Japanese N64 Releases

[lordmeatpie]

Good god. Does your game store sell everything at a 300% markup?

Nope, not everything. Alot of games for the older systems just sell for a few bucks (alot of average NES games range from $2 to $6). Just the popular games that we have to order in ourselves get the mark-up prices.
And generally our markup on ordered items is exactly 200%, which is quite minor compared to almost all retail chains who say, buy mass-produced t-shirts for $2 or $4 and sell them to you for $25 or $30. These are old games that are hard to find in most towns, especially without the help of online ordering.
And I've got to say, people definately prefer the cleanliness of our store, the customer service, quality items, and especially the prices, compared the drug dealing dickhead up the street who has a cat in his store pissing everywhere, and charging $200 for the Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past SNES cart hahahaha.

[byron]

I don't care how you try to defend it, your store is part of the reason game prices are so ridiculously inflated now.

[kimimi]

That's really unfair - stores can only charge what buyers are prepared to pay. Why should a store sell an old game for $5 if they know people will walk in and happily pay $20? I assume if you ever sell anything I'll be able to buy your games for $1 - $5 even if the going rate's $20 - $40 right?

[lordmeatpie]

I don't care how you try to defend it, your store is part of the reason game prices are so ridiculously inflated now.

We're also the reason alot of gamers have games without the luxury of the internet. How do you expect my boss to pay us? Peanuts? We certainly don't work for free no matter how much we love games hahaha. You're just being ignorant and foolish.
All I'm doing is telling you how a retail business works.

[byron]

That's really unfair - stores can only charge what buyers are prepared to pay. Why should a store sell an old game for $5 if they know people will walk in and happily pay $20? I assume if you ever sell anything I'll be able to buy your games for $1 - $5 even if the going rate's $20 - $40 right?

You have failed completely to understand what I said. I am not claiming that games should be sold below their fair value. I am merely stating the fact that games are frequently priced above that these days.

We're also the reason alot of gamers have games without the luxury of the internet. How do you expect my boss to pay us? Peanuts? We certainly don't work for free no matter how much we love games hahaha. You're just being ignorant and foolish.
All I'm doing is telling you how a retail business works.

Oh, I see. You're even worse than I thought. your store is in a rural area where nobody can buy games at a fair price from the internet but you, so you get to charge whatever ridiculous price you want and you get away with it because you have no competition.

That's not how a retail business works. That's how a monopoly works.

[anton]

You have failed completely to understand what I said. I am not claiming that games should be sold below their fair value. I am merely stating the fact that games are frequently priced above that these days.

It happens everywhere.... Every shop sell games above their fair value.
That's how it works. But as lordmeatpie said, it mostly happens for the rare popular items.

[darko]

Luckily I live in an area that has some healthy competition. I generally find games for about what they go for online. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.

The whole "what people are willing to pay" argument is valid. So is the question: Is marking something up 200% ethical?

[byron]

I think a markup on goods purchased through a middleman are inevitable. In some cases, 200% might be fair, but pushing it. However, the 300% markup this guy's store charges for Sin and Punishment is undeniably exploitation.

[kimimi]

You do know that $100 branded trainers actually cost $10 (or less) to produce don't you? A 300% markup is really quite small compared to other areas of retail.

[darko]

I think you're missing the point. We're not talking about something that has a markup from the manufacturer to retail. Secondary (used/re-seller) markets do not typically have the same luxury with markups (unless you're filling your stock from flea markets, garage sales, etc where you're getting everything for much less than it typically goes for). If you're selling something at 200-300% the going rate for a used item online, then you're either 1) taking advantage of people's ignorance, or 2) trying to create a false sense demand/rarity. Either way, it's an unethical practice.

There's a big difference between turning enough of a profit to make a really good living/pay your employees and gouging.

Also, it's just as much the fault of the consumer who'so buying into all of this mess as the re-seller. I don't care where you live, you can check prices of products outside of a physical store front. If a city is big enough to have a thriving retro game store then I would bet the citizens of that city have access to the internet.

I would venture to guess that the store pays people less than 1/10th of that price when they bring it in (which I also have issue with no matter which store we're talking about). Now we're talking about a 1000% markup.

[anton]

That's basicaly the reason why i buy my games online, it is cheaper than the price in shops.
Can't afford that.

[exonerator]

Gonna have to agree. That's just utter gouging. Luckily there's a store nearby that gives me hella dealzzzzz.

[lordmeatpie]

Oh, I see. You're even worse than I thought. your store is in a rural area where nobody can buy games at a fair price from the internet but you, so you get to charge whatever ridiculous price you want and you get away with it because you have no competition.

That's not how a retail business works. That's how a monopoly works.

I would venture to guess that the store pays people less than 1/10th of that price when they bring it in (which I also have issue with no matter which store we're talking about). Now we're talking about a 1000% markup.

Actually, we give the best cash or store credit prices in town.

But I can see no matter what I say, you are just the type of person who wants to argue and try to make me seem like a bad guy for working at a kickass store and doing my job.  If you worked there, you'd love it, getting great deals on games all the time and getting to chat with other collectors and gamers.

However, I don't need to argue or try to justify myself or the store I work at.
I already see theres other people on here who know how it works. And I know there are lots of people who appreciate myself and the store being in existence.
Don't like it, shut up and quit ruining a thread about Japanese Cartridges with an unrelated topic. Go bitch somewhere else about retail stores.

EDIT:: Heres a thread where theres already a coversation about (which I already posted in a long time ago, and where i have awful ideas of what percentages are hahahaha, im terrible at math.)
Priced To Sit vs. Priced To Sell
Also note: After calling me unethical (which is really disrespectful to say over something like this) for doing my job, I won't further chat with you guys about it anyways. But go ahead and talk somewhere else about it if you want.

[darko]

Oh, I see. You're even worse than I thought. your store is in a rural area where nobody can buy games at a fair price from the internet but you, so you get to charge whatever ridiculous price you want and you get away with it because you have no competition.

That's not how a retail business works. That's how a monopoly works.

I would venture to guess that the store pays people less than 1/10th of that price when they bring it in (which I also have issue with no matter which store we're talking about). Now we're talking about a 1000% markup.

Actually, we give the best cash or store credit prices in town.

But I can see no matter what I say, you are just the type of person who wants to argue and try to make me seem like a bad guy for working at a kickass store and doing my job.  If you worked there, you'd love it, getting great deals on games all the time and getting to chat with other collectors and gamers.

However, I don't need to argue or try to justify myself or the store I work at.
I already see theres other people on here who know how it works. And I know there are lots of people who appreciate myself and the store being in existence.
Don't like it, shut up and quit ruining a thread about Japanese Cartridges with an unrelated topic. Go bitch somewhere else about retail stores.

EDIT:: Heres a thread where theres already a coversation about (which I already posted in a long time ago, and where i have awful ideas of what percentages are hahahaha, im terrible at math.)
Priced To Sit vs. Priced To Sell
Also note: After calling me unethical (which is really disrespectful to say over something like this) for doing my job, I won't further chat with you guys about it anyways. But go ahead and talk somewhere else about it if you want.

I never said you or your store were unethical. I simply stated that some retail shops practice some seemingly unethical business practices when it comes to their pricing structure. I cannot make a call on yours as I only know of one instance that seems a little off. I'd pay $40-$50 for the game complete, which is why I inquired to its price in the first place.

Hell, if you knew what I did for a living you would probably laugh at me for even using the word unethical

It's just a conversation. Don't get butthurt over anything!

Anyway...back to the Japanese N64 games!!!

PS: Sorry gooch!

[scott]

Hell, if you knew what I did for a living you would probably laugh at me for even using the word unethical

Darko tests cosmetics on little fluffy bunnies.

And yes, let's get this thread back on topic, were all friends here.