is buying games at flee markets and thrift stores worth it?

[Hyp81]

I guess I mostly don't like having games I really won't want to play. With the "newer" games, like PS1/2 and Cube, there's a synopsis on the back. But with the older cartridge games, unless it's in box or has its manual (which seems rare at Flea Markets) then you have no idea what it's about.

I went to a flea market yesterday and spent about $40 for 7 games, all but one of which were on my "want list." Would have been closer to $30, but one of the three was the original Zelda which was a bit pricier than normal for a flea market NES cart, but still half as much as the local retro stores.

[cookie monster]

i prefer buying games at flea markets and thrift stores even if it is a game i may not play or a double cause i can always sell or trade with freinds to get something i don't have or a more exspensive game

[harper]

I'm bad about buying things on impulse (granted I do have to have quite a bit of money on me before I'll buy something that's "not a good deal"). I always have my girlfriend's phone on me which I can get on the web with and check ebay to see if I could get it cheaper there, even though if I don't get it at the store I probably won't go through the trouble of ordering it. It's just a way to determine whether or not it's worth getting price-wise. Now whether or not it's worth getting as far as play value, it probably doesn't matter much since most games end up going straight to my shelf. I like to think of it as having a bunch of shit to do if I ever get bored on a rainy day. haha

[BurningDoom]

I rarely find good stuff at the Thrift Stores and Flea Market in my area. I did find a first-party Sega Genesis Joystick for $5 at the Flea Market, and turned it around and sold it for $45 on Amazon (not a big joystick guy, I prefer a good D-pad, so I didn't want it).

Most of the deals I get are online (Craigslist, eBay, Amazon, half.com); or at the local used shop.

[weaponepsilon]

Nothing wrong with both. I've bought tons over the years and I've flipped the stuff I didn't want and the choice pieces I locked in the vault. If I come across pieces for a good price, I pick it up whether or not I wanted it. Hence why my trade list is usually for trades. It's win-win.

[Zing]

But I dont care. I have never, and probably never will buy from EBAY! Eventually games do come around locally. I have years of patience.

This is probably very easy for someone who, based on his signature, appears to collect for virtually every system.

When you are like me and only play and collect for two or three systems, waiting for years to find a particular game in the wild is not very effective.

[AppleQueso]

But I dont care. I have never, and probably never will buy from EBAY! Eventually games do come around locally. I have years of patience.

This is probably very easy for someone who, based on his signature, appears to collect for virtually every system.

When you are like me and only play and collect for two or three systems, waiting for years to find a particular game in the wild is not very effective.

Not to mention if you don't travel much and don't live in a bigger metropolitan area, good (or even ANY) finds are even harder to come by.

[flojocabron]

I guess it is different for everyone.

I am lucky enough to have 2 fleamarkets nearby and not to mention local weekly fleamarkets down in mexico.

I have been collecting games for about 15 years now. Since I started working in High School, most of my extra money went to my eventual collection. There are plenty of places to shop, not just in fleamarkets, but if you know where to look you can get lucky. Just see many of the famous posters here. It can be done.

I got a bulk of my stuff way back in the early 2000's when demand wasnt as great as it was now. People have realized that great games dont matter if they come out in 1987 or 2007.

I have about 100 sega saturn games and to tell you the truth, I've only bought about 15 of them in the past 4 years. They were waayyyyy cheaper back when it was a recently dead system. I wouldnt dare pay $25 now for a common saturn game. But thats just me.

I wish I had purchased more copies of them back then. I was perfectly content just owning at least one copy.

Maybe cause I got them back then real cheap is why I balk when I see the prices kids pay for them now.

Same thing goes for 2600 games. I at one time was able to get them for 25cents to a buck! Paying $5.00+ for a 2600 game now is not something I'll ever do. Unless I know its super rare.

But this still doesnt change the fact that Fleamarkets are the best place to find deals. Wether the person is Savy or Ignorant to what they are selling. Nothing beats the feeling of discovering that one complete in box console or strange import game, or loose game that you've been looking for.

Its the thrill of the hunt, plain and simple.

[DAAAAA!!]

hahaha ok maybe bieng a cheap ass isn't so bad... But i'm never gonna sell my games tho... i regret it as a kid ( thanks to gamestop!) and I'm not doing it again..

[Icedawg]

In my experience it seems like people at the flea markets near me try to charge a lot more than they would be priced on Ebay. I've come across 2600 games for maybe $5 a piece or common Genesis games for like $10-$15. It's usually better at Thrift stores