ACML Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) For whatever reason I've noticed Atari hardware sell for ridiculous amounts to the point of being absurd. Simple 800's that sell for $300+ or a handful of common cartridges that sell for $56. My favorite is when you see the same item the following week for sale by the same seller. There is definitely some funny business going on on Ebay. Is it sellers putting phantom bids on their own stuff, trying to run the price up and start bidding wars? Then there is the delusional guy selling several 400 systems for $180+. They don't sell and will never sell. What is the motive here for keeping these auctions running for a year straight? My biggest pet peeve with these folks is the "powers on, but I can't test it any further". This to me is code for "a) it's broke, b) I'm too lazy to hook it up, and c) I have no clue what this thing is". Edited February 19, 2014 by ACML Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Some people have no idea (both buyers and sellers). The local market here is somewhat small, usually less than 100 items up so it's easy to see the trends. It's like a cascade effect, one computer appears at ridiculous pricing then suddenly another 2 or 3 from other sellers crop up trying to do the same. There's even been items that I've seen repeatedly appear for near 2 years. There was some idiot trying to sell a non-working C= monitor for about $120, and it wasn't even an RGB capable one. Usually it settles down but at times can persist for a few weeks. The likes of brick/mortar stores like Cash Converters doesn't help out either - often they'll have common 2600 games at $15-$25. I bought River Raid II off them for about $15, but only because it's not super-common here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CyranoJ Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 The cashies around here regularly has 'rare retro N64 systems' for $200.... complete with no games. I've seen NES systems and 2600 jnrs in shrink wrap listed at $300+ The likes of brick/mortar stores like Cash Converters doesn't help out either - often they'll have common 2600 games at $15-$25. I bought River Raid II off them for about $15, but only because it's not super-common here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro-Z Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) About those items that sell for ridiculous amounts of money but then are re-listed not too long afterwards... I sold a sealed, never used vintage toy from a popular cartoon series a while back. I had to auction the thing 4 times due to people bidding it up SUPER high (well past the normal market price), and then not paying. I have had this problem with other similar items, but only for toys and video games from the 1980s and early 90s. There's something about these items that attract non-paying bidders. I eventually gave up and just sold the item I mentioned cheap to a local collector so I wouldn't have to deal with that anymore. Moral of the story, it may not be the dealers taking part in the "funny business". In my experience, the bidders seem to be the problem, whatever their motives are. Seeing how Ebay "sold item" searches don't take into account non-paying bidders, it could be as simple as some people hoping to artificially inflate the "worth" of some items. Edited February 19, 2014 by Retro-Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 It doesn't help when mainstream media drags retro gaming into the spotlight. Next thing you know, your parents are calling you asking about "you know all those old games that you never play anymore, but said to keep them safe because they'd be worth a lot of money someday? What do you think they're worth?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 WTF on the N64. A local recycler here sells PS1 for $5 (your gamble as to working or not) - I think overall I bought 7 or 8 and all but 2 or 3 worked fine. N64 somewhat less common but the price would be similar. Of course in the case of both, a reasonable asking price for private sale is generally $10-$15 for an unmodded console. Cash Converters is a joke. When there was one down the road from me some years ago they had a 1040 ST/FM with $120 on it... at the time they were going for $30-$40 on eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CyranoJ Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'll take photos next time I'm in there so we can all laugh They were selling Xbox 360 Slim consoles at $200+ when you could get a new one from EB for $95... hehe WTF on the N64. A local recycler here sells PS1 for $5 (your gamble as to working or not) - I think overall I bought 7 or 8 and all but 2 or 3 worked fine. N64 somewhat less common but the price would be similar. Of course in the case of both, a reasonable asking price for private sale is generally $10-$15 for an unmodded console. Cash Converters is a joke. When there was one down the road from me some years ago they had a 1040 ST/FM with $120 on it... at the time they were going for $30-$40 on eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Some stuff they get right, others way off. IIRC last time I looked they had a real-world price on the PS2 there. What gets me about them though... with most household electrical stuff, they take the trouble to put in display cabinets but don't bother cleaning the fingerprints and grime off the item first. Unprofessional as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyChris Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 One thing I have been wondering about is, does EBay have anyway to knowing, if a seller is bidding up their own auction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Unknown. My guess would be probably not. They just make their money, don't much give a shit about looking after the people that use the service. There's potential for people putting auctions up from public computers which could cause false triggers. But really, there's little stopping anyone from having a second account and just using it from work, the neighbours place, whereever. In fact you don't even have to leave your own computer - you could just tether your mobile phone, hey presto - different IP address which changes every time you turn the data service back on. Edited February 19, 2014 by Rybags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) You guys call atari items expensive, check this one out lol... and USPS Priority Mail Express International to Canada is $245, and sellers name is computerpartdiscounters......ebay comedians !!... Edited February 20, 2014 by atari8warez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnovo79 Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 You guys call atari items expensive, check this one out lol... and USPS Priority Mail Express International to Canada is $245, and sellers name is computerpartdiscounters......ebay comedians !!... I offered him $3.50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I offered him $3.50 I am pretty sure many of the offers people made were in the same price range as yours , some guys build-up a 100% feedback rating selling small items and then one day they decide to use it to their advantage, how stupid they think people are!!! but then again i never understand people collecting old electronic junk for outrageous prices no matter how rare they may be. Edited February 20, 2014 by atari8warez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl_R Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) Perhaps those that cost 300+ have Flappy Bird installed on them... Edited February 20, 2014 by Carl_R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+JAC! Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 >You guys call atari items expensive, check this one out lol... Looks like some plain product pirate copy or product cheating thing. The simply are 3.2 GHz an "turned into" 3.4 GhZ - in a poor way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 That made me laugh Jac! I have seen some pretty shitty shipping rates..$16.37 for a single cart...just for continental U.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 >You guys call atari items expensive, check this one out lol... Looks like some plain product pirate copy or product cheating thing. The simply are 3.2 GHz an "turned into" 3.4 GhZ - in a poor way. Yeah, let's just stamp some specs on the opposite side of the run of the mill old chips and make a fortune of off some collector with a 0 IQ.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZarK Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Yeah, let's just stamp some specs on the opposite side of the run of the mill old chips and make a fortune of off some collector with a 0 IQ.. Or this Coleco ADAM controller pfft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fibrewire Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 (edited) Yeah, let's just stamp some specs on the opposite side of the run of the mill old chips and make a fortune of off some collector with a 0 IQ.. I don't think that they are pirate chips, more like an assembly line mistake. When chip dies come off the assembly line, they are all identical. Each chip is then tested to see if it works, WHAT works on the chip, and HOW FAST it will run based on the quality of the chip. This is true for production runs for the old 6502's - the ones that didn't make the cut were wired up as 6507's. This is also why over clocking works. As for the outlandish price... I think that although it's a deceptive valuation practice and makes users think twice before dealing with the seller, these types of listings seem to get the most media attention. EDIT: I looked it up and this chip selection process is called Product Binning Edited February 21, 2014 by fibrewire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 (edited) I don't think that they are pirate chips, more like an assembly line mistake. When chip dies come off the assembly line, they are all identical. Each chip is then tested to see if it works, WHAT works on the chip, and HOW FAST it will run based on the quality of the chip. This is true for production runs for the old 6502's - the ones that didn't make the cut were wired up as 6507's. This is also why over clocking works. As for the outlandish price... I think that although it's a deceptive valuation practice and makes users think twice before dealing with the seller, these types of listings seem to get the most media attention. EDIT: I looked it up and this chip selection process is called Product Binning I agree it may not be an exercise in cheating and simply a production mistake as you put it. What I am wondering is why a production mistake makes an item so desirable and how the vendor thinks that this can command a huge sum of money. To me either the vendor is crazy or there are just way too many people around with money they don't know what to do with, either way it is a tragicomic situation. Edited February 21, 2014 by atari8warez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Or this Coleco ADAM controller pfft Yeah, I know, it's a collectors item.... thrift stores collect them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 i didn't know Atari made CD players....... Anyone need a 800XL motherboard?, here's one for cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 i didn't know Atari made CD players....... Anyone need a 800XL motherboard?, here's one for cheap The CD drive was made for the ST. Very few were made. But $12,000? Um, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 But $12,000? Um, no. i guess not, lol.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 lol, the army used atari st and atari 8 bits to run laserdisk players also... I wonder what the cost on that was.. Three Mile Island used Atari computers to produce graphic displays.... you never know what you will find out about these days.... crazy huh? The laser disk players are not worth one cent more than any other laser disk player but some idiot will try to get crazy cash for em... lmfao at the board for 500.. these idiots do this to try and scew the price curve.... sighs side hurts from laughter and run to lavatory to whiz.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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