VHS cassettes

Over the last two or three days, I managed to accumulate between 90 and 100 old VHS tapes from yard sales and Craigslist ads for free. Knowing that it would be a pain trying to sell them one or two at a time (and nearly impossible), I just posted my own ad advertising them all for just 5 bucks. I got several responses, and within a few hours, I sold them all to an elderly gentleman who lived way out in the country and bought them because he didn't have access to cable TV. Now, my bottom line was met; I made a profit on them which covered all of the money I spent on other items at the yard sale from which I got the majority of the tapes. However, due to the quick response, I wonder if I could get maybe 10, 20, maybe 30 dollars for the next batch of 100 tapes that I come across. Other people in my area sell tapes on Craigslist for 2-3 bucks apiece, or 40-50 bucks for a large box of them. I see the same ads over and over again, so I seriously doubt these people are selling many of them. What price do y'all think would be a happy medium for selling these things?

i have about 400 DVDs, each having 1, 2, or 3 movies, so, I figure around 800 movies. I considered posting just such an ad on these, maybe 50 at a time. There is only one hangup, they were all recorded off cable television, leading to copyright infringement if I sell them.
I recorded them in prep for moving to OK from TN about 6 years ago, realizing TV reception here was minimal. I got cable installed there just for this purpose, and wore out two DVD recorders before I moved, keeping them recording movie after movie(nothing past an R rating) sometimes day and night. 800 movies seems like a lot, but watch one or two a night for a couple years and they start to get old

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

is gas free.....How much did it cost to gather all these tapes.......$5 how is that even worth your time
For 100 tapes $25 would be fair that's only .25 cents per tape

You do make a very good point and next time I sell some, I'll offer that as a base price. However, in this particular situation, the gas wasn't much of an issue for me. All of the yard sales/free give aways were within 5 minutes of my house. The first dozen or so I got from a guy who was offering those along with 2 CRTs and 2 VCRs for free. The second dozen I got from a yard sale three blocks from my house for free along with a bunch of other goodies (electronics, kitchenware, and books) after buying a few things. The rest (the majority) came from a yard sale where I bought a small portable grill, two printers, a wooden night stand, and a VCR for 5 bucks. The guy tossed them in as an afterthought since I bought the VCR.

Originally Posted by Bamcis

The guy tossed them in as an afterthought since I bought the VCR.

Don't ya just hate that!? About 20 years ago I was looking at an old 8 track tape player at a yard sale, which was hooked up to two very large real wood(not particle board) speakers, which I was actually more interested in, and asked if they went together, so he threw them in. Heavy raskals too! Each one has it's own base adjustment in back, they're German, but I can't recall the brand (although once a well known) name. 20 years, and two moves later, I still have those old speakers, sitting atop a 6' heavy duty work shelf, and they are yet to be plugged up to anything! lol

Originally Posted by Bear

Don't ya just hate that!? About 20 years ago I was looking at an old 8 track tape player at a yard sale, which was hooked up to two very large real wood(not particle board) speakers, which I was actually more interested in, and asked if they went together, so he threw them in. Heavy raskals too! Each one has it's own base adjustment in back, they're German, but I can't recall the brand (although once a well known) name. 20 years, and two moves later, I still have those old speakers, sitting atop a 6' heavy duty work shelf, and they are yet to be plugged up to anything! lol

Wow, that's a hell of a find. I've been hoping that I would come across an old 8 track player at a yard sale, but haven't seen one yet. If I did find one, I doubt that I would even scrap it. It would just be cool to have.

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

Hey, Bear, while I can't see anybody actually turning you in for this, why chance it? The fines and jail time are no laughing matter. The transfer station by me lets me recycle all media for free.
Just trash them and be done.

well, actually, I could still give them away, and have considered posting on Freecycle

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

By the way, recording for your personal use is NOT piracy, it is only when you give them away or sell them.

haha! that's good to know. Since I've already given my niece a few stacks of them, guess I'd better be really nice to her eh ; )

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

is gas free.....How much did it cost to gather all these tapes.......$5 how is that even worth your time
For 100 tapes $25 would be fair that's only .25 cents per tape

Thanks again for that piece of advice. I picked up another large lot of tapes from a couple yard sales this weekend for dirt cheap and posted them on CL for $20.00. The same guy that bought the last lot contacted me and said that he'd be willing to buy these for $20.00 as well.