and now that almost never happens.

Bottom line: Unrealistic pricing = less money spent. Eventually people will be forced to realize this.

Here's one time it happens - when the store is Gamestop and what you're buying is a PS3 or Xbox 360 RPG from the first couple years of the system's life. Fallout 3 = $4-something.

[Doonzmore]

Absolutely not.

What's worse is when a store doesn't even put price tags on their retro stuff and when you ask how much they need they reply "hang on I'll go look it up on ebay". Don't waste my time. There was one instance where the owner started bragging about how they sold a complete Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for the Snes for 300. Get a life please.

[Sailorneorune]

Around here, it's not so much the ebay price as it is the highest Amazon Marketplace price. One local store in particular has not one, but TWO Cubivores (IIRC, one does not have a manual) sitting at $75. A BOOTLEG Cowboy Bebop DVD set is $130 there (they also have a legit Cowboy Bebop Remix Anime Legends set for $100, when Amazon itself is selling it for $50). Whenever a relatively high-profile out-of-print DVD comes in, it's put on a "collector" shelf with an astronomical markup. Actually... their asking price for Blood+ Part 1 might be lower than Amazon. :| But not by much.

This is a shame, because I used to be able to get Earthbound for $50 from stores in this chain (sold for $55 + shipping - covers tax and gas). Now they're trying to get triple digits for a f'n bootleg.

[IHatedSega]

At a thrift store NFW. At a retro store, sure pretty much, right now all Im interested in buying though is Dreamcast and PS2 though since their prices are pretty good.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

When I buy used games, I always compare the price to ebay. It it's at or below, I usually buy. If the store and Ebay is the same price, there's no other way to get the game cheaper right? Unless of course you camp out on Craig's list for two months, or attend every garage sale in the metro area for a whole summer.

Someone commented that the stores might be using "asking" prices on Ebay. The used game stores that I know use a database that goes by "completed" listings, so I'm fine with that. Asking prices on Ebay are totally inflated, so I would never buy a game priced as such.

One problem I have though. I've noticed that the stores I go to are slow about updating their pricing, even though certain games are declining in value. So sometimes I find a God of War 1 for the PS2 for $15.99, when it should actually be $2.

[davidbrit2]

If we're talking Famicom games, then yes. They're pretty much tripping over them in Japan, and you can get them dirt cheap from international sellers, even with the international shipping included (just be prepared to wait a couple weeks). US sellers often overvalue them so much (because of localized rarity, inbound shipping costs, and profit margin), that you can frequently get them for about half the price via ebay. Hell, I once ordered Bokosuka Wars for around $10 , including shipping, and the guy threw in a free copy of Antarctic Adventure to fill out the envelope.

If you're into collecting Famicom games, then ebay really is the best option for US buyers. I wish I could get them at ebay prices from local stores.

[wiggyx]

Absolutely not, and here's why.

Local shops don't have the reach that eBay or Amazon do. There's absolutely ZERO reason that a store which, at best, has a potential customer base that's about 1% of what eBay/Amazon provide. It's absurd to expect the online price when the potential for someone to walk in the door and be looking for that game AND be willing to pay a price that's no better than anywhere else.

Speaking of, why would I pay $50 for a game locally when I can buy it online for the "same" price? I toss "same" in quotes because it is in fact NOT the same price. For one thing, there's the price of gas. I'm sure the local retailer wouldn't ever consider this, but I'm sure as hell not interested in paying 7-8 bucks for a couple of gallons of gas to drive across town just to get the same price as I could online. Plus, I'm almost never asked to pay sales tax for online transactions. That's at least another few bucks right there. So I can pay 50 plus shipping (or possibly with free shipping) for a game while barely lifting a finger, or I can pay 50 bucks, plus gas, PLUS sales tax, PLUS I get to be super annoyed that I paid more than I should have.

I local retailer needs to acquire and maintain a customer base with good prices and service, while an ebay/amazon retailer really doesn't need to do much in order to sell their crap aside from having comparable pricing, not good deals or great service. Sure, there's the ability to inspect the quality when you shop local, but that's not nearly as big of a deal as it was 10 years ago. Paypal and Amazon will both do their best to make sure the buyer is happy at the expense of the seller, regardless of how wrong they may be.

And the final reason is this:

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/wiggyx/6F9C7132-CD1A-4C30-A3F0-9BC188F8CCE1-267-0000002A220D8B59.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/wiggyx/D391DA74-EE8F-4DD5-8D1D-2F7C11852B7C-267-0000002CA4E8FDB0.jpg

Fuck all the effort it takes to peel off those damned price stickers. I'll do it for dirt cheap games, but I'm not interested in doing so when the price isn't right.

[Genesaturn]

It really depends on a few things. If I have no luck finding a specific game in the wild and find it at my local gamestore...usually if it comes to supporting them or buying on ebay based off a picture and then waiting for shipping...I will buy it from the retail store. If its a thrift store or a non gaming store, then I will 9 out out 10 times walk away. A local thrift store has been getting out of hand, last year I bought a Pokemon XD Silver Gamecube with 2 controllers and all hookups for 6 dollars. Now you walk in there and used loose Game Gear sports games go for $10 a pop. My local store had a copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga sitting on the shelf for $180 for only 2 weeks before it disappeared.

[RetroRich]

well now i sort of feel like shit. I keep a list on me at all times with the games i' looking for and the general completed iisting ebay price it goes for. Yesterday I bought Silent Hill 3 for ps2 for $20 because i felt that was a fair price. It goes for around $20 on ebay but to me, having the game in my hand and actually seeing it adds value. This is why i'd rather buy the game in person rather than on ebay.

The store i go to has fair prices IMO and they are all based on completed listings.

My list of games I want for each system is fairly large and if i were to rely on thrift stores and flea markets it would take me way too long.

If i see a game on my list at a video game store, and it falls within the completed listing ebay price, I buy it.

One time I came across Call of Cthulhu for Xbox for a reasonable price and didn't buy it. I have never been able to find that game in the wild ever since. And I do not really want to go to ebay. I will never let something like that happen again

[Tanooki]

Damn man WIGGY well said!

Retail shops aren't ebay, they don't have the reach, the body count, or the possibilities. They need to provide a local experience and put the price away from the touch of ebay except on the dirt common or near type stuff (as there's no point in selling a game for under $5 considering overhead.) If I see a game like Adventure Island 3 and it's $30 on ebay and it's $30 on the local guys rack you can think of it two ways. Well I'm there, there's a warranty, and I can try it out(maybe) before I get it and look it over. With ebay though, you still get buyer protection, you save a heap of drive time, walk around time, costs of gas for the car, paying state tax(if applicable), and with ebay idiots misspell stuff or things accidentally get ignored and you could get that Adventure Island 3 for $20.

The only way I'd ever pay at or near 'ebay' locally would be on some damn hard to find game, I was already there anyway and just bumped into it, and it's something I really did want to play. When I got back here a couple months ago I've wanted a Dragon Warrior IV game since the 90s, never got it because I thought $50 was bullshit for a used old NES title, online was no better, so I was amazingly patient all this long as I had other games, it wasn't that important to me. But it was there, it was $40 which is under ebay's $50 average, and no shipping costs either so I snapped it up. Up to that point I never spent that much on a NES game before, ever at a used level.

There's this really nice guy on NintendoAge savepoint is the user name, he has a real shop(non-online) and his model works well and he's not hurting for it. He asks less than ebay for stuff he gets in, and he pays like 1/3 (or better depending) of what he asks people to pay for his games in trade in value and not the usual scam 5-15% gamestop like credit crap. Due to this we keep seeing pictures of stuff coming in to his shop and it's amazing quality Nintendo and SNES stuff in particular from return customers and they come to dump more and buy more too. He's happy, his customers love the shop, everyone wins because he's not playing the 'match ebay' crap.

[Atarileaf]

What I hate is when the game store will actually use shipping prices as justification for higher prices. So if game X is $5 on ebay with $5 shipping, then to the game store its a $10 game and will sell it for $10 - their argument being that you can spend $10 and wait for it in the mail or spend $10 and get it from them right away.

I believe that there has to be an incentive for me to shop in your store. I can sit at home on my computer and order any game online but I go to local brick and mortar stores for convenience and deals. If I get neither, why am I buying from them?

[Tanooki]

You shouldn't and stores who do that should be punished. Get as much word around as possible, make it clear to gamers they'll get the shaft there and try and hurt these places until they see reason.

[sloan]

No.

And here is why:

If a Goodwill or Salvation Army store is trying the 'ebay/amazon pricing' b.s., I have no way of knowing if the games/systems/peripherals even work. If I pay inflated prices to one of those stores and get home and find out the stuff is broken, then I am out the money with no recourse. Paypal and charge card companies will back me in the event I buy something bad from ebay or amazon, so there should be a big difference in pricing here.

As far as retro game stores go, I see them as little more than parasitic leaches in local communities. Basically, if you have one or more of these stores in your community, they are sapping the good gaming items that used to go to Goodwill, yard sales, and pawn shops. Therefore, I have no interest in 'supporting local business' when they charge ebay/amazon prices or higher. If those stores price in a middle range between yard sales and ebay/amazon, then I will consider supporting them, especially if they have mid-range rarity items that are otherwise difficult to come by. The way I see it, if these retro game stores did not exist, then the Salvation Army stores, flea markets, and yard sales would have more good retro gaming stuff offered for cheap prices. All the retro stores serve to do is drive up prices in the local markets they terrorize, so I have no interest in rewarding their parasitic activities.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

As far as retro game stores go, I see them as little more than parasitic leaches in local communities.

Without these stores, we'd be a nation of Gamestops. Is that what you really want?

[sloan]

Gamestop is out of the retro business, unless you count the recent announcement about some online sales they plan to do. So Gamestop would pose no threat at all to the retro gaming business.

[7th lutz]

Most Items I would say no to. The thing is there are games back when I was a high school that was more expensive than they are know such as Tengen Tetris. I saw a loose copy of Tengen Tetris in 1995 was over $95.00 before the store was broken into by someone later on in the same year.

Ebay prices can stop a game like Tengen Tetris from going for higher prices than it should be.

My big issue with a store using ebay prices goes to a couple things. I went to stores before that had a price tag, but the price of the used game was more expensive when it was scanned.

[SpaceHarrier]

What I really dislike is when local sellers say, "this goes for X amount on Ebay" usually they mean they saw someone list some item at a high BIN, they don't get that anyone can go on there and put anything on there with a high BIN price, doesn't mean it will ever sell, if they were going by actual completed sold listings, I'd have no problem.

Precisely this.


I don't mind if they are asking the genuine selling price or thereabouts (everyone's gotta make some money after all) but when I see local stores writing "check ebay" on their ridiculous price tags it just makes me chuckle that special douchey 'haha yeah right, good luck with your business venture, fuck you guy' kind of laugh.

Price them fair, don't insult my intelligence, or your punishment is me being 'just another lookie loo'. I love to window shop, and I'll keep stopping by with no intention to buy, as well. Kills some time in between errands. There are a few 'gamer museums' around my area that I enjoy touring while I'm out. Sometimes I almost forget they sell things.

[JSoup]

No. My reasoning is if you thought you could get ebay price for a particular item, said item would either A. Be on ebay right now or B. already sold. The item is clearly neither, so I guess you're not selling it for that price, are ya sparky?

I see this more at flea markets than actual stores. I'm actually banned from a booth at my local flea market for first getting into a one sided argument about how he was an overpricing idiot and then for price checking all his items, costing him a bunch of sales.

[The 1 2 P]

No. My reasoning is if you thought you could get ebay price for a particular item, said item would either A. Be on ebay right now or B. already sold. The item is clearly neither, so I guess you're not selling it for that price, are ya sparky?

I've actually told that to people at flea markets, yard sales and craigs list ads. Everyone wants to cite ebay but as you said if they really think they can get that price on ebay then why are they selling it at their house/store? I suppose they could say to save on shipping/ebay/paypal cost but none of that matters when your item isn't selling at all.

So my answer is also no and I run into this at Goodwills and pawn shops all the time. There aren't any more retro game stores left in this area but I'm sure this topic has something to do with that.

[wiggyx]

No. My reasoning is if you thought you could get ebay price for a particular item, said item would either A. Be on ebay right now or B. already sold. The item is clearly neither, so I guess you're not selling it for that price, are ya sparky?

I see this more at flea markets than actual stores. I'm actually banned from a booth at my local flea market for first getting into a one sided argument about how he was an overpricing idiot and then for price checking all his items, costing him a bunch of sales.

That's sort of faulty logic. It assumes that something spends zero time on a shelf. Using that logic, everything that's fairly priced in the store should have been sold before you arrived.

[Aussie2B]

Depends on the price. I'd be willing to pay $3 for practically any non-sports game, so if a brick-and-mortar has a game at a price like that or lower, I'm perfectly happy to buy it even without knowing what it sells for on eBay. If it sells for the same, no big deal. Now if we're talking games of significant value, then, yeah, no way am I spending eBay rates. I go game hunting with the hope of finding good deals. It takes time and energy to go out, plus gas or public transportation costs, and sales tax on top of that. I have zero desire to waste my time, tire myself out, and quite possibly spend MORE than eBay when all is said and done when I could just as well sit in my pajamas at home, order something quickly, and get on with my day.

[Baloo]

You guys are fools. This is the reason why there's no retro video game stores around, because they can't charge going rate for their games for some bizarre reason, and can't cover the costs of rent, electricity, employees, etc. to run the store. They shouldn't overcharge (No store should) I agree, that doesn't move product. However, at eBay price? If Super Mario Bros 3 sells consistently for $15, why the hell would you sell it for any less?

[fahlim003]

I don't understand how paying ebay prices outside of ebay is a bad thing. Pardon getting lucky or going thrifting where do people expect to find products cheaper than on ebay? Locally, I don't have that luxury even as most shops are more expensive than ebay. That's right higher priced than ebay. Occasionally for whatever reason, games do slip under or around the radar for ebay prices before shipping and assuming it's something I'm looking for, I'll get it. As a consumer, ebay is the median and generally if I can't find it at par locally then the choice is ebay every day. It all depends on the market you buy/sell in - for me it's generally a miss most of the time but every so often it's a hit. Given that poor ratio it's not surprising why I use ebay for 80% of the time.

Here's a good example of what I deal with. Ace Combat 2 is fairly uncommon and yet not highly priced. Having said this it has almost never appeared locally although recently it did at $24.99 before tax. Good deal? Ok. Instead of looking to trade in or even buy outright that copy I instead opt for ebay, even though AC2 doesn't show up as an auction style listing that frequently.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/230891164140

Yeah, I can live with that (although I did get a bit lucky).

[7th lutz]

You guys are fools. This is the reason why there's no retro video game stores around, because they can't charge going rate for their games for some bizarre reason, and can't cover the costs of rent, electricity, employees, etc. to run the store. They shouldn't overcharge (No store should) I agree, that doesn't move product. However, at eBay price? If Super Mario Bros 3 sells consistently for $15, why the hell would you sell it for any less?

There is a big problem with ebay prices. Some of the items are out of wrack for asking price by the sellers such as Shaq-fu for $9,999.99!. There are idiotic sellers on ebay and the fact is if stores go by sellers that try to sell Shaq-fu for $10,000 the store are idiots. Why would a person want Shaq-fu anyway is anyone's guess, but that game's value is way less than $9,999.99 that seller asked for it in October.

Proof of Shaqfu for outrageous price:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHAQ-FU-COMPLETE-SUPER-NINTENDO-SNES-EMPEROR-OF-JUSTICE-/121001648144?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item1c2c42a010

[sloan]

This is the reason why there's no retro video game stores around..

Umm, there are five retro gaming stores around my area, and they are parasites on the system. If they were not grabbing all the goods from yard sales, flea markets, and Salvation Army Stores, the general game buying public could actually find some deals without having to pay inflated prices.

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

I really think the only people who hate eBay are the ones who are the few who still get "lucky" and game hunt very often. Honestly, eBay is the average price guide for ANY collectable. You can't make a point by pointing out the few jerks on eBay who use the word RARE for every listing. People love finding deals but rush to eBay to see how much that "deal" is ACTUALLY worth. If eBay isn't the universal guide, how do you know you got a deal?

[Atarileaf]

What I really dislike is when local sellers say, "this goes for X amount on Ebay" usually they mean they saw someone list some item at a high BIN.

Interestingly, I've noticed a few times in "Pawn Stars" where someone brings something in and when asked what they want for it will respond "I've seen them sell for X on ebay"

Rick or whoever will then question them - "Is that the asking price or did it actually sell for that amount?"

to which the seller will admit that it was just an asking price.

Just a side point, but its good to know that the logic of asking price vs. sold price is actually getting onto shows like this, since its these very shows that make everyone think any sky high asking price must equal an actual sale.

[Griking]

There is a store by my house that sells used games, movies and cd's. They have very fair prices, usually either what it goes for on ebay or a few dollars less.

I personally don't have a problem with paying the prices if I like the store. You have to factor in the convenience of actually having the game in your hand and seeing the condition, and being able to walk out with it the same day.

My question is, do you refuse to buy games at a store if it's ebay prices? Or do you pass if it's not a few bucks.



IMO if people are buying a game because they want it then they'd probably pay the eBay price. I think that most people who complain about paying eBay prices in local stores are looking for games to resell theirself.

Besides, you don't have to pay shipping when you buy from a store.

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

IMO if people are buying a game because they want it then they'd probably pay the eBay price. I think that most people who complain about paying eBay prices in local stores are looking for games to resell theirself.

Besides, you don't have to pay shipping when you buy from a store.

A guy here recently was complaining about thrift store prices, but had a link to his sales shop in his Sig.

[mailman187666]

I think I'm starting to see the big picture here about game shops, thrift stores, ebay prices and why we are all getting frustrated with them. Game prices are eventually going to cap out at some point. It may not be in the next 1, 3, or 5 years, but I believe this may be the start of it. We all reminisce about going to flea markets, thrifts etc. and walking out with bags of $1-$5 games that we generally want to own and care to have for our most beloved systems. It will get to a point where some of the most hardcore of collectors just aren't going to want to pay $300+ for Earthbound or Panzer Dragoon Saga anymore. Every store or person is absolutely going to want top dollar for their games but do you really see people selling Panzer Dragoon Saga for $750 in 3-5 years?

I'm having a hard time explaining this so let me use this as an example. A band/singer that you really like has a small following, and you being really into them defines who you are, and not many people know about them. You'll go to their concert and pay $15 for a ticket and $15 for a t-shirt and be proud to know that you are the only one wearing that shirt, and had a great time at the show. Next thing you know that band makes it big, and you see all sorts of people wearing that same t-shirt that they also paid $15 for. Well now the band is so big that you have to pay $75 just to get into the concert and have nosebleed seats at best. Then you have to wait in line for 30 minutes to pay $25 for their t-shirts because they know they can charge that amount for them. You eventually notice their new songs and albums aren't as good as their old shit that you first started listening to. Eventually people get sick of said band/singer because they just weren't the same as they once were. Then years down the line they have comeback tours or local events, the tickets and T-shirts are back to the same price they once were when YOU were big into them, and they start performing their old songs again.

Hopefully someone can see what I'm talking about here.

[wingzrow]

If it's exactly what I want, gem min t, and the eBay price is still cheap...maybe...

Just buying a game at a store or online is so lame to me when you consider the alternatives.

Flea markets
pawn shops
salvation army
goodwill
garage sales

All of these sound better tha "I bought it for theasking price at a game store"

[Atarileaf]

If it's exactly what I want, gem min t, and the eBay price is still cheap...maybe...

Just buying a game at a store or online is so lame to me when you consider the alternatives.

Flea markets
pawn shops
salvation army
goodwill
garage sales

All of these sound better tha "I bought it for theasking price at a game store"

Something that a lot of people don't take into consideration, especially when it comes to going to all these: gas money.

I was talking to a collector who does the thrift and pawn circuit in my area, used quite a bit of time, gas, and money and came home empty handed.

So if you find a game worth $20 for a $1 at a thrift store but you spent the day and $20 in gas, are you really ahead of the person buying the same game on ebay for $20 who spent half a minute doing it?

It may be "the thrill of the hunt" but that gets old when you come home empty handed half the time, depending on the area you live in. Its great if you live in an area overflowing with proverbial milk and honey but those areas seem to becoming fewer and farther between if I'm getting a general consensus of most people who collect anymore. For some gameshops and ebay are the ONLY alternatives.

For me, gone are the days of spending whole days and a tank full of gas to find "cheap" video games.

Its not always worth it.

[wiggyx]

I really think the only people who hate eBay are the ones who are the few who still get "lucky" and game hunt very often. Honestly, eBay is the average price guide for ANY collectable. You can't make a point by pointing out the few jerks on eBay who use the word RARE for every listing. People love finding deals but rush to eBay to see how much that "deal" is ACTUALLY worth. If eBay isn't the universal guide, how do you know you got a deal?

On eBay, yes.

Why some people treat eBay as the end all, be all of means by which to determine value is beyond me.

Look at it this way, a snowmobile is worth a lot more in Alaska than it is in Texas. If you lived in Texas and were to sell one on eBay, then it's very likely that someone in Alaska would be able to see your auction and potentially bid on/purchase your snowmobile.

If you were to try and sell it locally, then I'm willing to bet that you'd have a far more difficult time and its very likely that you wouldn't be able to ask nearly as much.

As stated before, local shops that treat their potential customer base as if it were equivelant to ebay's customer base are foolhardy at best. eBay is a completely different market for collectibles. It's quite lazy and ignorant for a local shop owner to use eBay exclusively as his/her pricing guide.

[Wraith Storm]

I am seldom okay with paying Ebay prices at stores.

Most used game stores in my area seem to have forgotten a thing called "Local Market Value" and Ebay has helped destroy this. Just because a game sold for 25 bucks on Ebay to a guy in zimbabwe does not mean it will sell for the same amount in my region. The piles of Ebay priced games at my local stores prove this.

Third World War on the Sega CD usually sells for around 20-25 dollars complete on Ebay. My local shop had a copy for 25 dollars. I have always heard it was a great game and wanted to try it out, but i usually don't get into these types of games so I didn't want to pay 25 dollars for it. For me, being unsure, it wasn't worth that price. That game set on the store shelf for over a year. Over the course of the next year the acquired two more copies of the game. So then they had 3 complete copies of Third World War sitting on the shelf for 25 dollars.

Had they put them on Ebay, they would have sold no problem. Other places in the US this game was clearly selling for 25 dollars, but it was quite obvious that it's LOCAL MARKET VALUE was somewhat less. Then factor in what others have already said like time and gas. If i cant get a better deal at a local store why even bother going and just buy off Ebay instead?

Edit: I guess this is basically what Wiggy was expressing in his last post and I completely agree with him.

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

Why do people still think that every city in the World is filled with goodies ready to be picked? When I collected action figures in the 90s, you would see hords of people at TRU, Targets, and Walmart lined up before the store opens waiting to find Hotwheels Thunts and Mcfarlane variants worth $10-$100. I would stay home and order from Bigbadtoystore.com and save time and gas and didn't have to fight big ass grown men fighting for toys.

[The 1 2 P]

Why do people still think that every city in the World is filled with goodies ready to be picked? When I collected action figures in the 90s, you would see hords of people at TRU, Targets, and Walmart lined up before the store opens waiting to find Hotwheels Thunts and Mcfarlane variants worth $10-$100. I would stay home and order from Bigbadtoystore.com and save time and gas and didn't have to fight big ass grown men fighting for toys.

Thats exactly what I do on Black Friday. While most people are complaining about A.) theres nothing worth going out for or B.) it's not worth going out at 5 in the morning for $8-$20 recently released AAA games I actually agree with the second one. So I just sit home in my sweats and order everything I need. No crowds, no cold, no nonsense.

[JSoup]

That's sort of faulty logic. It assumes that something spends zero time on a shelf. Using that logic, everything that's fairly priced in the store should have been sold before you arrived.

While it is sort of faulty logic, it's the logic of business. There are entire business theories built around the idea that if something desirable, for a presumably unknown amount of desire, with an assumed decent price, it should be sold within within a reasonable time frame, ranging from near instantly to a week or two. This is why, if you're aware of products at your local supermarket, the groceries that don't less as fast are consistently having their prices change by a matter of a few cents and often with no sale or savings being marked. Gotta hit that sweet spot so I'll be sold out now, now, now.

[Tanooki]

Thats exactly what I do on Black Friday. While most people are complaining about A.) theres nothing worth going out for or B.) it's not worth going out at 5 in the morning for $8-$20 recently released AAA games I actually agree with the second one. So I just sit home in my sweats and order everything I need. No crowds, no cold, no nonsense.

Same here, needed a new TV and got like $150+ off on a LED TV by shopping target.com instead of going in at 8pm that evening hoping it still was there and putting up with a huge herd of mancattle mauling each other for stupid deals.

I get the arguments people are making that ebay prices local aren't bad, and you know what, they're right, conditionally, depending on your local market value on games or whatever else. Just like how living in a state like California the costs of living and paychecks are higher than somewhere in the midwest, it's the same for the stock of things and the prices people can ask. Out west maybe $50(ebay average) is great for Dragon Warrior IV and it will get snapped up there, but here where I am now, that same game sat on the shelf for over a month at $40, but when I got here in town I saw it, let it sit like 3-4days thinking about it as I wasn't in the mood for an RPG, but went back and grabbed it as no one cared and I wanted it as I hadn't seen one in the wild since the later 1990s. For me coming from where I was, the fact I go there anyway so it wasn't a gas suck, and that I saved $10+shipping minus $2.40(6%)taxed on it I was happy. Pricing and values are regional despite what the hell ebay wants to shovel crap for, it's a world market. If you live in a less expensive to live place than another, then the value you place on an item may be less or you can just afford less so you're out of luck.

Pricing is regional, ebay isn't because someone somewhere will bid it up the highest to their victory. Trying to match ebay prices in a lot of places in the US is a really ignorant practice unless you live in a city rich enough to play the averages and come out the same or even looking like a deal. Where I am now, if you play the 'it is this on ebay' garbage on people, it sits, unless it's already something cheap (say $10~ value or less.)

[wiggyx]

While it is sort of faulty logic, it's the logic of business. There are entire business theories built around the idea that if something desirable, for a presumably unknown amount of desire, with an assumed decent price, it should be sold within within a reasonable time frame, ranging from near instantly to a week or two. This is why, if you're aware of products at your local supermarket, the groceries that don't less as fast are consistently having their prices change by a matter of a few cents and often with no sale or savings being marked. Gotta hit that sweet spot so I'll be sold out now, now, now.

I understand all of this, I really just wanted to address the whole "it would have already sold" comment. It makes sense if you've been frequenting the store for months and have seen the same game sittiń the shelf for that same price, bit the idea that it shouldn't be there at all just doesn't make sense.

Also, the grocery store is a different ball game. We're not talking perishable goods. They absolutely cannot afford to have product sitting past its expiration date.


The truth is that there will (most often) be quick turnaround for lower priced items, and slower for higher prices items, especially if those items cater to a smaller market, like retro games. If a store has a copy of MMX3 on their shelf for $70 and a copy of SMW for $8, then it's completely acceptable and expected that the copy of Mario will sell before the copy of Megaman. That $70 retro cart requires a certain, specific type of buyer. But, like you said, there does need to be an acceptable timeframe, set by the retailer, in which that game must sell in order for it to be worthwhile. The longer it sits, the less money there is to be made from that sale. A good shopkeep will stay on top of such things and price accordingly.

[Buyatari]

People selling games want ebay price OR MORE !! when they sell.
People buying games want to pay less than ebay prices.

Not sure how stores are supposed to turn a profit and keep everyone happy without buying/selling as close to ebay as possible.

[wiggyx]

Some people, like myself, don't care for selling on eBay. It's a PITA and often not worth it IMO.

[djshok]

eBay prices yes, I'm fine with it, because it would cost me the same to buy it on eBay but I'd have to deal with it shipping time and potential mail loss/damage. What I'm not ok with is paying double or triple eBay costs like some of the ripoff stores in my area like to charge. :ass:

[wingzrow]

I use an ekectric bicycle, so I'm in the minority on this one. Still worth the gas for flea markets though.

[Daria]

I don't mind paying around the average completed ebay price minus shipping. I figure that's a fair consensus for what a game is currently worth. Problem is the retro stores I've seen in my area (which to no one's surprise have all come and gone) tend to sell at the "buy it now" current list prices - which are usually ridiculous. I also think games should also be adjusted accordingly for condition. Conversely, I also don't mind paying "more" for a dirt common game in really good condition. For example while visiting my brother in Minnesota I picked up a Carmen Sandiego game for the NES, I think it was going for like $8 on ebay, but it was in excellent condition CIB with an encyclopedia that looked untouched. I paid $20 and felt good about it. The people there were really friendly, and I didn't mind supporting their business.

Attitude also goes a long way in a mom and pop store, I've ranted before about my terrible experience at a local (now defunct) CGX which refused to sell a turbografx system. Instead it sat on their shelf "looking pretty" until they went under. That day they lost a lucrative sale and a potential repeat customer.

[jb143]

If someone ever cited ebay prices as justification for the amount they are selling a game for, then I would ask for a 13% +50cents discount since that's what they would have paid in final value and listings fees for a buy it now listing(which is essentially how they are trying to sell it). I wouldn't have to worry about paying shipping fees since it's the same as a local pickup. Also, they wouldn't have to take the risk of the package getting lost, damaged etc... which is sure to be worth something to them, otherwise, you know, they would be selling it on eBay in the first place.

What bugs me is when I see ebay printouts taped to items at thrift stores to justify their price. Every time I've ever seen that it has always been an unsold BIN or the result of an out of control bidding war and never the average completed item listing.

[wiggyx]

If someone ever cited ebay prices as justification for the amount they are selling a game for, then I would ask for a 13% +50cents discount since that's what they would have paid in final value and listings fees for a buy it now listing(which is essentially how they are trying to sell it). I wouldn't have to worry about paying shipping fees since it's the same as a local pickup. Also, they wouldn't have to take the risk of the package getting lost, damaged etc... which is sure to be worth something to them, otherwise, you know, they would be selling it on eBay in the first place.

What bugs me is when I see ebay printouts taped to items at thrift stores to justify their price. Every time I've ever seen that it has always been an unsold BIN or the result of an out of control bidding war and never the average completed item listing.

They pay that 13% as well. Overhead ;)

[bigbacon]

wish I could find a store locallythat sells old games for decent prices.

Most places around here you are looking at something like $5 for an NES game and the most common ones at that. Like SMB/Duck Hunt for $5???

If I ever founda place selling games for 1 or 2 dollars a piece, they'd get lots of my money.

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

wish I could find a store locallythat sells old games for decent prices.

Most places around here you are looking at something like $5 for an NES game and the most common ones at that. Like SMB/Duck Hunt for $5???

If I ever founda place selling games for 1 or 2 dollars a piece, they'd get lots of my money.

What the hell, you are complaining about $5 carts? It's like you guys want the shops to go broke so you can get somthing for almost free.

[Atarileaf]

Most game stores I've been to have dollar or two dollar bins but they're usually sports games or other similarly undesirable games. Of course the good stuff is going to cost more. I certainly don't expect these store owners to be completely stupid.

If you walk into a store dedicated to video games, its almost certain their games are going to be priced at or near market value. To expect to find good, desirable or popular games for a couple of bucks in a game store is pretty nuts.

You can't apply the thrift store model to a game store.

[Schiggidyd]

You can get lucky at some game stores. One store 3 minutes from my house sold me a Ducktales 2 cart with manual for NES for 10.99. It's run by a women who has no idea what she's doing. She charged me the Gameboy price.

[jb143]

If you walk into a store dedicated to video games, its almost certain their games are going to be priced at or near market value. To expect to find good, desirable or popular games for a couple of bucks in a game store is pretty nuts.



The issue is when they check the highest price something ever sold for or the crazy buy it now price someone has and calls that "what it's going for on ebay". This is not market value by any stretch of the imagination but it happens all the time. I see it on craigslist a lot as well.

[Tanooki]

wish I could find a store locallythat sells old games for decent prices.

Most places around here you are looking at something like $5 for an NES game and the most common ones at that. Like SMB/Duck Hunt for $5???

If I ever founda place selling games for 1 or 2 dollars a piece, they'd get lots of my money.

Dude you're bitching about $5 pricing on common NES games? $1-2 pricing they'd be out of business as they're not ebay resellers working out of their bedroom. $5 is a damn good price when you figure most of the common nes games will cost you that or more once the $2-4 shipping charge people ask get tacked on, or if it's free shipping it's already put into the starting price for bidding anyway. You're greedy. :) I do agree on SMB/Duck Hunt, but only because it was exclusively a pack-in title and should be just more or less given away and included with any system going out the door, same with the SMB/DH/WCTM cart with power pads. The only time there should be a dollar bin is when it's something so crappy (sports game usually) or something beat to shit but still works that has sat on the shelf for at least 6-12months or longer and you just want it out of the way, but as a standard pricing area it's not worth it to anyone.

[Masamune]

My local retro game store prices games by the average of the highest completed Ebay price and lowest completed Ebay price within a certain time period. Do you think this is fair? I personally do.

[Atarileaf]

The issue is when they check the highest price something ever sold for or the crazy buy it now price someone has and calls that "what it's going for on ebay". This is not market value by any stretch of the imagination but it happens all the time. I see it on craigslist a lot as well.

Oh I know. I was addressing buyers who are similarly unreasonable in expecting $1 or $2 games in a game store for games that don't have a year at the end of them. For example:

Sellers at a game store are unrealistic looking for $25 for a loose NES Bubble Bobble
Buyers at a game store are unrealistic wanting to pay $2 for a loose NES Bubble Bobble

[Atarileaf]

My local retro game store prices games by the average of the highest completed Ebay price and lowest completed Ebay price within a certain time period. Do you think this is fair? I personally do.

Yep, that sounds like a pretty reasonable pricing model to me.