Do you feel satisfied if you just buy stuff you want off of eBay?

[seether]

I find that with anything I want to collect or desire that a big part of my enjoyment in obtaining the item is getting a good deal on it. I don't know it just kinda gives a 'halo effect' around it if I know I scored it on a smoking deal, I like it even more if I got it below market rate or it's uncommon to see and I found it.

The exhilaration of finding something you don't often see and the elation of getting something for a good price are really important to me for pick ups.

When I just scoop something up for going rate off of eBay or get caught up in a little bidding war I feel kinda meh, sometimes I'll feel like it was an impulse buy or that I could have gotten a better deal later or bummed that I have to wait a few days for the delivery to my house.

It's a lot more of a personable experience to find it yourself some place, it sort of becomes like a moment in time and you kind of remember where you got it, how much you paid, who you were with, what you did that day, what you were working as, where you were in your life, what you were doing with your collection at the time.

I attach more of a memory to a purchase if I find it out in the wild and it becomes more of an experience I had than just sheer consumerism. I like to physically look through every blu ray a pawn shop has hoping to get that rush when I find something that interests me or find that gold dust game at some random car boot sale than only me and so many other people were in attendance at.

Hitting buy it now on eBay and waiting for it to come just deprives of the rush of the hunt, the good deal and the instant gratification of immediately having the item in your hand (as oppose to waiting for postage). This combination of things actually makes the thing worth less to me because it misses all the fun and is just a transaction.

[emporerdragon]

Yes. I'm buying something I want. The satisfaction is in having something I want.

[bikingjahuty]

I miss the days of hunting for my games on the cheap in the wild, but the hunt is essentially head now. All the thrift stores I used to score at regularly have either gone out of business or have become incredibly greedy, often charging more than what the local game stores charge for the same games. We have one flea market in my state and it used to be a goldmine, but now is all resellers trying to flip the same sun damaged games for way too much money. All the pawn shops have wised up to games being highly desirable and price most of their games accordingly now. This really only leaves a few used media shops and garage sales to find the occasional good deal. However, the amount of effort to do so, as well as all the aforementioned places far outweighs the potential payoff 99.9% of the time now. Oh, and there are also indie game stores, but virtually all the ones left are overpriced or at least are on the high end of ebay.


This has resulted in me using ebay 90% of the time to purchase retro games at least. For newer releases I just go to Gamestop now. Luckily before things got really bad I was able to acquire 95% of all the games I'd ever wanted so the chances of me finding one of these last few games on my want list are very slim now. Also, it's just way easier, convenient, and frankly cheaper just to buy a specific game on ebay and be done with it. I still try to get deals on ebay by keeping an eye out for auctions or low BINs, but either way this is how I buy my retro games now. I do hope that someday retro gaming will die down enough where there will be a decent chance that going out will yield some good finds, but even if it did it wouldn't be even close to how good it used to be.

[hoshichiri]

I've reached a point in my collecting where if I did wait for in the wild finds, I'd never find anything. Some of the things I want aren't even readily available, so even checking online is a hunt.

Sometimes it can get a little transactional, but that's when I quit buying for a while. For the most part, I enjoy what I get online just fine.

[Cartagia]

I only get something off eBay in the rare case that I’m having trouble finding a relatively common product at a decent price.  So, in those cases I’m always satisfied.  I wouldn’t buy from there if it wasn’t.

[soera]

I've reached a point in my collecting where if I did wait for in the wild finds, I'd never find anything.

This right here. Unlike a lot of collectors, I absolutely hate the hunt. Id rather have what I want and start enjoying it.

[wartoy]

I feel like you seether I never use Ebay or Amazon.I either find it my self or Sometimes somebody might call me to let me know they found somthing I might want.And I will go pick it up if I need it but that's not the same to me as using Ebay or Amazon.

[oldgamerz]

I never used ebay, but I'm fully satisfied if I am looking for a specific game I usually can find it on Amazon.com or JJGames.

Luckily there is one discount media store in my city, they sell everything including a few boxed N64 games I bought one for $8 USD there just recently

And I live walking distance from an indoor flea market that has at least three video game vendors but that is off topic though

[dashv]

I've reached a point in my collecting where if I did wait for in the wild finds, I'd never find anything. Some of the things I want aren't even readily available, so even checking online is a hunt.

Sometimes it can get a little transactional, but that's when I quit buying for a while. For the most part, I enjoy what I get online just fine.

Same. At this point the stuff I want either needs to be made or I have to make it. I’m keeping my console stuff, but have kinda moved on in my heart to Pinball and Arcade machines.

So I’m generally buying parts and tools online now and the satisfaction comes as I complete the project or the upgrade.

When I was still amassing my console collection I used whatever means I could. A lot of deals with VGCollectors like theflea. And lots of eBay.

Honestly, I rarely bid or win on actions. So my ebay hunting was all about finding Buy it Nows I felt I could live with.

I have no regrets.

[sworddude]

i never get why people have a bad stigma for buying stuff on ebay

you either spend years in wich case you might someday find it for a ridiculously cheap price or never at all or you go to ebay and get it instantly withouth a hassle.

It's a choice that you make and both having valid points.

[hoshichiri]

Honestly, I rarely bid or win on actions. So my ebay hunting was all about finding Buy it Nows I felt I could live with.

I have no regrets.

Exactly- it's not like you pop onto Ebay and buy the first listing. You stalk a few listings to see if a lower priced option comes along. You make offers to sellers accepting them. Maybe it's cheaper to buy a disc & a case/manual from different listings. Maybe the game you want is in a lot were you can easily flip the other titles to make a better deal- or you just message the seller about breaking the lot up. You can check spelling variants or outright mistakes & incorrect categories for mislisted items you can get cheaper.

I'm a big fan of an internet group called LoadingReadyRun. They've been making content for nearly 2 decades now, so their earliest videos pre-date YouTube & many can't be found online- they were made in a time where using copyrighted music wasn't a big concern, so they'd likely get pulled for copyright these days anyway. The group's been asked about re-editing the audio, but the videos are so old doing so is more work than it's worth. So, if you want to see this content, you have to track down the DVDs they had made for con merch by a sketchy print-on-demand DVD-R service. Season One is especially rare- so much so that they dug one of their last 2 archival copies out for a charity auction a couple years ago, and it sold for $1200. I just got a copy off of Ebay- it had no photo & was listed as a book. I paid $45. You damn well better believe I was satisfied with it!

[tripredacus]

I do not like the ability to just go and buy something online and get it. I prefer to find things by random. The only thing I get from Ebay that is specifically targetted is tech related items.

[bfbeam]

I usually don't have a specific game I go out to try and find anymore. If I go looking locally for games or other media, I'm usually going out for the experience of going out and seeing new things or talking to new people. I also like talking to the same few people who run the game shops around me since they're generally cool people have a quick chat with.

That being said, if I am looking for a specific game that I know I'll never find around me (international release or limited/rare), then I'll put a saved search into eBay with the price I'm willing to pay and wait until I get a notification. I'll usually only get a notification on these once every few months so it keeps that excitement of not knowing when that deal will come back up and if it will stay in that price range. I've had one really good success so far using this method and it didn't feel like I was getting scammed on price in the process.

[dashv]

Honestly, I rarely bid or win on actions. So my ebay hunting was all about finding Buy it Nows I felt I could live with.

I have no regrets.

Exactly- it's not like you pop onto Ebay and buy the first listing. You stalk a few listings to see if a lower priced option comes along. You make offers to sellers accepting them. Maybe it's cheaper to buy a disc & a case/manual from different listings. Maybe the game you want is in a lot were you can easily flip the other titles to make a better deal- or you just message the seller about breaking the lot up. You can check spelling variants or outright mistakes & incorrect categories for mislisted items you can get cheaper.

I'm a big fan of an internet group called LoadingReadyRun. They've been making content for nearly 2 decades now, so their earliest videos pre-date YouTube & many can't be found online- they were made in a time where using copyrighted music wasn't a big concern, so they'd likely get pulled for copyright these days anyway. The group's been asked about re-editing the audio, but the videos are so old doing so is more work than it's worth. So, if you want to see this content, you have to track down the DVDs they had made for con merch by a sketchy print-on-demand DVD-R service. Season One is especially rare- so much so that they dug one of their last 2 archival copies out for a charity auction a couple years ago, and it sold for $1200. I just got a copy off of Ebay- it had no photo & was listed as a book. I paid $45. You damn well better believe I was satisfied with it!

We are like, eBay kindred spirits.

[marvelvscapcom2]

Yes, I feel very satisfied and I don't have to waste my time looking for something that someone looked up Ebay price on their phone on anyway.   My deals in the wild are basically Ebay prices at this point.  It hurts more when you know they incurred no Ebay or Paypal fee nor did they have to ship it.  I'd prefer funding some reseller miles away than to fund the local ones.   It shames me the sights I see when I go out to buy games now. 


Flea Markets often bring such lovely sightings as "Super Mario/Duck Hunt (8 dollars)"   or "RARE!!  Punchout! (30 dollars)"

Sure their are deals to be had.  And I have a blast going out to buy games with my brother.  But I will say,  you have to pry for anything fairly priced.  Beg, plead, borrow, argue,  google things.  I find it less stress to just click best offer on ebay and forget it.  Out of about 10 sellers.  One will eventually give you a fair counter.  Wait 5 days.  Play.   It's very convinient.