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Let’s face it – we can’t all be yard sale warriors, pulling in trunk loads of rare gems week after week for pennies on the dollar. And even if we are, sometimes there’s that elusive title that just never seems to pop up in the wild. As a father of three with a full time job, I don’t have a lot of time to go out and game hunt these days. Yet I consistently find games on eBay for around 60-75% of their value. In this article, I’ll share a few techniques I use to score these deals.
Get the Most from Your Searches
eBay provides fairly robust advanced search options. Additionally, you can choose words to exclude if unrelated listings are getting in the way. Sorting your search results is a must! If you’re looking at buy-it-now listings, you’ll want to sort by ‘newly listed’ so you can see the most recent items posted for sale. Conversely, if you’re looking for auctions, sorting by ‘ending soonest’ will show you auctions that are nearing their end, which is the best time to strike. Personally, I like to check both. You can also save a particular search so that each day it will email you new results.
Also, don’t forget to search different terms that mean the same thing. For instance, if you’re hunting for the 1994 cult classic Earthbound, make sure try both “Earthbound SNES” as well as “Earthbound Super Nintendo”. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to get even more vague if you’re willing to sift through more listings. Try leaving out the console entirely and just searching “Earthbound” and filter to the ‘Video Games’ category. The fact is sellers don’t always know how to best make their listings appear in searches, potentially leaving out keywords that are common sense to a collector.
Have Clear Goals
When looking for bargains on eBay, it’s best to have a short running list of a few items to focus on. Set an amount that you want to pay for each, being optimistic but also realistic. While a rare miracle a deal might happen, don’t bank on it. If you’re not sure what something is worth, give it a quick search and filter by ‘sold’ to see how much it’s been going for lately. On pricier games. it’s not uncommon to see substantial fluctuation month by month. Do a little research – PriceCharting can be a helpful resource when determining value, but I honestly recommend digging into the eBay history yourself.
A common method I use when determining how much I’m willing to pay for something is to search the last few weeks or even months of completed sales, then choosing a number on the lowest end of that spectrum. If I see someone snagged a $70 game for $45 a few weeks ago, by golly, I want that same deal! In nearly all cases, I can meet it, beat it, or get pretty darn close.
Be Patient
If you’re looking to make a purchase on a used item right away, you’re probably not going to get the best deal. That’s just how it works. Keep your list short, keep it close, and watch carefully for the right listing to strike! On some higher dollar purchases, I will wait several months before pulling the trigger. In most cases, however, I’m able to make an economically sound purchase within a few days or weeks. If you’re absolutely dying to get a copy of Rule of Rose for PS2, well best roll up your sleeves and fork over how ever many hundreds it’s commanding that month.
Be Careful
As the old saying goes, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” Shopping on eBay is no different. Along with viewing the seller’s feedback, you should also look closely to make sure the game is functioning, is authentic (if you care about that kind of thing), and is in the exact condition you’re looking for. eBay will cover you if you don’t receive your item or if you receive something different than what was described, but you can avoid a headache by using some common sense.
To Bid or to Buy it Now
The decision on whether to go for buy-it-now listings versus auctions really comes down to preference. Personally, I gravitate toward buy-it-now but find fantastic deals with both. The main concern with auctions is that the item is visible for a scheduled amount of time, giving plenty of competing buyers the opportunity to see it as well. Don’t completely count auctions out though – occasionally they go mostly unnoticed, allowing you to swoop in for the kill!
As a tip, wait until the auction has nearly ended to place your bid; it’s very common for users to get involved in a bidding war once they’ve been outbid. By waiting until the end, others won’t have time to reconsider their maximum amount. Additionally, some auctions also have a ‘buy it now’ price, allowing it to be purchased immediately. Use your best judgment in these cases; if historical purchases indicate the buy-it-now price is far less than the usual selling price, it might be worth it. Otherwise, you can ‘watch’ the listing, which I’ll discuss below.
‘Watch’ Listings
Make sure to ‘watch’ all listings you’re even remotely interested in. It’s a great way to keep tabs on running auctions since eBay will send reminders as it’s closing. But perhaps more importantly, sellers will send special offers on ‘buy it now’ listings to ‘watchers’, often with significant savings! I’ve seen discounts as generous as 1/3 off the asking price, so don’t hesitate to save a listing even if it’s higher than your target price. An added perk of saving listings is that eBay will better understand your tastes, possibly suggesting other listings you may like.
Be Persistent and Be Quick!
Keeping a close eye on listings is crucial when deal hunting on eBay. Always assume there are many other buyers going after the same item, because there most likely are. You want to be the first one to see buy-it-now listings, and you want to be the last one to bid on auctions. In order to do this, make sure you’re checking eBay constantly to see all relevant listings. If you’re serious about it, make a habit of checking eBay the same way you check your email or social media accounts. I previously mentioned using ‘saved searches’, which is a great tool, but it only sends results once each morning. It’s no replacement for frequent searches, so keep those few keywords in mind and check them often! When the deal comes along, do not hesitate! Do make sure it’s indeed what you’re looking for, read the description quickly and carefully for all details and seller notes. Then assuming you can afford it and want it, buy it!
Be a Part of the Solution
By taking a few steps to avoid overspending, you’re also helping to combat rising game prices in the retro market. One of the best things we can do as game collectors is to not impulsively buy without doing the proper research. As eBay users, each purchase we make helps set the average value listed by PriceCharting. Do the retro game market (and your pocketbook) a favor by being patient and buying low!
