Hey guys, I'm a bit newer to this whole collecting business. I've always held onto my games and systems but just a few months ago I really decided that I was going to get into this as a hobby. So what advice can you give to a new collector, locations to search, places to search at, etc. Any sort of information that you think is worthy of passing down, I will definitely appreciate!

It's definitely tougher these days since local stores have gotten better at pricing and there's just more collectors overall. The biggest piece of advice I can give might be considered controversial from some collectors, but I'd say don't be afraid to use eBay. I think too many people get caught up in trying to find a great deal or just trying to clear out thrift stores and such. For me, I'm mostly interested in collecting specific games or finding games I want to play soon. And that makes eBay a fantastic resource for me.

I've also found GOAT Store to be a reliable online store. I've had mixed results with Amazon since the prices are generally higher, although you can sometimes get lucky. The main issue I have with Amazon is 99% of the items in the marketplace don't have images (and a lot of them don't even have a specific description, generally something generic). I've received countless copies of re-sealed games that were marked New or re-surfaced games that were marked Like New. So at this point, I pretty much only buy games < $10 on there, unless it's from sellers I trust or Amazon themselves. One thing I do use the Amazon marketplace for is strategy guides. I love collecting these things because I like to skim through the artwork on certain games, plus they can be handy for maps and bestiaries. I've had pretty good luck in finding cheap, nice condition guides in the marketplace.

I'm sure you already know about Cheap Ass Gamer, but if you're interested in collecting for newer consoles, that's a great resource. It's a nice mix of local and online deals.

Also, if you're into newer consoles and don't have a Gamers Club Unlocked subscription from Best Buy, DO IT NOW! You get 20% off all New video games. And I don't just mean new release, I mean if it's a new copy. Amazon has started matching this on certain newly / recently released games for Prime Members, but it's not across the board. Another advantage that Best Buy has with this is they will run specials where you get bonus rewards cash. For example, I preordered Forza 6 last year, which was $47.99 after my 20% discount. I also got a $10 rewards certificate, which effectively made it $37.99. Plus I got the standard preorder DLC (can't remember if there was anything exclusive from them, but whatever). The subscription only costs $30 for TWO years, so it's really easy to get your money back. I had pretty much given up / abandoned Best Buy, but this brought me back.

And lastly, if you're like me and both a gamer and a collector, don't worry if you have to pay fair market value if you really want to play a game. If it's something I just want in my collection that I may not play that much or whatever, then I'll try to sniff out a deal. But if I want to play something, I'll buy it, even if I don't get a mind-blowing post it everywhere on the internet deal.

Also, I know I talked to you over on Reddit, but welcome aboard :) Let me know if you have any feedback!

I actually work at Best Buy, so I absolutely use the Gamer's Club Unlocked, it's even better than my employee discount on games haha!
But that's all good stuff to know, much appreciated! I'm really enjoying the site so far, I'm excited to join up with this community!