Selling homebrews or unlicensed vintage games on ebay?

[vandeebgroup]

Sorry for the multi-part question....

 

Will ebay end auctions for homebrew games? I saw that there are some on there, but wasn't sure if listings are sometimes ended there. I have a dozen or so homebrews I need to sell... I'm selling several hundred items (my entire collection) on ebay, and would prefer to sell these items there if I can, along with my other items.

 

I'm a little paranoid about what I'm listing there, because they ended two recent auctions of mine... one for a Super-8 SNES/NES adapter by Innovation, and a similar item, and threatened to suspend my account next time.

 

Separate but related question... I have a boxed Champ Adapter controller for ColecoVision (numeric keypad controller that allows a traditional joystick to be used) that I want to list. Is this an unlicensed item? If it is, do you think they would end the auction if I list it? I'm pretty sure they've flagged my account and are checking everything I'm listing now. Ebay doesn't provide any real guidance as far as how to tell what is okay and what is not okay to list. I've tried to find out.

 

Do they crack down harder on Nintendo and Atari stuff than they might for ColecoVision or more obscure systems?

 

I have other items (Aladdin adapter for NES, etc) that I'm sure ebay would cancel if I listed... I'll probably register with chasethechuckwagon to sell that stuff. Should I play it safe and just list everything that I think *might* be unlicensed or unofficial there?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Zack / vandeebgroup

[NESGremlin]

Wow, you have a "Super 8" adapter? What do you want for it?

Edited July 13, 2008 by NESGremlin

[cdoty]

Will ebay end auctions for homebrew games?

 

No. Frog Feast has been sold (and re-sold) on Ebay, without any problems.

[Zwackery]

Separate but related question... I have a boxed Champ Adapter controller for ColecoVision (numeric keypad controller that allows a traditional joystick to be used) that I want to list. Is this an unlicensed item? If it is, do you think they would end the auction if I list it? I'm pretty sure they've flagged my account and are checking everything I'm listing now. Ebay doesn't provide any real guidance as far as how to tell what is okay and what is not okay to list. I've tried to find out.

 

The Champ Adapter should not pose any problem. Several have been sold on eBay in the past.

[Pixelboy]

I've seen several Champ controllers on eBay, so go ahead with it. eBay is a lot more careful about more recent hardware and software (Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft stuff) but they're more liberal about older hardware and games (Atari 2600, Coleco, Intelivision, etc.) because the companies behind these consoles and games either no longer exist, or don't really care. So homebrews shouldn't pose a problem on eBay, as long as they are from the pre-NES era.

 

As for choosing between eBay and CTCW for your "grey" items, I think you should just go with CTCW, since eBay has already threatened to suspend your account (which means you're on their watch list). There's no need to take chances just for a few items that you can sell on CTCW anyway.

[vandeebgroup]

Great... thanks everyone for all the advice! I'll definitely use CTCW for any items I'm unsure of.

 

@NESGremlin: I'm not sure exactly what any of my stuff is worth, so I'm letting the market decide. I've registered with CTCW, and listed the Super-8 there, if you want to bid. Starting bid is only $4.99.

 

http://www.chasethechuckwagon.com/item.cgi...item=0000003835

[NESGremlin]

Great... thanks everyone for all the advice! I'll definitely use CTCW for any items I'm unsure of.

 

@NESGremlin: I'm not sure exactly what any of my stuff is worth, so I'm letting the market decide. I've registered with CTCW, and listed the Super-8 there, if you want to bid. Starting bid is only $4.99.

 

http://www.chasethechuckwagon.com/item.cgi...item=0000003835

 

I cannot bid on sites, but I would have sent like 36$ to you using paypal.

[NESGremlin]

Great... thanks everyone for all the advice! I'll definitely use CTCW for any items I'm unsure of.

 

@NESGremlin: I'm not sure exactly what any of my stuff is worth, so I'm letting the market decide. I've registered with CTCW, and listed the Super-8 there, if you want to bid. Starting bid is only $4.99.

 

http://www.chasethechuckwagon.com/item.cgi...item=0000003835

 

I cannot bid on sites, but I would have sent like 36$ to you using paypal.

 

Lol, it ended with the same price I was willing to offer. Thats humorous, it would have been faster for me to just send you paypal, but oh well.

[hex65000]

I assure you the standing bid was notably more significant than the $36 you offered. I was away for the weekend and at least wanted a shot at enduring any snipe action on this item. Something that can play multiple imports in my mind is a very handy thing. I'm honestly surprised it didn't go higher.

 

@Zack: You will be seeing your payment soon... thanks!

 

Hex.

[ When it hits, it bangs. When I bang, I boom. ]