Well it sems the same guy hoarding all the Odysseys is now hoarding pongs

[STICH666]

http://cgi.ebay.com/C-I-C-PONG-SYSTEM-C-I-C-TVG-101-4-CIB-MINT-F410025_W0QQitemZ320414214619QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_Games?hash=item4a9a2ce9db

 

I call bullshit on that price. I was quoted no more than $15 for mine which is in a little better shape although his actually gives a clear picture.

 

[+save2600]

http://cgi.ebay.com/C-I-C-PONG-SYSTEM-C-I-C-TVG-101-4-CIB-MINT-F410025_W0QQitemZ320414214619QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_Games?hash=item4a9a2ce9db

 

I call bullshit on that price. I was quoted no more than $15 for mine which is in a little better shape although his actually gives a clear picture.

 

 

Nice collection of goods, but that guy is gang raping anyone that dares to venture into his store, video game wise that is. Oh well, if people with more dollars than sense are willing to pay...

[BDW]

Whelp, looks like he is getting desperate enough for money that he is expanding his monopolizing operations. Wont be long until he gets into the 2600 market....

[VectorGamer]

Yes, but the biggest crime isn't charging $13 shipping - it's shipping it via UPS...and on top of that Ground!

[Video]

Yes, but the biggest crime isn't charging $13 shipping - it's shipping it via UPS...and on top of that Ground!

Yeah, which is what? $5 at the most (or has UPS finely tipped the $5 point, I seem to remember it beint $4.60 or so last I shipped something)

 

Oh well, more power to the dude. If someone bites, hey, win for him.

 

As for the 2600 market....yeah...someone's gong to have to have hella deep pockets to corner that with thousands of new postings a day, even if you got everything for $1 average, that's still thousands to put into it daily (and timewise, probably not possible to get everything anyways)

[jeremysart]

Hmm. I think this ia the same guy I had an argument with about his price on an intellivision.. I just laughed it off. He was trying to sell half of what I had up for auction at the time for 10x more.

 

His prices on the N64's are reasonable though, anyone really looking for that particular one would probably pay that much. The Star Wars one alone is not bad.

 

I do call BS on everything else though, I mean, $699 NES game stack? lol.

[Tom-Lynx]

Oh well, more power to the dude. If someone bites, hey, win for him.

Sorry folks...I've got to agree. If 1000 people look but only one bites, that's a win.

 

If nobody buys, then he is the fool. Until then, he gets to laugh all the way to the bank.

[potatohead]

IMHO, it wouldn't work as well with VCS stuff, there is too much of it. What this guy is doing is targeting smaller, but active markets. He invests big to constrain the movement of things, then holds, then releases at top dollar.

 

Betcha he sticks to niches, building up one at a time, until he's moving a steady stream of fairly scarce gear.

 

I could see targeting high value things, in the box, etc... Wouldn't impact most average VCS dealing, but for the higher end.

[fiddlepaddle]

What he is doing would be probably be considered unfair market manipulation if it were a larger market, like say, mortgages or memory chips, or if it involved Microsoft. As it is, we'll all just have to choose not to buy from him, I guess. At least, that's how I'll be casting MY economic vote.

[AtariLeaf]

IMHO, it wouldn't work as well with VCS stuff, there is too much of it. What this guy is doing is targeting smaller, but active markets. He invests big to constrain the movement of things, then holds, then releases at top dollar.

 

Betcha he sticks to niches, building up one at a time, until he's moving a steady stream of fairly scarce gear.

 

I could see targeting high value things, in the box, etc... Wouldn't impact most average VCS dealing, but for the higher end.

 

I wonder if that's what this guy is doing:

 

http://computers.shop.ebay.ca/Vintage-Computing-/11189/i.html?_catref=1&_fln=1&_ipg=&_sac=1&_ssn=pickleboats&_trksid=p3911.c0.m282

 

I've been collecting Tandy color computer carts lately and this guy's prices for loose coco carts is ridiculous. I bought a Rampage for $10 via a reputable Coco hardware site and Thexder I got in a lot with a Coco 3 and other games for $58.

[+LS650]

I notice the seller is in Florida. He isn't 'sweetstuf4u' hiding under another name, is he?

[Rev. Rob]

Whelp, looks like he is getting desperate enough for money that he is expanding his monopolizing operations. Wont be long until he gets into the 2600 market....

 

 

IMHO, it wouldn't work as well with VCS stuff, there is too much of it. What this guy is doing is targeting smaller, but active markets. He invests big to constrain the movement of things, then holds, then releases at top dollar.

 

Betcha he sticks to niches, building up one at a time, until he's moving a steady stream of fairly scarce gear.

 

I could see targeting high value things, in the box, etc... Wouldn't impact most average VCS dealing, but for the higher end.

 

That won't stop him from trying. Here's a Heavy Sixer for $775. It even comes with an ultra rare CIB copy of Combat, and Racer!! I don't get it. The console isn't even CIB. It's just loose with some controllers and a few very common games.

[potatohead]

P.T Barnum would be proud.

 

There is a sucker born every minute. This guy presents his stuff well, has a good little "trust me" story, and clearly the time and energy.

 

So, here's the "get it". If somebody steps up and buys that for that high price, he "gets it" and will do it again. If nobody does, then he's selling other things at the high price.

 

There is a thing about pricing and how it appeals to people. All of us here are close to the hobby and know the score. Most everybody else has no idea! If his stuff is ALWAYS available (and from the look of things he plans to go that route), there will be people who can afford to pay, want the buzz, and simply will.

 

After some thinking, I think the buying up bit is partially about manipulating the market. However, I think it's also about just making stuff available, in good condition, for a price. If he's got cash, he can just put the stuff out there and wait it out.

 

Ever meet those people, who pay extra to say they paid extra, or to whom the price and story matter? I have. Heck, some clown from Germany put the "I am Rich" application out for iPhone for a cool $999. He made like 6K before Apple pulled it. A few people got suckered in, but others paid it, because they could.

 

My point is there is very highly likely a non-collector, well off crowd who would enjoy the memories and are interested in gratification more than price. Most of us are driven by that good deal. These kinds of people aren't. They are interested in the experience and having it on their time and terms.

 

Price isn't the motivating factor.

 

I might be way off, but I think this guy is simply targeting casual buyers of means, who are catching a hint of the retro scene, don't know, don't care, and will just impulse buy.

 

If he's right, and these people do exist (and I suspect they do as a coupla friends I grew up with are that way now), he might do very well being in a clear position to wait it out, and having no real vested interest in the hobby, only the dollars.

 

Think of it this way. The buyers may well be the same kinds of buyers, who would buy a designer edition of a car, for a 20 percent plus premium, and feel really good about it, despite the fact that the value added, other than the designers name, is only a fraction of that.

 

If I had the time and inclination, I think I would list a VCS for $50 less, and tell a better story, good presentation, and see if perhaps he can be wedged out on a margin deal.

 

If so, happy days, right?

 

Somebody here has an account and a few machines. Do it! Let's see if this clown is onto something...

 

From where I stand, it's all just business. A serious price escalation would be a bummer on one hand (difficult to get new gear), but on the other, when you do score gear, it's really a score again, instead of everything falling down to the nubs.

 

What of the real collectors here? I've not heard much from them. Wonder if they mind a price spike?

 

In the end, it is worth exactly what somebody will pay for it. Understanding just what motivates people to buy can be worth an awful lot of money. I do this as part of my day job, and a good value add, story, special appeal, and even "that right price" can and does get people to part with interesting sums of money, and all of that has very little to do with the actual value of the item.

 

You are seeing that dynamic in action right before your eyes. Personally, I think I might watch 'n learn, if dealing in this stuff was my thing. Again, if the guy is hunting in that field, it's highly likely possible to go hunt with him, undercutting a bit, while continuing to service the "informed" market all at the same time.

 

Retro consists of those who know, those who don't, and EVERYBODY THAT REMEMBERS. Think about that. I think this guy did.

[potatohead]

So I just browsed his store.

 

He's saying:

 

It's cool, I know, I was there.

 

It will work.

 

It is in nice condition, and I made sure of it.

 

It is appealing.

 

It is available right now, and importantly:

 

I know what that is worth. (subtle, but could be worth $$$)

 

For the price, I make sure you are happy with it.

 

The other items he has will appeal to a fairly broad base of collector types. I suspect he's just been building market after market, assembling nice combinations of things, and only sells those.

 

What I did not see:

 

It's a deal! Buy from me! (race to the bottom)

 

Parts

 

Iffy things that might not satisfy that nostalga or collector need.

 

Bullshit. (Each niche he has features good items, good quality, no hassles, works)

 

Any indication he's in a hurry, or moving a ton of stuff.

 

On the VCS items, I've noted he really escalates the value of things. Low end stuff is marked up say a few times. Higher end things have a higher markup, and are complete. So, if it's worth a little something, he sells it for a little more. If it's got any more than that, he marks the hell out of it.

 

Finally, he appears to sell nothing that isn't worth his time. Either there are some dollars there, or forget it.

 

This is the classic snob / ignorant buyer sell. Both types will pay well, one not knowing any better, and the other because it's there, it's nice, and clean, and no hassles, and total assurance it's a good experience.

 

Seems to me like he's taking the antiques pitch found in so many places, rolling it onto e-bay, and pitching the same way, going the long haul to make the most of what he has in inventory.

 

Ever notice when you walk into an "Antiques" store, if there is a game there, it's priced through the sky? That's because the kind of people that walk into those stores expect to pay that, while the rest of us are in the Good will.

 

That's how this guy works, IMHO.

 

So there is your potato-analysis.

 

BTW: No offense to antique store types. It's just a different scene, and I'm writing to the typical enthusiast / collector here, that's all. No need to worry about me spoiling the party.

 

Another Edit: So I checked out the sky high CoCo guy. There is a subtle connection on both of these. Our top dollar VCS guy has the typical assortment of way over priced collectables, usually found in antique stores. He's hoping for a cross over buy, from somebody of means, who remembers, or wants a cool gift.

 

The CoCo guy is doing the same thing. In his store, he's got ham gear, and there is some cross over to the CoCo as that stuff has good memories for a lot of HAMs, though I wonder. Most HAMs I know (and I was once one) are pretty savvy.

 

Still, I think there's a cross-over gig here, which reinforces what I wrote above.

Edited October 28, 2009 by potatohead

[STICH666]

[Bruce Tomlin]

The CoCo guy is doing the same thing. In his store, he's got ham gear, and there is some cross over to the CoCo as that stuff has good memories for a lot of HAMs, though I wonder. Most HAMs I know (and I was once one) are pretty savvy.

HAMs also have hamfests, which are like the various video game meets we have, only more of them, and less far to drive. (For instance, there is currently NOTHING in Texas for video games, other than a coin/pin thing in Houston. The only one barely in range is in Tulsa.) They already have a good way to sell directly to each other. They don't need flea-bay.

Edited October 28, 2009 by Bruce Tomlin

[VectorGamer]

I looked at the seller's feeback and he is moving this stuff as high as $1000. So, unless he's buying this stuff from himself to make it look like there's a demand at these prices, he's moving product.

[potatohead]

Bruce: Exactly. Those events are frequent and well attended. Scratch that idea off the list.

 

I'm going to hold true to my earlier pre edit post however, meaning I don't have a hunch about the high dollar CoCo guy.

Edited October 28, 2009 by potatohead

[AtariLeaf]

Well the silver lining as I see it, is that this guy is a senior citizen so he and his wife could both very well be dead soon, everything sold in an estate sale which will eventually end up in the hands of collectors or back on ebay at a better price.

[Rev]

i wonder if this old man knows we are talking about him :?

[potatohead]

Probably. Easy path there is to just never put down stuff you can't live with. Then the worst case is someone gets annoyed, but you can still sleep at night.

 

If he reads my stuff, and I'm close, he will probably just grin, and bump the lots up 5 percent, and improve the story ahead of potential margin deals mentioned If I'm off, well no worries. Nothing was written that's offensive, and that's about as good as it gets.

[Rev. Rob]

Well the silver lining as I see it, is that this guy is a senior citizen so he and his wife could both very well be dead soon...

 

LOL - Very true if that were true. I think they invented the "elderly couple" facade to add to the credibility of their narrative. On one of his items he says he's been involved in the retro game community pre-eBay selling things on "chat boards" with nothing but a promise. I really doubt that, or else we'd all know about him.

 

I looked at the seller's feeback and he is moving this stuff as high as $1000. So, unless he's buying this stuff from himself to make it look like there's a demand at these prices, he's moving product.

 

I checked both of his accounts, and he's moved one item recently for that high of a price.

Edited October 29, 2009 by Rev. Rob