I finally cut the ahole off this time!
So, a week ago yard sale ad appeared in craiglist ad, http://pennstate.craigslist.org/gms/3992233894.html
I checked and was about to email the person about the details like what condition the stuff is and all, and if they be willing to sell anything before yard sale. However, it is no email ad. I live about 1.5 hours away from that address, so I gave up on it…
On Thursday at about 2:20pm (the ad said) another craiglist ad appears, unfortunately that ad was deleted already.
The ad appeared to be normal, yard sale with nick nacks, dishes and etc. and video games (a lot). There were 4 pictures and one of them was with games (pictures were very bad quality). Ad said something like “my kids are all grew up and went to colleges, and we don’t need this old games anymore”, in picture was may be around 240+ games between NES/SNES, $.50 each. I was like dang, nice deal and was already thinking on going there (Lancaster, PA, 1.5 hours away as well ). So, I also emailed the person, asked if he/she would be willing to sell it for much higher price and etc. So, I closed the ad, packed and went to college…On the way to college something came up to my mind. All games were stacked very nicely (I know for a fact that only resellers/collectors stack games like that). Also, there were barely visible 2 Game Genies for NES, so I thought what kind of gamer would buy 2 Game Genies. Are you guys following my logic?
Now, everything came to me clear…About over a year ago, yard sale ad appeared where was mentioned a full box of Super Nintendo games with system. It was about 1 hour drive, so I was planning to go. Then on Thursday another ad appeared yard sale with bunch of stuff, and was mentioned video games for all kinds of systems, some still sealed. Kids grew up and blah-blah…So, I decide I will hit 1st this yard sale and then will go with SNES system and games. Well, I came to that yard sale…there was around 15 people like me waiting for 40mins, and nothing happened…When, I drove to other place, the guy already sold to someone, who came up to him as soon as he opened the door…
From that time until Friday, a few fake ads appeared like that and I heard locally from collectors who got scammed (pretty sure by the same guy). Well, this time I cut the asshole off on the deal…I went to http://pennstate.craigslist.org/gms/3992233894.html just for the sake of it, because I didn’t even know what the lady had there you know…Could have been some Little Samson or SMB/DH. Anyway, the ad said 10a.m. but I decided to really go hard core and show up at 7a.m. However, I thought that scammer could have showed up at the place and asked to buy them a few days before, but I decided to go anyway…I got there at 7:10 or something, and owner already opened their garage and was just slowly setting up, so I just came up and ask if they had any stuff and told them the story about scammer (they were pretty shocked that this is a big deal)
Here’s what I got to my surprise…
This is 1/5 of everything I got, I just didnt have time to take everything out of my car and go through everything. There were 3 families (relatives), so many games are in doubles and triples, 3 NES, 3 SNES, 4 Segas, 3 PS2, 2 PS1...
So far, the gem for my collection minty sealed Gear Works for GB
I checked and was about to email the person about the details like what condition the stuff is and all, and if they be willing to sell anything before yard sale. However, it is no email ad. I live about 1.5 hours away from that address, so I gave up on it…
On Thursday at about 2:20pm (the ad said) another craiglist ad appears, unfortunately that ad was deleted already.
The ad appeared to be normal, yard sale with nick nacks, dishes and etc. and video games (a lot). There were 4 pictures and one of them was with games (pictures were very bad quality). Ad said something like “my kids are all grew up and went to colleges, and we don’t need this old games anymore”, in picture was may be around 240+ games between NES/SNES, $.50 each. I was like dang, nice deal and was already thinking on going there (Lancaster, PA, 1.5 hours away as well ). So, I also emailed the person, asked if he/she would be willing to sell it for much higher price and etc. So, I closed the ad, packed and went to college…On the way to college something came up to my mind. All games were stacked very nicely (I know for a fact that only resellers/collectors stack games like that). Also, there were barely visible 2 Game Genies for NES, so I thought what kind of gamer would buy 2 Game Genies. Are you guys following my logic?
Now, everything came to me clear…About over a year ago, yard sale ad appeared where was mentioned a full box of Super Nintendo games with system. It was about 1 hour drive, so I was planning to go. Then on Thursday another ad appeared yard sale with bunch of stuff, and was mentioned video games for all kinds of systems, some still sealed. Kids grew up and blah-blah…So, I decide I will hit 1st this yard sale and then will go with SNES system and games. Well, I came to that yard sale…there was around 15 people like me waiting for 40mins, and nothing happened…When, I drove to other place, the guy already sold to someone, who came up to him as soon as he opened the door…
From that time until Friday, a few fake ads appeared like that and I heard locally from collectors who got scammed (pretty sure by the same guy). Well, this time I cut the asshole off on the deal…I went to http://pennstate.craigslist.org/gms/3992233894.html just for the sake of it, because I didn’t even know what the lady had there you know…Could have been some Little Samson or SMB/DH. Anyway, the ad said 10a.m. but I decided to really go hard core and show up at 7a.m. However, I thought that scammer could have showed up at the place and asked to buy them a few days before, but I decided to go anyway…I got there at 7:10 or something, and owner already opened their garage and was just slowly setting up, so I just came up and ask if they had any stuff and told them the story about scammer (they were pretty shocked that this is a big deal)
Here’s what I got to my surprise…
This is 1/5 of everything I got, I just didnt have time to take everything out of my car and go through everything. There were 3 families (relatives), so many games are in doubles and triples, 3 NES, 3 SNES, 4 Segas, 3 PS2, 2 PS1...
So far, the gem for my collection minty sealed Gear Works for GB
Comments
Originally posted by: ColdStatic
That's such a dick move but to be honest it's kinda brilliant and a little bit hilarious, lol. I'd be completely furious if it happened to me personally, of course.
Well since the reseller seems like a dick nice way to fight fire with fire imo.
Originally posted by: TokinAlot
Originally posted by: ColdStatic
That's such a dick move but to be honest it's kinda brilliant and a little bit hilarious, lol. I'd be completely furious if it happened to me personally, of course.
Well since the reseller seems like a dick nice way to fight fire with fire imo.
I meant the reseller who was posting the fake sales to draw people away in the first place
I've been screwed over way more often by collectors then by resellers. It always seems that they justify the tactics by stateing they are more hard core than I, or some other silly reason. The reseller is atleast going to get the game back in to the market for some one that really wants it, instead of squirlying it away with the sixteen other copys that they own that never see the light of day.
Originally posted by: otherside2501
What makes you think it was a reseller? It could have been a collector.
I've been screwed over way more often by collectors then by resellers. It always seems that they justify the tactics by stateing they are more hard core than I, or some other silly reason. The reseller is atleast going to get the game back in to the market for some one that really wants it, instead of squirlying it away with the sixteen other copys that they own that never see the light of day.
He raises a valid point.
Originally posted by: bigbacon
you should have waited for him to show up and then tried to sell it to him for like 5 times what you paid.
I actually wanted to wait and snap a few pics of him, post it here and try to make a memo out of him, but I was hurrying to an action in my town.
I'm with you on cutting someone off like that collector or reseller at the knees with being fair, honest, and letting them know what's up. I had to do it last year after someone who posted a lot of SNES games with a system had it fairly low due to 1 key title in the lot you could just make out in the bad image. I was third to call, and I figured why not and told him what the deal was and I had to get off the phone to see if I had the dough/ask the wifey too. Within 10min his email, phone voice mail, and text boxes were jammed overfilled and he was furious. He told me some people said that key game was all they wanted for $10 (when it was worth $80 then which I had told him on call#1) so he let me have the stuff at the price because that's what they set, and not only that delivered it to me too. Sometimes it pays to be nice, honest, and fair to stick the screws to dishonest collectors and resellers.
Originally posted by: Chrevans1
Originally posted by: otherside2501
What makes you think it was a reseller? It could have been a collector.
I've been screwed over way more often by collectors then by resellers. It always seems that they justify the tactics by stateing they are more hard core than I, or some other silly reason. The reseller is atleast going to get the game back in to the market for some one that really wants it, instead of squirlying it away with the sixteen other copys that they own that never see the light of day.
He raises a valid point.
He did, but considering my self a collector 1st and then reseller, yes I will race other collectors to beat them on the deal which is nothing wrong with that. Yes, I did some crappy mistakes like backdooring JoneBone but I am definately not an asshole who would make a scam ad and lure bunch of people who might have traveled 1-2 or more hours to get a chance on a deal...
Originally posted by: Chrevans1
Don't get me wrong - I'm totally on your side!
Originally posted by: otherside2501
What makes you think it was a reseller? It could have been a collector.
I've been screwed over way more often by collectors then by resellers. It always seems that they justify the tactics by stateing they are more hard core than I, or some other silly reason. The reseller is atleast going to get the game back in to the market for some one that really wants it, instead of squirlying it away with the sixteen other copys that they own that never see the light of day.
He raises a valid point.
He did, but considering my self a collector 1st and then reseller, yes I will race other collectors to beat them on the deal which is nothing wrong with that. Yes, I did some crappy mistakes like backdooring JoneBone but I am definately not an asshole who would make a scam ad and lure bunch of people who might have traveled 1-2 or more hours to get a chance on a deal...
I've had more success at flea markets in the area. You can develope a relationship with the people there and once you give them business on a few occassions they'll even do things like call you before putting things out to see if you want first crack at it. It doesn't hurt that a few of the resellers around here (One of them in particular) is a notorious jerk and is disliked by just about everyone who meets him.
And forget it if they leave a phone number or email address. They'll get so many calls/texts/emails within the first 15 minutes of their ad being up they'll realize the value of what they have pretty quick. You basically need to jump on anything you see RIGHT away. I remember contacting people literally 8 minutes after their ad went up on Craigslist and them saying they'd already promised it to someone else. There's just too many hunters and not enough 'deer' out there.
I'm not complaining though. As someone very aptly put it above, all's fair in reselling. You just have to get that much better at finding things and do your own little tricks. I've bartered things right out from under people's feet (Almost literally) before at garage sales, wrenched things out of the hands of employees at Goodwills, and told people "I'll drive to your house with CASH in the next 20 minutes" when other resellers have agreed to meet them later in the day.
Just like others, I don't bother with Craigslist in my area as there's just way too many collectors and resellers around here. The time to have been using it and making major finds is long past.
I even found a new guy on Youtube that's local who's undoubtedly 1 of 50 in my area:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1WiDK3zR55tV9QE1nwpE3g
I work full time (sometimes 50 hours+)... and cannot drive around or live online the way some people can.
BTW this whole scenario is a perfect example of why I NEVER go to sales that advertise games. People that go to those are wasting their time being beaten by resellers, or at the very least, paying $50 for a broken NES with a bunch of sports games because the seller "saw them nintender tapes sell for over $100 a piece on the ebay!"...meanwhile I'm at a house on the next street over buying a box full of 50+ NES games for $5 from some old lady who doesn't even know what they are and sure isn't going to post them on CL. Why even bother with the "fake ad" to divert people when the the legit ads divert people from the REAL deals to begin with!
Originally posted by: ZachAttack
or at the very least, paying $50 for a broken NES with a bunch of sports games because the seller "saw them nintender tapes sell for over $100 a piece on the ebay!"
Hahaha. This... just... this...
Ebay in the wrong hands is a very dangerous thing. People who have no fucking clue what their stuff is really worth yet insist you are trying to rip them off by giving them a decent price is horrible. The rookie resellers who will actually pay that much for a bunch of sports games and reinforce that they were right all along is even worse.
People need to learn how to properly use Ebay.
Originally posted by: Scerena4
I cant bring my self to go to people's yard sales before their advertised time. They set a time for a reason. I know our family had a yard sale early this summer and it was supposed to start at 8 and there were people there at 5:30. I did advertise video games but come on people.
I don't knock at people's house few hours before yard sale starts, but this time I did it for a reason.