Overzealous eBayer drops $900 for "Sony PlayStations, 3 of them"

In what's sure to be a frontrunner for the "oh snap" moment of the day (or year), a presumably frustrated, delusional, and impatient individual apparently forgot to read the fine print on his latest eBay win. While it's no secret that PlayStation 3 units have been selling for incredulous prices, snagging one for $900 probably seemed like quite the deal at the time; however, the poor sap failed to realize that he /she just committed almost one thousand dollars to purchasing three original PlayStation consoles. To make matters even worse, no games, controllers, or heartfelt sympathy was to be included, leaving the unsuspecting buyer in quite a bad predicament. No, we don't actually think (at least we hope not) that this fellow / lady went through with their purchase (although it was snatched up at the "Buy it Now" price), but if they did, we've got to look at the bright side -- that free shipping saved him / her a bundle.

[Via Digg]

[Jason @ Nov 20th 2006 4:27PM]

At least whoever bought these can enjoy amazing CD audio.

[DaveTehWave @ Nov 20th 2006 4:27PM]

Pwnd

[The One Above All @ Nov 20th 2006 4:36PM]

Yeah thats the funniest thing I've heard in a quite a while. Well atleast they'll be caught up to the what late 1990's? LOL. This is hilarious...just don't pay for the damn thing and get a lousy negative feedback. Unless they already bought it with a credit card...Ba da ba ba ba I'm loving it!

[Vinn @ Nov 20th 2006 4:36PM]

Oh man, that sucks. Seriously, that just freaking blows. You know the seller did this on purpose, I mean who would sell 3 regular playstations for 900 bucks? I could get one at a yard sale for 10, games, controllers, memory cards and everything.

[Dave Bergschneider @ Nov 20th 2006 4:37PM]

Hahaha! That is funny stuff. I've been ebaying for sometime and am always weary about fine print and triple charged shipping. But this one tops the charts.

[c.Lake @ Nov 20th 2006 6:16PM]

Dammmmmmmmm! Always, always, always read the fine print -- twice. Talk about getting taken! This is a bigger rip then the guy that bought the X-Box 360 Cardboard box @ $600.

[Mike @ Nov 20th 2006 4:38PM]

Anyone else notice that the winning bidder's username appears to be a phone number (in Savannah, Georgia)? I think there's some great potential for an interview.

[geoff rathbone @ Nov 20th 2006 4:39PM]

funny but not true. look at the winner of the auction. his name is a number, not only that but his feedback is zero.

this is a joke

[c.Lake @ Nov 20th 2006 5:39PM]

Dammmmmmmmm! Always, always, always read the fine print -- twice. Talk about getting taken! This is a bigger rip then the guy that bought the X-Box 360 Cardboard box @ $600.

[primetime4 @ Nov 20th 2006 4:43PM]

This is almost as bad as people bidding outrageous amounts to buy empty Xbox 360 boxes last year. You have to read the fine print.

[Churn @ Nov 20th 2006 7:19PM]

Assuming that this is true, it's quite obvious that the seller is there to trick the buyer - just look at the wording of the description. This is similar to the incident where an eBay seller was selling a PICTURE of a laptop.

[Captain Obvious @ Nov 20th 2006 5:04PM]

Why do people keep talking about the fine print? It's right there in the title - 3 Sony PlayStation Systems.

[disciple83 @ Nov 20th 2006 4:47PM]

In Electronic Gaming Monthly's November 2006 issue, they speculated that this would happen, they even have a concept drawing of a punk kid crying rivers behind a package of 3 PSOne consoles duct taped together on a table.

This may be where the inspiration for the con came from.

[Sully @ Nov 20th 2006 5:02PM]

hahahaha, this sounds like the people who were buying XBOX 360 Boxes for 100+ dollars. I think he had a disclaimer saying that he would not refund the purchase too.


- Sully http://www.aerialhost.com

[rodney @ Nov 22nd 2006 3:22PM]

I wonder if its the same moron who bid on my auction on Friday night @ 6pm, just before it ended, and won. Then realized that he wanted a 60GB, and screwed me out of allot of money!! there was nothing misleading in my auction, in fact the title included 20GB twice in it!

How is it that these people are smart enough to be able to breathe?

[jason @ Nov 20th 2006 5:29PM]

what fine print? the title read 3 Sony Playstations, not Sony Playstation 3 - two distinct differences:

3 Sony Playstations
3 is a quantity
it's plural.

Sony Playstation 3
3 is a version
it's singular

Then you can read the Description:
All are preowned... (plural)
...buy these instead (plural)
other parts seem fishy, user should have been cautious

however, given the someone's idea of the number as the ID I'm going with hoax

[Keith Hathorn @ Nov 20th 2006 5:11PM]

That's why you should read before you buy. If you read it the guy/girl who comitted 900, would have seen that its a Bogus ad to begin with. And I quote from the ebay seller "There is no where to even find the 20GB ones, buy these instead" Then a bit ways down the sale say's "You are bidding on playstation, 3 of them"
Come on people, READ its one of the basic's in school let's try and use it.

[thomas @ Nov 21st 2006 7:15PM]

apparently grammar is not. (basic's)

[Stacyj @ Nov 20th 2006 5:13PM]

Hee, whomever put up that auction (assuming it is real, though perhaps geoff r. is right) is my new hero. Scamming people isn't cool but come on, is there really anything wrong with taking advantage of willing fools? A healthy dose of 'idiot tax' does the economy good ... erm, well, or at least it's fun to read about from time to time ...

[xVariable @ Nov 20th 2006 5:14PM]

Yeah that's hilarious, but I wouldn't pay. Just eat a negative on your feedback. You could leave a similar negative on his feedback callling him a con artist.

If he wants to take you to court over it? That's fine. Let's see what a judge thinks of such misleading terms and language, and putting the actual terms of the sale in the fine print, instead of up-front. :)

[JeffNlA @ Nov 20th 2006 5:19PM]

xVariable - you are right. Fraud is the intention of deception - the fine print is not the end all against fraud. If the intent of the add was a PS3 sale - and in the fine print it indicates otherwise - it's fraud.

[Chi @ Nov 20th 2006 5:20PM]

2 words: caveat emptor

'Nuff said

[Drew @ Nov 20th 2006 6:27PM]

"Incredulous" does not mean what you think it means. The definition of "incredulous":
1. Skeptical; disbelieving
2. Expressive of disbelief

I don't think a "price" can express disbelief all by itself.

[TVGenius @ Nov 20th 2006 5:56PM]

Sympathy here = 0

[Rick Person @ Nov 20th 2006 6:04PM]

Just like Eric Cartman and his Wii, this person should experience patience. In less than 6 months local electronic retailers will have so many in stock people won't even give them a second look. I know I should feel sorry for this person but I just can't. It speaks volumes of how lame society has gotten in America. This mentality of needing something NOW, needing the best of everything eventhough 90% of people can't afford it. Buying crap won't make up for all the inadequacies in your life. I just about feel off my chair in disgust seeing people getting hugs and walking off with their PS3 after waiting several days outside, you'd think they had just won the olympics or gotten their PhD or something. I just fail to understand it. I'll end my rant now.

[c.Lake @ Nov 20th 2006 6:26PM]

Fine, �Then always read the description��whatever. The point is, reading is fundamental.

[GJP303 @ Nov 20th 2006 6:37PM]

lol, very funny.. something like this was bound to happen. BTW I'm selling 4 play stations for 12.3 million dollars. any takers?

[Parker @ Nov 20th 2006 7:44PM]

that sucks read the fine print the seller obviously did this on purpose just like the xbox 360 someone bought the BOX for a thousand bucks

[George T @ Nov 20th 2006 6:37PM]

In my garage, I've still got 7 of the windows I bought about 10 years ago. I keep them as a reminder that Windows-95 and 95 windows are not the same thing. I wonder when that 3 Playstations is going to arrive...

[What the... @ Nov 20th 2006 6:42PM]

So ummm... if this is real... why doesn't the bidder just not go through with it. What's the big deal?

Also I am glad to hear a real case of a price gouger getting screwed out of money... great news!

[boynamedsue @ Nov 20th 2006 7:19PM]

"So ummm... if this is real... why doesn't the bidder just not go through with it. What's the big deal?

Also I am glad to hear a real case of a price gouger getting screwed out of money... great news!"

If you think thats exciting. I will sell you four of these items for just 100 dollars more. Thats 1000 dollars, for FOUR of the items listed there (i have an awesome hookup). reply to this comment to finalize.

[Tyler @ Nov 20th 2006 6:44PM]

That's nothing... There were email addresses going for $1,200+ the night of the release. Emails like "[e-mail]" or something like that.

Haha, whata rip off!

~Tyler

[patrick @ Nov 20th 2006 6:56PM]

Well all I can say is read the fine print. This is not quite as bad as those that bought an empty PSP or XBOX 360 box. The good thing about e-bay is if you have an issue just retract your bid before you pay for it. Once I saw a guy bidding on a PSP box for $120 I sent him a message to ask if he knew he was bidding on just a box. He didn't know it and retracted his bid and thanked me.

[Patrick M @ Nov 20th 2006 7:04PM]

" 1. incredulous - not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving "

A price can't be incredulous; only a person can. You could say "I was incredulous at the prices being charged for the PS3".

I think the word you're looking for is "incredible".

[Nicolast @ Nov 20th 2006 7:06PM]

Reminds of an episode of The Simpsons in which a seedy used car dealership claims "No Money Down!" Upon further review by Homer, the display reveals a fine-print sized comma: "No, Money Down!"

Homeslice got what he deserved: three Japan-made paperweights for the price of an HD TiVo box & 5 months of service.

[Aaron @ Nov 20th 2006 8:38PM]

Man, I got to think of something like this. Anything new coming out?

[Evan @ Nov 20th 2006 9:25PM]

ummm.....just don't pay. What is he gonna do, leave negative feedback? oooooh, the horrors of this world....

[rodney @ Nov 20th 2006 10:24PM]

Nah... its one of those "fake" bidders that hits all the buy-it-now buttons, and also bids your PS3 up to $15K.

Dont feel bad at all, all of those a$$holes need to be caught anyway, they are wasting sellers time, and money out there anyway.....

[kdmaster @ Nov 21st 2006 1:09AM]

ebay should do some thing-he said THERE IS NOWHERE TO FIND EVEN THE 20GB SYSTEMS THIS CHEAP as for the playstation 3 vs 3 playstations thing,it could just be from japan where they do indded speak backwards-i learn it

[littleme @ Nov 21st 2006 3:31AM]

It's ok, this PS3 went for 10 bucks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280050635902&ru=http://search.ebay.com:80/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=280050635902&fvi=1

[S.A. @ Nov 21st 2006 5:38AM]

What do people not get about stupid auctions like this and the ps3's/xbox 360s that went for thousands of dollars. They are usually won by people who have zero or very little feedback, who created an acct just prior to winning the auction. These are scammers who want you to send the item to Africa or somewhere overseas and they want to send you a wire transfer or something like that of like $10000 and you are supposed to send them like a few thousand back. It goes something like that, anyway, the point is that all those outrageous auctions are just BS.

[Michael Hayes @ Nov 21st 2006 9:27PM]

Its a joke and a scan. They used the language "Sony Playstation, 3 of them" to pick up searches for "Sony Playstation 3". Def malicious.

[Gadget Extremist @ Nov 22nd 2006 2:17AM]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=020&sspagename=STRK%3AMESO%3AIT&viewitem=&item=300050305788&rd=1&rd=1

[Darrien Woomer @ Nov 24th 2006 3:51PM]

I hate to see Xbox,360 of them

[steve thompson @ Dec 19th 2006 2:05PM]

OK HERES MY QUESTION BUT FIRST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
I HAVE BEEN WATCHING PS3 AUCTIONS ON EBAY FOR WEEKS FOR A FRIEND OF MINE TO FIND A GOOD TIME FOR HER TO SELL HER PS3.
HERES IS WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED,

1 HIJACKERS WIN AUCTION AFTER AUCTION AND BID AND WIN PS3,S
FOR HOURS ON END AND EBAY ALLOWS THIS ACTIVITY.

2 I SAW 1 SCAMMER WITH AROUND 35 NEGATIVE FEEDBACKS IN A ROW
AND HIS ACCOUNT WAS STILL ACTIVE.

3 WHY DOESNT EBAY ACTUALLY HAVE A LIVING BREATHING PERSON
TO MONITOR PS3 AUCTIONS THE FRAUD IS SO EASY TO SPOT AND TEMPORALLY DISABLE THESE SCAMMERS HIJACKED ACOUNTS.

4 WHY DOESNT EBAY HAVE PROGRAMING IN PLACE TO SPOT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY LIKE FOR INSTANCE A PERSON WHO WINS 30
PS3 AUCTIONS IN A ROW.

4 THESE PEOPLE WORK IN TEAMS SO A SECOND CHANCE OFFER MIGHT VERY WELL GO TO A SCAMMER AS WELL..

MY GUESS IS THAT THOUSANDS OF POOR INNOCENT CHILDREN
HAVE AT THE VERY LEAST HAD THERE AUCTIONS RUINED THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON BY THESE SCAMMERS AND AFTER WATCHING THIS GO ON FOR WEEKS NOW A REALISTIC NUMBER IS PROBABLY CLOSE TO TEN THOUSAND MAYBE MORE THE ONLY PLUS SIDE TO ALL THIS FRAUD IS THAT THE SONY CORP WONT BE EMBARRASED BECAUSE THERE ARNT ENOUGH PS3,S AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

[Jimmy Bosse @ Dec 26th 2006 10:27AM]

LOL if you look at the puyer they also bought a knockoff nano LOL.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140065822898