Where to sell old consoles?

December 27, 2024 8:53 AM

I have some old nintendo consoles (NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube) in original boxes that I would like to sell. How and where should I sell them?

Is ebay the best option? The last few times I've sold on ebay, the fees have been pretty high. Is there a better place?

The best condition is a full NES Action Set in a near-mint box. The console was extensively used, but still in good condition.

The others have boxes but aren't in such good condition.

I'm in Seattle, so maybe there's a way to sell on consignment? Or maybe there are more specialized websites than ebay.

What are some options to consider for selling?

posted by msbrauer to Technology (8 answers total)

In a big metro area like that I would definitely try Craigslist and FB marketplace first to avoid the hassle of other methods. Sounds like a nice collection, good luck!
(You don't ask about pricing so I assume you are ok on that but FYI if you happen to have a Wavebird controller those are super desirable, don't accidentally under-price that. )
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:01 AM on December 27 [1 favorite]

I'd run it past Pink Gorilla Games, see if they'll take it off your hands for what you want to get for it?
posted by Kyol at 9:13 AM on December 27 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I don't really know pricing, so any guidance would be helpful. I think most parts are in each of the boxes, but it's possible a couple of tv connection cords are missing. Need to do a full accounting of the contents. And most or all of the paperwork is in the boxes, as well.

I don't think I've got the wavebird controller, but I do have a SNES asciipad (though not the box for that)
posted by msbrauer at 9:14 AM on December 27

I do think eBay is going to be your biggest market - things are a little overpriced but you have some latitude because you have a fairly rare setup here. Honestly a well-used NES is easy to find for cheap, but boxes in good condition are (I think) far more rare. Scout around on eBay and see what just the boxes are going for and price accordingly.

Looks like a working NES goes for $50-100 depending on condition, but add original box and stuff and I'd say you could do $250-300. Here's one in good condition for $350. SNES and N64 have a similar range.

If you sell on consignment at an antique mall or something you're going to be drowning in fees, I think - vintage places routinely charge 30-60% of the sale value, and you wouldn't be able to price it much higher than you would on eBay I'd say. Pink Gorilla would probably buy but you'd only get maybe half the max value (though it would be over and done).

I would do a little testing - make sure everything is working, take lots of pictures. Toss them on Craigslist or Facebook for a good (for you) price as well as eBay, it's easy once you have the images and description.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 10:15 AM on December 27

You can probably find Facebook groups filled with enthusiasts who would be interested.
posted by jeffamaphone at 10:50 AM on December 27

There are probably retro video game stores near you. Here in Houston, we have the Game Over chain which buys and sells old games. You probably wouldn't get as much as selling on EBay directly, but it would be a lot quicker.
posted by Spike Glee at 11:29 AM on December 27

To get a sense for pricing, go into the eBay app and search on the item you want to sell. Now ignore those prices, and filter on “sold items” (that option is under “more”, when you click the filter button, you have to scroll down a ways).
What you’ll see should give you a decent idea of value on the eBay market. Note if there are a lot of “best offer accepted “ - the actual sold price won’t show in that case. Also take note of how long things took to sell, and when they sold - sometimes the data isn’t recent enough to be useful.
Hope this helps!
posted by dbmcd at 4:19 PM on December 27

I sell a lot of vintage electronics. For common stuff FB marketplace or Craigslist (yes, people still use Craigslist) are fine, but for specialty items like the Mac IIfx I'm selling, it really does need to be eBay. Yes, the fees are high, but you reach a hugely expanded audience. It's a pain but it's worth it.
posted by 1adam12 at 6:40 PM on December 27