Opinions on How to Sell

[Caveoftreasures]

An interesting topic that changes from cycle to cycle over time.

The "99 cent auctions" can be classed into two sections ;

1 - Private sellers who don't do research, or who honestly don't care what they get for the machine - they just want it gone. In some cases, they are gifted the game to start off with - so anything is a bonus.

2 - Dealers that list the games with a strategy of asking employees, lap dogs, friends and family to shill. I know because I've seen it first hand, and watched it "behind the scenes". I was even asked to do it on a number of occasions - but refused. There are private sellers that behave exactly as dealers do. Ironically, they were the ones complaining about "no more bargains" - and here they are shilling their own games and continually relisting them.

There are cases (on eBay at the moment) where individuals or companies inflate the prices to give the impression that the game is worth their asking price. Gottlieb "Raven" is rare. It is "rare" because it is crap. It is not "desirable" - it is a filler game. Private sellers bitten by dealers often list the game at the price they were sold the game for. They don't get the price, so they relist it over and over until people get so tired of seeing the game relisted that they earn notoriety. I call these auctions "The Spottem auctions". Current examples would be the 7 times nominated "Flight 2000" or the perpetual $5500 Space Invaders. The Rally "Play Boy" is quickly catching up.

Then we have the Twilight Zones listed as $8500 "fully done up". I've personally repaired several of these "done up" ebay games. In some cases, they have the same photos listed as a BIN $8500 and a 99 cent auction. So which game do you get when you win ? The old "bait and switch" - the buyer thinks he lands the bargain in the photos, when in fact he gets the basket case with minimal work. Don't laugh - it happens often and is one of the reasons we don't do repairs on dealer pins.

I personally feel that eBay ruins reputations IF the games are constantly relisted. It creates the impression that the seller cannot move stock as the prices are too high, or the workmanship (or lack of) has been exposed. There are less stories of newbies being ripped off by sellers. Forums etc have come a long way in shaping buyer's expectations. This weeds out the bad sellers in time. EBay is definitely a "window shoppers" pastime. We made a business decision that we would never be lumped into that category.

Private sellers can still sell games on eBay, and it is rare to see games constantly re listed unless they are running a hobby business, or they have become part of the "spottem syndrome".

Times have changed. Pinball collectors know about forums, they have regular meets, they attend comp nights. Pinnheads do send newbies to reputable sellers.. Collectors know they can have exceptionally restored games if they can wait and they know they are getting their money's worth.

When was the last time a High End Restoration was listed on eBay ? What percentage would the High end games be of the total listed on eBay ?

I still think the best way to sell a game is through a network of collectors, or a reputable seller or business. EBay is finished !

I think you are close to the mark Nino.
What you have posted makes sense.

[pinnies4me]

The whole point of the thread is moot anyway since most of those "minimum asking price" listings get pulled before the end of the ebay auction and sell for hundreds (if not more) of dollars well below the original asking price.

As a result no one besides the seller and buyer has any real idea of what the end result and true market value of what a machine is worth.

A high public asking price with a make an offer option and the actual end result private selling price on any individual machine are nearly always poles apart.


The problem is in many cases, this can lead to people to erroneously believe that their stock Godzilla is worth $4000 when a similar machine is listed publicly and gets pulled early - completely ignoring the fact that it then gets relisted a few weeks later for a lower price and still no bids.  

At least with a 99 cent start auction that actually goes the duration we can get an accurate guage as to values rather than these false assumptions as to sale price and ultimately market value. Most 99 cent auctions get a majority of activity in the first 1-24 hours and last 2 minutes. It takes a bit of nerve but it works out nearly all of the time. I have listed this way in the past for used machines which I have imported and couldn't be bothered starting a shop out/resto on and within the first 24 hours of listing it has already reached my minumum sell price combined with the surety that most of the additional bidding activity will occur in the last 2 minutes.

Good on you Retropin for the info and accurate data surrounding the sale price of your machine. A lesser individual might be tempted to make a series of ass umptions about your sale in order to reinforce their point.  

Spot on and thanks for more real world personal experiences. These are invaluable, unlike heresay.

Invaluable ? Invaluable ???

 

Of great value. 

[Caveoftreasures]

of great value. ?

I don't think it was of any value to us lesser individuals. 

[pinsanity]

The whole point of the thread is moot anyway since most of those "minimum asking price" listings get pulled before the end of the ebay auction and sell for hundreds (if not more) of dollars well below the original asking price.

As a result no one besides the seller and buyer has any real idea of what the end result and true market value of what a machine is worth.

A high public asking price with a make an offer option and the actual end result private selling price on any individual machine are nearly always poles apart.


The problem is in many cases, this can lead to people to erroneously believe that their stock Godzilla is worth $4000 when a similar machine is listed publicly and gets pulled early - completely ignoring the fact that it then gets relisted a few weeks later for a lower price and still no bids.  

At least with a 99 cent start auction that actually goes the duration we can get an accurate guage as to values rather than these false assumptions as to sale price and ultimately market value. Most 99 cent auctions get a majority of activity in the first 1-24 hours and last 2 minutes. It takes a bit of nerve but it works out nearly all of the time. I have listed this way in the past for used machines which I have imported and couldn't be bothered starting a shop out/resto on and within the first 24 hours of listing it has already reached my minumum sell price combined with the surety that most of the additional bidding activity will occur in the last 2 minutes.

Good on you Retropin for the info and accurate data surrounding the sale price of your machine. A lesser individual might be tempted to make a series of ass umptions about your sale in order to reinforce their point.  

Spot on and thanks for more real world personal experiences. These are invaluable, unlike heresay.

Thanks pinnies4me. Those "my best mate" third party anecdotes do have a degree of entertainment value and are good for a chuckle, but like any repetitious comedic routine that you have heard countless times before over the years, do tend to get stale and predictable.

[andypinboy]

The whole point of the thread is moot anyway since most of those "minimum asking price" listings get pulled before the end of the ebay auction and sell for hundreds (if not more) of dollars well below the original asking price.

As a result no one besides the seller and buyer has any real idea of what the end result and true market value of what a machine is worth.

A high public asking price with a make an offer option and the actual end result private selling price on any individual machine are nearly always poles apart.


The problem is in many cases, this can lead to people to erroneously believe that their stock Godzilla is worth $4000 when a similar machine is listed publicly and gets pulled early - completely ignoring the fact that it then gets relisted a few weeks later for a lower price and still no bids.  

At least with a 99 cent start auction that actually goes the duration we can get an accurate guage as to values rather than these false assumptions as to sale price and ultimately market value. Most 99 cent auctions get a majority of activity in the first 1-24 hours and last 2 minutes. It takes a bit of nerve but it works out nearly all of the time. I have listed this way in the past for used machines which I have imported and couldn't be bothered starting a shop out/resto on and within the first 24 hours of listing it has already reached my minumum sell price combined with the surety that most of the additional bidding activity will occur in the last 2 minutes.

Good on you Retropin for the info and accurate data surrounding the sale price of your machine. A lesser individual might be tempted to make a series of ass umptions about your sale in order to reinforce their point.  

Spot on and thanks for more real world personal experiences. These are invaluable, unlike heresay.

Thanks pinnies4me. Those "my best mate" third party anecdotes do have a degree of entertainment value and are good for a chuckle, but like any repetitious comedic routine that you have heard countless times before over the years, do tend to get stale and predictable.

The $4k+ Godzilla doing the ebay circuit for the umpteenth time is a classic. That scenario is no good for anyone.

[Caveoftreasures]

The whole point of the thread is moot anyway since most of those "minimum asking price" listings get pulled before the end of the ebay auction and sell for hundreds (if not more) of dollars well below the original asking price.

As a result no one besides the seller and buyer has any real idea of what the end result and true market value of what a machine is worth.

A high public asking price with a make an offer option and the actual end result private selling price on any individual machine are nearly always poles apart.


The problem is in many cases, this can lead to people to erroneously believe that their stock Godzilla is worth $4000 when a similar machine is listed publicly and gets pulled early - completely ignoring the fact that it then gets relisted a few weeks later for a lower price and still no bids.  

At least with a 99 cent start auction that actually goes the duration we can get an accurate guage as to values rather than these false assumptions as to sale price and ultimately market value. Most 99 cent auctions get a majority of activity in the first 1-24 hours and last 2 minutes. It takes a bit of nerve but it works out nearly all of the time. I have listed this way in the past for used machines which I have imported and couldn't be bothered starting a shop out/resto on and within the first 24 hours of listing it has already reached my minumum sell price combined with the surety that most of the additional bidding activity will occur in the last 2 minutes.

Good on you Retropin for the info and accurate data surrounding the sale price of your machine. A lesser individual might be tempted to make a series of ass umptions about your sale in order to reinforce their point.  

Spot on and thanks for more real world personal experiences. These are invaluable, unlike heresay.

Thanks pinnies4me. Those "my best mate" third party anecdotes do have a degree of entertainment value and are good for a chuckle, but like any repetitious comedic routine that you have heard countless times before over the years, do tend to get stale and predictable.

That was definately a perfect example of stale and predictable. Hopefully the last for some time to come.

[Caveoftreasures]

Has anyone linked the ebay listing to the thread for the machine the original post was about.

It might be a good idea to link it and it's photos etc etc.

[pinsanity]

The whole point of the thread is moot anyway since most of those "minimum asking price" listings get pulled before the end of the ebay auction and sell for hundreds (if not more) of dollars well below the original asking price.

As a result no one besides the seller and buyer has any real idea of what the end result and true market value of what a machine is worth.

A high public asking price with a make an offer option and the actual end result private selling price on any individual machine are nearly always poles apart.


The problem is in many cases, this can lead to people to erroneously believe that their stock Godzilla is worth $4000 when a similar machine is listed publicly and gets pulled early - completely ignoring the fact that it then gets relisted a few weeks later for a lower price and still no bids.  

At least with a 99 cent start auction that actually goes the duration we can get an accurate guage as to values rather than these false assumptions as to sale price and ultimately market value. Most 99 cent auctions get a majority of activity in the first 1-24 hours and last 2 minutes. It takes a bit of nerve but it works out nearly all of the time. I have listed this way in the past for used machines which I have imported and couldn't be bothered starting a shop out/resto on and within the first 24 hours of listing it has already reached my minumum sell price combined with the surety that most of the additional bidding activity will occur in the last 2 minutes.

Good on you Retropin for the info and accurate data surrounding the sale price of your machine. A lesser individual might be tempted to make a series of ass umptions about your sale in order to reinforce their point.  

Spot on and thanks for more real world personal experiences. These are invaluable, unlike heresay.

Thanks pinnies4me. Those "my best mate" third party anecdotes do have a degree of entertainment value and are good for a chuckle, but like any repetitious comedic routine that you have heard countless times before over the years, do tend to get stale and predictable.

The $4k+ Godzilla doing the ebay circuit for the umpteenth time is a classic. That scenario is no good for anyone.

Except for those who buy those overpriced D grade machines from a Victorian pinball dealer on a regular basis. Gives them a sense of warped justification for paying triple the market value on a poorly shopped machine - anyone for Nifti?  

The Warren Buffett of the pinball world - buy at peak price on container filler, then try and talk the machine up into blue chip stock territory. "I'd put Starship Troopers up against Attack From Mars any day of the week".

Hilarious.

[Retropin]

Has anyone linked the ebay listing to the thread for the machine the original post was about.

It might be a good idea to link it and it's photos etc etc.

Feel free

[pinnies4me]

Has anyone linked the ebay listing to the thread for the machine the original post was about.

It might be a good idea to link it and it's photos etc etc.

Feel free

This thread starts with a post removed off a for sale thread which it was trashing up.

[Caveoftreasures]

The whole point of the thread is moot anyway since most of those "minimum asking price" listings get pulled before the end of the ebay auction and sell for hundreds (if not more) of dollars well below the original asking price.

As a result no one besides the seller and buyer has any real idea of what the end result and true market value of what a machine is worth.

A high public asking price with a make an offer option and the actual end result private selling price on any individual machine are nearly always poles apart.


The problem is in many cases, this can lead to people to erroneously believe that their stock Godzilla is worth $4000 when a similar machine is listed publicly and gets pulled early - completely ignoring the fact that it then gets relisted a few weeks later for a lower price and still no bids.  

At least with a 99 cent start auction that actually goes the duration we can get an accurate guage as to values rather than these false assumptions as to sale price and ultimately market value. Most 99 cent auctions get a majority of activity in the first 1-24 hours and last 2 minutes. It takes a bit of nerve but it works out nearly all of the time. I have listed this way in the past for used machines which I have imported and couldn't be bothered starting a shop out/resto on and within the first 24 hours of listing it has already reached my minumum sell price combined with the surety that most of the additional bidding activity will occur in the last 2 minutes.

Good on you Retropin for the info and accurate data surrounding the sale price of your machine. A lesser individual might be tempted to make a series of ass umptions about your sale in order to reinforce their point.  

Spot on and thanks for more real world personal experiences. These are invaluable, unlike heresay.

Thanks pinnies4me. Those "my best mate" third party anecdotes do have a degree of entertainment value and are good for a chuckle, but like any repetitious comedic routine that you have heard countless times before over the years, do tend to get stale and predictable.

The $4k+ Godzilla doing the ebay circuit for the umpteenth time is a classic. That scenario is no good for anyone.

Except for those who buy those overpriced D grade machines from a Victorian pinball dealer on a regular basis. Gives them a sense of warped justification for paying triple the market value on a poorly shopped machine - anyone for Nifti?  

The Warren Buffett of the pinball world - buy at peak price on container filler, then try and talk the machine up into blue chip stock territory. "I'd put Starship Troopers up against Attack From Mars any day of the week".

Hilarious.

You must be talking about a member in Victoria ? Because no one I know fits your make believe person.
95 percent of my machines have come from QLD.

If I sold any of my machines I would double my money because I buy low and keep machines. I don't sell.

And a Starship Troopers does play better than your overpriced Attack from Mars.
That's easy to say when a excellent example of a Starship Troopers was 2 grand compared to somebody overpaying 6 grand for the cookie cutter.

You still seem a little pissy that you got banned from the forum mate.
Perhaps a little bit of counselling and you will feel better about it. 

[Retropin]

Apart from BK2000 and that stash you had that you did a bulk sell on a couple of years back

[pinsanity]

Nah, just having a good laugh once again at your detached from reality world view.  

With 7000 plus posts and 99% of them being gratuitous self promotion there's no shortage of comedic material.

[Caveoftreasures]

Apart from BK2000 and that stash you had that you did a bulk sell on a couple of years back

Wrong.
Only ever sold 2 machines out of 52 purchased. BK2000 stayed with my brother.
Have helped many others sell pins though.
Still have ALL of my pins.

[Caveoftreasures]

Nah, just having a good laugh once again at your detached from reality world view.  

With 7000 plus posts and 99% of them being self indulgent there's no shortage of comedic material.

You are talking about yourself.
Take some counselling. You won't feel so bad about your forced holiday.
I am having a great laugh too. You still seem so pissy. Ohhhhhh.
why do u spend so much time thinking about someone you think is such a lesser individual ? Lol 

Anyway, I can't keep conversing with you, my ribs are hurting from laughing so hard.
Goodnight Mr Buffett.