Collecting on the cheap.

[Jmustang1968]

Your not understanding the argument at all. Im not saying all retro games should be cheap blah blah blah. But the fact is, most retro games should be on the low end. The fact is there isn't demand for 90% of them. They are price jacked in a lot of cases. A game in crap condition that is 15 years old selling for more than half the price it was brand new? Granted it would be worth much more brand new now, but thats because of time, not the game itself. Its just ridiculous to look even on ebay and see 'lots' of games with like 10 SNES games for hundreds of dollars and some of them not even being very rare. Fact is, if I can find the same game on 30+ websites for sale, it isnt rare and shouldnt be priced as such.

You cant just rule all retro games as being worth tons of money because they are collectable. The point of a RARE game even being RARE is that its worth more. If every game is going to be expensive, collecting is going to become impossible to all but the well-to-do.

You are obviously not understanding it and economics in general. As most who make this argument, you completely disregard the demand and only focus on the supply. Being rare does not dictate value on its own. There are a ton of rare items that have little to no value. There are many rare games that aren't that valuable. When you get the combination of rare + demand you get the expensive games. Then some other extremely rare games are expensive, but also because they are in demand by collectors wanting to complete their collections. TMNT IV is a game that is popular so it increases its value. Nowhere have I said all retro games are worth tons of money, quite the opposite.

The other mistake is you are taking one example of someone asking too much for a game, especially considering its condition and assigning that value to it. There are outliers all over, but a collector or retro gamer who is experienced hunting games, knows to find a general price that items are actually selling for and assigning that value to it. Sure we all have a laugh and shake our head at the fool asking $50 for a common NES cart, I just linked one as an example. That doesnt mean they sell for that much.

[TheGregzilla]

The price I got on Turtles in Time was actually pretty representative of the prices I found for it. Some a little lower, some a little higher. I think your misrepresenting the Demand though. There is absolutely not a high demand for any SNES cart outside a selection of about 20 of them. Retro game collectors are not a huge portion of the population and certainly with the sheer number of each game produced, not significant enough to warrant price jumps of 200% on common games.

[Jmustang1968]

The price I got on Turtles in Time was actually pretty representative of the prices I found for it. Some a little lower, some a little higher. I think your misrepresenting the Demand though. There is absolutely not a high demand for any SNES cart outside a selection of about 20 of them. Retro game collectors are not a huge portion of the population and certainly with the sheer number of each game produced, not significant enough to warrant price jumps of 200% on common games.

So no one wants those games, there is low demand, yet they are fetching increasingly higher prices? Something doesn't add up there. If they are selling for that price, then demand matches the price being asked.

[Retrodude]

Your not understanding the argument at all. Im not saying all retro games should be cheap blah blah blah. But the fact is, most retro games should be on the low end. The fact is there isn't demand for 90% of them. They are price jacked in a lot of cases. A game in crap condition that is 15 years old selling for more than half the price it was brand new? Granted it would be worth much more brand new now, but thats because of time, not the game itself. Its just ridiculous to look even on ebay and see 'lots' of games with like 10 SNES games for hundreds of dollars and some of them not even being very rare. Fact is, if I can find the same game on 30+ websites for sale, it isnt rare and shouldnt be priced as such.

You cant just rule all retro games as being worth tons of money because they are collectable. The point of a RARE game even being RARE is that its worth more. If every game is going to be expensive, collecting is going to become impossible to all but the well-to-do.

He speaks the truth!

You are obviously not understanding it and economics in general.

Here we go again...

[TheGregzilla]

So no one wants those games, there is low demand, yet they are fetching increasingly higher prices? Something doesn't add up there. If they are selling for that price, then demand matches the price being asked.

Thats my point!

There is a small population that actually seeks these games out, yet the people looking to sell them want to cash in on the fact that collectors will pay for what they need to complete a collection sometimes regardless of the price, and if Seller A sees that Seller B is selling a game for a higher price, he judges that to be the 'correct worth' and sells his for that price. Its like the retro game stores that look up prices on Amazon to determine price. They are setting price because of a BAD precedent.

You cant honestly think there is a real demand for Turtles in Time in bad condition do you? I can understand it being a 10-15 dollars more for a pristine game because its older and harder to find SNES games in that condition. But a game with the label torn up etc? I dont see such a demand that every collector is clamoring for any copy they can get.

[brunoafh]

the people looking to sell them want to cash in on the fact that collectors will pay for what they need to complete a collection sometimes regardless of the price

No way, seriously?

[Jmustang1968]

So no one wants those games, there is low demand, yet they are fetching increasingly higher prices? Something doesn't add up there. If they are selling for that price, then demand matches the price being asked.

Thats my point!

There is a small population that actually seeks these games out, yet the people looking to sell them want to cash in on the fact that collectors will pay for what they need to complete a collection sometimes regardless of the price, and if Seller A sees that Seller B is selling a game for a higher price, he judges that to be the 'correct worth' and sells his for that price. Its like the retro game stores that look up prices on Amazon to determine price. They are setting price because of a BAD precedent.

You cant honestly think there is a real demand for Turtles in Time in bad condition do you? I can understand it being a 10-15 dollars more for a pristine game because its older and harder to find SNES games in that condition. But a game with the label torn up etc? I dont see such a demand that every collector is clamoring for any copy they can get.

I am saying it doesn't add up because it doesnt. That seller is obviously asking for over market. These have to actually be selling for these sellers to be actually getting their money. Most of these prices are dictating by sold listings and auctions with bids at that. Retro game stores are notoriously high priced because they are in business selling games and have overheard to comepensate for.

I am done with this tired argument.

[Retrodude]

So no one wants those games, there is low demand, yet they are fetching increasingly higher prices? Something doesn't add up there. If they are selling for that price, then demand matches the price being asked.

Thats my point!

There is a small population that actually seeks these games out, yet the people looking to sell them want to cash in on the fact that collectors will pay for what they need to complete a collection sometimes regardless of the price, and if Seller A sees that Seller B is selling a game for a higher price, he judges that to be the 'correct worth' and sells his for that price. Its like the retro game stores that look up prices on Amazon to determine price. They are setting price because of a BAD precedent.

You cant honestly think there is a real demand for Turtles in Time in bad condition do you? I can understand it being a 10-15 dollars more for a pristine game because its older and harder to find SNES games in that condition. But a game with the label torn up etc? I dont see such a demand that every collector is clamoring for any copy they can get.

To quote Luke, I could kiss you.

[TheGregzilla]

The games sell for the price they are priced at, how hard is that to understand?

Yes, the games are selling for ___ amount of dollars, because there is no other option other than not buy the game at all. Your argument makes no sense, your saying because a game sells for a certain price, its worth that much? Things sell for the price they are listed at. I cant click on an Amazon listing and tell the person Im only going to pay 15 bucks for a 50 dollar game so they better change the price now can I. It seems like your trying to say the seller should dictate the value of a game. The seller should sell the game for what its worth, otherwise they are price jacking and cheating somebody who genuinly wants the game out of possibly getting it.

[Jmustang1968]

The games sell for the price they are priced at, how hard is that to understand?

Yes, the games are selling for ___ amount of dollars, because there is no other option other than not buy the game at all. Your argument makes no sense, your saying because a game sells for a certain price, its worth that much? Things sell for the price they are listed at. I cant click on an Amazon listing and tell the person Im only going to pay 15 bucks for a 50 dollar game so they better change the price now can I. It seems like your trying to say the seller should dictate the value of a game. The seller should sell the game for what its worth, otherwise they are price jacking and cheating somebody who genuinly wants the game out of possibly getting it.

I said no more but this is my last response...

There are no options besides amazon listings? One can choose not to buy a game because it is less than they are willing to pay. If no one buys a game, a seller generally has to lower the price to sell it. If sellers are getting willing buyers at that price, then that is what it is worth. The seller isnt dictating the value, but is dictated by both the buyer and seller agreeing on a price for the item. What is the game worth? How much you 'think' it should be worth? Worth isnt a fixed value in a market, it fluctuates and generally settles on what a buyer is willing to pay and what the seller is willing to let it go for. There is no price jacking or 'cheating' lol. If a seller asks for too much and never sells the items, well he has a bunch of inventory he has to hang on to and if he is a business, will probably go out of business.