Flojocabron's Guide to buying at fleamarkets and such!

[flojocabron]

I am starting a new thread to show you my way to buy games. Feel Free to add your opinion to this and how you deal with buying games wether on line or in real life

When you buy Nintendo games there is something I call it the "Nintendo Premium" Be ready to shell out more cause people arent letting go of their copies and sellers are getting wise to this and jacking up the prices!

Nintendo games are more valuable cause they maintain their popularity. Do some research and see what the scene is in your town, state or country.

Where I live, Nes games are the cheapest followed by N64 and then Snes. Gamecube games are some what average prices cause those can still be found easily.

Do you care about owning just the game or complete with box?

If youre a completist and like pretty, complete, boxed collections, go on line for that!

I live in the US. When I buy games from thrift stores and fleamarkets, when I buy loose copies with no box, I pay no more than:

$5.00 or less for nesand originalGameboy games, Unless its rare and they know it up to $10.00. Good thing is that most normal people who sell nes games dont care to look up the prices. Go for multi deals, I've gotten NES games 3 for $10 and 4 for $10 before

Between $7.00 and $15.00 for uncommon N64 games. Sports games are worth pennies so dont buy any of those. Many N64 games are really beat up for some reason, so paying $15 for one is stupid. Use common sense.

Up to $8.00 for commonSNES games. Although this may change since even then loose copies have been getting harder to find. $20.00 is kinda pushing it for more rarer games but you may get lucky and get a good snes game for a couple of bucks. Super nintendo is a more popular system to collect because gamers grew up with this console and they are now yearing for their favorite games growing up as a kid.

What I've said here is what I like to pay for. Some sellers dont care what they sell and will sell to you dirt cheap. I've bought nes games for a buck and super nes games for $3.00

My advice is to just keep looking. There are many sellers out there, dont just buy from the first one you come across. Some know what they sell and others dont. Buy from the ones that dont! Only then buy from an expensive seller if it is in pristine condition, and totally complete.

so all of you out there.... what do you think of what I've said? was this helpful? or is this a bunch of Bullcrap?

[Xonticus]

Good, sound advice.

If it seems like too much, then it probably is.

As a Sega collector, it is getting harder and harder to find decent stuff in the U.S. anymore because it wasn't as popular as Nintendo stuff was, and most people have already sold/thrown away their old Sega junk. I'm glad I picked through them years ago growing up. If you are looking for quality Sega stuff for a system that you are unfamiliar with yet (the Saturn and Sega CD was in my case) want to find some real gems for, there are a couple things I will suggest:

-Do your research: familiarize yourself with some of the better titles by browsing the Racketboy Defining and Gems guide.
-Carry a smartphone with a browser: Browse the internet while you are browsing the games to see how prices/reviews are for the games you are currently looking at. May take a little longer than just regular browsing, but it could help tip your decision to buy of not. I use this technique when going to retro game stores as well if I am unsure if the game I'm looking at is complete shit or not, and if it's worth more than what I'm buying it for there. Otherwise I'd just buy the game online cheaper.

Have fun!

[hiphophead34]

One of my tricks I use while "digging" is popping open the trays of CD based systems like the PS1. You never know what loose disc might be inside. I've found a couple of gems this way for various systems. Just recently I found a copy of MvsC2 for the Dreamcast this way. I offered the seller 5 bucks and they took it because they didn't even know there was a game inside.

[Bradtemple87]

One of my tricks I use while "digging" is popping open the trays of CD based systems like the PS1. You never know what loose disc might be inside. I've found a couple of gems this way for various systems. Just recently I found a copy of MvsC2 for the Dreamcast this way. I offered the seller 5 bucks and they took it because they didn't even know there was a game inside.

I love it! Great thinking.

[Josh]

One of my tricks I use while "digging" is popping open the trays of CD based systems like the PS1. You never know what loose disc might be inside. I've found a couple of gems this way for various systems. Just recently I found a copy of MvsC2 for the Dreamcast this way. I offered the seller 5 bucks and they took it because they didn't even know there was a game inside.

I love it! Great thinking.

Got my copy of Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast that way, it's worth a look anyway. Sure it's not exactly a rare game and it was a bit scratched up, and completionists probably won't be too happy with it, but it IS about the games, right?

[GamerMON]

One of my tricks I use while "digging" is popping open the trays of CD based systems like the PS1. You never know what loose disc might be inside. I've found a couple of gems this way for various systems. Just recently I found a copy of MvsC2 for the Dreamcast this way. I offered the seller 5 bucks and they took it because they didn't even know there was a game inside.

I love it! Great thinking.

Got my copy of Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast that way, it's worth a look anyway. Sure it's not exactly a rare game and it was a bit scratched up, and completionists probably won't be too happy with it, but it IS about the games, right?

At the DAV near my house I once found a copy of FF7 gh with disc 2 and 3 and Tomba inside for $4. Used the good cd case for my black label copy I got from software ect back in the day.

[flojocabron]

Im glad you guys are liking this!

heres some more intel on when youre buying at fleamarkets.

Dont be afraid to ask for a price- shyness leads to a lost buy. If the price is too high just leave it there. You would be surpised when you get a good price. You wont know if you dont ask.

Carry small bills- this is the best way to haggle. If someone wants to sell you a game for 7 bucks, offer a 5 and they may take it. If a game is going for 2 bucks, offer a one. Dont haggle with a price and hand a twenty when youre done! This is very tacky and may make the seller mad. Imagine that youre wanting to buy a game for $5 and you convince them to drop it down to $3 and theyre cool with it....And you hand them a $20! not cool.

If the cost is too high, start to walk away- this is a good tactic. If you ask how much some thing is and its too much. Walk away like if youre not interested. Some sellers may blurt out a lower price and then it may be reasonable. take it or haggle some more. Be reasonable, they want to make a buck too.

Make multi deals-Get some different games and make offers. Nes Games can sometimes be sold for about $3.00, offer them $10 for four games. Some sellers dont know the difference between N64 and SNES games. they may be sold similarly. Take advantage of this!

Look thru audio CDs- you can find lots of cd based games mixed in with audio CDs. Grab some games and some music CDs together. you can get music Cds for a few dollars and the seller may not even check that there are games mixed in with them. This can get you some good PS1 and Dreamcast games for about $2.00!

Dont dress too flashy- If sellers see that you are dressed snazzy, they may charge you a few dollars more. Imagine trying to buy a 3 dollar game and you have like four gold chains on you! some sellers do this. Dress casual, act polite and you may go home with more than you expected. Appearances are King.

Go a Little late- Sure the best deals and finds are in the morning, but, but later in mid-morning or late in the afternoon, When the seller has made a profit and is ready to leave, you can get some good deals. Some sellers even give stuff away.

I am having fun with this, and if any of you out there have a question you can post it here or send me a private message.

this is how I roll, and I love it

[CRTGAMER]

I think its great to find a rare game at Swap Meets at a bargain price, the whole point of digging through the boxes. But getting away with a different disc inside or tricking a purchase with music CDs. What ever happened to integrity and honesty?

Okay off the soap box and maybe a couple more tips.

1. Avoid the Swap Meet table selling Video Games until last. First visit all the other tables of used stuff. The rarities and best bargains will be found in that box of tangled cords under the table or along side Uncle Henry's garage clean out rusty tools. I found a PSX DUAL ANALOG this way.

2. Go early and go often for more hits to find a surprise rarity. I'm pounding the pavement at 7:30 in the morning. You know you got there on time when the sweet sounds of canopy poles are still banging.

3. Thrift stores kinda fall in the same line, get there early when the day's delivery shows up. I got a pristine NES ROB in the box off the truck along with another DUAL ANALOG this way.

[emwearz]

One thing I will add is to look through piles of magazines, I find Game Guides every now and again at thrift stores like this and they cost next to nothing.

[flojocabron]

[quote="CRTGAMER"]I think its great to find a rare game at Swap Meets at a bargain price, the whole point of digging through the boxes. But getting away with a different disc inside or tricking a purchase with music CDs. What ever happened to integrity and honesty? [quote]


Im not saying that you swap out the games for music!

I meant to say that games in cases may be mixed in with them.

but I do know what you mean. I've seen many empty boxes, I get all excited and then theres the let down!

People who sell at fleamarkets often buy wholesale, from auction houses, or estate sales.

music cds, games, tapes and dvds are lumped together and sold like that. when the sellers take it to the fleamarket, they just sell it like that.

you just need some time and patience to find some good things out there in the fleamarkets of the world!