PS3 preorders up on eBay, down from eBay (or: IT BEGINS!)
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]
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.
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.
Devwar @ Oct 10th 2006 7:23PM
Last paragraph says "gamespot" instead of "gamestop", in the second sentence, halfway down.
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.
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
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.
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!
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)
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 (
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.
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
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?
Wild Homes @ Oct 11th 2006 12:19AM
Sushi and DVDDesign,
I do hope you guys are right about the counts. now it's just up to Sony to deliver those consoles. as always, nice to talk to people instead of just wading through the flame posts. you guys have a good one, please.
Darth Pixel @ Oct 11th 2006 12:20AM
Anything that can sell on eBay for that kind of money was priced too low.
ZeroCorpse @ Oct 11th 2006 1:45AM
Buying up all the stock and reselling it at outrageously marked-up prices is NOT "capitalism" and you'd know that if you took an economics or business class. It's called "profiteering" and it is very frequently illegal. It's what drives jackasses to buy up all the Tickle Me Elmo dolls and sell them to desperate parents for a 500% mark-up. It's unethical. It's a drain on the retail supply. It's damaging to the economy because it artifically inflates prices.
Anyone who did this can bite me. You're jerks, and I hope your preorders don't arrive until March, when the Xmas hype (and opportunity to sell them at high prices) is long gone.
I also hope your experience on eBay is filled with scammers, counterfeiters, pains in the neck, and people who log negative feedback for no reason so you can get an idea what it's like to be on the bad end of unethical behavior.
ZeroCorpse @ Oct 11th 2006 1:57AM
@44
Not only are you an idiot without a conscience, you're WAY off on your facts.
This trend of profiteering at this level didn't happen with the Atari 2600. The earliest I remember seeing anything like this was with Cabbage Patch Kids and Teddy Ruxpin. The NES didn't get bought up at launch and resold for $1000 and even the SNES didn't see this kind of rampant profiteering. Before eBay, profiteering was limited to flea markets, swap meets, and classified ads, and people had a definite limit through those things.
Now, you've got every jerk across the nation buying every launch console and selling it, which is WHY the console is hard to find. YOU and people like you are creating the demand ARTIFICIALLY, and you can call it an "investment" all you like. The fact remains that you're not much better than a slimy ticket scalper, or the guy who buys up every issue of a hot comic book in town in order to boost the "collectibility" of it. It's all ARTIFICIAL inflation, and that's ROTTEN ETHICS and bad for the economy on the whole. It also HURTS SONY (not that I care, but...) and causes people to consider the console NOT WORTH IT.
Yes, Sony sells all their launch consoles. To you guys. Then, Sony suffers the reputation that they're producing a console that is A.) WAY TOO EXPENSIVE and B.) They didn't make enough, which makes people turn away from the product.
Again, this suits me just fine. I'd love to see the PS3 fail, so I encourage you profiteers to keep it up. It keeps you away from my holiday Xbox 360 games, and it keeps the PS3 in the category of "too expensive" and reduces market penetration this holiday.
But don't give us the B.S. that you're some noble capitalist entrepeneur. You're not. You're a bottom-feeding profiteer, and you deserve whatever bad karma is coming your way.
Pulse @ Oct 11th 2006 8:23AM
ZeroCorpse, are you some kind of complete braindead idiot?
If your just a fanboy, you might as well just leave this convo, its not about 360, does it say 360?
Go right ahead anf play your 360, noone actually cares to be honest, after seeing the number of people planing to buy a PS3, I have high doubts it will fail, it may not win the gen, but it definatly won't fail, unless it somehow doesnt offer what is expected of it, I'm buying one, and if you think that by slagging off the PS3 will make PS3 fans decide to buy a 360, you are horribly wrong, if anything you are pushing ppl away from 360 even more, the last thing anyone needs is a nerd fanboy like you who sits in his room all day playing games, has no girls and slags off Sony because he want s to lick the largest company in the worlds backside, you must feel as though you are important or something.
Don't buy a PS3 then if you don't like it, besides, the last thing any PS3 owner needs is a spoilt reputation by the likes of you owning a PS3.
Anyway, back on topic, I would love to see which fool would purchase a PS3 for double the price like that :)
I feel really sorry for those ppl.
Pulse @ Oct 11th 2006 8:28AM
Lol, you will always find someone desperate enough to get hold of something, does it matter if you get a PS3 at launch or not? How will that make things any better? Its not as if they are cheaper or they come with 4 free games or something :S
I'll get one, but at launch? Nah, I don't mind waiting a while, I'm not that game geeky :)
x876543 @ Oct 11th 2006 9:05AM
You do realize that the buyItNow buyer for 1 million dollars is named thomnook? Tom Nook is the name of the shop owner in Animal's Crossings (Nintendo). Fanboys are rabid. I'm just enjoying the show.
dsub @ Oct 11th 2006 9:06AM
yea, all the "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" stuff is basically there to cover their asses incase Sony dicks them over. You have to keep in mind that the 360 pre-orders started in May of 2005 for the November launch. Right around this time is when EB/GS was finding out that the 80 units per store they thought they'd be getting, was more like 25. I would have hated to be the manager that had to call all those people that weren't getting one to tell them that like within a month of launch.
This time, they waited so long to take pre-orders for the sole purpose that they wanted definite allocation numbers before they started. They got them, and every store should get what they say they will get. Unless sony fucks them over and ships less than they told them.