Classic Game Price Hikers Really Chap My Ace!

[Christopher T Leach]

Do You Think It Is Cool For Video Game Stores To Give You $2.35 In Store Credit For Your Classic Game And Then Sell It For $22.95?

 

If you do not think this is fair then you need to review this forum!

 

"Game Traders", A local video game store in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan thinks that is the ok practice. This makes me furious and I can not take it anymore.

 

"Video Games Plus". A local video game store in Saginaw, Michigan thinks that it is ok practice and they are worse then that. I sold them a factory sealed copy of Guitaroo Man for the PS2 and they gave me $10.00 in store credit. I go in there the next week and it is in their display case for $80.00. How is this fair? Final Fantasy VII PS1 Greatest Hits $149.99? Are you kidding me? A close buddy traded in his super nes, final fantasy II, final fantasy III, super metroid, final fantasy VI for the advance, super mario world, a couple other super nes titles and got one PS1 game, lunar silver star and it was missing disc 1? When the owners were confronted they said the kid was trying to rip them off and they opened the game box in the store to show the kid there was 3 discs. This is cool but the third disc was the music cd. Why rip off the children of our future?

 

Has anyone ever been to a video game store and they just raped you?

 

Where are the descent video game stores in Michigan or in the USA that you think we should shop at?

 

I will say I have personally stepped foot in that Trade-N-Games store in Auburn, Missouri and that store really had some fair prices. As far as buying goes, his rare stuff was priced above fair and his common stuff was practically free.

 

I am personally sick of all the price hiking on classic games. If the store has a title and it is priced $22.95, you might think that $2.35 is not a fair price for a trade in credit wouldn't ya?

 

Another good store in Michigan to buy from is "The Game Exchange" in Midland Michigan. His priced are fair and his cash credit is better than EB games for sure. If you need a good game like Mega Man X 2 it is only $30.00 bucks last time i checked. That is not too steep...

 

Then there is "Game Hits" in Lansing, Michigan that guy is the stuff. Ive bought 2 Neo Geo AES systems from him now and each time I think I am getting a better Deal.

 

And you cant forget "Game Hits" in Muskegon, Michigan. The owner is a cool guy as far as guys go and he has some descent stuff once in awhile.

 

Both Game Hits still accept trade in on Strategy Guides.!!!! That is pretty sweet!

 

 

There is a game store in Grand Rapids, Michigan cal something like "Vide-its" or close, but he operates out of his front porch to his home. Kind of tacky but I picked up about 100 Atari manuals and catalogs for $20.00. Fair is Fair. he said 20 i said ok. He carried all the classics and then some.

 

I cant think of many more but the price hiking needs to stop.

 

Why would you sell Donkey Kong Country SNES for almost $24.00? Im confused because you can buy it at Game Crazy whenever they have it for $4.99.

 

Why would "Video Games Plus" sell madden 2001 on the N64 for $14.95? Why would they sell Tapper loose for $65.00? These prices are ungodly and they need to be talked about.

 

Concerned gamers, think you are getting ripped off?

 

 

Leave your post here!

 

 

I bought Final Fantasy VII greatest hits at Game Crazy in Salt Lake City for $3.33.

I bought Pirates! Gold at Game Crazy in Reno Nevada for $3.33.

 

 

Those are good finds, but there is no need to sell them for masses of money to pay your rent by ripping off little kids, let alone rip me off!!!!!!!!!!!

[Albert]

Nobody is twisting your arm for you to sell your used games for a pittance at game stores. I know I wouldn't go this route to sell games. Sell your games on eBay or Craigslist or on forums such as this if you want a fair price. As long as people keep selling their games for $2 each for in-store credit, the game stores will keep taking advantage of this and make a handsome profit by selling them for 10 times as much.

 

..Al

[Atarimania75]

Nobody is twisting your arm for you to sell your used games for a pittance at game stores. I know I wouldn't go this route to sell games. Sell your games on eBay or Craigslist or on forums such as this if you want a fair price. As long as people keep selling their games for $2 each for in-store credit, the game stores will keep taking advantage of this and make a handsome profit by selling them for 10 times as much.

 

..Al

 

100% Agreed

[Gregory DG]

Yup. Why not sell the games for the price(s) they did and take them out of the equation?

[Albert]

Yup. Why not sell the games for the price(s) they did and take them out of the equation?

Unfortunately I don't think many people realize they are being taken advantage of when they go into a Gamestop or EB Games or some similar store and then practically give away their games towards in-store credit. Anytime I'm in one of these stores and I see someone selling games (or systems) and I hear what the clerk offers, I have to resist shouting, "RIPOFF!" and telling the customer to sell their games elsewhere. Some people are also just lazy and take the easy route, since selling via CL or eBay is more work. And/or they've gotta have that "new game" Right Freakin' Now and if they can help offset the cost by selling a few games they no longer play, all the better.. Instant gratification, man!

 

..Al

[Lemmi]

i learn from funcoland to never sell them my games to chain store because they didnt give you shit for them, but a guy at the trade center would give you a much better price for your game and then jack his price up only alittle when he tried to sell it

ive gotten alot of pricey games from him for dirt cheap because i brought him my games instead of going to other places

[FastRobPlus]

Evil idea. Find a game that does not appear on eBay very often, like a c64 or Atari 800 game that's rare but not very valuable.

Photograph and list one on eBay with a buy it now price of $700.

Go to the store and see if they will offer you $10. If they are evil, chances are they are checkign eBay when they evlauate your trade. If they see the listign they will want to snag your game! If they offer $10, hold out for $40-$50, then sell it to them!

 

Okay, kind of far-fetched, but if they are super-greedy, they might fall for a ploy like that one.

[christianscott27]

Indie used games stores are a blessing and a curse. Sure their prices and trade-ins suck but they're the only place in town that'll be selling the old stuff. Its not like they get rich either, every place I've ever been to has gone out of business or gone the flea market route. I used to curse these guys and their rip-offs but they're just sad bastards trying to turn a hobby into a living. Its pretty much the same kind of mark-up of stock you'd seen in any retail store, the trade in process just makes it personal. Used CD and comic book stores are the same way, they rip you off but they foster a personal connection to a nerd hobby and thats cool... and increasingly rare in the online age. As a kid I used to waste afternoons hanging around radio shack and the comic book store, I see non-chain game shops in the same way.

[jboypacman]

Video Games Plus is the biggest rip-off artist when it comes to trading in games.This is one of thoses "mom and pop"game shops in my and Neonesmaster's area.These guys make me so mad.You go in there and they have some good stuff i need like 2600 Tapper but they want $65 for it loose! And they wont move on there prices either.I try to talk them down one day on a Atari 5200 game and just kept telling me no.Every once in a while you can find something priced good in there but its rare.Thank goodness for AtariAge and the marketplace its help me alot with my little collection(and Neonesmaster helped too ).If your in Saginaw,MI just avoid Video Games Plus trust me you wont miss it.

[AtariJr]

theres a place in dayton ohio called vacs and vids... they have a wonderful selection of older games, including sega cd and jaguar.. odd systems like that.. even tg16 and vextrex stuff.

 

however, thier trade is horrible, esp on the newer stuff *ironically*. They offered 3 dollars for my gamecube screen when i was thinkin of sellin it. they also tried to give me 4 dollars for fatal fury special on the sega cd.

 

i just didnt sell them. not like i was under contract. last time i decided to go there someone was selling a sega nomad with like 4 or 5 games and got 15 bucks.. what a rip. havent gone back there , screw em

[Scumdogg]

theres a place in dayton ohio called vacs and vids...

 

 

Oh my god, i just went to Vacs and Videos a few months ago after a couple years of living in the Dayton area and not knowing about it....that place absolutely ruined my week. Such a shame to see so many overpriced games that'll just rot there, probably to be burned for insurance money when the place finally goes under. I moved to Dayton with the promise of better and more diverse hunting grounds, but i don't know of a single good game store closer than Cincinatti.

 

As for trade-in credit, stores don't do it to help you, they do it to turn a profit, and a good one at that. Trading in games is a sucker's bet no matter where you go.

[FABombjoy]

"Game Traders", A local video game store in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan thinks that is the ok practice. This makes me furious and I can not take it anymore.

Yeah, but their selection kind of sucks anyway. Plus they stopped selling for most classic systems.

 

Another good store in Michigan to buy from is "The Game Exchange" in Midland Michigan. His priced are fair and his cash credit is better than EB games for sure. If you need a good game like Mega Man X 2 it is only $30.00 bucks last time i checked. That is not too steep...

Agreed - I used to make the trip to Midland just to visit his store. Nice guy, great conversation too. Claimed that he had an attic full of treasures - like NIB Vectrex units. I offered to help climb around and take inventory. Never got the chance.

 

Then there is "Game Hits" in Lansing, Michigan that guy is the stuff. Ive bought 2 Neo Geo AES systems from him now and each time I think I am getting a better Deal.

The first time I saw an AES at Game Hits, it came with about 10 common games & he had it priced at $1100. Took years to sell. Same with the $300 Vectrex. I used to go there, but got tired of the rude staff & the (eBay/DP) * 150% prices.

 

There is a game store in Grand Rapids, Michigan cal something like "Vide-its" or close, but he operates out of his front porch to his home. Kind of tacky but I picked up about 100 Atari manuals and catalogs for $20.00. Fair is Fair. he said 20 i said ok. He carried all the classics and then some.

Vidiots - small but definitely decent prices. Got a CIB Military Madness there for $20 once. Truly a home-based business.

 

Those are good finds, but there is no need to sell them for masses of money to pay your rent by ripping off little kids, let alone rip me off!!!!!!!!!!!

If you don't like the price, don't do business. Argue with them a little - you won't get anywhere but sometimes it makes you feel better. I know I have before.

 

There used to be a place in Lansing, don't remember the name, but sold all manner of collectables, including classic games. I tried to make a deal on a lot of games once and was told "WE are a retail store, NOT a flea market." I thought, "well, if this were a flea market, the prices would be lower and I could be eating a hot dog right now".

 

In short: I rarely set foot in gaming stores anymore. I'd rather buy from private parties online.

[homerwannabee]

I wonder if some game store have another reason for putting extremly high prices on rarer items. like some stores will put up stuff just to show off what they have without fully intending to sell. That way when they have a ridiculous price they don't have to constantly answer how much they are willing to sell the not for sell item.

[Jess Ragan]

Yeah, Game Traders kind of blows. I go in there from time to time and I rarely leave with a purchase. They do offer a buy two, get one free deal for games and DVDs but they retconned it so that your free game can only be worth $16 or less. That's pretty worthless when you consider that all the good stuff there is at least twenty clams.

 

JR

[jboypacman]

GameExchange is a great little "Mom and Pop" gameshop.Richard and his wife Beverly are the nice people you are going to meet.I had to go to Midland today and i stopped in a picked up three Sega Genesis games on the cheap and am stopping back next week to check out some Colecovision games and more Sega Genesis games he is supposed to be bring in for me to see.Just a liitle hole in the wall place but they do very well there.

[jboypacman]

Fabombjoy GameExchange did have about six Vectrex units in there at one point.The units didnt have the boxes but alot of the games he had for it did.He had the light pen for one of the units he sold too.My Vectrex and games that i bought from a co-worker came from there.

[Video]

I've actually gotten a good haul a couple of times at various places when someone just walked in with a complete system and a bunch of games and the store clerk offers X ammount. A couple of times, I would just walk over and offer the dude like 3 times that (which is still a rippoff for what it's worth) And actually gotten the deal cause I'd offer cash to them instead of credit.

 

Heh, I've been kicked out of the store once or twice too, but hey, there's no law that says I can't offer someone more money than you do for their shit (just like there's no law that says they have to sell it to you)

 

I am the local gametrader here, no store yet, but I plan on haveing one some time. And I'll basically buy the things for about two thirds of what I might sell it for. I think it's more fair that way. As for priceing, heck, you pretty much still have to go the Ebay rout, as there's not really a set in stone collectors guide for games (especially newer ones that people are interestedin dealing with most) To bad there's not a book like Wizard or Becket for Games...

[Christopher T Leach]

Gotta add another game store in Indiana into this forum. I once bought a ton of atari games from here complete for two dollars apiece. they have since gone into the Nazihood of selling used video games but they are still worth checking out for rare stuff all the way back to atari and odyssey. the place is called McVans. they were descent at one time but not so much any more.

 

also check out the atari warehouse. video61. they are somewhere in Wisconsin i think, but their prices have gone way up. i bought a brand new in box factory sealed atari jaguar for 100 bones 5 or six years ago. now they want 249.99

 

what the XXXX

 

either way

 

game stores are somethin, i prefer flea markets. like the dixieland on dixie highway in michigan near west bloomfield.

 

good finds once in a while,.

 

i introduced my buddy jboypacman to a flea market in harrison and also bay city and he goes there to find goods. i once got frogger II threedeep for 3 bucks then the guy tried to jack up the price after i bought it?

 

how do you do that????

 

no clue

[Jess Ragan]

I am the local gametrader here, no store yet, but I plan on haveing one some time. And I'll basically buy the things for about two thirds of what I might sell it for.

 

Careful, warrior! You're going to end up with a lot of stock and no way to get rid of it.

 

JR

[Video]

I am the local gametrader here, no store yet, but I plan on haveing one some time. And I'll basically buy the things for about two thirds of what I might sell it for.

 

Careful, warrior! You're going to end up with a lot of stock and no way to get rid of it.

 

JR

 

Yeah, that's the problem with buying new stuff, it's ALWAYS going down in value, you gotta dump it quick or you'll end up stuck wiht it. Of course....some of the time that's a good thing (years down the road)

 

But I'd never offer someone say 1% of the value of something, no matter what it was. And I see that WAY to much at a lot of game stores.

[Rik]

Thats the same story with EVERYTHING that is bought and resold.Every one calls sellers ripoff artists when selling games at prices they see as too high,but when the tables are turned,and the BUYER BECOMES SELLER,the same thing is attemped..to sell the game for a much higher price,off course.No one twists your arm to sell or buy anyway,and those" ripp off artists "are savvy enough to realize that there will always be people out there who are WILLING to pay the high prices,its their right to do so,a game may seem too high in price to me,but to another its" whatever man",they say,and the games gets snatched up,happens to me all the time,especially on ebay,thats life.With that said,high prices for classic games is good for resale,better that,i mean, i would want my games to be worth more than $2-5 each,after you collect stuff thats 20-30 years old,thats part of the joy of collecting,that your stuff is becoming more valuable,and im talking about ALL forms of collecting.Good thing for me though,i dont plan on selling my games,but its an added plus when more than 10 or 20 carts in my collection are worth more that $5.00 each and are increasing in value,not decreasing,my god!!!!!!!!!!!!Happy are those who collect for the sheer joy of gaming,but for those just starting to collect...and cart prices ARE GOING UP!.

Edited March 23, 2007 by Rik

[Mark III]

Stores are expensive to run, from rent to utilities to employees it's going to cost money. That's why there's fewer and fewer brick & mortar stores as most resellers are just doing the online routine. Way lower overhead. 50% of what the store sells it for is about the best trade in you're going to possibly get, especially on older stuff. Even at that markup they aren't making a a hell of a lot when it's all said and done. Think what you will about game stores, the fact is for most of them it's love of the hobby, not greed that is the reason they are there. Offering $2 on a game they sell for $20 seems unreasonable, unless you consider that maybe the game your trading in they already have 40 copies of it in the back. Could be that it may take six months or a year before your game makes it to the counter therefore there's a limit to how much he would be willing to pay. However if that's the case the whole supply and demand thing goes both ways. If he's so flooded with games that he can only offer a pittance for them then his prices should be dropping as well, he shouldn't be expecting only the customer to sacrifice. Either way you do it someone is ALWAYS going to be unhappy with a store in one way or another. Most customers are pissed off if they see games on the shelf for ebay prices, yet those same customers are often equally pissed off the store won't offer ebay prices on trade ins. You can't make everyone happy.

If you want top dollar for your games take the time and effort to sell them yourself, if you want a quick easy transaction where you can bring in your games and get trade or cash instantly then expect low to decent prices, depending on where you shop.

[shadow460]

It seems just the opposite around here. Of course, what game store you go into makes a lot of difference, too.

 

Still, the game X change stores' customer service blows away most of the flea market regulars. You go to the flea market and make an offer on a game, and you get stonewalled. They do not budge on their prices. The game stores I frequent, however, price things low enough that you don't have to negotiate. In fact, their prices are often lower than those at the flea markets!

[Giltygear]

Game Stores rape you over the barrel... I should know, I work at one. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for PS2, for instance: Trade in = $24 credit, Selling Price = $70!

 

Where does that make sense?!

[plaidbrad3141]

I asked the clerk at a Game Xchange once how much they pay for 2600 carts and he said 25 cents each. No wonder some people throw them out. Sad.