Thrift Store Hunting!

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Thrift Store Hunting!; tips and tricks?
Tweet Topic Started: Oct 19 2015, 11:25 AM (474 Views)
N64punk	Oct 19 2015, 11:25 AM Post #1
Newbie Posts: 33 Group: Established Members Member #2,856 Joined: September 13, 2015	So i know a lot of collectors are actively hunting games. I'm sure ones who do can see the evidence of other collectors/re-sellers in their area clearing out the game shelf at their local thrift store/goodwill. how do you compete with these ravenous scavengers? lately i have been showing up first thing in the morning, yet it seems to be lacking selection as i suspect the workers bring out the inventory later in the day. in fact my last score was A $10 Genesis at 5:00PM, so today ill be going just before everyone gets off work. I know its mostly a gamble whether there's anything good but maybe we can share some experiences!



bluedogrulez	Oct 19 2015, 12:16 PM Post #2
Racing for Fulcon Capital Posts: 9,323 Group: Admin Member #281 Joined: March 8, 2010	Interesting idea for a thread. Posters should probably indicate their country and/or general region, as I suspect experiences will vary greatly.
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Pimpin Mainer	Oct 19 2015, 12:36 PM Post #3
When I shoot, I shoot to film Posts: 1,971 Group: Legendary Member #337 Joined: August 8, 2010	N64punk Oct 19 2015, 11:25 AM How do you compete with these ravenous scavengers? Sorry, I'm one of those guys. I normally don't have too much luck with Goodwill. I am from Maine USA so maybe its just because I'm not in a bumpin area that's why I don't see too many good games there. Although my friend Meader scored Link's Awakening for $5 and I got a original Game Boy for $5. I normally hit up the thrift shops as they have more stuff for me. I travel a lot for work and there is this store where I am now that I keep cleaning out every time I return here. All they have left are Sports games
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EnvyFox	Oct 19 2015, 01:57 PM Post #4
Senior Member Posts: 857 Group: Senior Members Member #1,841 Joined: October 8, 2013	(This post is coming from someone living in Georgia, USA) I've gone thrift store video game hunting in different times of the day and came out both with good stuff and absolutely nothing for all of 'em. My advice is to keep going back regularly because you'll never know when they'll get stuff in. Unfortunately, that also means you have to hope other gamers/resellers/ect. don't get the stuff before you. Yes that's harder than it sounds and it sounds tough to begin with, but your time will eventually come. You can also ask if they have anything in the back that they can sell. Most of them will probably tell you they can't do that, but there are a few workers that will be cool enough to price and bring out those stuff for you. One time, a Goodwill worker saw me looking through the game section and actually offered to bring out a bundle of eight SNES games for me to look at. Super Mario Kart, Super Mario All-Stars + World and Space Megaforce among other classics came home with me that day for one steal of a price and, since then, I almost always ask if they have anything in the back if I'm not happy with what's on the shelves. Hopefully this helps you out some. Good luck out there. Edited by EnvyFox, Oct 19 2015, 01:58 PM.



N64punk	Oct 19 2015, 02:24 PM Post #5
Newbie Posts: 33 Group: Established Members Member #2,856 Joined: September 13, 2015	ahh yes like garage sales it never hurts to ask! unless they give you that what r u stupid look haha i almost want to apply at my local value village(canadian) to get discounts and first dibs im going to stop by now to beat rush hour wish me luck!



kartmaster	Oct 19 2015, 08:38 PM Post #6
Coffee Drinker Posts: 2,024 Group: Moderators Member #1,870 Joined: October 27, 2013	Rural Kansas, USA here. I would say get to know the people working there. If you're stopping by regularly, be friendly. Talk about things other than games (because unless it's a game focused store, in most cases these guys don't really care about the games). Ask them what's the coolest thing they've got in recently? What's the craziest customer they've ever had? What's "hot" right now that they would have never expected? If they see you coming in, not because you're trying to score a huge deal, but because you like them, and you like their shop, they're more inclined to think of you when they find something YOU might like. And they'll know when they have something special. Even at the little po-dunk ma & pa shops around here, before anything sees the light of day, these guys have already checked eBay. They usually know what they have. They might not know why it's worth what it is, but they know what it's worth. I usually will be honest with them and say, "Hey, if you ever find something interesting that has to do with old games, let me know. If I can buy it from you at eBay prices, but not have to deal with shipping and flaky sellers I consider it a heck of a deal." And really that's true. You can try to game the local market and get a great deal once in a while. Or you can form relationships, and if you're willing to pay a fair price, find a few people with a wider net than you that will do the hunting FOR you.
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action	Oct 20 2015, 02:23 AM Post #7
Senior Member Posts: 578 Group: Closed Account Member #1,394 Joined: April 7, 2013	i found a killer instinct (snes) killer cuts cd just by looking in a bunch of discarded cd's that had nothing to do with video games. could have it for 2 euro. what i'm trying to say is, it cant hurt looking in the least likely places if you want to find a great deal. the other day i found a super ghouls n ghosts snes box in an old paper container. => no one thinks of looking in these, and so these are kind of "uncharted" territories, holding all kinds of cool treasure. the last place i would look at, is at a professional video game stand with expensive tents and stuff. you can bet everything is way overpriced there.



Milage007	Oct 20 2015, 06:11 AM Post #8
Licensed to Game Posts: 3,134 Group: Legendary Member #2,147 Joined: March 16, 2014	I agree action. Nice pickup man. It is becoming harder to find bargains in the wild but they do feel good when they come round. Dont turn a blindeye on this . I remember finding Robocop Vs Terminator at a car boot sale in the wild for �1 complete I had been looking for it for ages. This was about 15 years ago so when I was 11. I still own this. One of my favourite games on the Sega Megadrive and one game I literally had to hunt for.
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N64punk	Oct 20 2015, 12:21 PM Post #9
Newbie Posts: 33 Group: Established Members Member #2,856 Joined: September 13, 2015	those are good tips i noticed some 360 games in with DVDs today, nothing worth while but managed to find some cymbals for my drumkit that and a $2 storage case for my n64 games :D. never limit your searches you may be surprised.



Cabanon	Oct 20 2015, 10:09 PM Post #10
Elite Posts: 4,585 Group: Legendary Member #505 Joined: May 8, 2011	Pimpin Mainer Oct 19 2015, 12:36 PM N64punk Oct 19 2015, 11:25 AM How do you compete with these ravenous scavengers? Sorry, I'm one of those guys. I normally don't have too much luck with Goodwill. I am from Maine USA so maybe its just because I'm not in a bumpin area that's why I don't see too many good games there. Although my friend Meader scored Link's Awakening for $5 and I got a original Game Boy for $5. I normally hit up the thrift shops as they have more stuff for me. I travel a lot for work and there is this store where I am now that I keep cleaning out every time I return here. All they have left are Sports games I've been wanting to stop by the one in South Portland for 4 years now, always forget about it lol ever been there ?



N64punk	Oct 21 2015, 09:26 PM Post #11
Newbie Posts: 33 Group: Established Members Member #2,856 Joined: September 13, 2015	Actions tip came throught for me today, i found a sega mastersystem game and a sega card f16 fighting falcon. Someone had them hidden behind some vinyls



Pimpin Mainer	Oct 21 2015, 10:20 PM Post #12
When I shoot, I shoot to film Posts: 1,971 Group: Legendary Member #337 Joined: August 8, 2010	Cabanon Oct 20 2015, 10:09 PM I've been wanting to stop by the one in South Portland for 4 years now, always forget about it lol ever been there ? Which one? Are you talking about the good will? I have been outside the store but never in it. There are also many many thrift stores around there and I seem to have better luck with them. Can I ask where you are from Canabon
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action	Oct 22 2015, 05:28 AM Post #13
Senior Member Posts: 578 Group: Closed Account Member #1,394 Joined: April 7, 2013	N64punk Oct 21 2015, 09:26 PM Actions tip came throught for me today, i found a sega mastersystem game and a sega card f16 fighting falcon. Someone had them hidden behind some vinyls glad to have been of some help!



EnvyFox	Oct 24 2015, 12:28 AM Post #14
Senior Member Posts: 857 Group: Senior Members Member #1,841 Joined: October 8, 2013	If anyone needs a bit of motivation, I found a Sega Game Gear (with Sonic 2 in the cartridge slot) just as a Goodwill employee was bringing it out on a cart. Right before that, I found a Frogger mini-arcade machine from Excalibur Electronics. Never give up just because you're having a string of bad hunting days. Your time might be just around the corner.



Milage007	Oct 24 2015, 02:25 AM Post #15
Licensed to Game Posts: 3,134 Group: Legendary Member #2,147 Joined: March 16, 2014	Nice pickup EV. Yeah definitely do not give up. Sometimes it happens when you least expect it. What I've noticed also recently - I find that messaging people on eBay if they are relatively local most will accept a lower price if you collect (stating the obvious) but I have managed to a) negotiate considerably less and b) found out that they actually have more cool stuff they want to shift. So I guess as far as thrift stores go it could be worth asking what else they have out the back video game wise.
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