The Import Scene : Pricing

[Valiant]

Ha ha ha ha I love it at the moment. The price of import games has never been so good in my opinion. With places like DVD Box office, Goblin's introduction of the membership scheme, Play Asia, plus independant traders in far off places and everyone else we are spoilt for choice or service from anywhere in the world. Gone are the old days of Console Concepts and Shekhana having a monopoly over the UK import scene. With the proliferation of the interent over the last six or seven years buying import software has never been easier or cheaper.

So waht are your opinions on the way import software/hardware has changed for the better... or worse since the internet age?

[marcus]

Better, easily. One of the things that gets me is when people complain about current import prices, when I started out importing back in the SNES days, prior to widespread usage of the internet, Id pay a small fortune to places like CEX, Skill and Playtronix (via mail order, great guy though) for games, whilst I used to frequently visit Tottenham Court Road to pick up the latest version of StreetFighter (and additional convertor to run it) for upwards of ?80 a pop. Nowadays a few clicks and a item is at my doorstep in a matter of days, all for all-time low prices. Its truly the best time to be into import games that I can remember.

[Commander Marklar]

Yea, it's good at the mo, especially for new-ish stuff. Only down side I see at the minute it the money hungry resellers of stuff after they're bored with it. I mean, this stuff doesn't really hold its value but the prices are still sky high for some stuff, like DC games, in some kind of fake-ish stock market kinda scene... gets my goat a bit, especially when you consider true retro platforms, like home computers or stuff < MD/SNES era, goes for pennies.

Such a strange market to be in. Know what I mean? Ah, I'm just using your thread to vent a bit, sorry dude

[bangaio]

I think it is great, people like Tokuda have set a precedent but we should all thank the interwebthing and places like NTSC-UK for helping like minded gamers and importers get together, trade, set up shops, buy online, swap ideas and hints, translations and also find out about so many wonderful games. Importing has never been as good. The cost is so good now as it really is a slight margin and post which is cheap anyway.

I walk into places like raven games, skill, cex and walk out again. There is no point buying from an old style "grey importer" now you can get it straight from the horses mouth!

[vic_viper]

Exactly what everyone else said.

The only downside as far as i can see is the lack of local highstreet importer. It was nice to be able to hang about in there for a while and chat about the latest games with other regulars. Message boards like this one have almost made up for that but its still not quite the same.

[Smeghead]

it's getting harder to get import games over the counter imo, but as ppl say u can have it off the net in a few days for much less...shame I hate waiting those few days

[Geoff D]

Pricing is good at the moment - the sheer number of avenues & outlets available to the importer is a major plus, & competition is forcing prices down all the time.

Although - I do miss the initial excitement of walking into a 'grey' import shop & looking at the goods - actually holding them in my hands - goods that wouldn't be on mainstream shelves for a while. That's just the romantic in me talking though.

[Henning]

I hope the day when Sega Direct takes international orders will come.

[Square]

Although - I do miss the initial excitement of walking into a 'grey' import shop & looking at the goods - actually holding them in my hands - goods that wouldn't be on mainstream shelves for a while. That's just the romantic in me talking though.

No, I know exactly what you mean. I remember walking into the Video Game Centre in Moordown and purchasing a PSX on day of release I can't describe the excitement of the journey home with it on the bus!

[JammyD]

Two words: Free shipping

[Geoff D]

No, I know exactly what you mean. I remember walking into the Video Game Centre in Moordown and purchasing a PSX on day of release I can't describe the excitement of the journey home with it on the bus!

I fear the answer, but how much did that set you back?

I remember back in 1996 (I think) - I was in Poole shopping for something or other, when I popped up to the Software Box in the mall; to find a Japanese N64 with Mario 64 running on display

I could barely contain myself.

[Man in a suitcase]

With the spawn of new online importers from far away places dodging tax and import duty, it's a matter of days before something happens.

[Max M]

The sad thing is, you still get rip-off import indie shops these days. The other day I saw Megaman Network Transmission on GameCube for ?59 and I remember a place in Kingston selling Japanese Wind Waker with OOT for ?80.

What I find interesting is how many of us imported the major games like Street Fighter 2 Turbo from the shops when we were just children... I can't exactly see today's gaming generation doing the same. Is the hardcore gamer a dying breed? I guess a lot of it comes down to the media at the time... magazines like Super Play were always pushing import gaming, reviewing import software and telling us how to play import games. Can't exactly see Official Playstation Magazine doing the same!

[Naiera]

There's a very good reason for that. They're simply not allowed!

With the arrival of a giant like Sony on the market, importing like it was done in the old days doesn't exist in Denmark anymore (they bullied shops into not importing stuff... It's NEVER been done with the 128 bit consoles, but they did manage to keep it up for a bit of time with the PSX), but then we got the internet, so I don't really care

[Henning]

There's a very good reason for that. They're simply not allowed!

With the arrival of a giant like Sony on the market, importing like it was done in the old days doesn't exist in Denmark anymore (they bullied shops into not importing stuff... It's NEVER been done with the 128 bit consoles, but they did manage to keep it up for a bit of time with the PSX), but then we got the internet, so I don't really care

You have cheaper booze now though (says a fellow Swede)