Where do you buy you older systems?

[JoeyBean]

I am looking to buy some and I am not sure if I should do eBay or if there is a better more trusted option out there.

[Britanica]

New or used? I would say your best bet is eBay just because you can see ratings of sellers on there. I got an xbox 360 slim a few years ago off craigslist and it worked great but I was very nervous forking over $100. lol

[DanielMack]

I’d say eBay is the way to go. There you can find just about anything. It’s amazing what you can find there. If you can’t find it on eBay it probably doesn’t exist.

[RetroDefense]

Myself, it depends on whether the system is available new or used. If still on the market and available new from retailers, I'll always go that option.

For used, it depends on the system. If it uses some sort of optical drive, I always try locally owned Mom & Pop retro game stores first. They usually offer some sort of limited guarantee - even let you test the system in store before purchase. And for systems notable for their fickle drives (original Xbox, etc), you have a better chance of examining the system before making a purchase. You may pay a bit more but I've found it's usually worth it.

For cart and card based systems, I'm more comfortable buying from Ebay but still like to shop local if I can. But I'm more particular about condition than most gamers, I suppose.

For the obscure stuff, you can't beat Ebay. Check seller feedback, return policies, etc, before taking the plunge though.

Be careful with flea markets, garage sales, yard sales, pawn shops, etc. Especially with any optical drive system.

[x123]

I don't buy old systems because I still have my same ones from when I was a kid.

[Leathco]

Ebay, but sometimes you can luck out and find something on Craigslist or just by going to community yard sales. There are also retro game stores out there if you look, and while the games might be a little high, certain consoles can be had for a decent price.

[MichaelLyles]

Ebay is your best choice IMO. Amazon sellers like to jack up their prices.

[mattwatt]

Check out quite local flea market. A lot of independent sellers will personally test every game that comes in to make sure it plays and offers some sort of guarantee since they go by word of mouth more than advertisement.

[RetroAl]

ebay is a good way to go. If you have a local used gaming store it can be worth a look. They usually will match whay games sell for on ebay.

[MisterXiado]

eBay's not so bad, if you have patience. Most of my systems that didn't come from yard sales and thrift stores a decade or so ago have come from a local classic game shop that's really cool. Good pricing, great owner.

Alas, I have almost everything (hardware-wise) now, and I find it harder and harder to work up the drive to look for more stuff to buy.

[pmo1985]

a combination of Ebay, Garage Sales, and Mom and Pop game stores

[vice350z]

If you're on Facebook, search for "rummage" or "yard sale" pages for your area. There's a bunch of pages set up for my area where people sell stuff, you meet up and buy/sell. Always see some NES/SNES/GENESIS stuff on there.

[RetroAl]

If I were to buy a system I'd try my local used gaming store first. I haven't been burnt by eBay yet so I still trust it. I have searched used(whatever town you are from).com and Kijiji but never purchased from them.

[vice350z]

Check out Goodwill's website too..a lot of retro consoles on there too up for auction.

http://shopgoodwill.com/

[fezzersc]

I got my 2nd NES for 20 bucks from Salvation Army. Put a $8 OEM 72 pin off ebay. Runs perfect.

Best thin you can do is let friends and family know what you're into, They may have some in a basement/ attic. Free is best!

[metroid]

Since i'm in Brazil i use Mercadolivre, but thakfully i bought my most of my stuff years ago, today's prices have gone insane.

[CastleVanity]

I buy my older games and current ones from a store called "GamersHQ" and "Vintage Stock"

[nutznboltz2003]

I do a combination of ebay and local game shops. I'm lucky to work a few blocks from a university, so game shops stay pretty well stocked!

[MisterXiado]

Goodwill (as an organization) can burn. They treat their employees like trash, operate completely for profit, upper executives have six figure salaries, and they have the gall to charge double shipping on online sales.

Sometimes you find individual stores selling stuff on ebay, and they're fair with the shipping and handling, since they're not charging you for the shipping costs to their warehouse and back out to you.

[HowardBware]

Luckily I have a local store that deals exclusively in table top games and Retro Video gaming. He has all kinds of great stuff! Colosseum Games in Kenosha WI https://m.facebook.com/colosseumgamesofwi Very honest reliable guy. I am sure he could ship you what ever you were willing to pay for.

[aloram]

I know eBay has a lot of flaws and problems, but it's eBay all the way for me, and once in a while Amazon. I always check a seller's feedback before making a purchase, and overall, eBay and PayPal do a good job and protecting you if there's a problem.

The only exception the past couple years was a refurbished PC Engine Duo I bought from a guy on the PCEngineFX forums who's a pro with those systems.

[HowardBware]

I know eBay has a lot of flaws and problems, but it's eBay all the way for me, and once in a while Amazon. I always check a seller's feedback before making a purchase, and overall, eBay and PayPal do a good job and protecting you if there's a problem.

Very true!

[aloram]

Alright, I unintentionally lied. I definitely bought a few systems at garage sales and off Craigslist in recent years, but that was really just a matter of what happened to be available and my timing. If you're actively looking for a certain system, I recommend eBay. Just make sure to read feedback!

[crannie]

I buy from EBay and lately I've been only searching for sellers who both have a high rating, and also allow pick-up. That way I can verify that the console/game works before I buy

[eddiej1984]

Last 2 systems I got were at goodwill, man found a slim ps2 with 2 controllers, 2 sets of a/v cables for some reason, and it was only like 4 or 5 bucks.

Also last year found a sega genesis model 1, no cables or controllers but only 3 bucks, so its nice to have as a backup.