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Scalpers' delight: Wii price surges to $500-600 on ebay, amazon marketplace

Gigglepoo

Member
TwinIonEngines said:
Again, you can't make the prediction that they will run out of money unless you know their level of income relative to the expenditure.

I'm not sure you understand the point of my post. Spending twice as much as MSRP is a poor financial decision. Chances are, if people are willing to make one poor decision, they are going to make more in the future. It doesn't matter how much money people have. If they continue to grossly overpay, they will find their wallet getting slimmer and slimmer. Does that make sense to you?
 

avatar299

Banned
Gigglepoo said:
I'm not sure you understand the point of my post. Spending twice as much as MSRP is a poor financial decision. Chances are, if people are willing to make one poor decision, they are going to make more in the future. It doesn't matter how much money people have. If they continue to grossly overpay, they will find their wallet getting slimmer and slimmer. Does that make sense to you?
Are you purposely avoiding his point?
 
The sheer amound of bitter Sony fanboy tears and jealousy in this thread are truely at a level far beyond the reaches of mere medical retardation.
 

Gigglepoo

Member
avatar299 said:
Are you purposely avoiding his point?

His point is that money has a different value depending on how much you have. My point is that unwise spending (read: paying more than double MSRP) will lead to more unwise financial decisions which will lead to a decrease in net worth.
 

mr_nothin

Banned
reilo said:
Can't believe people would spend $500 on the Wii. Wow.
I cant believe people would spend $250+tax on it....

I've had 2 so far, sold both... eh

EDIT:
The main games (metroid...zelda...mario) were amazing but other than that...bleh
will get one for ssbb and sell after im done with it then me and wii will go our seperate ways
 

avatar299

Banned

His point is that money has a different value depending on how much you have. My point is that unwise spending (read: paying more than double MSRP) will lead to more unwise financial decisions which will lead to a decrease in net worth.
I interpreted it differently. It sounds like he saying you can't make judgmental decisions about a persons buying habit(if this is even a habit. We don't how often any of these people overspend) by one purchase. Especially if you don't know their income, becuase based on what is it isn't a unwise decision.

Their are people who are willing to spend 600 dollars on videogames. The PS3 proved this last year. It just has to be something they want.

Their are to many variables to make that claim that drastic about people with so little information.
 

Christine

Member
Gigglepoo said:
I'm not sure you understand the point of my post. Spending twice as much as MSRP is a poor financial decision.

No, not by itself it's not. It is only a poor financial decision if it constitutes an irresponsible expenditure in light of the purchaser's level of income.

Gigglepoo said:
Chances are, if people are willing to make one poor decision, they are going to make more in the future. It doesn't matter how much money people have. If they continue to grossly overpay, they will find their wallet getting slimmer and slimmer. Does that make sense to you?

Chances are, if someone is willing to pay 100% premiums over MSRP it is because they can easily afford it. And it does matter how much money people have (or make), because there is a small but significant minority that can easily afford to pay convenience premiums on everything while still spending a smaller percentage of their income than the majority of the population - so their wallets are in fact getting fatter and fatter, despite the 'irresponsible' overpayments.

The vast majority of the people who actually are irresponsibly creating debt for themselves will probably pay MSRP at a store, and put it on a credit card. Generally people who are spending 100% or more of their income are not making purchases at a premium - rather they are making too many purchases at normal prices.

The people who do have the ability and willingness to pay large premiums are the ones you need to worry least about incurring debt.
 

biggreenmachine

The bleeding edge of news reporting...
Firewire said:
Umm Canadian vultures? :lol

For sure, because our dollar being worth 1 cent more than yours makes paying $500 for a Wii seem like a great deal. Why does Gaf exadurate so much all the time? :lol
 

Gigglepoo

Member
TwinIonEngines said:
And it does matter how much money people have (or make), because there is a small but significant minority that can easily afford to pay convenience premiums on everything while still spending a smaller percentage of their income than the majority of the population

I don't think a small percentage of people could cause the price of the Wii to double on the open market. I agree that we don't know if this is a one time splurge or a trend. We do not know anything about these people. I am proposing that this is an example of irrational spending and, if it becomes a habit, that person will not have the ability to throw money around much longer.
 

Arde5643

Member
mr_nothin said:
I cant believe people would spend $250+tax on it....

I've had 2 so far, sold both... eh

EDIT:
The main games (metroid...zelda...mario) were amazing but other than that...bleh
will get one for ssbb and sell after im done with it then me and wii will go our seperate ways


Satanmonkey said:
The sheer amound of bitter Sony fanboy tears and jealousy in this thread are truely at a level far beyond the reaches of mere medical retardation.


:lol
 

Christine

Member
Gigglepoo said:
I don't think a small percentage of people could cause the price of the Wii to double on the open market. I agree that we don't know if this is a one time splurge or a trend. We do not know anything about these people. I am proposing that this is an example of irrational spending and, if it becomes a habit, that person will not have the ability to throw money around much longer.

Why not? It's a small percentage of people, sure, but they've got a large percentage of the money and willingness to spend. What I've been saying from the beginning is that you lack the information required to judge the rationality of these expenditures. You can state that it would be irrational for you to make such-and-such an expenditure, but honestly paying a 100% premium is a strong indication in and of itself that the purchaser is operating at an income level at which paying such premiums is rational.
 

nix_nz

Neo Member
mr_nothin said:
I cant believe people would spend $250+tax on it....

I've had 2 so far, sold both... eh

EDIT:
The main games (metroid...zelda...mario) were amazing but other than that...bleh
will get one for ssbb and sell after im done with it then me and wii will go our seperate ways

You buy a new Wii each time a game comes out that you want, then sell it again? Do you also wipe your ass with $20s?

You, sir, are a moron.
 

Gigglepoo

Member
TwinIonEngines said:
What I've been saying from the beginning is that you lack the information required to judge the rationality of these expenditures.

You also lack that information. It's why we're talking in circles. We both agree that, if money isn't an issue, people can buy what they want regardless of the cost. We both also agree (I assume) that irresponsible financial decisions could lead to massive debt, as is evident in the heavy credit card weight many Americans are buried under. I still believe the inflated price indicates a need for the newest hot item rather than an insatiable urge to play Galaxy, but we can't decide that debate either without more information. For now, I'm just happy that the video game industry is thriving.
 
To those still looking or looking for some profits, both Best Buy and Toys R Us will have them Sunday.

I suggest lining up at Toys R Us first because they open at 8 am then head to Best Buy for a second scooping at 10 am. Best Buy also apparently have the bigger shipments, so chances are good that you can snab a second one.

And fuck you all who hate scalpers. You're not the one freezing your ass off for some money.
 

gkryhewy

Member
CTLance said:
It's like we're spinning in place...

PS3 is a.. a.. ferrari. Or a... spaceship! Stupid Americans and opportunistic Canadians are paying spaceship prices for two golf carts stacked on top of each other!
 

mj1108

Member
Satanmonkey said:
The sheer amound of bitter Sony fanboy tears and jealousy in this thread are truely at a level far beyond the reaches of mere medical retardation.

Their tears would dry up if the PS3 was in short supply and people were paying 2-3x retail for them on ebay.
 

fernoca

Member
mr_nothin said:
I cant believe people would spend $250+tax on it....

I've had 2 so far, sold both... eh

EDIT:
The main games (metroid...zelda...mario) were amazing but other than that...bleh
will get one for ssbb and sell after im done with it then me and wii will go our seperate ways
You can't believe people spend $250 for it, but you (by February next year) spend $750 on it?? ... :D Yeah, you sell them..but you still bought 3..and that's $750 that go to Nintendo, plus 3 on the NPD charts... :p (unlike only 1 PS3 or 1 Xbox 360..if you have one)... :p
 

MrNibbles

Banned
Gigglepoo said:
His point is that money has a different value depending on how much you have. My point is that unwise spending (read: paying more than double MSRP) will lead to more unwise financial decisions which will lead to a decrease in net worth.

Smithers, years ago I blew the chance to buy Picasso's Guernica for a song! Luckily, that song was "White Christmas", and by hanging onto it I made billions.
 

LM4sure

Banned
I have not sold any of mine for more than $500. I've come close, but haven't done it yet. Maybe this coming week!! Muahahah! I heart $$$
 

Arde5643

Member
fernoca said:
You can't believe people spend $250 for it, but you (by February next year) spend $750 on it?? ... :D Yeha, you sell them..but you still bought 3..and that's $750 that go to Nintendo, plus 3 on the NPD charts... :p
Interestingly, bitter haters like him might be some of the most profitable revenue for the industry.
The money gets distributed healthily to all Nintendo, pawn shops (EBgames), and scalpers in general, and all of this thanks for him taking the hit.

Unlike peeps like us who don't sell accesories, consoles, games back for less than what we paid.
 
LM4sure said:
I have not sold any of mine for more than $500. I've come close, but haven't done it yet. Maybe this coming week!! Muahahah! I heart $$$
Thanks for the tips, btw.

What I do is sell one each day. That way, I'll have funds ready when the opportunity shows itself and I could benefit from the inevitable rising in prices as we near the holidays.
 

LM4sure

Banned
papelnabangka said:
Thanks for the tips, btw.

What I do is sell one each day. That way, I'll have funds ready when the opportunity shows itself and I could benefit from the inevitable rising in prices as we near the holidays.


LOL

You need funds from Wii's you own to buy more Wii's? Ha! Don't you have a credit card?! Your scenario is akin to living paycheck to paycheck. That's sad. You're missing out on lots of potential Wii's!!
 

mr_nothin

Banned
nix_nz said:
You buy a new Wii each time a game comes out that you want, then sell it again? Do you also wipe your ass with $20s?

You, sir, are a moron.
:lol
I actually make more than what I invest into the wii...
I buy it...play the games I want to play then sell for $150-200 profit.
Now you tell me who's dumb
 

LM4sure

Banned
mr_nothin said:
:lol
I actually make more than what I invest into the wii...
I buy it...play the games I want to play then sell for $150-200 profit.
Now you tell me who's dumb

answer: you

you could have sold it NEW for $100 more in profit!!!!!!
 

mr_nothin

Banned
fernoca said:
You can't believe people spend $250 for it, but you (by February next year) spend $750 on it?? ... :D Yeah, you sell them..but you still bought 3..and that's $750 that go to Nintendo, plus 3 on the NPD charts... :p (unlike only 1 PS3 or 1 Xbox 360..if you have one)... :p
LOL
Like i'm going to benefit from npd numbers...
You ppl are too invested into NPD numbers. If somebody goes as far to not buy a console because they dont want to put one on the chart for the "opposing company" then that's sad.
Either way, I'm playing the games I want to play and making money by doing so.
Soooooo ummm...yea w/e
 
LM4sure said:
LOL

You need funds from Wii's you own to buy more Wii's? Ha! Don't you have a credit card?! Your scenario is akin to living paycheck to paycheck. That's sad. You're missing out on lots of potential Wii's!!
I got like 9 already! I don't have a credit card but I don't want $3000 of my cash on hand on tied up on Wiis.

Oh yeah, Guitar Hero III is a bitch to ship, btw. >.>
 

Christine

Member
Gigglepoo said:
You also lack that information. It's why we're talking in circles. We both agree that, if money isn't an issue, people can buy what they want regardless of the cost. We both also agree (I assume) that irresponsible financial decisions could lead to massive debt, as is evident in the heavy credit card weight many Americans are buried under. I still believe the inflated price indicates a need for the newest hot item rather than an insatiable urge to play Galaxy, but we can't decide that debate either without more information. For now, I'm just happy that the video game industry is thriving.

I haven't claimed that these expenditures definitively are rational, only that there's no way of construing them as more or less rational than paying MSRP, because it all depends on the purchasers' level of income. The core of my point is that the relationship between MSRP and actual price is not relevant to whether or not a given purchase is fiscally responsible - the three variables involved are the actual price, the purchaser's income, and the sum of the other expenditures sourced from that income.

Whether the purchaser wants the Wii for SMG or as a doorstop is irrelevant. We're discussing the rationality of paying price premiums, not the rationality of people's motives for deciding they want to own the machine.
 
mr_nothin said:
I do that too because I'm one of the eBay scalpers that this thread is dedicated to. :lol
Share some tips. I'm sure we don't live in the same area so it's safe to say that we won't be competin'.
 

LM4sure

Banned
mr_nothin said:
I do that too because I'm one of the eBay scalpers that this thread is dedicated to. :lol


Yeah, but why even open one? I've had hundreds of Wii's (literally) over the past year, and I have never opened any of them. Sure, I want to play some games, but when I'm making thousands of dollars in profit, I think the money is more important.

Opening a Wii if you plan on reselling it is plain stupid.
 
LM4sure said:
Yeah, but why even open one? I've had hundreds of Wii's (literally) over the past year, and I have never opened any of them. Sure, I want to play some games, but when I'm making thousands of dollars in profit, I think the money is more important.

Opening a Wii if you plan on reselling it is plain stupid.
Damn dude, hundreds of Wiis.
 

mr_nothin

Banned
papelnabangka said:
Share some tips. I'm sure we don't live in the same area so it's safe to say that we won't be competin'.
Know somebody that has a job in the stocking department of a couple of stores...
Find deals on craigslist (with receipt..but be careful and make sure the item numbers match)

There's nothing to it really but finding the wii's..taking pictures to make sure you have the wii. Oh...if you're 1st starting off then make sure you have a receipt and a scan of it because paypal will limit your account until you provide the receipt.

After that then post the wiis up and watch the monies pour in...
 
Gigglepoo said:
Depends if you're primarily a gamer or a scalper.
You should just buy one and KEEP IT if you're a gamer. Not buy one, open it up to play some games, sell it, and then repeat that again. You're losing potential profit that way.
 
mr_nothin said:
Know somebody that has a job in the stocking department of a couple of stores...
Find deals on craigslist (with receipt..but be careful and make sure the item numbers match)

There's nothing to it really but finding the wii's..taking pictures to make sure you have the wii. Oh...if you're 1st starting off then make sure you have a receipt and a scan of it because paypal will limit your account until you provide the receipt.

After that then post the wiis up and watch the monies pour in...
Whats this thing about receipts and Paypal? o_O
 

mr_nothin

Banned
LM4sure said:
Yeah, but why even open one? I've had hundreds of Wii's (literally) over the past year, and I have never opened any of them. Sure, I want to play some games, but when I'm making thousands of dollars in profit, I think the money is more important.

Opening a Wii if you plan on reselling it is plain stupid.
I get to play games that I want to play but make a little less in profit but I can make it back from the next wii....either way it's still profit (in terms of money and being able to play games i want to play).
I sell the used ones on craigslist though
 

mr_nothin

Banned
papelnabangka said:
Whats this thing about receipts and Paypal? o_O
They will limit you from receiving and sending money until you can prove that you've bought it from the store and it is in your possession
 

LM4sure

Banned
mr_nothin said:
I get to play games that I want to play but make a little less in profit but I can make it back from the next wii....either way it's still profit (in terms of money and being able to play games i want to play).
I sell the used ones on craigslist though

To each his own though. I'm more of a money maker than a gamer nowadays.

Money>>>>>gaming
 
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