STOP with the "Good Samaritan" posts
- Thread starter robotron911
- Start date
modessitt
Volunteer: Encyclopedia Submission Moderator
I've had one local complain to me (and another member) about posting an ad here. Usually because he was trying to get a nice working $200 Space Invaders for $50 (so he could flip it for $600) and didn't want others e-mailing the seller to buy at the listed price.
I lost out on a converted Joust cocktail because someone posted it here and Noice bought it from Arkansas, screwed around with it forever, then finally dumped it to someone else.
But I also know that it is very cutthroat here in Austin for good CL deals, and anything with a good price is usually snapped up within an hour of it posting. If I see it's still up a day later, then I'll post about it if it's something worthwhile. Otherwise, I'll only post about rarer titles in good condition that are priced higher than what normal cheapo collectors usually pay. That's how Chris got ahold of that Timber.
If you're not getting the deals, then the problem is either:
a) you didn't respond fast enough
b) you tried to lowball and someone else didn't
c) your seller is a flake and probably misrepresented the condition of the game if he won't stick to his price or agreement
Blaming people for posting it here is nonsensical...
I lost out on a converted Joust cocktail because someone posted it here and Noice bought it from Arkansas, screwed around with it forever, then finally dumped it to someone else.
But I also know that it is very cutthroat here in Austin for good CL deals, and anything with a good price is usually snapped up within an hour of it posting. If I see it's still up a day later, then I'll post about it if it's something worthwhile. Otherwise, I'll only post about rarer titles in good condition that are priced higher than what normal cheapo collectors usually pay. That's how Chris got ahold of that Timber.
If you're not getting the deals, then the problem is either:
a) you didn't respond fast enough
b) you tried to lowball and someone else didn't
c) your seller is a flake and probably misrepresented the condition of the game if he won't stick to his price or agreement
Blaming people for posting it here is nonsensical...
parabolic
Well-known member
Mike, thats cause I moved!!! youd have your hands full if I was still "shopping" up there! LOL! (of course I may have owned a few of yours by now as well). Ive made MANY a trip to Rockford, Loves, and Beloit for some game deals - hell I even picked up my Tempest (working) in Byron for $200! But I mostly worked with Franklin, Takeman, and Chps4sle for alot of my stuff as well.
I think the OP is irritated and frustrated, but shouldn't be taking it out on the person who posted "his" deal here. If he actually did have a deal, then the seller should have been honorable about it. But obviously, Money talks and bs walks, and the seller got cash in hand. Right wrong or indifferent some peoples world does revolve around money.
I know posting stuff here is a deal killer for some, but it helps others. Ive been on both sides of the coin - won and lost deals. Thats part of the "game".
I dont think bitching about it here does anything except make the "flamers" come out. (not THAT kind of flamer - lol!)
While in principal I agree, I also think there are exceptions. People here are so cheap when it comes to games. If locals don't move on a deal then I am all for it being broadcast. At first I posted a lot of CL stuff when I found it then I realized it really did hurt me and the people who lived around me. However, recently I've found a couple of deals on CL that no one does seem to be locating. If a game is still somewhere in 2-5 days after posting to CL, and I think it's worth have a collector get, I'll post it here. I think some goodwill amongst each other can go a long way.
I've also worked out a deal where someone bought a pc10, I sent them to the 200 to buy it and they sent me the carts, however I was very protective about where that add was listed...
All this aside if you do contact sellers through ads found here, be smart when you contact the seller, don't go on and on about how amazing a deal it is if you have no chance of getting it, then you are just driving prices up..
I've also worked out a deal where someone bought a pc10, I sent them to the 200 to buy it and they sent me the carts, however I was very protective about where that add was listed...
All this aside if you do contact sellers through ads found here, be smart when you contact the seller, don't go on and on about how amazing a deal it is if you have no chance of getting it, then you are just driving prices up..
wickedbass
Active member
Yes you should remind him of that everyday..
I have lost track. Maybe someone should make a poll.
What's really funny is how we all want the prices cheaper...until we have to sell one of our precious treasurers, then our ms pac cab with dig dug in it is a classic that should bring big coin. And most people I know try like hell to sell to a non Klov'r who has not idea what the prices outside of ordering from BMI gaming are... We all use and abuse the internet to get what we want out of these games. If you don't like people spoiling your cheap find, move to Hawaii, the finds are few and far between...
Now I'm off to buy Whirlwind for 600
not from cl, not from the web, just word of mouth, good ol' fashioned getting to know people. That's where the best deals come from anyways.
Now I'm off to buy Whirlwind for 600
not from cl, not from the web, just word of mouth, good ol' fashioned getting to know people. That's where the best deals come from anyways.robotron911
Active member
Driving Prices Up
I think the fundamental issue is that people who list games who are not collectors (and lets be honest, that's who most of the people KLOVers are buying from when ads are posted) set a price they are comfortable with.
The issue is that when an ad is broadcast for a desirable game or really cheap game, ALOT of people try to be first to get to it and the seller gets alot of replies. Far more than if it were just "local" knowledge. When they get a ton of responses saying "I'll take it", they start thinking "Man, this is worth WAY more than I am asking. Maybe I should ask for more". Add in the fact that some of these calls/emails will indicate a potential buyer is from quite a distance and the seller thinks they definitely need to rethink the price!
Now, lets add in the asshat that will tell the seller "Dude, just FYI, your game is worth WAY more than you are asking" and the price listed is now out the window. And don't forget the occasional dickwad who will call or email an offer with no intention to buy.
To all of you guys who post the "whine and cheese" comments, one question; When you get a really good deal, one that you know you are paying far less than the game is really worth, do you offer to pay the seller more money?
HELL NO!!! So, don't proactively do that to someother anonymous person by driving up the prices with free advertising, or worse, being a "good guy" and telling the seller their game is worth more.
I can't wait for the responses on this one because EVERY ONE on this board is looking for games at the best price they can get!!
I think the fundamental issue is that people who list games who are not collectors (and lets be honest, that's who most of the people KLOVers are buying from when ads are posted) set a price they are comfortable with.
The issue is that when an ad is broadcast for a desirable game or really cheap game, ALOT of people try to be first to get to it and the seller gets alot of replies. Far more than if it were just "local" knowledge. When they get a ton of responses saying "I'll take it", they start thinking "Man, this is worth WAY more than I am asking. Maybe I should ask for more". Add in the fact that some of these calls/emails will indicate a potential buyer is from quite a distance and the seller thinks they definitely need to rethink the price!
Now, lets add in the asshat that will tell the seller "Dude, just FYI, your game is worth WAY more than you are asking" and the price listed is now out the window. And don't forget the occasional dickwad who will call or email an offer with no intention to buy.
To all of you guys who post the "whine and cheese" comments, one question; When you get a really good deal, one that you know you are paying far less than the game is really worth, do you offer to pay the seller more money?
HELL NO!!! So, don't proactively do that to someother anonymous person by driving up the prices with free advertising, or worse, being a "good guy" and telling the seller their game is worth more.
I can't wait for the responses on this one because EVERY ONE on this board is looking for games at the best price they can get!!
It's definitely a double-edged sword ,rt.. In one way, yes it helps people get things they might have missed if they didn't get a chance to look around on their own. But in the other, it definitely kills off the chances of getting a "deal" that you would have gotten without all of the added exposure.
There is alot of competition in our area too, and I've noticed that really the only time true "deals" pop up for me are when the item is not a minty minty game, or when there's been a huge warehouse raid and folks have bought up so much they are either out of cash or out of space. Or, yet another possibility, the game requires alot of work and some collectors have already been down that road before, or they have 6 more games in that same condition at home already.
Your rant is totally justified, and I personally don't see it as whining as I've felt the same way myself at times. But the sad truth of it all is, this site has made alot of people, myself included, much bigger collectors than they ever intended to be. So, those people are going to want every local game they can get, just as badly as the local hoarders AND those who were doing this as a business before people like me even knew you could find these games anymore.
There is alot of competition in our area too, and I've noticed that really the only time true "deals" pop up for me are when the item is not a minty minty game, or when there's been a huge warehouse raid and folks have bought up so much they are either out of cash or out of space. Or, yet another possibility, the game requires alot of work and some collectors have already been down that road before, or they have 6 more games in that same condition at home already.
Your rant is totally justified, and I personally don't see it as whining as I've felt the same way myself at times. But the sad truth of it all is, this site has made alot of people, myself included, much bigger collectors than they ever intended to be. So, those people are going to want every local game they can get, just as badly as the local hoarders AND those who were doing this as a business before people like me even knew you could find these games anymore.
robotron911
Active member
Frizz and Arc
Please with the polemics...you guys live in Idaho. I wouldn't call that an area that is a hotbed for arcade collection! Now if you were collecting boots or spare hubcaps, I could see where the competitive pressure would be a bit higher.
Please with the polemics...you guys live in Idaho. I wouldn't call that an area that is a hotbed for arcade collection! Now if you were collecting boots or spare hubcaps, I could see where the competitive pressure would be a bit higher.
robotron911
Active member
And the relevance is...
Wow dude, you are the one getting a bit obsessed on this thread. You dig up a thread from someone with 20 posts from 1997!?!
I'm not going anywhere. I, like many others, have been collecting for far more years than I've been coming to this board. It isn't the end-all-be-all, but it is one terrific resource. Unfortunately, it has also seen alot of stalwarts leave because of issues, some like this one.
So, your point again was.... (and I'm not posting for your validation, so "shot down in flames" is meaningless, I truly don't care what you think on this point).
Wow dude, you are the one getting a bit obsessed on this thread. You dig up a thread from someone with 20 posts from 1997!?!
I'm not going anywhere. I, like many others, have been collecting for far more years than I've been coming to this board. It isn't the end-all-be-all, but it is one terrific resource. Unfortunately, it has also seen alot of stalwarts leave because of issues, some like this one.
So, your point again was.... (and I'm not posting for your validation, so "shot down in flames" is meaningless, I truly don't care what you think on this point).
trickman
Well-known member
Like someone else posted on here, I thought I was helping. After all, why is there even a subforum created here called "Trading: Online Auction and Craigslist Links and Auction Event Notices" if you aren't supposed to do just that? I had a game on Craigslist for almost 2 months. Finally sold BECAUSE of increased exposure, so I don't see the harm. It's first come, first served on the Internet, sorry to say. And if someone's jacking up prices b/c they're getting a load of responses, well, I'd have to say it's the d-bag seller's fault for increasing his price (unless the buyer offers more). I think that is much more of an offense than the increased amount of advertising a machine gets.
Rather than vent to the people who are posting in a forum as they should, why don't you get the site admin to run a poll to have "Trading: Online Auction and Craigslist Links and Auction Event Notices" taken off the subforum list if it rubs you the wrong way?
Rather than vent to the people who are posting in a forum as they should, why don't you get the site admin to run a poll to have "Trading: Online Auction and Craigslist Links and Auction Event Notices" taken off the subforum list if it rubs you the wrong way?
pookdolie
Permanently Banned for excessive trolling.
I'm trying to understand how something being a "hobby" automatically merits price control for the things which make up the hobby. If people all want the same thing and price goes up as a result, then it'll, um, sell for more. That's fair.
Pointing to a game to say "look at this thing for sale" will make a greater number of people interested in it, which is good for the hobby. I'm guessing that's why this "Auction and Craigslist" forum exists.
If I really want a game, I'm prepared to pay a higher price for it. *shrug*
Pointing to a game to say "look at this thing for sale" will make a greater number of people interested in it, which is good for the hobby. I'm guessing that's why this "Auction and Craigslist" forum exists.
If I really want a game, I'm prepared to pay a higher price for it. *shrug*
I appreciate you guys posting unusual or interesting CL ads. I don't buy them. I don't call or email the people and tell them to jack the prices. But I find it very helpful for a few reasons:
1) It helps me get a feel for what is still out there in the "semi-wild".
2) It helps me gauge the current market conditions / pricing. (even though I know CL prices are all over the spectrum).
3) It entertains me.
4) I don't have the time or interest to scour all the CL ads (or have them sent to me via RSS)
And it is also helpful to those of you who want or try to buy games from me (not trying to sound narsissistic). But as I see people all over the country selling games for peanuts, it slowly beats me down, causing me to slightly lower my pricing.
So please keep it up - some of us appreciate it. And I agree with some of the previous posters...if interest increases in games we all win in the long run. Or it seems so to me.
John
1) It helps me get a feel for what is still out there in the "semi-wild".
2) It helps me gauge the current market conditions / pricing. (even though I know CL prices are all over the spectrum).
3) It entertains me.
4) I don't have the time or interest to scour all the CL ads (or have them sent to me via RSS)
And it is also helpful to those of you who want or try to buy games from me (not trying to sound narsissistic). But as I see people all over the country selling games for peanuts, it slowly beats me down, causing me to slightly lower my pricing.
So please keep it up - some of us appreciate it. And I agree with some of the previous posters...if interest increases in games we all win in the long run. Or it seems so to me.
John
ballytablewiz
Well-known member
I love a*holes, that's why I came to the internet in the first place...
First off, let me just say everyone who posts to this thread is an A*HOLE - myself included.
While the OP makes a valid point, so do the rest of you a*holes.
Do you want 40 people vying for the game you want? No.
Do you want 40 people vying for the game you're selling? Yes.
Is the seller realizing the true value of an item and adjusting the price wrong? NO. If I had a Mickey Mantle rookie card and my friend offered to buy it for $50 on payday and I agreed, but then saw the card on Antiques Roadshow and realized I could retire on it so I sold it at Sotheby's instead, can he really be mad at me for doing what is best for myself, my family, my livelihood? Wouldn't you do the same if you were in that position? (And I don't wanna hear any pissing and moaning about how a $500 game and a $100K+ baseball card are different - they're collectible commodities that some people assign value to and others do not. Same thing, a*hole.)
The only fair common ground is to put up finds that you don't want after enough time has passed for locals to try. If you post a deal on a game in the first hour it's up, then you may be helping someone you don't know here, but also hurting someone you don't know there. So again, you're being an a*hole to someone. Besides, any good a*hole has an ifon5 with rss feeds from every CL in America anyway, so you're really not lending any hands. And why should you give a crap about anyone else other than yourself anyway? You don't. A*hole.
First off, let me just say everyone who posts to this thread is an A*HOLE - myself included.
While the OP makes a valid point, so do the rest of you a*holes.
Do you want 40 people vying for the game you want? No.
Do you want 40 people vying for the game you're selling? Yes.
Is the seller realizing the true value of an item and adjusting the price wrong? NO. If I had a Mickey Mantle rookie card and my friend offered to buy it for $50 on payday and I agreed, but then saw the card on Antiques Roadshow and realized I could retire on it so I sold it at Sotheby's instead, can he really be mad at me for doing what is best for myself, my family, my livelihood? Wouldn't you do the same if you were in that position? (And I don't wanna hear any pissing and moaning about how a $500 game and a $100K+ baseball card are different - they're collectible commodities that some people assign value to and others do not. Same thing, a*hole.)
The only fair common ground is to put up finds that you don't want after enough time has passed for locals to try. If you post a deal on a game in the first hour it's up, then you may be helping someone you don't know here, but also hurting someone you don't know there. So again, you're being an a*hole to someone. Besides, any good a*hole has an ifon5 with rss feeds from every CL in America anyway, so you're really not lending any hands. And why should you give a crap about anyone else other than yourself anyway? You don't. A*hole.
