Topic: Zack & Wiki for $80?!

[Chozo Ghost]

I was browsing on Amazon looking for some Wii game deals, and I found this which is the exact opposite of a deal.

http://www.amazon.com/Zack-Quest-Barbaros-2019-Treasure-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B000P297ES/ref=pd_sim_vg_5

What the hell? And to add insult to injury, they charge $7.99 for shipping which is completely outrageous. There are other sellers selling it new and used for MUCH more reasonable prices. I just don't get this. Are there really consumers out there stupid enough to pay 3 times as much for this game as they could be?

Shame on Amazon for making these "Hitgaming" jerks the default seller for this game. And of course, shame on "Hitgaming" too for ripping people off (or at least trying to, I really hope no one is gullible enough to buy from them).

[NWR_insanolord]

I was looking around on Half.com the other day and this game was available for $13. This is ridiculous.

[Nemo]

If someone's willing to buy, I'll sell my used copy for $90 (plus shipping and handling).

[Mop it up]

I've noticed that certain older Wii games have ridiculous prices on Amazon. Endless Ocean is one of them, I've seen it at $100 before.

[Stratos]

I'm guessing it is just scalpers trying to rip people off who are clueless about how the old gaming market goes. They see old games like Chrono Trigger going for $70-100 and and see Wiis selling for hundreds more so they think any old Wii game that is out of print and highly rated can go for a large amount. I'll bet the price will go down once they see they aren't getting any takers.

It does suck when Amazon does that and highlights various sellers who charge more than Amazon does for the game new. I'd complain to Amazon about their choices in highlighted sellers.

[Pale]

It's not Amazon's fault.  Their system works by defaulting to the cheapest option of all their approved, non marketplace sellers.  It just so happens they are they only ones selling a shrink wrapped copy now.

Free market. What can you do?

[Peachylala]

Being that I am a used game collector, this is something I do not see very often with newer games. Older games, mostly the popular ones from the NES, SNES and N64 era go between $40 - $100 dollars since they are a) obviously no longer being sold and/or b) a cult hit by was discontiuned shortly after release.
 
This is very strange for Zack & Wiki. I think I saw it at my local EB Games, being sold used. Can't remember the price, but I'll check to see what it was being sold at next time I'm over there.

[TJ Spyke]

It does suck when Amazon does that and highlights various sellers who charge more than Amazon does for the game new.

Amazon always lists their price first. If Amazon lists a different vendors price (like they do in this case), then that means Amazon doesn't have any copies of it.

[Stratos]

It does suck when Amazon does that and highlights various sellers who charge more than Amazon does for the game new.

Amazon always lists their price first. If Amazon lists a different vendors price (like they do in this case), then that means Amazon doesn't have any copies of it.

I've seen them do it this way when they do have copies. And cheaper ones too. I wanted to order something once and it defaulted to big hit games or whoever it was and I clicked view other sellers and Amazon had it's own listing under other sellers. I've only seen that once, though, so it could have been a fluke.

[TJ Spyke]

I assume it was a fluke too because I think their policy states that they will only list third party vendors by default if Amazon doesn't have the item itself.

[Chozo Ghost]

It does suck when Amazon does that and highlights various sellers who charge more than Amazon does for the game new.

Amazon always lists their price first. If Amazon lists a different vendors price (like they do in this case), then that means Amazon doesn't have any copies of it.

That's not true. I've seen other sellers be the default seller instead of Amazon for items where Amazon was actually carrying it. I think the one that gets put first is the one with the lowest price, but I'm not entirely sure. But anyway, usually Amazon's is the better deal just because of the free shipping. Most other sellers charge $3.99-$7.99, so even if another seller is put first as the default seller, it might still pay to just buy from amazon for the free shipping.

But in this case, Amazon no longer carries this game, so I guess these guys became the default seller just because no other "approved" seller was offering it. But even so, there are lots of other sellers on there selling it used and new for much more reasonable prices. Why aren't any of those the default seller instead?

[Stratos]

I'm wondering if becoming a 'default seller' is a bit of a business maneuver where they pay a fee to be the preferred seller for a period. Or maybe Amazon made contracts with some of them that promised that said sellers would be showcased like that periodically on random products. Like they could have a 'preferred sellers club' where sellers would pay a premium each month to get their items cycled into the showcased position.