Thrift stores raising prices in response to Ebay "flipp

[Anthony1]

Man, in my local area it appears that all the various thrft stores that I've been to have increased their prices quite a bit. When I first got into retrogaming I started hitting up thrift stores with great regularity. I was always on the thrift hunt. So I got a pretty good feel for the prices.

Then I started to move away from the collection side of the deal, and became more of a strict gamer.


Recently I've started to hit the thrifts again, looking for extra systems, and a possible huge find, and I've noticed that after not being at the thrifts for quite a few months, the prices have seem to have shot up pretty dramatically.

I talked to one lady that works at this one thrift that you used to be my favorite thrift, my No.1 thrift, and she said that all the thrifts are raising their prices because of all the "flippers" in the thrift market. She said that so many people would come to the thrifts looking for stuff to sell on Ebay or at flea markets/swap meets. They wanted to buy stuff cheap then flip it.

She said because of all the extra business they get from "flippers" they can hike up the prices and still have lots of customers buying stuff.


The bottom line in all of this crap is that stuff is so overpriced at all the thrifts I go to, it's a freaking joke.

[dojosky]

Yep I remember my old days when I first started collecting I was able to find tons of games for 50 cents each at my local goodwills yea including Boxed crazy climber for the 2600 it was onlt 50 cents plus Malagai loose for the 2600 50 cents and Many more ... but these days have to shell out $3 or even more for a Pac-Man for the 2600 or even Combat !!! ...

[Kroogah]

Thrift stores are getting drier and drier here. But there's always that one damn find. You know, the one that reminds you why you've been checking the place for years, and why you'll continue to check the place for years.

For a looooong time, all I ever saw at Goodwill here was random Genesis sports stuff, always around $3 each. A couple weeks ago I walk in, and walk out with a working Colecovision and 8 working games. Cost? $10.

Now I gotta deal with another few years of $3 Madden games.

[Richter Belmount]

bastards

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I hear ya, dude. It always pisses me off when vendors or thrift owners try selling me something for inflated prices, to only then tell me how much money they could get off of Ebay if they sold their items there. So go ahead and sell them on Ebay then. x_x

[Bluteg]

Yeah a Goodwill Superstore about 50 miles from me does that all Atari-era games are $3.99 and 8-16 bit era are $4.99. Its always junk games and the scary thing is these damn old ladies scarf them up thinking they are gonna make a fortune on ebay. This place can't even keep $3.99 Combats on the shelf, they are always gone in a day or less.

[-hellvin-]

I'd agree on systems, but every once in a while I will find a decent game for a price which is usually much lower than I'd pay in any game store. So, ya know, it's hit and miss.

[G4MZ0v3R]

Yeah its funny to see all those 4.99$ Mario/Duck Hunts laying around. Right next to a R4-5 title for the same. I try and keep a straight face when I go to the counter

[Griking]

Ebay or not I think the reason that thrift stores raise their prices is simply because they can and people will still buy the used games there. Only when they get to the point where they don't sell any more will they have a reason to lower their prices. Otherwise why should they?

[Spartacus]

I stopped at a local Pawn shop last week and picked out several games I'm looking for, brought them to the counter and the first thing he say's is "Are you selling those on Ebay?" That's a comment I'm starting to hear more and more of lately whenever I bring several games to the counter for purchase. Even from places like Blockbuster and EB games where the employee's don't even set the prices. "Just a hobby" I always say, "Like collecting stamps or coins". Disbelief is the usual attitude I receive, but in this guy's case it almost seemed like open hostility.

[pookninja]

yep,ive noticed the same thing about the thrift stores in my area as well.what happends is,all the good stuff gets bought,and the thrift store(especially goodwill)are left with quite a few mario/ duckhunts,sonic 2,and old sports games that nobody wants to pay 2-5 dollars for.one of the goodwills i always like going to,used to sell all nes/genesis/snes.atari carts for 75 cents.now there all 2-4 dollars.because of that,they now have about 15 genesis sports games just laying there,taking up space,because no one is buying them,not even on half off day.

[Flack]

If the cashier asks "are you gonna eBay those?" it's only because she hears it all day long. I'm sure there are a steady stream of people coming in and buying stuff for the sole purpose of reselling it.

I've had the occasional cashier mention eBay to me too. I just usually tell them, "no, I still have my old Atari, as well as about 30 other gaming systems all hooked up and ready to go! Games are for playing!" or something like that. Half the time the cashier will break into a story about games they remember playing as well.

The best is if you find an old system or something, I've had people start conversations with me while I'm in line holding an Atari 2600 or a NES.

[GamblinMonkey]

I've pretty much given up on thrift stores around here. There never were many video games in them period. My usual place for finds is this big video game store that sells mostly used games. They seem to carry loads of obscure systems and games.

Their prices also aren't that bad either, that may be from the fact that I'm pretty much the only person who buys all of their old stuff. More than likely, it's because they're just as oblivious to what they really have as the pawn shops are. Just they don't look at something and automatically think it's gold where the pawn shops see plastic cartridges = $$$.

It's also always a fun time confusing the "knowledgable" sales people.

"Umm... what system is this for? I can't find it here..."
"That's because you're looking at the CDs. It's a Turbo Grafx-16 game."
"...."
"It's a little card. It just comes in a CD case."
"Oh..."

Speaking of which, I think I'll make a trip out there in a couple of hours...

[jajaja]

Sux, but if you owned a store you would probly do just the same.
If you can get more money and still sell alot, why not raise the prices?

[kainemaxwell]

Local Salvation Army shop usually has games (various systems) for roughly $1-2 and sometimes higher.

[Slate]

My local goodwill still has NFL97 games for the saturn. Complete and mint, But at $8 per copy? Forget it.. They have had them since october 2004.

[drwily008]

I hear ya, dude. It always pisses me off when vendors or thrift owners try selling me something for inflated prices, to only then tell me how much money they could get off of Ebay if they sold their items there. So go ahead and sell them on Ebay then. x_x

Yeah totally pisses me of, GO SELL IT THEN MAN!

I've got this guy at a flea market by me that always says that crap! Yet, strangely his horribly priced beat up nintendo & loose genesis games are always the same week in & week out! Sell them lower to turn them over quicker! Should get the hell out of the business. I'm always so nice to him but he's rude back to me (for trying to haggle...it's a DAMN FLEA MARKET)!

[Cauterize]

I hear ya, dude. It always pisses me off when vendors or thrift owners try selling me something for inflated prices, to only then tell me how much money they could get off of Ebay if they sold their items there. So go ahead and sell them on Ebay then. x_x

Yeah totally pisses me of, GO SELL IT THEN MAN!

I've got this guy at a flea market by me that always says that crap! Yet, strangely his horribly priced beat up nintendo & loose genesis games are always the same week in & week out! Sell them lower to turn them over quicker! Should get the hell out of the business. I'm always so nice to him but he's rude back to me (for trying to haggle...it's a DAMN FLEA MARKET)!

I Saw the same today, a banged up Megadrive II for £25 with 4 loose common games... (Just sighed and walked on...)

Another point is after paying £xxx/$xxx how do we know it will work when we get home?

[JJNova]

Ebay or not I think the reason that thrift stores raise their prices is simply because they can and people will still buy the used games there. Only when they get to the point where they don't sell any more will they have a reason to lower their prices. Otherwise why should they?

Damn Supply and Demand!

:P

[vintagegamecrazy]

I hear all of you, everyone needs to shut up about ebay in thrift stores. Too many brag about selling when they shop, and they're stupid for doing that, the longer store owners and the like stay ignorant, the better it is for us as collectors and resellers. I feel for all of you that have to pay such high prices for stuff, in isn't any fun but stay faithful and it will pay off someday, it always does for me.