(Topic ID: 145606)

Pinside Price Estimator Accuracy and Suggestion

By mbaumle

8 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 13 posts
  • 10 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 years ago by Astropin
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    #1 8 years ago

    Out of curiosity, just how "accurate" would you guys say the price estimator for pinball machines is here on the pinside archive? I haven't owned a published price guide book in a few years, so comparing values isn't really something I have done.

    As an aside, for anyone who has interest in video games (home console video games), theres a nice website that takes aggregated prices from various websites (amazon, ebay, etc), and compiles them into a neat little graph and an approximate value for different conditions. It shows value trends through the years and months, and its a pretty neat tool for collectors, buyers, and sellers. Of course pinball is a more "niche" hobby, but implementing graphs and trends into pinside would be a welcomed addition, I'd think.

    Here's the video game pricing website for those who are interested: http://videogames.pricecharting.com/

    #2 8 years ago
    Quoted from mbaumle:

    Out of curiosity, just how "accurate" would you guys say the price estimator for pinball machines is here on the pinside archive?

    it isn't, and it's really really old news round here. Some people check http://www.bostonpinball.biz/ebay112315.htm but you know it doesn't really include the insanity of the times. Well I guess it does include Ebay

    #3 8 years ago
    Quoted from TheLaw:

    and it's really really old news round here

    I figured. I'm still new to the website here, so I'm still learning its ins and outs.

    Thanks

    #4 8 years ago
    Quoted from mbaumle:

    I figured. I'm still new to the website here, so I'm still learning its ins and outs.
    Thanks

    Yeah it's total hit or miss. I thought I heard in the last November update they might have freshened it up a bit; but I don't remember.

    #5 8 years ago

    I would guess all price estimates based on archive here are wrong. Everybody wants everybody to think they've sold their games for more than they did, and everybody wants everyone to think they get bargains all the time (well most people. Some get off on folks thinking they are big spenders).

    The only way to really gauge the market is to be active in it, both buying and selling.

    #6 8 years ago

    I personally find Boston Pinball to be way too low almost always. It must be skewed by projects or old info. Pinside prices used to be way too low also, but whatever changed recently I think the ranges are pretty good now. Pinside also doesn't try to make up a price if there isn't a lot of data, it will say "Unknown".

    Mr Pinball's price guide gives you a decent ballpark if you want something in print, although for rare games and flavor of the week games it sometimes misses rocket ship. You'll see Mystery Castle for $1000 or Congo for $2000 which are pretty far off. It also has symbols to indicate if a game has gone up/down or way up/down from last year. Kind of fun to browse old price guides and see all the games I would've been able to afford in 2002.

    Prices vary in range and are too volatile to really get better than "decent ballpark" for any price guide.

    #7 8 years ago
    Quoted from DefaultGen:

    I personally find Boston Pinball to be way too low almost always. It must be skewed by projects or old info.

    Well, you can have the best of both worlds as the "last 12 months" section's price is too high

    #8 8 years ago

    Price guides are just that--guides, not strict rules. Prices go up and down all the time depending what falls in and out of favor, what parts are being reproduced what mods, code improvements, or whatnot become available...

    If I need to get an idea of price, I basically look at all the sales data I can find and make a determination on my own.

    For games that have little or no sales data, the most you can do is compare to similar games, post a price check thread, or do an OBO or auction and see what the market will bear.

    #9 8 years ago

    I'm amazed at what little it takes to make a price go up. If a game is featured on a PAPA comp vid or a Youtube review, the price will jack up for awhile. A related movie will do it too like Jurassic World or I'm guessing the new Star Wars. It makes you realize the community is pretty tied together.

    #10 8 years ago

    There isn't a price guide in the universe capable of accuracy (within a few hundred) that now exists or will exist. There are condition variables, geographic variables, demand variables and even rumors (VE or Remake) that can greatly effect price.
    A truly accurate guide would have to update ALL market factors on a weekly basis....because we all know at times the market changes quickly. Don't see a weekly guide as economically feasible.

    #11 8 years ago

    I've been collecting for about 3 years now. Out of the 19 games that I've had in my collection, 9 of them I paid less than what the average pinside range is, the other 10 were all within the range. So imo most prices are a little high but it's still a good place to start.

    #12 8 years ago

    One thing I've noticed is that Pinside sometimes gives the "median asking price" -- beware this does not reflect sale prices and can be really jacked up with people that advertise games at super hight prices to hook a sucker or attempt to elevate trading value (which can manipulate the reported median asking price). There are also retailers of new and used pinballs that list games on Pinside and I guess they've got to keep their advertised prices consistent with their outrageous website and Ebay advertised prices. I wonder if there should be a distinction on Pinside regarding for sale by owner vs. dealer/retailer?

    #13 8 years ago

    The Pinside "price range" has gotten a LOT better over the last year or so.....it's in the ballpark on most games now....especially the more popular ones.

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