When it comes to video gaming, collecting is time-consuming, space-consuming, and more important, wallet-consuming. Let's face it, we're not all millionaires. At least, I know I'm far from that milestone. What's Shanghai Mini got to do with it? To answer, the game was one of a 6-game lot I bought to jump start my NGPC collection and touches a subject what I refer as lot buying.
Lot buying is group of games bought with a single purchase. Nothing special in it of itself but hold a few distinct advantages:
1. LOTS of games! (duh!)
2. Save money on games.
3. Save costs on shipping. (Yeah, I'll go into details shortly.)
1. The first good step in collecting, I believe, when it comes to getting all the games for a system is obtaining a good chuck in the first purchase. Saves yourself time in getting everything in fewer swoops as opposed going after each game individually. A great way to get to establishing a base and there's always something heavenly about a tonload of gaming goodness, like Christmas, except, it comes more than once a year. :D
2. Remember the old saying: "More is less." It's true for video games, in a monetary sense. Assuming Gamestop and the like are excused, half the beauty of lot buying is getting more bang for my buck. Whenever a seller has a game I like, I always check his/her other wares to pile on cause (and true for most conventions) they'll opt a better deal in your offer or gives you leverage to haggle.
At Too Many Games, a vendor was selling GB Megaman 2, 3, and 4 with manual plus Ninja Warriors for $70 altogether and managed to persuade him to sell $52 total. However, the "trick" won't work its magic every time but most, from my experience, don't mind trimming the bucks to get the sale, so it doesn't hurt to ask.
Ebay is another shining example as veterans know group lots tend to sell below what they go for individually. Back to Shanghai Mini, I paid $40 for that 6-game boxed lot plus the NGPC handheld, $6 per item! On that note, group auctions are always a good place to start for collectors, however, I dealt with resellers in the past placing high bids on these. So, don't go overboard.
3. Shipping is something when ignorantly overlooked will avoidably take a big bite out of your wallet, the same way a man believes a $30 game with $15 shipping is a better deal than buying $40 locally. To give you a better idea:
Let's say I want to get 100 NES games for as little money as possible and have narrowed it to two options. For argument's sake, one method is buying one game from 100 non-local people paying a penny each. The other is buying from one guy offering $150 for 100 NES games. Obviously, the former gives a LOT of bang for your buck, saving ya $149 in the process. But when taking into account shipping and handling fees, it's a whole new ballgame.
To give the best possible chance, let's say S&H is $3, $2.50 for bubble envelope and 50 cents for the stamp. (Yeah, stamps are 42 cents but things are simpler this way.) Add in the price of the game, that's $3.01 per item and for 100 people, the total comes to $301. (The math: 3.01 x 100 = 301) Unless the other guy's asking $151 for shipping, it's a safe bet lot buying 100 games from him is the better deal.
I realize my example has a snowball's chance happening in real life, but think about it, especially those who frequently buy their stuff online. Imagine if the cost was 5 or 6 bucks. X_x
It's something I always ponder in the back of my head as occasionally I've backed out cause S&H put the whole thing over my budget price.
With upside, there's downside. Lot buying looks like a money saver but requires to invest big all at once. It's really doesn't suit those with tight budgets. You're kinda stuck with what your bought until finance allows, but play your cards right, you'll come out like a bandit. Hope this helps. ;)
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