Where to sell?

[5MinuteRetro]

Please don't shoot me! I'm not a n00b here, or online. However, this past weekend I by accident discovered (/remembered) that I'm in possession of what seems to be a genuine rarity. It's not Spectrum-related but it does appear to be something of a Holy Grail item for certain collectors. It is, specifically, a massive Nintendo fibre optic shop-display sign -- code number M36A, I believe. Here's a picture (not of mine because for dull reasons it's at the back of a very junk-filled cupboard and I've not yet dug it out):




And a video (which I stumbled upon this weekend, and which alerted me to this thing's rarity): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-98IoIg3o0


I picked this thing up in the dim and distant past, when a shop was having a clear-out. If I paid anything at all for it, it probably wasn't much. Unlike a lot of my retro stuff, this has no sentimental value to me. As such, while it's a stunning piece, I think I'd be happy to part with it. However, digging around a bit online it seems this thing is properly rare, and has sold a handful of times for up to multiple thousands of dollars in the US. I have yet to similar information for UK sales/value.

But there's the rub: despite having been around the computing/retro scene for years, I really have no idea how or where best to offer something like this for sale? After a couple of bad selling experiences on eBay I'm pretty much done with that service and beyond that well... I just don't know where one goes to sell retro stuff to fellow enthusiasts? I suspect the best price for something like this would be to sell to a US buyer, Nintendo being a way more popular brand over there than it ever was here -- but I'm not at all sure I want to get into the rigmarole of finding out how to ship something so big and bulky to the US, and that's before all the potential risks of being defrauded.

No, what I really want is to offer this up for sale to a genuine fan/collector in the UK. Someone who's prepared to collect, and pay cash on collection.

I'm asking here not because we're Nintendo fans but because we're retro folks and I'm guessing that some of you will be way more clued up on this stuff than I am.

So... tips/advice/ideas?

[akeley]

I'm afraid ebay really is the best option for this kind of stuff, much flawed as this service is. Otherwise there aren't really many options. There are Sellmyretro and Amibay - dedicated trading sites in Europe, but they're mostly for microcomputers, not perfect either, and won't have so much exposure.

If you really don't want to use ebay then maybe try AtariAge forums (US-centric), they have a dedicated Marketplace section and also you might get lucky and get an offer from a trusted user with a good feedback.

Otherwise, beware. This hobby is unfortunately rife with scammers and shady characters, especially when it comes to Nintendo high value items.

[5MinuteRetro]

Otherwise, beware. This hobby is unfortunately rife with scammers and shady characters, especially when it comes to Nintendo high value items.

Yeah... and that's precisely why I'd prefer to deal with someone face to face, in the UK.

(For context: just a few months ago I sold a little Sega pin badge on eBay... it wasn't worth much but I figured some collector might value it so rather than put it in the bin, I shoved it on eBay... first thing I'd sold on there in years. The badge went for a couple of quid, and I posted it off with a normal stamp and thought no more about it. Cut a long story short, the bidder eventually claimed to eBay that I'd never shipped the item and failed to communicate with him. Neither was true but the latter claim properly riled me because I communicated clearly with him -- and him with me -- for a fortnight or more before we both concluded the item must've been lost in the post. I'd already agreed to refund because, heck, it was a couple of quid, so who cares? But then negative feedback and the lies to eBay... I just didn't and don't understand it, so that was basically the end of me and eBay!)

[akeley]

Yes, there are a lot of awful people on ebay, end ebay itself often sides with buyers' ridiculous demands. Even so, it's still the best option, you just need to go through some tedious motions to protect yourself - offer only tracked delivery, make video of packing the item, etc.

Sure, finding a nice, decent buyer whom you can deal with in person would be ideal, but these can be hard to find. The only way seem to be somebody with good rep on forums or social media. Otherwise you are left with the likes of Gumtree, and I'd much rather deal with annoying ebayers than take a gamble of dealing with the often downright crazy/dangerous people from there (been there, done that).

[richl]

Yeah, in my experience it tends to be the really piddly items that have generated the most hassle for me on eBay. Well, that and posting stuff to countries with less than reputable postal services. Well, actually there's also....... how much time do you have? Modern eBay = not a patch on Classic eBay, I think I'll just leave it there.

As much as it pains me to say it but I reckon somewhere like Facebook is going to be your best bet. There will be a ton of Nintendo groups and retro selling ones too. You want someone who can pick it up and pay you cash. That thing is going to get smashed to smithereens if you try and ship it anywhere and no courier will insure it for damage either.

If you are averse to Mr Zuckerberg's information gathering site then there are probably some more traditional Nintendo forums that will have trading/selling sections. NintendoLife was the first one I stumbled across from a quick bit of Googling and they appear to have a trading section but I have no idea how good/bad it is.

EDIT: RetroGamer's trading forum looks quite active as well... https://forum.retrogamer.net/viewforum.php?f=19
Yeah, 50 post minimum and some other rules... maybe not then.

[Sparky]

There is also www.etsy.com and www.gumtree.com
I haven't tried them, but I have friends who have and they are happy with both.

[5MinuteRetro]

Otherwise you are left with the likes of Gumtree, and I'd much rather deal with annoying ebayers than take a gamble of dealing with the often downright crazy/dangerous people from there (been there, done that).

Oh man, yes -- Gumtree! I made the *very foolish* mistake a couple of years ago of listing our family touring caravan there. I don't sell a whole lot of anything, to be honest, so forgive my ignorance but cripes alive, what a cesspit that place is.

I had people calling me from literally all over the world, offering cash if I'd ship it here, there or anywhere. Obvious scams, no bother.

But then, also loads of people offering cash to come and collect immediately, and then getting really aggressive with me when I wanted more details about them and why there were so keen to buy *this second*, sight unseen. Never, ever again!

[5MinuteRetro]

EDIT: RetroGamer's trading forum looks quite active as well... https://forum.retrogamer.net/viewforum.php?f=19
Yeah, 50 post minimum and some other rules... maybe not then.

Actually, I think this is a good suggestion and I'm not in any particular hurry to sell, so I'd be happy to pitch up there and engage with the forum to build up a reputation. Heck, I've had this thing for nearly 30 years -- a few more weeks isn't going to hurt.

[5MinuteRetro]

So I dug it out. Against my better judgement, after 25 years in a cupboard I couldn’t resist turning it on. It’s just so beautiful!

https://youtu.be/a0irWJKe4So

[Morkin]

It does look nice.

Kudos for not getting rid of it after all those years, it's the sort of large item that would probably be targeted for a clear out.

Hopefully you get a decent price/honest sale.

[5MinuteRetro]

It does look nice.

Kudos for not getting rid of it after all those years, it's the sort of large item that would probably be targeted for a clear out.

Hopefully you get a decent price/honest sale.

There’s no way I’d have ever thrown this out! I guess I always had a sneaking suspicion that it’d one day become desirable but really, it’s just a thing that I liked that I never got around to displaying.

I’ve already had a fair few offers on Facebook but picking the good from the bad is not so easy!