Here are a few things to keep in mind while searching for your Nintendo Nes System, games, or anything else, on any website!

While searching through thousands of listings on ebay, amazon, godzilla, overstock or any other website for Nintendo entertainment systems and games, the most common word used and misused within the listings is "rare". Webster's dictionary defines "rare" as "Seldom met with". It's quite obvious that with listings exceeding the thousand mark, daily, these systems and games hardly meet the definition of "rare". This word should raise a red flag in the minds of the potential buyer right away. It has become a word of deception rather than description. Beware of the word "rare" unless it truly fits the item of which you are searching. This holds true on ANY item and not just the Nintendo NES Systems or Games.

While there is nothing wrong with the words "as is", it is totaly dependent upon how these two little words are used whether or not they also should raise a red flag in your mind. It is amazing as to how these two words are used in conjunction with phrases such as "Excellent Condition", "Works Great", and "Like New", among others. Well, if the item is in excellent condition or like new, why is it being sold "as is"? Could it be because we tend to get ideas from TV advertising ads and attempt to put "catchy phrases" within our listings to get ones attention but at the same time, put the words "as is" somewhere in there to cover ourselves when and if a complaint arises! Again, the use of words for deception rather than description. Buyer Beware!!

Shipping charges!! I have sold and shipped many, many items such as Nintendo NES Systems, Games, Lanterns, fishing reels, clothes, coins, and even expensive antiques. My pet peeve is excessive shipping charges. For example, and the one I am most familiar with, is the cost of shipping a complete Nintendo NES System with, lets say 10 games, to various destinations. I live on the east coast and have shipped packages to the west coast many times at an average of $14 to $16, parcel post. Of course Priority Mail would be at a much higher rate. It just make me cringe to see people charging unsuspecting buyers 25, 30, even 50 dollars to ship a package that only weighs 11 pounds. I have seen "several" listings that charge $20 to send one single Nintendo NES Console, which only weighs 4 pounds(including box, packing materials). It doesn't matter if you live around the corner or across the United States. It's $20.00. The actual cost to ship a package like this from the East coast to the West coast is $9.00, parcel post. This makes for a $11 handling fee, which includes a few pieces of tape and a used box. In reality, it is a method of hiding fees under shipping and handling charges to prevent paying ebay their final value fees. More commonly, it is a method of getting more money for their products from the buyer while deceiving the buyer into believing that they have purchased an item at a cheap price. A reasonable handling fee is necessary to offset the cost of tape, packing materials, boxes(if new), and even some fees incurred during shipping. It does cost the seller money to ship packages, above and beyond the shipping fees charged by USPS, UPS, Fed-EX or whatever service they use. So in fairness, the seller should be able to charge a "reasonable" handling fee. This in no way should a method of ripping off the buyers or hiding fees to do what I call "cheating the system". A buyer should do some research to obtain an approximate weight of any item they purchase and then check the shipping costs by going on line with whatever service is offered and simply plugging in the shipping weight and zip codes. If the listed shipping and handling fees are excessive, don't buy it or buy it from someone who has a lower shipping rate.

Most importantly, beware of listings in which the seller requests you contact them after the auction has ended for your shipping charges. You will most definately get stuck with very, very high shipping charges that you are bound by contract to pay when bidding on an item. Buyer Beware!

"Stock photographs" of an item. I hate, hate, hate this option. It is just a means of "some", not all,  people hiding the true condition or description of an item for sale. The first photograph of an item is "FREE" so why not use that option. With all the cheap cameras, cell phones with a camera, and scanners on the market today, it is not expensive to purchase one of these items and put photographs of the real item in a listing. Many listings describe the Nintendo System as being in excellent, great working condition, yet only shows a "stock" photo. RED FLAG time!! I see many stock photos of a NES System, yet when I click on that item, I see what is a FamCom system. Two completely different systems that will not play the same games. Buyer Beware!!! If you can't see the real item for sale, PASS IT UP!!

Finally, ask questions. If a seller says the NES system has a "new" 72 pin connector installed, ask them if it is new from the factory or if it is a "reconditioned" pin connector. Just because it says "a new 72 pin connector installed", doesn't mean that they haven't installed a "new reconditioned " 72 pin connector.

Beware of phrases like "it was stored in my building for 10 years and worked perfect the last time I used it". Ask the questions: Was it used 10 years ago? Does it work "now"? Does it play games now? 

Just because something worked years and years ago, doesn't mean it will work now. You will usually see the two little words along with this type of phrase, "AS IS". Buyer Beware!!

There is nothing wrong with a person being honest in their listing. If a person says, openly, that they bought it at a yard sale or auction or where ever, and repaired the system and guarantees the system, you can bet that you will get your money's worth and a pretty good system. Or if they tell you up front that it may or may not work and is sold "as is", then you can bet the person is honest with you. Still, ASK QUESTIONS!! That is what the "contact seller" button was designed for. If they don't contact you back with answers to your questions, DONT' BUY IT!!