Thrift Store

[KnightWarrior]

I want to rant about something before I forget

There's a Thrift Store I go to 2 days a week, I have some games, not so good..it's about the TurboGrafx-16

So I walk in on a tuesday asking about gaming items, No Nintendo or Sega, She brings out a VCS light Sixer...don't want that

She mumbles I have a TurboGrafx - That caught my ear..I'm thinking a good deal like $15 ...

She brings it out the System, Controller, PSU and 2 RF's

She said let me look it up..I saw ebay :-/ she looks for the lowest BIN at the time $81 - She told me $64 eek...She won't go lower that $45

Is that a good deal or a bad one?? I'm not going there anymore.. If I do find a un-common game that's priced nuts on ebay..they will look there

[Keith Courage]

Were there any games included? That could easily make the difference depending on what games they were.

[RainMaker]

Even with no games $45 isn't a horrible price, depending on the condition.

[turboswimbz]

I have picked a few in nice condtion around the $40 - $50 mark at resellers and thrift stores.  They have made good trade items.  Seems to be about the decent going price in the wild.  I've found a few that were lower, but those were mostly ones that people wanted to get rid of becuase they had no TG-16 stuff other than a deck.

[tpivette]

While $45 isn't all that bad, the clerk should've done a bit more research and at least priced it based on the average SOLD consoles on ebay... not the unsold, recycled weekly BINs

[ccovell]

Remind me what the purpose of a thrift store is again?

[Corredor X]

She said let me look it up..I saw ebay :-/

After that sentence, the outcome is rarely good    It sucks to explain that the cart the seller is seeing in the internet is complete, has an intact large box , instructions and the map, so it's (almost) worth the 80 bucks the guy from the auction is asking; that's not the case with the cart that the seller is trying to sell for the same 80 bucks, that is not only loose but the case has a hole(!) in it. "BUT IT'S ZEEEEEELDA, DON'T YOU SEE? ZEEEEEELDA! IT'S RAAAARE! IT'S GOOOOOLDEN!" It happens, you know 

[KnightWarrior]

While I agree on some stuff, I don't agree on the pricing...

It's a thrift store, Like at the Eco Thrift I go to, Like I picked up a NES Top Loader there I got for like $10 8 years ago

Maybe at the Store I go to will look up NES Top Loader on ebay

[seieienbu]

A few years ago a friend of mine worked for goodwill.  One day someone gave them a weird Chinese SNES accessory, a 3.5 inch floppy drive with a parallel port and some ram that would play ROM images.  It even allowed saving and loading in RPGs and such.  My friend asked his co-worker "How much you think this is worth?" and received an answer of "About $2."  That was apparently how the two of them operated, but whatever. 

Anyway, I still had a SNES so my friend gave it to me.  I was always curious how it wound up at good will, but whatever.  Weird stuff goes to weird places sometimes, and is occasionally very cheap!

[pc_kwajalein]

She said let me look it up..I saw ebay :-/ she looks for the lowest BIN at the time $81

OMG.

(runs outside, screams in absolute frustration before uprooting a mature pin oak and hurling it javelin-style 3/4's of a mile away)

(walks back inside, slightly more composed)

I can't stand when thrift stores and flea market vendors check Ebay first. What's the point of selling it on the spot, if you go into cyber-space for pricing?

[TheClash603]

She said let me look it up..I saw ebay :-/ she looks for the lowest BIN at the time $81

OMG.

(runs outside, screams in absolute frustration before uprooting a mature pin oak and hurling it javelin-style 3/4's of a mile away)

(walks back inside, slightly more composed)

I can't stand when thrift stores and flea market vendors check Ebay first. What's the point of selling it on the spot, if you go into cyber-space for pricing?

Essentially these sellers are hoping that the ability to get something immediately will make you want to spend more than what an item is worth.

For these sellers it really works out in their favor, since you are paying a 10% premium on an item and they are saving the 15% fee.

It is one thing for a brick and mortar game store to do this, I understand they have overhead, but makes no sense at a flea market where the table costs you $20.

[PCEngineHell]

Any time you go to buy something locally and they go to look it up on ebay, politely wait till they are finished wasting their time, then just say "oh hey, its on ebay too? Sweet, I get the prestige of buying it online, get buyer feedback, ebay bonus bucks on purchases, and a return policy for damage or defects under buyer protection, so I will just jump on there and grab it and save some money in the long run. Thanks for letting me know! ". If people would do that enough people like that would stop trying to use it so much as their price resource. A "thrift store" is usually dealing in donated goods. Its not their job to gouge prices, nor are they supposed to be using ebay for pricing as a way to justify it. They are supposed to be taking donated goods and putting them back out in the community at an affordable price. The money they make is supposed to be going towards whatever charity the thrift store is being operated for. Everything they sell is profit other then the cost to employee the clerks and the lease and limited utilites.

[csgx1]

The thrift store that I go to does the same pricing method by ebay.  Usually they start high and discount it if it doesn't sell after a week or two. 

I haven't seen any Turbo stuff at my local thrift stores in the last 5 years.

[pc_kwajalein]

A "thrift store" is usually dealing in donated goods. Its not their job to gouge prices, nor are they supposed to be using ebay for pricing as a way to justify it. They are supposed to be taking donated goods and putting them back out in the community at an affordable price. The money they make is supposed to be going towards whatever charity the thrift store is being operated for. Everything they sell is profit other then the cost to employee the clerks and the lease and limited utilites.

Exactly. If they don't look online to price the faded OshKosh B'Gosh toddler overalls they're selling, they shouldn't be doing that for video games and accessories.

[Aggie Tsubi]

At least you found something Turbo-related at a thrift store. I've never even found a measly Keith Courage or anything. And it's not for lack of hitting them up. I love to go game hunting at thrift stores, and I have managed to find stuff for the more uncommon systems. Colecovision, Master System, 3DO, CD-i, 32X, etc., those I've found, but never anything Turbo-related.

[TR0N]

A few years ago a friend of mine worked for goodwill.  One day someone gave them a weird Chinese SNES accessory, a 3.5 inch floppy drive with a parallel port and some ram that would play ROM images.  It even allowed saving and loading in RPGs and such.  My friend asked his co-worker "How much you think this is worth?" and received an answer of "About $2."  That was apparently how the two of them operated, but whatever. 

Anyway, I still had a SNES so my friend gave it to me.  I was always curious how it wound up at good will, but whatever.  Weird stuff goes to weird places sometimes, and is occasionally very cheap!

Sounds like a game doctor to me.

[MrFlutterPie]

I was at a thrift store today they wanted 25 bucks for a loose solstice cart.

I did walk out with some super cool vintage Mario/LOZ cartoon sheets though for 5 bucks though

[jelloslug]

I was at a thrift store today they wanted 25 bucks for a loose solstice cart.

I just bought one of those from a local game store for $3 and had my pick of 6 different copies. 

[Tatsujin]

le solistic has l'uber great muzik

[MrFlutterPie]

I was at a thrift store today they wanted 25 bucks for a loose solstice cart.

I just bought one of those from a local game store for $3 and had my pick of 6 different copies. 

I know eh?

That game isn't worth anything lol.

[jelloslug]

I was at a thrift store today they wanted 25 bucks for a loose solstice cart.

I just bought one of those from a local game store for $3 and had my pick of 6 different copies. 

I know eh?

That game isn't worth anything lol.

It's worth about $3.    I love that game though.

[seieienbu]

A few years ago a friend of mine worked for goodwill.  One day someone gave them a weird Chinese SNES accessory, a 3.5 inch floppy drive with a parallel port and some ram that would play ROM images.  It even allowed saving and loading in RPGs and such.  My friend asked his co-worker "How much you think this is worth?" and received an answer of "About $2."  That was apparently how the two of them operated, but whatever. 

Anyway, I still had a SNES so my friend gave it to me.  I was always curious how it wound up at good will, but whatever.  Weird stuff goes to weird places sometimes, and is occasionally very cheap!

Sounds like a game doctor to me.

Yep!

[GohanX]

Although that price isn't terrible for a console on ebay, if I was in a thrift store and they wanted that much I would tell them to kindly get fucked.

[Tatsujin]

Theft Store

[Nec.Game.head]

Thrift store Tg16 for 45 dollar, lol would make me holla !! I think that's a good deal even if it's not in the best condition .

[xcrement5x]

Yeah, the guy who prices a lot of the game stuff in the thrift near me has an idea what stuff will sell for so he's pretty good about it.  Average price is about $4, but can range from $1 to $10 depending on who is doing it.  That high prices shit never moves and just gets thrown away eventually, which makes me sad

[shabba]

What chaps my ass about Thrift stores, and it's getting worse, is the continual upward spiral of the prices. Please do not forget...most items these places sell, including ALL electronics, are donated. When that TG-16 is priced at $50 (if you can ever find one), that thrift store might have $3-$5 invested in it for overhead.

Thrift stores, especially Goodwill, have become retail stores. Take a look next time there are Atari 2600 games in your Goodwill. I guarantee they won't be priced under $2.25 a piece. Some are worth that, yes, but not Pac-Man/E.T./Superman/etc., all the super common ones essentially. Want to buy a CD? $5 a piece and that includes all PS1 games. PS2 games? $10 a piece and up...

In my lifetime of thrift store shopping, I have found one Keith Courage which I bought for $.50. I missed a Turboduo, in the box, about a year ago that went for $50. I know this because the woman knew my face and told me she had just sold it 10 or 15 minutes before I walked in.

[Gladiator316]

Goodwill near my house..25$ Super Mario / Duckhunt........dead fukn serious...I looked at my wife and she said "don't poor people come shop here?"
"why is a nes game so expensive?" ......she took the words right outta my mouth with some exceptions of the f-bomb.

[Bernie]

Thats what happens when you have someone who sees some retro games climbing in price, and assume everything is worth its weight in gold. More folks should demand some sort of explanation on why its priced in such a way, and then educate.  I mean, we already know we will not be going back, so why not give em a piece of our minds before we leave?

[bob]

Goodwill near my house..25$ Super Mario / Duckhunt........dead fukn serious...I looked at my wife and she said "don't poor people come shop here?"
"why is a nes game so expensive?" ......she took the words right outta my mouth with some exceptions of the f-bomb.

Wow, $25 is steep, but look on the bright side...at least your wife doesn't judge. 

[420GOAT]

thrift stores are a very big business with hipsters and the economy being what they are. $45 is swapmeet price, but cool in the wild anyway.

[futureman2000]

Or they could put that Turbo on shopgoodwill.com, where it will sell for $235.00

[Gladiator316]

Or they could put that Turbo on shopgoodwill.com, where it will sell for $235.00

Yeah they would do something like that...Doesn't that defeat the purpose of goodwill...suppose to be charity prices for the less fortunate...Im sure they would put it on shopgoodwill.com...but i doubt it would sell.

My goodwill hoards all the games behind the counter instead of putting them out...so I already know that they are going off ebay or amazon.

[KnightWarrior]

Well I went back today ..Nothing, But

I was walking out I gave the CD a look..then I saw something 7 TurboGrafx Games .I picked out 4..the 2 ladies wasn't there to look stuff sooo, the Tall Lady there though it was some Computer Games..Haha

I got these for $10 + tax..If I would of came thursday..the Manager would have looks the 4 games up on Ebay,  I know World Class Baseball & TV Sport Football isn't worth much on ebay

[Bardoly]

Well I went back today ..Nothing, But

I was walking out I gave the CD a look..then I saw something 7 TurboGrafx Games .I picked out 4..the 2 ladies wasn't there to look stuff sooo, the Tall Lady there though it was some Computer Games..Haha

I got these for $10 + tax..If I would of came thursday..the Manager would have looks the 4 games up on Ebay,  I know World Class Baseball & TV Sport Football isn't worth much on ebay

Picture isn't viewable for me.  Can you type the game titles?

Thanks.

[KnightWarrior]

It's not refresh again

All CIB's

Bonk's Adventure
The Legendary Axe
Splatterhouse
Battle Ace - SuperGrafx

[csgx1]

It's not refresh again

All CIB's

Bonk's Adventure
The Legendary Axe
Splatterhouse
Battle Ace - SuperGrafx

Nice score!  If you found a Supergrafx game, then there might even be a cheap Supergrafx system laying around in that store somewhere too.

[Sadler]

I've never seen a TG16 game at a thrift shop. I have, however, found lots of other games and game systems for good prices. Salvation Army near me has the best prices. Games are $2, systems are usually $10-15. I've picked up a Gameboy Advance, N64, Gamecube and probably 20+ Gamecube, PS2 and XBox titles for super cheap. Goodwill tends to be twice that price and has a worse selection.

[BigusSchmuck]

I've never seen a TG16 game at a thrift shop. I have, however, found lots of other games and game systems for good prices. Salvation Army near me has the best prices. Games are $2, systems are usually $10-15. I've picked up a Gameboy Advance, N64, Gamecube and probably 20+ Gamecube, PS2 and XBox titles for super cheap. Goodwill tends to be twice that price and has a worse selection.

Back in the late 90s and early 2000s I did. Hell thats where I got a turbo tap and a few games for like $10. Nowadays, I'll be lucky to find NES games that aren't gouged.

[KnightWarrior]

I be seeing only sports stuff in the wild..

[Carparama]

I remember a few years ago seeing a brand new TurboGrafx-16 at a "Value Village" for 10 bucks.  I had just purchased a new one for my dad for somewhere around $55 or so, so I was pumped.  Came with Blazing Lazers too, which was awesome.

I thought it was lost in a move, but my parents recently found it, and I'm going to bring it home today.  All games in tact (minus Bomberman and Bomberman '93 so my dad can play 'em!)

[xcrement5x]

It's not refresh again

All CIB's

Bonk's Adventure
The Legendary Axe
Splatterhouse
Battle Ace - SuperGrafx

Wow, a SuperGrafx game a thrift store, I think I've heard it all now! 

[PunkCryborg]

i think the boxed IFU i got off of ebay a year ago was a thrift store find. It has the 14.99 written on it in crayon

[KnightWarrior]

How much does Bonk and Battle Ace go for here??

[psychobear]

I've only found a Keith courage card in a legendary axe case, I have to bring it home.

[PunkCryborg]

How much does Bonk and Battle Ace go for here??

battle ace is $10 tops

[ElSeven]

my friend just posted this on his fb wall today.  SMDH @ Goodwill, what a joke!  he said there were plenty of SNES RPGs there, all for ebay+ prices.

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[PCEngineHell]

my friend just posted this on his fb wall today.  SMDH @ Goodwill, what a joke!  he said there were plenty of SNES RPGs there, all for ebay+ prices.

/10100488010929201_.jpg

On cases like this, really the store needs to be publicly shammed. This means post the address and phone number and have multiple people call in to complain. It may only cause severe annoyance, but if enough people tie up their phone line for a week, that still affects their ability to run well.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

5% off for the gamer living in a van down by the river. 

[KnightWarrior]

Can Goodwill get away with this??