Pawn Shops - One "Hit" Wonders ?

[Anthony1]

When it comes to looking for pre PS1 and N64 stuff, are Pawn Shops basically, "One Hit Wonders"?

What I mean by this, is that once a collector hits a pawn shop and buys all the old games (pre PS1 and N64), what is the chance that this Pawn Shop would ever get anymore pre PS1 and N64 stuff?


I can't imagine that somebody would take their Neo Geo or Turbo Duo or Saturn or Jaguar or whatever stuff to a Pawn Shop, because why would a Pawn want such old stuff? I could see Pawn Shops still giving money for PS1, and N64 and Dreamcast stuff, because they are still relatively modern, but I couldn't see them wanting any really old stuff, unless they have a knowledge of retrogames, and their current valuations, or unless they get it for super, duper dirt cheap.

So basically, what I mean is this. Let's say you go to a Pawn Shop and you ask the Manager if they have any really "old" video game crap, in a box in the back, that they've been sitting on forever. The manager thinks about it, and then remembers that he actually does have a box in the back with some old video game crap. So he brings out the box, and there are some old SNES games, and a old TG-16 system, and a old Sega CD player, and some CD-I and 3DO stuff, and you offer the guy 20 bucks for everything in the box. And he takes the cash. Now, that is a nice little score, but the question is....Is there any reason to ever go back there, if you are only interested in pre PS1 and N64 stuff.

Considering that you have bought all of their pre PS1 and N64 stuff, what would the chances be of them ever getting any more pre PS1 and N64 stuff?

I don't think it would be very likely that they would ever get any more stuff that is old like that, because I don't think they would want it, and the person trading it in, would get more bang for their buck from a GameStop or GameCrazy or Ebay.

Now, if you are looking for PS1 games, or N64 games or Dreamcast games, or Cube, XBOX and PS2 stuff, then you certainly could keep going to that Pawn shop, because they could certainly still get some more of that stuff in.

But once a Pawn Shop has been all cleaned out of all their "old" stuff, is there any real reason to ever go back?

[jgenotte]

That is a good point. I bet thet you a right about it though. I hate the uppity chain pawn shops that are "nice" and "clean" inside, they never have good stuff or good deals. Do you ever feel bad about cleaning out a place, like buyers remorse, even though you know it was a good deal? I spent more then $200 at a thrift store the other day on gaming stuff that was all less then $10. My wife almost killed me, but I know that selling/trading that stuff will bring a profit.

(Sorry about going off topic)

[ManekiNeko]

I feel like I should come to the defense of pawn shops, or at least the good ones. Even though it's rare to find classic games at a pawn these days, they DO stock a wide selection of games for the newer consoles, which can be difficult to find anywhere else. Where else are you going to find dozens of Dreamcast games, or a Playstation 2 release for less than ten dollars?

JR

[§ Gideon §]

Would the same rule of thumb apply to thrift stores also?

[VinnyT]

That is a good point. I bet thet you a right about it though. I hate the uppity chain pawn shops that are "nice" and "clean" inside, they never have good stuff or good deals. Do you ever feel bad about cleaning out a place, like buyers remorse, even though you know it was a good deal? I spent more then $200 at a thrift store the other day on gaming stuff that was all less then $10. My wife almost killed me, but I know that selling/trading that stuff will bring a profit.

(Sorry about going off topic)

Wait, so u spent $200 but it was only $10? What the hell did u buy?

[Anthony1]

Would the same rule of thumb apply to thrift stores also?


Absolutely not.


At least where I live. The Thrift stores near me are constantly getting more and more stuff in. The vast majority of it is loose NES carts, loose Genny sports games, and a few SNES carts, and Genny Systems and SNES systems and NES systems, but still.

I imagine that some day I will find a Turbo Duo or a Neo Geo at a thrift.

[§ Gideon §]

That is a good point. I bet thet you a right about it though. I hate the uppity chain pawn shops that are "nice" and "clean" inside, they never have good stuff or good deals. Do you ever feel bad about cleaning out a place, like buyers remorse, even though you know it was a good deal? I spent more then $200 at a thrift store the other day on gaming stuff that was all less then $10. My wife almost killed me, but I know that selling/trading that stuff will bring a profit.

(Sorry about going off topic)

Wait, so u spent $200 but it was only $10? What the hell did u buy?
I think he means that each individual item was under $10, but the total came to $200.

[jgenotte]

Gideon wrote:

VinnyT wrote:

jgenotte wrote:
That is a good point. I bet thet you a right about it though. I hate the uppity chain pawn shops that are "nice" and "clean" inside, they never have good stuff or good deals. Do you ever feel bad about cleaning out a place, like buyers remorse, even though you know it was a good deal? I spent more then $200 at a thrift store the other day on gaming stuff that was all less then $10. My wife almost killed me, but I know that selling/trading that stuff will bring a profit.

(Sorry about going off topic)


Wait, so u spent $200 but it was only $10? What the hell did u buy?

I think he means that each individual item was under $10, but the total came to $200.

CORRECT!, many items less then $10. To be more specific: many atari systems (including a mint 5200 in box), a genesis, an interactor, an odyssey 500, various games, various controllers, various other crap.

[Raedon]

only at Pawn shops.. several in the area had 100+ SMB/DH carts and decided that once they were gone to go only new consoles..

The pawn show where I got Earthbound for SNES was like that.. they don't even carry games anymore.