Looks like others are unhappy about this
http://forums.ebay.com/db1/topic/Video-Games-And/New-Format-Drop/5200111578?ts=1350355211757#msg5201531061
http://forums.ebay.com/db1/topic/Video-Games-And/Ebay-No-Longer/5100112320
If anyone here uses eBay for retro game buying, please be vocal about this. I would love to see them rectify this so I can use the site again. Ebay has been getting worse and worse over the years, but this could be the straw that breaks the camels back for me.
Ebay prices
-
a1
- Posts: 3032
- Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm
Ebay prices
The platform search combo boxes are back so we can once again search for retro games. Thank god and thanks to anyone here who contacted eBay to get the situation fixed.
-
Rev1
- Posts: 1777
- Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm
Ebay prices
I use ebay quite frequently. When doing a comparison from Amazon against eBay there are a couple things that eBay still has the edge on.
For one, eBay has made it pretty safe to buy anything on their site. Where a seller could once post negative feedback in retaliation to your own feedback, buyers are no longer pressured to leave positive feedback for transactions that didn't go well. This is very useful to get the seller to work with you if something goes wrong with the transaction.
While amazon does this, the fact that they don't post pictures for the items is a huge problem. I have bought quite a few Sega Cd and Saturn games and I would much rather buy one of those games off of eBay with an actual picture of the item then trust what someone states on an amazon sale. The thing is, that the cases break so easily that a lot of the time people seem to omit important details such as "Oooh, the case was actually broken? SORRY!" Even if they do return the item that still is a huge waste of time. Not only do you have to send the item back in, but then you have to wait for the replacement or for the refund. This can take weeks (it doesn't really matter where you do this, any place you have to return something online, has a similar problem).
I realize that the prices on eBay have increased over the years but it is still the best and easiest place to find obscure, hard to find, retro games. When I was looking for Snatcher, there were only 2 sites you could find the item at, Amazon and eBay. Amazon had only loose disc copies going for 200+, while eBay had many auctions going around $100-150. While you certainly had to have patience to find a solid price for the item, I still checked Amazon frequently and nothing ever popped up.
The thing is, it is a lot easier to find obscure titles at reasonable prices on eBay versus retro game shops, or any other website. When people have something obscure to sale they either go onto craigslist and try to sell it locally or they post it onto eBay. While eBay's prices may have inflated over the years (which is a combination of sellers realizing they can charge more, seller fees, and over centralizing the market), patient buyers can still find what they're looking for if they are willing to hunt around.
I snatched several great deals on many solid games, and when it is a game that I want to find complete and in solid condition I go to eBay, not Amazon. I do check Amazon and other sites if I'm looking for loose copies of games (snes, genesis, NES, n64, etc) but I often find better prices on eBay auctions anyway. So I think a lot of people are just looking for an easy time. I'm also willing to pay a little more if that adds certainty that I am going to get an item in the best possible condition.
Anyway, that's my opinion.
For one, eBay has made it pretty safe to buy anything on their site. Where a seller could once post negative feedback in retaliation to your own feedback, buyers are no longer pressured to leave positive feedback for transactions that didn't go well. This is very useful to get the seller to work with you if something goes wrong with the transaction.
While amazon does this, the fact that they don't post pictures for the items is a huge problem. I have bought quite a few Sega Cd and Saturn games and I would much rather buy one of those games off of eBay with an actual picture of the item then trust what someone states on an amazon sale. The thing is, that the cases break so easily that a lot of the time people seem to omit important details such as "Oooh, the case was actually broken? SORRY!" Even if they do return the item that still is a huge waste of time. Not only do you have to send the item back in, but then you have to wait for the replacement or for the refund. This can take weeks (it doesn't really matter where you do this, any place you have to return something online, has a similar problem).
I realize that the prices on eBay have increased over the years but it is still the best and easiest place to find obscure, hard to find, retro games. When I was looking for Snatcher, there were only 2 sites you could find the item at, Amazon and eBay. Amazon had only loose disc copies going for 200+, while eBay had many auctions going around $100-150. While you certainly had to have patience to find a solid price for the item, I still checked Amazon frequently and nothing ever popped up.
The thing is, it is a lot easier to find obscure titles at reasonable prices on eBay versus retro game shops, or any other website. When people have something obscure to sale they either go onto craigslist and try to sell it locally or they post it onto eBay. While eBay's prices may have inflated over the years (which is a combination of sellers realizing they can charge more, seller fees, and over centralizing the market), patient buyers can still find what they're looking for if they are willing to hunt around.
I snatched several great deals on many solid games, and when it is a game that I want to find complete and in solid condition I go to eBay, not Amazon. I do check Amazon and other sites if I'm looking for loose copies of games (snes, genesis, NES, n64, etc) but I often find better prices on eBay auctions anyway. So I think a lot of people are just looking for an easy time. I'm also willing to pay a little more if that adds certainty that I am going to get an item in the best possible condition.
Anyway, that's my opinion.
-
scotland171
- Posts: 816
- Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm
Ebay prices
On the subject of Ebay and prices thereof, here is this
http://m.ebay.com/itm/221564569633?nav=SEARCH
For $164k, a collection for your consideration.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/221564569633?nav=SEARCH
For $164k, a collection for your consideration.
-
strat1
- Posts: 23
- Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm
Ebay prices
It's not much fun collecting used games anymore. At one point almost any given NES title was cheap except for Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior 2-4. As recently as 2011 I found Gargoyle's Quest II at a Vintage Stock for $10... pretty amazed to find these buy-it-nows asking for $70 with just the cart. A quick look at Vintage's site shows it unlisted.
Buying "rare" games may also be a folly because they now come in counterfeit versions which may or may not work, especially certain NES and SNES titles. (It's very interesting how Little Samson always has a few copies up for bid. And fake Earthbound carts are confirmed to be in circulation.) Any CD-based console before Saturn and PS1 does not have copy protection and will run a cleverly disguised cd-r.
-
Gentlegamer1
- Posts: 687
- Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm
Ebay prices
[QUOTE=videogamecritic]I was have a discussion with my friend Scott the other day after skyrocketing prices on Ebay. It used to be that you could buy a lot of stuff for under $5 (plus shipping). Now it seems like people don't want to bother selling something unless they can earn $10-20 bucks on them. Everything is so expensive.
Scott pointed out that this is the result of Ebay heaping on fees in recent years. In order to make it worth the seller's while, they now need to sell an item at a high price. That made sense to me.
Anybody else notice this trend?[/QUOTE]It's not the fees, it's the opposite. It's the lack of insertion fees on unsold BINs. You'll notice there are very few auctions, and of the few, very very few start at say 99 cents, most start at what you'd expect a realistic final auction price would be (essentially setting the reserve price) There's no incentive to "price to sell," since items can be relisted over and over for no cost, hoping for someone impatient, like a yuppy instant collector, to pay the inflated price.
Scott pointed out that this is the result of Ebay heaping on fees in recent years. In order to make it worth the seller's while, they now need to sell an item at a high price. That made sense to me.
Anybody else notice this trend?[/QUOTE]It's not the fees, it's the opposite. It's the lack of insertion fees on unsold BINs. You'll notice there are very few auctions, and of the few, very very few start at say 99 cents, most start at what you'd expect a realistic final auction price would be (essentially setting the reserve price) There's no incentive to "price to sell," since items can be relisted over and over for no cost, hoping for someone impatient, like a yuppy instant collector, to pay the inflated price.
Return to “Video Games General”