As a Virginian it’s awesome that you reviewed this place, I’ve been buying from them for years they literally out class every game store I’ve been to, if you ever have the chance to go there you will be amazed by the store itself and the awesome staff
Same sentiments here! My only complaint is their prices used to be WAY lower back in the day, but since the great retro gaming boom during the pandemic, their prices have ballooned.
The fact that estarland didn’t charge you for both power supply and disc reader repair says everything about the company. They actually did the most fair business practice. Huge thumbs up
Not only that but they were very descriptive of what they tried. Ofttimes companies who are charlatans don't do that, suggesting they either haven't a clue, or are liars. These seem legit.
I used to work at eStarland. One thing you didn't try was doing a trade-in. They tend to be SUPER strict about conditions and contents. You may have noticed that they specify each individual thing (box, manual, etc.), which applies to the trade-ins as well; expect large deductions if your items aren't complete. There were no third-party controllers because they don't allow that. You either provide a first-party controller with your trade-in, or they force you to buy a first-party controller from them and deduct the cost from the trade value. I am surprised by the Xbox One. I would guess the controller was an oversight unless that's just what was traded in with the console, or they didn't have any Xbox One controllers available to put with it. Forgetting to reset the console to factory settings was definitely a mistake. I'm also surprised by the Gameboy. I would have expected them to clean it better and put on a new screen lens if they were going to call it an A unless they have started slacking since I left. As for the discs, they have an industrial resurfacing machine, so most discs look spotless. On the other hand, that is another way to reduce trade-in values since they will deduct a couple dollars for resurfacing if your disc isn't perfect.
Yeah I traded in a gameboy advance which was working perfectly and the screen was in great shape (had a screen protector) but they took off $20 from the total of $55 because of the fading and scratches on the shell. Like it's a handheld, you hold it 100% of the time you use it. And not to mention, there is like nothing to buy with your trade in money. There are barely any consoles available in stock. Vitas, 3DS's, PSPs, etc. And when there are, they are SUPER inflated if it's popular. Like DSi's selling for $125. So the higher trade-in values they curb against with those.
@@Ezio7931 They have no wholesale source for gift cards for anything. They buy them from some other store for face value and then charge higher than face value. They don't expect regular customers to buy them; they're intended for international customers who can't get the gift cards in their region or domestic customers who want to use trade-in credit to buy them.
@@FrankDeMamp Yeah, they used to have better prices and better availability for most common consoles/handhelds. Ever since the pandemic sales boom, it seems like they can't keep stuff in stock. No clue if it is a lack of people trading in, a fast turnaround when they do get something or both. The fact that they have every single product they've ever sold still showing with a greyed-out price makes it look worse, as Austin noted. I had suggested taking down the pages for more obscure items or variants that are unlikely to ever come in again, but they insist on keeping it all visible for trade-in and SEO purposes. As long as you filter by availability when browsing, it's not as bad.
Worked at eStarland for years and all of the used products/games they sell are top notch. Every item is thoroughly tested, cleaned and shrink wrapped. And I'm not sure if he still works there, but the repair technician is a literal genius. Seems like the 3DO repair was just held back by parts availability.
That's good to know. I know in the past Dkoldies had some questionable business practice all they did was barely wipe down the console and called it a day.... Estarland seems like their quality control is better
Its understandable, parts are hard to find and when you do find them now it would cost more to fix than buying another console. I miss stores that sell component parts.
Nooo your blowing up my spot! I go here all the time and they are pretty priced at market. I’ve gotten consoles from them and they are usually at a higher price point because they have a refurb department that goes in and gets it to as close to factory as possible. But they are a good company I’ve been buying my games and consoles for years no complaints they even have a god refund policy. They are goated and deserve the recognition
I used to work there from 2020-2021. Def not a scam but the owner is pretty ecentric. And idk if he still works there, but when I was there, we had a repair guy named Luis who could fix damn near anything. The guy's a savant. Our repair department was, like, two or three people and was constantly backed tf up. Not helped by the fact that they do same-day phone repairs which can cause interruptions in the console repairs.
Living about 10 minutes away. They shrink wrap EVERYTHING. My only real complaint with the physical store is they dont price ANYTHING. you either have to use your phone or one of the Kiosks to check the current pricing. Makes sense from a buisness standpoint so they dont have to update tags but kinda of annoying.
@@ej_tech i havent seen them in that form, that would discourage me from buying or impulse buying. European stores sometimes have rfid tags that can get changed wirelessly, where i currently live its all stickers :)
@@ej_tech You'd have to visit this place to understand just how infeasible that would be for them. They have so much inventory they have dozens of boxes sitting around full of games outside of their normal inventory on the shelves. Not to mention there is a massive price difference between the hundreds of games for every console.
It's because prices on retro collectibles are constantly fluctuating. I worked there for years and was one of the only people setting prices on the site. We changed prices on hundreds of games daily
i honestly dont think estarland is doing that though to be grimy or anything like that.. i think its more along the lines of "hey if it doesnt work dont open it up and try to fix it leading to destroying it further and giving us more work to do in repairing it when you do send it back"
I worked in a repair/console modding shop that sold refurbed and modded consoles while i was in high school and we put several of those warranty stickers both inside and outside the console, so when people tried to return their “broken on arrival consoles” with 1 sticker out of 3 or no stickers at all (which had unique numbers on every console we sold), we knew for sure they had swapped out their refurbed/modded 360 for their old broken red ringing 360s. We used them primarily to tell if the console was sold from us and to detect those kind of frauds.
the first console I ever bought from eStarland didn't work and they tried to blame me because they forgot to put the warranty void sticker on it. I never even opened it. they did eventually replace it but they gave me attitude the entire time. it was literally my first experience with them too
They even fixed my super rare Japanese only PC Engine DUO-R (PC Engine + CD). The long lead time for repairs is a thing, but that's because all of Maryland, VA, DC and surrounding states are willing to send their broken stuff here and the repair costs are very fair.
Estarland is awesome for this expansive showroom, but the in person experience is awful. They're woefully understaffed and if you want something not on display it takes forever for them to pick it and ring you up. on top of that I was quoted a months long waiting period for repairs, at that point I just learned how to fix my consoles myself in that time.
Been a customer of Chris since 94 when they were at their Annandale location. The first system I bought was my NEO GEO in 94. Then I would buy Japanese games from them and have my Saturn modded to play US and Japanese games. All my systems I bought from the Annandale store till the Dream Cast. Then they moved location and a game stop opened up close by so I stopped going. But I still have fond memories of Starland and Chris and how chill and laid back he was. I don't know if he's still the owner but I hope he's doing well.
Yeah biggest knock I could give them is they can be slow, but compared to how some other shops are this is extremely forgivable. I’d say all in all a good place to pick up games.
So, I purchased a PS3 DS3 replacement controller from eStarland because the PS3 I got from someone only had a third party USB controller. I had my doubts as one has seen in prior videos the DS3 is the most widely knocked off controller. And the controller that most of these sellers like to skimp out on. I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered a Grade A version. And not only did it practically look and feel like it had never been used. It was an actual official DS3. They even replaced the battery with a better one that holds far more charge than the original. As for why they are mostly out of stock, it's because their stock relies on people selling things to them, NOT reselling eBay items like DKOldies does. So, given the tone of this video and the positive rating. If you have some retro equipment that you don't want any more, sell it to them. Cause they appear to be reputable.
Warranty void stickers are unenforceable in Canada and the USA. They aren't illegal to slap on there though, for some reason. Maybe because they are enforceable in some other markets.
Yes, but also it's not like you can just tell them on the phone "Hey, that's not enforceable!" and they'll go "Yeah, you're right, okay, we'll honor it." In reality you'd have to take them to court to force them to honor it, and good luck affording that.
In all honesty, in today’s society, I see it more as a way to deter anyone from attempting to repair something they’re either not qualified to do or strip of parts and then try to send it back to them or flip it. I sincerely doubt that they are as stuck up about warranty labels as DK Oldies or other similar companies.
I don't buy retro games so it may be something I just haven't seen in other videos of people buying from different places, but I really like that when buying games it told you straight out if you were buying a complete copy or not. I have seen so many Gamestop videos where it's a complete crapshoot with what you receive.
I've spent a lot of money at E-Starland and all of it in person. The theme for the store, and I guess in general, is that everything moves slow. It takes a long time to find the price of things, when there's a line it moves anguishinly slow, and the checkout process takes forever as well. But the quality of what's there is great and as I found out after my copy of "Bad Dudes' for the NES didn't work, they stand behind their stuff. Of course, the process of them checking to make sure it actually didn't work took a long time. They strive for a Japanese used game store feel and they have some fun merchandise and it reminds me of some of the stores I've been to in Japan, so kudos. Please don't buy up all the good stuff so there's still something for me to get when I go.
After being aware of them as an online presence for years, I took a birthday adventure to Chantilly, Virginia in May of this year. I was completely overwhelmed by their selection of preowned games, collectibles and just random video game stuff. I paid market price for a replacement copy of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions for PS3 only to have the price drop by $20 a few weeks later. I also picked up a minty strategy guide for Link Between Worlds. Very awesome experience, glad you had positive vibes from them too. If you're in the area do not miss the Annex of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. They have an SR-71 Blackbird, a Space Shuttle and the Enola Gay just to name a few of the aerospace history treasures inside. Both the museum and eStarland showroom are just a hop from Dulles International airport if you have a long layover. Cheers from Baltimore!
I'm so glad you've reviewed eStarland as a fellow Virginian myself! I have bought some games from them and though the price boom during the pandemic doesn't feel right, most of the items are far reasonable! Highly recommend to those shopping online and to those who are from the VA area or visiting!
Been buying from them for years. Only had one issue with a Genesis not working, they replaced it no charge. Plus they switched a SNES Game Genie when it wasn't working. Just sent both back and while mine was being sent to them. They sent the replacements out.
"There was a time in the mid-2010s where Telltale were crushing it...". Then they killed Reuben and the hearts of millions of small children were broken. Their angry parents destroyed Telltale.
eStarland is local to me, and back in the 2010's they were my go-to spot for anything retro game related. They had good prices, tons of stuff, and were extremely knowledgeable about the retro stuff. Lately, however, their prices have been quite bad as far as the retro stuff goes and they've become a bit soulless. I also bought a copy of Wild Arms 4 from them in 2021 and while the disc and box art were legitimate, the physical box itself had been replaced with a dirt-cheap aftermarket box. Since then I've shopped at Super Bit in Annandale which is significantly more personal and meticulous.
Hey, eStarLand is getting wider recognition! *Oh no, eStarLand is getting wider recognition. Does this mean their prices are about to go through the roof?*
I mean their prices are already pretty looney toons for anything that has value. Last year I saw a beaten up Pokemon Red in stock and they wanted over 120 bucks for just the cart. Meanwhile I got a pristine one off of Ebay for 60 bucks. They only have reasonable market prices for things that aren't popular.
@FrankDeMamp that used to be a MAJOR problem since the pandemic. But in my more recent visits, they're getting more and more systems out there and available again. I even saw some rarer systems, like an Intellivision.
eStarland?! Dude, I thought I was the only one who knew it existed! I didn't realize it was a legit thing in the video game community! I've been to their physical store in Virginia, and it's, in my opinion, a gamer's paradise ❤
Having 1st party stuff with the console is pretty awesome. I think with the "void warranty" stickers is more of a way to protect themselves when someone gets a system and say it doesn't work. I've seen other RUclipsrs who do repairs and have gotten consoles back with different parts than the system they sent out after the costumer said "it doesn't work".
1. 3DO came out in October 1993 (in the US), so it is not quite 31 years old, far less than over 50 since that would require it to be earlier than 74. The only game "consoles" that are old are the original Magnavox Odyssey and a few Pong consoles. 2. It is possible for a ~30-year-old console to have never been opened. It is not possible for someone's grandma to be a virgin unless there was adoption involved, I guess. It's not possible for a biological grandma, at least. 3. Yes, I'm being pedantic. I'm older than the 3DO (and so is Austin, for that matter), so seeing someone say "over 50" made me feel old and salty. Also, they weren't complaining about it being opened before or using that as an excuse. They stated what they observed, which is good practice for someone doing professional repairs. It's relevant because if it were unopened, then they would know what to expect from it being stock. Once it's been opened anything goes, which can make the repair process more difficult. As for the reply asking why they even offer the service, many non-proprietary parts are still available, and not all repairs require parts. The fact that they still charge the total labor price for a failed repair is a bit lame, though. If it were up to me, I'd probably offer something like labor costs being converted to store credit in the event of an unrepairable item. That way the customer still gets something for their money and the company doesn't have to eat the loss of a full refund.
I brought my Wii here three times to fix because they fixed the wrong things each and every time, it wasn’t until the third time that I straight up told them it was the disc drive and not the other things they wrongly fixed. That being said they still have great deals and the games and consoles are in good condition
I love estarland! I live about 15 min away and enjoy going to their store. Have shopped and sold to them for years and they have been amazing. I always take the store credit cause it’s so easy to spend it back there anyways lol glad to see u do a video on them and glad ur overall experience was good, hands down my fav video game shop
wow I remember when Estarland was just an impressively good game store tucked in the back corner of a warehouse in Merrifield, Virginia. even then their quality control, organization, and inventory was fantastic. cool to see their web store has started reaching a much wider audience
The little black plastic part you found in the PlayStation was from the spindle where you place the disk. Those red bits on the spindle are underneath the black plastic part you found. As a kid I played PlayStation so much that those black plastic bits would break off and it wouldn’t hold my disk anymore. Happened to 3 or 4 PlayStations in my time as a kid 🤣. My guess is they didn’t replace any part of the laser/spindle assembly.
20:34 I wholeheartedly agree with that take, I can't stand the show but I love the story in the games, prob since you're the one making all the choices it feels more impactful when someone dies because you made the wrong choice or you missed the button prompts.
one thing i will mention about this is that certain models of the ps1 had that red rubberband/bumper in the drive and yes certain models had feet like that out of the box
Not a scam. Been shopping with Starland since they were in Annandale VA. Got my Saturn modded to play Japanese games. Bought tons of imports from them. Back in loke 1997 or 98.
I’ve bought many items from Estarland. Had a few minor issues with a few games but the few consoles I bought work perfectly and came in excellent condition regardless of the grade 🤣
eStarland has been one of my favorite online video game retailers for many years now. They do pretty much everything I could want from a video game retailer. I'd recommend them! 👍
at 13:18 that is not new. That plastic piece you took out of the console is that of what covers that orange bushing. overtime as you are taking out the disc those plastic parts break away and eventually no longer hold the disc in place anymore. that is what grips the disc and from the looks of it they should have replaced that too but did not. you only have one plastic part left to hold the disc in place properly so I would be very concerned that it wont last long. Not a great reconditioned system IMO.
As the Collector in the Estarland video I find it odd that anyone would think this fantastic place is a scam. For over 20 years Estarland and Starland have opened the gates of gaming and pop culture for Northern Virginia and America. If you haven't experienced this fantastic place out please do so and again this is the collection that yours could be!!! I'm holding a PlayStation 5
Actually gonna have to check these guys out I’ve got some consoles to get fixed. Have to check out there store to sounds like a store full of people who actually care and take pride in gaming.
When I was in Virginia I visited this company. It was really awesome to walk through. Lots of awesome games, consoles and goodies. I need to make another trip down there!
I go to Estarland in person I don’t think I’ve ever ordered online when I can just get on the bus and head over there like a few other people have said they don’t price stuff in person you have to go online for there price so it’s kinda hard to get a deal but you also know the quality is there so it’s worth ig
I do a lot of garage sale game hunting and any ps3 or xbox one consoles I find, I always ship to them for trade. They offer a great trade price for super slims in particular. They even pay for the shipping! Then I use that credit to snatch games for the collection. Always been a smooth experience everytime I use them!
The cost of older systems, I would think they get systems in all sorts of disrepair. They spend the money on labor and parts to put them back together. Those costs are added to the system they put up for sale in order to make a profit. Hence, the systems that have MORE NEWER parts as well as more labor costs, would be more expensive? Kind of makes sense to me why that one system was maybe a bit above the average.
That PS1 did not have a new disc reader. The red rubber you see is because some of the little black pieces fell off which is also what you found inside of it.
Those pieces of plastic inside the PS1 are from the disc spindle. Those pieces press outward from the center to securely hold the disc on the spindle. They have a tendency to break off. I bet whoever was cleaning the system broke them off being too rough.
After watching the review I decided to look at their site, as my brother has an NEC TurboGraphx 16 w/ the TurboGraphx CD, a Turbo Duo and a Turbo Xpress, all of which could use repair. When I checked their site the repair options were non-existent, just listing various compatible tools. I have an old Atari Lynx that could also use repair, but they had nothing listed at all when I chose the Lynx option on their site. So I'm a bit bummed out. Especially as my brother is not too far away in Maryland, making this a possible drive for him if they offered repair for his consoles. Oh well. Back to looking for repair options, I guess.
I love that you tried so many different consoles! 😄 It's kinda wild how inconsistent these retro places can be. Like, some things come back looking brand new, and others are just... a mess. But hey, it’s all about the nostalgia, right? 🎮✨
3:54 The Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) regulates manufacturers' and distributors' warranties. However, eStarland is a refurbisher of used products, not a manufacturer or distributor, and the applicability of the MMWA to this scenario has yet to be tested.
as a person who grade returned leased laptops and mac products, these console companies and their grading are very GENEROUS about what they claim to be A and B grade.
Wow, this was a blast from the past. I remember buying Dreamcast games from eStarland 20+ years ago. If I remember correctly, they were one of just a few places in the US that had PAL/JP versions of Dreamcast games in the US that would ship to you. Again, if I remember correctly, I paid for the games with a money order. It had to be a money order, because I didn't even have a bank account at that time.
Yeah, they can't legally deny warranty repair just because you opened it up. They have to be able to demonstrate that your fucking around actually caused or exacerbated the damage. A warranty sticker I don't think is necessarily a problem morally(check with a lawyer about legally) if used as a quick check to see if they need to look for customer induced damage. Still intact? Skip that inspection and the time it takes. Not there? Take a little closer look, but don't deny coverage based on sticker status alone.
Part 2 covering some of their additional services? Brought a beaten up GBA SP Flame Red in for a shell swap, IPS screen and new battery. Misc product; figures, statues, apparel, art, model kits and such. Engraving services also on lots of things.
I live 15 min down the road from estarland. I was able to buy all of my favorite games in their hardened / steel cover editions , such a great store , amazing retro games and consoles and even repaired my old Xbox 360 controller
I remember buying Keio Flying Squadron there back in the Sega CD days. Got both the US and Japanese version from them. Still have them till this day. They were my go to for imports when they were still in Springfield.
@Austin Evans Can you guys maybe looking into something called "my device guard?" I can't seem to find a single review on it at all. It's supposed to be a protection plan for in home items such as pc's/gaming consoles/tvs/cook ware/monitors and more but I can't find anything on them at all. It'd be great to see if you guys could see if they are a scam or an actual company.
All I know is my Let’s go Pikachu Nintendo switch joy con controller got saved by by them from an unfortunate cat accident that busted a stick and it’s worked fine ever since. I could’ve replaced the controller with a different one but I wanted the originals that came with my switch to both work and was very satisfied with my service and the fact that I wouldn’t have to drive back after it and have it shipped home. ☺️ They are solid folks.
Look, they have whatever they have in stock at the time. This depends on whether anyone traded one in (since they are not being made anymore). Also I have been a LONG time customer of eStarland and love it. I have a Gamegear where the monitor died. They fixed it. Nintendo DS games, purchased both in store and online..no issues. Do they have everything at any one time - of course not..that is a ridiculous expectation for a used game store. Heck, I even purchased Color Gameboy games (I did mention I have a DS-Lite ^_^ ).
They did not communicate with me when I sent my Atari Jaguar CD in. They had it for over 2 months without a single email to me. Finally after weeks of trying to get in touch with them, they responded to me. They did ship back my unit and refunded my money never once touching my Jaguar CD. I later found a laser pick up on ebay, an original oem and brand new, now it works. I have since decided to repair all of my consoles on my own, which has lead me down a rabbit hole of console repair and modding. The moral of my story is, fix your own stuff.. I found out that it is not at all hard to do it.. Saves you some money and you know exactly what you are getting since it is your own work. I now have a new hobby as well.
Those plastic bits in the PS1 are from the spinny bit in the middle of the disc drive, a brand new one will look like the one you guys already have, i used to rip off those little plastic bits so i know what they are :P it looks a bit weird but doesn't effect the disc read at all
eStarland has been my go to store for a long time. I slowly over time just traded in all the games I didn't want or were finished playing. Before long I had enough store credit to pick up a PS5 they had refurbished for a deal!! Amazing trade in values, amazing used game variety and condition. They also take things in a variety of conditions! Still go there for all my physical releases and will probably always come back for my hardware purchases! EDIT: They also do a great job of notifying you when an item is back in stock! That's how I grabbed the PS5! I've got a list of rare/obscure games in my list and I'll occasionally get an email saying "Hey! 'Back to the Future the Telltale game' is back in stock!"
Fun to see you test some of the flea market finds I collected over some time. The original Playstation (not really refered to as Playstation One, that one was smaller and came later), I picked up for about 1 bucks, it worked, no sun-damage, and it had some kind of bootleg mod with it as it came with a burned CD-rom that worked fine, so bootleg. 7502 version. As for the Nintendo Wii, got a black one like yours for 7.5$ I picked up with no less than 3 wiimotes, two of them being plus version, and the whole thing had nunchucks, a ton of accessories like wheels and golf clubs. And it worked. And - it had the gamecube joystick inputs, fully populated with contacts, so no fake empty slots. Probably version 1 then.
![[FREE] Playboi Carti x Lil Tecca type beat “Cloud 9”](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EpNefYPBTw0/mqdefault.jpg)
As a Virginian it’s awesome that you reviewed this place, I’ve been buying from them for years they literally out class every game store I’ve been to, if you ever have the chance to go there you will be amazed by the store itself and the awesome staff
Same here Tboy love that place!
Same sentiments here! My only complaint is their prices used to be WAY lower back in the day, but since the great retro gaming boom during the pandemic, their prices have ballooned.
Haven't been in years but it's a NoVa gem
Haha same! we got some solid stores around us. Between E-starland and Super bit we're covered.
Didn't know I t existed
The fact that estarland didn’t charge you for both power supply and disc reader repair says everything about the company. They actually did the most fair business practice. Huge thumbs up
Not only that but they were very descriptive of what they tried. Ofttimes companies who are charlatans don't do that, suggesting they either haven't a clue, or are liars.
These seem legit.
I used to work at eStarland. One thing you didn't try was doing a trade-in. They tend to be SUPER strict about conditions and contents. You may have noticed that they specify each individual thing (box, manual, etc.), which applies to the trade-ins as well; expect large deductions if your items aren't complete. There were no third-party controllers because they don't allow that. You either provide a first-party controller with your trade-in, or they force you to buy a first-party controller from them and deduct the cost from the trade value. I am surprised by the Xbox One. I would guess the controller was an oversight unless that's just what was traded in with the console, or they didn't have any Xbox One controllers available to put with it. Forgetting to reset the console to factory settings was definitely a mistake. I'm also surprised by the Gameboy. I would have expected them to clean it better and put on a new screen lens if they were going to call it an A unless they have started slacking since I left.
As for the discs, they have an industrial resurfacing machine, so most discs look spotless. On the other hand, that is another way to reduce trade-in values since they will deduct a couple dollars for resurfacing if your disc isn't perfect.
Yeah I traded in a gameboy advance which was working perfectly and the screen was in great shape (had a screen protector) but they took off $20 from the total of $55 because of the fading and scratches on the shell. Like it's a handheld, you hold it 100% of the time you use it.
And not to mention, there is like nothing to buy with your trade in money. There are barely any consoles available in stock. Vitas, 3DS's, PSPs, etc.
And when there are, they are SUPER inflated if it's popular. Like DSi's selling for $125. So the higher trade-in values they curb against with those.
So I'm curious why are they charging almost $30 for a $25 psn gift card?
@@Ezio7931 They have no wholesale source for gift cards for anything. They buy them from some other store for face value and then charge higher than face value. They don't expect regular customers to buy them; they're intended for international customers who can't get the gift cards in their region or domestic customers who want to use trade-in credit to buy them.
Yeah I've done a trade in with them, made some good bank, got less for my psp games since they didn't have the original umd shells.
@@FrankDeMamp Yeah, they used to have better prices and better availability for most common consoles/handhelds. Ever since the pandemic sales boom, it seems like they can't keep stuff in stock. No clue if it is a lack of people trading in, a fast turnaround when they do get something or both. The fact that they have every single product they've ever sold still showing with a greyed-out price makes it look worse, as Austin noted. I had suggested taking down the pages for more obscure items or variants that are unlikely to ever come in again, but they insist on keeping it all visible for trade-in and SEO purposes. As long as you filter by availability when browsing, it's not as bad.
Worked at eStarland for years and all of the used products/games they sell are top notch. Every item is thoroughly tested, cleaned and shrink wrapped. And I'm not sure if he still works there, but the repair technician is a literal genius. Seems like the 3DO repair was just held back by parts availability.
That's good to know. I know in the past Dkoldies had some questionable business practice all they did was barely wipe down the console and called it a day.... Estarland seems like their quality control is better
@@mi5iu491dk still has the issuen😅
Its understandable, parts are hard to find and when you do find them now it would cost more to fix than buying another console. I miss stores that sell component parts.
Nooo your blowing up my spot! I go here all the time and they are pretty priced at market. I’ve gotten consoles from them and they are usually at a higher price point because they have a refurb department that goes in and gets it to as close to factory as possible. But they are a good company I’ve been buying my games and consoles for years no complaints they even have a god refund policy. They are goated and deserve the recognition
I used to work there from 2020-2021. Def not a scam but the owner is pretty ecentric. And idk if he still works there, but when I was there, we had a repair guy named Luis who could fix damn near anything. The guy's a savant. Our repair department was, like, two or three people and was constantly backed tf up. Not helped by the fact that they do same-day phone repairs which can cause interruptions in the console repairs.
You’re the second person to talk about how awesome their repair guy is. He must have made a good impression on people.
Living about 10 minutes away. They shrink wrap EVERYTHING. My only real complaint with the physical store is they dont price ANYTHING. you either have to use your phone or one of the Kiosks to check the current pricing. Makes sense from a buisness standpoint so they dont have to update tags but kinda of annoying.
Electronic price tags are a thing. Best Buy have been using it for a long while.
@@ej_tech i havent seen them in that form, that would discourage me from buying or impulse buying. European stores sometimes have rfid tags that can get changed wirelessly, where i currently live its all stickers :)
@@ej_tech You'd have to visit this place to understand just how infeasible that would be for them. They have so much inventory they have dozens of boxes sitting around full of games outside of their normal inventory on the shelves. Not to mention there is a massive price difference between the hundreds of games for every console.
business*
It's because prices on retro collectibles are constantly fluctuating. I worked there for years and was one of the only people setting prices on the site. We changed prices on hundreds of games daily
Reminder that "warranty void if removed" stickers hold no legal sway in any US court.
i honestly dont think estarland is doing that though to be grimy or anything like that.. i think its more along the lines of "hey if it doesnt work dont open it up and try to fix it leading to destroying it further and giving us more work to do in repairing it when you do send it back"
i think its more of a deterrant than an actual thing. just basing this off how easy going austins repair experience was.
I worked in a repair/console modding shop that sold refurbed and modded consoles while i was in high school and we put several of those warranty stickers both inside and outside the console, so when people tried to return their “broken on arrival consoles” with 1 sticker out of 3 or no stickers at all (which had unique numbers on every console we sold), we knew for sure they had swapped out their refurbed/modded 360 for their old broken red ringing 360s. We used them primarily to tell if the console was sold from us and to detect those kind of frauds.
Unless you're PNY and you don't care what's legal.
the first console I ever bought from eStarland didn't work and they tried to blame me because they forgot to put the warranty void sticker on it. I never even opened it. they did eventually replace it but they gave me attitude the entire time. it was literally my first experience with them too
They even fixed my super rare Japanese only PC Engine DUO-R (PC Engine + CD). The long lead time for repairs is a thing, but that's because all of Maryland, VA, DC and surrounding states are willing to send their broken stuff here and the repair costs are very fair.
Estarland is awesome for this expansive showroom, but the in person experience is awful. They're woefully understaffed and if you want something not on display it takes forever for them to pick it and ring you up. on top of that I was quoted a months long waiting period for repairs, at that point I just learned how to fix my consoles myself in that time.
24:10 "They charged you $100 for that?! You could have brought it into work and Ken and I would have broken it for free!"
Been a customer of Chris since 94 when they were at their Annandale location. The first system I bought was my NEO GEO in 94. Then I would buy Japanese games from them and have my Saturn modded to play US and Japanese games. All my systems I bought from the Annandale store till the Dream Cast. Then they moved location and a game stop opened up close by so I stopped going. But I still have fond memories of Starland and Chris and how chill and laid back he was. I don't know if he's still the owner but I hope he's doing well.
15:50 No. These pieces loved to break off the disc drive and fall down into the console, especially when you were a bit rougher with inserting discs.
Yeah biggest knock I could give them is they can be slow, but compared to how some other shops are this is extremely forgivable. I’d say all in all a good place to pick up games.
So, I purchased a PS3 DS3 replacement controller from eStarland because the PS3 I got from someone only had a third party USB controller. I had my doubts as one has seen in prior videos the DS3 is the most widely knocked off controller. And the controller that most of these sellers like to skimp out on.
I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered a Grade A version. And not only did it practically look and feel like it had never been used. It was an actual official DS3. They even replaced the battery with a better one that holds far more charge than the original.
As for why they are mostly out of stock, it's because their stock relies on people selling things to them, NOT reselling eBay items like DKOldies does. So, given the tone of this video and the positive rating. If you have some retro equipment that you don't want any more, sell it to them. Cause they appear to be reputable.
Warranty void stickers are unenforceable in Canada and the USA. They aren't illegal to slap on there though, for some reason. Maybe because they are enforceable in some other markets.
Yes, but also it's not like you can just tell them on the phone "Hey, that's not enforceable!" and they'll go "Yeah, you're right, okay, we'll honor it."
In reality you'd have to take them to court to force them to honor it, and good luck affording that.
In all honesty, in today’s society, I see it more as a way to deter anyone from attempting to repair something they’re either not qualified to do or strip of parts and then try to send it back to them or flip it.
I sincerely doubt that they are as stuck up about warranty labels as DK Oldies or other similar companies.
Thats a lie. Ftc can get invovled if you report them@@MTGeomancer
The red bushing on the Ps1 only shows if the plastic parts are broken out ie meaning this is the original spindle and on top of it its broken
I came to the comments to say the same thing.
To often he seem to doesn't know what he's talking about.
EStarland is going to be crushed with orders after this wow
I don't buy retro games so it may be something I just haven't seen in other videos of people buying from different places, but I really like that when buying games it told you straight out if you were buying a complete copy or not. I have seen so many Gamestop videos where it's a complete crapshoot with what you receive.
I've spent a lot of money at E-Starland and all of it in person. The theme for the store, and I guess in general, is that everything moves slow. It takes a long time to find the price of things, when there's a line it moves anguishinly slow, and the checkout process takes forever as well. But the quality of what's there is great and as I found out after my copy of "Bad Dudes' for the NES didn't work, they stand behind their stuff. Of course, the process of them checking to make sure it actually didn't work took a long time.
They strive for a Japanese used game store feel and they have some fun merchandise and it reminds me of some of the stores I've been to in Japan, so kudos. Please don't buy up all the good stuff so there's still something for me to get when I go.
After being aware of them as an online presence for years, I took a birthday adventure to Chantilly, Virginia in May of this year. I was completely overwhelmed by their selection of preowned games, collectibles and just random video game stuff. I paid market price for a replacement copy of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions for PS3 only to have the price drop by $20 a few weeks later. I also picked up a minty strategy guide for Link Between Worlds. Very awesome experience, glad you had positive vibes from them too. If you're in the area do not miss the Annex of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. They have an SR-71 Blackbird, a Space Shuttle and the Enola Gay just to name a few of the aerospace history treasures inside. Both the museum and eStarland showroom are just a hop from Dulles International airport if you have a long layover. Cheers from Baltimore!
I'm so glad you've reviewed eStarland as a fellow Virginian myself! I have bought some games from them and though the price boom during the pandemic doesn't feel right, most of the items are far reasonable! Highly recommend to those shopping online and to those who are from the VA area or visiting!
yeah they have a DS Lite for $125 right now. A $40 console btw. SUUPER reasonable...
Been buying from them for years. Only had one issue with a Genesis not working, they replaced it no charge. Plus they switched a SNES Game Genie when it wasn't working. Just sent both back and while mine was being sent to them. They sent the replacements out.
"There was a time in the mid-2010s where Telltale were crushing it...". Then they killed Reuben and the hearts of millions of small children were broken. Their angry parents destroyed Telltale.
Props to to eStarland. I've been there in person and they absolutely care. It is one of the major things I miss from VA.
eStarland is local to me, and back in the 2010's they were my go-to spot for anything retro game related. They had good prices, tons of stuff, and were extremely knowledgeable about the retro stuff. Lately, however, their prices have been quite bad as far as the retro stuff goes and they've become a bit soulless. I also bought a copy of Wild Arms 4 from them in 2021 and while the disc and box art were legitimate, the physical box itself had been replaced with a dirt-cheap aftermarket box. Since then I've shopped at Super Bit in Annandale which is significantly more personal and meticulous.
Hey, eStarLand is getting wider recognition!
*Oh no, eStarLand is getting wider recognition. Does this mean their prices are about to go through the roof?*
My issue with them has always been console availability.
Yay they have great trade in values. Oh no I can't use my money on anything...
yup...now 'THANKS' to Austin the prices will go higher and the repairs will take muuuuuuuuuuch longer :(
I mean their prices are already pretty looney toons for anything that has value. Last year I saw a beaten up Pokemon Red in stock and they wanted over 120 bucks for just the cart. Meanwhile I got a pristine one off of Ebay for 60 bucks. They only have reasonable market prices for things that aren't popular.
@@LPcrazy_88 which is fine. They need to get money somehow, lol :)
@FrankDeMamp that used to be a MAJOR problem since the pandemic. But in my more recent visits, they're getting more and more systems out there and available again. I even saw some rarer systems, like an Intellivision.
I've been buying from Estarland for about twelve years. Not often, but every time I do, the disk and case are super clean.
That Sega CD should have come with an extra piece of plastic to extend it so it fit properly under the entire console. I had that exact same setup.
0:28 I'm more distracted on Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance then what Austin is talking about.
We can talk about the Wii U here, it's beautiful and underappreciated
2013 customer: what’s Nintendo’s new console employee the Wii U customer I’ll take a ps4
I don’t see a Wii U in the video?
being from VA, I’ve been gatekeeping this spot for years but I’m also glad they’re getting the recognition they deserve
Gatekeeping inflated places? Is this supposed to be a flex? I'm confused.
@@playerroku4412 ok
eStarland?! Dude, I thought I was the only one who knew it existed! I didn't realize it was a legit thing in the video game community! I've been to their physical store in Virginia, and it's, in my opinion, a gamer's paradise ❤
Having 1st party stuff with the console is pretty awesome. I think with the "void warranty" stickers is more of a way to protect themselves when someone gets a system and say it doesn't work. I've seen other RUclipsrs who do repairs and have gotten consoles back with different parts than the system they sent out after the costumer said "it doesn't work".
>50 year old console.
>Unit was opened before.
That's like complaining someone's grandma isn't a virgin...
talking about the PS1? He was just making note of the refurb job
@@The92Waffles no, the 3do
@@The92Waffles 3DO
And then they can't fix it because it needed a new part. Why do they even offer 3DO repair?
1. 3DO came out in October 1993 (in the US), so it is not quite 31 years old, far less than over 50 since that would require it to be earlier than 74. The only game "consoles" that are old are the original Magnavox Odyssey and a few Pong consoles.
2. It is possible for a ~30-year-old console to have never been opened. It is not possible for someone's grandma to be a virgin unless there was adoption involved, I guess. It's not possible for a biological grandma, at least.
3. Yes, I'm being pedantic. I'm older than the 3DO (and so is Austin, for that matter), so seeing someone say "over 50" made me feel old and salty.
Also, they weren't complaining about it being opened before or using that as an excuse. They stated what they observed, which is good practice for someone doing professional repairs. It's relevant because if it were unopened, then they would know what to expect from it being stock. Once it's been opened anything goes, which can make the repair process more difficult. As for the reply asking why they even offer the service, many non-proprietary parts are still available, and not all repairs require parts. The fact that they still charge the total labor price for a failed repair is a bit lame, though. If it were up to me, I'd probably offer something like labor costs being converted to store credit in the event of an unrepairable item. That way the customer still gets something for their money and the company doesn't have to eat the loss of a full refund.
I brought my Wii here three times to fix because they fixed the wrong things each and every time, it wasn’t until the third time that I straight up told them it was the disc drive and not the other things they wrongly fixed. That being said they still have great deals and the games and consoles are in good condition
Is it weird that idc about old consoles/PC parts/or most goofy tech, but I still LOVE this channel? 😂
I work right across the street from them and always enjoy going to their show room.
I love estarland! I live about 15 min away and enjoy going to their store. Have shopped and sold to them for years and they have been amazing. I always take the store credit cause it’s so easy to spend it back there anyways lol glad to see u do a video on them and glad ur overall experience was good, hands down my fav video game shop
Been shopping with estarland for almost two decades at this point and they have not let me down yet. Really like the shopping experience with them.
wow I remember when Estarland was just an impressively good game store tucked in the back corner of a warehouse in Merrifield, Virginia. even then their quality control, organization, and inventory was fantastic. cool to see their web store has started reaching a much wider audience
The little black plastic part you found in the PlayStation was from the spindle where you place the disk. Those red bits on the spindle are underneath the black plastic part you found. As a kid I played PlayStation so much that those black plastic bits would break off and it wouldn’t hold my disk anymore. Happened to 3 or 4 PlayStations in my time as a kid 🤣. My guess is they didn’t replace any part of the laser/spindle assembly.
The reason the Genesis was hanging over is because the Mega CD was missing the Genesis extension. It came with it when it was new.
Northern Virginian here. Been using them for years! If you ever have the chance to check it out in person, DO IT
It's great to see a non-scammy used console seller. Well done, eStarland.
20:34 I wholeheartedly agree with that take, I can't stand the show but I love the story in the games, prob since you're the one making all the choices it feels more impactful when someone dies because you made the wrong choice or you missed the button prompts.
Indeed
I live 10 min away from them this is so awesome they are getting reviewed!!!
Xbox one was awesome with the Kinect. Swapping from tv to gaming was flawless. Changing channels with your voice before it became normal
to call it a failure is wild...
He could have just said he preferred PS4.
one thing i will mention about this is that certain models of the ps1 had that red rubberband/bumper in the drive and yes certain models had feet like that out of the box
Not a scam. Been shopping with Starland since they were in Annandale VA. Got my Saturn modded to play Japanese games. Bought tons of imports from them. Back in loke 1997 or 98.
At Bradlick Shopping Center! I always wanted to wander in after tae kwon do practice and watch other kids play Star Fox 64.
Bots
The PS1- That red ring on the spindle shouldn't be visible, there are meant to be black bits of plastic there (the bits that were rattling around)
I’ve bought many items from Estarland. Had a few minor issues with a few games but the few consoles I bought work perfectly and came in excellent condition regardless of the grade 🤣
Hi Austin and all the guys n girls behind the scenes. Great video, great job…as usual much love from the UK
eStarland has been one of my favorite online video game retailers for many years now. They do pretty much everything I could want from a video game retailer. I'd recommend them! 👍
at 13:18 that is not new. That plastic piece you took out of the console is that of what covers that orange bushing. overtime as you are taking out the disc those plastic parts break away and eventually no longer hold the disc in place anymore. that is what grips the disc and from the looks of it they should have replaced that too but did not. you only have one plastic part left to hold the disc in place properly so I would be very concerned that it wont last long. Not a great reconditioned system IMO.
As the Collector in the Estarland video I find it odd that anyone would think this fantastic place is a scam.
For over 20 years Estarland and Starland have opened the gates of gaming and pop culture for Northern Virginia and America.
If you haven't experienced this fantastic place out please do so and again this is the collection that yours could be!!!
I'm holding a PlayStation 5
Actually gonna have to check these guys out I’ve got some consoles to get fixed. Have to check out there store to sounds like a store full of people who actually care and take pride in gaming.
When I was in Virginia I visited this company. It was really awesome to walk through. Lots of awesome games, consoles and goodies. I need to make another trip down there!
I go to Estarland in person I don’t think I’ve ever ordered online when I can just get on the bus and head over there like a few other people have said they don’t price stuff in person you have to go online for there price so it’s kinda hard to get a deal but you also know the quality is there so it’s worth ig
I do a lot of garage sale game hunting and any ps3 or xbox one consoles I find, I always ship to them for trade. They offer a great trade price for super slims in particular. They even pay for the shipping! Then I use that credit to snatch games for the collection. Always been a smooth experience everytime I use them!
The cost of older systems, I would think they get systems in all sorts of disrepair. They spend the money on labor and parts to put them back together. Those costs are added to the system they put up for sale in order to make a profit. Hence, the systems that have MORE NEWER parts as well as more labor costs, would be more expensive? Kind of makes sense to me why that one system was maybe a bit above the average.
Red is where the pastic has broken off, not replaced. it happened on my OG playstation years ago!
That PS1 did not have a new disc reader. The red rubber you see is because some of the little black pieces fell off which is also what you found inside of it.
You know what; I do like this company more than a little. Good stuff! Love the e-mails they sent.
Those pieces of plastic inside the PS1 are from the disc spindle. Those pieces press outward from the center to securely hold the disc on the spindle. They have a tendency to break off. I bet whoever was cleaning the system broke them off being too rough.
After watching the review I decided to look at their site, as my brother has an NEC TurboGraphx 16 w/ the TurboGraphx CD, a Turbo Duo and a Turbo Xpress, all of which could use repair. When I checked their site the repair options were non-existent, just listing various compatible tools. I have an old Atari Lynx that could also use repair, but they had nothing listed at all when I chose the Lynx option on their site.
So I'm a bit bummed out. Especially as my brother is not too far away in Maryland, making this a possible drive for him if they offered repair for his consoles. Oh well. Back to looking for repair options, I guess.
I love that you tried so many different consoles! 😄 It's kinda wild how inconsistent these retro places can be. Like, some things come back looking brand new, and others are just... a mess. But hey, it’s all about the nostalgia, right? 🎮✨
3:54 The Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) regulates manufacturers' and distributors' warranties. However, eStarland is a refurbisher of used products, not a manufacturer or distributor, and the applicability of the MMWA to this scenario has yet to be tested.
as a person who grade returned leased laptops and mac products, these console companies and their grading are very GENEROUS about what they claim to be A and B grade.
Wow, this was a blast from the past. I remember buying Dreamcast games from eStarland 20+ years ago. If I remember correctly, they were one of just a few places in the US that had PAL/JP versions of Dreamcast games in the US that would ship to you. Again, if I remember correctly, I paid for the games with a money order. It had to be a money order, because I didn't even have a bank account at that time.
Been going there for over a decade! They have been able to fix everything I've throw at them for less than $50 (even if it does take 3-ish months)
I have used eStarland since I was a kid. In fact, all of my Dreamcast gear since 2008 has been from them.
Glad to see them finally make it here.
this place is great in person, it was worth the 4 hour drive for me to go there last year.
Yeah, they can't legally deny warranty repair just because you opened it up. They have to be able to demonstrate that your fucking around actually caused or exacerbated the damage.
A warranty sticker I don't think is necessarily a problem morally(check with a lawyer about legally) if used as a quick check to see if they need to look for customer induced damage. Still intact? Skip that inspection and the time it takes. Not there? Take a little closer look, but don't deny coverage based on sticker status alone.
Part 2 covering some of their additional services? Brought a beaten up GBA SP Flame Red in for a shell swap, IPS screen and new battery.
Misc product; figures, statues, apparel, art, model kits and such.
Engraving services also on lots of things.
I live like 10 minutes from there! Very cozy vibes. They even do custom engraved water bottles, wallets, etc.
Really Great Video Austin 👍🏻
When I have a question about something Austin always answers it 🤞
Regardless of their success rate this company is 100% honest which is amazing
I bought a Wii here in the UK, MK1 with the GC back compatibility for 20 quid from CEX. Those online stores are screwing over collectors 👎🏻
That blue PS2 is gorgeous. That color scheme looks great
I live 15 min down the road from estarland. I was able to buy all of my favorite games in their hardened / steel cover editions , such a great store , amazing retro games and consoles and even repaired my old Xbox 360 controller
I've been ordering from them a while now. I've only had one issue with a purchase, and they quickly sent me a replacement.
I ordered maybe 10 XBOX 360 games from them last year. They were all used but came in crazy amazing condition and shrink wrapped. I was very happy
19:15
At least your xbox updated and still worked.
Mine did, years ago, and never turned back on. Now it's sitting in a landfill somewhere.
I used to live about 10 minutes away from them in Chantilly, VA. I have never had any issues with them.
I remember buying Keio Flying Squadron there back in the Sega CD days. Got both the US and Japanese version from them. Still have them till this day. They were my go to for imports when they were still in Springfield.
I give them props for giving you original controllers!
@Austin Evans Can you guys maybe looking into something called "my device guard?" I can't seem to find a single review on it at all. It's supposed to be a protection plan for in home items such as pc's/gaming consoles/tvs/cook ware/monitors and more but I can't find anything on them at all. It'd be great to see if you guys could see if they are a scam or an actual company.
All I know is my Let’s go Pikachu Nintendo switch joy con controller got saved by by them from an unfortunate cat accident that busted a stick and it’s worked fine ever since. I could’ve replaced the controller with a different one but I wanted the originals that came with my switch to both work and was very satisfied with my service and the fact that I wouldn’t have to drive back after it and have it shipped home. ☺️ They are solid folks.
Warranty void stickers do not hold up in court unless you are the original manufacturer.
Look, they have whatever they have in stock at the time. This depends on whether anyone traded one in (since they are not being made anymore). Also I have been a LONG time customer of eStarland and love it. I have a Gamegear where the monitor died. They fixed it. Nintendo DS games, purchased both in store and online..no issues. Do they have everything at any one time - of course not..that is a ridiculous expectation for a used game store. Heck, I even purchased Color Gameboy games (I did mention I have a DS-Lite ^_^ ).
What does he do with all this stuff he buys? Does he keep it or donate it or sell it? Anyone know?
I really enjoy this “is it a scam” series ❤
Glad you looked up the pricing on the Xbox cuz you absolutely got fleeced on that one
They did not communicate with me when I sent my Atari Jaguar CD in. They had it for over 2 months without a single email to me. Finally after weeks of trying to get in touch with them, they responded to me. They did ship back my unit and refunded my money never once touching my Jaguar CD. I later found a laser pick up on ebay, an original oem and brand new, now it works. I have since decided to repair all of my consoles on my own, which has lead me down a rabbit hole of console repair and modding. The moral of my story is, fix your own stuff.. I found out that it is not at all hard to do it.. Saves you some money and you know exactly what you are getting since it is your own work. I now have a new hobby as well.
Those plastic bits in the PS1 are from the spinny bit in the middle of the disc drive, a brand new one will look like the one you guys already have, i used to rip off those little plastic bits so i know what they are :P it looks a bit weird but doesn't effect the disc read at all
Also model 1 genesis consoles normally dont fit properly on that model of sega CD. You need this weird metal bracket for it to fit from the factory.
eStarland has been my go to store for a long time. I slowly over time just traded in all the games I didn't want or were finished playing. Before long I had enough store credit to pick up a PS5 they had refurbished for a deal!! Amazing trade in values, amazing used game variety and condition. They also take things in a variety of conditions!
Still go there for all my physical releases and will probably always come back for my hardware purchases!
EDIT: They also do a great job of notifying you when an item is back in stock! That's how I grabbed the PS5! I've got a list of rare/obscure games in my list and I'll occasionally get an email saying "Hey! 'Back to the Future the Telltale game' is back in stock!"
Fun to see you test some of the flea market finds I collected over some time. The original Playstation (not really refered to as Playstation One, that one was smaller and came later), I picked up for about 1 bucks, it worked, no sun-damage, and it had some kind of bootleg mod with it as it came with a burned CD-rom that worked fine, so bootleg. 7502 version. As for the Nintendo Wii, got a black one like yours for 7.5$ I picked up with no less than 3 wiimotes, two of them being plus version, and the whole thing had nunchucks, a ton of accessories like wheels and golf clubs. And it worked. And - it had the gamecube joystick inputs, fully populated with contacts, so no fake empty slots. Probably version 1 then.