Been trying to build on my collection having bad luck..

[muhanad]

Ebay lot auctions are good if you calculate how much each game costs seperately, then add it up, and set a maximum for yourself. And you can then sell the games you dont want to make up for some of the loss.

[Snatch1414]

I sympathize with the frustration. Unfortunately those of us that are just now starting to hit the flea markets/thrift stores/garage sales hard are finding out that we're a little late in the game. The days where you were the only guy in your area are long gone. We're actually that other guy that's made it crowded for the OGs if you will. It's tough, and it seems like there's always someone getting up earlier than you and even if you get there at the same time, they're sprinting around hounding people before they even get their stuff unloaded and out of the car.

The thing I've realized is you kinda have to come to grips with how much it's worth to you. In the couple months I've started really trying to build a collection I've grown more and more okay with the fact that I'll never be that guy scrambling around like a mad man, getting up at 4:30AM, and hitting every table up as soon as they arrive. As a result I probably won't ever be the guy that finds EarthBound for $1 or whatever unless it's by complete accident. At the same time I've learned to be okay with that. If it's worth it to you you'll be out there running laps around a flea market at 6AM just as everyone is arriving. If not you'll be like me waking up at 8 or 9AM, and usually only finding something here or there that the big dog didn't bother with because he already has it.

Lastly, with all this being said if you're more like the type of person I am you can still strike while the iron is hot once in awhile and find something that keeps you going. Check out the Games Acquired thread. I was just bitching yesterday about "woe is me, it's just too competitive out there", etc. Then late last night on Craigslist I spotted a post that was brand new for a garage sale this morning that specifically mentioned Genesis games, which is mostly what I collect. I made sure I was there at 8:30 in case he was accepting early birds before 9, and ended up with a box of complete games for $30 and some common NES games for another $10 just to have a foundation for anything else NES I might acquire. Now I'm somewhat rejuvenated.

I'll still be the guy that takes a somewhat more relaxed approach, going out mid-morning Saturday, sometimes Sunday but doubtful, and hitting one thrift store after work on my way home every day, but as long as you're consistently looking you never know, and if you have newer systems or don't mind cartridge-only commons you can keep yourself going with stuff like that and only spend a few bucks each time.

[muhanad]

^Great post. I agree with a lot of what you said. Luckily, I think I am that guy, cause there's very little retro gamers in my area, and none of them snag my deals. Granted, theres not that much to snag anyway.

[Snatch1414]

^Great post. I agree with a lot of what you said. Luckily, I think I am that guy, cause there's very little retro gamers in my area, and none of them snag my deals. Granted, theres not that much to snag anyway.

Just my opinion but I'm not opposed to auctions either just to keep the faith. I usually won't use them to land a big fish but if I need something small that I'm not sure I'll find for a long time I will. I did one recently just to get a Phaser for the Master System because I had no idea when I'd see one of those. Stuff like that. Plus it's always fun to get stuff in the mail

[Jagosaurus]

A big part of it is persistence. I hit my local Goodwill 2 times a week & come up dry 75% of the time. The other cheap finds make it worth it.

I was hitting up Thrift stores 3 times a week. Burning more gas than just buying some stuff off of ebay. Maybe I should just stick to the one near me instead of driving all over town? Only thing is there is a retro shop right next to it like 1/2 mile. Wonder if they hit it up too lol?

Yeah, I go to the thrift store & pawn shops within a mile of my work so luckily I don't burn gas. Occasionally, about twice a month, I'll make a run to ones further out. Unfortunately you're right & you have to factor in high gas prices.

EBay isn't bad. Just buy from highly rated sellers & be careful on high dollar purchases. As a hint, go to Buy it Now & sort by newest listed. Sometimes you run across deals no else has had time to see yet. Of course, also sorting by lowest price + ship is a given.

[nightrnr]

I think my days of hardcore collecting and treasure hunting are over.

I used to live in a bigger city where I was close to that way of life (pawn shops, small game shops, and a magical place called Bookman's).
But now I live in a smaller town and after our only retro game shop closed down I knew I was done for.

But hey, I love my collection and I had a good run (1998-2011 ... -ish).

Now I just focus on the marketplace here and the occasional auction item that I just have to have (I can't believe the PS1 Namco Museum games were worth that $100 I paid, almost a bargain really (as scary as it sounds), but that's just a recent example).

I wish the next generation good luck in these rough times.

[SuperSonic7]

I think my days of hardcore collecting and treasure hunting are over.

I used to live in a bigger city where I was close to that way of life (pawn shops, small game shops, and a magical place called Bookman's).
But now I live in a smaller town and after our only retro game shop closed down I knew I was done for.

But hey, I love my collection and I had a good run (1998-2011 ... -ish).

Now I just focus on the marketplace here and the occasional auction item that I just have to have (I can't believe the PS1 Namco Museum games were worth that $100 I paid, almost a bargain really (as scary as it sounds), but that's just a recent example).

I wish the next generation good luck in these rough times.

Well, I guess paying 10-20 dollars a game isn't too bad but it seems prices keep rising.
Thanks forh tip about doing buy it now newly listed. Def see some better deals.

[nightrnr]

Well, I guess paying 10-20 dollars a game isn't too bad but it seems prices keep rising.
Thanks forh tip about doing buy it now newly listed. Def see some better deals.

Oh totally,
Jagosaurus is right on the money about watching for Buy-it-nows. I almost think it has something to do with "game theory" somehow (which I've never studied); it just reminds me of that scene in A Beautiful Mind.

I've found several good (or at least reasonable) deals that way. Even better is when they have an "or Best Offer", in which you can often save a bit more (as long as you don't insult the buyer by low-balling).

[Jagosaurus]

What systems are you mainly hunting games for? While the market as a whole has increased in prices, certain platforms such as SNES have basically doubled in price over the past few years. It might not be the best system to start building a collection with if you're turning to online sites.

IMO, Genesis games are still the most obtainable for a reasonable price (excluding rares such as musha, etc).

Check out other online stores such as GOAT (Games of All Types). Dan who runs that site is a good guy. Or Best Electronics for Atari items. Good people also. These are really only known about by community members.

[Retrodude]

I just wanted to chime in and say that the ones who get up early and stalk flea markets before they're open are probably looking for rare games they can get for a few dollars and then resell for quadruple what they paid for it. you don't want to have anything to do with people like that. There should still be plenty of good games left after they've moved on, so don't get discouraged. Just because the rare hunters beat you to the valuable/expensive stuff doesn't mean you won't find something good if you look, right? The whole point of collecting should be to pick up games you want to play and there's tons of great ones out there without worrying about the high-dollar stuff.