most store owners are clueless

[zach1845]

I find that most all swap shops/video game stores are so lazy they dont price games according to there value (no complaints here)

there have been numerouse times i have gotten rare ps1 snes or nes games for 3.00 or 4.00 such as pricing dragon warrior 4 for the same as mario duckhunt. To get the rare games you have to be there at the right time. This is why i have never paid online price for any game and tet i have almost every game made for ps1 snes and nes. and if I do get extra game sell on this or other forums for half of ebay.

anyone else find this true?

[+Random Terrain]

I find that most all swap shops/video game stores are so lazy they dont price games according to there value (no complaints here)

there have been numerouse times i have gotten rare ps1 snes or nes games for 3.00 or 4.00 such as pricing dragon warrior 4 for the same as mario duckhunt. To get the rare games you have to be there at the right time. This is why i have never paid online price for any game and tet i have almost every game made for ps1 snes and nes. and if I do get extra game sell on this or other forums for half of ebay.

anyone else find this true?

I have no idea what a couple of those sentences mean, but sure, I agree totally with whatever you said.

[zach1845]

yea that was some bad english

[nathanallan]

I'm in the wrong part of the country, there's nothing rare here So the store owners are right on.

[fdurso224]

I find that most all swap shops/video game stores are so lazy they dont price games according to there value (no complaints here)

there have been numerouse times i have gotten rare ps1 snes or nes games for 3.00 or 4.00 such as pricing dragon warrior 4 for the same as mario duckhunt. To get the rare games you have to be there at the right time. This is why i have never paid online price for any game and tet i have almost every game made for ps1 snes and nes. and if I do get extra game sell on this or other forums for half of ebay.

anyone else find this true?

 

 

Hi guys:

 

Yes, it happen quite a few times growing up (unfortunately). However, the experience like yours won't be the first & sadly, won't be the last.

 

Anthony....

[shadow460]

Most of the clueless owners around here price their stuff too high. $100 for a Game Gear? $250 for a 5200!? riiiiiiight (yes, I've seen both recently). It's funny how many excuses they can make for pricing stuff so high, then they wonder why it never sells.

 

The ones who don't care tend to price stuff too low. At Game X Change, the list price for Panzer Dragoon Saga is $7. Good luck getting one, though. List for Quadrun or Atlantis II is $1. Once again, good luck.

 

What's really trippy is that most places tend to be a mix of both. After refusing to buy Pitfall II for $10, you can literally turn around and find Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram for that same $10. And oh, the people really know what their games are worth (but why do they have to look 'em up on fleabay?) Now how in the world does that make any sense at all?

[Atari5200]

The Exchange in my area is mixed as well. They stopped selling anything older than NES, but that was where I got my Track N Field for 2600 for $1. I got lucky and got a Neo CD and AES game for pretty cheap, got a boxed Gameboy for $10, and a bunch of different Sega games. Seems like the only games they really keep accurate pricing on is anything from Nintendo.

 

There's a store called Cash n Culture in Greensburg, PA. They're like the exchange but the people there do their homework. There's not a game there that you won't get for the going Ebay rate. So needless to say, most of the stuff there I won't pay the prices for. But every now and again they have good deals on systems themselves. That's where I found my 3do FZ-10.

 

Now the junk store in my area is super expensive for the most part. They have hundreds of games. All Atari 2600 games are $1.99. So needless to say, I'll go in looking for the rares and I've got lucky a couple times. Also picked up boxed stuff for the same $1.99. Now for NES, $9.99 per game..no matter what it is. They probably have 100 or so but they're all commons, so needless to say, every time I go there it's the same crappy selection of games, and everything else they have is to far over priced as well.

 

There's enough games and stores in my area to make anybody have an instant collection, just depends on how much you want to spend. most of it is too much.

[darthkur]

What I really find irritating is when a store owner looks a potential sale item up on Ebay, uses the highest price it sold for, from a list of completed items, and then add the shipping charge on top of it to come to the conclusion of what they should sell it for.

[zach1845]

Whats Even sadder is they pay so little for these games. sometimes as little as 25 cents each for nes or snes games

[christianscott27]

I find that often in pawn shops, but can you blame them? Its not their thing and they cant be bothered with using ebay or digital press or whatever. Sometimes it works out in my favor if not I can just laugh at the man with 4 super mario/duck hunts for $10 each.

[Gemeni]

Pawn shop near my house is ''trying'' to sell an atari 2600 junior they priced it at 89.99!!!LOL!I asked them why it was so expensive and the dumbass guy who works there said..don't know if your going to believe but he had no idea what he was talking about..''it is a very rare system and a great collector item and usually go for 100$ were selling it cheap here''...I tried not to laugh

[godslabrat]

Pawn shop near my house is ''trying'' to sell an atari 2600 junior they priced it at 89.99!!!LOL!I asked them why it was so expensive and the dumbass guy who works there said..don't know if your going to believe but he had no idea what he was talking about..''it is a very rare system and a great collector item and usually go for 100$ were selling it cheap here''...I tried not to laugh

 

... In which case, you ALWAYS offer to sell him your extras for $69.99! In the event you don't have any, make the offer anyway, because I'm sure you can get a deal from someone online who just wants to mess with clueless sellers.

 

Never let the shopkeep tell you what something is worth. That's a rule.

[iswitt]

The GameSwap near my house is odd. The manager isn't completely clueless when it comes to games, but he sure does lack tact. He comes off as such an asshole that other people I've seen there don't like going there because he makes you feel like you're an annoyance while your in his store.

 

"So, is it fun managing a game store? Do you get good discounts on games and systems?

"I was hired based on my ability to manage this store, not on my ability to play video games. I don't play games."

 

You would think just by working there every day that you would at least play something. Anyway, they have really good deals on 2600 games and other Atari stuff, but it seems to be system by system. 3DO games cost my arms and legs, Sega Genesis is random, NES games seem to be moderate in price, and every SMS game they have seems to be classified as "rare". I assume they don't know what they're talking about and when I try to bargain a little I just piss them off.

 

"Would you take fifty for that Sega CD/Genesis combo instead?"

"We don't cut deals for anyone."

"Uh...okay, it was just a question..."

"I know. We don't cut deals."

[shadow460]

What I really find irritating is when a store owner looks a potential sale item up on Ebay, uses the highest price it sold for, from a list of completed items, and then add the shipping charge on top of it to come to the conclusion of what they should sell it for.

 

If I catch them pulling up ebay, I abort the deal right there. If they get behind a computer screen that I can't see, and they take more than four or five seconds to spit out a price, I abort the deal too. If I wanted to pay ebay prices, I could go to ebay from the comfort of my own home. Ebay is not a price guide, it's merely an indication of how much two people are willing to pay for an item.

 

Oh, they add shipping, too? I paid for my own gas to get to the store. I can certainly pay for the transportation to get the game home. I don't suppose they gouge on their "shipping" prices, do they?

 

When a shopkeeper pulls up ebay before telling me a final price, what I really wanna do is feed them the game itself--moldy box and all.

Edited May 29, 2008 by shadow460

[jboypacman]

I went to meet my long lost brother and his family in Ohio this past weekend and we went to a videogame shop down the road from them.

 

I found a copy of Enduro Racer for the Sega Master System which i did not have and so i went to buy it but no price on it.

 

So when i asked how much it was the owner of the shop how much he said...."It could be $5 or $100".

 

I said well its not a $100 game hell its not a $10 game......I got it for $5.

 

Its crazy that someone who owns a gameshop doesnt have a clue about stuff they sell they just think because its old it could be worth big money.

 

I knew more than he did and i was able to help a few people in the store that was shopping to boot.The guy had some CD-I's and didnt even know what they were.

[madhatter667]

Alot of the stuff I find around here either tends to be moderate, or overpriced...even in thrift shops. the second hand shops, even more overpriced. This is why I dig stuff up either at thrifts, and just be selective...or I nose around online.

 

If someone is pulling up prices on eBay, when someone asks a price, that is pretty lame. I can understand using eBay as a rough guide to figure out a median "going rate," but it should always be used in a very loose sense of the term. I'd also say that pricing should be figured before a game is placed in the for sale"bin." If a place doesn't have their stuff together enough at that point...do you really want to be shopping there?

[darthkur]

What I really find irritating is when a store owner looks a potential sale item up on Ebay, uses the highest price it sold for, from a list of completed items, and then add the shipping charge on top of it to come to the conclusion of what they should sell it for.

 

If I catch them pulling up ebay, I abort the deal right there. If they get behind a computer screen that I can't see, and they take more than four or five seconds to spit out a price, I abort the deal too. If I wanted to pay ebay prices, I could go to ebay from the comfort of my own home. Ebay is not a price guide, it's merely an indication of how much two people are willing to pay for an item.

 

Oh, they add shipping, too? I paid for my own gas to get to the store. I can certainly pay for the transportation to get the game home. I don't suppose they gouge on their "shipping" prices, do they?

 

When a shopkeeper pulls up ebay before telling me a final price, what I really wanna do is feed them the game itself--moldy box and all.

 

 

My sentiments as well. Especially with the exorbitant gas prices today that we're unjustly burdened with to get to any of these places.

Edited May 29, 2008 by darthkur

[godslabrat]

If I catch them pulling up ebay, I abort the deal right there. If they get behind a computer screen that I can't see, and they take more than four or five seconds to spit out a price, I abort the deal too. If I wanted to pay ebay prices, I could go to ebay from the comfort of my own home.

 

I think "If I wanted to pay eBay prices, I'd go to eBay." is a perfectly valid argument for not buying from a certain store. And, since it's clear that the prices are not written in stone, I certainly wouldn't be above telling a shopkeeper that and then making a counter-offer.

 

...And this is coming from someone who generally doesn't haggle.

[Rik]

When going to stores where games are grossly over priced,i just walk out.As soon as you say anything about it,they get offended anyway.I couldnt be bothered,lifes too short for that crap.

[shadow460]

If I catch them pulling up ebay, I abort the deal right there. If they get behind a computer screen that I can't see, and they take more than four or five seconds to spit out a price, I abort the deal too. If I wanted to pay ebay prices, I could go to ebay from the comfort of my own home.

 

I think "If I wanted to pay eBay prices, I'd go to eBay." is a perfectly valid argument for not buying from a certain store. And, since it's clear that the prices are not written in stone, I certainly wouldn't be above telling a shopkeeper that and then making a counter-offer.

 

...And this is coming from someone who generally doesn't haggle.

 

Try that at Vintage Stock in Midwest City. They've still got those horribly overpriced 2600 games and the 5200. Gramlins is $25, Tomarc is $40, and the 5200 setup with about 20 games and four busted controllers is (hope you're sitting down) $250 plus tax. The last sob story on the 5200 is that "it's really not priced to sell because it's more of a display piece." Ha! I can imagine my Twin Stick sitting there with a $250 price tag on it as a "display piece". No thanks, I'll use it for Virtual On. The first excuse was that they'd spent the money on rebuild kits from Best for the controllers. Funny, though, that was after I told them the controls were probably not working because of the flex circuits. What really hacks me off is that there are some decent games in there, but they won't break up the lot.

 

And they wonder why Atari stuff doesn't sell. It's a combination of high prices, faulty products, and horrible customer service. I got a bunch of Game Boy cases there recently. They'd hidden the dirtiest ones well in the box--I found some with dirt, nail polish, and tobacco spit on them when I finally went to clean them all up.

 

Seriously, say anything at all about their pricing over there--they will just laugh at you even as you walk out and spread the word about 'em. I wonder if they even care about selling or trading any games.

[zach1845]

If I catch them pulling up ebay, I abort the deal right there. If they get behind a computer screen that I can't see, and they take more than four or five seconds to spit out a price, I abort the deal too. If I wanted to pay ebay prices, I could go to ebay from the comfort of my own home.

 

I think "If I wanted to pay eBay prices, I'd go to eBay." is a perfectly valid argument for not buying from a certain store. And, since it's clear that the prices are not written in stone, I certainly wouldn't be above telling a shopkeeper that and then making a counter-offer.

 

...And this is coming from someone who generally doesn't haggle.

 

Try that at Vintage Stock in Midwest City. They've still got those horribly overpriced 2600 games and the 5200. Gramlins is $25, Tomarc is $40, and the 5200 setup with about 20 games and four busted controllers is (hope you're sitting down) $250 plus tax. The last sob story on the 5200 is that "it's really not priced to sell because it's more of a display piece." Ha! I can imagine my Twin Stick sitting there with a $250 price tag on it as a "display piece". No thanks, I'll use it for Virtual On. The first excuse was that they'd spent the money on rebuild kits from Best for the controllers. Funny, though, that was after I told them the controls were probably not working because of the flex circuits. What really hacks me off is that there are some decent games in there, but they won't break up the lot.

 

And they wonder why Atari stuff doesn't sell. It's a combination of high prices, faulty products, and horrible customer service. I got a bunch of Game Boy cases there recently. They'd hidden the dirtiest ones well in the box--I found some with dirt, nail polish, and tobacco spit on them when I finally went to clean them all up.

 

Seriously, say anything at all about their pricing over there--they will just laugh at you even as you walk out and spread the word about 'em. I wonder if they even care about selling or trading any games.

[zach1845]

If I catch them pulling up ebay, I abort the deal right there. If they get behind a computer screen that I can't see, and they take more than four or five seconds to spit out a price, I abort the deal too. If I wanted to pay ebay prices, I could go to ebay from the comfort of my own home.

 

I think "If I wanted to pay eBay prices, I'd go to eBay." is a perfectly valid argument for not buying from a certain store. And, since it's clear that the prices are not written in stone, I certainly wouldn't be above telling a shopkeeper that and then making a counter-offer.

 

...And this is coming from someone who generally doesn't haggle.

 

Try that at Vintage Stock in Midwest City. They've still got those horribly overpriced 2600 games and the 5200. Gramlins is $25, Tomarc is $40, and the 5200 setup with about 20 games and four busted controllers is (hope you're sitting down) $250 plus tax. The last sob story on the 5200 is that "it's really not priced to sell because it's more of a display piece." Ha! I can imagine my Twin Stick sitting there with a $250 price tag on it as a "display piece". No thanks, I'll use it for Virtual On. The first excuse was that they'd spent the money on rebuild kits from Best for the controllers. Funny, though, that was after I told them the controls were probably not working because of the flex circuits. What really hacks me off is that there are some decent games in there, but they won't break up the lot.

 

And they wonder why Atari stuff doesn't sell. It's a combination of high prices, faulty products, and horrible customer service. I got a bunch of Game Boy cases there recently. They'd hidden the dirtiest ones well in the box--I found some with dirt, nail polish, and tobacco spit on them when I finally went to clean them all up.

 

Seriously, say anything at all about their pricing over there--they will just laugh at you even as you walk out and spread the word about 'em. I wonder if they even care about selling or trading any games.

 

wow 250 for a 5200 that is rediculouse

[Freakin' Duck]

The rarest cart I've ever seen would have to be EarthBound, unopened, and still in the plastic wrap for about $60. That was in Funcoland (before GameStop, obviously). I would've got it, but I thought I'd buy something new instead. Final Fantasy IX ultimately won me over...

 

As for inaccurately pricing games... I haven't seen much of that. My Borders used to sell games at full retail price, no matter how old or rare they were. Then again, Borders sells everything at full retail price.

[Reaperman]

I was shocked. The shop that I can't afford the games in, had a cdx with 2 games for $80. Unless something drastic has happened, that's nearly fair of them. I think they charge $60 for a used genesis...

 

naturally I can't affor to spend $80 on yet another genesis, but the next guy who can is going to actually get a pretty square deal. Unless I've missed something and the prices have dropped.

[iswitt]

I was shocked. The shop that I can't afford the games in, had a cdx with 2 games for $80. Unless something drastic has happened, that's nearly fair of them. I think they charge $60 for a used genesis...

 

naturally I can't affor to spend $80 on yet another genesis, but the next guy who can is going to actually get a pretty square deal. Unless I've missed something and the prices have dropped.

 

 

60 for a Genesis!?!?!? 80 for CDX?!?!? Are you all out of your minds? The GameSwap in Ohio sells each of those for 30 dollars, or 60 if you buy them together. I about had a heart attack when I heard that Sheesh, And I thought I got ripped off when I paid 40 dollars for my Sega Master System.