The answer: YES! But you should be on the lookout for special clearance sales.
The local board game store announced they were having a sale on Facebook (this is why you should FB follow the local stores that have interesting items). Selected items were 20% off with an additional 10% off per item purchased up to a max of 50% off.
For my longtime followers, this is the same game store I wrote an article about 8 months ago.
Knowing that they have some expensive board games there as well as cool used games, I decided to check out the sale the other evening.
Here is my haul.
Like a pawn store, they check every used game they buy for missing pieces. Basically, they won't buy it if it is missing something. But if they do (usually something very minor), they mark it on the price tag.
So I don't have to worry about counting everything.
Some highlights of the haul are the 1844/1854 games. One is new and one used.
The Avalon Hill Kremlin game.
Also, Empire Builder is a pretty good flip.
Plus, some of these games look very interesting to play. So I don't mind if I get a chance to play them before they sell.
Anyways, this is a strategy that I don't see used often in the reselling community. It is retail arbitrage, but not from big box stores. Specialty stores like a board game store have a popular product that benefits greatly from online listings to expand the potential market.
Good items to look for are games that people like but are no longer made. Many of these games I bought are out of stock on Amazon and other board game sites. The rarity increases the price you can sell them for.
Avalon Hill is a brand to be on the lookout for as they have been around forever. Their old stuff can go for a nice stack of cash.
