Website Spotlight: GameGavel.com

Want to recover that lost Metroid cartridge or try to earn some cash for your copy of X-Men vs. Street Fighter for the Sega Saturn? Look no further than GameGavel.com, formerly known as ChaseTheChuckwagon.com (any old links will redirect to the new address). GameGavel.com is an auction site that deals exclusively in video games, and boasts the likes of old game systems along with the new, displaying logos for the ColecoVision and Atari Jaguar, among others.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "There's, um, already a pretty popular auction site out there. It's called eBay...maybe you've heard of it?" Indeed, I have heard of eBay, and realistically, it would be hard for GameGavel to match its breadth of selection. In terms of the nature of the transaction, however, GameGavel.com would seem to be a better choice. Whereas eBay charges listing fees, final value fees and even fees for use of PayPal on certain accounts, GameGavel.com allows for free listing of items. You must be registered and provide a credit card number to sell an item, but there is no cost to register, and GameGavel employs Authorize.net in storing your credit card information.

The idea that there would never be any fees involved is, of course, not true. To enhance your listing with, say, bold text or being part of a sortable list will cost extra, and a commission fee is taken from the final sale price. (I'm not exactly sure how this is different from a "final value fee" which they advertise don't come into play, per sé; maybe it's all semantics.) Still, these costs are relatively low, and most importantly, again, you can get away with a free listing for the bare essentials and you can upload as many images as needed without additional cost as well.

What also makes this site noteworthy is its user-friendliness. It is very well organized, offering links a-plenty to each category of game system, a title search bar in the header on almost every page, an expansive advanced search and an extensive forum for discussion of any and all issues facing the site. From its attention to detail, GameGavel.com appears to be quite a useful site and one devoted to great customer service. If you're disenfranchised with eBay, consider giving GameGavel a whirl.