[Coco] Ebay laugh of the day.

[Mark McDougall]

Tim Fadden wrote:

> Its called supply and demand. If there is little to no supply and lots 
> of demand, the owner can demand whatever price he wants. :-)  Called 
> free-enterprise.  If you don't like it, don't buy it.

I agree, but greed has a knock-on effect, especially in "niche" markets like 
retro computing/gaming.

I've seen the retro scene change markedly over the last decade. These days, 
it's well known that trading in retro computing and gaming goods can turn a 
tidy profit. There's actually more product available now than there has ever 
been - but it's also a lot more expensive.

Long gone are the days when I could pick up a NES for AUD$1 at the flea 
markets - or NES games for AUD$1 each. I bought a boxed NES console for 
AUD$7 once! Right now there's a boxed NES *game* in so-so condition on eBay 
Buy It Now for AUD$119!!! I've spent less on my entire NES collection of 4 
consoles, a draw full of controllers and ~40 games!!!

The trouble starts when people get greedy. Inevitably someone wants 
something bad enough, and it gets sold for a ridiculous price. Sellers in 
particular are more savvy now, and once they see game "X" go for $50 a few 
times, they pull out their copy in attempt to make some easy money. Because 
they won't accept anything less, it eventually sells, propagating the problem.

On the odd occasion you see a bargain, you've got to be very lucky to beat 
the profiteers to the punch, or at least find yourself in a bidding war with 
them, which of course also drives up the price until it's no longer cheap.

A case in point is Mario Party 2 for the N64. At any one time you can find 
at least a half-dozen for sale on eBay Australia - so there's definitely no 
shortage of the game. But you'll *never* get it for less than AUD$50 
(cartridge only!). Boxed you're looking at AUD$80. Why so much when there's 
plenty of copies??? It's been like that for several years. People see it go 
for $50+ and hence won't sell it for less. No matter that there's plenty 
available. The pricing is completely artifical and definitely does not 
represent supply.

It's frustrating for me because I've got a very decent collection of N64 
games - missing Mario Party 2 & 3 - but I'm loathe to spend that type of 
money simply because it's not worth that much to me. I don't think I've ever 
paid more than AUD$20 for an N64 game - and that was mint-in-box!!! So I've 
got little chance of ever getting it.

Regardless, there's no use me demanding something be done about it because 
no-one can change the situation. I'm merely offering my analysis of the 
situation and how we got here. I don't like it and, as you suggest, I don't 
buy it. :)

Regards,

-- 
|              Mark McDougall                | "Electrical Engineers do it
|  <http://members.iinet.net.au/~msmcdoug>   |   with less resistance!"