VGC's Anonymous/"General" Topic:

[burningdoom]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

[rayne315]

.... dumb people....

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

this make zero sense because even on base everything ebay takes 10% of the sale price of your listing (if you want BIN listing they take more, if you want your listing highly visable they take more). so if you sell an $100 item/worth of items you will only make $90 on top of that your likely to take paypal which also takes their cut of the sale price. which on a $100 sale price would be ~$3.20 which means you will actually only make $86.80. if you pack up and only sell online you will be making more on paper but less in real life.

additionally if you sell over a certain amount on ebay the government will start to consider it income which then makes it taxable which will take more out of it than a flea market/garage sale vender will.

[ignition365]

The bubble will never burst IMO.

That's the thing though people in the middle of it never do. just look back at baseball cards, the housing market, tulip mania, dot com bubble, etc just to name a few of the hundreds of bubble bursts.

Atari stuff used to be super pricey.  Now it's all worthless.

I've heard a lot of solid theories both ways.

[ignition365]

.... dumb people....

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

this make zero sense because even on base everything ebay takes 10% of the sale price of your listing. so if you sell an $100 item/worth of items you will only make $90 on top of that your likely to take paypal which also takes their cut of the sale price. which on a $100 sale price would be ~$3.20 which means you will actually only make $86.80. if you pack up and only sell online you will be making more on paper but less in real life.

additionally if you sell over a certain amount on ebay the government will start to consider it income which then makes it taxable which will take more out of it than a flea market/garage sale vender will.

My statement was in regards to local stores, not flea markets/garage sales.

[Warmsignal]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

Fortunately I still know at least one video game reseller who isn't an extortionist. He buys stuff up from yard sales, and flips them for a flat price. No individual looking each game up crap. Usually, the oldschool stuff is $3, $4 each. More modern stuff is like $5 or $8. I got Tomba from him for $2, I think he gives me some sort of loyalty discount. He sells everything he buys to flip pretty much. Makes a killing, he really does because it's not just games he resells. But he makes like $400 a weekend. He makes a good profit, gamers get good deals from him. It's full of win.

But most resellers want exactly what the game is supposedly worth and they don't care how long it takes to sell it. I come back to some of these guys like a year later and they have the very exact same copies of games sitting there. It's like, what are thinking?? You want sit here and pay a huge rent to have an indoor booth, and struggle to get every penny out of each game and wonder why you're not doing very good?

My advice - loose the indoor both, get a trailer to haul your wares. Wake your lazy butt up and go set your stuff up on the common folks ground, and sell your goods for a fair flea market price. I'd almost guarantee that you're making better money that way at a flea market. Even I have sold stuff at a flea market before. My view was always - yeah people are low balling you, but I'd rather make the sale and have cash in hand, than sit on this stuff I brought out here. A lot of game resellers refuse to see it that way. I think they have an attachment to having the stuff, and exploiting the desperation in the eyes of wanting gamers. I think these people are freakin' evil, I really do sometimes.

[ignition365]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

Somehow I missed this.  Your face is BS.  booyah.   Just kidding.

Anyway, my local flea market charges $375 a month for the indoor booths me thinks, these people always ALWAYS use indoor booths.

But yes, I was referring to brick and mortar.  Legitimate or not, it doesn't change that what awesome kashell over there said is a super fact.  It's just not worth going to those stores when this is their mindset.  Might as well stay at home and save $10 bucks buying it on ebay.

[Warmsignal]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

Somehow I missed this.  Your face is BS.  booyah.   Just kidding.

Anyway, my local flea market charges $375 a month for the indoor booths me thinks, these people always ALWAYS use indoor booths.

But yes, I was referring to brick and mortar.  Legitimate or not, it doesn't change that what awesome kashell over there said is a super fact.  It's just not worth going to those stores when this is their mindset.  Might as well stay at home and save $10 bucks buying it on ebay.

Really what you go for, is those yard seller people who you have a 10% chance of catching and like a 3% chance they'll have something you really want. Like a Demon's Crest for $1 or something. That stuff still happens, but you have to work super hard and consistently to catch it. Those deals are usually gone by 6 AM.

[ignition365]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

Somehow I missed this.  Your face is BS.  booyah.   Just kidding.

Anyway, my local flea market charges $375 a month for the indoor booths me thinks, these people always ALWAYS use indoor booths.

But yes, I was referring to brick and mortar.  Legitimate or not, it doesn't change that what awesome kashell over there said is a super fact.  It's just not worth going to those stores when this is their mindset.  Might as well stay at home and save $10 bucks buying it on ebay.

Really what you go for, is those yard seller people who you have a 10% chance of catching and like a 3% chance they'll have something you really want. Like a Demon's Crest for $1 or something. That stuff still happens, but you have to work super hard and consistently to catch it. Those deals are usually gone by 6 AM.

My area is weird, I think.  Nobody sets up their stall before 830.  Resellers show up between 9-10, usually prowl the tables first.  I got there one time at like 8 and I found a lady with a GBA micro for $15.  Every time I've showed up before 9 since then, I'm just sitting around waiting for folks to show up.

[kashell]

Yard sales are hit or miss depending on how much effort you want to put into them.

I adore gaming and finding stuff is part of the fun, but the thought of getting up at the asscrack of dawn, speeding around neighborhoods like a maniac and hoping that luck is on my side doesn't sound fun to me. Like, at all.

[burningdoom]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

Somehow I missed this.  Your face is BS.  booyah.   Just kidding.

Anyway, my local flea market charges $375 a month for the indoor booths me thinks, these people always ALWAYS use indoor booths.

But yes, I was referring to brick and mortar.  Legitimate or not, it doesn't change that what awesome kashell over there said is a super fact.  It's just not worth going to those stores when this is their mindset.  Might as well stay at home and save $10 bucks buying it on ebay.

This is true, as well. I barely step foot in one store for that reason.

But on the other hand, there is another store just down the road from me. He has fantastic deals. Except for the rare ones, he sells all games for a system at a certain price (and they're cheap). But his problem is that he can't keep any good games in his inventory for more than a few hours because of that. And I can't compete with the local high school kids that can practically hang-out there and wait for the games. I have a full-time job and a family.

[Warmsignal]

That's really irritating. My last experience at a flea market was great, but I can totally see all of that happening.

For the most part, the fun that comes from finding stuff outside the Internet is gone. When your favorite stores start going above prices on eBay, then there's no point in going at all.

Yup, and I've talked to those guys, there response is always "If I'm going to sell for ebay values or less, I'm going to close my store and just sell on ebay".

For a flea-market dealer, that's B.S. You pay like $10 for a table (at least at my local flea market).

But for a brick-and-mortar store, that's a completely legitimate answer. They have to pay for rent, for their business license, and to keep the lights on in addition to the inventory. And if they have employees, they have to pay them, too. None of that is a concern for eBay sellers, just inventory and shipping costs (which the customer is often charged for shipping, too).

Somehow I missed this.  Your face is BS.  booyah.   Just kidding.

Anyway, my local flea market charges $375 a month for the indoor booths me thinks, these people always ALWAYS use indoor booths.

But yes, I was referring to brick and mortar.  Legitimate or not, it doesn't change that what awesome kashell over there said is a super fact.  It's just not worth going to those stores when this is their mindset.  Might as well stay at home and save $10 bucks buying it on ebay.

Really what you go for, is those yard seller people who you have a 10% chance of catching and like a 3% chance they'll have something you really want. Like a Demon's Crest for $1 or something. That stuff still happens, but you have to work super hard and consistently to catch it. Those deals are usually gone by 6 AM.

My area is weird, I think.  Nobody sets up their stall before 830.  Resellers show up between 9-10, usually prowl the tables first.  I got there one time at like 8 and I found a lady with a GBA micro for $15.  Every time I've showed up before 9 since then, I'm just sitting around waiting for folks to show up.

lol Yeah, back in the good ole' days. We used to be there before day break. People would roll up and start unpacking, pull out a box of premium classic gaming goodness. We'd be looking through them with flashlights. Getting games at like $1 each. Consoles for a few dollars a piece. It was crazy good. Like everyone had this stuff when they showed up. Not so anymore. You might find a few that have something every now and then. Overall participation of yard sale folks in a flea market setting has declined.

[Warmsignal]

Yard sales are hit or miss depending on how much effort you want to put into them.

I adore gaming and finding stuff is part of the fun, but the thought of getting up at the asscrack of dawn, speeding around neighborhoods like a maniac and hoping that luck is on my side doesn't sound fun to me. Like, at all.

Oh no, it definitely isn't. I physically can't do it anymore. My body just doesn't work that way now. If I was guaranteed something good, I might? Even then, maybe not. But knowing that I could come away with nothing. I just can't. It's beyond my physical and mental capability at this point. It feels sooo crappy. Even when you come back with something. Ugh, I hate even the thought of it.

[karyann]

I really miss the time when I had fun going to yard sales and flea markets.  Back when flea markets were people selling their yard sale stuff but as a group, instead of multiple resellers that were blatantly buying things from other sellers in the very same flea market and then selling them at their table for 3x the ebay price.

Nowadays even old video games figures and other goodies fetch outrageous prices in flea markets. I haven't bought many used games in the last 3 years honestly, because I find better deals for brand new games. That's...weird. 

[ignition365]

I loved going to yard sales and flea markets, but both are just people pricing up and over ebay.  Some of the flea market folks will "employ" people who just wonder the market looking for stuff to buy and resell.

Last time I remember going to a yard sale that advertised video games, I remember sitting out in front of the ladies house for like 3 hours with 2 other guys (both resellers) waiting for her to get her husband to go dig out the games.  It was a bunch of crap titles and she wanted $20/game. 

When I go to garage sales now, I just drive blind and when I see signs I head towards the sale.  Most weekends I come home with absolutely nothing, it's super discouraging.

I've had better luck with pawn shops, thrift stores, and online marketplaces than yard sales and flea markets lately.  Nobody in my city does their garage sales or flea market stalls before 8am, most not until 9-10am.  It really sucks, I always wake up at 6am anyway, if only folks were awesome and did that.

Hoping this summer will be good.

[rayne315]

I have been unsuccessful curbing my game purchasing.... does anyone know a method/group that may help me? I fear i'm starting to run that line between collecting and addiction...