Mister Beefhead

Ok, so I camped my sorry *** out to get my hands on some xboxes with the intent to resell for a profit. (i'm unemployed)
Now it seems like the sales are very iffy - prices jumping around like crazy. I was wondering if any of the wonderful people on this forum had any advice on how to maximize my profit potential?

Gallant Pig

Take them back to the store and let other folks buy them without getting gouged.

Gouging folks =

Mister Beefhead

I'm not gouging, i'm just charging a premium for the hours I stood in line so that someone with some money doesn't have to. I think that's a legitimate service. They STILL can go stand in damn line if they like. Best buy gets a few in every week. The thing is I know damn well that lots of people would pay a lot to not have to stand in line, it's just finding those people. I'm not asking for that terrible much, just what I think is fair. What would YOU charge an hour to stand in the 40 degree cold? For a complete stranger?

Nosebleed

If you have to ask, then I don't think you'll be able to sell them for a premium price. AFAIK they're readily available at stores and the prices on eBay are about what you'd pay at a B&M store. There's not a huge demand for them like the PS2 because there's enough of them to go around. That's karma, now you're stuck with them.

Mister Beefhead

Hardly. They're sure profit. I'm just, as my post said, looking to MAXIMIZE. If there's someone out there willing to pay upwards of $500 for a DAMNED TOY then why shouldn't they pay me? They're completely sold out in my area, you still have to wait in line for hours to get one by the conventional methods. The problem is, the people who want to shell out to save themselves the trouble usually don't frequent Ebay.

Gallant Pig

Donate them to a local orphanage and write them off on your taxes if you must =

Trigger

Dude - that's just not cool what you did. If you're unemployed - you shouldn't be buying up a bunch of X-Boxes... There's better ways to make money. Totally weak.

If we can't talk you into taking them back to the store so someone else can buy them - then I'd suggest going to the store where you bought them and when someone comes in looking for one go "psst - hey - I got one in my van, I'll sell it to ya if you want" - then maybe they'll knock you out and steal it from you - serve you right... j/k Actually - if you waited around in the store long enough (5 minutes) you could get someone looking for one and say - hey, I bought one and turns out my girlfriend bought me one so I have to sell it. Then mark it up $25-50 bucks. Any more and you're a damn thief.

Zodo

Yeah, why couldn't you spend your time looking for a real job, rather than waiting in line to get several xboxes?

i don't get it

Alvis

I was looking at Xboxes on Ebay last night and it seems no one was getting what they wanted for them. Most people had reserve prices over $300 and there were several auctions about to end where the reserve hadn't been reached.

Shimmer35

I hate to say this but I am glad people are having trouble selling x-box's for profit. The PS2 fiasco was such a bunch of crap I didn't want one until this christmas. Sorry dude, but it makes me laugh and smile that you are having trouble... Don't take personal offense to that but you probably took away some kid's christmas present just to make a quick buck. Just my opinion.

darkside

Its not that hard to find the Xbox or Gamecube. Take em back to the store and return them.

One of my friends stood in line for a Gamecube and at least five of the people in line told him the were just buying them so they could turn around and sell them for $400 on Ebay. This crap has got to stop. Ebay has turned from a great place to sell off your old unwanted things to a place for people to scam the public. No one should pay more than MSRP for either system because they are shipping every week to retailers.

Cyberock

I think we should help the guy sell his XBOX. Come on guys, he just needs some help to make some money for the holidays.

Here's my first little bit of advice. You're going to need a PAYPAL account so you can send me some money cause advice is not free now a days. I really wouldn't find it fair that you profit off of our expertise.

Trigger

Actually - I'll take one off your hands for $299.00, but only if you pay for shipping. Let me know if that deal sounds good to you.

Groucho

There's a thread (started by me), on this topic here.

Microsoft and Nintendo both thought ahead this year and made sure that they got enough consoles out for everybody. I was in a Gamespot on Black Friday...in the afternoon...and they had 2 Xboxes and 3 Gamecubes out for sale. Many online retailers have them too. The "service" you offer (buy an Xbox without waiting in line) is not at a premium right now.

I ended up with an extra cube this year (accidentally...not with the intention of reselling). I figured I'd sell it if the items were hot this holiday season. While the items are in fact hot, there are plenty to go around, so I'm returning my extra to the store. I'd do the same if I had an extra Xbox.

RCL66

Almost as bad as EB and Gamestop and Amazon only selling the X-box in those horrible bundles that cost upwards of $500! At least the Gamecube bundle at EB you got to pick your games, so it wasn't quite as bad.. but still, it's bogus to have to buy the DVD kit or an extra lame controller so you can buy one of the systems from them.

evenflow

MisterBeefhead not being able to sell extra xboxes=HA! HA!

No wonder you don't have a job. You waste your time trying to find out the quickest way to get easy money instead of sending your resume. My advice is to return the extra xboxes and get a refund and buy yourself a clue. It is because of people like you that I had to wait for 2 months to get my PS2 last year.

mljones99

seriously man, get a real job... this is just sad.

Centurion

Let me see if I understand this correctly.....

You waited in line for approximately 1 hour, in 40-degree weather, early in the morning to buy a videogame console so that you could make a profit by selling it? Now you're pondering what to do to maximize sales?

Let me give you a hint:
Finding a job requires a lot less effort.
Think about it.

Shuki

I wonder why that is....

Mister Beefhead

Ok, let me say a few things - and I hope none of this gets out of hand, no need to lock an interesting thread; don't anybody go overboard, I wont!

(and the other job comments)
Jimminy christmas, people, you don't know anything about me! It so happens that I got laid off and now have my first break in almost two years. I just thought that I could make myself a little money in the meantime to suppliment my savings. The difference between finding a job and anything else is that at least until I get a job, I can have a little break.

I mean, are any of you guys looking for an Xbox? You're fighting for people who don't want to be fought for. I stood in line with about 18 people for about three hours, and the other people in line were very nice. There was one other person (a girl!) who was buying one in the hopes of reselling it. No one in line thought that the idea of selling it was anything but perfectly fine. In fact, a couple of the mothers standing in line seemed to think it was a really great idea, like as if the prices were good they might sell the one they were buying. I mean, what are you guys fighting for? Maybe you have way more money than myself.

It's not like i'm making it so little Timmy can't have his bouncy red ball for christmas. The thing costs $300 plus tax, people. For a TOY. The problem doesn't lie with the people selling, it lies with the people willing to pay. I (indirectly) know at least one person who feels kind of bummed if she can't WAY overpay for her grandkid's Xmas present - she likes the idea that her grandson has something that you can't just go into a store and buy. I shudder to think what she payed for a furby a few years back.

I have a friend who makes his living selling items on Ebay. I envy him, it sounds like a nice way to live. If a person picks up a few items on clearence and then sells them for a profit, that's free enterprise. If a person gets his/her hands on an item in great demand and then sells it for above the MSRP, then that's the American way. I mean, do you people go storming into your nearest Harley dealership and tell them that they're all animals?

I think orphanages could use something a little more useful than an Xbox.

Boo hoo. I just bought myself a dreamcast. I've got news for you - a PS2 would be just as much as fun in two years when they're $50. Why don't you wait and donate the extra $250 to charity? Now, I dont really mean that; You can do whatever you want with your hard-earned money. The point is that no one is making anyone buy anything. If they're standing in line themselves for 3 hours or if they're giving me $75 so that they don't have to, either way it amounts to way too much effort for a toy.

Out of curiosity, how would you guys react if I told you that I had a service where I was waiting in line to buy people scarce things, and charging them $20 an hour? It sounds a lot better that way, doesn't it? It's basically the same thing.

Flay

People who try to resell consoles on EBay are Pathetic and Lazy. Apparently, they can't handle a real job.

It's quite funny that most of the consoles on EBay are going for the same price as people bought them.

Mister Beefhead

Care to offer an explaination?

GeoffK

GUYS! Someone wanted a little advice and many of you are yelling at him to go get a job.

How would you feel if people posted these kinds of responses to a post you made?

I can understand the frustration over the availability of Xbox and GameCube, but the origional poster was trying to be enterprising and find a way to make a little money while he is unemployed.

Here in Oregon Unemployment is 6%! And around the country the economy is less than great. So please have a little class guys and don't tell someone who is looking for some help that they should get a job.

Closing this thread. Mister Beefhead please feel free to open a new thread.