How I Sold $3 Million of Video Games from my Basement

[@cylotron]

I made the mistake of opening a game store and focusing primarily on picking up brand new games from distributors. Profit margins were nearly non-existent. There was no way to compete with big chains since they were able to buy in bulk and get better discounts. These days I have a standard "9 - 5" type job (and hate it). I do some game sales/trades on the side, but hate how much people low ball you. I am currently building up a collection in preparation of opening an actual store again some time in the near future. This time though, I am going to focus primarily on cartridge based games. That and I was a PC repair technician for many years and have done extensive repairs on game consoles as well, so will be offering repair services as well once I am up & running again.

[@rageiousx235]

I wish you good luck brother!!

[@wolfealex4268]

I bet this guy makes more money on his youtube channel than reselling video games. That's the hidden secret

[@zip-un5tz]

Lmao true

[@BumpkinBros]

You actually don't make a ton on ads, but since he has diversified his business he can make the numbers he gets plus he got pretty lucky taking advantage of covid

[@Sulfen]

They probably complement themselves. The KZbin channel brings in customers and the store brings the KZbin channel content.

[@jct903]

I did the same thing you're doing from 2008 until 2020, but I did it while working in Tokyo. I continued to hold a full time job, and grossed about $100k a year. I was the import source for several game shops across the US and Europe. I then pivoted from console games to arcade games and accessories. I have to admit, the first few years were very fun. I eventually quit because the taxman, eBay, packaging, shipping, and Paypal all take SO MUCH. It made it not worth all of the hard work. You couldn't get me back into this for anything. Good luck with your biz.

[@jct903]

@@speardrops - Ok - What specifically?

[@speardrops]

@@jct903 was the time not worth the money? How was the shipping process?

[@jct903]

@@speardrops - I had almost no time off. I was doing a full-time job 8-5, and then coming home to do games from 6 to 10. Everyday. So no - eventually the time was no longer worth the money. As for shipping, I just used the Japanese post office. Shipping was far cheaper back before corona virus hit. They shut down almost all international shipping for about a year, and I lost interest and motivation. The IRS hitting me with an $180k tax bill didn't help. Luckily I managed to get out of that with the help of a good lawyer.

[@SweetsXify]

I’ve been thinking of doing something like this but with sports cards and tcg’s but I’m not sure if it’s worth it…

[@onyx9664]

Why don’t you try dropshipping and transition into a private label brand once you’ve got a winning product? Seems like you’ve got the marketing and networking skills to make an ecom store a big success

[@laurigardner6227]

One of my key takeaways is you are supporting your partners for long term growth and gain, instead of burning these connections for a quick short term gain. This means you are looking at sustainability instead of growth through growth. Something larger companies fall short in. You’re doing great. Keep up with it.

[@KILOSFC]

I have a full time pretty well paying job and i build and sell computers on the side, i make about 5-600 profit every month, these last few weeks ive gotten super lazy and lost all motivation, I have a ton of parts laying around and this video has given me the spark that i needed to get back to my side job. this video and the Video game store from last week has revived me! lol

[@R4D4_]

Good for you, Caleb! Your journey is very inspiring, thank you for sharing!

[@ChristopherDavid-uu3qg]

Great video! I appreciate the transparency and honesty. Congrats to you and the team!

[@marksowell5066]

Also I think Spanky needs to be in more videos doing game challenges like before now that he has knowledge on games and values would be cool to see how he does now.

[@DliciousDave]

The fact that he’s giving everyone an inside look on how he does things is amazing. Really cool.

[@KalaniR-o5w]

Guy does not link to his Amazon account where you can see how much of a ripoff his prices are.

[@benhogan2812]

@@KalaniR-o5w If you think it is a ripoff then do not buy. How is it a ripoff if you can not even see his prices? What is the point of your comment?

[@CatManDoom84]

@@KalaniR-o5wAnd yet ppl be buying. Its not about the price, its what ppl are willing to pay to get it now.Sure they may not know they can find em cheaper, but thats how business goes.Thats on the buyer, not the seller. Its called capitalism.

[@davewills148]

Competion keeps you on your feet, and im sure many of these people help and support each other, you don't need to be at each others throats. Inspiring

[@Jeffjeanw]

Thank you for such a deep dive on your growing journey. This is easily your best video and I appreciate the honesty you are sharing with us

[@Mikexmerchant]

This video changed everything for me Caleb. I just want to thank you for sharing your business journey so transparently. Gamechanger!!

[@spoonsVSforks]

Amazing work Caleb you are the epitome of perseverance and leveling up when you get kicked down and I’m happy I been here since almost the beginning it’s truly inspiring!

[@dustinsanders6225]

Caleb you are a great KZbinr but one hell of a reseller! Most of us that watch to learn how to improve our own businesses and this video is a great example of that! Great work!

[@2dudesgaming775]

Great video. Its wild to see how far you (all) have come since that first Game Jam South in Alabama! We also appreciate all the deals, and trading over the years too! Thats how we all grow!

[@balettpatkany]

I just watched a 42 minute video about reselling - something I will probably never do - and I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you for all the retro gaming content, Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@PhoenixResale]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@videogamegalaxyfl]

​@PhoenixResale this is legally the best video you.have ever done. Great seeing your growth

[@Truekingr6]

Could probably jangle keys in front of you and have the same effect

[@richardr7947]

​@@PhoenixResale Hey are in Indianapolis? >> here at 10:42 game store you are at is a flea market. Thats Chris and Amy booth at the south side flea market in Indianapolis been in there a lot.

[@JohnRiggs]

Great work, buddy! Shows that literally anyone if they put in the hustle to do so instead of just complaining about everyone else doing so.

[@PhoenixResale]

Thanks John!

[@RubMySweatyThighs]

Ehhhh this whole culture ruined the scene

[@osval_com]

Great video, I don’t use to leave comments on KZbin but posting this very detailed video on how your business grew, showing the numbers and giving tips and learning lessons to anyone wanting to know more made me wanted to congratulate you.

[@moonplaysdayz]

love the pace of storytelling here! No 100 cuts per milliseconds crap! Good stuff!

[@fea5rrlessfea5rrless42]

Thank you for your honesty regarding getting fired twice at that job. It is very uncommon for people to be honest about things. I'm with you

[@Scruffytuba]

People like you have made a hobby and passion ive had my entire life, just not fun anymore. Everytime I go garage saling now, there are no games. And often times ill hear something like "oh yea someone came and bought it all this morning" or "someone was waiting until we opened to buy all the game stuff" So, thanks.

[@BLABLABLA-kl8eq]

so true

[@croniclz]

him reselling games ruined your hobby of reselling games? That's a crazy statement.

[@Scruffytuba]

@@croniclz there couldnt be a more massive difference between resellers and collectors/preservation

[@TheKazzerscout]

@@croniclz They don't mean their hobby was reselling, they mean collecting for enjoyment of the games themselves.

[@TheKazzerscout]

@Denied420 Poor take really. Sacrificing enjoyment of the medium for a quick buck across the whole games industry is what has resulted in terrible games being released and people being priced out of the hobby all over the world. Capitalist growth only mindset at it's finest at the expense of everything else. You've completely lost sight of what it means to enjoy the medium if you ever even understood it in the first place.

[@titansrule72]

truly inspirational stuff. never gave up. worked his ass off.. and not only made it but may have the ability in the short term (guessing before age 30) to be able to do what he wants for a living the rest of his life. BRAVO Caleb.

[@2854neil]

Dude you were never a failure! Failures give up and do nothing! That’s not you, love your content and I’m happy you’re thriving 😊

[@rainnaxil]

I know what you said about work and when they fire you. I'm happy you were able to feel good financially! and the fact that it still excites you means that you are a sensitive and true person! Greetings from Italy

[@MortsGarage]

This was an absolutely fantastic video - loved hearing the emotional journey, the adapt and pivot wisdom, and the experimentation with all of it. I appreciate you and your willingness to not keep these ideas and input to yourself.

[@shredman59]

Enjoyable video. You are fun to watch and a natural on video. I've watched a bunch of your videos along the way....they are fun and relaxing. Your lessons learned are pure gold. You should write a book.

[@angietrif]

Your journey is inspiring! I’m not even a reseller, I’ve only dabbled in it in the past, but find this encouraging and interesting! It just shows that you could start really small and still find success!! God was definitely very present in your business and life!

[@RummageAround]

This is such a great watch! Much love from across the pond! ❤

[@chutcentral]

TLDW: He got lucky that a once in a lifetime coronavirus pandemic broke out shortly after he started selling, allowing him to scalp Nintendo Switches and surprisingly opened up some new buy/sell avenues to him.

[@agent_NJ]

Seems to be the case for every single KZbinr I’ve seen

[@Holmescooking]

I remember being friends with you on IG when you first started, crazy how the dudes you tried talking into doing content with it refused and are just hustling raffles still

[@backlogordie]

This is awesome vid! Thanks for the ride. We have some great used game stores here in Osaka, Japan, stocked floor to ceiling. Never thought about online resale, though. Might now.

[@jimishuffler]

as a side hustle for myself, reselling can be quite fun. When I was unemployed for 10 months and working only a part time I had to resort to full time reselling but I was doing games and electronics, sourcing is very important! Luckily I'm back to working a regular full time job but it was amazing seeing your journey Phoenix Resale and I hope I can do it full time as well!

[@ryanmuy6831]

You're amazing at storytelling! Keep it up!

[@TDBoi]

The advantage of having a massive audience when it comes to building this app, I think it would be a perfect opportunity to have a $2.99-$4.99/mo subscription for people who actively try to recreate your business. This video was really well put together and enjoyable to stick through, which comes from your personality. Keep it coming!

[@miatakid2]

Awesome. And let me say his tips have help my son bulid a huge collection of game even retro games. Even though we live in the same state we were able to still get the deals . The dollar general sale he cleaned up . Thank for sharing .

[@jordanhilton1815]

Usually I like to hate on you but man this was awesome seeing your honesty was awesome seeing you pick yourself back up was awesome good for you man God has always had your back

[@juggalotusbdjohn]

Man the progress 52,000 to 400,000 glad I have been here on this journey with you crazy too see. THE GRIND. Blessings to you and your family remember this post when you hit 2 million. Keep up the good work I'll see you on the next flip.

[@chubbs2067]

This was the type of video I have been looking forward to for some time. Found your channel in 2020 and it was the reason I started flipping as a side hobby. The video was very informative, honest, and also nostalgic about the journey. Good stuff all around!

[@SquidersGaming]

respect the hustle, just proves if you really want something and work hard enough, it will happen.

[@ashevillecomics637]

I too previously owned a vintage video game reselling business. We were one of the first to do it on a large scale, along with discountgames, dkoldies and lukiegames. Unfortunately over time the margins shrunk to next to nothing because so many people were trying to do the same. I'm glad you've been able to do it successfully, good luck going forward.

[@guzmator420]

Usually I don't comment on videos, but this has been one of your greatest videos so far. Your story is truly inspiring! The app is an amazing idea, I can't wait to try it out!

[@glenneclipsegsx]

Ive only really seen you in other KZbinrs videos and people in the gaming community like to hate on you. But seriously dude your story is incredible and what you are building is extremely impressive. Thank you for sharing. Got a few tidbits of motivation to start the week.

[@nomostudios67]

Crazy how I seen this guy grow so much you have been a part of my journey of growing as well❤

[@brianvogel9750]

Riff’s cut in roasts make me laugh out loud everytime. Love ur guys relationship. 😂 pure comedy.

[@cameron3550]

LOVE THESE types of VIDEOS! Thanks making this, sharing your WISDOM & GUIDANCE, and PLEASE POST MORE video's LIKE THIS Caleb 😊

[@mike_the_mouse_offical]

It's so cool to see the channel and the resale business go hand in hand together. Can't wait to use the app!

[@FrancisSiuChock]

There is no better LIFE lesson than failure. Are you able to rise to the occasion or are you going to let the failure kick you in the ass! So happy for your success and really appreciate you telling your story. And I can tell that you are genuine in what you are sharing!

[@consumetheliving]

Huge props on your determination and growth. I've been going back and watching your graded game unboxing's and was wondering what your thoughts are on graded games going into 2024. Take care and happy new years!!!

[@jamezclements2670]

Motivational video. It’s crazy how your life can change and you look back and see how far you have come

[@mattiasakerlund1553]

Extremely interesting video. It should be very inspirational to people nourishing a reseller dream. I just recently found your channel and so far it’s top notch. Loving it. Loving your business model! Best of luck in 2024.

[@XxHessxX7]

Unless you’re stealing or being rude to customers, firing a friend for making a couple mistakes is awful.

[@tenn24th]

That’s why you don’t work for friends. Business is business.

[@MrAlpaca19]

I mean its also a friend thing to do to quit if you are continously missing out on targets and objectives. You cant just blame it on one side

[@ResaleRyan91]

When I saw this I thought he fired Spanky. I was about to unsub haha

[@chinoavila9495]

Well he actually got hire again but just took a lesser role then he missed up again so it was blessings in disguise

[@guillaumeinjjuz1744]

@@beachlife7 who is chumlee?

[@LaurieAnnCurry]

Loved this vid. Your honesty is refreshing and a huge shout out to your wife. One smart lady.

[@walkervending]

This came at a great time. Been riding the struggle bus lately. Thanks for sharing man.

[@juicebox9871]

It's been great watching your journey and really blowing up the category congrats!

[@cluster-bom]

If your project (spoiler free) turns out as you expect, that can change the game for many people resellers and consumers alike. I'm very curious on starting a business but am nervous at this moment. Everything you've said has made a lot of sense.

[@ryanrdlps]

I have a very good feeling this will pop and trend outside of the gaming realm. Your monologues seemed genuine and heart-felt. Incedible watch! Well deserved! Excited to see it in the big circles! Solid editing here as well! Tells a story 🙂

[@haynhayne5631]

You video just proved again, when we "fail" it isn't a bad thing, failure only brings us closer to what we are truly great at.

[@ProfessorOakTrees]

Well done man, well done. I appreciate the smooth nature of the storytelling + the cleanliness of the outline (that whiteboard)

[@SolidNate99]

I think a person can literally flip anything. I've personally completely shocked myself on the deals I've done.

[@SuperNathan777]

I can attest to this, and to the people who think all of this isn’t worth it. Well guess what, a lot of people are just lazy and don’t want to put in the work.

[@TheLegendOfJoel]

This is such a beautiful story. And the Phoenix Resale name, and motive behind it, is very Final Fantasy to me. It's been a joy being a part of this channel for the past few years and a treat to watch you do what you do. Your drive, compassion, and commitment are an inspiration to me and so many others.

[@resetskateteam]

That twin size Goosebumps blanket came from a kids bed set in the 90’s it popped up in your video at 1:06 to 1:08 from the Cincinnati Picker video. Used to have the set as a kid. Moved out when I was 18 lived with my sister and my aunt, my aunt let me use her shop in the back yard as storage. My sister accidentally sold it at a yard sale because she thought it was supposed to go. Here I am 13 years later at 31. Been thrifting 13 years hunting that organically or for a deal. Blanket meant the world to me as my grandma gave it to me and was my favorite as a kid. Hope I can find it one day ç without a premium payout. I flip some things but mainly for extra cash. Lots of thrift stores, flea markets, vendor spots in antique stores/booth stores, yard sales, estate sales, and cons in Alabama. Need to travel more out of state though. Been watching you since the start, glad to see how far you’ve came. That blanket in the video that most would over look sent me into a spiral commenting lol

[@jamewood3195]

I discovered you after you interviewed PokeNe, And I absolutely loved this video! Was looking into doing something like this as into retro games etc and I am a collector in Pokemon! So this was very encouraging. Definetly gained yourself a new subsciber cheers :)

[@dexrexauraus]

Haven’t watched a video in a while. But this one was really interesting. I have no intention of reselling but it’s nice to hear someone talk about their story and not make it into a “buy my class” thing.

[@pathtobillions8070]

Great video! Always fascinating to see how people got to where they are now.

[@djmoonchild01]

Iv been buying and selling collectibles since I was a little kid and on ebay since early 2000's and still found this compelling and very informative and entertaining 👍

[@supyo1]

Good for you man! This is great! Congrats on the success!!

[@k0dyw1thaK]

The Trade Gravy Train Pioneer took off from the station with a few bumps in the rails but has since made a journey worth following and duplicating. Thanks!

[@younkilee2794]

Wow that’s awesome! You are a true inspiration for those would like to start their a new business. My wife just started in the journey of entrepreneurship and even though it’s slow, she is definitely enjoying doing the work every single day! You coming out to the top in the end, gives us the motivation that she too can make that happen! Thanks for sharing and allowing us to walk in your journey of your entrepreneurship!

[@TwistedIdentity]

Thank you for this, VERY insightful. I resell casually, more or less I just keep an eye open if I happen to be out but these are def great tips

[@shawnd567]

Damn dude. Extremely impressive reselling operation. Ive dabbled with catching slick deals and reselling some of the items with success but this is a whole bother level. Love to see it.

[@adamblackburn4200]

Another great video! Love the transparency and detail.

[@murderdoll9191]

I've always enjoyed your content! My wife just started her reselling of clothes and im looking into getting back into shopping around for games. I had to sell what I did own a couple of years ago because we were struggling, I didnt get much, atleast not what I wanted. I cant wait for the weather to break so I can get out there and buy and sell stuff!

[@Jonzilla707]

This was an awesome video. I love that you shared your story on how you became who are now as a business owner, and your expectations for your business. You have a passion and that is what’s most important. Never lose sight of who you are, and where you’re trying to be in the future. If times get rough, always remind yourself of how it all started for you. The grind never stops. Keep up the great work!

[@PhoenixResale]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rjgame4067]

I remember watching your videos late 2020. Where I also fired from job and watch that time give hope to push on. Thank you for time and videos.

[@NirvanasFarm9448]

Your so right about giving as much as you can for your inventory. I just dont haggle and i thought i was doing good.

[@franklinkrocker4902]

whenever my motivation start to dwindle, ill watch one of these videos. helps to keep me going. just started reselling at the beginning of december and I have 47 sales so far. thanks kaleb (caeleb, Kaelub, caleb however you spell it lol)

[@PhoenixResale]

Love to hear it!

[@jjbarea35]

I remember when you first made the channel. You’ve came a long way. Thanks for the motivational video 👍🏾

[@PhoenixResale]

I appreciate that!

[@Tristan_Shuler]

Dude. Just looked at the video description and see you’re based in Lexington, KY. My hometown is Winchester, KY just down the road from you! Definitely earned a sub from me and great job on the resale business! Go Wildcats! I’m currently at Fort Gregg-Adams, VA with orders to Fort Sill, OK. I’ll keep an eye on your pages for any Pokémon related stuff. I’m on the hunt for the older games and books.

[@Dretroz]

I'm at the beginning of my own journey bro this story is already inspiring me from the get go. I'm finally waking up & seeing that I gotta grind hard to make it. Good for you finding a way to make passion pay the bills GGs

[@MysterSer333]

I was watching you back during the lock-in and tried to start flipping.. Still sitting on thousands but it's inspiring to see the growth of your business and channel :)

[@charlesreed5506]

The Ultimate Hustler! Merry Christmas Caleb

[@ChristainMecha]

You’re hilarious but your humor flys under the radar for many i bet. Love the content man

[@major-minor]

been waiting for this one since the idea on Renix Pesale! Watched the whole thing, you have an amazing story. im so inspired by you, God bless! 😄

[@rizakanivor6482]

Mr.Resale! I just found your video and all I want to say is, YOU ARE MY HERO!!!!!

[@AcidxAnarchy]

Never seen your channel or videos before this, but thanks for the very informative and in-depth video. Gives me hope for the future tbh.

[@MarioLuigi-vb3rp]

Because of the huge ammount of reseller content available there is so many hands in the cookie jar. It’s so hard to find anything to sell. And if your buying collections they want so much and the margins are in the trash.

[@TrueNorthoverthere]

David J Teece is an economist and he talks about Dynamic capabilities which is primarily Sensing , Seizing, and Transforming for business strategy. Super dense stuff but it’s actually what I see you doing here! Congrats Caleb on just doing it and I like the new video format!

[@pfcaleb]

Thank you for being honest about being fired. People don't take responsibility, but you did. You took ownership of not being able to hack that job, and that's okay. Proud of you.

[@dacronicspotgaming6104]

Great video, i remember the beginnings of your channel and who quick you have grown and the Game Cube gambit will always be a classic 🤜🏻 keep up the awesome content

[@DiaryofaFlipper]

This video is great man thanks for sharing! Merry Christmas king 🎅

[@NintendoFlips]

What an awesome video! Thank you for the insight, ideas, and growth of your business. What an amazing adventure. I started watching you in 2020, and eventually started building my own collection by doing what you do. I have built an amazing collection and funded so many things by watching your videos and listening to your philosophy 1

[@superdave3093]

Great video Caleb! Doing $1M on Amazon is no joke especially from your basement! I can tell once again that you’re REALLY enjoying what you created with this video! Merry Christmas to you and your family and business and I hope that your app, although not for me, explodes your business in the best way possible in 2024. 🎄😊💪💪💖

[@FoxdenGamer]

Absolutely had no idea about Walmart's secret clearance! You learn something new every day!

[@meanmachine5598]

All these others that talk trash about you is just ridiculous, you're just working your butt off and making something out persistence and ingenuity. One of the biggest to things you said is when some people see a road block others see an opportunity. Myself when others are scared or worried to try and get into the home market that's the perfect time to jump in and get deals and when things bounce back it all comes around.

[@JohnDoe-xj6mf]

Good on your for sharing the knowledge and motivation. Thanks man. I'll pay it forward

[@DonaldMurf]

I know that must have been pretty hard to talk about getting fired twice from that job. I'm really happy to see "sucking once != sucking at everything" came from that. I think we've all experienced something similar to that sting. It's really cool that you are able to share that and inspire people. I've always wanted to do something to make money outside of clocking in and out of work and build something that generates passive income. Appreciate you videos.

[@huberttherrien5419]

This is pretty impressive, I don’t understand all the hate you get. People doing business with you are obviously pleased with the transactions. Yes it may make the market prices go higher but it also makes my game collection even more exciting to hold on to. As metal jesus would say: if what you are looking at is too pricey, look the other way. What is cheap now might get valuable in a few years.

[@alexmarshaldavid9746]

Great and authentic video. Really enjoyed it. Made me wonder if I should try my luck at reselling in Germany. Best of luck to you!

[@PokemonHolo]

Merry Christmas! Must be nice to live the life that you do. Which you made happen. Congratz on that.

[@ajmiddaugh7677]

Keep up the good work I remember watching your videos in 2020 during the lockdown

[@TNCG]

I was surprised to see that you didn't have tags to your other smaller channels in your KZbin bio. Would make it easier to find them. That aside love the content. Going to have to go back and rewatch your other videos to learn how you started and how to grow. This is my dream second part-time job.