The Brutal Reality of Owning a Video Game Store
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- čas přidán 20. 01. 2024
- Thanks a bunch to Mark for having us out, check out his store if you're in the Fort Myers area!
To sell us your video games for top-of-market prices download our app OneUp here:
one-up.app
To sell me your collection email:
deals@shopphoenixresale.com
Want to buy stuff you see me pick up in videos? Follow my live auctions on Whatnot!
www.whatnot.com/invite/phoeni...
Check out my second channel: Renix Pesale!
/ @renixpesale
Other places to hit me up:
Tik Tok | @phoenixresale
Instagram | @phoenixresale
PO Box | PO Box 2124, Lexington KY 40588
#videogames #retrogames #collector - Zábava
This guy is everything Phoenix resale wishes to be but can’t be because of greed.
Don’t forget my bad reputation too
qrd?
@@PhoenixResale does he got ps vIta or steam decks n also for vr I recomend the pIco 4 n ps5 headsets
They make CZcams videos about you where the thumbnails have you crying and they call you names *shudder*@@PhoenixResale
You're right. He seems like a super mellow cool dude. I wish him the best as well.
I hope that owner 10X his sales this year! So glad he shared his experience
all of us can learn from his ethics
Let’s hope it’s 30x times he the shit
He will if he focuses equally on Gunpla, the junkies don't stop. 😂
I hope he does well too but dedicated game stores is a dying business model.
wuz good didnt expect to find you here lol
I like the clean look of the store and how it’s not filled with a bunch of worthless toys.
gamestop *cough cough*
Wouldn't be so bad if it was quality stuff, but they sell alot of junk
Damn it I was gonna say that😂😂@@kasrakh86
@overused6632 gamestop is a game store, not a toy store. Same with this guy's business. I haven't shopped at a gamestop (as a previous regular customer) in like 4 years because they turned over half the store into stupid toys and "collectibles". I love dedicated game stores like this guy has.
Thinking collectibles are stupid but video games aren't is at least a little silly.
Please don't neglect your family in order to retire by 50. My dad worked like this during my childhood. He wasn't there to notice and give me the unvoiced help I needed, my parents divorced over it when I was in college and my youngest sibling was in high school, during my childhood, and he has regretted it to this day. Growing up I would have happily moved to another house, not had cool things, not had my own car, and taken on more college debt myself if that's what it took. I'm no business guy, but maybe take a pay cut, release some business control, and hire a good high school or college kid to help out if that's what it takes. A business major might even love learning about and improving a real world business. Either way, these years are the years to be present.
So much this. I'd rather make less money than ever go back to working a full time office job with a commute. Did it for a few years when my kid was born because I had to make bills, but there were stretches of days I didn't even see her awake. Couldn't pay me enough to go back to that...
At the beginning of the video he said gross sales were 1/4 mil and net profit was 75k and thats prob before taxes. Give this guy a break hes doing what he can ....75k a year is literally BS money
...also rerire by 50? He never said he was trying to do that. Hes OBVIOUSLY already over 50y. Hes barely making money. Hes just tryng to make it. You must be a kid.
@@ToddBacon30:37
"Games you play, nostalgia you live" Wise words...
the guy has the right mindset for business, I wish him the best
Agreed
Exactly what I was going to say,,, very well putt.
100% this guy gets it! Wish him nothing but success for him and his business
I just hope he doesn't one day regret missing out on his kids early years. You can never get those back.
The Cains vs. The Abels
This guy is 100% on the dot for the flea market experience. Back in the early 2000s I was so excited to spot any hidden game gems for cheap. Nowadays, every booth is practically the same and are all selling for retail price.
Na they're selling at max+ bid price at the last 5 seconds price
This is the problem with the Internet, everybody has all the same information and you can only get a good deal if the seller is desperate or died.
Yeah whenever I see a game I care about it tends to sell more now used with no box and manual than it cost new back then
The problem is that there are multiple youtube channels bragging about getting these awesome deals. They then turn it over a week later, earning a profit. I don't blame flea market owners. Why let someone else keep that profit and then rub your face in it on a CZcams video?
amazon changed it, its a tapped market. @@googiegress7459
Game stores in the 89s/ 90s were the place to hang out at the weekends, to see and play, the latest and upcoming games.
This guy clearly knows his stuff and is the best combination of a shrewd businessman and genuine customer service advocate. Wish him and his business the best.
"My home business nearly ended my marriage. This is my Nintendo 64 section." Beautiful transition 😩👌 (~3:30)
Cognitive dissonance high among gamers. Reduces threshold for suspension of disbelief increasing enjoyment of video games, its like edging before masterbation an art also perfected by many a gamer😂
@@RPcropland Oh okay
LOL! C’mon man gimme a break, did you come for the N64 section or marriage advice? -the guy
@@RPcroplandtouch grass
New hero. ESPECIALLY for the customer service part. No one who loves games , video or card or whatever, at least everyone i know, all of us feel like theres NO POINT trying to go reSELL your games or cards, cause places, stores around here fucking SUCK. but THIS guy looks like he will give you an HONEST chance, and tried to have someone COME BACK, by giving them a FAIR deal, rather than SCREWING people over to hopefully make money by cheating someone out of something worth something.
“It’s summer outside, it’s beautiful, school outs , you don’t have responsibilities, don’t have bills , moms making dinner “……. Bro I felt that to the CORE .💔
but you have 3 mountains of essay homework
Same bro, same 🥲
11:02 (for timestamp) - completely agree. It’s alright that those times have passed, but they’re not gone. They’re still in our minds and hearts
me in the windwaker days
Cringe
Shoe store owner here. Very similar business model, and very similar experience to this guy. Really refreshing to see a business owner that is honest and tells it like it is. Best of luck to you both!
This guys level of customer service and emphasis on customer service is the reason I stick to one game shop in my area. The store manager is the primary reason that I always hit up his shop and only order things from his shop! I wish this store owner nothing but the best!
The genuine customer service shines with this guy. Way too many grumpy small store owners with a "get out of here" attitude that go belly up and wonder why they failed.
Lol the Comicbook Guy from the Simpsons types.
YES. like I get its tough being small business owner and having to compete with big business
but if you can't compete in experience, why ppl want to shop at your place (and dont give me help local business/ economy stuff
Yeah. I hate those types of owners. They don’t know the basics of client relations
Theyre so ancy about their collectibles.
My local mall the dude who owns it eyes you like youre gonna steal it or worse break em
Sadly we got a store like this guys who had comics collectibles they had gatherings for starcraft LoL fps yugioh magic gathering DnD etc. Games and get togethers.
Then....covid made it flop sadly. Even some of the stuff was legit low cost
Yeah it always cracked me up when my boss/owner of the business would complain about how bad business was or how difficult it was to compete when they had TERRIBLE service and did nothing to compete. It's like I want to agree with you but honestly I can't, I wouldn't recommend anyone shop here.
I am blown away by how emotionally vulnerable and how real he can get for an interview. What a passionate dude, wish him all the success in the world
I can tell that vulnerability is what gained him a loyal following. He's real and he tries to be on the same page with you and do right by you. Mans got a good heart and passion.
I have to compliment Mark, his store is very clean, all his games seem to have intact packaging and labels, it really does feel like you look to sell quality pieces over just accepting and selling games that end up as shelf fillers XD good job! I hope business goes well for you! If I ever headed your direction, would LOVE to visit
He must get filler, what does he do just donate it? My guess is he uses game cases for recasing good games and just blows out the fluff. It is impossible to avoid unless you are a cherry picker and pull all the good stuff out of deals you see (like FB Marketplace stuff),
Imagine missing your kids childhood for $75k a year. You can get a corporate job, work 9-5, and make more than that. It's not worth it man.
If 75k/yr jobs were plentiful, you wouldn't have people fighting for scraps. Customer service is likely all the guy knows and wants. Working a corporate job myself (that I wish was 75k lmao), it's soul crushing without the gratification.
I wish every video game seller is like him. He truly cares for his customers.
He cares about money.
@@RealHomeRecording no shit
@@RealHomeRecordingdo you work for free?
Work for free vibes in this section
yes but the owner isnt the employees. he undoubtedly has some jerkoff employees who dont care about the customers, thats a sure thing.
This guy deserves to make it. I hope the community continues to support him.
why, what did he do? buy games for cheap and resell for more? what a noble cause! lol, yet another kick in the face of gamers
@@arksin11 Did you not watch the video? He sells for cheaper than most stores. Physical stores increase the availability of retro games. Most people would not bother peddling their collections online, as shipping is a hassle. It's much easier to put them all in a box, bring them to some guy, and he just takes them all.
@@arksin11 You're not very smart
He needs to not work so much and ordering take out
@@arksin11 Do you even know what business even means. I guess you are too young to know it. I mean these days youtube is filled with kids anyway.
It's a brutal business. Horrible hours. Slim margins. Extremely price sensitive customers. High rent.
$75k? You can make that answering IT support calls in your pajamas at home. It's a brutal amount of work for a very blah paycheck. He's not exactly a radiologist or a periodontist printing money. He's got a price sensitive clientele hemming and hawing over a $20 game cart from 1997. You're chained in that store like a dungeon, you leave to take lunch... you're not making a dime while other people want to shop there on their lunch.
Cheaper way to run this low-margin business is from your basement with a $25/month UPS store PO Box for mailing address and returns. No retail rent, no long hours, tax deductible home business, much less overhead. You're home, you'll see the little one take her first steps, you don't gotta do much on Sunday, just ship on Monday.
I agree with you. If he has three bad months in a row he is toast. I wonder if he has adequate health insurance and retirement in place. I don't think it's worth it unless he was single with no kids and could dedicate 70+ hours a week without being missed at home.
Yep, so many people think having a store is the end goal when really, he'd be way more profitable selling online via eBay/marketplace/OfferUp. Plus, you can actually have days off.
I think it's insightful when you talk about the way video games help us recapture the feeling of being safe, in our mom's basement, playing Nintendo. When I look at my life, I always play video games more when I need relief from feeling overwhelmed with adulting.
Having done business a few times (buying and selling) with Mark, he really is a stand up dude. No nonsense, quick, responsive, kind. Great dude. Love to see this.
Does he have a website? Didn’t see info for his store in the description
Does he have a website or Instagram?
This stupid channel doesn't link to his website or business. How do we find him?
@slurpwis Google dynamo collectables that's the name of the store, I don't think he has a website but he has a Facebook
We need contact information, and if the store hosts tournament play or not.
I’m a frequent at his store, he’s a super cool guy. Fair prices and negotiable. I’m rooting for him and his business.
Where is his store located?
@@channelfour6098 It's called Dynamo Collectibles, and it's in Fort Myers, Florida.
@@channelfour6098At the end of the video they say Fort Myers (FL?)
He’s located in Fort Myers, Florida
@@SP_Souryeah that doesn’t answer the question there’s a bunch there
i feel like there are some hidden gems in this interview that not only create the narrative but makes such an amazing interview. really good business information in this nice field. great content, thank you.
He just gave a master class of Retrogame Marketing. He actually created the need for people to buy games to satisfy their nostalgia and escapism.
He 'created' nothing tho?
There is no escapism.
@@KarlTheExpert he created a market space. if you love burgers and there are no burgers chains in your town the man who creates the space creates the supply. "he didnt make the videogames hes selling so he didnt make anything" is the
understanding of a literal child
@@satsu3098 the original comment said "he created THE NEED" Which is not true. There was a need and he created the solution to it.
@@satsu3098weirdo
I'm NOT a gamer, and I legit want to visit this store just to look at the vintage games! The presentation here is EVERYTHING
noob
I agree!
hellyea id love to visit his store too im just a guy who loves games and its hard as shit to find old games even handheld consoles like the ds systems that are hard to find in good condition
Antique stores that cares about their product and what they're selling got so much history and love to them it's hard not to be interested to take a look even if it's not your thing in general.
Bless this store owner, this is very heart warming towards the end of the video.
Sometime instagram and youtube makes it seem like business and reselling is easy. I really appreciate you and others being transparent in the process. It shows how much passion drives us
His store is an OCD dream. I love how everything in your store is lined up perfectly and you utilize your space perfectly. Definitely the cleanest and professional looking store I’ve seen. Wishing you tons of success.
Wood floors yellow walls and the lighting make me not like it for some reason . None the less hope his business goes well
i love yellow walls! @@SleepyCardinal-yx2lk
@@SleepyCardinal-yx2lkagreed, it's horrible. He's a nice guy though.
@@SleepyCardinal-yx2lkYeah he isn’t gonna tear down everything to redo walls, floors, and lighting that would take ages.
@@SeudXe didn’t expect him to
This guy embodies the spirit of what so many people wish they had, he’s captured that lightning in a bottle!
I wish him the best of luck with that retirement by 50 🙏
He exploited people desperate from covid unemployment. Unreal.
@@datacipher He exploited them how?
@@datacipher How mad do you have to be that you copy-paste the same hateful reply under multiple comments?
He won't be able to, with our current economy and the rate at which the prices are increasing for just general goods, he will be lucky to retire before he dies.
@@whitecloud2002 Given the fact that big retail stores are no longer selling physical media I imagine it would mean more business for him. Also the fact that there are allot of gamers who want to buy physical media vs. going all digital. Let's also not forget that there were people during Covid willing to buy a PS5 for 1k$ therefore at the very least we know there are some die hard gamers willing to pay no matter the price or economy thus I do not believe his job will be going anywhere anytime soon.
This is honestly one of the coolest interviews I've seen in a long time. Mark is truly a remarkable business owner.
The "cultivating a community" piece is such a brilliant strategy. Really digging this guy. All the best from Canada!
Modern yard sale experience is buying stuff for $20 that originally sold at retail for $22. Not really a deal anymore...
It sucks. When I was a kid my mom and I would go to yard sales all the time. We always got deals not it's just not even worth it
What game ever sold for 22 that wasn't bargin bin? A lot of NES games cost as much as current games do when they were released.
Yeah I'm not paying 30 dollars for ANY GameCube game
@@kitten-whisperer back in 86 i was in america we had all my toys from yardsales and yes i twas yard sale cheap
Nobody wants to admit that the old school 'peer to peer' market experience was a competition of knowledge and a grift economy at the end of the day. Now that you can research nationwide prices and find the 'meta' in like 5 seconds with your portable connection to almost all data of humankind... it just won't be like that anymore. This guy hosting local swapmeets and still profiting even amongst a bunch of commerce he isn't DIRECTLY related to is absolutely GENIUS. Because that really IS how you get that 'yard sale' vibe. It's not a 'walk up' deal any more, it's something that has to be created with events and communal vibes.
The best thing about selling by velocity and not maximum profit is that it keeps the retro gaming culture accessible and alive.
Boom! It should always remain accessible. That's why I fkn hate these kind of stores. They're selling Dreamcasts for 250$. Like wtf?
Lol its a waste of money. Why buy all these overpriced retro games when you can just download off the internet for free and play them with an emulator
jajaj you are missing the point its about nostalgia and owning phyisical things, some people like to touch smell stuff. Its not for everybody but its just basically the reason why most people collect stuff. @@anthonyfaucy2761
Love this video. Super interesting to learn what it takes to own a business. This guy is living his dream. Earning a living from what he loves.
@@draguOdoT 1) These are multibillion dollor corporations who want everyone to everything back to them instead.
2) This is a good point but even then its just pointless as emulation has got to a point where its very good quality. Extra hardware is just clutter.
3) If anyone has enough intelligence to create a google account they have enough to figure out how to use emulators. Everyone has access to youtube and all they need to do is follow a video step by step. Its not rocket science.
4) Physical software and hardware is literal junk. Its plastic crap that is worthless.
5) Going to a store to buy a videogame is very outdated concept. With access to internet being so readily available why would anyone prefer the hassle?
These videos are so freaking amazing. People speaking openly about business is a good thing. Loved this guy and this interview! Rooting for you
Been a follower of Mark’s for years. Great dude and have watched this thing grow to what it is. I hope he keeps this thing going forever. Much love ❤
He said what he does different in his story is customer service. This is by FAR the biggest thing when it comes to these games stores.
I can't tell you how many of these indie stores I've been in where the prices are sky high and the employees are indifferent. You can ALWAYS tell the good ones when the person behind the counter will not only know the products, but geek out about the hardware side of things and specifics. Wonderful business this guy has AND the right attitude.
So true. Online sellers will be more convenient and have more options, being friendly to your customers and having better prices is about the only way to compete.
there nerds, u expect them to have social skills
You say "nerds" but I've been into plenty of non-nerd niche shops that lacked customer service. Most people aren't suited for running a brick and mortar business and that's why they fail. This guy gets it.
Hi rush, You still doing watch parties?
@@WiiFitGOTY A physical store cannot and should not compete on price with online sellers. Ever. They should compete on customer service above all else, which one store I know does well. They also have a system where if you trade in a game for another, the trade in value is 25-30% or more above what they will give you in cash. You don't even have to trade in right away, but they'll give you store credit if you prefer. So, they have a lot of good retro inventory because people trade in retro stuff they get a good deal on to buy new stuff, or newer gen 2nd hand stuff.
They do have an online store, but IMO the physical store is an experience in itself, tons of old console displays etc where you can play old legendary games on the original hardware, and should you want to, you can buy it. Not 100% is for sale, but very close to everything is, but not necessarily cheap. All retro games and consoles are tested and sold with a warranty, provided you're not me who takes a discount and handshake deal over warranty lol. I've done all sorts of unorthodox deals with them but I'm more of a "free agent" than a straight up customer, I'll find games or consoles for them at times, sometimes help get rid of something they have too much of, but they will keep aside specific things for me if they come in. They get sold to me without ever being listed as inventory.
Sacrificing time with your children is not worth it. They won’t be kids forever and when you are 50 they won’t be as interested in dad that was absent all through childhood. Speaking as a father you will regret that.
Husband and father of 2, at that point in his story I felt the same. 75k is good, but these days a lot of people are making that without such a sacrifice. He won't get that time back and I feel the damage to his marriage is worse than he realizes or let's on.
Yeah I'm 41 and my oldest started college recently and never calls me.
Evolve your children in the business and they will spend time there to help expand the awesome business this man is building for himself, the family, and the community
@@skittlesco2001 That's the dream, I'm not knocking him-but that's a lot of years of childhood missed while hoping for the opportunity to pass the business on or employ them. I'd like to do similar but it's definitely a sacrifice, that's for sure.
This man is single handedly going to revive the dying retail video game industry. :) well, maybe not because that's probably impossible but God bless him in his effort and I hope his store continues to thrive! He's everything I'd want to see and experience walking into a store and I only wish he was close to me here in Utah I'd be a very frequent to his store.
THIS guy is giving a masterclass on business! When you treat the customer fairly, you won’t have to worry about money. He’ll have customers for life because of satisfied customers & word of mouth. Character & morals are the pinnacle of business.
him and the tech guy i follow, its not about what the business is, its about treating customers right in a market where people want something without worrying about being tricked or scammed online
Also the philosophy of mantaining velocity over maximum profit margin. There's a lot of people who've been burned in the "crash" because they bought at peak or bought early but just kept sitting on it until it was too late. It sounds like his philosophy of "buy it, mark it up a bit, flip it, lock in profit" and not holding on for maximum margin has done him well.
@@milhousevanhoutan9235 getting people what they want for a fair price is a service, and will always be in demand. squeezing out every last margin of profit is doable, but, is much more risky.
Yeah this plus having a good customer base is how you keep regular business. One of my favorite stores had nothing but druggie burnouts there every day so I got sick of dealing with them and eventually quit going because his store had nothing to offer me anymore.
"It hurts" I saw the slight knot in the throat and him holding them tears back. Mans deserves all the success and I hope he gets it!
Money ain’t worth it
@@kingcatx2 I agree but we are all in different situations. I had the luck to find a job that gave me better pay and work life balance but not everybody gets that. However, would I love to own a video game store too probably yeah. It looks like he followed a passion and he's trying to make the best of it. Not everybody will like it or agree with it.
@@kingcatx2 Disagree, money CAN be worth it if you're setting up future generations. But for 75k a year? Definitely not worth it.
@SpartanArmy117 money is not worth it if it means sacrificing your relationship with your wife and kids. My father worked as much as this guy and I barely even knew him. He taught me one thing, though, that I will never do that to my kids.I spend almost every free moment I have with them.
@@SpartanArmy117 agreed hopefully his sells pick up!
What a great and candid conversation. I feel like I rarely see true to life insights into these kinds of businesses. Great stuff!
One of the best videos on how to grow your business imo! Absolutely love this video I have so much notes taken from this one video on how to grow my resell business! Thanks for the upload!
This guy's really on to something. He undercuts the Ebay price to turn over product quickly. In doing it like this, he creates a motivation for the consumer to visit a physical store in pursuit of a better deal than price-gouging speculators, keeps retro gaming accessible to regular people, fostering a community of repeat customers, and he cuts down on the time he has his product in storage, which is a huge concern for businesses at scale. He also profits off of speculators, in the event they buy his product in an effort to sell it for more down the line, which only works in the speculator's favor if they have the money to pay for storing those games for months, if not years, just to make a middling profit. Speculators usually don't even consider those things in the first place. He does so many things with a single move, this guy is a genius.
Having sold a fair few different gaming things on eBay, you kinda just have to price high on there because of the stupid fees you pay. It's a PITA.
He is able to afford to do this because it seems like he doesn't have any employees. The man is a workhorse but he's able to be that because he doesn't consider what he's doing work, it's his passion. The man is truly living the dream.
"He undercuts the Ebay price to turn over product quickly."
This is actually standard practice for most video game stores.
not anywhere around me@@MK_ULTRA420
But is he under cutting ebay? This video quickly showed Super Smash Bros. Melee Player's Choice for $75. I checked ebay and it goes for typically $50-$60, with many CIB going for under $55 after shipping.
I hate to say this, but this is a genuinely good video. Normally I hate your "get the money" based videos, they lack passion for the collecting hobby, but you did a great job interviewing someone who actually gives a shit about the community and gaming.
100% spot on about the customer service. Look, if I don't want customer service I'll use Amazon. Ebay. Facebook Marketplace. Sales associates exist for a reason. They are there to help. They're there to recommend, to find something that you'll enjoy to fit your budget. Not just recommend a game they're PAID to recommend.
This is a great dude. Have bought multiple things from him the last yr. Always welcoming.
This is why we need to support small businesses!!! Need to drop by the shop when I'm in the area!
Can vouche that his customer service is off the charts. I've sold/bought from Mark numerous times.
How old is this video made ?
Is his authentic pokemon games from gba>ds good pricing??? Or over 200$ like every other video game store i see
Lies
@@FatalShotGGof P
@@Dialogos1989 Lol
The transparency in this video is absurd. 10/10. Insightful and helpful.
I’ve been enjoying my side of this hobby because it’s all about heart. Getting people connected with things that move them is a borderline spiritual feeling.
Thanks for sharing this video! Best wishes to the guy & his video game sales! This was very interesting and it gave a detailed insight into the business of video game shops.
God Bless this guy - he left a 20 year job he didn’t seem to enjoy and decided to go with his passion and make a business out of it and sounds like he puts customers first - he is brave, passionate and deserves all the success that comes his way
The fact that he is holding a Squirtle plushie during the entire sit down part of the interview makes him cool as hell and makes me want to go to his store and buy stuff.
this dude markets
F squirtle a real og would be holding charmander
@@alexraj9436 squirtle destroys your charmander, and that is an argument you simply cannot dispute.
@@terraversalvoid5391 funny charizard consistently beats blastoise both in the game and cartoon despite blastass having an advantage
@alexraj9436 F charalamander. The cameraman needs a hug. Actual physical contact for once.
He has to record everything since time immemorial from metor showers to people on a cross and even a crying a charalazard in the rain.
Unable to do anything but record.
Dude makes $75k+ & u can tell he absolutely loves what he’s doing & that’s invaluable 👏👏👏🙌
Honestly not that much considering the amount of work he puts in as owner and primary operator. $75k is good but I guarantee he wishes he was making more for the amount of time and effort he puts in
@@baloo1522 That's to be expected, that's why he wants to expand the business more. More marketing, more connection, etc...
@@baloo1522 I'm busting my ass making 40-50 every year I would love to do what he does.
100% its NOT all about the Monetary value! being a resellers NO matter what it is and no matter how you do it either online, flea markets , shows , owning a store or even having weekly yard sales You have to love it like 100% all of it no matter if its a grind or not because if you don't it can eat you REAL quick take it from someone that has done full time reselling for the last 25 years both online and off line multiple avenues (eBay, amazon, mercari, poshmark, offline via FB marketplace, Craigslist, flea markets and shows) one thing i have not tried and i commend those that do is doing the retail shop thing its HUGELY expensive to do that and most business that try fail in 3 years like Mark stated many do not treat the business as a business and close shop within a year hopefully Mark has made it this long he can hold off and make it a long long time.
@@baloo1522 thing is he states it is work (don't let any one fool you) but he LOVES what he does (and all the benefits you get from being your own boss and owning/running your business it outweighs working a 9-5 minimum wage job answering to someone else and helping someone else or another company get richer) and after 25 years of full time reselling both online and off line many different platforms and venues (off line) I'm a VERY VERY firm believer in the saying "if you love what you do then you will never have worked a day in your life" so if you go to a 9-5 and DREAD getting up in the morning doing that JOB your going to look back on your life and hate it but if you LOVE YOUR JOB and what you do then you will never feel like you worked a day in your life you will look back at your life with NO regrets
I wish this guy much, MUCH, prosperity in the world for his passion on videogames. This guy is someone I could never be.
This is informative and Inspiring. What a good deal, it's nice to have that customer service. His background as being a server and clear love for the games he sells is awesome.
one of the reasons I stopped going into a lot of the gamestores I saw was because almost every time you walk in, nobody says hi, you try to strike up a conversation, and they dont listen, or care.
Much like Mark, I spent 10 years doing restaurant work and I learned something, and always said to new workers that I had to train, you don't treat people like walking wallets, you make em feel welcome, you don't know if people are having a bad day, lost someone close, lost their job, its our job to make them feel welcome, because they will remember that, they will come back, and they will take care of you as you took care of them. Its how you build clientele.
Me and my friends worked at a gamestore that sadly closed 11 years ago but we always had a blast, yeah it was tough, but those memories of hanging out, talking to new people coming in, helping families find the right games, throwing smash bros tournaments, that was everything.
If your kind to people, have good prices, and treat them well, they will come back and be loyal to you. I honestly wish more game stores were like Mark's instead of ones that are just filled with grumpy 40-50 year olds who just clearly want your money.
That sucks cuz tbh i hate and low key get annoyed when employees talk to me.Needy customers like yall are annoying.If they have the game buy it.Why do you need to be catered and talked to soo much??Sheesh
@@fabmelo4195 With you on this. I'm Dutch that was forced to be in America, and honestly prefer they """non-existent""" customer service. I also work in customer service, so I know full well how fake the "kindness" they show is, because they will not remember me 3 seconds after I walk out. I'm still a walking wallet to them, they just think, or have been trained, to beleive kindness will make me open it up wider. It's actual emotional manipulation by definition and I don't like it.
Now I actually come seeking assistance or have questions about the product and just get ignored, that's entirely different.
Yeah well when there's 15 people a day that try to stand there and talk to you about Xbox 360 games, it gets old.
It's a business, and there's a limit to bullshitting. I knew people that lived at GameStop and never bought anything. That's a fucking problem.
@@DriftKingfromTekken3 sounds like a problem for you. All you have to do is be nice but. It give that much attention and they go away. Always worked for us when people like that came in.
It's not your job to make people feel welcome. Treating people normally isn't a "job," it's just what you do because you're a person.
It's your job to give them food.
Mark hit on something that I think many hobby oriented retail stores forget: customer service and experience for the customer. It's not just video game stores - ANY hobby in which you want to create a store/club, there is a terrible tendency to create the attitude of "well this is my community, so I'll do what I want" rather than "what does the customer want? what will bring that new person back time after time while also maintaining the first customer when I open?" I see this most prevalently in traditional game stores (D&D, Magic, Board Games, Miniature games) where the owners treat their store more like a hang out, something where "this is going to be a place to hang out for my friends!" and less in the mind frame of "my job is to make a good experience for anyone who walks through the door." I wish Mark a ton of success, he has the right mind set and I believe he will do incredible.
The best thing about stores like this and guys like this is that it’s not a pre recorded , it’s not a script like it is these days at a game store like a GameStop. I feel like guys that take there business serious and know there product can make genuine recommendations to someone that’s casually looking for a retro experience or even new gen gaming. I feel like it’s better to get to know your customers and have a base but also grow with new customers and build a relationship. Best of luck with the store. I absolutely love this
Great questions, first time viewer here and I love that you captured the both the story and spirit of the owner and the store. Subbed!
As someone who owned and ran a comic and collectibles business for close to a decade, I love to see the passion. People have it or they don’t. Just remember there is more to life than the store. I have fond memories of my store but I still regret some of the sacrifices I chose to make. Work/life balance is important no matter the business if your goal is longevity. I wish you the best. 🥰
Work at fed ex and talk to me about work life balance lol.
@@alexander2685bro is trying to have a pissing contest online 😭
Are you gatekeeping work/life balance?
No, haha just passing on some wisdom before my time is done.@@ian8956
The authenticity in how he talks about his family, their needs, sacrifices, and everything he put into his business shows in his eyes. They're a lucky and a blessed bunch to have him making those sacrifices. Sounds like he's one hell of a friend to have as well. Stay the f*cking course, Mark!
How is it "lucky" to have Dad working when you hit your first homerun? Or Dad was working when you learned how to ride a bike? Kids remember a LOT of stuff.. they remember even more when you "weren't there"..
He seems like a go-getter and solid dude/family man, but the amount of time someone is putting in and the sacrifices that are being made arent always "worth" it in the long run.
@@KrowDD214 It really is a double-edged sword, for sure. You bring up good points, but he's bringing in a solid income for his family. Probably mountains more than his serving job. Kids might not be able to understand why dad isn't there in the moment, but down the road they'll more than likely understand the sacrifices and hardship dad had to face to provide for his family. All while working against the grain to build something and prosper. If that isn't one hell of a role-model, I don't know what is. Being there when learning to ride a bike is trivial... Being there to provide and make sure food is on the table and needs are being met is incomparable.
Sacrifice is never a win-win for anyone. That's why it's called "sacrifice," and why when done tactfully and selflessly, earns my respect.
Thank you! Great video! I'm in a totally different industry, and... it's inspiring.
(plus, the joy of nostalgia... he totally gets it)
I agree with his customer first mentality. I also enjoy his outlook on competing not being a competition and more of a cooperative opportunity
I cannot tell you how happy I am to see this video. As someone who spends a lot of time shopping, and spent a lot of money here I can really tell you that Mark is very sincere, honest, great and just pure awesome guy. I drive well over an hour just to come to the store, roughly a couple times a months always because of Mark, and when he says his prices are low, they are very low, and honestly some of the best in the business. I started shopping here from the first couple days he opened, and to see him grow and most recently move into the bigger store he is in now is just amazing, This guy deserves it.
He exploited people desperate from covid unemployment. Unreal.
I guess he didn’t exploit too much if his profit margins are supposedly so low. Him not buying their stuff during Covid would have helped those desperate people? Them not getting money or getting less money from someone else is good?
@@alainbelanger9852 it's possible, though I strongly suspect he made good money off those initial exploitation profits (so much so that he mentions is here in his own puff piece) but it is NOW that he faces a squeeze. He is the one that admitted it himself. Has he got thin margins now, that were equally thin in the desperate sellers market?
That is assuming we take him at his word - a dubious assumption. It's not as though the poster has a reputation for generosity outside his own echo chamber! :-)
@@datacipher What backwards logic is this? now exploitation is people contacting him to sell their stuff online during a tough time? or actually serving entertainment during a crisis? or what do you think constitutes exploitation?
@@datacipher If thats how you choose to see it, thats up to you. But thats not how i see it.
We are stuck inside doing fuck all and this guy sell good priced games for me to pass the time while being bored out of my mind. Whats wrong with that?
Every businessman exploits some flaw to succeed, but selling video games is way less detrimental to your health than selling heroin or crack to desperate people during bad times.
I have a similar story to this guy in which I was in the hospitality business for 20 years and excelled at it greatly. And it is 100% true that what most businesses are missing nowadays is true customer service and hospitality. Whenever I would train people I would always tell them that we aren't just serving food and drinks. We're creating an experience for them. We're creating relationships. And that is why they come back. This guy's got everything he needs to be a massive success and I wish him the best of luck!
Customer service isn't for everyone, people assume they can do it easily cause they're sociable but it takes a lot of effort and patience to be kind and courteous towards people screaming at you for something out of your control and threatening your job at you.
You really gotta be a saint to smile and wish someone a good day after they insult you, your family then your entire bloodline then take the next customer in 5 seconds.
I started doing HP/Compaq support in an outsourced call center. I got taken off the phones the first month to work on a starting line project to pad the drastic difference of being an agent vs training. Like my class didn't have that and half of them were gone within a week which was the norm then. I got to rebuild the training syllabus not that they used it but i did which along with a notetaking tool i started writing in training and actually built out into some smart code that linked together their otherwise very disparate tools taking so much manual daily searching workload off me as an agent. Our site went from dead last to #1 after around 120 of my agents hitting the floor. I lied the idea of instead of taking 20 calls myself/day I'll copy my technique train it then like spin up all these virtual me's and take 500x the calls 10k/day done very much at a high level of support like the didn't need the 2nd level agent-help-line any more I had accidentally made myself and all my peers redundant so they reworked it and we became relevant but they always hated me then elitest losers can't stand a DJ would be so much more technically skilled like DUH bro. And the girls only talk to me because i don't hit on them, grow up. I burnt out after ~500 agents alone when it would normally take ~3 of us. I could only get basic agent pay for the first year when I should have been getting a trainers salaried position of double that after the first month. I didn't smoke so never took a single break and usually just ~5 min lunch cuz I got 20 arms up or agent's melting down and I know there's 1 or 2 often women back to work after spending 3 years raising a kid in what seemed like seclusion usually that might be struggling technically (cuz they were NOT nerds) and we hadn't trained them properly like we promised it's NOT their fault but they came in w better support aptitude then you can ever teach someone. If they were there after the 1st week would keep coming in on time, for longer then i did whereas tech nerds get bored after a month and skip out or collect up 5 lates in a year or 1 no call no show. Actually my overall agent loss so unbeatable as to be unfair to compare for whatever reason (instilled passion thru shortform concentrated training + my tool). My rant concludes with the unexpected loss of fulfillment I had after I suddenly learnt of SH, bordering on abuse by a few male supervisors against lower level agents and gave my 2 weeks. HP doesn't outsource there any longer and it moved to another city. :)
love this store! met this guy and shopped at the original location, he deserves all credit and attention. just as nice and approachable as he seems in the video. ended up leaving with a bunch of PS2 games and a great conversation. wanting to visit again very soon but i live in Tampa :(
Best classic game selection I've seen so far in the state of Florida in terms of quality, just needed to add that in there lol.
What a guy. This dude works so hard Im very impressed and inspired. He must be made of some strong stuff. Good luck
Just from the clips going through the store it looks like straight gas, no shovelware games or filler like funko pops, actually just straight quality. It’s always the best feeling to find a shop like that.
I like funkopops….
Dude has a really smart business model and good customer service; respect. Not sinking all of his cost into dead product but instead mostly high movers with sustainable prices. Through him clearly being a passionate nerd and doing market research, he has ruled out a lot of product obsolescence. I hope he gets a lot more traction off of this video.
Stumbled upon your video but thoroughly enjoyed it.
The part where he shares what it's really like to start a business was very interesting to listen to.
Not many channels get into the reality of it like that. Very thought provoking overall.
What a great video man, much appreciated for making this.
I'm paused about 1/4th the way through and I just wanna commend the store owner for having such an amazing GameCube collection and understanding how hard it is to get some of these games. I've been to 10+ game exchanges and visited those stores many times and never have found such an amazing selection. I've been collection GameCube games for 6 years and have never seen a shelf that full of premium titles that I want to buy. Shout out to this guy for selling nostalgia correctly and also giving out great customer service with it and not overcharging everyone
He’s a gem in the gaming community. A lot of resellers overprice these classic games and fuck it up for people. He wants to create memories and give an experience which would almost never fail. As long as he maintains that he will be profitable regardless of anything and I respect that. May God bless him and his journey to last for many generations 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
He exploited people desperate from covid unemployment. Unreal.
wow i really like this guys store and his attitude about everything. wish i could visit his game store even just for a chat. best of luck to him and his business!
I don't know why this video appeared on my recomended but oh boy, I've learned I don't have what it takes to own a business. Props to this guy for making his dream come true!
"Social Media is like a Reddit thread that never stops" - This guy is dropping gems and quotes every other minute. Loved this interview!
People always complain that retro game stores prey on nostalgia. But the thing is that’s exactly what I came for. If a game store charged less for old videogames you bet your ass I would go to only that store and go shopping more frequently. I like this guy
Respect the grind/hustle. Keep at it. You will see the results you are seeking.
Incredible work, sir. Thank you for all the lessons.
Everyone should have an emotional support Squirtle. Thanks for the candid conversation. All the best to Mark and his family.
Yeah we call them babies, they love stuffed animals
Me and my girl gave that to him lol seems he is enjoying it@@Truekingr6
He exploited people desperate from covid unemployment. Unreal.
@@datacipher lol that's not exploit at all. If you want fast money for your stuff you get a huge cut. That's how it works.
@@promero14 “Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
exploitation | BUSINESS ENGLISH
exploitation
noun [ U ]
UK /ˌeksplɔɪˈteɪʃən/ US
Add to word list
the use or development of something for profit or progress in business”
That’s right, he used the desperation of Covid unemployment to take a huge cut. If you want to call it something else you can do so. We at least agree on what he did.
This dude is an inspiration. I've encountered so many resellers, particularly on eBay and amazon, who come across so pretentious and like to overprice everything that it's incredibly off putting. This guy obviously has a passion for what he's selling, knows about what he's selling and is very aware of his competition and wants to serve his customers to the best of his abilities. I hope he thrives.
Its a society problem. So many people have been taught greed. They want to be the next millionaire and have no issue ripping people off to get there. Many people have forgotten real happiness comes not from money but from family and doing things you enjoy.
Incredibly refreshing, I hope he continues to succeed for many years to come!
Congratulations! I love to see people who works with their passion and dare to realize their dream.
His take on selling at the flea markets is spot on. You sell at yard sale price, to make deals. You don’t hear this type of thing on social media. Most people selling at flea markets are selling above pricecharting and eBay. A lot of the sellers at flea markets think because it’s old, I’m gonna sell this for a lot of money. Mark gets it. Good luck to you! Great video!
This guy is above ebay and pricechart as well check out the prices.
This guy has great instincts. I’ve shopped at so many stores like this over the years and they all die out for the same reason. They start increasing the price and holding onto items for longer. They start making more money for a while, but it kills their business. Why? Because people get bored. They always have the same stuff, so visits for the customers become stale. They stop going back. They have more and more trouble moving stuff, and eventually they disappear. This guy sells novelty and he knows it (this isn’t a slight, it’s an important distinction).
Definitely happy to know that people are still into the old school games and it sucks at the same time because the big gaming companies are currently talking to go all digital but people like me love having their physical copies in their rooms but thats just how things go I guess :(
still, it makes me happy this person who seems like a down to earth genuine guy is achieving success.
Back in the day my roomie bought me Chrono Trigger for my birthday. It sat there since I was not interested in playing SNES games ( I was totally into MGS -VR missions at that time). So a year later I had a friend play the game and I watched him play since he was good at games. It was a fun game to watch. I don't remember a single second of it.
This was a great vid!
A surprise seeing you here, btw don't give up on your channel, i still believe you can bring it back
havent seen you in ages old man! hope all is well
@@AsoftDolphinn unfortunately his channel is sort of dying, less views and all...
Crossover comment moment.
I go back to your vids all the time 💯
The customer service piece Mark discussed is EXACTLY right. Video game and comic book shops by and large lack friendliness from staff. When I visit these stores, I'm looking for recommendations, and ask what people are reading/playing. No doubt this is a key to his success.
Wow, he’s doing such a great service to gamers. That’s passion and genuine love for video games and it clearly shines very bright. I wish I could go there in person to shop. Does he have an online store? 👏🏽
I just randomly fell onto this video having recently started a small business this is fascinating
I like that he has the balance between passionate geek and shrewd business person.
Seems like a welcoming environment. I'd be glad to have such a store locally.
My heart goes out to this man. I wish him luck and prosperity in his future endeavors. Keep physical media alive.
I have to give this store owner massive MASSIVE props to one thing I picked up on among the other things he's doing right.
That one thing is that his games are clean. No shitty stickers all over the game cases which means he has likely taken the time to present properly.
Nothing worse than walking into a game store and seeing them try to fetch top shelf pricing with a totally disgusting case.
As a collector it actually pisses me off when I see the lack of care and effort as I would have loved to own a store but realize in this day and age it's a mistake.
Physicals is better than digital .... with the bugs and some companies now blocking people from playing the game THEY BOUGHT we will see more of a shift back to physical copies .
Velocity over margins is something that 90% of industries simply cannot wrap their minds around, and here this guy is figuring it all out by himself. Awesome stuff and really cool store!
You can tell he's super stressed out... He's 37 and looks 57
Never would have assumed he was only 37.
he probably doesn't have the best diet and exercise habits
I'm 33, 😮 I don't look anywhere near that 😨
I'm 38 but he looks 10 years older than me 😂
Guy is only 5 years older than me and I look like a baby compared to him 😂
10:50 is great man, those feelings of life just being perfect at that moment is unexplainable. You're 13, playing call of duty with your friends, no responsibilities, you got a mountain dew, some cheeto puffs, mom just brang home a pizza hut pizza. Just pure bliss in life. And then towards the end of the night your mom drives you to blockbuster to pick out a movie and the store feels massive and amazing with all the new movies. Unexplainable feelings.
I’ve been known mark for a couple years the man is a legend just letting everyone know who’s not from swfl.
Mark is literally the goat outta everyone who’s in this game in lee county he’s the most personable, he’s polite has manners and is always willing to at least work with you
The man is more than a reseller; he’s a good man and a friend