places to buy Atari computer stuff OTHER then feebay

[Justin Payne]

So, outside of finding a steal at a thrift store, what is a decent price for a good system? I'm keeping my eyes open for an 8-bit since I sold mine long ago. I think an 800xl would be best since I want to use and upgrade it but prices seem a bit high when you include shipping but it would just be nice to know what price other felt was fair.

[Tickled_Pink]

Are there any Facebook groups in your area for buying/selling? There are a few for my area but none specifically for retro gaming. Things like this do appear but not very often - I think the last one I noticed was a SEGA Master System being offered for free.

[gilsaluki]

So, outside of finding a steal at a thrift store, what is a decent price for a good system? I'm keeping my eyes open for an 8-bit since I sold mine long ago. I think an 800xl would be best since I want to use and upgrade it but prices seem a bit high when you include shipping but it would just be nice to know what price other felt was fair.

Shopgoodwill.com has systems at times. But, I think everyone now knows of them, prices have risen there as well.

[Justin Payne]

Yea, I saw an 800xl on there with tape drive but that's around $50 now ( with shipping) and I suspect that will go higher but at what point does the price get ridiculous.

Yes, one could argue that a fair price is what the going prices is but anyone remember the housing market or .net crash. I could argue that those things weren't fairly valued even though people paid the price...in more ways than one. :-)

[Paul Westphal]

Www.eightbitfix.com

[Justin Payne]

Thanks for the link but....Ouch. Now THOSE prices seem kinda high. Hopefully the message you were trying to send is, "Yes, people will pay exorbitant prices for these items".

I'm kicking myself for selling my old stuff. I think I'll be paying more than I sold the stuff for.

If any of you have a 130xe with an Indus drive. Give it back. That's mine.

[+kheller2]

Sadly I haven't found 8bits in the wild in some time. There are a few legacy game stores around in my area (Eastern PA) that may have some overpriced 26/52/78 game carts on the shelves. But I've mostly obtained gear in the past 4 years from craigs list or yard sale ads -- in particular a church that was advertising their for sale items and one person out in NJ that had too much and just wanted to downsize. Occasionally, a friend of a friend of a colleguge may know I'm into the stuff and have some relative that has something that wants to get rid of it.

 

My personal opinion is that if you pickup, say, an 800XL and a 1050 for under $80 in the wild with all cords and some games, you are doing pretty good. I try to make my limit $50 at most for a used dirty system (computer+drive) but will go up higher depending on the lot. Off of eBay I would say a good starter system for $125 with $20 (dream) shipping is good. YMMV. At times you can find someone close by that you just meet in a public place and save on shipping and toss them a few bucks for gas.

 

Between 1995 and 2003 you could trip over the stuff just about everywhere, and I did have way too much of it. Today, if you find something in the wild its usually overpriced and not exactly as advertised. Like a 5200 system box, that has nothing but 2600 carts and controllers in it, but no systems and the owner wanted $200 for it. I'll pass on that.

 

Occasionally, I'll splurge for CIB systems. Like a 1200XL in the box, or 800XL etc.. Once I had a mint pair of 800s in the box -- that got water damaged during flooding. sigh.

[Justin Payne]

OK. That helps.

Yea, if only I started to get back into this 10 years ago. It's a good thing I kept what I had.

I have enough to do with my current systems to keep busy but if I did come across a good deal, I'd make sure to bite but what WAS a good deal. I think what you've said gives me a good idea. Thanks for that.

[+kheller2]

Of course finding things in the wild is always more fun than having to buy it or trade it with someone, I feel. For example, I'm sure I have way to many ICD P:R: connections, I don't toss them, but have very little real use for them - I have no idea what I would want in trade. Let alone what to offer them for.. maybe $15-$20 a head with cables in the original box and original driver disk? $5 otherwise.

Edited April 19, 2015 by kheller2

[+orpheuswaking]

I have too many P:R: connections too, although I would love to have one complete in the box.

 

Speaking of thrift finds, you do still find every now and again. I ran across a bunch of 1200xl, 600xl and tons of power supplies and SIO cables last year that a local user had apparently just dropped off.

[Muzz73]

If you're going to do the ebay thing, just be careful and don't get into a bidding war. There are man possibilities with ebay, but the two most common are:

 

You get a heck of deal on something really awesome

 

--or--

 

Idiots will fight over junk

 

I have been both of those at one point or another...

[fujidude]

Yep, the best all around rule for flea-bay is to just bid up to what you think something is worth to you, and not a cent more. If you get it for that, or even less, great! If someone else gets it because they were willing to pay more, or a seller shill won, okay then. You still have your money and dignity. If sellers have their shills win too much, they won't sell much. That's why (and other reasons) I will never deal with a seller who tries to work with me outside the auction. Like..."Oh, the winning bidder fell through. You were 2nd highest, want me to just sell it to you?" Ahh no. Re-post it for auction. If everyone had the discipline to follow those two simple principles, flea-bay would be a lot cooler place than it is.

Edited April 20, 2015 by fujidude

[kiwilove]

The other place to check out - is where old electronics go - by way of the recyclers / etc. To get friendly with that firm or guys/etc who get the stuff nobody usually wants - and have to dispose of it. Though A8 hardware etc probably rarely turn up at them these days.

 

I do know of a guy who use to work at such a place, and was working in the right department there ... but he didn't come across any Atari stuff for me - but he'll mention the other stuff he'd come across. I got a very useful router from him - that I've been using for years now even though it's antenna is missing. Been using a cable, but now it seems I've using the WiFi signal as such these days...

 

Harvey

[Muzz73]

Yep, the best all around rule for flea-bay is to just bid up to what you think something is worth to you, and not a cent more. If you get it for that, or even less, great! If someone else gets it because they were willing to pay more, or a seller shill won, okay then. You still have your money and dignity. If sellers have their shills win too much, they won't sell much. That's why (and other reasons) I will never deal with a seller who tries to work with me outside the auction. Like..."Oh, the winning bidder fell through. You were 2nd highest, want me to just sell it to you?" Ahh no. Re-post it for auction. If everyone had the discipline to follow those two simple principles, flea-bay would be a lot cooler place than it is.

 

Exactly! I have personally experienced that twice, both times with the same seller! I got a message via ebay that the winning bidder changed his mind and that I could have the item for whatever my last bid was. I turned him down both times, figuring that it was probably a buddy of his or even the seller himself logging in with a different account and running the price up.