-The game has gone higher than 300 on eBay in the past.
Just because one person on the entire planet paid an obscene amount, doesn't mean $300 (used) is the new base price. Not that it didn't happen, but again, there's no record of any sales much over $200 on pricecharts.com. Even using
average ebay sales to appraise items is highly suspect.
-Selling on eBay is a real pain (especially in the past couple years) and I prefer to sell offline--especially at conventions, so I am actually not concerned if it sells or not within the next 2-3 weeks.
What, free advertising to everyone in the world isn't convenient enough for you? I can't even figure out the logic this point plays in your defense. Are we supposed to sympathize with you because "yeah, ebay sucks. Who wants to sell on there anyway? Better price it high so you can take it down in a few weeks and don't have to hassle."
What you're doing is planting seeds for later inflation. You know it's not going to sell and people will scoff, but when they see it suddenly become "no longer available" they'll start to wonder what if it really sold for $500. Then all you need is a couple months of scarcity before people get desperate and $500 becomes the new price. You're trying to make Cotton the next runaway witch on the inflation broomstick.
-The game is in spectacular condition for a US Turbo Duo game. It is not tough to find PC Engine titles in Mint condition, but US releases are a different story.
Condition might be relevant if you were talking about Super Air Zonk, but nice copies of Cotton aren't a big deal. TZD had spare manuals for $3.50 until 2006 or so. They also had unadvertised, sealed copies for trusted customers all the way until the end that were eventually turned over to Red Frog. Then some euro sellers liquidated a bunch of sealed copies in 2007. Telegames had sealed copies until 2008.
The average ebay price is $200. The real value is probably $150. The gouger price is $300. $500 is insane scumbag market manipulation. Again, you bought the game for $100 plus, what makes you think you're entitled to flip it for $500? Exactly what service are you providing? Why does anyone need a middle man like you when they have the internet? Please, try to answerer this question. As a young child, did you discover your unique talent for buying neighbors' lemonade and flipping it to chumps for $10 a Dixie cup? Or maybe you got a degree in... uh... collectibles speculation and you're just following your career. Or maybe you interned at an ebay consignment shop and decided this is what you love to do? You're obviously a talented individual with unique gifts, please tell me what I can do to make my living profiting off people on this forum!
I guess it's nice that you pay lip service to our little community and our deals here and you can pat yourself on the back that you once sold a copy of Cotton at the lower, gouger price and that you're willing to entertain offers, but you're an absolute gouger, through and through.