Today's Trade-Ins [DP Store]

[strassy]

what do you give someone for a scratched copy of GTA 3, a nickel?

[digitalpress]

what do you give someone for a scratched copy of GTA 3, a nickel?

Rather than appear to be shafting our customers, we simply don't take things like these in trade anymore. I am overloaded on old sports games as well, I just explain that I don't have anywhere to put them!

[Mayhem]

To be fair if I was running a games store I'd have similar policies. No sports games over two years old for example.

[PingvinBlueJeans]

Anyone who's been in my store basement knows what I'm talking about. There's a second store just waiting to be born there - or some major initiative on eBay.

You definitely have enough to stock another store.

[WanganRunner]

You definitely have enough to stock another store.

You should just liquidate it online, but not on FeeBay, just whip up your own online store.

Like that "one dollar videogames" store that BRE set up awhile back. You'd already have several thousand potential customers from the membership base of the forum that is unable to shop in your brick-and-mortar store.

You'd be surprised how many takers you might get for some of that "undesirable" stuff if it was priced low enough.

[Volcanon]

eBay unfortunately sucks nowadays - they are AGAIN raising their fees, all the way up to 8% for stuff under $25, also known as almost every game. Combined with Pay(not)pal, and you are looking at 15%.

[geneshifter]

You should just liquidate it online, but not on FeeBay, just whip up your own online store.

Like that "one dollar videogames" store that BRE set up awhile back. You'd already have several thousand potential customers from the membership base of the forum that is unable to shop in your brick-and-mortar store.

You'd be surprised how many takers you might get for some of that "undesirable" stuff if it was priced low enough.

Yup, I would LOVE to buy from you Joe. I wish I lived closer so I could go to your store.

[dsullo]

Hey Joe I found you last few posts a great read. Congrats on getting in those rare gems. Funny we were just talking about this very topic a few weeks ago. You are working in the environment that you want to work in. Doing what you want to do. You work hard , I believe it. But you report to noone (except maybe your wife). Taking a passion/hobby like video games and turning it into a fulltime job is a huge undertaking. You have made it look easy. I wish I could do something similar but I have a wife and 2 kids that depend on me. So God Bless you, I will live vicariously through you. Keep the updates coming....

[blissfulnoise]

Yeah, while the idea of having a sealed Chrono Trigger fall into your lap is extremely appealing, keep in mind it's a "trade-in of the year" type of situation. And even then, at best, he'd make about $400 profit selling it on eBay. Not exactly "change your life" sort of money.

Also keep in mind that Joe has extremely high goodwill from the community both online and in his area. People seek him out to unload their old games. Having several friends who have and do own videogame stores, their situations aren't always similar. And just listening on all the crap they have to deal with on their distributers makes me remember why I never wanted to open my own store.

Every time my friends get cool things (Duo games, Boxed NES stuff, etc) there is a definite tinge of jealousy, but then I remember how much crap they have to sift through to get to the interesting stuff.

This thread is fun to keep track of to see what people bring in, but keep a bit of perspective on it.

[Cornelius]

Hey Joe I found you last few posts a great read. Congrats on getting in those rare gems. Funny we were just talking about this very topic a few weeks ago. You are working in the environment that you want to work in. Doing what you want to do. You work hard , I believe it. But you report to noone (except maybe your wife). Taking a passion/hobby like video games and turning it into a fulltime job is a huge undertaking. You have made it look easy. I wish I could do something similar but I have a wife and 2 kids that depend on me. So God Bless you, I will live vicariously through you. Keep the updates coming....

This is pretty much what I was thinking, along with some of what the previous post says. I'd only add that it is great that Joe has been able to keep his flair for the hobby. I know several people that turned a hobby they loved into a job they hate. That's why I'll only dream of opening a brew-pub, and never actually do it.

[Cornelius]

at best, he'd make about $400 profit selling it on eBay. Not exactly "change your life" sort of money.

You think he paid ~600 for it? I'm curious, but that's one of those things I wouldn't actually ask, kind of like a woman and her age.

[digitalpress]

Today, lots of trade-ins but nothing particularly interesting. I'll list a few of the items but without the "I thought this was cool" bold text and commentary

PS2 Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Controller
PS2 Vampire Night (complete)
GameCube Super Smash Bros Melee (compete)

... and ironically, two items that have already been mentioned.

GameCube Mario Party 7 (complete, yes, with the box and mic)
PS2 Final Fantasy XI (complete kit with hard drive, yes I'll put a "collectors only" sticker on it)

I told the Chrono Trigger guy I'd be back in the store Thursday thru Saturday, so maybe he'll turn up again and make for a more interesting post!

[blissfulnoise]

You think he paid ~600 for it? I'm curious, but that's one of those things I wouldn't actually ask, kind of like a woman and her age.

I wasn't sure what you meant, but I started to look around. I guess the last one went went for a grand. That's pretty impressive. Maybe not duplicatable, but impressive.

Regardless I'll stand by my point wether it's $900, $400, $999 in profit or otherwise.

[evil_genius]

Maybe he'll bring an NWC next time.

[TonyTheTiger]

Maybe he'll bring an NWC next time.

What's funny is that an NWC cart is something he could probably wave around above his head in the seediest part of town and have no trouble at all. But if anyone within 15 feet of Digital Press even thinks he has something like that in his pocket he just might get mugged. Strange, huh?

[RadiantSvgun]

Today, lots of trade-ins but nothing particularly interesting. I'll list a few of the items but without the "I thought this was cool" bold text and commentary

No slants anymore? I'm surprised that no Neo-geo stuff has come through the store. Do you not get it traded in the store that often?

[digitalpress]

Today.

Wii System (complete but unboxed) - traded in along with Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Strikers Charged, Sonic and Mario Olympics, and Need For Speed Carbon. Everything was in great shape. Unfortunately I think this was stolen. The two guys that brought this in seem to come up with this kind of stuff a little too often and I look at things like profiles on handhelds and Mii characters on Wii systems - and none of these ever "match". I can't prove anything but it leaves me with an unsettling feeling.

[mnbren05]

Nice. Their is a guy who comes to the local fast food joints offering to sell systems that he "Just found in the newspaper ads" "Or my brother/sister/mother in law didn't want anymore". Selling unboxed Wii's for $220 or a DS for $100. Tempting, but I just cannot allow myself to buy any of them for fear they are stolen.

[TonyTheTiger]

Today.

Wii System (complete but unboxed) - traded in along with Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Strikers Charged, Sonic and Mario Olympics, and Need For Speed Carbon. Everything was in great shape. Unfortunately I think this was stolen. The two guys that brought this in seem to come up with this kind of stuff a little too often and I look at things like profiles on handhelds and Mii characters on Wii systems - and none of these ever "match". I can't prove anything but it leaves me with an unsettling feeling.

You don't have to worry about being charged with accepting stolen goods if that's what you're worried about. For that to happen you pretty much have to know it's stolen. But obviously you're talking more about moral concerns. I think it's kind of a tricky situation. On one hand you can say that you aren't accepting whatever they bring in and make up a reason why. Of course when they're bringing you a Wii it becomes hard to say that you've got too many as it is. The other option is to just come out and say you think the stuff is hot but then you're in the bad position of risking being wrong and not only insulting the guys bringing the stuff in but also risking word spreading that you're the store that makes false accusations.

[Mianrtcv]

I can't prove anything but it leaves me with an unsettling feeling.

I agree. Tough to deal with this situation. Primarily because you don't know what the truth is, suspicions aside. Just keep an eye out for their patterns if they develop. Do they come in at certain times/days. If they are thieves, as we all know thieves are opportunists that do bite the hand that feeds. I'd be curious to catch a glimpse of them on the store cam.

EDIT: Just caught the tigers comment. As far as possesion of stolen property issues the law is murky and not always so clear. When a prosecutor sees a set of circumstances he may see potential for a conviction one way or the other and that is their goal...
Case in point: if this seller is a thief and gets caught... he says he is just a pawn for his fences and tries to give up other persons that bought his items. Thieves always blame... someone else!!! Just a slant on the law. Not always a level playing field.