pricing trends in general (have a few games as examples) ...

ElectricDreamz

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pricing trends in general (have a few games as examples) ...

I'll try to not be a total bitch and whine/complain about the upward trend in pricing BUT ... I think i'mma need to re-evaluate what I consider good deals for games from Craigslist, LetGo, etc

For what it's worth, I'm right outside of Washington DC. As an example - I've missed out on 3 games lately due to others folks simply paying more. unless they were lying, the games and prices (sold prices) were:

Gyruss - $500 (collapsed monitor)
Tempest - $500 (complete but dead)
Defender - $450 (non-working)

all games had their fair share of bumps/bruises/scars, and I try to take the cost of a tank of gas ($60+) into consideration when I purchase as well

OBVIOUSLY sometimes you'll get lucky and find a "I need this gone for $50 tonight" kinda deal, but those are rare (and booming rarer around here)

do I need to stop being a cheap bastard? do I just need to be patient? I feel like I used to be able to find a lot more $100 games, but this year in particular I've been out-offered on game after game.
 
Are you saying the posted games are good deals you missed or that you think they are too high priced?

The Gyruss and Tempest were good deals in my opinion. Collapsed monitor is an hour of time and not much in parts. Tempest was a great deal in today's market. The Defender I think was overpriced for non working. My Defender was $250 with a dead monitor, but working game and that was a very recent sale.
 
I've come to the following personal conclusion: You need to have either money or time.

MONEY: Buys you the game you want now. Pretty much any game could be had right now...just have to pony up the cash. Every game has a price. Just might be sky high to make someone part with it.

TIME: Wait long enough and you could get lucky and score a good deal. Maybe. Eventually.



I got into this hobby too late so TIME was never on my side. And the longer I wait, the more expensive the games are getting. Therefor, I have to rely on MONEY. I've probably overpaid a couple games but I don't have the patience or time to wait around.

TLDR: Time is money.
 
I'll try to not be a total bitch and whine/complain about the upward trend in pricing BUT ... I think i'mma need to re-evaluate what I consider good deals for games from Craigslist, LetGo, etc

For what it's worth, I'm right outside of Washington DC. As an example - I've missed out on 3 games lately due to others folks simply paying more. unless they were lying, the games and prices (sold prices) were:

Gyruss - $500 (collapsed monitor)
Tempest - $500 (complete but dead)
Defender - $450 (non-working)

all games had their fair share of bumps/bruises/scars, and I try to take the cost of a tank of gas ($60+) into consideration when I purchase as well

OBVIOUSLY sometimes you'll get lucky and find a "I need this gone for $50 tonight" kinda deal, but those are rare (and booming rarer around here)

do I need to stop being a cheap bastard? do I just need to be patient? I feel like I used to be able to find a lot more $100 games, but this year in particular I've been out-offered on game after game.

Prices are definitely trending upward, but I still beleive that there is an aspect of arcade commodities that will eventually push prices back down. That aspect is "interest". Unlike other collectibles, where a finite (decreasing) supply tends to drive prices steadily upward, there is a weird demand variable with arcade games. What's hot today, may not be hot tomorrow (even though the supply doesn't increase). People just buy (at a premium) the games they THINK they want (nostagia), keep them for a while, then realize that they just don't like them as much as they THOUGHT they would. I see KLOV active users as a telling factor...Never have I seen more than a few hundred users on at any time the past couple years, but just before that, I see there were over 3000 users on at once.

Not sure we'll get back to how it was when I started collecting, where you could buy a well used, but 100% working game at auction for $25 (but a Ms. Pac would run you around $600)...but I don't think we've seen the last of decent $200 games. Just my opinion.
 
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appreciate the feedback all around, guys

it sounds like - unless the market for games changes - i'm gonna just have to be ready to pay more for games in general (or learn to be wicked patient until a crazy deal comes along)

I think - in general - at least around DC, the days of $100 games is likely gone :(
 
I'm new to this hobby too and the one thing I've noticed is it's similar to real estate in that it's all local. I see deals (from my perspective) all the time but they're on the other side of the country. I live in the northeast and things tend to be a bit expensive here anyway. I've seen the $100 deals around here but they are always a completely empty cab.
 
appreciate the feedback all around, guys

it sounds like - unless the market for games changes - i'm gonna just have to be ready to pay more for games in general (or learn to be wicked patient until a crazy deal comes along)

I think - in general - at least around DC, the days of $100 games is likely gone :(

I beg to differ, tons of $100 deals out there, in the recent past, current, and near future.

Here's some quick CL ads of $100 games that I lucked out on and purchased for $100
within the years of 2016-2017. Some, I didn't take photos of (like the $100 orig dedi Pooyan),
or misplaced them. The namco bowl-o-rama was won via online auction. Even the arkanoid
inside the taito cab was sold for $150 instead of the original asking price of $250.
 

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Gyruss - $500 (collapsed monitor)
Tempest - $500 (complete but dead)
Defender - $450 (non-working)

>> Up here, if I saw those games for sale, locally, at those prices (assuming complete, good condition, non-working as described), I'd jump so fast to get in the truck and haul them away that I'd hurt myself. :cool:
 
totally different market, friendo.

this is why I mentioned Wash DC a few times in the thread. I'm not saying that the $100 specials NEVER come up around here ... they occasionally do, but the collectors around here are very aggressive and I've missed deals when the ad is less than an hour on CL because someone else reached the seller before me

but if you're seeing deals like that ... that's great dood. I just can't justify driving 11 hours one way (and burning $200 in gas) to get a $100 game.

I beg to differ, tons of $100 deals out there, in the recent past, current, and near future.

Here's some quick CL ads of $100 games that I lucked out on and purchased for $100
within the years of 2016-2017. Some, I didn't take photos of (like the $100 orig dedi Pooyan),
or misplaced them. The namco bowl-o-rama was won via online auction. Even the arkanoid
inside the taito cab was sold for $150 instead of the original asking price of $250.
 
It is simple economics. More people are getting into the hobby and and the supply is finite.

The 70's and 80's kids now have disposable income and bigger houses with game rooms to fill.

A resurgence in bars carrying the classic games are also part of the drive to find these machines.
 
I actually have a market test going this weekend at 2D-Con. I have five games for sale. I've purposefully priced each game above what I think they may be worth, to test the market:

Karate Champ: $450 (cabinet corners chewed up, otherwise in OK shape.
Simpsons: $1200
Defender: $800
Pinbot: $2000
Super Pac cocktail: $1500 (restored)

We'll see if I get any hits.
 
>> Up here, if I saw those games for sale, locally, at those prices (assuming complete, good condition, non-working as described), I'd jump so fast to get in the truck and haul them away that I'd hurt myself. :cool:

Almost spit out my coffee this morning while laughing at this. Rep for you!

EDIT: Apparently I need to spread some rep around first. :)
 
Almost spit out my coffee this morning while laughing at this. Rep for you!

EDIT: Apparently I need to spread some rep around first. :)

Ya, REP comes along when it feels like it.
(Similar to good deals on games).
Don't hurt yourself spreadin' the REP. ;)
 
what kinda shape is your Pinbot in? I've got one (my only pin!) I'm just curious what they're worth

I actually have a market test going this weekend at 2D-Con. I have five games for sale. I've purposefully priced each game above what I think they may be worth, to test the market:

Karate Champ: $450 (cabinet corners chewed up, otherwise in OK shape.
Simpsons: $1200
Defender: $800
Pinbot: $2000
Super Pac cocktail: $1500 (restored)

We'll see if I get any hits.
 
what kinda shape is your Pinbot in? I've got one (my only pin!) I'm just curious what they're worth

It's a good players' cabinet. Playfield is good, cabinet is rough (it was routed a long time, I'm sure). Everything works though.

Here's the photobucket album (damn crooks won't let me hotlink here):

http://s45.photobucket.com/user/smalltownguy2/library/arcade stuff for sale/Pinbot

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I actually have a market test going this weekend at 2D-Con. I have five games for sale. I've purposefully priced each game above what I think they may be worth, to test the market:

Karate Champ: $450 (cabinet corners chewed up, otherwise in OK shape.
Simpsons: $1200
Defender: $800
Pinbot: $2000
Super Pac cocktail: $1500 (restored)

We'll see if I get any hits.

Well, the convention is over, and here's the results:

Karate Champ: Sold for $400
Simpsons: Sold for $1200
Defender: Sold for $800
Pinbot: Unsold
Super Pac: Sold for $1500

Total: $3900.

Yeah, I'd say the market is pretty hot right now. Asking price on everything except KC, which needed some work. WOW
 
dang that says it all.

good to know and thanks for passing that info along (helps me keep an realistic understanding of prices)

Well, the convention is over, and here's the results:

Karate Champ: Sold for $400
Simpsons: Sold for $1200
Defender: Sold for $800
Pinbot: Unsold
Super Pac: Sold for $1500

Total: $3900.

Yeah, I'd say the market is pretty hot right now. Asking price on everything except KC, which needed some work. WOW
 
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