Haggling Over Retro Game Prices at a Store -

Is it wrong to haggle over retro game prices at a Mom & Pop store?
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[@skabcat242]

I hate stores that don't price their games.

[@gamingtutor4575]

+skabcat242 The market fluctuates so much that putting those stickers on that many games probably takes quite a long time. In reality it is a bad practice to not price your merchandise. But when you look at it they essentially get the customer to do the work for them. It's brought up and pricing is looked online and haggling commences.

[@clejosh]

+GamingTutor That's why I would recommend bar codes and a computer system that can automatically update prices to reduce the overall necessity of haggling, though I'd understand if a mom and pop store couldn't afford it.

[@stopthrm]

I was in a store once where they had a box full of GBA and GBC games. No prices, no inventory on what's there just dig in. I didn't find shit but if there had been something that I was interested in, I certainly wouldn't have found it.

[@SegaSteve0429]

It's really hit and miss with those kinds of places. I've had times where they take Ebay prices and add 10% on top, most are fairly spot on but a hassle to deal with, or occasionally I've gotten some steals, like PSO I+II plus and Pikmin 2 for GC for $15 each, and "$5 for any of the PSP games, cause nobody buys them" including games like Crimson Gem Saga, Legend of Heroes II and III, and around a dozen more $15-20 games, all complete.

[@soviut]

I like how everyone's getting on Ian's case yet he's the one saying "vote with your dollars" and punish stores with uncompetitive pricing. He's not saying people should pay through the nose, he's saying he's done his homework, priced things fairly, and you always have the option to leave if you're not happy with it. You've got to be pretty entitled to not realize how powerful an option that is.

[@Petrisha]

Old but underrated comment.

[@savatoex]

Resellers haggle when they buy the stock, so why the fuck shouldn't haggling be allowed when people buy their?

[@neevsmazda07]

I agree completely.Ian loses this debate

[@182punkbunny]

the best excellent example

[@WillyTung]

That is true but if a sushi chef haggled a fish from a fisherman should his customers be allowed to debate the price of his sushi? Probably not.

[@aGuyThatLovesPooping]

4:43 "Pricely faired"?

[@r0ckbass]

Ian was 100% on point in this one! I own my own business and people will always try to haggle on the stuff that sells itself. Or they want to haggle on something that's like $10 bucks. "Is this your best price?" Drives me crazy. You EARN discounts, you aren't just given them. Also gotta love when someone asks for a discount and then hands you a credit card. We lose instantly anywhere from 10-25% on credit card transactions once you factor in card fees, transaction fees, taxes, self-employment taxes, travel expenses to be at the event (Or in Ian's case, store operation costs). And that's just right off the top. Then people want a deal, too. Yeah, no. Want a deal? Buy in quantity. Pay in cash to help avoid unnecessary fees. (I'm not going to give you a deal AND give you credit card points, sorry!) Show loyalty to the seller. Earn your discount. Don't like it, go to Walmart and see if they carry vintage, hard to find stuff. Or just ask the cashier for a deal and see how that goes. Support your local businesses who offer you hard to find, unique stuff. Don't haggle them to death. I can't stand this shit, can you tell? lol

[@solidjunkernaut7567]

Emotional Ian, reasonable Pat.

[@dustman_b6245]

+SolidJunkernaut Just a case of different perspectives. They both made good points.

[@TofranBohk]

+noisyturtle An antique store is the perfect place to haggle over a price. It's essentially a junk shop.

[@mustangmckraken1150]

+SolidJunkernaut I agree with Ian, don't haggle with people that have prices like that. They're only doing that because they're looking to fuck somebody and get as much as they can.

[@jali5800]

+Nate Brindabella I'd hate to see Ian buy a new car... paid sticker price.

[@moriellymoproblems7842]

+Poketto Pat being emotional? I think you have your personalities and people mixed up.

[@TyroneLWarbasse]

Gotta agree with the Ian here.

[@jritchi9445]

I was at a retro video game store once and they had a a copy of super mario all stars for some ludicrous price like 84 dollars, cart only by the way. I ask the clerk, "Hey, how do you figure this price for mario all stars?" Clerk says, "Oh yeah, we combined the value from all the games that are on there and price it accordingly." So I say, "You're telling me you bundle together the price of the games as you'd sell them individually?" He nods his head, and I say, "Okay, I am absolutely not going to give you 84 dollars for a cart only copy of super mario all stars, even if it's in pristine condition, because I know that that game isn't even worth 75 dollars brand new. Lower your price or I'm walking." Ended up walking anyway even after he dropped the price a mere five dollars. This store's prices are ridiculous anyway, they were asking over 50 dollars for a totally thrashed game boy, I asked about it, the clerk, different clerk this time, says, "It works." I look at her, shake my head and leave the store. Haven't been in since.

[@BlayzedBlue]

they'll be out of business before long with stupid pricing like that.

[@jritchi9445]

Honestly I'm surprised they're still open. Stores like these are the cancer of the retro gaming hobby, and what's worse is that the staff is uninformed, uneducated, and totally ignorant about the retro gaming trade, they just do what the boss says. Also, they sell counterfeit gameboy carts, which is a sin in and of itself. They should be closed, but what can I do.

[@zombieGoliath]

wow i would never go back there either. luckily for me my local used game store has decent prices and an extremely knowledgeable staff, which is surprising because it is a chain.

[@jritchi9445]

The thing is, not all their prices are like this. I've found some good prices there. Like I picked up a copy of tmnt tournament fighters for five dollars, and I have seen this game for ludicrous prices before. Bought a near mint gameboy pocket for 15 dollars there, so not all their prices are bad.

[@Crlarl]

Was that the 25th Anniversary Edition for Wii?

[@timlarsson]

I'm with Ian here, as usual. And what he describes happens here too: buy enough and you'll get a little discount. That even happens in the supermarket, buying some cheese or ham from the butcher's desk inside the supermarket, when we often shop there and get friendly with the staff. They'll give us that expensive cheese we want, and weigh it and put the price sticker of some cheaper cheese on it. And I fucking love that. That's more fulfilling than haggling over the price and get a discount. "Hey, I like you, here have something on me" builds on the relationship and makes me want to go there again spending more of my money.

[@MonkeyPantsFace]

+Tim Larsson I agree, discounts should be beneficial for future business. Setting a price lower just to please one person just says 'Hey, you can take advantage of us' and often leads them to expect the same every time. Prices are as set; if you think its set too high, don't buy it. We ain't selling essential commodities here

[@PumpkinStrikesBack]

Thanks Ian, dude you remind me why i love shopping at amazon and ebay so much.

[@andrewvelasquez7681]

+PumpkinStrikesBack I know right? Is it just me, or does Ian come off as just plain sour all the time about everything? I'm actually legitimately curious about why he always looks annoyed and sounds so confrontational. I hope it's just me misunderstanding.

[@aidanb4477]

I agree with Ian, but there are some really rediculous prices I've seen at stores. For instance, Super Mario World for $20. That's a bit much for SMW. Though I just got something else.

[@the7kSRK]

+Anonymous_X Market value for Super Mario World is $25. So $20 is actually a 20% discount.

[@aidanb4477]

the7kSRK really? Last I checked it was like $10

[@shadjuice]

That's a perfect price for that game, probably the most popular game on the system. Some stores around here sell it for 40, now that's high

[@the7kSRK]

If you can find it for $10, let me know where. I'd love to get a ton of them and use them as trade fodder to fill out my Saturn collection. Mario games are just as good as cash.

[@aidanb4477]

PlasmaBoom My local GameXChange used to have it for $7-10 until just recently when they bumped the price up. It also annoys me because my friend recently got FF6 there for $30, which is like half price compared to ebay.

[@kmichael9787]

I work in a department store as a doorman, and someone tried to haggle with me the other day, it's like, 'dude, that is far, far, far beyond my powers within this store'

[@kmichael9787]

Although, that did, I did haggle a rare vinyl record down for $70 because I knew for a fact that the record had sat un-purchased in their store for 4 years (he seemed pretty happy just to get rid of it at that point)

[@kmichael9787]

WebVMan This one wasn't gonna drop, their prices never change (it literally had a thick layer of dust on it)... store is probably a front :P

[@Parasite02]

Just wanted to state this was one of the best podcasts you two have done. The fact that you went back and forth on the situation and explained it clearly on what Ian was going through or Pat was stating as a story, it's brilliant. Great job both of you.

[@mrbitbot]

Used items equals haggling allowed.

[@moriellymoproblems7842]

+mipmipmipmipmip Cars and even washers (especially brand new) are an exception because they depreciate in value the moment they leave the lot. The salesman and buyer both know this, so haggling is necessary in order to meet each other halfway.

[@xxkomebackkidxx]

+mipmipmipmipmip exactly. Tell a new car salesman you want to buy a car today with cash and I bet if you haggle you can get that car a few thousand less than listed.

[@JVic619]

+xxkomebackkidxx The part about car salesmen bending over backwards for people paying with cash...That's actually not true. Most new and used car dealerships are partnered with a finance company. If a salesperson can get a buyer set up with a loan, the finance company will often give the salesperson some sort of "kickback" bonus. The salesperson actually makes a lot more money on the transaction by not giving you a deep discount (which directly cuts into their commission payout) and then getting some bonus money from the finance company, because the buyer is now going to pay interest on the money borrowed.

[@austin1579]

+mrbitbot Other than gamestop of course.

[@moriellymoproblems7842]

***** Almost. But if it's an NES game or retro in general, you could flip it for profit. But maybe not at the exact same store because the clerk might look at you weird, lol.

[@BeatEmUps]

Most retro game stores let me haggle. Just like most pawn shops let me haggle. They set their own prices on their item, there isn't any set price that they need to set it at. They can buy the items for what they want, and sell them for what they want. So most of the time, they are flexible as long as you aren't douchey about it. They reserve the right to say they don't haggle, and you need to respect that because it's their store. But there's no harm in trying. If most store do it, it's going to atleast be a question I'm going to ask. Especially if I'm dropping quite a few dollars on old bits on plastic that these people may or may not have found in an attack.

[@BeatEmUps]

Attic*

[@EntityDJI]

+BeatEmUps Sadly you can't really do that online, or heck even in a couple of the stores in like, NY are kinda.... well.. difficult anyways when you buy something at full price. I've seen ALOT of douchebag sellers online who are charging for games like, 80-100 plus for PS3 Games USED sometimes..  I really don't like it when people do that, unless its EXTREMELY rare or something should cost something more reasonable you know?

[@nicholasharron3325]

I was a collector and now own a store. There's so many different scenarios of haggling and I agree with Pat and Ian. But just because you smile and ask politely or say this would mean a lot to me for some huge discounts on rare stuff is pricky. You aren't showing love or support to my shop. This deal helps you but what about my bills or feeding my family. Haggling shows me the character of the person I'm dealing with.

[@GrandFunker]

Princess Leia: "I am not a committee!!" Princess Ian: " I am not a fucking flea market!!" Or is it General Ian?

[@Nel_Annette]

I've had people try to haggle with me at a grocery store. Over food prices. I just... I don't... ugh...

[@etsyosbourne4120]

lol I just posted my comment about people haggling with me at my job at dominos.

[@etsyosbourne4120]

we wont go to the store because while a driver is at the strore getting customer's groceries, they could be taking more deliveries and getting more tips. also it just fucks up their money so its more of a clusterfuck at the end of the night when they redeem the tips. and ive never had a problem with a dog vs a driver but im sure its funny when it happens.

[@ILordSpawnI]

+Bilb Ono lol, I have done this before. $20 extra bucks to pickup some beer on the way to my house? Usually not a problem but it's up to the driver.

[@skoomajoe6205]

I'm with you, Ian.

[@qwertyuiop13835]

I was at a local retro store and I picked out 5 games and noticed one of them had some discoloration, the seller saw this and gave me the game for free without me saying anything

[@d77543020]

wouldn't price matching be a form of haggling

[@moriellymoproblems7842]

+donald lewis Except price matching is the store's policy and they have to honour it. A similar, but different concept to haggling.

[@amihartz]

I think haggling is _sometimes_ justified but most of the time it's just obnoxious people who don't know what they're talking about trying to avoid paying the same prices as everyone else. So I think Pat's right that haggling can be justified but I understand why Ian would be so frustrated with hagglers.

[@VGRetroQuest]

Agreed with Pat. Any retail shop that sells second hand items should expect haggling to some degree. Not all stores run like the way Ian is describing his shop.

[@matteomatty3152]

Completely agree with Ian. As a small business I offer discounts on bulk sales. 9 times out of 10 those who ask for a discount typically are buying one very sought after item that literally sells that day. We have no obligation to offer a discount especially when the buyer offers us no incentive too. If they don't like the prices shop elsewhere.

[@eberm10]

The first time I ever made a purchase at a retro video game store I inquired about the price of a couple games. The owner immediately gave me the sticker price but said "I'll give it to you for X amount instead." Most retro game stores I've been to seem to enjoy haggling. If a good deal is agreed upon it can be positive for both sides. The seller knows that I trust him and will be back. And the buyer knows they had a good experience and trusts the seller. I think Ian needs to realize that haggling is pretty wide spread at gaming stores and shouldn't feel offended if someone asks for a better price. That being said, I have been to Ian's store, but I didn't feel like I had to haggle, because the prices were very fair on a couple of games that I really wanted.

[@GRex7777]

The funny thing is.... I never have "haggled" about games, but there's a pawn shop I buy games at frequently in Oregon, and I jokingly asked if I got a discount for buying in bulk (I was buying like.... 15 games and 6 old GBA accessories) and they ended up cutting the price in half. Needless to say, I go there even more now XD

[@gooseygoose604]

I'm canadian and I've never thought to haggle at retro game stores before. if I see bad prices I likely wont go in again.

[@truman1972]

Offer/counter offer. If the seller says, "No, I'm standing by my price." That's okay. But sometimes the answer is, "Sure. I'll take that price." At car lots, thrift stores, pawn shops, used video game stores or even retailers selling a refurbished item. If the item is "used", it can't hurt to ask.

[@Jacktrack7]

I pretty much 100% agree with Ian on this one, if you don't like the prices just walk away and don't buy there, never ask for discounts for a single item, ask for a discount only if you're buying a lot of stuff, that's fair to me.

[@pbailed8007]

I’m with Ian on this one, I just walk out if I don’t like the prices. After collecting for a while you know which stores are the good ones

[@joecoolmccall]

Haggling is part of the used game culture. I would haggle at an antique store also.

[@treismac]

Pat trying to save Ian from the comment section: priceless.

[@NIGonzo]

Depends on the store, its culture and the people involved. As a regular at one retro store, I sometimes (not always) ask if that's the best price he can do a game for. If not, that's OK. Invariably, he just knock a couple of quid off without me asking. He knows I'll be back. Maybe Ian's customers are just rude, ignorant or self-entitled. But it can be done in a way that doesn't piss both parties off.

[@teamhex]

+Belfast Gonzo I think that's what it is. Ian is just jaded because he's dealt with morons trying to game the system and get dirt cheap prices.

[@namebrandmason]

+Belfast Gonzo He pretty bluntly says he tends to get people haggling on games he knows he can sell.

[@HowardAnthC]

I see where the disconnect is happening here. I call it the "Fred Sanford Effect". To 9 people out of 10, Ian works in a "junk store", aka a store that sells used goods. The problem is to Ian, he deals in "fine antiquities." You need to let that go and accept reality. If you are dealing in used goods you don't have a msrp to guide you with prices, nor do you have a fixed margin of profit. Therefore even if you are fair you can't just set prices and be done with it and judging by your reply you are haggling already, you just don't want to call it haggling. I mean you can set a price and say all prices are final, that's your right, but it's probably screwing you out of business. You have to let the consumer think they are getting a deal even if, in reality, they are just paying the fair market value. So it's actually better to price things a tad bit on the high side and deal with haggling. Don't believe me.... Just ask JCPenny. They tried to do away with sales as a progressive approach to shopping and nearly went bankrupt in the process. The consumer actually pays MORE on average now that the sales are back in effect, and yet, they prefer it that way.

[@dustman_b6245]

+Howard Casto So hurrah for stupid people?

[@gamingtutor4575]

+Dustman B Consumerism and materialism, the bread and butter of all human obsessions, over little pieces of plastic.

[@Silanda]

+Howard Casto The irony is that, contra to Ian's apparent belief, people who do deal in "fine antiquities" will haggle all the time; it's almost expected that people will haggle on high ticket items. The dealers themselves can be absolutely ruthless in trying to drive down prices when they are the ones buying.

[@kuroibuta]

I agree with Ian. If you have a shop, there shouldn't be any haggling. Just respect that shops have a lot of costs like rent and if you think you can get a better price somewhere else, go there.

[@williamburgoon1834]

" I'm not a fucking flea market" LMFAO and defeitly haggling while they don't have prices on it and it annoys me when they look it up on the spot

[@egleon91]

Working in a retail setting, I totally agree with Ian. If you walk into any store front that has some sort of POS, cataloging or inventory system in place, then there is absolutely no room for haggling or negotiating. I definitely wouldn't even attempt it in a mom or pop shop. However I do agree that the more you buy, the more likely your going to get cut a deal, that's just the nature of business. Even more so in a small shop, they're most likely to remember you and even cut you a deal the next time you come in. My only exception are shops that don't have marked prices, or price using their phones, who usually charge top eBay prices and say they're doing you a favor for not charging shipping. They can suck a fat one. The whole comparing these small shops to pawn shops is complete bs. If your mad Super Mario World is $20 then, blame the market that made it that way, not the store that had to try get it to keep it in stock. You want to get it cheaper then do what everyone else does, go to flea markets to negotiate, garage sales to negotiate, trade or buy with friends.

[@71mustang1]

Whether you want to call it haggling or negotiating, I totally agree with Ian on this one.

[@redroversk]

Ian gets T-Rex arms when he converts to Business Mode, ala Megazord.

[@kahncrane]

My local retro store gave me a decent deal just the other day, I needed 100 NES sleeves, they sold them to me for .25 each. They usually charge .50 each, I didn't ask for a discount, they just know its good business. Save Point Video Games ftw, Charlotte NC. Oh and they thew in a Hogan's Alley with a Famicom to NES adapter inside for $4, I had been looking for that adapter for sometime in Gyromite, I didn't know it could also be in Hogan's Alley. :-)

[@danielwilliams7161]

Bottom line: always be respectful. I think it's ok to ask for a better deal on something that doesn't have a hard price line like older or used merchandise, but if the seller says no, you respect their choice and decide for yourself whether it's really worth the asking price or not. And as a seller, don't immediately get frustrated at people for asking.

[@CamPopplestone]

I used to work in a shop selling used DVDs and CDs, and we had prices on the things, but we'd sometimes haggle. If someone mentioned we had way too high a price on a TV season or something, we'd look it up online and see what it went for, and if it was an outdated price we'd come down. And our main thing we'd haggle on is people buying a ton of shit. Like, it someone comes up and wants to buy like all 6 seasons of a TV show, and we price the seasons at $15, instead of the $90 total, if they want us to come down 5 bucks for them buying them all we usually would. But trying to get us to come down on one or two things was a no no.

[@DergEnterprises]

I agree with Ian. Personally, I usually ask if they give military discounts (U.S. Army). If they say no, and leave it at that, I'm fine; however, if they say no and come up with some excuse, I'm a one-time customer.

[@moishtar]

my local store is a great store.. but.. i have found a few games to be priced a little too high.. i brought this up to the owner who was right there and he checked and saw that yes someone had priced the game too high..

[@Windsail7]

Gotta say I totally agree with Ian on this from a retailer perspective. There is so much competition with EBay and amazon. Brick and mortar will always give the customer a convenience experience the Internet cannot. I'm in the health foods franchise and any small business that can survive alongside major chains competing have my respect.

[@Lemonteaxi]

I think Ian has a good point. There was a small store in my local marketplace that sold retro games. I went in and saw that all the games were in tubs and said "Will price at counter" and I had a bad feeling since I was going to get some old sega sports games. I went up with around 10 and he was trying to charge me $30 EACH. I just walked out and told me never to come back. Moral of the story, if you don't like the prices-- just leave.

[@Grchman]

When I lived in Henderson, NV, there was a place around the block called Retro City Games. The couple that run the store are Delightful people. I used to spend at least an hour perusing about every time and they were SO awesome. I never would haggle them because their prices were Great.. I miss that place

[@mrkyle316]

I love topics like this that Ian and Pat have an insider perspective for

[@widdowson91]

There's a guy I buy stuff from who I always used to haggle down. Why? He's a little steep with his prices. I don't feel bad for it. Now, whenever I visit, and I show interest in a game, he'll say "It's priced at X, but you can have it for Y." He gives me a discounted price instantly. It keeps me happy, and it puts money in his pocket. He's still making money on everything I buy.

[@gamerguy425]

I agree with Pat on this one. for the most part if a price is unfair to me in a gaming store I just put it back, but I've certainly had deals with store owners on occasions. One store owner I've met likes to rearrange prices and put deals together and work with you if you buy a lot of stuff or trade in certain amount of items. really it depends on the nature of the seller and how they run their store.

[@King_K_Rool_]

The other day i was in a charity shop and overhead some lady trying to haggle on an item, bare in mind they are trying to raise money for disabled kids, even after the person working there said no and reminded her of this she still wanted it cheaper and stormed out when she didn't get her way. Absolute scum of the earth..

[@BlackmageAlexi]

I agree with Ian, I think the discount system he's running is the best kind. My local Mom and Pops shop do the same kind of thing and I've gotten so much stuff for free from there to the point that I at times feel bad.

[@TaskMaster5]

I don't see the problem in asking for a deal here. Maybe my experiences are because I'm a regular to several shops, but they always let wiggle the prices of product I buy. I used to play heavily into the tabletop market, playing Magic, Pokémon, Heroclix, and a few other games and I'd buy a LOT of used product. In fact, it was strictly how I bought my items because buying used, in the long run, was always cheaper than buying blind purchases to get what I wanted. The game stores though almost always worked with me. If I was buying a lot of bulk commons and uncommons, they'd always mark off a few of them for every 10 I bought, which helped in the long run. If I bought some rares that might be costly, they'd dock a few bucks here or there. If I was buying Heroclix, they'd give me one common for free for every few I bought, and also with the rares they'd likely take off some if I bought multiples or commons and the like with it. When it came to big money singles, they would wiggle with me until we were both happy. Why? Because the market is niche. And product NEEDS to move, or they'll be stuck sitting on it forever. They know that JUST like video games, things fall in and out of favor with people. Things don't remain 'hot' forever. So when it comes to those expensive figures or cards? If it's been sitting there, they are smart enough to drop the price and MOVE it. They aren't taking a loss on the item because they didn't PAY that much for it to begin with, or they pulled it from a pack on their own. Either way, they are making money, even if it's not AS MUCH as they'd prefer. But they move it, they are happy, and their customer is happy they got a deal and the customer comes back...that's why I've been going to these stores for 10+ years. They aren't assholes, they UNDERSTAND their market/clients and are willing to do what it takes to sell shit, and make some money. The same goes for retro games. It's a niche. It's something people get in and out of ALL the time. Having rare games in your store is cool and all. May make you feel like a real smooth operator to have gotten them off of someone getting out of the hobby (Face it, most stores WILL undercut. The object is to get product as cheap as possible without offending the person so they go elsewhere, and to sell it as high as you can). The issue becomes if those expensive games just take up shelf space. It's nice to have a few 'ooooh, shiny!' items to get people's interest, but if you're not willing to MOVE them, that becomes the issue. You can say or think your prices are fair, but if someone tries to haggle, it's not always they want to take YOU for a ride, but that they want the item, but might be shy on cash to get it or they have a budget. If their offer isn't OFFENSIVE, I don't see any reason to not talk it out a little. If I ran a retro gaming store, I'd not be shy at all to discuss prices with my customers. I always have wiggle room when I deal with people, be it trading with someone or selling items from my own collection. I often undersell a LOT, because in the end, I'm not losing money on it, really. I bought what I have for less than what it's worth, but I sell it for more than I paid, but reasonably below the 'current value' of the item. Comparing our hobby to groceries or best buy is a bit of a fallacy here. The markets are entirely different. Virtually everyone in the US will be looking to buy televisions, and a LOT of places sell televisions, so Best Buy has to be competitive anyway, but they DO haggle. They also will do whatever they can NOT to haggle because they have a much smaller margin of profit to play with, as retail is a whole different ball game. But they have a HUGE market, and not many people think to haggle at box stores anyway because haggling is a lost art form. Your retro game store, though it might be doing well, you've also got to remember is a VASTLY smaller market. Sometimes, taking a 'hit' to move a product and get a customers good will isn't always a bad thing. It shouldn't be seen as 'taboo'.

[@Gunzakudan]

I oddly enjoy when these type of discussions occur between you two. I'm with Pat though.

[@devilmikey00]

Actually places like best buy etc. do haggle in a sense. Price matching. Honestly I don't shop at places that don't do it anymore. If they can't match the prices of other retailers why would I shop there and pay more?

[@Categoryonegames]

Posted this video in the Facebook private group for "I Own A Comic or Game Store" for discussion. It's full of game store owners, excited to see their reactions. I think most store owners would go with Ian where they are happy to bundle on older items that don't do as well or with even newer items where you throw in some dice with a book, but on hot items, there is never a reason to discount. Pat's view is very much a buyers view where they want as much as they can. As an online seller, I'll take a bit off here and there but I'd rather let and item sit for a few months and get the price I want than kill any margin on an item by giving it away.

[@xaviertoybox]

mostly everyone is using eBay prices as price guide to sell stuff! pawn shops and specialty stores like comic book, collectible shop and second hand games shop

[@saigancat]

I worked managed two different game stores over the course of five years. With used past-gen product I didn't mind haggling within a reasonable ~20% amount. Over new product though? Get out.

[@TheGodsrighthandman]

Man's a fool! I run a retro shop - not games but more Objet D'Art - and I'm more than open to haggling, it's common sense . . . .

[@acusterx]

I completely agree with Ian. There are places where haggling is a standard- garage sale, online ad sites, etc. and then there are storefronts that price their stuff. If I see something way out of bounds, I'll ask for a conparable price match and that's it. I don't push it too far like some do because if I find a good shop, I'd like to return and buy more. So it helps me, the consumer to be on good terms with the seller and like Ian said, most will help regulars or bulk buyers out here and there. ✌

[@Mojo__]

If it's used, I'm going to try to haggle.

[@Mojo__]

Darth Hater, Shit Lord of the Cis How? If a product doesn't look right or is missing a part or two, you don't think you're owed a lower price than the one they set for a full complete product? That logic is extremely flawed.

[@Papasplayhouse451]

People DO haggle at antique stores. Its how it works.... There's nothing wrong with trying to get the best deal you can. Love you guys!

[@JL0ndon]

I live across the street from a big retro gaming store here in NYC and i wouldn’t ever haggle with them because they have everything priced out and they are super fair. I will say that if I’m getting a lot of games at once they always give me a free game or a will throw me a big discount on something. What drives me crazy is that some people hear the price of something new like the switch (which is $350 there) and the employee explains to the shopper that Nintendo forces them to sell it for slightly more because Nintendo won’t sell to them directly and they have to go through wholesale sellers but they include extras including free repairs etc. This is partly why mom and pop game shops are dying. But the buyer will sit there and ask over and over again for a discount and Lords it over their head that they are more expensive. And they try to get discounts for all the modern systems. It’s like dude these have a set price and unlike retro games are widely available so the market for them is steady at the asking price. Ugh! I used to work retail and people would always ask for my employee discount. I couldn’t believe that people actually have the nerve to ask something so personal.

[@tumadre5000]

If you're in the business that entitles customers, you need to learn how to deal with it. Throwing a fit and getting a little upset about it makes me think those should not be in that profession. Leaving it up to the owner or gm of a store would be the way to handle this. An employee saying no to the customer all the time is bad for business. Happy customers = Returning lifetime customers.

[@Xx1SailorScoutxX]

This is the most informative podcast section yet.

[@Ecwfan]

I think that people will do some reasonable haggling at some places. The worst experience I had was with someone like Ian who complained over how giving me $2 dollars off a deal we were doing was costing his family a meal. Proclaiming "Do you go to Wal-Mart and do that ?!" Long story short , I only went there once and he soon went outta business months later. Pat has the right mind set about it.

[@80085word69]

I only 'haggle' at shops I'm friendly with the owner/employees.

[@kristoffermaclean1925]

Haggling is something I do but I play it fair. I agree with Ian when it comes to higher end retro games but as a collector I often buy multiple games for multiple systems and a little discussion back and forth over sticker prices is half the fun. A seller who knows how to haggle with someone who is clearly not taking the piss is what keeps me going back to places, it's also a great way to open up communication. Just before Christmas whilst in my local retro retailer browsing for a few games the owner popped out and gave me a copy of Gotcha Force on GC gratis due to loyalty and the fact he knew I was looking for a copy, our relationship as customer and seller has definitely been strengthened by my ability to haggle well. Gotcha Force has a reasonable price to it btw.

[@1up17]

There's is 2 retro game retail store in my local mall. One store over prices games by a 50% mark up. I always love walking just to browse and laugh. On the other hand the store on the lower level will always work with me on pricing or hook me up with a discount. Great store, great guys.

[@emojo1990]

when i visit my local, if i sell a load of games, i try to either round the price up or mark something down a lil bit

[@scottster8858]

Asking politely if prices are firm is good way to open the dialogue.

[@ALittleBitEpicJeffrey]

I have a local pawn shop that I used to like to go into. I would buy stacks of games from this man. A few weeks ago, I popped in and he immediately pulled up amazon and ebay prices. I was baffled. He had offered to sell me a GameCube, for $30. It didn't read discs, being the guy I am, I asked if he would sell me just the Gameboy Player that was attached, since that is what I wanted. I have a disc for a GB player, he didn't even know it needed one. He pulled up Amazon and started telling me it was $80. I felt like it was crappy of him because I had never tried rip him off, ever, and I've bought countless things in there. I was trying to do right by him by telling him that the GameCube had the attachment in the first place.

[@jook13]

i don't have a retro game store in my town, so when i drive the two hours to Phoenix and go to game stores there, i always buy in larger quantities. and i also always asks if there can be a discount for buying in bulk. more often than not they cut me a bit of a break. i think it helps that i buy a lot of cheaper, less known games. ones that are in less demand.

[@bobbyjustice3404]

I work at a pawn shop and I totally understand where Ian is coming from. I sell things cheaper than retail so that we move merchandise and most things are priced very well and just about everyone asks for a discount and I feel like a discount should be earned through being a good customer. It's very frustrating when you say no to people and they get bent out of shape and flip out on you because you won't cut a complete stranger a deal. Customers are the most difficult part of working retail.

[@DerekDomino71]

I have to agree with Ian on this one. If I go into a brick and mortar store, I will not haggle at all, it just doesn't seem right. If I don't like the prices, I will thank the person for their time and leave. I may come back another time and check to see what they have. Most of these places have employees to pay, rent and other expenses, so they need to make so much a month just to stay afloat. I feel guilty if I even thing of haggling. I may also be biased, as I have worked in mom and pop stores (not gaming) before, so I see what goes on. Now, if it's a garage sale or flea market, and things are not priced, then haggle on.

[@KidpandaAG]

When I worked at Microplay years ago, which was a franchise store at the time, if a customer would come in regularly then we would adjust sell prices and trade in values. But a guy walking in, never seen the customer and expected a discount, then no. I do actually agree with both of you guys.

[@MrBenjaminBennett]

Ian I 100% agree with you.

[@gcosate2]

Here in Brazil, if any product has no price tag, you can buy legally at the lowest price nearby. We have a consumer law code.

[@dustman_b6245]

Only place I haggle is the flea market and garage sales. I don't feel right haggling at mom and pop shops. Pawn shops sometimes.

[@Dragondude2525]

I've only haggled in a few key instances. One local store has nearly no labeled prices, so I make offers since his prices otherwise are too high. Another store prices everything super high and pays very little for trades, and I've seen them screw over many people, so I haggle. And the last instance is at a store where I spend a lot of money, and once I was 5$ short on my purchase that was 70$ so I asked.

[@Dragondude2525]

The original MRjguill oh I know, like once i saw a guy trade in 20 boxed and nearly mint SNES RPGs including the heavy hitters like Chronotrigger and Secret of Mana, and all he got was 350$ in trade credit.

[@epicragegaming2016]

+The original MRjguill dont say this out loud. prices will go up lol.

[@Dragondude2525]

The original MRjguill that guy i was talking about was in his 20's and was trying to get a PS4, and he couldn't even get that with the credit he got! but if he sold those games for even half retail price he could have gotten a PS4 and like 3/4 of the PS4 launch titles with those games!

[@gamingtutor4575]

+Dragondude2525 Shame you didn't save the guy from being ripped off like that. I would have taken a hit and a lifetime ban. If it meant stopping someone getting totally screwed over I would certainly do it.

[@Dragondude2525]

+GamingTutor I tried. I even offer him more money on some of the games. I offered him 60$ on his boxed chrono trigger since they were giving him like 20$ credit for it.

[@ParallelUniversity]

If they don't want people to haggle, they should have signs up stating something to the effect of: "All items are fairly priced, no further discounts will be given"

[@Metal-Possum]

My local store used to price everything, somewhat didn't keep it up to date, and now he also just checks his phone for ebay prices, and charges a bit less than that. I don't haggle with him, but if I turn something down or hesitate he'll be quick to adjust the price for me so that it sells. I don't mind paying "full price" for something, he's a nice guy, and I want to see his business blossom so that these items can be kept in circulation, and so that I can always find something that I just can't find on the local auction site here. I work in retail, we have prices on everything, but it's a bike shop, and everybody keeps expecting "the best deal", probably because of the size of the transactions we're doing. Much like appliance store employees have some flexibility with their prices too, as long as they make a good number of sales each week.

[@VNYLDEN]

The same can be said about vinyl. I don't know how many times I've come across people who think they can haggle a price for a rare David Bowie album from my buddy who owns his own store that he has a set price on, and end up unsuccessful making them look stupid in the process. Then again, I've run into record shops who feel it's necessary to over price a used Joe Jackson album that's worth at the most $6 when the seller wants triple the amount. I could see that price if the album was still sealed and unplayed.

[@cwoanthony]

Agree with Ian. Other factors include time being money. If for no other reason, during an authorized haggling, when lines are forming, customers will walk out and the damage is intangible at that point. Customers will stop coming in who only have 30 minutes on their lunch break from college or work to complete a sale if they know the only guy on duty is in "negotiations" over the price of a set item with a customer exchanging dialogue over 5 minutes... I went to a comic book store I like to try to rummage through the games behind the counter; they wouldn't let me and I respect the fact they can't do that as policy, regardless of whether I would leave the games better than I found them because the seller doesn't have the time, space or distance to analyze each customer and make a judgement call. Building up a relationship over time is different than haggling.

[@erikkenrick5791]

this is a great post and why I watch these lol. Just seeing the different perspectives was hilarious because after hearing Ian's initial take on the question I could see Pat's position from a mile away. I was like this is the Punk! You know he's gonna take umbrage at this, he wouldn't be who he is without the art of the haggle! Great episode!

[@erikkenrick5791]

And I'm glad that Pat spoke up because I'm all for negotiating aftermarket goods and especially on retro games. If we can't haggle on these items then how else are we going to rectify the exorbitant rates that the games have reached. The prices are going to come have to come down and the ones who are going to have to take this hit first are game store owners and mass ebay sellers. the problem is that these parties have gotten too complacent with the pricing of retro games to the point that they've reached an entitlement mentality. And since that is the case then you are damn skippy I'm gonna haggle with you on this stuff. The problem with Ian's perspective is that he maintains that theses prices will be static for many years to come.

[@sd010011]

dont pretend that stores that sell 2nd hand goods dont haggle. its pretty common. i never press the haggle, but its not crazy to try with 2nd hand items. ian is much to idealistic about this... and then Ian admits he is ok with haggling in the end. semantics. i think if you are ok with negotiating the end price, that is a haggle.

[@mgoops]

lmaoo pat playing devils advocate

[@Rando1975]

I've got to completely agree with Ian on this one. If I think something is overpriced I just don't buy it and walk away.

[@retrogamingmaniac]

I think I'm going to have to agree more with Pat on this one. I don't see a problem with asking for a better price if the game is priced unfairly. I just bought a game from a retro game store and asked for a better price. The store had the game listed for $40 when ebay and amazon had the game listed at $20. I asked about the game and let him know that the game was listed at $20 online. He looked it up and gave me a big discount on the game. He said he didn't know the price had dropped on that particular game.

[@The90sGamingGuy]

I have haggled at a brick and motar store a few times and was un- successful both times. The flea market i have gone to had reasonably priced games. I now haggle every now and then on online market places for games. I don't see a problem with it in todays retro gaming market. Sickening how sellers are inflating prices and taking the customer for a ride and thinking people are suckers enough to pay high prices for common games, and the worse part is people pay these ridiculous sums of money for games.

[@Malacefire]

I agree with Ian especialy if the prices are already fairly marked, also say some places its good to call em out on there over priced shit just because they seen it on ebay. good show guys keep em coming

[@MegaGamer84]

haggling is a part of business here no matter where you go

[@Grimmjow24]

Conversation I had at a flea market for TLOZ NES. Owner-That'll be $10 Me- Can you do it for $5, 10 is too much. Owner-OK Me- Deal. Can you break this $10? Might explain why some people don't like hagglers.

[@tylerwhitman5356]

Pat I love your videos and your topics keep doing what your doing!!!

[@chanceishikawa1699]

Well i'm sorry when I see a store selling Conkers for 125 i'm gonna have something to say about it, that's ridiculous.

[@chanceishikawa1699]

WebVMan some resellers are just ridiculous. I get you have to make a profit but be a little reasonable about it.

[@HiltonHeartless]

I agree with Pat on this one. If you're selling used products you're generally haggling to acquire that product, so the same should be expected on the resell. Where as in a new product, as Pat said, has a price determined by its manufacturing cost and what not . That also means if a store that generally sells used also sells new products those should be bought at the sale price.

[@MultiGod777]

Damn all the inependent video game stores have closed in my country,all we have left is multinational chain stores :( I would be a happy customer at Luna games

[@tonymahboi]

This is a situation where its easy to paint one person a villein and the other a victim, its interchangeable depending on the point of view you personally decide to sympathies with, however that doesn't necessarily mean one person is trying to dupe the other, what we want is a happy medium that gives the customer a reasonable deal and keep the store open, because you aren't going to get a bargain at a retail store location, you just wont, you have to go out in the world and do the leg work for that or research online. Retail stores offer a service of putting all the stuff in one place in exchange for money, you are paying for the product, their time and help keep the store open. If you don't want to do all the work or effort yourself, don't complain you aren't getting a bargain, you do not deserve one. I liked this video, id like to see more where Pat and Ian have different but valid perspectives, i could of watched another 30 mins of this discussion.

[@the7kSRK]

I work in a used game store, and it is pretty much as Ian said. Just had this jackhole customer trying to haggle "a more fair price" on Mega Man 7 for the SNES, when when we were selling for $20 less than eBay prices. Dude wanted to take $70 off the price. The dude has always been a thorn in my side so I just told him "Dude, if we can't sell it for this price in the store, we're just gonna put it up on eBay and sell it there." Sure enough, next day, the game had already been bought by another customer. Now I have haggled before, but it's always been on stuff like PSP games or something that's taking up space in a store and they know isn't going to move quickly. No one else haggles on that stuff though, it's always "Can ya cut me a deal on Mario Party" or some shit like that.

[@FreePlayMode]

I agree with Ian on this. If you walk into a mom and pops store that is independently owned/operated and you see price tags on all the stuff there, you immediately know that this person has a system in place, has their stuff together, has done the research and is pricing 9 times out of 10, a fair amount that will net them a decent profit on what is being sold. IF you walk into one of these store fronts that looks like a bomb hit it, and things are all over the place with no clearly marked prices, that's pretty much an invitation to haggle. This person is essentially trying to have a physical location for their ebay sales.

[@SANDIEGOROOTS619TM]

@5:51 LOL!