Question about old school video game prices

Board 8

Board 8 » Question about old school video game prices
Moonroof
08/21/2023
06:11 PM
#1
I went into a video game shop today (non-chain) and they were selling a copy of Earthbound for $500 and Hagane for $1,000. So I asked how much theyd give me for my copies, and they told me it depends on the condition and theyd have to see it in person. So I looked online to see prices, and I see super cheap prices. Whats stopping me from buying these games super cheap online then selling them to this or other places like it? Why arent they already doing that?
Snake5555555555
08/21/2023
06:16 PM
#2
Where are you seeing cheap prices for these?
I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
Moonroof
08/21/2023
06:17 PM
#3
eBay, Etsy, etc.
StifledSilence
08/21/2023
06:18 PM
#4
The super cheap ones are probably reproduction cartridges and not the real deal.
Bear Bro
The Empire of Silence
Yesmar_
08/21/2023
06:18 PM
#5
The amount they give you for the games is probably going to be around what you'd buy them for online. It's possible that with stuff so expensive you'd get lucky and get a good price differential, but the numbers you see online will probably be what you get when you bring them in.
Congrats on Advokaiser for winning the 2018 Guru Contest!
Yesmar
Snake5555555555
08/21/2023
06:18 PM
#6
From what I checked on Ebay the prices are similarly in the hundreds range of the store's.

And Etsy has mostly repro cartridges.
I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
Moonroof
08/21/2023
06:24 PM
#7
Whats the difference with a reproduction?
Moonroof
08/21/2023
06:24 PM
#8
And how do you tell?
Jakyl25
08/21/2023
06:26 PM
#9
Its homemade and not officially endorsed by Nintendo
Thank you, Eddie Guerrero.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRlKR5nU8AA_v_C?format=jpg&name=large
Snake5555555555
08/21/2023
06:29 PM
#10
Usually the labels and stickers are the biggest tells. Usually a much lower quality.
I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
Jakyl25
08/21/2023
06:30 PM
#11
Moonroof posted...
And how do you tell?

The listing better damn sure specify

If they dont then they can get kicked off of any legitimate online marketplace
Thank you, Eddie Guerrero.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRlKR5nU8AA_v_C?format=jpg&name=large
Snake5555555555
08/21/2023
06:32 PM
#12
Yeah if the price is low and it doesn't specify make sure to stay away or message the seller a lot of questions.
I've decided to put my fears behind me. I'm not going back.
Moonroof
08/21/2023
06:37 PM
#13
Interesting. I feel like there are probably people who dont know anything about quality of games and could be sitting on goldmines. And they just post it online to sell at a cheap price not knowing any better.
Jakyl25
08/21/2023
06:52 PM
#14
I mean, thats been happening at garage sales/yard sales since forever
Thank you, Eddie Guerrero.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRlKR5nU8AA_v_C?format=jpg&name=large
TomNook7
08/21/2023
08:12 PM
#15
That never happens anymore lol. People know what they have now. The days of finding Earthbound in the wild are long gone.

Also if you want to know what a games worth, make sure youre checking the sold listings on ebay. Shits only worth what people are willing to pay
I'm the original TomNook7 from the old days. The other guy is just TomNook. Know your TomNooks.
Moonroof
08/22/2023
10:39 AM
#16
How can you tell what your own games are worth?
AxemRedRanger
08/22/2023
11:59 AM
#17
https://www.pricecharting.com/
[NO BARKLEY NO PEACE]
[NO Azuarc NO PEACE]
Seanchan
08/22/2023
01:02 PM
#18
Not that it matters, since I'm not looking to sell, but I sure wish I had kept my Einhander case.

When my parents were moving I had to clean up all my older game stuff. I kept the cartridges, put cd/dvd games into those big binders, and kept all the instructions manuals. But I threw out like 90% of the old boxes and jewel cases. I did keep some of the boxes for the big franchise games (Mario, Zelda, etc.) but I'm pretty sure no jewel cases made the cut.
"That was unnecessarily dramatic". - NY Mets motto (courtesy of InnerTubeHero)
Congratulations to azuarc, the guru of gurus and winner of GotD 2020!
foolm0r0n
08/22/2023
02:11 PM
#19
google arbitrage
_foolmo_
he says listen to my story this maybe are last chance
Dark_Silvergun
08/22/2023
03:04 PM
#20
I remember when I bought Dragon Force for Sega Saturn for about $60.

Now it seems to be valued somewhere around $250+. Yup.

Also, I bought Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance at the time it was worth not much. That's a game I paid $13 for. Not bad. Same kind of thing with Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, I think I spent $20 on that game.

All 3 of these games I still have.
Warning, the self-destruct system has been activated, all personnel should evacuate immediately, 5 minutes to detonation.
TomNook7
08/22/2023
09:37 PM
#21
AxemRedRanger posted...
https://www.pricecharting.com/

To be honest, sites like price charting kinda suck. They do a terrible job of weeding out repros, loose vs complete copies, broken games, bundled games, etc. And prices fluctuate too often to rely on price charting. Just look at the most recent sold listings on ebay instead
I'm the original TomNook7 from the old days. The other guy is just TomNook. Know your TomNooks.
Moonroof
08/23/2023
05:25 PM
#22
I just checked and all my games from my childhood are legit. Im probably sitting on $1k worth of games. Not selling!
cyko
08/24/2023
07:46 AM
#23
TomNook7 posted...
To be honest, sites like price charting kinda suck. They do a terrible job of weeding out repros, loose vs complete copies, broken games, bundled games, etc. And prices fluctuate too often to rely on price charting. Just look at the most recent sold listings on ebay instead

Pricecharting is not reliable for telling you how much a game is worth because something is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. For that, I agree that ebay sold listings will be the most accurate source.

However, Pricecharting is very useful in telling you what games are worth in relation to other games. Even if the exact numbers are pretty far off, games at the top of the list will pretty much always be worth more than games further down.
Yay - azuarc is the guru champion of awesomeness.
Lopen
08/24/2023
10:02 AM
#24
cyko posted...
Pricecharting is not reliable for telling you how much a game is worth because something is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. For that, I agree that ebay sold listings will be the most accurate source.

Price charting literally just averages sold ebay listings and you can see the listings it gets its price from by clicking.
No problem!
This is a cute and pop genocide of love!
Board 8 » Question about old school video game prices