A to Z Electronics

10/05/2026

Hi. I tell you, when it rains, it pours! Another videogame collector came by today to liquidate some of his stuff. He sold off some PS3 (Lillipop Chainsaw, Dead Rising 2: Off the Record) and PS4 (Danganropa Trilogy) titles and walked away with a PS Vita charger with an external battery pack. He even gifted me the crappy loose disks and other cheap titles.

He and his collector friends will definitely be paying me a visit. While I typically buy new stock for store credit only, I've found that you have to spend money to make money. Nowhere is that more true than in the collector's market where people are short on cash and are willing to trade in their rare vintage videogames for cash.

I personally hope that this trend continues. I see a lot of PS3 titles are going up in price, so I'm taking the time to reprice my stock as well.

A lot of stores are decorating for Halloween. I do have some horror-themed games and I even picked up a couple of Funko Pops (Chucky 56 and Michael Myers 1156), but I'm not interested in decorating for a "Holiday" that I don't personally celebrate.

Later

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10/02/2026

Hi. Great news! A guy came to sell off his videogame collection. Some of the items, like the Dreamcast and I think the SupaBoy (Hyperkin's Portal Pocket SNES console) he bought from me over a decade and a half ago. He tried to drive a hard bargain, wanting $600.00 for everything as a bundle, including two broken Game Boy originals, but he finally relented and only sold me what I wanted which was the previous two items and a NES console with games, most duplicates of already in-stock items but the new titles are Super Mario Bros. 3, Robocop and Ninja Gaiden for NES and Super Punch Out, Primal Rage and Spawn for SNES.

As for recycling, I'm appreciate of all the stuff that people have been bringing. I've forged new contacts with like minded individuals and groups to find new homes for any working electronics. One such group is Super Smash Bros. Montreal, who have in the past and for the foreseeable future will be receiving any working CRT TVs on offer.

Speaking of recycling, did you know that Consigaction (the provincial organization for container returns) will be accepting w**e bottles next year in March 2027?

After years of waiting on the SAQ to start buying back used bottles (some locations accept bottle returns but only on a no-refund basis) and unable to find anyone willing to take them to the nearest LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) store, I've stored all the w**e bottles I've collected here at my store and while I've managed to sell a few, I'm waiting for next year to bring them all to the local Consignaction.

If you know anyone looking for either 750ml or 1L bottles in quantity, please let me know!

Later

09/22/2026

Hi. Business has been a bit slow lately (back in the day I was fixing four videogame consoles a week and now I barely see one or two), but now things are picking up with more sales and hopefully more repeat customers.

For those of you who haven't heard, Peter Cullen, the voice actor most famous as the voice of Optimus Prime in the original animated series and the live action movies, has passed away last month. They've released a 40th anniversary edition of the 1986 Transformers: The Movie that's playing in theaters until October.

Besides what has to be the best Transformers movie ever (sorry Micheal Bay but you just don't get them), this year also marks the 40th anniversary of Carrefour Angrignon (I still fondly remember opening day when Glass Tiger's Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) was topping the charts) as well as the Octogon public library and this very shopping mall Plaza Sorrento.

I'm going to ask my landlord to write up a detailed list of all the stores that occupied this mall. Some I remember, like the Globe Croqueur caterer and Luigi's Bakery, others I forget.

Time does fly

Later

09/12/2026

Hi. A lot of stuff was happening all at once, so I was late writing this post. Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 false flag terrorist attacks. Just as everyone remembers where they were when the heard that President Kennedy was assassinated, everyone remembers where they were when 9/11 happened.

I was just opening my store at around 10:30 AM (back then my business hours were unchanged from the previous owner) and turned on my CRT TVs on display when I saw the burning towers on the news which then collapsed. Unbelievable.

On a lighter note, did just receive news titles in stock for Wii (Zelda: Twilight Princess, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Super Smash Bros. Brawl), Switch (Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Cytus alpha) and PS3 (another copy of God of War Saga dual pack).

My supplier has a copy of Siberia: The World Before collector's edition for PS5 that he's holding for me, so I'll post when I finally receive it.

As always, I appreciate your business and any donations of used electronics are more than welcome.

That's all for now

Later

08/16/2026

Hi. I haven't written in a while because things have been so busy around here.

First, I finally picked up that loose copy of Pokemon White 2 that my supplier was holding for me. With the empty box that I had kept for just such an occasion, it's now complete-in-box.

Second, I've found someone to take those VHS tapes off my hands. I really wanted to donated them to an archivist, but the National Library of Quebec wanted me to fill out reams of paperwork first, the Berliner Museum didn't even return any of my calls and finally Recyborg accepted them, but didn't want to make the trip for free, so I had to ask a friend to drop them off.

As always, your donations of used electronics are much appreciated and continue to help my bottom line and I'm grateful. Please keep it up.

Later

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07/13/2026

Hi. Today is Embrace your Geekness Day (not the Geek Pride Day celebrated on May 25th) and I must say that successfully monetizing one's geek interests such as science, technology and popular culture pays off big time.

In my previous post I mentioned some new titles I got in stock, but I forgot to list Pragmata and The Adventures of Elliot for PS5. I still have Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles for PS5 as well as Final Fantasy I-VI Collection for PS4.

While I'm a huge supporter of physical media (since it's my bread and butter), you have to admit both physical and digital media have their respective pros and cons.

Cartridges and disk can and do get lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed. Digital media can simply be redownloaded. Even if your console gets stolen or destroyed, you can always get another one and redownload all the games you've already paid for.

Some titles are only available as digital downloads. One of my customers is a big fan of RPGs and one of his favorite titles is The Last Remnant. It came out in 2008 on XBOX360 but not on PS3, so he had to buy an XBOX but got pi**ed off with all his consoles RRoDing on him and he boycotted the brand, but he was delighted when a remastered digital version came out for PS4 in 2018. I'm sure there might be a Limited Run physical copy published eventually, but often legacy titles are only available as downloads for newer consoles, like the Sega Saturn shoot 'em up (shmup) Radiant Silvergun being available as digital on XBOX360.

Which brings me to my next point. Physical media need to be printed, warehoused, shipped and then stocked at a retailer and can only be sold on launch day. Midnight sales are rare except for highly in-demand titles and only at select locations, while digital games are available on launch day as soon as the clock strikes midnight as a rule and you can do so from the convenience of your own home.

All physical games eventually get discontinued, but digital copies are always available unless they get delisted for some reason (often legal ones like with Capcom no longer having the license for the Joker in Mortal Kombat which I'm sure the Joker would find amusing). The whole online store can also cease supporting older platforms like when Nintendo closed the eShop for 3DS and Wii U downloads even if you've already paid for them and need to redownload them again.

Good points for both, but since my livelihood depends on reselling physical games and digital copies can't be shared or traded like tangible ones can, and don't even need a retail location to purchase them, I'm strongly in favor of physical games. Notice the bias there.

Next time I'll post about how City Hall is giving everyone here a hard time.

Later

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07/12/2026

Hi. I see lots of summer activities planned for July and I plan on joining in.

I've just picked up the complete series of Dark Souls for PS4, not the Dark Souls Trilogy but Dark Souls I, II and III separately. I've even scored a copy of Cytus alpha for the Switch. It was too good a deal to pass up, so sorry for any missed appointments.

In the meantime things are holding steady and I've even managed to finally give away a few hard to to get rid of items. I want the whole front of the store cleared out for new stuff that'll be coming in soon.

In the meantime, please keep sending in your old electronics to get recycled as they really help me out with spare parts and all.

Later

07/12/2026

Hi. I've heard this rumor back in the days of the PSP Go where physical media will be discontinued and games will be digital only.

Well, last week Sony just confirmed that they plan to discontinue physical media in February 2028. This means that the Playstation 6 will be digital only. I've also heard that the support for PS3 and PS Vita titles will be discontinued around this time, too.

First Nintendo with their digital-only Switch 2 titles and now this. For all the risks of physical media getting lost, damaged or stolen, at least when you own it, you own it and can lend it, sell it and borrow it as you please.

No worries about characters the game publisher no longer has the rights to (like DC comics Joker in Mortal Kombat for PS3 and Xbox 360) and other reasons to discontinue a title with no regard for the money you've spent on it.

Who's going to shop at brick-and-mortar retailers when you can just buy the games online, especially if their digital only?

It sucks but it is what it is.

Luckily for me, I'll be specializing in physical media even if they're reproductions and a few select bootlegs.

Later

06/27/2026

Hi. I'm writing to wish all my a customers a (belated) Happy St. Jean Baptiste and a Happy Canada Day.

I used to sell toys and figurines, comic books and manga, trading cards as well as VHS, Betamax, DVD and Blu-ray movies. I got out of these respective markets as they dried up and liquidated my collections, but I might get back into some of them now that there's a rise in popularity for certain collectible trading cards.

Funko (the maker of Funko Pops) went out of business a couple years ago (generally not a good sign) and my colleague has no further demand for Funko Pops, so unless I get a bunch real cheap and then flip them I'm not interested in restocking on those. Ditto for other figurines such as Kotobukiya, as well as Gunpla and War Hammer 40K model kits (although some stores seem to do well selling these exclusively).

Ditto for hard cover and soft cover graphic novels; it was fun while it lasted but without regular buyers, it's not worth keeping in stock.

So unless something new and exciting comes along that's more than just a passing fad (looking at you, Bey Blades), I'm focusing almost exclusively on videogames.

Sometimes you have to just stick with what you know.

Later

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06/23/2026

Hi. One my customers was in a bind and sold me his whole Anime collection, including the complete series of Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop, Black Lagoon, Attack on Titan, Initial D and Gunslinger Girl.

My colleague came and bought the whole collection off of me. I was even able to get rid of my Super Submarine 999 (the only item I had left from my last Anime purchase a few years ago that included Goldorak, Captain Harlock and Ulysses 31).

As much as I enjoy Anime, it just doesn't sell all that well now that people are streaming it online and even downloading it for free. The whole video rental and sale business model has collapsed and all the video stores closed down, with only niche locations such as myself carrying any physical copies.

Ditto for comic books and manga. At least physical videogames are still in vogue.

Later