Online stores for prizes for a geek convention? $50-75 price range.

January 8, 2012 6:17 PM

Online stores for prizes for a geek convention? $50-75 price range.

I help run a multi-genre convention (anime, comics, sci-fi, fantasy, games.. you get the idea) and we're gearing up to do a contest where the prize is some physical... thing. We've been doing digital prizes so far, but want to award something more substantial.

The trick is finding something that is appealing to our entire market. Age-wise, we're heavily weighted towards college students. Gender is split pretty 50-50.

$50-75 is the price range we're looking for.

ThinkGeek is on my list of possible vendors to buy from, as is vat19. What are some other go-to places for geek/fun gifts? I'd like to find something where $50-75 is a bit extravagant for a college student to purchase. (For example, they may justify saving up for something like an iPod, but a pair of Air Swimmers is out of their reach.)

posted by Wossname to shopping (12 answers total)

Oh, and robots feature heavily in our theme this year, so that may also be a source of inspiration...
posted by Wossname at 6:18 PM on January 8, 2012

A couple that come to mind:
Unemployed Philosophers Guild
Edmund Scientifics
Archie McPhee
posted by everybody polka at 6:40 PM on January 8, 2012

It's more of a aggregator (I think I used the word right...) that links to other sites that sell stuff: This is why I'm Broke. Obviously, some of their stuff is ridiculously expensive but there's a lot of fun stuff in your price range.
posted by Weeping_angel at 6:49 PM on January 8, 2012

Not a site, just one prize suggestion: an external battery pack/charger doohickey like the iCruiser is ~$75, and it's hard to think of a geek who couldn't use one.
posted by argonauta at 6:56 PM on January 8, 2012

American Science and Surplus
posted by timsteil at 7:23 PM on January 8, 2012

Sparkfun!
posted by lollusc at 8:43 PM on January 8, 2012

Can you go another $5? If so, may I suggest a Klein mug?
posted by Runes at 8:56 PM on January 8, 2012

Companion cubes, Black Mesa parking passes and coffee cups, plushie headcrabs, and so more are all at the Valve Store.
posted by rokusan at 8:58 PM on January 8, 2012

The maker's shed might have some interesting items, like the 'getting started with arduino kit' for around $65, as well as your normal mugs and shirts type things.
posted by mcrandello at 11:19 PM on January 8, 2012

I'll second Runes's suggestion of the Klein Mug. Then you could call it the DorkCon Cup.
posted by themanwho at 1:41 AM on January 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

There isn't a local game shop you could support?
posted by oceanjesse at 11:35 AM on January 9, 2012

@oceanjesse -- we're currently in negotiations with local game shops for sponsorships for other events.
posted by Wossname at 4:41 PM on January 9, 2012