Damn it Goodwill! I need to stop wasting my time at your stores.

[Tupin]

Don't blame Goodwill or the stores that price games like this. Blame the people who actually buy them at these prices.

If they never sold then the prices would go down. Remember, their goal is to actually sell their stock.

The things at my local Goodwills that are overpriced sit for months, then disappear. Then they send it to the store where they sell by the pound.

[Gameguy]

Any old-timers here that used to hit the thrifts in the mid to late 90's? I used to find mountains of gaming stuff back then...dirt-cheap Atari 2600 carts, Colecovision consoles, stacks of NES carts. I remember every time I'd do my 'runs' in those days, I'd find something worthwhile at about 50% of the thrifts I visited. Very rarely did I ever come back empty handed.

Then Ebay came along and ruined everything.

I never used to go back in the 90's, back then we all thought that thrifts just carried used clothing and nothing else. I did start going in the early 2000's though, I used to find tons of stuff almost all the time. Not just commons but imports, handhelds, merchandise, strategy guides, and everything was pretty cheap too. That seems to have ended a few years ago, every so often I can still find stuff and some of that stuff is still really good or really cheap, but it's just not that often anymore.

I imagine they must have different employees marking prices with very different ideas about what items are worth. Just the same, what the hell, man?

I like to imagine it's all the same employee but this person has bipolar disorder so the prices depend on whatever random mood they have at the time.

Don't blame Goodwill or the stores that price games like this. Blame the people who actually buy them at these prices.

If they never sold then the prices would go down. Remember, their goal is to actually sell their stock.

Not necessarily, I've talked with several major thrift stores and they told me that they send unsold merchandise overseas rather than mark them down in price. VHS tapes, electronics, toys, books, and other crap just gets sent elsewhere. It's like they can just write it off and still get money for it.

[hamburglar]

Ugh, shut up, both of you, right now

Here I was starting to feel at least slightly okay with getting into things in the late late 90s, when... well, when you could go to Funcoland and pick things up at a known price. Thrifts back then were usually a "treasure trove" of NES commons and Genesis sports games - oh god, the piles and piles of Genesis sports games, reaching as far as the eye could see-- well, more like as high as the funky shape of Genesis cartridges would allow before tipping over. But they reached, damn it. You'd also find 2600 commons at about the same rate as you find non-common NES games these days.

I forgot about the boxed Genesis games, it seemed for the most part when you found Genesis games secondhand they always had their case and instructions unlike SNES games, I can understand the SNES boxes were just cardboard.

I remember thrift shops would sit on these games, I'd pick up anything decent, but most games just sat there, eventually I would see less and less coming in, unlike SNES games that people actually bought, I wonder if they ended up trashing them or sending them off somewhere else since they knew they wouldn't sell.

[understatement]

It's irrelevant - you seem to be under the naive impression that a merchant/consumer relationship is, or is even supposed to be, "symmetrical". It's like getting pissed at your English teacher for giving you a "D" on an essay and going off on a smug tirade where you ask why your teacher didn't write an essay of their own.

And, heck, not to launch off into fundamental logic or anything, but even if we were hypocrites, it doesn't render our argument irrelevant. If John Wayne Gacy says "it's bad to rape and murder little boys", it doesn't magically become a wrong statement just because he's, you know, John Wayne Gacy. Arguments and allegations of "hypocrisy" are a classic way of disguising an ad hominem attack and sidestepping actual points of debate. But this entire paragraph is really tangential to the thread of conversation here.

I don’t think the market is “symmetrical" at all (by the way it sounds you’re the one that wants it to be “symmetrical") I think the market should fluctuate with input from every available source. The problem is when selling used and discontinued goods most of input is gone and most don’t know how to find the tiny bit of info that remains, thus you get “rare Mario/Duck Hunt” to most of them it is rare to find NES games.

On a side note, I think making random statements that only vaguely touch on the moral of the subject matter are more of a sidestep than me asking if you really believe in what you say. But, they have been quite interesting to read "it's bad to rape and murder little boys".

First off, Clownzilla ripped nobody off when he found Rescue Rangers 2, nor did he use deceit to obtain it at such a low price. He did not buy the game from a friend who asked him what a fair price was for a CIB Rescue Rangers 2. He did not buy it from a vendor trying to make a little extra money on the weekend at a local Flea Market.

Read above, not everyone that uses the word rare is out to get you.

No. He bought the game from the non-profit organization Goodwill, whose purpose is to provide jobs and job training to the local community. It doesn't affect that mission in the slightest if it was a SMB/Duck Hunt or a CIB Rescue Rangers that Clownzilla bought for $10.

But from the sound of your previous posts if it was a loos Mario/Duck Hunt for $10 you would be outraged that they would have the audacity to try and swindle someone. (This came out a bit more melodramatic than intended but is sounds better than "you be mad bro" )

I might be wrong, but I always thought that another part of the mission of Goodwill was to offer inexpensive products to the community, which a $10 CIB Rescue Rangers 2 fulfills.

Loose copies go for $80 so wouldn’t selling it CIB for $50~$80 also fulfill that mission?

[Desfeek]

Really? $19.99?

This game is all over ebay for like $5 with free shipping. I enjoying seeing what I can find but this is ridiculous.

I'm I the only one?


Attachment 4511


RAGE!!!!

HAHA

I saw this exact same cart at the Goodwill "Superstore" on like 7th and Hawthorne in Portland, OR: $19.99 RC Pro AM next to a WoW:WotLK CE ($49.99 lol) and WoW:BC CE ($49.99 lol). Thought about taking a picture of it too, I'm glad somebody else discovered (and exposed) this ridiculousness!

Let me just say: I did walk away from that store with some goodies about three days before you were there. Gotta dig, and timing (luck?) is a huge factor, especially in a retro-clogged area like the one we live in

[dgdgagdae]

I used to read about people's amazing game finds in thrift stores in the '90s, in fanzines like the original Digital Press and the 2600 Connection. But I could never get myself to go into a thrift store, because of the stigma I thought it carried. Around 2003 I went to my first convention, the Austin Game Expo, and found that there were communities online that I could join, and they all talked about thrift stores. So finally I started going out on runs but not finding anything at all. Then one day driving home and thinking it was time to give up, I came across a thrift I'd never seen before, a real hole-in-the-wall. When I walked in, the first thing my eyes went to was a Rastan arcade cab with a $50 price tag (unfortunately not working, there was an arcade rental storehouse next door that donated it for the tax write-off). Wandering around the store, I noticed something that looked vaguely familiar - it turned out to be a Vectrex! No price on it, so I took it to the counter and asked them how much it was. They asked what it was, and I told them it was a black-and-white game console from the '70s or '80s. So they sold it to me for $5. I kept my right hand on the console on the drive home, just because I couldn't believe I finally owned one (I'd wanted one since they had come out). That kicked me in the butt and I started looking even harder for thrift store finds, which started piling up. I just wish I had started back in the '90s, but I just couldn't get past my own insecurity and bad opinion on charity shops and thrift stores.)

I'm in the same general area as you, and the only Goodwill I've been in is one in Plano. I only went in once, and I don't think I'll be back. To me, it's not the stigma of going into a Goodwill, as much as the feeling of depression once you're inside. Mostly it was elderly people who probably can't afford to shop elsewhere. There were some families too, looking at second hand clothes. And there I was parking my expensive car in the parking lot, looking for good deals on video games. It just didn't feel right.

[Miss Boris Yeltsin]

I don’t think the market is “symmetrical" at all (by the way it sounds you’re the one that wants it to be “symmetrical")

So you, the one saying that buyers and sellers should have an equal moral responsibility, don't believe the market should be a symmetrical situation. I don't think you understand what the word "symmetrical" means.

I think the market should fluctuate with input from every available source.

And I think there should be magical unicorns that grant wishes, but, much like the notion of an amoral self-regulating market, magical unicorns are a myth.

On a side note, I think making random statements that only vaguely touch on the moral of the subject matter are more of a sidestep than me asking if you really believe in what you say.

My statement had nothing to do with morality, it's a shame that you completely missed the point. It's sort of hard to talk to someone who doesn't understand what words mean and who resorts to ad hominems instead of even trying to back up his original statement, so do forgive me for using something as complicated and seemingly-impossible-to-understand as an analogy.



Read above, not everyone that uses the word rare is out to get you.



But from the sound of your previous posts if it was a loos Mario/Duck Hunt for $10 you would be outraged that they would have the audacity to try and swindle someone. (This came out a bit more melodramatic than intended but is sounds better than "you be mad bro" )



Loose copies go for $80 so wouldn’t selling it CIB for $50~$80 also fulfill that mission?[/QUOTE]

[treismac]

Read above, not everyone that uses the word rare is out to get you.

Perhaps. After all, I barely understand my own intentions, let alone the inner motivations of others. At the flea market I go to most vendors have an idea of the market value and supply of old video games. One vendor, Sandra, who says that SMB/Duck Hunt is "rare" and "hard to find," has a tub of games on the ground behind the counter, which has eight or so cartridges of SMB/Duck Hunt besides the three she has on display. I doubt she believes that the game is truly "rare." Concerning knowledge of the market outside of the flea market, I've had an elderly vendor mention (accurately) the going price for Wild Gunman on ebay when I was haggling with him. (The story is more complicated than that, but it is not pertinent nor interesting enough to retell). All of the vendors have an idea of what other vendors have as well, because they will talk about the other vendors and what games they have. While it is possible, I doubt any vendor believes that SMB/Duck Hunt is actually hard to come by relative to other NES games. I'd be willing to bet they understand that their statement is "untrue," regardless of if they are "out to get me" or not.

But from the sound of your previous posts if it was a loos Mario/Duck Hunt for $10 you would be outraged that they would have the audacity to try and swindle someone. (This came out a bit more melodramatic than intended but is sounds better than "you be mad bro" )

The intent of the statement of mine that you quoted was to say that a good price for a game still fulfills the mission of providing work and job training at Goodwill. A price that is too high fails, as many posts in this thread have demonstrated, since it does not get sold. My irritation at prices that are too high for common games at the flea market rather than at charity shops is that the vendors at flea markets know better than the employees at charity shops. I could hardly curse my local Goodwill for having a SMB/Duck Hunt listed at $50. They just don't know better.

Also, I always appreciate a more formal tone in a back and forth exchange. Too much slang hurts one's ethos, after all.

[tom]

Here in Germany my local second hand shop has a huge amount of unboxed SNES carts sitting on the shelf collecting dust (and N64 too). Prices is between Euro 1 - Euro 5 ($7).
I've been going to this shop since 5 years now to buy PS games, the SNES games haven't moved for 5 whole years!!!

On the other hand, he had a cib MegaDrive with 7 cib games for $40, sold within two days.

[understatement]

So you, the one saying that buyers and sellers should have an equal moral responsibility, don't believe the market should be a symmetrical situation. I don't think you understand what the word "symmetrical" means.

When did I say that? I say each party should have their own responsibilities not the same responsibilities.

And I think there should be magical unicorns that grant wishes, but, much like the notion of an amoral self-regulating market, magical unicorns are a myth.

My statement had nothing to do with morality, it's a shame that you completely missed the point. It's sort of hard to talk to someone who doesn't understand what words mean and who resorts to ad hominems instead of even trying to back up his original statement, so do forgive me for using something as complicated and seemingly-impossible-to-understand as an analogy.

Moral (not morality) was used as a noun for the embodiment of something.
You seem to be irritated with me, for that I’m sorry but I don’t think you understood my OP and now you seem to be trolling.

Perhaps. After all, I barely understand my own intentions, let alone the inner motivations of others. At the flea market I go to most vendors have an idea of the market value and supply of old video games. One vendor, Sandra, who says that SMB/Duck Hunt is "rare" and "hard to find," has a tub of games on the ground behind the counter, which has eight or so cartridges of SMB/Duck Hunt besides the three she has on display. I doubt she believes that the game is truly "rare." Concerning knowledge of the market outside of the flea market, I've had an elderly vendor mention (accurately) the going price for Wild Gunman on ebay when I was haggling with him. (The story is more complicated than that, but it is not pertinent nor interesting enough to retell). All of the vendors have an idea of what other vendors have as well, because they will talk about the other vendors and what games they have. While it is possible, I doubt any vendor believes that SMB/Duck Hunt is actually hard to come by relative to other NES games. I'd be willing to bet they understand that their statement is "untrue," regardless of if they are "out to get me" or not. .

I agree, they’re just trying to make a sale. I guess that I just don’t see it as all that deceitful it’s not like most “real” scam artist that get something for nothing. Also I don’t see it as all that effective; people like you know that it’s wrong and people that know nothing and just want to play Mario again don’t care if it’s rare or not if it in their scope to buy they will.

The intent of the statement of mine that you quoted was to say that a good price for a game still fulfills the mission of providing work and job training at Goodwill. A price that is too high fails, as many posts in this thread have demonstrated., since it does not get sold. My irritation at prices that are too high for common games at the flea market rather than at charity shops is that the vendors at flea markets know better than the employees at charity shops. A could ahrdly curse my local Goodwill for having a SMB/Duck Hunt listed at $50. They just don't know better.

Yea, here is where we had the brake down. I thought you were saying someone that put a high price on something and put it where you could buy it (or not) was a "swindler" as well.

While I don’t like seeing high prices in game shops, (or places run by people that should know the rates) there is usually a reason for the high starting price (highest BIN on ebay, it sells for that locally, or whatever) but if it sits long enough (around here anyway) supply and demand kick in and the price will lower.

[Miss Boris Yeltsin]

Ended up going to two Goodwills today, after visiting a third the other day.

Complete list of finds:

A four switch 2600, no hookups. $39.95
A toaster NES, no hookups. $49.95
NCAA Football for SNES, boxed. $10.00
Some random suckshit Genesis sports game I don't even remember, boxed. $10.00
Gran Turismo I and II for PSX. $5.00 each
A handful (maybe 15 total) of random PS2/XBOX sports games. $5.00 each



Yeah, needless to say, my wallet isn't any lighter than it was when starting out. Dear Goodwill: When running a thrift store, where people "donate" things to you, for free, so that you might sell them, it is typically accepted practice to charge less than "market value". That way, everybody wins - the buyer saves money, you make money for free, and you can use that money to help your local community or pay six figure salaries to your executives or whatever it is you're supposed to do.

You dudes are pricing music CDs at $5 each, VHS tapes at $2.50 each, and trashy romance novels at $1.50 each. This may come as a shock to you folks, but these aren't bargains.

[Parodius Duh!]

I say why bother. NEVER, not even when classic consoles were new or semi-dying, have I found games or systems at a goodwill. I found a copy of donkey Kong Country once, but the label was torn up and it looked like it was dug out of a mud puddle. Im not even sure if that was at a goodwill either.

[Bazoo]

I say why bother. NEVER, not even when classic consoles were new or semi-dying, have I found games or systems at a goodwill. I found a copy of donkey Kong Country once, but the label was torn up and it looked like it was dug out of a mud puddle. Im not even sure if that was at a goodwill either.

I think this has been stressed before, and I understand why you feel that way. But again, it's all dependent on region. For example, both the 2600 and NES that Yeltsin mentioned would have been priced at $10 at my Goodwills, because that's the "go-to" for consoles. I'm never going to blame them for their stock...

Yeltsin, have you ever tried talking down the price? Sometimes Goodwills are up for haggling, sometimes not, but hey no skin off your bones if it doesn't work.

That being said, the six figure salary thing is striking, and certainly I wonder about that with any "charity." It seems like most charities really can't be trusted much any more, eh, whether due to incompetence, an entangled system, or just plain greed.

[Axeman]

I've given up on finding any SNES games at Goodwill. I look on their site as well, but they're looking to get high eBay prices for the complete games.

Now I stop into Pawn America. They mark up their games, but when I talk with the employees, they don't care about the profit. They're 18-year-olds making minimum wage. I'll blow the dust off the games and say, "hmmm ... how about $5 for these five games?" They shrug their shoulders. "Sure," they reply.

I know some of the other Pawn America send their SNES games to an online auction. Thankfully this one doesn't.

But I did hit a great old-school video store with 100 some complete SNES games. I talked with the owner for a while and walked out with a pristine copy of Prince of Persia 2 with manual and box. The rest of them ... the owner has some ideas about holding out until the apocalypse, when people will give millions for the rest of her collection.

Until then, they are behind the counter, collecting dust.

[Miss Boris Yeltsin]

That being said, the six figure salary thing is striking, and certainly I wonder about that with any "charity." It seems like most charities really can't be trusted much any more, eh, whether due to incompetence, an entangled system, or just plain greed.

If you think that's bad, it used to be even worse.

I know a handful of people who work for non-profits - most of them are pretty burned out by now. Even if you don't go in with naive dreams of huge changes, you at least expect to do a little good. Then you witness middle management, drawing the same salaries as most other executives, doing about the same generic hob-nobbing stuff as any other middle manager, and the higher up the ladder you go the more divorced these people become from the trenches. It's all just percentages and numbers to them. There's still good deeds being done, nobody argues that, but it's dwarfed by the silly money-making shit - even if we can somehow agree, for the sake of argument, that a $800K/year chief is better at raising money than someone who'd make $150K/year (again, just for the sake of argument), you really have to wonder if the amount of extra money raised and connections formed are really worth it - that $750,000 salary difference would buy a lot of meals, clothes, and educational training for poor people.

Haggling

As far as haggling goes, it really isn't worth it - there's usually a line, and typically the employees working the registers don't have the authority to change prices. So you end up waiting around for a "manager" (or whatever the internal term is for someone with haggling authority) to come around, only to tell you no, sorry, all prices are final. Yes, sir, I understand it's the same price as eBay, but I'm not responsible for pricing, sir, I'd have to talk with The Head Store Manager, sir, and he/she is awfully busy, sir. I am really sorry, sir, you may be able to find it on our online auction site, would you like the URL address of the site, sir? Once again, I am sorry sir.

Part of it comes from being in a semi-yuppie area - I'm sure in less "Executive" areas, people are a lot more laid back. Here though, the customers are a mix of unintentionally arrogant yuppies who nobody wants to haggle with (you're driving a Lexus and trying to dick us around over ten dollars? Fuck yourself) and people who come from places where haggling is very, very engrained in the culture (so tuning out haggling requests is basically second nature). The worst of both worlds!

I say why bother. NEVER, not even when classic consoles were new or semi-dying, have I found games or systems at a goodwill. I found a copy of donkey Kong Country once, but the label was torn up and it looked like it was dug out of a mud puddle. Im not even sure if that was at a goodwill either.

Eh, back in the day Goodwills I visited were pretty much guaranteed to have a toaster NES for $10 and a handful of NES commons. Maybe a copy of E.T. or 2600 Pacman, occasionally some Genesis sports games. Rarely anything actually worth buying, of course, but at least there were cartridges to sort through and be disappointed at.

I'm not surprised that there are less 8-bit and 16-bit systems out there in the wild, but I guess I am at least mildly surprised at the lack of 32-bit and 64-bit systems to take their place. It likely has to do with modern gamers growing up more used to trade-in culture, and offloading their stuff for a bit of Gamestop credit instead of letting their parents give it away when they move to college.

Such is progress...

[Axeman]

I'm in the same general area as you, and the only Goodwill I've been in is one in Plano. I only went in once, and I don't think I'll be back. To me, it's not the stigma of going into a Goodwill, as much as the feeling of depression once you're inside. Mostly it was elderly people who probably can't afford to shop elsewhere. There were some families too, looking at second hand clothes. And there I was parking my expensive car in the parking lot, looking for good deals on video games. It just didn't feel right.

True, it can seem a little depressing. However, any money you put into Goodwill does rotate back around to help people who can't afford shopping at Macy's or L&M. So I think it's a win-win.

[sloan]

Most of the Goodwills in my area go by this reasoning: Well, it lists for $xx on ebay, so that is what we will price it at.

Word to Goodwill: YOU ARE NOT EBAY, AND MOST OF THOSE BIN AUCTIONS NEVER EVEN SELL AT THOSE INFLATED PRICES!

When I shop at Salvation Army or Goodwill, I do so knowing full well the items may not even work when I get them home. At least on ebay I can go through Paypal and get my money back if someone gyps me, but at GW and SA you take a big risk, hence they need to sell for maximum of half the ebay selling rates.

[atarikurt]

Thrifts near me have wildly erratic pricing. I have seen Gameboy Color systems priced anywhere from $2.99 to a mind blowing $69.99! (with bonus battery corrosion) at the same store.

[SpaceHarrier]

I've been to quite a few Goodwill stores out here recently, inspired by Game Chasers and the monthly finds thread right here at DP. I found next to nothing at most of them, except a beat-to-hell, dirty n64, a $50 gamecube, and Wheel of Fortune for NES.

[Aussie2B]

Usually the thrift stores I go to aren't so bad. The prices usually aren't especially great, but they tend to be fair and not overpriced that often or by that much. But I went to a thrift recently, one that used to be my favorite for finding good stuff, and apparently they have a complete moron pricing stuff now. First of all, they piece everything out, which is nothing new for there since I had to buy my 3DO that way (but it was still a good deal), so they had a bare NES, GameCube, and Saturn priced at $20. That wasn't as bad as the other bits and pieces, though. They had standard NES controllers priced at a whopping $7.99 each, an NES Advantage was priced at $19.99, and copies of SMB/DH and some Madden on SNES were $7.99 each as well. It wasn't limited to games either. I went with my mom, and I met up with her at the clothes. Most women's jeans are typically priced at something like $4.99 or $6.99, but I saw some priced WAY higher than usual, like $19.99, and not even for a fancy brand, something cheap from Old Navy or The Gap that was probably $20 when it was brand new. I don't know what the hell happened with the store, but I hope it's not a trend that continues or it definitely won't be a favorite any longer.

[swlovinist]

Ended up going to two Goodwills today, after visiting a third the other day.

Complete list of finds:

A four switch 2600, no hookups. $39.95
A toaster NES, no hookups. $49.95
NCAA Football for SNES, boxed. $10.00
Some random suckshit Genesis sports game I don't even remember, boxed. $10.00
Gran Turismo I and II for PSX. $5.00 each
A handful (maybe 15 total) of random PS2/XBOX sports games. $5.00 each



Yeah, needless to say, my wallet isn't any lighter than it was when starting out. Dear Goodwill: When running a thrift store, where people "donate" things to you, for free, so that you might sell them, it is typically accepted practice to charge less than "market value". That way, everybody wins - the buyer saves money, you make money for free, and you can use that money to help your local community or pay six figure salaries to your executives or whatever it is you're supposed to do.

You dudes are pricing music CDs at $5 each, VHS tapes at $2.50 each, and trashy romance novels at $1.50 each. This may come as a shock to you folks, but these aren't bargains.

Have to agree with this, as I see it here. My local Goodwill is a total EPIC fail. Sometimes there is an occasional score, but rarely. I have stopped going to many thrift stores and just now dedicate my funds to the local independant game store CLASSICS. The time I spend in an overpriced, fanstasy land of crap selection is time I could have been at a local game store going though a real selection. If I seemed pissed it is because Goodwill should stand for Good Grief.

[BricatSegaFan]

I had been to my local thrift store recently and found a gamecube in perfect working order will all hookups and a memcard stapled inside of the instruction manual for $7. After that I went back the next day and found a Toaster NES for 9 bucks with two controllers and a gray Zapper. So I went to pick up some games and I managed to find Mario 2&3 for $4 a piece Cib. Of course I also found a gold cart Zelda for 2.99 but with wrong manual in the box.

[BetaWolf47]

I've given up on finding any SNES games at Goodwill. I look on their site as well, but they're looking to get high eBay prices for the complete games.

Now I stop into Pawn America. They mark up their games, but when I talk with the employees, they don't care about the profit. They're 18-year-olds making minimum wage. I'll blow the dust off the games and say, "hmmm ... how about $5 for these five games?" They shrug their shoulders. "Sure," they reply.

I know some of the other Pawn America send their SNES games to an online auction. Thankfully this one doesn't.

But I did hit a great old-school video store with 100 some complete SNES games. I talked with the owner for a while and walked out with a pristine copy of Prince of Persia 2 with manual and box. The rest of them ... the owner has some ideas about holding out until the apocalypse, when people will give millions for the rest of her collection.

Until then, they are behind the counter, collecting dust.

They can do that because they're pawn shops. Pawn shops thrive off of return customers who haggle.

[Jack7]

ive actually never had a problem with goodwill. the ones near me price all games at around 4 dollars. so yeah a copy of madden 96 for genesis I would never get. But Ive also gotten Conker for n64, DKC, ALTTP, mario all stars and such for 4 dollars as well

[kedawa]

A friend o mine used to work for a thrift store, and the unofficial policy for classic computers and games was to overprice it so it would barely sell at all, that way they would have something on display, and a lack of demand. The endgame was to create a situation where they could take stuff home as it came in, since it wouldn't sell anyway and just take up space.

This is apparently a very common practice.