Flea Market Frustration

[Cambot]

Today, I went to a flea market I hadn't been to and went into a vendor's cove and saw, literally, rack upon rack of NES, SNES and Genesis games on the wall behind the counter. All you could see were the first row of games, and the others were obscured behind them. I asked the guy if he could take some SNES trays down so I could look through them and he seemed pretty bothered, but he let me browse through about three (out of about 15 racks). I put a couple random games aside just to encourage him to take some more off the shelf, but it didn't work. There were some other shoppers crowded in there and he got distracted, but his wife, who didn't speak English very well (they're an old Asian couple), asked what game I was looking for. I politely said I just wanted to browse and perhaps buy a few. She said they can't do that, so I'm like "Final Fantasy?" The language barrier was thick, and I don't know if she heard me over all the loud noise, but she shook her head "no." She was actually kind of rude, so I just figured if they don't want to let me see the games, they don't get my business. So I just moved on.

The trip was worth it, though, since I did get a complete NES in its box from another, much more polite vendor with everything - two controllers, orange zapper, all hookups and manuals for the system, manual for the zapper, warranty info, a Nintendo Power ad and a huge Nintendo Poster, and four NES games:

SMB/Duck Hunt/World Class Track Meet
Mega Man 4
Battletoads
Super C

All for $30.00

See, the story has a happy ending. I'll still keep my original Nintendo I've played since Christmas 1986 in the box I got today, but now I don't have to hold a séance every time I want to play an NES game. The new one works great.

[Anthony1]

Yeah, usually even though sometimes the Fleas can be a bitch and a waste of time sometimes, usually you always come thru with something. That one thing that makes the day worth it. Of course sometimes you get a bonanza, and then sometimes they are total busts.



You never know. Plus, there are lots of other guys hunting now, and the ebay resellers are hunting, and the sellers are hip to ebay prices. So it's getting harder nowadays, but man.... If you can find a decent Flea that really has some selection going on, and non business like vendors, then you can really have some fun :-P

[ckendal]

Got a complete MINT copy of Castlevania III today at a Flea Market for $3. Hell of a steal.

But I can sympathize with your frustration as I encountered the same at a few other vendors' displays.

BTW where was this flea market? Mine is in MD.

[InsaneDavid]

Man, you guys gotta learn how to talk with the vendors. Like seriously. You should have told him you were interested in a whole BOX. "...see you've got some older games there, how much you want for all of them?" "All?" "yeah, let me see what's in there and I'll let you know" = access. Then you wheel and deal from there. Many times the "business" vendors will have the best stuff at the best prices, because to them they want to move high quantity. Like last week I came upon a new seller - "All these games are $5 (box of PS1 stuff), all these games are $5 (box of SNES stuff), etc." Pretty much anything was $5. It's from these same type sellers that I've been able to grab some Super Famicom games that fetch high prices for $5 - $10.

Also if you said that and then picked out one or two games and were questioned about the box, then you'd just keep going through it. Sometimes buying it all is worth it if there's something in there especially rare.

And remember, we have a flea market thread going...

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=82275

[zektor]

That is good advice. It has been some time since I have been at a flea market (two or so years), but I always ask for the whole box of games first. If you ask for individual titles, they may think you are just picking out "rare" games, and make up some off the wall prices. Asking for the whole box just shows that you like games, and want them all. Heck, I have purchased boxes of 40 or so games for like $30-$40 a shot. I also look kind of grubby when I go (not trying to, but I like to chill and dress down on days off...Guinness hat, ACDC shirt...you know) and this may play a part in getting the deals too. Dress like a business man and shop the flea and they'll think you are made of money!

[Steven]

cambot sorry to hear your frustration. but at least you tried. And now you can prepare for different tactics next time around. David, thanks for pointing out the flea market link.

Ironically, I was the topic starter.

I haven't hit a flea since last week, and last week might be it for a while. I went to the same flea market like 3 times in 5 weeks, lol. I'll wait a few weeks/months before next time I head out there.

[GrandAmChandler]

Man, you guys gotta learn how to talk with the vendors. Like seriously. You should have told him you were interested in a whole BOX. "...see you've got some older games there, how much you want for all of them?" "All?" "yeah, let me see what's in there and I'll let you know" = access. Then you wheel and deal from there. Many times the "business" vendors will have the best stuff at the best prices, because to them they want to move high quantity. Like last week I came upon a new seller - "All these games are $5 (box of PS1 stuff), all these games are $5 (box of SNES stuff), etc." Pretty much anything was $5. It's from these same type sellers that I've been able to grab some Super Famicom games that fetch high prices for $5 - $10.

Also if you said that and then picked out one or two games and were questioned about the box, then you'd just keep going through it. Sometimes buying it all is worth it if there's something in there especially rare.

And remember, we have a flea market thread going...

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=82275


Thanks David, I am gonna lock this, feel free steven to repost this in that thread.

Lock and key.