Solutions to distant games but "local pickup only"

mjenison

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Solutions to distant games but "local pickup only"

Often we see the laments of collectors on here "If only it were local...", etc. Or we see a game on ebay we want but has the dreaded "local pickup only" and it's like 5 states away.

Current solutions:

1) Drive and pick it up
Cons: May not have vehicle equiped to do this
Cons: Gas/transportation likely expensive for said vehicle
Cons: Time consuming (possibly days burned)
Pros: All game handling done by you

2) "Is anyone going from town X to town Y?" posts
Pros: Game practically delivered to you
Cons: Game handling done by someone else

3) Hiring a door-to-door shipper
Cons: Costly
Cons: Game handling done by someone else
Pros: Game delivered to you

All 3 have the Cons of "Coordinating pickups", but that's a part of picking up any game, even if it is local.

Any other solutions people have used to get that far away game? On more than one occasion, I've had distant (location-wise) relatives help out (had them pick up a game for me to store until I made it out that way).

It would be nice if we had a forum or thread where people could coordinate solutions 1 and 2, with maybe subforums for particular routes (like Chicago<->New York, which I'm particularly interested in at the moment). Or is there already such a thread/forum?
 
On paper it sounds like a good idea. But lets be honest most of us are cheap bastards, and unfortunatley we don't realize that we're cheap bastards. If it's a Nintendo cab that's a straight pull from your a garage to my truck I can see gas plus a few bucks for the time and aggravation. What happens when the guy has to spend a couple of hours digging out a Midway game from someone's cramped basement,drag it up some steps and across someone's swamp type yard. Will we offer extra cash to compensate the person for their time and energy. Or what if something happens in transit? I'm all about helping a fellow collector out, but unless it's a buddy I don't think I would do it.

my 2 cents
 
On paper it sounds like a good idea. But lets be honest most of us are cheap bastards, and unfortunatley we don't realize that we're cheap bastards. If it's a Nintendo cab that's a straight pull from your a garage to my truck I can see gas plus a few bucks for the time and aggravation. What happens when the guy has to spend a couple of hours digging out a Midway game from someone's cramped basement,drag it up some steps and across someone's swamp type yard. Will we offer extra cash to compensate the person for their time and energy. Or what if something happens in transit? I'm all about helping a fellow collector out, but unless it's a buddy I don't think I would do it.

my 2 cents

...or if you end up having to pay a ton in unexpected tolls during the delivery of the game?

...or if you end up with vehicle/trailer trouble like a blown tire?

-Tim
 
What happens when the guy has to spend a couple of hours digging out a Midway game from someone's cramped basement,drag it up some steps and across someone's swamp type yard.

Sure, this is a valid concern. This is something a buyer would have to coordinate with the seller beforehand (before the game is even bought). If you can't negotiate that the game be easily accessible from garage/driveway for pickup, it just wouldn't be a candidate for this sort of service.
 
...or if you end up having to pay a ton in unexpected tolls during the delivery of the game?

...or if you end up with vehicle/trailer trouble like a blown tire?

-Tim

I was thinking more of like "I'm going from X to Y, can haul a game" or "Heading from X to Y to pickup a game...anyone want to piggy back something along the way?" sort of thing. Meaning you were going to take the trip regardless, so stuff like that would have been encountered on the trip anyway (shippers don't charge people extra when they get flat tires or pay tolls).

But people would be able to make up whatever terms they want; just a localized place to find these threads and/or like needs would be nice.
 
I was thinking more of like "I'm going from X to Y, can haul a game" or "Heading from X to Y to pickup a game...anyone want to piggy back something along the way?" sort of thing. Meaning you were going to take the trip regardless, so stuff like that would have been encountered on the trip anyway (shippers don't charge people extra when they get flat tires or pay tolls).

But people would be able to make up whatever terms they want; just a localized place to find these threads and/or like needs would be nice.

I was thinking of this also when dj_dns in Virginia had some cabinets I was looking for.

But I was thinking more along the lines of a webpage with a map of the U.S. where collectors can go to and state their transport plans or piggyback requests.

Then when enough are willing to chip in and there is a driver with the appropriate vehicle to transport, then multiple collectors can share the costs of delivery.

But there are a lot of possible logistical problems to wade through.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
 
Often we see the laments of collectors on here "If only it were local...", etc. Or we see a game on ebay we want but has the dreaded "local pickup only" and it's like 5 states away.

Current solutions:

1) Drive and pick it up
Cons: May not have vehicle equiped to do this
Cons: Gas/transportation likely expensive for said vehicle
Cons: Time consuming (possibly days burned)
Pros: All game handling done by you

2) "Is anyone going from town X to town Y?" posts
Pros: Game practically delivered to you
Cons: Game handling done by someone else

3) Hiring a door-to-door shipper
Cons: Costly
Cons: Game handling done by someone else
Pros: Game delivered to you

All 3 have the Cons of "Coordinating pickups", but that's a part of picking up any game, even if it is local.

Any other solutions people have used to get that far away game? On more than one occasion, I've had distant (location-wise) relatives help out (had them pick up a game for me to store until I made it out that way).

It would be nice if we had a forum or thread where people could coordinate solutions 1 and 2, with maybe subforums for particular routes (like Chicago<->New York, which I'm particularly interested in at the moment). Or is there already such a thread/forum?



I am a teacher and have a little over 2 months of down time in the summer. I have always considered doing a run or two through the midwest in the summer. maybe spend 2 or 3 days on the road. athough it would likely be fairly costly and My little toyota probably couldn't haul too many machines..
 
Heh and the funny thing is I was thinking about posting something. I may do a haul, possibly tomorrow (but doubt it) between just outside Philly to York/Lancaster PA if anyone needed to haul something that route. Driving a box truck that has room for maybe an extra game or two...maybe. Truck has other crap in it unfortunately but I'm working on that.
 
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