Preorders for the PS3 have been snatched up as quickly as you can say, “Blu-ray.” Vendors have reported that practically every PS3 has been spoken for, which means, for all practical purposes, there will probably be a vast shortage of the machine on November 17, the console’s launch day.
But as scarce as Sony,s machine is becoming, the entrepreneurial spirit has gripped the hearts of some, and PS3s are now offered for sale on eBay. Those who braved the hardships of standing for hours on end in order to get one of the preorder tickets are now offering the service of shipping their newly purchased PS3s to qualified customers. What qualifies you as someone with the credentials to purchase? It is a simple formula. You have to have the cash to buy one.
Ebay sellers are asking approximately $1100, with some prices going as high as $1900 for the deluxe version of the game console. One seller, who understands that Christmas day will be a horrible nightmare for parents who fail to obtain one of the rare PS3s, proclaimed in his ad, “This console is sure to make your children/ nephews/ grandkids [sic] gasp in awe!!”
Another seller tried to reassure buyers by emphasizing his credibility as being an adult seller, “I AM AN ADULT! You can have peace of mind knowing that I am not a 12-year-old kid trying to make a quick buck off an EBay scam. What this also means is that I am professional and will do anything in my power to make your experience with me as pleasant as possible.”
Somehow, being scalped by an adult instead of a “kid” will most likely fail to register as words of comfort to those who are willing to pay three times the retail price for a PS3. But there is still a ray of sunshine to anyone who wants to bid on the machines–most of the sellers are offering free shipping.
