Selling Games - Pinballinfo v The Web

[DRD]

I have only thrice had to sell games. It is not a process that I look forward to.

There are regularly comments on here expressing surprise at what games sell for on The Web (ie eBay and Gumtree). But I think the eBay and Guntree prices are nearer the mark.

I would much rather buy and sell from guys on here with positive reputations, and who add to our crazy hobby. I would always seek to offer a game on here for a week or so before going to The Web, and would accept a lower price to keep up to in our community. But the reality is that I have found it much easier to sell on Gumtree than I have on here.

My BK2K was sold on Pinballinfo. Not particularly quickly, and I had the drop my price from 1000 to 900, but it was all very smooth. I did not advertise it elsewhere

My Vector received zero interest on here. On Gumtree I had two offers at my original asking price within 48 hours. No stupid questions from muppets (a la eBay). A perfectly nice guy came along very promptly with cash. All very smooth.

My WPT was offered up on here for 2000. No interest. I dropped it to 1900 this week there was interest, but not for a quick deal (ie turn up with cash in a few days). So I put it up on Gumtree at 2100. No muppets or stupid questions. Within 5 minutes I had an offer at 1950. This guy showed up and paid 2050 in cash within about 48 hours of the ad going up.

I think that there is a group think on here ie "Vector is crap". "WPT is crap". "No Fear is crap". "MM is great" etc etc etc Yet these weaker titles sell on promptly enough on Gumtree. When you step away from the forum you deal with guys who have a different perspective. They are not necessarily tournament players, pinside officianados or show particpants. My Vector was bought by a guy who had never played one before - but he wanted to complete his collection of the three Classic Bally double backglass games. My WPT was bought by a guy who had never played one before, but who had got into pinball by playing the games at Tilt.

Similarly games like Fish Tales take ages to sell on here, as many folk see it as a bottom end WPC game, we then see a tatty one going for 2k on eBay.

 

[Spandangler]

If you speak to Andy N. We are but a small fraction of the pinball community. He reckons most of his service calls etc.. are for non forum members. We are the minority

You're right, we can be caught in a bubble here and when all is said and done, a sale is a sale. Right?

Like you I'd like to sell on here but I'm not bothered where I sell it in the end.

I met @new forest pinball on eBay after failing to sell BW on here who subsequently signed up.

Same with a couple of others who have subsequently signed up here.

I'd have 99% of stuff being sold
On here if I had space!!!!
**** you space. **** you !!

 

[new forest pinball]

I agree with andy..we have been repairing pinball machines for many years and as far as I know @Spandangler was the first forum member we dealt with but after joining up I did recognise a few folk who had purchased in the past some of our refurbished machines. Mel at one stop had mentioned the forum to me many times over a number of years, but I never gave it much thought , and always wondered what on earth he was on about. All my regular customers here down south are not forum members and it seems to hold no interest. They just say things like "I know you and your work I would rather buy from you even if it will cost a bit more....." (etc.) back to thread subject all my customers hate buying of eBay...and I always have at least six requests for particular machines at any one time. I have been a bit cautious about buying from the forum for customers, but most of them are collectors so keep them for ever so no "illegal flipping " is involved. Buying and selling on the forum is definitely smoother and easier than eBay. It works well for me as my schedule dictates long time scales...unfortunately. Yes the forum has a percentage of title snobs , but I think it is small really. ...........

 

[Monkeyboypaul]

Sad to miss out on your WPT, which I had been mulling over for a few weeks to be honest -the price drop just nudged me to react, but I don't have the flexibility for fast collection due to personal circumstances (family, work, stupid car, plus the need to sell a game first) so ultimately I missed out.

I'll be after another WPT in future.

I doubt that machine will come back into this forum's ecosystem, but you never know.

 

[RobZombie]

I think I agree with a lot of what was said by the OP. I sold my Cue Ball Wizard a few days ago for £1500. I wouldn't have advertised it on here because there is frankly a bias against Gottlieb machines here. I sold it within 24hrs of advertising it and it's gone to a well known reseller who will add £2k on top of that figure. If I tried to sell it on here I would get a string of comments saying its a sub £1K game. I have no doubt that it will now sell easily to someone for £3500 who happens to be spunking a load of cash on a pool table from their showroom. But that market is not the market that would ever buy from eBay or here and turn up at your house hoping it works, rolling up their sleeves and wrestling it into a hired van.

 

[johnwhitfield]

For me
1) Sell here
2) No interest then I'll try Gumtree. Had mixed experience. Probably 10-20% higher prices but larger catchment so easy sale with some timewasters but not too bad
3) Consider ebay...... reconsider and keep the bloody machine

 

[jonathan]

I disagree about eBay/Gumtree being the market prices. Bar TAF, which goes for silly money on there, an awful lot of pins that get sold through eBay go for undisclosed amounts with the auction pulled early. The ones for silly money sit there untouched for months on end

 

[RobZombie]

Not sure how long that will last. I had a warning email from eBay yesterday about offering to sell outside eBay even though it was the buyer that offered to sell outside eBay. They are obviously clamping down. The 10% fee is an effing joke though.

 

[jagman]

I`ve had a few sales via the pinball owners site, mainly buyers making offers I couldn`t refuse, ,if I decide to sell any of mine this forum would get first chance, followed by e-pray, need to re think gumtree as other members here have had good experiences ,but everytime I`ve looked at gumtree I always seam to see the scam adverts

 

[Jonwolf]

Buying on gumtree has been a good experience. Selling is another thing altogether. Many scammers constantly wanting bank details and putting out requests that are transparently fraudulent. I took the p#ss for a while and strung them out but that was just to annoy them.


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[County1883]

I thought my No Fear would easily re-sell on here Whacked it on Gumtree, 24 hours later got a sale on the asking price from a well known vendor who will also add on a grand or two! A sale is a sale though.

 

[steve brum]

SW trilogy probably has the bigger gap in perceived value between pinheads V general public. I would expect it to reach twice on eBay any pinhead would pay. Other games that have always done well with the general public but leave hard core cold include TMNT DE Simpsons Mario Bros and any version of Harley Davidson. The Bally one is terrible but they fly out the door.

 

[JMP]

Gottliebs rarely sell well on here, Gumtree fine though.

Silly offer games been going on here for a while unfortunately, think there's a struggle to accept 'today's prices' tbh.

 

[Spandangler]

In 2010 when I started in the hobby I had disposable income and no kids. I probably bought 25 games in under 3 years. I was balls deep in to it. I got to know most of the people on the forum at the time as i was constantly buying and selling.

Since 2013 when the kids came along I've barely purchased a thing and met no new peeps. In all honesty, it's gonna take a hefty chunk of inheritence before I become truly active buying and selling again, so that'll be at least 20 years and god knows where we'll be price wise then!!

 

[Replay]

I thought my No Fear would easily re-sell on here Whacked it on Gumtree, 24 hours later got a sale on the asking price from a well known vendor who will also add on a grand or two! A sale is a sale though.

At the moment demand is great than supply so dealers can snap up games here , mark up and charge retail. It is very hard to say what an old game is worth as condition can make £1000's difference to price. And anyway it comes down to perceived value.

Can't see prices dropping right now as games are going back to USA, Europe and into dealers hands so supply is just going to get ever tighter.....

 

[DRD]

One good thing about dealers is that they may very well widen the pool of buyers, and bring more folk into our dying hobby.

Some of these punters may well stumble across us lot

 

[JT.]

Not sure how long that will last. I had a warning email from eBay yesterday about offering to sell outside eBay even though it was the buyer that offered to sell outside eBay. They are obviously clamping down. The 10% fee is an effing joke though.

I had one of those messages too about some woodworking gear I pulled early and sold offline, I guess they are reading personal messages on there now.

 

[Paul]

I think there is a distinct difference - it's all about the market.

People who buy from gumtree and eBay I would argue are less familiar with the technical side, and less fussy on the theme, unless they are looking for their grail pin. They just want the kudos of having a pin in their place to play. And because of the kudos vs cash situation, along with the number of people wanting them. This would also explain the demand of Andy.
I would still maintain that the honesty here and knowing what you are paying your money for is way above what you would get anywhere else.