Nice Goodwill CIB Atari auctions

[birdie3]

Check it out:

 

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/search/searchK...&submit1=Search

[Zwackery]

anybody ever do a brief sort of comparison to see if Atari stuff sells higher on shopgoodwill vs. ebay?

[Shawn]

anybody ever do a brief sort of comparison to see if Atari stuff sells higher on shopgoodwill vs. ebay?

999723[/snapback]

 

 

I thinkit does sell better on Goodwill about 70 percent of the time with common stuff. But mind you both of those boxed lots have some sweet ass games (sentinel, SW:TAG)

[video game addict]

The Subterranea looks like it still has the shrinkwrap on it.

 

I'm sure it's opened at the bottom though. All were listed as opened & with instructions.

[adams_ale]

anybody ever do a brief sort of comparison to see if Atari stuff sells higher on shopgoodwill vs. ebay?

999723[/snapback]

 

 

I thinkit does sell better on Goodwill about 70 percent of the time with common stuff. But mind you both of those boxed lots have some sweet ass games (sentinel, SW:TAG)

999742[/snapback]

 

I've noticed the same thing and it is indeed quite strange that atari items would sell for higher prices in a smaller, less visible market.

[Trade-N-Games]

Goodwill sucks its there auction site and I bet they can see the bids and bid the auctions higher. This is the reason I dont go into the stores anymore it has become big business now no deals just junk in the stores.

[RickHarrisMaine]

Goodwill sucks its there auction site and I bet they can see the bids and bid the auctions higher. This is the reason I dont go into the stores anymore it has become big business now no deals just junk in the stores.

999827[/snapback]

 

 

Not entirely. Sometimes you can score something decent. I scored a sweet Heavy Sixer awhile back for $3.99. I'm hanging on to it for myself though. But I picked up a nice Qbert and Super Pitfall for NES for 1.99 apiece. which will be for sale soon unless I can find a nice NES to play it on....

[taxman]

It's been a long time since I bought from them, but from what I remember the auctions seemed to go very high and also shipping was a percentage of the final price which made no sense.

[Zwackery]

Goodwill sucks its there auction site and I bet they can see the bids and bid the auctions higher. This is the reason I dont go into the stores anymore it has become big business now no deals just junk in the stores.

999827[/snapback]

No deals? You mean like finding a "rare" Atari game for fifty cents that you can turn around and sell for hundreds of dollars? Yeah, I like getting a deal as much as the next person, but since this is a charitable organization I am okay with them getting a fair market value for the goods (which I acknowledge as coming from donations). Ten years ago or more it was fun collecting old Atari games for fifty cents a pop that I could never afford as a kid, but with the inception of rarity lists, price guides, and the establishment of video games as a collectibles category, how can you seriously kvetch about Goodwill? Has their move to the internet that seriously impacted your own video game (re)selling business?

[Trade-N-Games]

Goodwill sucks its there auction site and I bet they can see the bids and bid the auctions higher. This is the reason I dont go into the stores anymore it has become big business now no deals just junk in the stores.

999827[/snapback]

No deals? You mean like finding a "rare" Atari game for fifty cents that you can turn around and sell for hundreds of dollars? Yeah, I like getting a deal as much as the next person, but since this is a charitable organization I am okay with them getting a fair market value for the goods (which I acknowledge as coming from donations). Ten years ago or more it was fun collecting old Atari games for fifty cents a pop that I could never afford as a kid, but with the inception of rarity lists, price guides, and the establishment of video games as a collectibles category, how can you seriously kvetch about Goodwill? Has their move to the internet that seriously impacted your own video game (re)selling business?

1000013[/snapback]

My point and a few other of the post is often its higher than fair market value for some strang unexplained reason. I used to thrift and yard sale and fill my car up with deals that would make you cry Now 5 years later I cant even fill a lunch box of deals in a long day of looking I go to yard sales and the sellers dont have noting but junk and like a few sports games and I ask and they say they sold all the good stuff on Ebay.

[Zwackery]

My point and a few other of the post is often its higher than fair market value for some strang unexplained reason. I used to thrift and yard sale and fill my car up with deals that would make you cry Now 5 years later I cant even fill a lunch box of deals in a long day of looking I go to yard sales and the sellers dont have noting but junk and like a few sports games and I ask and they say they sold all the good stuff on Ebay.

1000027[/snapback]

Maybe some bidders feel like shopgoodwill.com is a better place to spend their money (since it theoretically goes to charitable causes) than on a site such as ebay. Maybe others feel like shopgoodwill is some sort of internet "secret" and they really are getting good deals (partly because they are not savvy shoppers). I'm sure we could speculate on other reasons, but it is a curious phenomenon.

 

More to the greater point behind this is the one I brought up, namely collectors who had previously "scored" at various thrift stores now competing with other online sites; people who might normally have dumped off an Atari at a thrift now might do a smidge of research and discover, "Dang Ma, people pay good money for this ol' junk!" The internet has clearly helped collecting as much as it has codified into a market commodity. Why do people fail to understand this point and bemoan the loss of old hunting grounds? Is it just the thrill of finding something "rare" or finding something that has a supposed value at a much greater value than what was paid? Yes, I am blatantly suggesting that there is a distinct contingent of people I have encountered in classic gaming who are greedy and want something valuable, however that value is perceived, for next to nothing, regardless of whether they intend to keep or resell it.

 

So, let us take a case in point from the very auctions that were posted. Here's one that offered: The Earth Dies Screaming, Star Wars-The Empire Strikes Back, Berzerk, Galaxian, Defender II, Star Wars-The Arcade Game, Secret Quest, Crystal Castles, & Joust. Final price on auction = $71.00

 

prices are AA/DPG/VGC

Earth Dies Screaming = 10-20/15/25

SW: ESB = 2/3/3

Berzerk = 1/2/4

Galaxian = 1/1/4

Defender II = >10/5/12

SW: TAG = 10-20/20/15

Secret Quest = >10/8/8

Crystal Castles = 2/4/2

Joust = 2/1/4

 

Let's say an average value for the lot gets us to a bit over $60 for the 9 carts, with EDS and SW:TAG skewing the value higher, and now factor in that all the games were CIB, which particularly increases the value of those two titles. So is $71 really that much higher than fair market value? Rarity guides, pricing guides, and tracking this sort of information via the internet has been both a blessing and a curse to this particular hobby as it has matured into a collectible category.

 

When you get a great deal, that's great for you, but lamenting better educated sellers (or not-so-well-educated buyers) is just foolish.

[wrldstrman]

Guess it pays to work at goodwill to get first shot at all he donated stuff. A buddy of mine runs a vintage game store in the mall and every moring if anything gets donated at the goodwill store the employees are right down there trading in the games for store credit.