Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Anyone else notice Flea Market vendors 'catching on' ?

  1. #1
    Pac-Man (Level 10) PDorr3's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    2,988
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default Anyone else notice Flea Market vendors 'catching on' ?

    A recent visit to PN and the fleamarkets this weekend sparked up a thought. I do not have any fleas by me on LI, but when I have gone to them in the past years vendors that carried games in the pile of their used clothes had no idea of their value, so coming across a $2 NES was fairly easy. Come today, more and more vendors are marking the prices of their systems to $20-40 because I am affraid they are catching onto our antics of getting steals from them.
    Maybe its the popularity of eBay, or recent Retro Boom, but when an 80 year old woman starts selling game systems and games for not-so-cheap prices, it gets you wondering, where are they getting these prices from? Not only that but she knew the game names like "sega genesis" instead of simply "games".
    Also I remember when loose NES games could be picked up for at most $1 easily, now we are looking at $5 for a chewed on, drooled on, and who-knows-what-on mario/duckhunt cart.

    So I am wondering, anyone in the recent years notice more inflations on retro games, or is it just me?

    Visit my YouTube page: Pete's Game Room

  2. #2
    ServBot (Level 11) s1lence's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Minnesota : Bitterville
    Posts
    3,159
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    Mightymango

    Default

    I think it depends on the flee market. Some places have no idea what they have and the items are so cheap you almost feel bad. Others know exactly what they have and charge to accordingly. Though I will admit I'm seeing more NES SMB/duckhunt games going for 5 bucks or more, which is a bit excessive. I think ebay is the number one cause of it, with knowledge of the "retro" craze being the second cause.
    Part of the #Vbender Crew


  3. #3
    Insert Coin (Level 0)
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    111
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    I'm pretty new to collecting, only been doing it for about a year and I will say that getting a "steal" on a price is difficult but I have lucked out.....I have a guy at the flea market near me that always offers a fair price, usually lower than most people in my area, plus he has access it seems to anything I need. That and a small videogame store near me that deals in retro games and I'm lucky to not have to deal with ebay and EB and other flea market people that charge 5.00 for Super Mario Bros/ Duckhunt. I just hope the prices of games dont go a lot higher cause I just couldnt afford it.

  4. #4
    Apple (Level 5) Matt-El's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    New Cow Town, WI
    Posts
    1,197
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    Gatchaman17

    Default

    Seeing 5 bucks on a copy of SMB/Duck Hunt isn't that outrageous. I know a person who easily sells the NES Mario games at his store for 5 bucks a piece. And they sell pretty quick.

    Not that I think that It's an appropriate price, but in the market of competitive commerce, If there's a price you know you can get, it is wiser to put that price on it.

  5. #5
    Strawberry (Level 2) Immutable's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    NJ, USA
    Posts
    500
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Yep, I had an experience once trying to buy an Atari 2600 with about 20+ games. I gave the woman an offer to buy, and she paused and asked a family member about it. Then she explained that she would make more on eBay. I should have told her that she should try to sell on eBay if she wanted those prices, not at the local flea market. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only time I bumped into a "knowledgeable" vendor. But in any case, I'm getting a bad feeling about this as you are, PDorr3.

  6. #6
    Apple (Level 5)
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Posts
    1,172
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Immutable
    Yep, I had an experience once trying to buy an Atari 2600 with about 20+ games. I gave the woman an offer to buy, and she paused and asked a family member about it. Then she explained that she would make more on eBay. I should have told her that she should try to sell on eBay if she wanted those prices, not at the local flea market. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only time I bumped into a "knowledgeable" vendor. But in any case, I'm getting a bad feeling about this as you are, PDorr3.
    i got something similar @ a garage sale...but it was for a bmx bike part(frame)....she said' it's worth $600 on ebay but i gave her $50 offer..it's worth $250 @ the local bike shop
    GOOD SELLER'S: lone_monster, *BUYER"S**FantasiaWHT , The_Chosen_One, max 330 mega, DDCecil, video_game_addict, optic_85, **underexposed+ **, Querjek, buffquinn, Crush Crawfish, The Collector, pseudonym, bobdrywalls , charitycasegreg, y-bot, Captain Yashiro, ** Lady Jaye**,, buttasuperb

  7. #7
    Insert Coin (Level 0)
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    186
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    There is one vendor who I have used the past two months I have gone to the flea market, who charges a base of $20 dollars for every system, without hookups. His games are priced straight $5 though, so I suppose he's just selling because he knows of a retro craze going on. Im in an area where its all NES craze as of right now, and I pray im not going to start one with the Genesis by buying up lots and lots of stuff and talking about it at college. I haven't run into many knowledgeable vendors yet though, I bought an Atari 2600 for 50 cents my first week. I just hope the vendor's don't catch on to what the papers are in my hand when I look at their goods :-) I carry a rarity guide EVERYWHERE I go to shop.

  8. #8
    Ladd Spencer (Level 17) Captain Wrong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    twiddle your ball sack Indiana
    Posts
    9,092
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    Captain Wrong
    PSN
    Captain Wrong

    Default

    Here
    Here
    Here
    Here
    Here
    and here.

    Those are just a few of the many threads about thrifts and fleas raising their prices on retrogaming goodies. So to answer your question, yes, we're noticing.

Similar Threads

  1. Flea Market Woes
    By RetroRich in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 10-24-2011, 08:31 AM
  2. Going to a flea market...
    By 369WIERDO369 in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 04-29-2009, 11:02 PM
  3. New Flea Market, 1; Me, 0
    By zdan80 in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 07-06-2007, 12:16 PM
  4. Flea Market
    By ckymanchav in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 07-23-2006, 05:38 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •