PS3 preorders up on eBay, down from eBay (or: IT BEGINS!)

by Christopher Grant { Oct 10th 2006 at 6:55PM }

We all knew it was inevitable. The entrepreneurial amongst us woke up early, climbed out of their warm beds, and dragged themselves to the local Gamestop to claim their spot in line. A couple short hours later, and $100 down, a handful of lucky gamers that were early enough walked out with a slip of paper that sort of promises them a shiny, new PlayStation 3 ...

... which they took home and promptly placed on eBay, in the hopes of reproducing last year's outrageous Xbox 360 profits. Yup, eBay is being overrun with PlayStation 3 pre-order promises, priced as high as $2500 to start! Of course, "eBay permits Pre-sale listings only on a limited basis." What sort of limits are placed on this basis?

For starters, the "seller must guarantee that the item will be available for shipping within 30 days from the date of purchase," with date of purchase meaning "the day the listing ends or the date the item is purchased from a store front listing." So, if the PS3 isn't available until November 17th, and it's only Oct. 10th, then as long as your auction ends on Oct. 17th or later, you oughta be hunky-dory. But then why are auctions disappearing left and right? Note the auction screen-capped above, or the one screen-capped after the break, both of which were due to end within the 30 day limit, yet both are now gone. We've gotten a dozen tips to various auctions from our readers, all were gone within an hour. Other tipsters tell us they've had their auctions pulled and their accounts cancelled (a little much, don'cha think?).

Perhaps there's another reason. Note that Gamestop said, "As we cannot control production and shipping issues by the manufacturer, a reservation deposit does not guarantee receipt of a system available to purchase at launch," which would certainly make it difficult to "guarantee that the item will be available." If and when PlayStation 3s are in short supply this November 17th, eBay doesn't want any of the flak Gamestop is gonna be getting to rub off on them. Chances are these auctions are simply a violation of eBay's policies, and not the gloved hand of a shadowy video game company manipulating everyone's favorite online auction house.

[Thanks to everyone that sent this in]

Tags: Auction, eBay, madness

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Sam @ Oct 10th 2006 7:01PM

Well in that case, I have a fancy Blue Ray Player that happens to also play PS3 games available for auction.

Nimo @ Oct 10th 2006 7:02PM

Wow, someone actually bid on that. I better set up my own, I will have 50 in stock come November!!! PRE-ORDER FROM ME!!!

http://search.ebay.com/what-a-tool_W0QQfromZR41

Sloar @ Oct 10th 2006 7:03PM

I'm going to put my Phantom preorder up on ebay. Auction ends Oct. 17, 2146. I'm the only person with the preorder. Get it while you can.

Bored @ Oct 10th 2006 7:08PM

The $1,000,000 PS3 is still up.

Flash @ Oct 10th 2006 7:09PM

Sloar
Are they taking preorders of the phantom? I thought it was cancled, when will it be realeased, and for how much.
Why is their no one talking about this????

dvddesign @ Oct 10th 2006 7:10PM

I still stand by my idea of skipping ebay entirely in favor of waiting till Black Friday.

Devwar @ Oct 10th 2006 7:23PM

Last paragraph says "gamespot" instead of "gamestop", in the second sentence, halfway down.

Firegirl @ Oct 10th 2006 7:19PM

Wow, people are actually going to bid on something that is not even guaranteed? And pay over $1,000 for it? Retarded. I'd rather wait until the hype dies down and people realize it's not worth that kind of money.

copres @ Oct 10th 2006 7:24PM

lol! i think that they just removed all of the ps3 listings on ebay.

copres @ Oct 10th 2006 7:27PM

oops nevermind, but it looks like they removed a couple of them

Shecky @ Oct 10th 2006 7:29PM

Out of all the people I've seen who said they had a preorder for a PS3, on Joystiq and elsewhere, most (all?) are planning on putting their preordered PS3 up on eBay. I'm beginning to wonder if *anyone* who placed a preorder for a PS3 will actually be keeping the system. There may be a glut of auctions in a month or so, with people all charging exorbitant prices for their precious PS3. Won't that drive down the prices?

And also, I really don't think it says much about the strength of a system if most people are preordering it to resell on eBay instead of, you know, to play games on it.

Seer S @ Oct 10th 2006 7:30PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/Playstation-3-Premium-I-was-first-in-line-to-preorder_W0QQitemZ300037119547QQihZ020QQcategoryZ62054QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ach @ Oct 10th 2006 7:35PM

this is the very definition of a STUPID MORONIC 1337 fanboy who will pay 2500, for a 360 with a bluray player. i cant take idiots like this. i bet if you followed that person back to his house he has a shrine up in his room of kutaragi and his 4d statement.

again i cant stand people who would so desperately pay 2500 for a console.

messiahofpower @ Oct 12th 2006 6:30AM

Just to show all of us arent money hungry. I was second in line got my ps3 preorder and the only place its going is on my 61JVC HDILA as soon as I get home. Now I would sell it for 1 million like the other fellow;-}

B @ Oct 10th 2006 7:38PM

#12

You gotta be joking me.

Flash @ Oct 10th 2006 7:39PM

Most ppl who bought a crapbox sold it, this time their selling a system that is worth 1 to 2 thousand dollars

RoroCo @ Oct 10th 2006 7:42PM

I would cry laughing if everyone who bought a PS3 to sell on Ebay is now stuck with it. I am all for being opportunistic...but reselling items like this is bordering immoral(think ticket scalping)...

Intangible 360 @ Oct 10th 2006 7:47PM

Lol, I'd hate to be stuck with one of those pieces of junk too.

ahigee @ Oct 10th 2006 7:48PM

#12 I'm laughing already because there is enough info on that receipt for me to call that store and get the name and number. I wouldn't be surprised that that reserve will be cancelled within 2-5 days.

Eric Von Shpeel @ Oct 10th 2006 7:49PM

ebay probably doesnt want the negative press of "I ordered a ps3 on ebay and got ripped off" stories come christmas time

aZn_1080P @ Oct 10th 2006 8:24PM

thats pretty damn weak if you ask me, they better cut this crap because I have 2 systems (tard pack lol) lined up to post on there, so I can recoup my purchase just one short month after buying! PS3 + ebay FTW!

KAZ @ Oct 10th 2006 7:57PM

599 US DOLLARS

..OH WAIT, $1000???!??

makesevenupyours @ Oct 10th 2006 7:59PM

"15. Most ppl who bought a crapbox sold it, this time their selling a system that is worth 1 to 2 thousand dollars"

you telling me that at launch if you searched "xbox 360" there would have been 250,000 results?

anyways, even if they did, it still doesnt make it a "crapbox."

just set the fanboyism aside plz

sphetr2 @ Oct 10th 2006 8:16PM

Playstation 3 Premium I was first in line to preorder!
Item number: 300037119547

Buyer or seller of this item? Sign in for your status Email to a friend

THIS ITEM HAS ENDED WITH BUY IT NOW

1,000,000 US DOLLARS!

W. T. F.

dsub @ Oct 10th 2006 10:08PM

these people are all wishful thinkers. One or two might get lucky and sell there pre-order, but most people are going to wait to look on eBay until they know those selling actually have tyhe PS3 in their possession before they take the risk. Also, $2500 is a bit ridiculous.

Deckardb @ Oct 10th 2006 8:42PM

#22 WTF indeed! There is no way someone paid that much for it. I'm suspecting that it has to be a joke and he had himself or a buddy use the buy it now feature.
If it is a joke, it's a pretty damn expensive one!

Ebay fees:

Equal to or Over $1000.01 5.25% of the initial $25.00 ($1.31), plus 3.00% of the initial $25.01 - $1,000.00 ($29.25), plus 1.50% of the remaining closing value balance ($1000.01 - closing value)

porkepik @ Oct 15th 2006 2:03PM

The 1000000 PS3 has been bought by a 0 feedback guy so the seller is screwed if the buyer don'T pay, ebay will still charge the +-17000$ selling fee, the seller can reclaim it but maybe it will already been charged to his credit card lolllll
For myself I will put my ps3 on sale on ebay the 17th when i'm sure i get it (nr 1 on pre order at TRU since feb06(in canada TRU did accept pre-o in feb and march06). I'm pretty sure I will get it. If it sells with my reserve fine (60 gig model). If it don't, not a problem I will play it. Only the lauch line up does not make me happy, I was anticipating heavenly sword warhawk and motorstorm back in feb when i made the pre-order and it appears they won'T be there so... i will get another ps3(20 gig since they included hdmi on this one too, that was the required item for me as it will really double as a blu ray player(don't care about the wifi house is cabled, and 60 gig hdd) when they come out.

Sushi316 @ Oct 10th 2006 9:44PM

First, I know Joystiq and alot of the people here are skeptical about Gamestop, but as far as reserves are going. the stores are only reserving up to the amount they are being allocated. The ONLY way you have a reserve and dont get a system, is if Sony gets eaten by zombies and fails to deliver the systems that they are promising. Not like your systems are getting taking and sold to someone else. And if your local store DOES take more reserves or promises you something, Call Customer Service or their District Manager and get them fired.

xxOMGHEYxx @ Oct 10th 2006 9:10PM

OMFG..
.
I missed out on getting my PS3 today. >_< 8 preorders and I was ONE late.

Yeah, they're selling like hotcakes...and I am in a SMALLLLLLLL town in Georgia.

It's crazy...

The store manager told me today that at the recent Gamestop meeting in Texas that they were talking about how Sony said they would SUE Ebay allowing PS3's to be sold on there for SUPER HIGH prices. Something about ' price gouging ' I think they said...?

Anyways, this might be why they're dissapearing?

Steve @ Oct 19th 2006 1:31AM

The $1,000,000 ps3 is hilarious. I just hope to God that someone didn't actually pay that much money for a $600 machine. (It doesn't matter what it is, ps3 or not)

I just wanted to point out that GameStop is uninformed. Do they not realize that it is PLAYSTATION 3?; Not PlayStation3. What have they done?! Ken is in a dark corner, all alone, crying right now.

espostal @ Oct 16th 2006 10:52AM

Just so you hear the other side. Last night I was working on the net - when "Bing" my brother IM's me and says get your @ss down to Gamesop tomorrow morning. Low and behold I now have a pre-order ticket. I have no intention of ever selling the PS3. I think that it's an extremly hot piece of technology. All the hype in this side of the globe is getting their hands on one of these. I have not heard anyone who got their pre-order talking about selling. We have been waiting a long time for this PS3. Sony is all about quality, people are just bent that it took longer to make than a quarter pounder with fries.

themikey @ Oct 10th 2006 9:27PM

@ 27

If Sony did that, I would gain all the respect I lost for them after E306.

Maybe this is what has to be done. I don't believe in ripping people off at Christmas, especially when there are people who actually want to sit down and enjoy their new console. I have to admit, I don't care much about the PS3 - but I don't want to have to get my Wii from ebay :(

BMWM3P @ Oct 10th 2006 9:37PM

I preordered and the only way I would sell my PS3 if I get a ridiculous amount like 10,000.00 or more. These dumbasses that try to do this are just plain dumb, if this isn't stopped I know they're going to sell at much higher prices than the shitbox 360.

The PS3 is coming and ms is shitting their pants.

Canadian Geese @ Oct 10th 2006 9:41PM

I was first in line, too. I plan on selling mine on ebay.

I do want a PS3, but not until they are a proven technology.

People complained about the number of 360's that had problems, which turned out to be 3-4%. 360's used existing technology, too. ...PS3's on the other hand have the Cell (new), Blu-Ray (new), and an internal power supply (not external, like the 360). If the PS3 is anything like the PS2, there are going to be a LOT of unhappy Sony fans with a broken PS3 come Christmas.

Alex @ Oct 10th 2006 9:42PM

BMWM3P, you're a moron.

I have 2 reserved PS3s and I'm selling both for $2,000+ while enjoying my 360 and the 10 games I have for it. I'll set $600 of my profit aside and buy a PS3 sometime in '07 when some worthy games are actually released.

Jeremy @ Oct 10th 2006 9:47PM

"I preordered and the only way I would sell my PS3 if I get a ridiculous amount like 10,000.00 or more. These dumbasses that try to do this are just plain dumb, if this isn't stopped I know they're going to sell at much higher prices than the shitbox 360.

The PS3 is coming and ms is shitting their pants."

Joke right? The 360 is what the ps3 wishes it was. It has the online, games, power, price and availability the ps3 would kill for.

Hal @ Oct 10th 2006 9:49PM

@29

LOL? You are saying that the only way you would sell your PS3 is for a 9,364 dollar profit? You are an idiot my friend. A 50% profit, selling it for 900 dollars is a great deal. Maybe you don't care about this new fangled thing called money. But... with 9,364 dollars you can buy 14 PS3...

Anonymouse Rep @ Oct 10th 2006 9:50PM

"The PS3 is coming and ms is shitting their pants.

Posted at 9:35PM on Oct 10th 2006 by BMWM3P"

Well - no, not really. Microsoft has the Vista launch coming up, the Zune launch coming up, the new Office launch coming up, the accessories available THIS holiday to make your 360 a complete gaming experience (1st party racing wheel that ROCKS - it's the first wheel I've seen that's worth the price, and I'm NOT just saying that because of who I work for - I have a couple for my PC), the Live Vision Camera, cordless headset, wireless gaming receiver...

It is, after all, supposed to be about GAMING, right?

Seriously, though - after this holiday fever is over will be when you'll see the big picture. Of course we exepect everything available on Black Friday to sell out - and we don't have a problem with it. What we're looking at is what sales will be in January and February - get past the holiday and watch PS3 go down the drain. People won't pay more for a gaming console than they can pay for a PC. (Complete with 15" flat screen, sitting at Staples for $499.)

Why do you think Microsoft is going around now with the big Games for Windows re-branding? Sure - they're crazy. Crazy like a fox - Microsoft is primarily a software company and will ALWAYS primarily remain a software company. They just happen to sell hardware so they can sell more software.

dvddesign @ Oct 10th 2006 9:55PM

Hey, I'm not worried if the market bottoms out in the US somehow on those things this year.

Last time I checked, Japan wants these WAY worse than the US does, and they've only got 100,000 of them before xmas. I've got an NTSC region-free (thank you BluRay) game console, I have friends in Japan who like "finder's fees", and I've got a pre-order. Remember, the 60Gb version has an "open" price on it over there, which means it's a seller's market for the PS3 model that they're going to stock 75% more of than the lower priced one.

Moogle @ Oct 10th 2006 9:55PM

Lol @ stupid ebay sellers.

None of the PS3 auctions have legitimate bids. The only one that has any of consequence is 15 as of right now, and that's 3 bidders who are outbidding themselves, not just each other. Very fake.

Wild Homes @ Oct 10th 2006 10:33PM

someone should buy the one million dollar one, stiff it, and watch Ebay hit him with seller fees commensurate with a one million dollar item. that would be fucking awesome.

Wild Homes @ Oct 10th 2006 10:40PM

Sushi, I worked at a game store for the 360 launch, and stores were not given absolute, confirmed "launch" numbers until THE UNITS ARRIVED AT THE STORE. GameStops in my part of the country were given soft instructions to communicate to guests that until we received the systems we were not able to guarantee anything. you really think that Sony has a half-million units done and boxed already? because if they don't, and I am SURE they don't, any delay whatsoever will affect the number of units available to GameStop outlets. it could be two workers taking a four hour bathroom break. any delay and these numbers are subject to change. the only way that isn't true is if the units are sitting in a GameStop distribution center already. until GameStop has the units in hand, you're just betting on a very shaky thing.

playstation 3 is going to rule @ Oct 10th 2006 10:50PM

playstation 3 is going to rule @ Oct 10th 2006 11:16PM

Ok a few things need to be layed out here.

If you pre Ordered a ps3 then you MIGHT get one on the 17th.

If you were Number one on that line - chances are you are number 3 since employees got the first (2). So you have a better chance than most to get a PS3.

If you are a Eb/Gamestop employee and you got one of the 2 allowed for employees then you most likely got yourself a system on the 17th.

NOW... Lets lay out some rules.

Ebay will usually do what they want... If they kill your auction then your auction is dead.

IF you decide to list a pre-order then do it by ebay rules or suffer the consiquences.

If you bought your PS3 in hopes that it will be worth double - then you are probibly right. If you waited on the line and you wish to sell it - then you should be able to do so (Ebay, Private, Craigslist whatever) and all you assholes on here who claim price gouging, unfairness, ect... stop being jealous you aren't gonna have one to sell. Don't give me or anyone else BS stories that you would keep yours and play it. Everyone who don't have enough money to live comfortably would jump at an opportunity to make some cash.
I bought one to sell... I want it to pay for my Xmas and perhaps kill some bills. Will I buy a PS3 for myself? Sure I will - but i only make $32,000 a year and I live in a place where it cost about $60,000 a year to live well. So I made a business investment. I spent my time to camp, my money to invest, my time to wait, my time to pick up, my money to list (on ebay), more of my time to wait, and hopefully in the end I will yeald a profit (oh plus gas for my car). Even if i make $1200 (double) how much of that is a True profit - how much time and energy did I waste to make $600. Was it worth it? Probibly. Is it rediculas? NOPE. Why? Because this is how the world works.

You and me all have been screwed like this all the time - weather it be a concert seat, a game system, a work of art, a rare item, a limited edition car, whatever else..... IF enough people what something and there are not enough to go around the value of the item goes up and only those who are looking to profit will sell what they have and they usually invest alot of time and effort to make a profit.

For those of you planing to use Ebay - my only advice is this. Wait until you have the system in hand. Ebay and sony or whoever else have NO RIGHT at all to have a legit auction killed. If you have it in hand - take your pic's post your auction and have no violated any ebay listing rules - your auction will complete with a winner (hopefully one who pays and not some dick looking to mees your auction up).

This nonsense about sony telling ebay to kill auctions for price gouging or anything else is rediculas. Sony follows 2 rules.... Sell at reasonable price to the Vendors/retails - then make sure they sell at the MSRP (again set by sony). Once the customer has the Item - sony can start claiming superiority and market share in the next generation console war. Thats about as far as they care about the PS3. They don't care if you open the box and play it or hold onto it and put it on ebay in hopes of some quick cash. An auction is an Auction.

Lastly - is this really anything new? Not really - it's only new becuase Ebay makes it seem that way. But I remember tons of toys long before the internet that once the retailers sold them, private people were looking to turn a quick buck. Even the Atari 2600 was like this, so was NES, SNES, Genesis, Elmo, Cabbage patch, Gijoe, TMNT and a ton of other crap. If ebay existed in 1976 on - this would be common place today. The fact that you NEWBIES (kids 12-25) see this as something new becuase you only see it on ebay and you grew up with ebay. I was already an adult dealing with this kind of crap before the internet took off. I embraced Ebay and so should all of you.

Is there anything Wrong in any sense with any of the crap going on with PS3 - if you decide to try to sell your pre order or wait until you have live product - it's all fair in a open enconomy. Don't cry foul if you didn't get one. I've tried to embrace my morals and it didn't work when it came to new game systems - so i'll do what everyone else does, buy and sell. It's atually healthy to the economy.

One more final note. Once I have my system in hand you are more than welcome to entertain me with your offers. It will be the $600 sku with Resistance Fall of man. Im looking for about $1500 to start. My wife needs a new car - now that would make her have a merry Xmas.

......C......PSX3D

John @ Oct 11th 2006 10:08AM

Sony is tickled pink that the PS3 is going to sell at an inflated price via ebay. It helps produce hysteria, hyping up the system and growing "the brand." The only reason so many PS3 auctions have been shut down (mine included, but will be up again after my suspension is revoked in 12 hours) is b/c most of us used BUY-IT-NOW and/or ended the auction outside of the 30 day window. Ebay has a strict pre-sale policy that dictates a seller cannot sell a pre-sale item (such as PS3) unless the seller can guarantee the item will ship within 30 days. I offered BUY IT NOW. If someone bought my PS3 using Buy IT NOW they wouldn't be able to receive the unit until after 30 days, hence, my auction was closed and my account was temporarily suspended. Again, simply capitalism at work here, the invisible hands of supply and demand are what make America great.

dvddesign @ Oct 10th 2006 11:00PM

Wild,

I was told today, that last year MS had given GS/EB really vague numbers, and then undercut them severely.

The situation this year (and can be corraborated given that GS had their big yearly meeting 2 weeks ago) was that Sony has a definite number of consoles they've committed to GS already, which GS had promised to split as they have among their stores. The reason why, as I was told by the scarily over-informed counterkid (nothing like a career at EB, huh?), was that they weren't going to have all these lost sales this year thanks to Sony like they did with MS. Their intent this year is to guarantee people real consoles with those pre-orders.

I don't work for 'em, and I have to defer to your side in my own humble opinion, but I'd like to think that despite equally small numbers this year, at least GameStop has tried to shield themselves from as many angry customers this year as they had last year.

Gamestop corporate may only care about our money, but they do care about the money, and the only way to get it, is to get all sides to commit to a console sale. I think GS finally figured out that inflated pre-order numbers don't mean squat when 1/4-1/2 of them don't get filled soon enough to where they inevitably get cancelled/refunded. They were turning people away from pre-orders, something they absolutely didn't do last year.

Sushi316 @ Oct 10th 2006 11:41PM

Wild,
I understand that. I worked the 360 launch last year, and also remember having to explain to people for the next 4 months why they werent able to get their system that they reserved in August. Which is why I truly believe that Gamestop has learned something from that fiasco, and after the merger of Gamestop and EBGames, they have gone from two Fortune 1000 companies to a Fortune 500 company, and therefore they definitely do not want a repeat. I know that stores have been told their allocations, and have been told only to reserve that amount, and no other. Doing so in any other way is fraud. And, anyone here who is being told or given reserves should speak to someone higher up, because you are being lied to.

And lastly, I am for the most part open to the whole free market aspect, and that people should be allowed to do what they will with their purchases. But one thing that I have great trouble understanding, is how people will in one breath complain and curse retailers such as Gamestop and EBGames for giving little for trade ins (though I can think of alot of other things that become devalued almost instantly after being used), and then in their next breath have no problem with camping to buy a system and wanting to sell it on Ebay for quadruple the price. Why the hypocrisy?