UPDATE: Visited 6 stores in the last 2 days

On a road trip with my family, Champaign IL to Indianapolis IN and back. I've hit as many stores as I could in these areas looking mostly for NES CIBs but I've only found one. I haven't searched the "wild" for some time now. Is it really that tough out here or am I in a dry area?

Others finding success? Failure?

Comments

  • It can be tough, especially if you're looking for NES CIB. I'm in Chicago so I'm lucky to have 4 decent stores in my area, but even then there's only one store that has a good selection of CIB stuff. And this is a big city. I'm sure there are some decent places out there. However, the likelihood of finding them between Champaign and Indianapolis is probably pretty low.
  • CIB is always tough to find in the wild. I'm lucky, I have one store that carries quite a bit most of the time. Good stuff too, they had Gun Nac last time I was there
  • I've had decent luck, although I usually visit a store once then determine whether it's worth coming back based on prices/selection. I'm not hunting for anything specifically so I don't need fancy popular NES CIB games. Give me a decent deal on an uncommon Game Boy game or a 3DO porn CD and I'm jazzed.



    I also follow a few stores on Facebook. It definitely helps when they post their recent trade ins so you can scoop up good stuff ASAP.
  • I have been to probably been to 10 didferent stores in the last 2 years and only one place CIB NES and they were rough shape, sports genre, and rough shape.
  • Originally posted by: zfleming54



    I have been to probably been to 10 didferent stores in the last 2 years and only one place CIB NES and they were rough shape, sports genre, and rough shape.





    How was the shape though?
  • Originally posted by: DefaultGen



    I also follow a few stores on Facebook. It definitely helps when they post their recent trade ins so you can scoop up good stuff ASAP.



    And this highlights exactly why barely any stores have good inventory and good prices. If they price things well, anyone who has an "in" with the store will buy whatever they get nearly immediately. I'm sure many of us know stores where the best stuff never even makes it to the shelves. Thus, stores that price well end up with barren shelves.



    On the flipside, everyone knows of THAT STORE that has great inventory, but everything is eBay + 20-50%. The only reason why it is still on the shelf is because the price is stupid. If it had even a remotely reasonable price, it would have sold. You can occassionally find deals at these stores, simply because everyone makes mistakes, and the locals avoid the store like the plague.



    I know it going to blow everyone's mind, but retro video games are popular right now. Like, stupid-crazy popular. This is the end result. Wait for things to calm down, people to start trading their collections in, and you might actually find well stocked stores. That said, you'll also see stores fold if prices come down.





     
  • Originally posted by: Quaze

    Originally posted by: zfleming54



    I have been to probably been to 10 didferent stores in the last 2 years and only one place CIB NES and they were rough shape, sports genre, and rough shape.





    How was the shape though?





    Haha. I think my point got across...
  • The places I know of that reliably have boxed NES stuff always do stupid things like reseal without indicating if it's truly CIB inside. Even if it did indicate whether it had a manual or dust sleeve, don't you think I might want to see the condition of the game before I pay a premium for CIB?!
  • Originally posted by: CZroe

    The places I know of that reliably have boxed NES stuff always do stupid things like reseal without indicating if it's truly CIB inside. Even if it did indicate whether it had a manual or dust sleeve, don't you think I might want to see the condition of the game before I pay a premium for CIB?!



    oh that bothers me too. I've come across stuff which was marked with what the contents were which is nice, otherwise I'd ask they open it. I bought a box for a Pokémon game that just said "with inserts" so I assumed that meant reg card and that stuff but no manual. I was pleasantly surprised to find the manual in there  
  • Originally posted by: DarkKobold

    Originally posted by: DefaultGen



    I also follow a few stores on Facebook. It definitely helps when they post their recent trade ins so you can scoop up good stuff ASAP.



    And this highlights exactly why barely any stores have good inventory and good prices. If they price things well, anyone who has an "in" with the store will buy whatever they get nearly immediately. I'm sure many of us know stores where the best stuff never even makes it to the shelves. Thus, stores that price well end up with barren shelves.



    On the flipside, everyone knows of THAT STORE that has great inventory, but everything is eBay + 20-50%. The only reason why it is still on the shelf is because the price is stupid. If it had even a remotely reasonable price, it would have sold. You can occassionally find deals at these stores, simply because everyone makes mistakes, and the locals avoid the store like the plague.



    I know it going to blow everyone's mind, but retro video games are popular right now. Like, stupid-crazy popular. This is the end result. Wait for things to calm down, people to start trading their collections in, and you might actually find well stocked stores. That said, you'll also see stores fold if prices come down.





     



    yup. Can't have your cake and eat it too
  • Originally posted by: Quaze

     
    Originally posted by: zfleming54



    I have been to probably been to 10 didferent stores in the last 2 years and only one place CIB NES and they were rough shape, sports genre, and rough shape.





    How was the shape though?





    im hearing pretty rough 
  • almost always failure now. a quick example is when I have gone to goodwill recently, I don't even see gamecube sports games. There are zero gamecube games, let alone older games like N64, SNES and NES. I never go out of my way now to look for games in the wild. Just not worth the time with the very slim chance you might find anything nintendo related.
  • Welcome to 2015.



    Shit, it's 2017!? That's even worse.
  • You actually found a game?!?!
  • Originally posted by: quest4nes

     
    Originally posted by: Quaze

     
    Originally posted by: zfleming54



    I have been to probably been to 10 didferent stores in the last 2 years and only one place CIB NES and they were rough shape, sports genre, and rough shape.





    How was the shape though?





    im hearing pretty rough 



    I wish he'd just say so though.

     
  • Originally posted by: Shell Dante



    You actually found a game?!?!

    Yeah, sounds like a success story to me.  I would have expected 0.



     
  • The other problem you run into is that some stores put all of their good stuff in the internet. That leaves the store bursting with Dead Zone and Modern with almost no retro. Also if there are too many stores in a geographic area it spreads the retro too thin. People will always sell tons of Dead Zone and Modern to stores though.
  • Are we talking about thrift shops or game stores? I go to Goodwill at least once or twice a week (because I'm in the shopping center anyway, not because I have any hope) and I'm lucky if I find Jump Start 1st Grade. Thrift stores stopped being worth the effort for me a long time ago, but I still usually find something cool and reasonably priced at game shops.
  • Originally posted by: DefaultGen



    Are we talking about thrift shops or game stores? I go to Goodwill at least once or twice a week (because I'm in the shopping center anyway, not because I have any hope) and I'm lucky if I find Jump Start 1st Grade. Thrift stores stopped being worth the effort for me a long time ago, but I still usually find something cool and reasonably priced at game shops.

    Theres a thrift store near me that usually has some games, but theyre priced the same as the game store, so I'd rather go there and get the better selection



     
  • Geez, I wish y'all lived near me and bought out all the stuff from our store. lol



    Seriously, I've read an article about SMS games and systems are hard to get and I'm all like "HOW MANY DO YOU WANT?!"
  • Originally posted by: knightriderce



    On a road trip with my family, Champaign IL to Indianapolis IN and back. I've hit as many stores as I could in these areas looking mostly for NES CIBs but I've only found one. I haven't searched the "wild" for some time now. Is it really that tough out here or am I in a dry area? Others finding success? Failure?

    I live in the Champaign area.

    There are two that have decent prices on CIB stuff and tend to have good stock. We Play Games (Rantoul) and Vintage Villains (Danville).

    You can also try Live Action Games and Disc Replay in Champaign.  They sometimes have CIB stuff. 

    There are also like 5 Disc Replays in the Indiapolis area. The one on the East side is particularly good.  They still have cib stuff at loose prices (mainly on Gamecube/PS1/PS2).  

    Mega Replay in Bloomington (50 min west of Champaign), frequently has an amazing stock of stuff. 













     
  • Update: I found 2 more CIBs at Live Action in Champaign and had a really great experience. Owner/operator was a nice guy. He was a chatty collector and was very courteous to me. He even let me look through his new box of loose manuals. Nice selection at reasonable prices and he was totally negotiable. I got $10 off just by asking and offering to pay in cash. I would recommend the store to anyone in the area.
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