Should it be required to leave asking/sold prices in FS threads?

It seems like an extra rule to me that isn't all that necessary. I'm not even sure how it would be enforced, and we never even really know if the asking price and the selling price are the same. The asking price can actually be pretty misleading in some circumstances. Then you have the fact that prices can very pretty drastically based on location, the time of sale, and a lot of other factors. Should we force sellers to come back and post the actual selling price, whether or not shipping was included, etc.? Why make it a rule just for sellers? Why not force the buyers to come back an post the price they actually bought it for? What if they don't, do we ban them? Not really interested in making people do things they don't want to for trivial gain by others.
 
No, I don't think it should be required. I do think it's common courtesy, however. You might hear a lot less price policing. Maybe... I can't think of one good reason to go back into my for sale post to delete the price. I hear the argument that people will use prices from X amount of years ago for rare machines. People don't just sell rare machines on this forum. Most of the things sold on here are pretty common parts or machines.

I don't know, it makes zero sense to me. If you buy cars, you can go to the auction site and see what they've sold for. Art dealers can see what art sold for. Well, pretty much anything collectible sold at any type of auction. But here you hear, "that's eBay price, that's too high, that's not what it's worth!" I don't know what the big secret is with this shit. Now I'm just rambling. It's stupid. There are way more problems around here than running off a few "sellers" for asking to keep prices listed. Just sayin'.
 
Well.. there is a price check forum. Problem is people post replys in price check all the time and you can tell they have no idea what they are talking about and are just pulling numbers out of their ass.

I have seen people post their expertise in price check a ton of times on games they don't own, have never owned and never will own.

Somehow even though they have zero experience buying or selling a certain game they know exactly what its worth.. lol

My guess is most of the people who care about leaving prices up are the same people who like to be pricing experts on price check....that way they can look it up and quote a price from 2009.
 
Well.. there is a price check forum. Problem is people post replys in price check all the time and you can tell they have no idea what they are talking about and are just pulling numbers out of their ass.

I have seen people post their expertise in price check a ton of times on games they don't own, have never owned and never will own.

Somehow even though they have zero experience buying or selling a certain game they know exactly what its worth.. lol

My guess is most of the people who care about leaving prices up are the same people who like to be pricing experts on price check....that way they can look it up and quote a price from 2009.

Yes, if sold prices are left, would then negate the random guessed prices on price checks no? Seeing what an item sold for, gives a more accurate or real world idea of what something should be worth (as to what a buyer has willingly paid for), even if the buyer paid +/- $100 on the asking price. It would be assumed it sold for around asking price.

To each his own for removing prices item sold or was listed for, doesn't much bother me, but it is a helpful resource. I've been part of another forum dealing with some high end pricey items in their sales area, and they would ban/enforce it on people if prices not listed or kept. It never affected traffic to the rest of the forum. Sellers typically would not complain, and corrected things as asked.

Tim
 
Well.. there is a price check forum. Problem is people post replys in price check all the time and you can tell they have no idea what they are talking about and are just pulling numbers out of their ass.

I have seen people post their expertise in price check a ton of times on games they don't own, have never owned and never will own.

Somehow even though they have zero experience buying or selling a certain game they know exactly what its worth.. lol

My guess is most of the people who care about leaving prices up are the same people who like to be pricing experts on price check....that way they can look it up and quote a price from 2009.

Part of the problem is "region". What goes for $500 in one region might not even get a bite at $300 in another region. The reality is there are many distinct markets throughout the nation ... and each has it's own limits on what a game goes for.

There are exceptions to the rule, but they are just that... exceptions. High-dollar games are typically one of the exceptions.
 
Yes, if sold prices are left, would then negate the random guessed prices on price checks no? Seeing what an item sold for, gives a more accurate or real world idea of what something should be worth (as to what a buyer has willingly paid for), even if the buyer paid +/- $100 on the asking price. It would be assumed it sold for around asking price.

To each his own for removing prices item sold or was listed for, doesn't much bother me, but it is a helpful resource. I've been part of another forum dealing with some high end pricey items in their sales area, and they would ban/enforce it on people if prices not listed or kept. It never affected traffic to the rest of the forum. Sellers typically would not complain, and corrected things as asked.

Tim

Keep in mind that if someone lists a game for $500... then the game sells... and that guy is a "cool kid" and leaves that $500 price intact... it doesn't mean he didn't sell it for $350.
 
There needs to be a Zillow for arcades. The market seems to fluctuate just like homes. ;)
 
Keep in mind that if someone lists a game for $500... then the game sells... and that guy is a "cool kid" and leaves that $500 price intact... it doesn't mean he didn't sell it for $350.

I guess I see a listed/asking price (not necessarily what it actually sold for) as sort of a marker/jumping point on which to work from in valuating same/similar part or game. Still always comes down to what person/market is willing to pay or ends up paying.

Tim
 
Part of the problem is "region". What goes for $500 in one region might not even get a bite at $300 in another region. The reality is there are many distinct markets throughout the nation ... and each has it's own limits on what a game goes for.

There are exceptions to the rule, but they are just that... exceptions. High-dollar games are typically one of the exceptions.

More so for complete cab than for a pcb or any other smaller item that can be shipped.
 
To leave a price or not to leave a price that is the question.

It gives the next guy who sells the item an idea what it is worth. Your assuming that the original seller wants to help his potential competition. Your assuming that the seller wants to add information to klov database. There are many reasons why a seller wouldn't want to leave information up i don't know them all and frankly I am sure they have their reasons why.

As for the price check system, it can be flawed depending on who throwing out a number. Just because you bought a machine last year doesn't mean you know what the current price is. Did a guy get a good guy buddy price? Does the buyer and seller have a good relationship? Did the buyer stumbled across a 50 dollar deal for a clearly 600 cab? I can see how all those people who bought bargains speak on price check threads lol. Hey how much is a Popeye? It was free cause it was in a meth house.
 
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Yes I new this thread was coming sooner or later lol
No!
I feel it's no need to have someone be require to leave prices up. It should be total up to the individual. Everyone has their own mind here "I hope" and should sell / buy items for what they want period. If not use "MMAO" that is one of the reasons why it was implemented here. Price policing I 100% agree with since someone has the right to price something at whatever they wish. Trying to make someone keep up a for sale price of their own item, I 100% disagree since your taking away their freedom to do as they wish. Yes I take my prices down because I feel it's no need to keep them up and have everyone think, just because I sold something for $50 that now makes it the going rate. I just seen the perfect example in the wanted section the other day. Someone said they had the item and said what he wanted, then the poster came back saying well the last one I seen on here sold for x amount. Now you have this poster thinking the going rate for this item was what he last seen it sell for, which is not even correct. People sell items for varies reasons and just because some list something for a certain price it should make it the value. This just doesn't make any sense to me and have people arguing over this topic all the time. Another Example: If someone don't need an item, or need to make some money quick or whatever and price a Tron machine for $400. Should everyone with a Tron machine now put theirs up for sale for $400? This is what you are striving for with this thread correct, a price guide. I sold many of the same items for different prices because of different reasons. I feel everyones situation is different and you just can't follow suite for most things as well as everyone should have a mind of there own. I sell a lot of stuff here and dont look for a price guide. I price stuff depending on several factors (rarity, condition, how much I got into it, how many I have, do I care about it etc.) If I don't then I put it on Ebay or MMAO here. Putting all the rules in place, next thing you now we are only going to be able to sell /buy one item a day or can only sell / buy items up to a certain price per day or etc etc etc.
 
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At the end of the day regardless of the "going rate" the seller should sell it for what they want to without people referencing any prior price. I mean even though this would be super ambitious and sleezy, what's to stop someone from creating fake sale threads to offset prices.
 
At the end of the day, both the "buyer" and the "seller" would/should agree on a mutual price which satisfies both. :cool: Ain't it that simple?
 
Reducing Friction

Tough issue - While I agree totally with AndrewB that it's a nice courtesy to keep the prices around, I wouldn't want to start enforcing rules and increase friction with engaging here.

When I sell something, I try to put prices in the subject line so people don't have to click through if they are interested. If I lower a price, I make a reply with the new price, cross out the original price and show the new price, and edit the subject line as well. I do all that to make everything as easy as possible for the buyers and to be a considerate seller. If all sellers had that attitude in mind it would be fantastic, but if not, it's no big deal either.

When I make a post, I want to be able to edit it, and I don't want to have to fill out a bunch of required fields. It's a lot of work to take pictures, write up descriptions, research prices - I don't want anything else that causes me any more work when posting something.

Look at djdns FS threads with tons of PCBs, some MMAO, some with prices. He's got like 30 boards FS in a single post. How do you enforce him to leave sold prices for everything? You can't, and that's a sh** ton of work to ask him to do. Keep it simple and make it easy I say, and above all, try to be as respectful and courteous as you can.
 
Just to clarify, I'm not in favor of creating new rules to try to enforce new policies about keeping price info, as that would be unrealistic for mods, IMO.

For me it's just a matter of convincing people to do things that benefit the community as a whole, over individual interests. (And we all know how that goes.) In the end, people are going to do what they're going to do.
 
I think the fallacy in this entire discussion is that these games actually have any intrinsic value at all. Prices are based simply on what someone is willing to pay. The argument for leaving prices posted is based around a BUSINESS principle.."Can I sell it later for more than I paid for it", not a COLLECTOR principle..."it's worth $XXX for me to have this game in my collection". I'm not saying there is anything wrong with either concept, but let's be honest with ourselves here. If you're looking for a "deal", you care what others have paid for the game. If you're looking for a game, you pay what it's worth to you. Your "grail" is probably worth more to you than it is to me. There are lots of games I'd LIKE to have, but don't because they are worth more to someone else (ACTUAL value is irrelevant) than they are to me.

Side note: I DO have a issue with the Assclowns that post a "MMAO" listing, but are then snarky/offended when someone offers less than they think they should get. If you have a price in mind, post it (and negotiate from there if need be). If you're looking for offers, accept/decline the offers you get (as they are what it's worth to the potential buyer).
 
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I think the fallacy in this entire discussion is that these games actually have any intrinsic value at all. Prices are based simply on what someone is willing to pay. The argument for leaving prices posted is based around a BUSINESS principle.."Can I sell it later for more than I paid for it", not a COLLECTOR principle..."it's worth $XXX for me to have this game in my collection". I'm not saying there is anything wrong with either concept, but let's be honest with ourselves here. If you're looking for a "deal", you care what others have paid for the game. If you're looking for a game, you pay what it's worth to you. Your "grail" is probably worth more to you than it is to me. There are lots of games I'd LIKE to have, but don't because they are worth more to someone else (ACTUAL value is irrelevant) than they are to me.


I don't think you can separate business from collecting that cleanly. Most people have some range they're comfortable paying for a game, and don't want to get ripped off, so they want to know what 'going rates' are. Transparency ensures fairness, and prevents people from being taken advantage of.

That's not to say prices can't change over time (even over a few months), but pretty much anyone buying anything wants to know what a reasonable range is to pay. (We don't just go around blind, forking over however much cash we feel like paying for these things, or any items or goods, for that matter.)

People tend to look at this issue one way, i.e., from the perspective of people buying games (so they can figure out what they should be paying). However I actually think people use it as much, if not more, the opposite way, to see what they should post something at, as a seller. As mentioned earlier, people want to know what's reasonable to ask for a given game or part, and that's where the knowledge is especially valuable to the community, IMO.
 
As a seller and a buyer I have different views on this.

I would like to see the values to get an idea what something is worth to list for sale or to buy.

But after I sell, I do not want someone to know what it sold for.

So I guess that makes me a hypocrite, but I have been called worse. :rolleyes:


I understand both sides, but I generally remove the prices. The other reason I do this is to remind me that an item has indeed sold.

I think most people that have bought from me know that my prices are fair (and reasonable). I am just a hobbyist and looking to make just a few bucks to buy more stuff. :D
 
I don't think you can separate business from collecting that cleanly. Most people have some range they're comfortable paying for a game, and don't want to get ripped off, so they want to know what 'going rates' are. Transparency ensures fairness, and prevents people from being taken advantage of.

That's not to say prices can't change over time (even over a few months), but pretty much anyone buying anything wants to know what a reasonable range is to pay. (We don't just go around blind, forking over however much cash we feel like paying for these things, or any items or goods, for that matter.)

People tend to look at this issue one way, i.e., from the perspective of people buying games (so they can figure out what they should be paying). However I actually think people use it as much, if not more, the opposite way, to see what they should post something at, as a seller. As mentioned earlier, people want to know what's reasonable to ask for a given game or part, and that's where the knowledge is especially valuable to the community, IMO.


I agree with everything you're saying...but the reality is, there is no consistent "going rate" for emotional purchases. This is a nostalgia-driven hobby. I've seen seemingly comparable items sell for vastly different prices because of (as was mentioned) location, emotional attachment, or countless other factors.

I could certainly see the value of having previous sales listed, as long as people would accept that there are probably a lot of unknown variables that went into that sale. The problem arises when people ASSUME that sales price equals market value. Sure, there are a lot of common items that have been bought and sold enough times to establish a market. But items that sell just a handful of times a year (worldwide), can't possibly establish any sort of "market value".
 
I have under priced and sold plenty of stuff here, Im not in the arcade sales business so I usually only sell it for enough to get back what i have into it, my sale price shouldnt dictate the going rate of these items for anyone else, therefore i should be allowed to edit my sales post and remove that price
 
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