rockdoc2010 Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I think we must be out of the recession! I am noticing some insane prices asked for items on Ebay. I was just wondering about the 250 to 300$ prices asked for for a working 800XL or 130XE. Not to mention if you might find a 1200XL which I think is the most desired yet hardest to work with of the XL line. I myself have 5 1200XL's in various states of nakedness and I am building one from a bare MB (god knows I want 5 more bare 1200XL MB) It seems to me that prices have doubled in the last three years for anything atari. Supply and demand? I bought a brand new 600XL back in the 80's and got my money back to go towards a 1200XL in a different store from which it was purchased, B&C computers when they had a storefront in the south bay. My 1200XL love affair started then and I still buy from B&C. Just wondering if anyone else is taken aback or has a clue as to why the cost has risen so much? Cheers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
256 colors Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I think we must be out of the recession! I am noticing some insane prices asked for items on Ebay. I was just wondering about the 250 to 300$ prices asked for for a working 800XL or 130XE. Not to mention if you might find a 1200XL which I think is the most desired yet hardest to work with of the XL line. I myself have 5 1200XL's in various states of nakedness and I am building one from a bare MB (god knows I want 5 more bare 1200XL MB) It seems to me that prices have doubled in the last three years for anything atari. Supply and demand? I bought a brand new 600XL back in the 80's and got my money back to go towards a 1200XL in a different store from which it was purchased, B&C computers when they had a storefront in the south bay. My 1200XL love affair started then and I still buy from B&C. Just wondering if anyone else is taken aback or has a clue as to why the cost has risen so much? Cheers That's nothing some joker on these forums wanted £200 starting bid price for a Bounty Bob Strikes Back cartridge without a manual or box What was it first ever serial gold plated cartridge signed by every member of the Tramiel family Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I believe there is some value in purchasing a computer or disk drive from someone who has knowledge of the hardware, who has thoroughly tested, upgraded, repaired, and verified functionality, and has indicated this in their description. What gets me is people trying to sell dirty, untested, or of unknown working condition at prices of the former... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
256 colors Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I won't pay antique prices for common as dog shit hardware or software that's still common today Unless it's totally mint condition fully refurbished and capped and thoroughly tested with all the manuals/boxes/accessorizes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 Retro prices raising since years....check Armstrad, ST or even Amiga.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) I like the used and worn shoes/sneakers people are selling for twice what you can buy them new online or in stores.... what does that tell you? Edited September 12, 2018 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 All this online selling is now racked with fraud, way too expensive or simply not worth touching in a lot of cases.. I use it as a last resort... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I bought a minty fresh, HK made 800XL with an Alps keyboard in a (admittedly somewhat damaged) box over the summer for under $100 inc. shipping off of eBay. Good deals can still be found if you are patient and willing to look. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+slx Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I think there are still a lot of guys out there who heard that Apple Is fetched huge amounts and now think their VCS jr or 800XL is worth a ton of money. Not all that is asked is actually paid. Have a look at prices of stuff that actually sold and the picture gets a lot less dramatic. There were a couple of 1200XLs sold for less than 100 USD this summer. Some people keep trying on EBay for weeks before lowering prices, and sometimes they catch a sucker or someone who needs something quick or is too lazy/busy/etc. to bide his time. I find unreasonably high prices much more of a nuisance on our local Craigslist type site, where some people think they can sell a VCS jr. with three common carts for 150 bucks. When you make them a reasonable offer they're offended. I usually wish them good luck and tell them I might still be interested should they reconsider. The advent of EBay must have reduced the rate at which old Ataris went to the landfill/incinerator, but the overall number is declining, so even with constant interest prices are bound to creep upwards. Wouldn't consider it an investment yet, though, especially if you figure cost for storage space. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 While there are a lot of jerks inflating prices.... this stuff is over 40 years old now. Look at any other collectable hobby after that amount of time. It's no different here.It's not 'common' anymore, no matter how common it may once have been, most of it's ended up broken, recycled or in the dumpster. An item may be common relative to other Atari items, but it's not like you can walk into a thrift store these days (unless you have a retro specialist) and find stacks of Atari stuff unless you are just really lucky. Availability drops, prices go up etc. That said, there are still plenty of affordable deals, but you have to be diligent, lucky, or know someone. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 Yeah. it's really sad... some schlub buys a box of stuff for $10 at a yard sale and tries to wring $500 out of it from people like us who actually need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hefner Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 Yeah. it's really sad... some schlub buys a box of stuff for $10 at a yard sale and tries to wring $500 out of it from people like us who actually need it. I certainly don't blame the guy who bought the $10 box and wants to turn a profit. It's actually OUR fault for pushing the prices up. If people wouldn't buy at high prices like that, things wouldn't SELL for high prices like that.. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwilove Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 Guess you can look upon it as some kind of lottery? That if you put in a low/reasonable offer - that if it doesn't sell - then you'll buy it anyway... Putting in such offers - you'll end up with something worthwhile eventually - of course - you may end up with some bad buys as well. Hardly anyone would go on a big buying spree and purchase anything or everything connected with vintage videogaming - computers, consoles - etc. Such a person did - locally - and ended up with 2 houses full of such stuff - did so some years ago - buying it off TradeMe - which is the equivalent of Ebay here. I would guess he didn't buy a lot of Atari stuff - but has some of it. He did display a small portion of it - in some kind of public display that ran for a few weeks - a couple of years ago. Odd timing - that I could put on AtariBlast! in it's first public showing - of the then completed game - a few weeks after it was finished. Harvey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLund1 Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 I think there are several factors involved; The main one is probably robo listings. Those are the ones for a Basic cart for $499. The bot saw another 800 cart sell for say $100. Like an Action!, or Monkey Wrench. Then with a bad algorithm, upped the price. There are the Buy-It-Now listings that are just crazy high. Another is we all now have extra hobby cash. We are older now and make more money. So some of us are wiling to pay more to add to our collections. After all of us 70's and 80's kids are dead this market will die too. (what will our kids do with all the good stuff we spent all that cash on, and they think is old trash?? Probably put it in the trash! If you have something rare or unusual, put it in your will/trust to donate to a computer museum) Another are the newbe's. They found a clean 800XL in a garage sale. They seem to remember the Atari name and early video games. They have never seen an 800XL before. They think they found gold, and list it as such. Those are the "RARE" listings, with the incomplete descriptions, and the like. I try list fairly. I usually start at my cost plus labor to restore, and as an auction. I think it best for the market to find it's price. I may not get the highest price ever paid for a like item. But it was at least was fair market price. And I am ok with that. For small stuff like a book or manual, I look at the average prices paid recently and use that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
256 colors Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 Wow look at these uber rare retro vintage items i'm a collector so i must have them https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Atari-5200-Console-Cardboard-Insert-w-Empty-Power-Controller-RF-Switch-Boxes/282683779791?hash=item41d1442acf:g:LikAAOSwBgtZ16du 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 As someone selling a LOT of Atari software and hardware on eBay now and over the next few months I have two needs of the sales. To recover as much of the price I paid for the items... To realise a small profit where possible for those items I have really taken care to preserve or build up and maintain So fair prices, but reflective of the effort to accrue the items. Some items I have cost a lot, so I am going to market with items priced to reflect my spending. sTeVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 (edited) The worst offenders tend to be the people that pay these outrageous prices, it pushes the prices up more, it may complete a collection or get that one thing thats been missing for someone BUT it also goes down the line that someone got x for something and the greed mob come out. The nice thing here is that it does not matter how much someone wants to sell for X, if the market people see X as too high they simply won't pay so while it seems a cheeky punt it normally fails, it then depends how willing the person is to get rid of the item... With Steve's stuff above he wants to try and make a small profit which in this market is expected as prices normally go up a bit over the years and good luck to him, well looked after gear is always nice .Just remember re the wacky prices that unless we pay we can regulate the prices by buyer control. And that is why I can't be arsed to Ebay stuff, I don't even like buying stuff between people, it can go unexpectedly sour as I found out. these days I have a few people I know who know me and we trade and swap stuff, its easier and takes the exactness that is in a purchase, too many question like "does it come with X or Y" or you get "well it does not say it does in the advert" when in fact it does not specify either way which would be helpful..Sometimes I think saying all the usual details re the item might be easier than leaving them out and saying nothing.. Am I right or wrong, I don't really care, I avoid it now....I say what is with what I have, send a pic of what's coming, what comes with it (if anything) and that's it.. But re the topic, there's no harm in sending a polite email to the seller asking if they will drop the price because its way above market value, if the answer is a firm no then vote with your feet, if its a maybe or what are you offering then there's wiggle room and just come out and ask....The worst you can get is a no....Obviously if you send an email saying "robbing son of a bitch" you might not get the wiggle room Edited September 13, 2018 by Mclaneinc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 Yep... it's a sad, sad state of affairs. I have always told people that you have to be careful with eBay because you can get the deal of a lifetime or people will fight over junk. I know, because I have done both! I do see it from all sides, though. I get disappointed when I see prices that I think are extortionist level. At the same time, if someone offered me a lot of money for something I had sitting around, I'd probably jump on it. :^D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massiverobot Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Case in point: Don't miss out on those Super Rare items! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACML Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 (edited) I too have noticed that for some Atari items, the price has been on the rise, but like many have opined, that trend is on borrowed time. I'd venture that most of us seeking 8-Bit Atari stuff are in their 40s, 50s and early 60s. We all found our way back to retro computing out of nostalgia. We didn't all get here at the same time, but I'd guess most of us that are coming have arrived. As we all compete for the same stuff, the higher price is warranted by the surge in demand. But here's the kicker, once we all have what we came for, guess what happens? Prices will eventually plummet as there are no more Atari kids (they aren't making them anymore). My children will likely toss my collection. Sad to think about, but the likely outcome. I think we are at a turning point though. Spares are drying up and as we buy up the units left on eBay, that leaves fewer in the wild to be discovered. For the near term, that translates into higher prices as we are all chasing this finite supply. I have bought a stupid amount of 8-bit hardware in the last 8 years, but I am at a point that I think I'm content. I'm actually selling off items I have an excess of. So, when a bunch of guys like me stop buying and become sellers, the trend will reverse and prices will fall and probably never recover. If you are under the age of 45, this stuff likely does not interest you. As to paying too much, guilty as charged. When I find a specimen in very nice cosmetic condition, it is worth the premium to me as they are getting harder to find. I'm talking about units that still look like they just came out of the box yesterday. They are out there, but you have to be vigilant and/or lucky. Any time I see "not tested", I assume the worst. I'm pretty careful, but I've been scammed a time or two. The C64 crowd probably will never have to worry about this issue as they made like 17 million of those things. In the end, any item is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Edited September 14, 2018 by ACML 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 (edited) nah it just means those with hoards of 15, 20 or 40 1200XL need to fix them up and put them out there for the world to rediscover, same goes for all those other garages basement attics sheds storage... ah you get the idea. New mylars, a cap here a chip there, and the world will have plenty for the next 40 years.. Edited September 14, 2018 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACML Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 (edited) New mylars, a cap here a chip there, and the world will have plenty for the next 40 years.. I totally agree. These machines will still be kicking for years to come, there just might not be enough of us to care for them. My 1200XLs will likely still be ticking after this carbon unit expires. Edited September 14, 2018 by ACML Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
256 colors Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Case in point: Don't miss out on those Super Rare items! Like i said day after day and week after week on Ebay common as dog shit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 I should rephrase the "worst offenders" to "situation based buyers", yes it keeps the price up and sends a message but I'm talking more about the people buying there real common stuff that is out there and rather than search they pay silly money, what ACML is doing is looking for top grade stuff and if you see something that looks almost new quality then you can't be blamed for wanting the best and the top grade stuff ISN'T common. What is so annoying are the lazy wrasssin frassin (you need to be semi old to get that) people who put up an item that looks like it was dug out of a swamp (or worse) and could not even either clean it up or say if it works or not (hell, the least they could do even if you already think it looks dead) AND THEN put top dollar prices on it like its a pot made by the Sumerians that is thousands of years old so a bit of dirt authenticates it.. These people need to get real but you kind of hope their laziness is repaid by the utter ignoring of their advert.....Ultra rare proto possible, Atari 800XL covered in crap...NO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
256 colors Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 (edited) Don't believe the bullshit and hype of retro/vintage/rare and antique status regardless of condition For me it's still 2nd hand electrical equipment with very aged components unless refurbished What is quite rare on Ebay is genuine and sincere retro hobbyists who want too turn a small profit for unwanted items Edited September 14, 2018 by 256 colors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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