ebay shenanigans: vectrex

[Gray_Area]

I don't care whether it's NIB, $2500 is a bit....um....hopeful. Maybe it's to pay for the spiffy animated deal in the item description section, pay special attention to that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-VECTREX-GAME-SYSTEM-W-61-GAMES-60-1-Multicart-v2-0-/320677907387?pt=Video_Games&hash=item4aa9e48bbb


But wait....here's another one by the same person. Still pricey, though far more realistic.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VECTREX-GAME-SYSTEM-RARE-/320677907075?pt=Video_Games&hash=item4aa9e48a83


Then you have this one. Light pens are a little scarce, but....I don't think so:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VECTREX-GAMES-3-W-1-CIB-PEN-ALL-WORK-F558008-/350400449903?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item51957e8d6f


And while decent controllers are getting scarce, too, this price for two of them is a bit outlandish:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Vintage-Controller-Joystick-Vectrex-Arcade-System-/110499009779?pt=Video_Games_Accessories&hash=item19ba4114f3

[DaveMMR]

I don't know the exact values off-hand but if you're a collector, eBay is the worst place to find deals.  Yeah, there's the occasional bargin - and I admit I have gotten some good stuff for cheap - but it seems lately more and more people are overpricing their items hoping to find that collector with deep pockets who "wants it now". 

[SavannahLion]

I don't know the exact values off-hand but if you're a collector, eBay is the worst place to find deals.  Yeah, there's the occasional bargin - and I admit I have gotten some good stuff for cheap - but it seems lately more and more people are overpricing their items hoping to find that collector with deep pockets who "wants it now".  

A lot of places are over charging. Did a stop at the thrift shop and they're asking nearly $4 each for six Atari carts and nearly $20 for Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cart. But $4 for NES Baseball Oddly enough, there was a C64 Monster Trivia game for $0.99. Can't figure that one out.

Conversely, I was purchasing NES games for less than $1 a piece last year at some of the same thrift stores.

[TOK]

Other NIB Vectrex's have come up. I think they usually sell for between 500 and 600.

[DillonFoulds]

I would assume it's more due to a swing in retro gaming. It's becoming more of a hipster-esque fad, meaning people aren't looking for new unique games they may not have, but more of an "o0o0o check me out, I'm playing the original Super Mario Bros. game! You jealous?!".

And no, I'm not jealous.

[DaveMMR]

Other NIB Vectrex's have come up. I think they usually sell for between 500 and 600.

That being said, as a poor collector who enjoys playing with the stuff he collects, I avoid NIB like the plague.  $500 is too much money for something I can't even open without killing the value instantly.

[VanillaGorilla]

Someone buy my Vectrex! I cant bear to put it up on FEE Bay. Make me a reasonable fair-market offer, and I will apply a BYOAC discount. Works well, 2 controllers, 8 games with overlays. If interested, PM me. Details upon PM request. Its got the box too Chicagoland

[danny_galaga]

Someone buy my Vectrex! I cant bear to put it up on FEE Bay. Make me a reasonable fair-market offer, and I will apply a BYOAC discount. Works well, 2 controllers, 8 games with overlays. If interested, PM me. Details upon PM request. Its got the box too Chicagoland

You know no one is going to offer you two and a half grand for it though, right?

[Howard_Casto]

I very much want a vectrex, but I'm not fond of forking out over a hundred bucks for a 30 year old game console... no matter how cool it is. 

The thing is when I didn't want one (years ago) they sold for peanuts.  Now you seldom see one in decent shape go for under 200. 


So I would make you an offer VG, but you would probably be insulted by it (and rightly so).  Good luck though!

[danny_galaga]

The thing is when I didn't want one (years ago) they sold for peanuts.  Now you seldom see one in decent shape go for under 200. 

Yep. Don't you hate how that goes?

[Dartful Dodger]

That being said, as a poor collector who enjoys playing with the stuff he collects, I avoid NIB like the plague.  $500 is too much money for something I can't even open without killing the value instantly.

Not to mention that if you plan on playing it, it will (sooner than later) kill itself and then it will have no value to you.

[Bootay]

The thing is when I didn't want one (years ago) they sold for peanuts.  Now you seldom see one in decent shape go for under 200. 

Yep. Don't you hate how that goes?

This is the most frustrating part of this hobby. One year it's worthless, and then the next it's too much.

[Gray_Area]

Actually, one of the NIBs I was watching ended at about $350. That's the most I consider reasonable. Of course, I would buy it to play it. I like playing nice stuff. And a good controller is so worth the experience. I just haven't decided to pay that much....

[danny_galaga]

The thing is when I didn't want one (years ago) they sold for peanuts.  Now you seldom see one in decent shape go for under 200. 

Yep. Don't you hate how that goes?

This is the most frustrating part of this hobby. One year it's worthless, and then the next it's too much.

And then when you decide 'ah, it's only money', and you spring for one, down goes it's value again 

[Howard_Casto]

I think we need to form a support group or something. 

[RandyT]

I think I was about 16 when the Vectrex went belly up, and I bought one of everything for next to nothing, but needed to drive 50 miles to get to the store where it was being dumped.  Even got the crazy 3D spinning color wheel goggles.  Took it with me to Germany when I joined the Army and STUPIDLY sold the whole collection for about $100 so I could put the money toward C-64 stuff.  I suppose it was for the best, considering that everything I know about machine language programming was learned on the 64, but I still kick myself for selling that collection.

[DaveMMR]

I think I was about 16 when the Vectrex went belly up, and I bought one of everything for next to nothing, but needed to drive 50 miles to get to the store where it was being dumped.  Even got the crazy 3D spinning color wheel goggles.  Took it with me to Germany when I joined the Army and STUPIDLY sold the whole collection for about $100 so I could put the money toward C-64 stuff.  I suppose it was for the best, considering that everything I know about machine language programming was learned on the 64, but I still kick myself for selling that collection.

If I had a dollar for everything I sold I later regretted, I'd be able to buy it all back and have enough left over for a round of beers.   
(Yeah, the mathematics of that makes no sense...)

[DillonFoulds]

I suppose you could regret more than once that you sold something? Or blame inflation like everyone else!

[ChadTower]

Meh, the cost of storing something for 30 years outweighs a few hundred in potential profit.  Ask any hoarder.

[Thenasty]

Meh, the cost of storing something for 30 years outweighs a few hundred in potential profit.  Ask any hoarder.

I knew a hoarder once, he's dead now.

[Gray_Area]

Meh, the cost of storing something for 30 years outweighs a few hundred in potential profit.  Ask any hoarder.

Sometimes....and I know there are many here in this pickle....it seems like using the stuff gotten will be only a year....or two...well, okay, three...away.