Is it just my bad luck or...?

[J.Max]

I've been buying a few items from eBay lately, and I've had a lot of problems. In the past month alone, I have had:

 

-An O2 with a broken controller

-A 7800 with a bad power supply

-A Colecovision with no sound

-An XEGS that didn't work at all

 

And now a 2600 Jr. which will only display in B&W. Anyone else had these kinds of problems? Is this common, or am I just getting jacked around?

[spacecadet]

I've been buying a few items from eBay lately, and I've had a lot of problems.  In the past month alone, I have had:

 

-An O2 with a broken controller

-A 7800 with a bad power supply

-A Colecovision with no sound

-An XEGS that didn't work at all

 

And now a 2600 Jr. which will only display in B&W.  Anyone else had these kinds of problems?  Is this common, or am I just getting jacked around?

 

Sounds like you're just not picking good auctions

 

I'm incredibly selective on the auctions I bid on. I actually don't win much because I won't overpay but at the same time I will only bid on systems in at least mint condition. I have gotten lucky several times, though, and gotten boxed, mint systems for next to nothing.

 

You gotta read between the lines of the auctions you're looking at, and really study the pics. You're not gonna be able to tell if a system has no sound by looking at a pic, but you can tell if it's been beaten up, or not taken care of, and you can see in the auction where it says in big, bold type that the item is sold "AS IS". I mean there are always tipoffs. I love descriptions that say "I don't know if this works because I don't know how to hook it up" or "I don't know if it works now but it worked the last time I tried it"... in 1984, probably. Forget about auctions like those unless the current bid is really low and the pics look really good. Those are usually ripoffs where something is wrong with the system and the seller either knows it or doesn't want to know it.

 

I look for auctions where the seller says it's in mint condition, the pics prove it, all the original accessories are included (this suggest to me that the seller takes care of his/her stuff) including the box, and where the seller at the very least doesn't say the thing is sold as-is in bold type. I don't look for money-back guarantees but if the seller doesn't make a big deal out of it, he's obviously not too worried about getting a return.

 

I also look for two kinds of auctions: 1) auctions where the seller really knows what he's talking about, and 2) auctions where the seller obviously has no clue what he or she even has. In the former case, you're more likely to get a reliable, working system that's as-advertised. In the latter case, you can really get a good deal because their description will often be way off - a system may work when they think it doesn't, or it may even be a different system than they say it is (that's how I got my heavy sixer, in box, for $13) - but you gotta be willing to take a chance on auctions like that. The winning bids are usually pretty low but you gotta be prepared to basically eat that cost. I've gotten lucky more often than not with that, though. But the #1 type auctions are my bread and butter.

 

I'm curious if you feel like posting some links to these auctions you won, I'd just like to see if there are any tell-tale signs in the description or pics...

[J.Max]

Sure. Here you go:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

The second one (for the XEGS), I knew was a little suspicious. But the others looked perfectly fine. (The O2 auction was earlier...and it did work for a while.)[/url]

[Mindfield]

Sometimes you just hit a stream of bad luck. I've had some of that the last few months. Let's see...

 

- CIB Lethal Enforcers (Genesis) shipped in paper. No box. Just paper.

- SegaCD lot that was supposedly all tested working, yet the Sonic CD that was included had the entire read side ... um ... well, I don't quite know how to describe it. Just imagine taking a CD and running over it a few times with a waxing/buffing machine, leaving a nice, permanent waxy film that can only be scraped off, thus ruining the CD anyway. That's what it looked like. My CDX wouldn't even acknowledge there was a CD in the drive. And the seller vehemently denied anything was wrong with it. Tested my arse...

- Atari 2600 Freeway (colour screenshot label) that arrived as Freeway (standard label that was put through a threshing machine)

- NIB, sealed 2600 Fast Eddie, shipped in a bubble envelope; arrived crushed.

- CIB 2600 California Games; see: Fast Eddie

- Seller declaring a $40 auction as $200 on customs form (in case you don't know, customs will charge me 15% of declared value plus $5 on anything I get in the mail from abroad); gave refund after much teeth pulling, then negged me for it.

- Won Moonwalker for Sega Genesis for $1. Seller then refused to sell it to me.

 

And that's just the last few months...

[spacecadet]

Sure.  Here you go:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

 

This one's tough but I probably wouldn't have bid on it because the guy seems a little too worried about getting a return. About half of the item description is disclaimers about insurance, how it's not his fault if the thing is damaged in shipping, etc. It sounds a bit like a setup, although I might not have caught it either (it seems more obvious now that you've actually had a problem).

 

I'll bet if you contacted him he'd say it worked when he tried it, must have been damaged in shipping, and it's not his fault because he packed it really well.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

"SOLD-- AS IS...I DONT HAVE THE CORD THAT HOOKS TO THE TV"

 

That's ebay-speak for "it doesn't work". Especially when it doesn't even say "tested and works" or anything; I mean sellers can always lie (see below) but most don't do that outright. There's just nothing about this auction that even suggests this is a working system.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

"THE SYSTEM IS OLD AND USED SO THERE IS SOME WEAR AND TEAR. DUE TO THE AGE THE ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS."

 

Same as above.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

This one's a little tough too, but the big thing for me is one thing I see quite a bit and it doesn't make sense - the system is "tested and works" but the guy doesn't have the TV switchbox. That's just not believable to me. I mean some power sellers do have a lot of systems that they sell and maybe they just use one switchbox to test every system, but this guy's not a power seller. If he tested it, he's gotta have the switchbox and there's no reason why he wouldn't include it. That is always a big red flag for me (come to think of it, it's true of the 2600 Jr. auction too). And of course, it's again sold "as is".

 

I've bought systems that didn't include the switch box but I know I'm taking a chance. I just assume the system has not been tested. I won't buy a system without a switchbox that's also sold "as is", though. If there's no switchbox, it's gotta be guaranteed. A lot of sellers actually do guarantee their stuff.

 

Anyway, just my thoughts... I know hindsight is 20/20 but I personally doubt I'd have bid on any of these auctions, mainly because I always look for the box but also because they all seem at least a tiny bit suspicious to me... enough that I'd pass them over in favor of better looking auctions, anyway. There are so many of all of these systems on ebay all the time (except maybe the XE GS) that it's pretty easy to just wait a little while until you find the perfect auction.

 

(If you look at the site linked in my sig, I got my Sears Video Arcade, Video Arcade II, 2600, Colecovision, NES, SNES, and Genesis 1 through Ebay. All of them work, though a few I did take a chance on because I saw they had really low current bids near the close of the auction.)

[pinball22]

I will only bid on systems in at least mint condition

 

Where do you find systems in better than mint condition (and what does that even mean)?

[Atari-Jess]

That XEGS one makes me laugh, It has both RF and Composite!

 

What, he doesn't own a DVD player? or a VCR?

 

geez.

 

 

Sorry these things haven't been working out for you.

 

The 7800 thing could be worse, but its not like 7800 adaptors

are easy to come by, here is a tip though,

 

cut off the end, and use a universal adaptor. Works for me!

[conda]

spacecadet has some great points. I almost always look at auctions the way he just described--unless I am just looking for parts.

 

For example, there is someone selling vintage items that claims the boxes were never opened--because he was told so from his friend. I emailed him asking if they were never opened from 1980 or never opened from when his friend bought them--whenever that was. He didn't know. Then I asked him to open them and take some pics so I could attempt to verify his claim. He was floored and thought opening them would lower their value. I told him, actually, not verifying they are new is loweing their value because 1. they are not shrinkwrapped, and 2. they are not tested working.

 

I'm still waiting. I won't bid until I see for myself if the items are acutally new like he claims and work.

[video game addict]

I will only bid on systems in at least mint condition

 

Where do you find systems in better than mint condition (and what does that even mean)?

 

Eleven

 

 

Sealed?

[pinball22]

Well why don't you just make ten louder, then?

[davepesc]

But... this one goes to eleven.

[MegaManFan]

Don't feel bad J, everybody gets junk now and then. I got a 7800 once so rusted out it would have been more valuable as a hollow shell, and I spent $40+ on that (got no refund of course).

[Famicoman]

No such thing as a perfect deal anymore.

[spacecadet]

No such thing as a perfect deal anymore.

 

You're not looking hard enough

 

Where do you find systems in better than mint condition (and what does that even mean)?

 

"New" would be above mint. And I do have several older systems that I bought new well after they were discontinued (my TG-16, my US Saturn and my Jaguar, off the top of my head). It's tough to find real classics that are really NIB these days but it is possible - there's an Intellivision II system on Ebay right now, for example, still in its original shrinkwrap in the box (I'm a little suspicious of that actually, but that's what the guy claims). Anyway I don't really care if a system is new, but that's what I meant by "at least" mint. I'm sure not gonna pass over a system because it's new; it has to be either new or mint.

 

Of course, there's also the argument that 20 year-old "new" systems may be broken out of the box and they're obviously never tested beforehand, so some people may not even want them. Judging by the prices most systems like this go for on Ebay, though, it seems like a lot of people do.

 

I have some non-mint systems but they're systems I got really cheap, sometimes from people I know. I've dumped a few of these in trades.

[Mindfield]

I'm pretty sure the Inty II didn't come shrinkwrapped.

[Christophero Sly]

The Colecovision was described as "tested and working". If it doesn't work, you should request at least a partial refund from the seller. Ditto for the 2600 Jr.

[video game addict]

I'm pretty sure the Inty II didn't come shrinkwrapped.

 

They were glued shut shut like 2600s.

[spacecadet]

I'm pretty sure the Inty II didn't come shrinkwrapped.

 

They were glued shut shut like 2600s.

 

Not the box, the system inside the box. I had one of these when it was new on the market but I don't honestly remember if it was shrinkwrapped or simply in a plastic bag like most systems. This seller claims it was shrinkwrapped. I don't necessarily disbelieve that and in fact I vaguely remember opening mine up, but I'm not sure I trust that memory completely.

 

Shrinkwrap is of course easy to reapply, and I never trust anyone who says anything's new just because it's shrinkwrapped. The box that that Intellivision II system on Ebay is in is opened, so there's no way to verify it's really new. Seller says it is, and it's shrinkwrapped, but who knows.

[video game addict]

I'm pretty sure the Inty II didn't come shrinkwrapped.

 

They were glued shut shut like 2600s.

 

Not the box, the system inside the box. I had one of these when it was new on the market but I don't honestly remember if it was shrinkwrapped or simply in a plastic bag like most systems. This seller claims it was shrinkwrapped. I don't necessarily disbelieve that and in fact I vaguely remember opening mine up, but I'm not sure I trust that memory completely.

 

Shrinkwrap is of course easy to reapply, and I never trust anyone who says anything's new just because it's shrinkwrapped. The box that that Intellivision II system on Ebay is in is opened, so there's no way to verify it's really new. Seller says it is, and it's shrinkwrapped, but who knows.

 

I had one that came in a plastic bag, maybe taped, but not shrinkwrapped as I recall. The paperwork all came in it's own baggie too. The box though was just like Atari, once it's been opened there's no way to really keep it shut, besides for taping it up. I didn't buy new though, just a nice boxed up system from a local thrift some time ago. It looked nice & minty inside when I got.

[Spirantho]

It's often the way - buy on eBay and you're not buying off someone who knows any more than you. I think most cases like this are ignorance rather than malice.

 

Of course, I'm lucky. I recently bought 3 Juniors (sold as knackered) and was disappointed when I found one of them worked perfectly. It takes all the fun out of repairing consoles when they're already working!

I bought a 16K Sinclair Spectrum to repair the other week - it too was working perfectly, despite being sold as duff. Very unfair.

Then there was the "broken" Matmos Alphatronic PC (a clone of the Triumph Adler Alphatronic PC - an 8 bit machine, nothing to do with IBM PC) which the seller was trying to connect the composite video to his RF... of course when I plugged it in it worked perfectly.

 

I've had very very few machines come through as broken, even those sold as "untested" - and if they are broken it's just a bit more fun with a soldering iron....

 

Having said that, I won't put good money down on something rare unless I know it's going to work or guaranteed....

[J.Max]

The Colecovision was described as "tested and working". If it doesn't work, you should request at least a partial refund from the seller. Ditto for the 2600 Jr.

 

 

 

Yes, I did that already. The person who sold me the Jr. has offered to get me another one. We'll see what happens.

[atwwong]

Maybe this thread should be made into a sticky or an FAQ for those wanting to buy vintage consoles on e-bay or other auction/web sites. There is some great info here.

[Mindfield]

Ironically (or perhaps not so much given the frequency of this sort of thing lately), I won this. As you can see, tested and working.

 

Tested it may be...

 

But when it arrived there was a nice big scratch around the circumference of the read side, plus a bunch of smaller ones littered around it. Obviously, the "working" part was a little exaggerated... it got as far as the Sega splash screen before sitting there trying to figure out what was underneath the scratches...

 

Gave the seller a bit of what-for...

[spacecadet]

I figured I'd give one example of an auction I'd bid on (I did, and I won):

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=8163308496

 

Pic kinda sucks, but you can tell it's at least got everything including the box, power supply, manual, both original controllers... it looks like a system the owner took care of. It's described as mint, and it looks like it probably is mint - the comment about "all still wrapped in the original plastic" at the end I take to mean either it has the plastic contact sheets still on the metal parts, or he/she's still got the original baggies (either or both is cool with me). Seller says it's tested and working. Doesn't say if it comes with the switchbox, but it also doesn't say "sold as is" anywhere (neither does it say there's a guarantee, but looking at the feedback this doesn't appear to be a scam artist at work; if there's a problem, I have a feeling the seller will work with me). If it wasn't working, or there was any problem the seller knew about, you'd definitely see that "sold as is" somewhere on here.

 

Here's another one I bid on but the price quickly got out of my range for a system with no games included (and still with 2 days to go):

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=8162928248

 

I think I got a little lucky with the auction I won because of this other one - the people who really want a like-new system are all bidding on that second auction, so I got a better deal on the one I won. Sometimes that happens.

 

Anyway, neither of these auctions have the warning signs I mentioned earlier, and the descriptions and pics give a good impression. You're always taking a bit of a chance with anything you buy on Ebay and my 7800 could still arrive broken despite everything the seller said... but I think auctions like these at least give you a better chance of getting good stuff.

[spongebue]