Author Topic: Businessmen Use Homeless To Buy Up PS3s for Resale (Read 9043 times)

Chozo Ghost · « **on:** November 12, 2006, 03:37:01 AM »

Link to article.

Seen this on Slashdot. It is pretty sad if you ask me.

UncleBob · « **Reply #1 on:** November 12, 2006, 03:52:08 AM »

Well, at least they're giving something to a good cause as a part of their plan. I guess.

JonLeung · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:32:04 AM »

LOL, I had forgotten that the PS3 is now available in Japan.

Though I guess they're giving homeless/poor people money to line up and get PS3s for them, it does seem more than a little...shady.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:33:43 AM »

Why, if they've got the money and someone's willing to stand in line for that money, what's the problem? That homeless wouldn't make nearly as much money standing on the street with a paper cup in hand.

Ceric · « **Reply #4 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:02:22 AM »

This is terrible for gamers.

First off I'm going on the record stating that the people who participated in this I can't fault. If someone came up and paid me to wait in line I do it more then likely.
Though for us people who really want the system we will have to wait longer. Which stinks.

Though this is really sticking it to Sony. They didn't buy any software. Which means they'll have to wait even longer to get the money from software sales. Actually after seeing this Sony should have just sold the console for a profit from the get go and have a price drop once production moves out of being shakey. It shows that business man are willing to believe they can sell them for a profit even after paying someone to wait for them.

Though does this mean I'm going to have to fight with the equivalent population here in the US for my Wii...

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #5 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:34:59 AM »

On a side note, at least 17,000 of the 83,000 PS3s were sold without games being purchased (and this is merely comparing the total game sales to the total system sales, not counting those with multiple games being purchased...) I wonder how many of these were purchased for the sole reason of being sold back on ebay or Yahoo, etc...

KDR_11k · « **Reply #6 on:** November 12, 2006, 08:52:26 AM »

Which means they'll have to wait even longer to get the money from software sales.

Not that they care, the average buyer will take much longer to buy enough games to recoup the PS3 cost than it takes to find a home for these PS3s. Especially considering the PS3 is rumored to be sold at such a great loss that the initial sales aren't going to make their money back anyway and even after that Blu-Ray will be the biggest factor that pays for the PS3 (or at least Sony hopes so, whether Blu-Ray sells is another issue).

Ceric · « **Reply #7 on:** November 12, 2006, 09:22:30 AM »

Personally if I was Sony I take whatever I could get profit wise.

ThePerm · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2006, 11:11:30 AM »

lol

http://search.ebay.com/ps3_W0QQfrppZ50QQfsopZ1QQmaxrecordsreturnedZ300

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #9 on:** November 12, 2006, 12:37:47 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
This is terrible for gamers.

First off I'm going on the record stating that the people who participated in this I can't fault. If someone came up and paid me to wait in line I do it more then likely.
Though for us people who really want the system we will have to wait longer. Which stinks.

Though this is really sticking it to Sony. They didn't buy any software. Which means they'll have to wait even longer to get the money from software sales. Actually after seeing this Sony should have just sold the console for a profit from the get go and have a price drop once production moves out of being shakey. It shows that business man are willing to believe they can sell them for a profit even after paying someone to wait for them.

Though does this mean I'm going to have to fight with the equivalent population here in the US for my Wii...

Well if you really wanted the system you would be in line too, so tough. I'm technically doing a similar thing (though not with a homeless man lol) in that I am having a family member stay in line with me to get another system and they get half of the profits.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #10 on:** November 12, 2006, 03:00:28 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: ThePerm
lol

http://search.ebay.com/ps3_W0QQfrppZ50QQfsopZ1QQmaxrecordsreturnedZ300

Damn, I should have reserved one after all...

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #11 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:23:00 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
Quote
Originally posted by: ThePerm
lol

http://search.ebay.com/ps3_W0QQfrppZ50QQfsopZ1QQmaxrecordsreturnedZ300

Damn, I should have reserved one after all...

Well Smash you can always do what I'm doing, which is wait in line for 20-24 hrs before it comes out. I have one preordered but I am planning on getting 2 other PS3s!

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #12 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:31:06 PM »

Seeing bids that high is rather sad. This is the mentality that allowed Sony to believe they're able to justify the steep price tag of a "high end" console.

Ceric · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:37:04 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric
This is terrible for gamers.

First off I'm going on the record stating that the people who participated in this I can't fault. If someone came up and paid me to wait in line I do it more then likely.
Though for us people who really want the system we will have to wait longer. Which stinks.

Though this is really sticking it to Sony. They didn't buy any software. Which means they'll have to wait even longer to get the money from software sales. Actually after seeing this Sony should have just sold the console for a profit from the get go and have a price drop once production moves out of being shakey. It shows that business man are willing to believe they can sell them for a profit even after paying someone to wait for them.

Though does this mean I'm going to have to fight with the equivalent population here in the US for my Wii...

Well if you really wanted the system you would be in line too, so tough. I'm technically doing a similar thing (though not with a homeless man lol) in that I am having a family member stay in line with me to get another system and they get half of the profits.

Which they would greatly demish my chances of getting one.

vudu · « **Reply #14 on:** November 12, 2006, 04:55:28 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Well if you really wanted the system you would be in line too, so tough. I'm technically doing a similar thing (though not with a homeless man lol) in that I am having a family member stay in line with me to get another system and they get half of the profits.

How the heck is that fair? If I were your family member I would want all the profits. You either have a really generous or really stupid family.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #15 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:03:25 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: vudu
Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Well if you really wanted the system you would be in line too, so tough. I'm technically doing a similar thing (though not with a homeless man lol) in that I am having a family member stay in line with me to get another system and they get half of the profits.
How the heck is that fair? If I were your family member I would want all the profits. You either have a really generous or really stupid family.

Maybe because I am supplying the cash to buy it, this family member does not have a job at the moment nor the money to buy one. So basically it is free money with their only investment being their time. So please back off I don't need your smart alik comments. This particular family member was willing to do it for nothing, but I'm the one who decided to give them half the profits, and was the same one who did this with me for Xbox 360.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #16 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:10:13 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Ceric

Which they would greatly demish my chances of getting one.

You would have had the same chance if you spent 20 hrs in line too, it all depends if you have the motivation or not. Instead of whining about not getting one (or not wanting to pay the high prices on ebay) either

A) Don't buy it from ebay and wait a few months
B) Pay the high price and thus encourage selling on ebay
C) Wait in line like everyone else and take the same risk as everyone else if you really want one

BlkPaladin · « **Reply #17 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:25:27 PM »

Months, I'm thinking a little on the order of years for PS3, if I get one. (The only reason whould be FF13, if Square doesn't make it multiplatform or move it.)

As for family going to get the system I know a few people who do that. I even have a few people who are willing to go wait for the Wii for me, though I don't think it will be nessary, but if it is I have one or two on call.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #18 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:31:46 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: BlkPaladin
Months, I'm thinking a little on the order of years for PS3, if I get one. (The only reason whould be FF13, if Square doesn't make it multiplatform or move it.)

As for family going to get the system I know a few people who do that. I even have a few people who are willing to go wait for the Wii for me, though I don't think it will be nessary, but if it is I have one or two on call.

Hey that makes two of us, I probaly won't own a PS3 until a year or so since there is nothing at all appealing about the current crop of games. So instead I'm going to use my money from it to purchase an HD-TV, christmas presents for my family (I will probaly set aside 300-400$ for that), and the rest will go into the bank to help pay off my student loans.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #19 on:** November 12, 2006, 05:41:55 PM »

I don't see why people have a problem with this. It's a tangible good, sold at prices determined by the market. A PS3 is a luxury, so it isn't price gouging. Sony is getting what it wants, the store is getting what it wants, and the people who buy the overpriced PS3 on eBay are getting what they want.

If you hire someone else to do wait in line for a PS3 it's a job. They trade their time in exchange for money. It's not a new concept.

Arbitrage involves risk, and these PS3 speculators are assuming that risk. If the PS3 is a massive flop, then they lose that $600 and the worth of all that time they spent to get the PS3. If the businessmen can't resell the PS3, the homeless man they hired still gets paid.

ThePerm · « **Reply #20 on:** November 12, 2006, 07:50:22 PM »

how is this different than liksang? Sony?

KDR_11k · « **Reply #21 on:** November 12, 2006, 10:39:09 PM »

Seeing bids that high is rather sad. This is the mentality that allowed Sony to believe they're able to justify the steep price tag of a "high end" console.

Not really, Sony wants and needs the PS3 to reach a huge audience so games and BRDs sell. Selling the PS3 to a few thousand while pushing everyone else into picking up a competing console because they don't think they could afford a PS3 anyway is a big loss for Sony.

how is this different than liksang? Sony?

Sony can sue them only in one jurisdiction.

vudu · « **Reply #22 on:** November 13, 2006, 02:33:20 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Maybe because I am supplying the cash to buy it, this family member does not have a job at the moment nor the money to buy one. So basically it is free money with their only investment being their time. So please back off I don't need your smart alik comments. This particular family member was willing to do it for nothing, but I'm the one who decided to give them half the profits, and was the same one who did this with me for Xbox 360.

That would be really generous of you if you weren't charging the equivalent of 5,200% annual interest. Your family member would be better off going to a pay day loan store to get the loan. Or, better yet (also because he/she's unemployed) why don't they simply pay with a credit card that's not due until after they'll get their cash from eBay?

Sure, it's "free money", but only about half the amount they would be getting if you weren't gouging them.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #23 on:** November 13, 2006, 05:53:14 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: vudu
Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Maybe because I am supplying the cash to buy it, this family member does not have a job at the moment nor the money to buy one. So basically it is free money with their only investment being their time. So please back off I don't need your smart alik comments. This particular family member was willing to do it for nothing, but I'm the one who decided to give them half the profits, and was the same one who did this with me for Xbox 360.
That would be really generous of you if you weren't charging the equivalent of 5,200% annual interest. Your family member would be better off going to a pay day loan store to get the loan. Or, better yet (also because he/she's unemployed) why don't they simply pay with a credit card that's not due until after they'll get their cash from eBay?

Sure, it's "free money", but only about half the amount they would be getting if you weren't gouging them.

Maybe because they don't have a credit card, honestly what is your freaken problem? Like I said they were going to do it for nothing I decided to give them them 50% of the profits, are you just being a prick(ly) because you feel like it? I'm not sure why your singling me out when others here have said that family members would sit in line for nothing for them. Now I'm the bad guy because I decided that they should get 50% of the profits, get your head out of your donkley and please and back off, I don't know what your problem is but screw off.

Last year I had to insist they take the money because that was not their concern. Perhaps you don't have anyone that cares for you enough to realize that sometimes people don't always have the money motive when they do something, in fact this individual wouldn't even be doing it if it wasn't for me.

Stimutacs Addict · « **Reply #24 on:** November 13, 2006, 06:28:19 AM »

yeah, i don't really get where you're coming from, vudu. I guess VGrev''s family member could opt to buy his own on a credit card and then pay if off at auction, but if he doesn't want to then why not enjoy some of the profits...

my head hurts.

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Author Topic: Businessmen Use Homeless To Buy Up PS3s for Resale (Read 9043 times)