The self-inflicted price explosion of KLOV

[Griffin]

It's been pretty wild coming back to the hobby after taking a 7 year break from being 'active' in restoring, getting pickups etc.

I can certainly say KLOV has been an indispensable resource in helping me gather information, guidance, games and parts, without which I certainly wouldn't have been able to achieve anywhere near as much as I have with the hobby. The thing that has stood out to me the most, returning here is a much more aggressive attitude toward pricing of games and especially parts.

No doubt COVID money printing added to ongoing abnormal inflation in this field the same way it did with so many others, and continues to effect it even years on. But also, perhaps driven by supply-demand factors resulting from more and more people showing interest, it seems that EVERYTHING has rocketed in price 200%,300%, 400% and more on certain items. Also it seems there is a lot more MMAO trending in the for sale section.

Personally I've chosen to no-longer engage in MMAO sales as I don't agree with the format, that's just my opinion and choice of course. But also, I've found myself checking other places FIRST before considering buying from sellers here as it seems that the KLOV premium is becoming a thing too, 'collectors price' for everything.

Example -

Tapper power suitcase working - KLOV $300+ - Found one on eBay for $60
NOS Ikari Warriors Side Art - KLOV good luck anything below $250 - found mine on Offerup for $50

Someone kindly reached out to me the other day when I mentioned I might be looking for a Crazy Taxi sit down. In 2018 you could get working sit down drivers all day long for $150. This seller mentioned they were looking for $2,000.

This isn't so much a dig or swipe at anyone, just an observation that sometimes it seems that communities that become too insular can self-inflate the very things that they need to pursue their hobby.

I imagine this happens in all kinds of communities that trade in any hyper-focused vertical category.

 

[carolinamarcg]

You're cherry picking a few random things. The vast majority of things FS here are priced higher elsewhere. Prices have been coming down here recently.

Finding something on offerup or similar sites is random and lucky. Ebay is generally higher but there are some deals.

Not to mention have you bought anything recently? Everything is more expensive than a few years ago.

 

[Mattspad]

 

[Griffin]

You're cherry picking a few random things. The vast majority of things FS here are priced higher elsewhere. Prices have been coming down here recently.

Finding something on offerup or similar sites is random and lucky. Ebay is generally higher but there are some deals.

Not to mention have you bought anything recently? Everything is more expensive than a few years ago.

I've spent about $25,000 on this hobby in the last 3 months, does that count as buying anything recently?

 

[SNESNESCUBE64]

Demand drives anything. The arcade hobby has absolutely exploded. Everyone and their brother wants in. That said, niche parts are only worth what someone is willing to pay.

If people want prices to go down, the collective needs to stop buying at current market prices and force sellers to lower their prices. That isn't the most practical approach though.

 

[carolinamarcg]

I meant in general. Milk, eggs, toilet paper.

You don't have to be snarky. I'm sure we are all impressed you spend such big money but come here to nitpick prices.

 

[obitus1990]

Finding NOS Ikari Warriors art on OfferUp is wildly improbable and just plain luck in this case.

 

[Charles Kline]

another pointless griffin thread.

 

[Griffin]

Demand drives anything. The arcade hobby has absolutely exploded. Everyone and their brother wants in. That said, niche parts are only worth what someone is willing to pay.

If people want prices to go down, the collective needs to stop buying at current market prices and force sellers to lower their prices. That isn't the most practical approach though.

Demand is absolutely a huge driver, it's pretty wild to see what it does to collector communities but I think we also do it to ourselves too, probably due to emotional purchase decisions

 

[Griffin]

I meant in general. Milk, eggs, toilet paper.

You don't have to be snarky. I'm sure we are all impressed you spend such big money but come here to nitpick prices.

Not sure why you are so triggered by observations shared by another, do you have an emotional support animal nearby that can help?

 

[obitus1990]

 

[SNESNESCUBE64]

Demand is absolutely a huge driver, it's pretty wild to see what it does to collector communities but I think we also do it to ourselves too, probably due to emotional purchase decisions

You are thinking way too hard about this. At the end of the day, yeah I could list something like a vector brick for $20 and have it sell instantly or I can list it for $100 and still have it sell quickly. People list stuff here at prices people will pay. I'm not gonna give stuff away to people who are ultimately strangers. If they are individuals who do a lot for people or very nice to work with, I'll be more flexible. It's basic economics and is how this country works. People charge what they do because they can.

Spending $25k on a hobby in 3 months and then complaining about it sounds like a self-control issue to me. Budget, buy and sell, and wait for the right thing to pop up. You are gonna spend a lot more money on the "I want it now" aspect. That or find ways to offset the cost. I sell CRT adapters and other stuff for example

 

[nerdygrrl]

I too miss the days of $2500 HUO Monster Bash's, $400 Smash TV's and .05 bottles of coke. I mean 12 years ago ops were giving away 6 player x-men and destroying them. Now you could buy a fancy house in the suburbs for the costs of one.

Free market principles. Supply and demand and way more folks in the hobby, with fewer games available.

 

[Griffin]

Agreed, also the general health of the economy plays a role, just look at the rollercoaster values in the classic car market. When times get tough, hobbies and luxury spending are the first things to get the chop.

 

[Griffin]

Spending $25k on a hobby in 3 months and then complaining about it sounds like a self-control issue to me. Budget, buy and sell, and wait for the right thing to pop up. You are gonna spend a lot more money on the "I want it now" aspect. That or find ways to offset the cost. I sell CRT adapters and other stuff for example

$25k is nothing compared to many hobbies I see other people my age engaging in, so I certainly wouldn't consider it a flex or a 'self-control issue'. Go hang out in a car community for a few months, see how far that $25k gets you.

Also who is complaining?

 

[kryptronic]

Let's not forget these machines are 40 years old. There's a limited supply of the machines, and a limited supply of parts. Both supplies are growing smaller as time goes on. Basic economics dictates that a decrease in supply will require a market adjustment (a price increase) to keep demand in equilibrium with supply.

I prefer to buy from members here on KLOV, even if the price is a little higher. Here we have the benefit of getting extremely detailed and accurate descriptions and photos of things for sale. Sellers build their reputations here by shipping exactly what they've sold very quickly, and packaged well. We also have basically priority access here to some of the really hard to find stuff that you can't get anywhere else. I think money traded around on KLOV tends to stay in the hobby, and that's a good thing. Even if it might cost a little more. Usually the prices are lower here, though.

 

[jericso]

You are thinking way too hard about this. At the end of the day, yeah I could list something like a vector brick for $20 and have it sell instantly or I can list it for $100 and still have it sell quickly. People list stuff here at prices people will pay. I'm not gonna give stuff away to people who are ultimately strangers. If they are individuals who do a lot for people or very nice to work with, I'll be more flexible. It's basic economics and is how this country works. People charge what they do because they can.

Spending $25k on a hobby in 3 months and then complaining about it sounds like a self-control issue to me. Budget, buy and sell, and wait for the right thing to pop up. You are gonna spend a lot more money on the "I want it now" aspect. That or find ways to offset the cost. I sell CRT adapters and other stuff for example

Vector brick sold a few months ago for $100 here. That was a good price I think. It also sold instantly.

 

[gumby1109]

I agree with a few of the commênts, arcade video games are like land, they aren't making any more of either. That drives the price up. I bought a quarter acre of land next door to my house in covid times for $11, 500, now the same quarter acres in my neighborhood adjacent to my property are going for 30k to 35k

 

[vintagegamer]

I agree with those who have stated that it depends on what parts are needed, and, who the sellers are.

I have had ppl come forward here and help me on a Lunar Lander project that, without the crew here, I'd never be as far along as I already am. Maybe people here are just sick of Grif finding 3 games on his way home from work (totally kidding).

 

[Griffin]

I prefer to buy from members here on KLOV, even if the price is a little higher. Here we have the benefit of getting extremely detailed and accurate descriptions and photos of things for sale. Sellers build their reputations here by shipping exactly what they've sold very quickly, and packaged well. We also have basically priority access here to some of the really hard to find stuff that you can't get anywhere else. I think money traded around on KLOV tends to stay in the hobby, and that's a good thing. Even if it might cost a little more. Usually the prices are lower here, though.

Good point. There's definitely something to be said about the value of knowing someone's reputation when buying from them, so I can see why a person would consider that worth a premium, again buyer's choice of course. I know I have my list of 'go-to' people for various things, and a decent chunk of that list includes members here that I have bought many items from over the years.