Quoted from gweempose:I always prefer to see/play a machine before buying it. That being said, you sometimes don't have a choice, particularly with rarer titles. I've had three games shipped to me (I500, Airborne and coincidentally, SC). In all three instances, I was very happy with the transaction. You just have to make sure you ask a lot of questions and see a lot of pictures. You also need to make sure you're dealing with someone who is reputable. I would never recommend buying a game from some random person on eBay. You have to proceed with extreme caution when you are dealing with such a large transaction. There are just too many unscrupulous sellers out there.
What you said makes a lot of sense, and -- as you said -- with less common titles there often is not much choice. When the venue is eBay, lots of solid feedback over a period of many years helps (hopefully less chance of it being faked), plus there may be the eBay Buyer Protection in effect. (Anyone have first-hand experience with resort to that, and how did this go ?) Scope out the seller as best you can. Adequate shipping insurance is a small part of the freight charge.
Even if the table is in VG shape, and the seller is entirely reputable, the prices seen these days on eBay are often just plain crazy -- so far over book value that you'll probably never come close to recouping your purchase cost, if / when you decide to sell it later on. I think I'd rather take my chances with a good collector than with most dealers, who seem to account for the majority of the tables with those stratospheric prices.
Richfield, MI
Montréal, QC
