Why is ps2 selling so cheap on ebay? (1 Viewer)

[RossM]

Are they the real thing? Whats going on? And would you trust someone to send you a fully working system?

 

[BrianB]

One, people are wanting to 'upgrade' to the XBox & GC, so there's a glut of machines available due to the large amount of PS2 owners.

Two, people are expecting a price cut sooner rather than later & wanting to 'cash in' while they can.

But most importantly, three, there's known problems with some PS2s failing to read DVDs, only CDs, after the laser unit gets out of whack. I'd be VERY dubious about buying one on eBay. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Kelley_B]

I think all three things that Brian mentioned are true. Personally I would never buy a console that you could walk into a store and buy off of eBay.

 

[JoshF]

It's supply and demand. It has nothing to do with Xbox and Gamecube. That's just silly.

What's more, as far as I can tell, the PS2 is selling for around $250 on EBay. Sounds like a decent used price for something that retails at $299. What's more Xbox is selling for the same exact price on EBay.

I don't think there's anything to read into this at all, aside from baseless fanboyism.

 

[BrianB]

baseless fanboyism

Sigh. Thanks for the baseless slagging.

There's a lot of people out there 'trading up' their PS2s to Xbox, people that can only afford one console at a time. Just look at the number of people on /here/ that have done that.

I'm not saying the Xbox is better than the PS2, despite your accusation otherwise. You honestly think that having other platforms out there isn't affecting the PS2 secondhand market?

 

[JoshF]

My point is that I don't see the PS2 secondhand market affected. It's selling just at the same markdown as the Xbox. I think you're looking for an affect where one doesn't exist. If any market is struggling for additional sales, it that of the Xbox, what with price drops and poor sales.

I have no allegiance to any console over another, but cmon, looking for console market fluctuations based on Ebay auctions is just silly. Just look at the official sales numbers and you'll see who's not doing well.

 

[Jason Handy]

I agree with Brian about the upgrade-itis phenomenon. I think the reason they are cheaper than retail has to do with the fact that they are all over the store shelves. Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Lets do some math:

PS2 in store: $299+tax = ~$310 or $315

PS2 Ebay: $250+fees+S&H = ~$275 to $300 + waiting up to 1 week+ headache of worrying about being screwed

For my money it is worth the extra few bucks to get a brand new PS2 in the store. At least you don't have to worry about being screwed by the seller.

The only reason PS2 was selling for $500 in the early days was because Sony couldn't keep up with demand. Therefore, it was worth it to people to pay the extra money to have it *now*.

If you look at Ebay, most commercially available products are sold below retail. Why? You would need to be a crack smoker to pay more than retail for something that you can walk into Circuit City to buy.

This has nothing to do with one console selling poorly over another. It has everything to do with the fact that some schmucks bought 100 units at launch and can't get rid of them now, or it is Joe Blow who needs to get an X-box but needs some cash to afford it.

Jason

P.S. Josh, are you REALLY interested in starting a flame war? Keep posting your comments, I'm sure they will follow.

 

[JoshF]

Jason:

Not trying to start a flame war at all. I just think it's silly to assume that people are selling PS2's in order to get Xbox's. They could be getting sofas. Or engagement rings. Or nothing at all.

 

[BrianB]

I just think it's silly to assume that people are selling PS2's in order to get Xbox's.

I'm not assuming that everyone that decides to sell their PS2 is doing so to buy another machine, it's just that anecdotal evidence from this board & other message forums suggest that a good number of people /are/ doing just that. Which is why I mentioned it.

 

[Jason Handy]

Josh,

Actually, it makes MORE sense to me that they are selling one console in order to get another. I don't know about you, but my financial and time budgets allow for exactly one console at a time. Perhaps some of these guys figure that most of the future PS2 games that are high profile will be ported across anyway and they just want to get some different games. At $300 a pop, this is not chump change. Now, I know there are a lot of people on this forum with all 3 consoles, but I think the majority of people picked one and lived with it. Not to mention the games are $50 apiece. It becomes a bit expensive to maintain that kind of habit.

A word of advice to you: we try to be civil on this forum. Name calling and discounting others opinions are not looked upon favorably. There are ways to express your opinions without pissing off other people, and the fact that most people know this is what makes HTF a great place to hang out. When you whip out the word "fanboy" it perks a lot of ears and almost always guarantees thread erosion.

Jason

 

[JoshF]

*sigh*... I give up on this one, as my civility turned into conceived offensiveness, anyway.

 

[Ricky Hustle]

I sold my PS2 in order to get an Xbox. I'm a one console guy, and I am sure I'm not the only one. So there.

 

[Steve Clark]

Josh and Rick get the "Thread Saver" Award for today. Josh gets it for bowing out and Rick gets it for bowing in. Josh: If you consider the tone of your remarks civil, I would hate to see them when you consider them offensive.

 

[JoshF]

Thanks, Steve. I think
And, once again, I wasn't trying to be mean or uncivil. Calling someone a fanboy isn't that bad, really. I've been called a fanboy a hundred times, and I take it, because I *am* a fanboy in so many ways. In fact, I just wrote a feature for EGM about fanboys and how it's not all that bad.
I'm a Final Fantasy fanboy. I love Final Fantasy. I think it's the best RPG series out there. And I'll argue that point. I enjoy it.
I'm a DTS fanboy. I think DTS sounds better than DD on my home theater, and I'll argue that point. I enjoy it.
Fanboys are those of us who know our sh*t and have opinions about it. That's what it's all about.
Trolls, on the other hand, are those people who slag other technologies or consoles just because they want to get a reaction.
For example:
Halo was overrated. (This always gets tons of reactions)
PS2 has jaggies. (This will freak out half the online videogaming population)
Dreamcast is dead. (Stand back for this 'un)
While all of the above are true in some ways, they create reactions, like sparks at a gas station. Some people like explosions.

 

[BrianB]

Calling someone a fanboy isn't that bad, really.

It's all about context.

 

[Wolf Jenkins]

Well, it seems the best/cheapest way to buy a PS2 is to buy one from gamestop - they've been running specials with the console, memory card, DVD remote, MGS2 & GTA3 (one of the one's I've seen) for $250 or so.

And yes, I've got an Xbox, but I do want a PS2. So, I don't _think_ the fanboy bias applies...