The two types of price inflation on eBay?

[Warmsignal]

One thing I've always noticed about different games on eBay is the tendency for high prices that people pay, and then high prices they don't pay. Sometimes, when a game goes up in demand and down in supply, the price increases and folks start routinely paying more the game. But other times, a price starts to increase for no apparent reason, and thanks to the magic that is eBay's sold listings search, it can be found out that people really aren't paying the inflated price. Rather, the only copies that sell are bids that go for considerably less. 

Let's say there's an NES game on eBay, maybe about 25 listings available, average BIN 18$. But the only copies that have sold in the past months went on auction for about $6. VGPC still states the average is about 8$ or 9$. What's with all the people listing it at $18 - $20 BIN? Obviously the demand isn't there to easily get that much, maybe one sale in a month or two at that price.

Guess I just needed to rant about it. But this can seen with so many games on eBay, where demand is not high, the game is not rare, but the value is still perceived to be higher than what most will actually fork over. How, and why does this happen? My only guess is people who aren't necessarily motivated or interested in moving their stuff. If it sells it sells, if it doesn't, no worries. 

I sell a little, and personally, I always price things where I know someone is gonna bite and not a - "crazy number" and I might let go of it - kinda price. But that's me, I wanna make cash quick so I can spend it on my collection.

[bikingjahuty]

A lot of sellers who post BINs price them high because they're going for impulse buyers who just want the game, damn the cost. Unfortunately when people pay these high BINs they make the game more valuable as all the once high BINs are now the average. And yes, Pricecharting can be very misleading too when it comes to prices.

[evilnick]

One thing I've always noticed about different games on eBay is the tendency for high prices that people pay, and then high prices they don't pay. Sometimes, when a game goes up in demand and down in supply, the price increases and folks start routinely paying more the game. But other times, a price starts to increase for no apparent reason, and thanks to the magic that is eBay's sold listings search, it can be found out that people really aren't paying the inflated price. Rather, the only copies that sell are bids that go for considerably less. 

Let's say there's an NES game on eBay, maybe about 25 listings available, average BIN 18$. But the only copies that have sold in the past months went on auction for about $6. VGPC still states the average is about 8$ or 9$. What's with all the people listing it at $18 - $20 BIN? Obviously the demand isn't there to easily get that much, maybe one sale in a month or two at that price.

Guess I just needed to rant about it. But this can seen with so many games on eBay, where demand is not high, the game is not rare, but the value is still perceived to be higher than what most will actually fork over. How, and why does this happen? My only guess is people who aren't necessarily motivated or interested in moving their stuff. If it sells it sells, if it doesn't, no worries. 

I sell a little, and personally, I always price things where I know someone is gonna bite and not a - "crazy number" and I might let go of it - kinda price. But that's me, I wanna make cash quick so I can spend it on my collection.

This has always bothered me.  These are people losing time and money by putting up unrealistically greedy sales.  I don't think it's that they're not interested in selling, it's that they're greedy and hoping to snag a sucker. 

I have included Buy It Now options in some auctions in the past, but I've found that if you actually want to sell something, do an auction with a low starting price.  If what you're selling is worth it, it will reach it's price point eventually, and naturally.

[GrooDWanderer]

My two personal favorites are the ones where the game is "Brand New Sealed" so all of a sudden it's 100 times more valuable, like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Playstation-2-Forever-Kingdom-FACTORY-SEALED-YFOLD-very-rare-/131325368796

And, the ones where they got "VGA GRADED" and are so astronomically overpriced it's hilarious, as so:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kid-Icarus-Nintendo-NEW-NM-VGA-Q85-CHT-GOLD-NINTENDO-SEAL-Non-Rev-A-WOW-/121004480120

Who buys these?!?!?!

Just ridiculousness.

[turf]

Who buys these?!?!?!

Just ridiculousness.

Swing by one of the bigger websites in this hobby, like the one that starts with "Nintendo" and ends with "Age". Some of those cats those cats throw around crazy money.

[Warmsignal]

My two personal favorites are the ones where the game is "Brand New Sealed" so all of a sudden it's 100 times more valuable, like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Playstation-2-Forever-Kingdom-FACTORY-SEALED-YFOLD-very-rare-/131325368796

But it's very rare to have plastic wrap on it! Very rare! If you want a very rare copy, then seal yours up and it too can be very rare! If you sent it off to some dude who grades games, they can put a stamp on it in and then it's officially very rare. Federal reserve ain't nothin', you have the real gold.

[maximo310]

My two personal favorites are the ones where the game is "Brand New Sealed" so all of a sudden it's 100 times more valuable, like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Playstation-2-Forever-Kingdom-FACTORY-SEALED-YFOLD-very-rare-/131325368796

But it's very rare to have plastic wrap on it! Very rare! If you want a very rare copy, then seal yours up and it too can be very rare! If you sent it off to some dude who grades games, they can put a stamp on it in and then it's officially very rare. Federal reserve ain't nothin', you have the real gold.

Then the seller sticks it on his listing with the words VGA GRADED, with a certain number, which makes it even rarer if its like 80+ or something. This designation means its the best, so you must spend all of your hard earned greenbacks on it!!

[argyle]

One thing I've always noticed about different games on eBay is the tendency for high prices that people pay, and then high prices they don't pay. Sometimes, when a game goes up in demand and down in supply, the price increases and folks start routinely paying more the game. But other times, a price starts to increase for no apparent reason, and thanks to the magic that is eBay's sold listings search, it can be found out that people really aren't paying the inflated price. Rather, the only copies that sell are bids that go for considerably less. 

Let's say there's an NES game on eBay, maybe about 25 listings available, average BIN 18$. But the only copies that have sold in the past months went on auction for about $6. VGPC still states the average is about 8$ or 9$. What's with all the people listing it at $18 - $20 BIN? Obviously the demand isn't there to easily get that much, maybe one sale in a month or two at that price.

Guess I just needed to rant about it. But this can seen with so many games on eBay, where demand is not high, the game is not rare, but the value is still perceived to be higher than what most will actually fork over. How, and why does this happen? My only guess is people who aren't necessarily motivated or interested in moving their stuff. If it sells it sells, if it doesn't, no worries. 

I sell a little, and personally, I always price things where I know someone is gonna bite and not a - "crazy number" and I might let go of it - kinda price. But that's me, I wanna make cash quick so I can spend it on my collection.

This has always bothered me.  These are people losing time and money by putting up unrealistically greedy sales.  I don't think it's that they're not interested in selling, it's that they're greedy and hoping to snag a sucker. 

I have included Buy It Now options in some auctions in the past, but I've found that if you actually want to sell something, do an auction with a low starting price.  If what you're selling is worth it, it will reach it's price point eventually, and naturally.

The other side of that is that I reguarly see auctions end at prices that are way lower than what the going "sold listings" price tends to be. That's why I only list BIN's, I'm not willing to gamble that the right person or people will look at my auction in time - especially since so much of what I sell is relatively obscure. When I price my item I take into account both the average price that the item has been selling for as well as the cheapest currently listed BIN listing of similar quality/condition, and then usually land somewhere between there. If I need to I'll lower the price if it doesn't sell.

[betelgeuse]

I've been watching Jack Nicklaus golf on CD for the TG-16. I'm not going over a hundred on this one, even if it is sealed. It's an old out dated sports game that I'm never going to play and simply want it to try and complete my collection.

[badATchaos]

It's always funny when prices temporarily go up when a big youtuber does a review of something. On April 30 2013 AVGN did a review of Toxic Crusaders for NES. According to Price Charting the April average was 13 dollars. By June it shot up to 23 before slipping back down again.

[maximo310]

It's always funny when prices temporarily go up when a big youtuber does a review of something. On April 30 2013 AVGN did a review of Toxic Crusaders for NES. According to Price Charting the April average was 13 dollars. By June it shot up to 23 before slipping back down again.

Its always pretty funny how many of the games AVGN reviews( or other popular Youtube reviewers) shot up in price afterwards, even for stuff like Action 52 which apparently went up to $300 for a while from $100, but its price hasn't even dropped to its initial value yet.