 |
1. Which Ultima things are readily
available?
- For each item on this site, where appropriate (and where I
actually have some idea), you'll see an "availability" line. If the
item is still commercially available, I'll try to indicate where
you might find it today. There's no guarantee that I'm right, of
course, or that items are still in stock wherever you're looking,
but it's a start. Some of the available sources for Ultima
materials that you might see listed are:
2. If the product is a little older, what then?
- Well, you'll have to try a little harder. If something isn't
readily available, you might be able to find older copies
somewhere. My links page has a set of
relevant Usenet groups that can be scoured to see if someone is
offering such an item for sale or trade; a Usenet archive like
DejaNews is useful for this
purpose. There are also plenty of online vendors for games that
have been released in the last 3-4 years. The most useful site may
be the CD-ROM Guide. This
site not only lists software available on the Internet, it searches
to see what vendor has the lowest price for a particular item at
that time, and gives you a link. However, it only deals in CD-ROM
based software; older disk products aren't listed. For those you
might try searching Lycos or
Alta Vista for the
title name; who knows what might turn up.
3. The above didn't help! Argh, I need my holo-box Ultima 23 from
Spiderman Games with the spandex map, and I need it NOW!
- Whoa, calm down there cowboy. If you're really desperate, well,
you must be a real collector. And like with anything rare, there
are certain tactics you can use to bring your items to you, but
they all require varying amounts of shoe leather (that means
'work') and resources (that means 'money') on your part. Below is a
list of possible suggestions; others relating to collectible items
might apply too. Be creative!
- There is such a thing as a 'software consignment store'. It's
like a pawn shop for old computer software and/or hardware. These
are becoming more common, so look around in your area (and your
Yellow Pages) and see if
there's one nearby.
- Many large newspapers have a "Good Neighbors" column that
allows you to ask about items you're interested in finding. Such
columns tend to be free, or less expensive than posting a
classified ad (which is another option).
- Have you tried looking for the local PC Users Group in your
area? How about the Apple Users Group? Or other old
computers? There are still quite a few of these around; you might
try finding them through your local library, high school computer
clubs, computer stores where they might have left fliers, and so
on.
- Post messages on Usenet offering large sums of cash for the
item you have in mind. Always a useful tactic, when possible.
- Two words: yard sale. Check the local papers for ads, and call
ahead to check on what you're looking for.
- Flea markets, pawn shops, and other such places are probably
not going to be very useful, since the general public doesn't buy
and resell old software very much, but you never know.
- There are a number of web-based companies now that deal in
reselling old software, even on defunct platforms.
- Web-based auction houses, such as Auction Web. Check them out.
4. What I really want to do is SELL my Ultimas. What then?
- First, you email me, and give me first crack. :-) Seriously,
try the reverse of the above. Advertise on relevant Usenet groups.
Check into local software consignment stores. Or you might try
holding an auction over the Internet. This seems to be a very
popular way of buying, selling and trading things these days. A lot
of Ultima products have turned up on Auction Web, so you might try
starting an auction there, and then posting about it on relevant
Usenet groups to attract attention. Auction Web is also another
good place for buyers to look, as are other online auction
houses.
5. What kind of price should I buy/sell for?
- That is entirely - ENTIRELY - up to you and the folks you deal
with. I've seen rare items go for peanuts, and common ones get sold
for outrageous sums. That's one of the reasons I created the
original Ultima
Collectibles List, to make sure people had enough information
on these things to deal fairly. The old rule, "Caveat Emptor", Let
the Buyer Beware, is applicable. As in any business dealing, be
careful, know what your goal is, and you'll probably come out
okay.
|
|
