Link for Jack Berg sales

[AAA177]

I was checking out a link on this site for a wholesale liquidator called Jack Berg Sales. Was curious if people who have bought from this company can tell me a little bit about the experience. Looks like I can't just place an order, it has to be by money order primarily, and there appears to be no guarantee the order will be filled (i.e., others may have beaten me to the stock). I don't know if my understanding on this is correct or not, however. Do these games end up in other sellers' hands and are they usually put up for sale quickly? I was thinking that for maybe a bit of a premium it would be easier to buy from, say, an Amazon seller.

 

The prices seem too good to be true. As an example, is Donkey Kong for the 2600 really $15? I've seen new copies of that go for a lot of money.

[Keatah]

Years ago I bought something from them and had no issues.

[freewheel]

These sorts of places are pretty legit. And Donkey Kong is one of the most common 2600 games, anyone who pays even $15 for it is being ripped off. And this guy charges $5 shipping in the US for a single game?? I dunno man, I'm happier with my 50 cent loose DKs that I have 8 of. Cardboard ain't worth $19.50 to me.

 

These liquidators basically demonstrate why Ebay prices are really unrealistic for a lot of common stuff. We literally have brand new Atari games sitting on shelves, by the THOUSANDS, unsold. 30 years after the Crash. This guy even has unopened Supercharger games for $15, which many people seem to think are some sort of highly-valued collector's item these days.

 

There was a liquidator about 15 years ago who had NIB 2600 and 7800 games, and was selling them for like $1 a piece. Why the hell I didn't grab a ton off them is beyond me (shipping seemed "too high" and I was poorer back then). Place had an Irish sounding name. From what I recall, they had something like 10,000 of each game on the shelves, purchased for pennies on. Still kicking myself over that one, but I do recall most of their inventory and those titles tend to be the most common CIB 2600/7800 out there as a result. Of course people are trying to get $20+ for them.

[Zwackery]

Just search the forum for O'Shea or O'Shea's

[Zwackery]

I was checking out a link on this site for a wholesale liquidator called Jack Berg Sales. Was curious if people who have bought from this company can tell me a little bit about the experience. Looks like I can't just place an order, it has to be by money order primarily, and there appears to be no guarantee the order will be filled (i.e., others may have beaten me to the stock). I don't know if my understanding on this is correct or not, however. Do these games end up in other sellers' hands and are they usually put up for sale quickly? I was thinking that for maybe a bit of a premium it would be easier to buy from, say, an Amazon seller.

 

The prices seem too good to be true. As an example, is Donkey Kong for the 2600 really $15? I've seen new copies of that go for a lot of money.

 

You will not make money buying from Jack Berg sales and then flipping on eBay. Maybe you'll find one clueless buyer in one hundred, but generally it is not a viable get rich quick scheme. Atari's release of DK for the 2600 NIB is a $5 title. DK Jr. might get you $10. (Coleco releases of those titles for the 2600 might get you a bit more.)

[bojay1997]

Jack Berg has been around for many years, but they have sold most of their merchandise and what's left is in pretty crappy shape. In fact, someone from a hi-fi collector site I sometimes visit took a trip to their warehouse a while back and posted pictures of how they store stuff. Stacks of dented cartons piled up on the floor and water leaks and dirt/dust everywhere. In any event, I had mixed luck with them even 15 years ago when they were selling games on Ebay. Some items were perfect, others looked like they got run over by a truck. I doubt they have much of interest left and as others said, most of the games they have listed can be readily purchased on Ebay for the same or less.

[tremoloman2006]

I thought about buying from them before but after your post bojay I'd have to agree it would be a risk.

I searched the internet and found the pictures you mentioned... not taken very well of at all:

 

 

 

[freewheel]

I think the days of the awesome liquidator deals are behind us. Anything Atari-related has long since been sold, or ended up in what are basically rubbish dumps as shown in those pics. At this point I seriously doubt much pre-Playstation (ie: cartridge) media is out in liquidator land. Between the sheer number of years, and how quickly retro game collecting has grown, there just isn't much opportunity for those rare scores.

 

And it's weird, because something has changed in retail. With every console, you used to eventually find them for like $20 on clearance. Games for a buck or two, that sort of thing. But lately? The PS2 disappeared from shelves and I don't remember them going much below $50. Games occasionally hit $5 but for the most part they seem to stop around $8-10. And christ, PS3s are still selling for $200, and that system is what, 8 years old now? I seriously doubt manufacturers are producing only to demand, either, because it seems like stores are stuffed with unsold games for years - and then suddenly they're all gone, and I'm not finding them in liquidators like I used to. I almost wonder if we're seeing another side-effect of globalization, where all this stuff is being shipped overseas once it's had its run here.

 

I picked up a couple of PS Vita games for $1.50 the other day from Toys 'r Us, simply because it's been so long since I've seen unused games anywhere close to that kind of price. *Someone* out there is sitting on millions up on millions of unopened PS2 and Xbox games, I can tell you that. Unless this stuff is being recycled.

[CRV]

*Someone* out there is sitting on millions up on millions of unopened PS2 and Xbox games, I can tell you that. Unless this stuff is being recycled.

 

Maybe one day we'll see unopened PS2 and Xbox games turn up in Venezuela.

[Crazy Climber]

Yeah, toys r us actually does have some steals now and then

[AAA177]

Thanks for all these replies, I really appreciate this information. It helps in my decision.

 

I wasn't going to flip anything I may have purchased from this seller (although I can see why you thought that might have been my intent). When I buy something Atari-related, it is to keep and play. I like new stuff because it has all the components in it (usually) -- instructions, catalog (a new catalog is almost the best part), etc. I also like new stuff because worn/dirty merchandise is not appealing to me...I have a bit of a germ phobia, and buying used stuff is honestly rough on me; I've done it, but it is tough (keeps me from fully enjoying the hobby, as there are some games I would love to play but only come used these days).

[Crazy Climber]

There are a few people in the Nintendo scene that paid big bucks for sealed Mario bros, Donkey Kong, etc since NES prices for those games are insane right now but rest assured, there are plenty o fthem to go around in the atari world and I wouldn't pay more than 10 bucks unless you really want it bad.