Fleamarket resellers

[grache]

I went to a Flea Market looking for a Sega Genesis Model 1 AC adapter. The largest booth dedicated to video games was run by an older gentleman, he had at least 2000 games for sale. There were Atari and ColecoVision games, Master System, 32x, Sega CD, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1 and the Typical NES, SNES and Genesis fare.

I asked if he had an AC adapter, but he only had them bundled with systems. I thought since he had such a large amount of games for so many different systems I'd try my luck and ask if he had any TG-16 games.

When I said "Do you have any TurboGrafx games?" he said "Huh?" I thought because he was  older he might have trouble hearing, so I asked again. He said "TurboGrafx, no, I've never heard of that."

I don't expect resellers to be die-hard enthusiasts, or even to play the games they sell. But it gave me a chuckle that this guy who easily has thousands, probably into the tens of thousands of dollars of video games didn't know what the TurboGrafx was...

[NecroPhile]

I wish all resellers had never heard of the TG-16.  Go prey on the SNERDs and FEKA Agents.

[DragonmasterDan]

I went to a Flea Market looking for a Sega Genesis Model 1 AC adapter. The largest booth dedicated to video games was run by an older gentleman, he had at least 2000 games for sale. There were Atari and ColecoVision games, Master System, 32x, Sega CD, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1 and the Typical NES, SNES and Genesis fare.

I asked if he had an AC adapter, but he only had them bundled with systems. I thought since he had such a large amount of games for so many different systems I'd try my luck and ask if he had any TG-16 games.

When I said "Do you have any TurboGrafx games?" he said "Huh?" I thought because he was  older he might have trouble hearing, so I asked again. He said "TurboGrafx, no, I've never heard of that."

I don't expect resellers to be die-hard enthusiasts, or even to play the games they sell. But it gave me a chuckle that this guy who easily has thousands, probably into the tens of thousands of dollars of video games didn't know what the TurboGrafx was...

It's reasonably common. There's a chain store in the Saint Louis area called Slackers that sells used games along with movies, music, toys, posters and comics. Years ago they used to carry TurboGrafx stuff in their stores. I asked an employee if they still carried it and they looked at me completely befuddled by the question. Another employee eventualy explained that they only carry Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony and Microsoft consoles/games/accessories in store and everything else they take in, but goes to ebay or their website.

[cr8zykuban0]

flea market/ swap meet resellers are terrible, at least here in vegas. they think everything nintendo related is worth serious cash so they overprice the fuck out of a lot of stuff. eventually the games get sundamage or damaged by rain but still keep their high price. I never see turbografx stuff at the swap meets but I kinda wonder how the price would be since many resellers here in vegas have probably never heard of it  lol

[CGQuarterly]

I went to a Flea Market looking for a Sega Genesis Model 1 AC adapter. The largest booth dedicated to video games was run by an older gentleman, he had at least 2000 games for sale. There were Atari and ColecoVision games, Master System, 32x, Sega CD, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1 and the Typical NES, SNES and Genesis fare.

I asked if he had an AC adapter, but he only had them bundled with systems. I thought since he had such a large amount of games for so many different systems I'd try my luck and ask if he had any TG-16 games.

When I said "Do you have any TurboGrafx games?" he said "Huh?" I thought because he was  older he might have trouble hearing, so I asked again. He said "TurboGrafx, no, I've never heard of that."

I don't expect resellers to be die-hard enthusiasts, or even to play the games they sell. But it gave me a chuckle that this guy who easily has thousands, probably into the tens of thousands of dollars of video games didn't know what the TurboGrafx was...

It's sad, but it just goes to show that the guy just looks at the video games as a commodity, and doesn't know shit about them.  Which really makes him a bad businessman because he isn't going to recognize some valuable/rare shit when he sees it.  But I guess that's what eBay and a smartphone are for.

Fuck, I hate what this hobby has become.

[VenomMacbeth]

Fuck, I hate what this hobby has become.

You & me both, man, and this all unfortunately applies to pretty much any collecting-oriented hobby.

[Dan Iacovelli]

I used to go to the swap a rama in melrose park there was always one seller with a bunch of games
one time I saw a guy sell a atari 5200, which was the only atari game system I didn't care for.

[DragonmasterDan]

I used to go to the swap a rama in melrose park there was always one seller with a bunch of games
one time I saw a guy sell a atari 5200, which was the only atari game system I didn't care for.

The vendor that's all gaming stuff in the caged in area?

[Dan Iacovelli]

I used to go to the swap a rama in melrose park there was always one seller with a bunch of games
one time I saw a guy sell a atari 5200, which was the only atari game system I didn't care for.

The vendor that's all gaming stuff in the caged in area?

don't recall its been over 20 yrs since I stopped there.

[grache]

But I guess that's what eBay and a smartphone are for.

Fuck, I hate what this hobby has become.

Yeah, most times I see something of interest at a Flea Market that doesn't have a price sticker on it they tell me they have to check ebay for the price.

Without that crutch they'd be lost.

[CGQuarterly]

But I guess that's what eBay and a smartphone are for.

Fuck, I hate what this hobby has become.

Yeah, most times I see something of interest at a Flea Market that doesn't have a price sticker on it they tell me they have to check ebay for the price.

Without that crutch they'd be lost.

That's what drives me nuts.  They don't know anything about what they're selling, and want to charge eBay prices for stuff.  I don't slog through the dirt mall to pay the same price that I would pay sitting at my computer in the comfort of my own home.  Not suggesting that they shouldn't do their research, but price things beforehand, and be realistic about it.

[bob]

...or damaged by rain

rain?  The fuh?

[NecroPhile]

outdoor flea markets + rain = stuff gets wet

[grache]

That's what drives me nuts.  They don't know anything about what they're selling, and want to charge eBay prices for stuff.  I don't slog through the dirt mall to pay the same price that I would pay sitting at my computer in the comfort of my own home.  Not suggesting that they shouldn't do their research, but price things beforehand, and be realistic about it.

Yea, so the seller I mentioned in the OP had Yoshi's Island loose for $36 dollars, and a NES toploader without any games for $100.

To me, flea markets price should be *less* than ebay.

• They don't have to pay ebay fees (yes they have to pay a fee to be at the market, but that's fixed, also see next point).
• By having a stall at the flea market they get all sorts of trade ins, which means buying their inventory for pennies on the dollar.
• Like you said, on ebay you pay a premium for not having to hunt for what you want.

[cr8zykuban0]

outdoor flea markets + rain = stuff gets wet

especially when they have their games in totes and the games end up drowning lol

[DragonmasterDan]

Yea, so the seller I mentioned in the OP had Yoshi's Island loose for $36 dollars, and a NES toploader without any games for $100.

To me, flea markets price should be *less* than ebay.

• They don't have to pay ebay fees (yes they have to pay a fee to be at the market, but that's fixed, also see next point).
• By having a stall at the flea market they get all sorts of trade ins, which means buying their inventory for pennies on the dollar.
• Like you said, on ebay you pay a premium for not having to hunt for what you want.

Chop5 and I went to a flea market earlier in the year and saw a vendor with a good variety of 3DO games.  Nothing on his table was priced, when I inquired how much Theme Park for example was, he whips out his cell phone and checks PriceCharting.com. Ebay pricing is becoming standard for resellers.

[cr8zykuban0]

Yea, so the seller I mentioned in the OP had Yoshi's Island loose for $36 dollars, and a NES toploader without any games for $100.

To me, flea markets price should be *less* than ebay.

• They don't have to pay ebay fees (yes they have to pay a fee to be at the market, but that's fixed, also see next point).
• By having a stall at the flea market they get all sorts of trade ins, which means buying their inventory for pennies on the dollar.
• Like you said, on ebay you pay a premium for not having to hunt for what you want.

Chop5 and I went to a flea market earlier in the year and saw a vendor with a good variety of 3DO games.  Nothing on his table was priced, when I inquired how much Theme Park for example was, he whips out his cell phone and checks PriceCharting.com. Ebay pricing is becoming standard for resellers.

wow that is ridiculous!  ive had something like that happened to me. I went to ask a price on a game I saw at the swap meet,  the person takes out their phone and I ask what they were doing, then they said they were checking ebay for prices. I shook my head in disappointment and said, forget it. im not paying ebay prices and just left. then they wonder why their mario and zelda games are sunfaded and not selling.