Well, I expect the iPhone to sell out pretty much everywhere in the first week or so...and the online store being backed up at least til november. With that said, what are your predictions on the eBay aftermath? Is a 499 iPhone going to break 1000 dollars on ebay?
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iPhone and Ebay. How much will these things fetch?
- Thread starter kernyboy
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If the 2 year contract holds to be true, I don't believe we'll be seeing many, if any, iphones on eBay. If they do get out there, yes, I think you'll see the $1000 broken.
I remain hopeful that there won't be any eBay action on this product. If a product "sells outs" via Apple's online store do they remove your ability to buy and get in the queue for the next shipments?
If they don't, there's really no reason to head to eBay. If you have to sign up for a contract when you buy the phone that would mean having to cancel or get out of it later...I think a lot of folks already believe $500/600 is too expensive for a phone. Why would anyone want to tack eBay markup on top of that. A lot of eBay scalpers got burned last Christmas with the PlayStation 3, buying it thinking they'd double their money and then not being able to get rid of it for the amount *they* paid. Let's hope that's enough to keep that element away.
If they don't, there's really no reason to head to eBay. If you have to sign up for a contract when you buy the phone that would mean having to cancel or get out of it later...I think a lot of folks already believe $500/600 is too expensive for a phone. Why would anyone want to tack eBay markup on top of that. A lot of eBay scalpers got burned last Christmas with the PlayStation 3, buying it thinking they'd double their money and then not being able to get rid of it for the amount *they* paid. Let's hope that's enough to keep that element away.
If you get in early, you'll have your chance to make a killing on the iPhone. I wouldn't be surprised if prices top $3k for a short while, just like the PS3. I have to believe that the hype/demand for the iPhones is much greater than that for the PS3, and the quantities will be similar. Therefore, the iPhone should fetch quite a pretty penny on eBay.
You say that $500/600 is too much to pay for a phone, but people were saying that $500/600 is too much to pay for a video game console back in November, yet people bid the price way up over $3000.
Supply and demand...
I would have liked to see you waddle down to your local Best Buy / Circuit City / whatever on the day of the PS3 launch and just "get one for list price".
depends on stock. if a new shipment is coming in a few days then no... if its gonna be a while then they will go fora lot on ebay
i think this hinges on whether or not the stores will limit the number of iphones purchased per person. and i think there are a lot of people outside of the u.s. who would pay a fortune just to be among the first in their area to get an iphone regardless of whether or not they can actually use it as a cell phone because of the tie to cingular. i could also see a subset of these people banking on a way to unlock the iphone coming to light in the next few months so they can actually use it as a phone. people will do crazy things, and some of those people have a lot of disposable income.
If the rumors hold true Apple should have about 3 million of these ready to go at launch. Much more than what Sony had ready for the PS3 launch.
jon
Don't compare the iPhone to the PS3! I want Apple to sell phones!
Just Kidding...I think apple would be fine if the iPhone sold at the current rate of the PS3. But yet the current rate of the Wii!
I have to disagree. The crazy eBay PS3 prices were ALL for guaranteed pre-order systems prior to the console's release. On launch day, they plummeted. And no one paid $3,000 for a PS3. Reputable gaming blogs did stories about the fallout (here and here). People who purchased the console hoping that it would land them a big score often got nothing more than headaches. There is no pre-sale for the iPhone, and the device will be available to order via Apple.com even if stores are sold out. While demand will be high, I just don't see the eBay market as being as crazy as you contend.
Yeah, very few actually went for that (and who knows how many of those auctions actually went through). Demand for the PS3 died very quickly as supply evened out. While demand is high for iPhone, it remains to be seen exactly how many of the people who're interested in it will purchase on Day 1, and we don't know what supply will be like yet. It's definitely not like PS3 where there was a shortage of components.
Anyway, I would love to see an end to this b.s. trend of people getting in line for a HOT thing just to ebay it the same day. The only way that'd really happen is to make sure enough are available for all. And with the iPhone...who knows what the case'll be. With game consoles you knew weeks ahead of time what the actual situation was gonna be.
I have to disagree. The crazy eBay PS3 prices were ALL for guaranteed pre-order systems prior to the console's release. On launch day, they plummeted. And no one paid $3,000 for a PS3. Reputable gaming blogs did stories about the fallout (here and here). People who purchased the console hoping that it would land them a big score often got nothing more than headaches. There is no pre-sale for the iPhone, and the device will be available to order via Apple.com even if stores are sold out. While demand will be high, I just don't see the eBay market as being as crazy as you contend.
Yeah, very few actually went for that (and who knows how many of those auctions actually went through). Demand for the PS3 died very quickly as supply evened out. While demand is high for iPhone, it remains to be seen exactly how many of the people who're interested in it will purchase on Day 1, and we don't know what supply will be like yet. It's definitely not like PS3 where there was a shortage of components.
I knew a guy who was able to get three PS3s at launch. I think he averaged about $70 profit on each, and that's not factoring in all the touble he went though. Needless to say he was a bit pissed at how things turned out and how much time he wasted for a litte of $200.
i remember when a few people started selling ps3s on the macrumors marketplace below retail because they just wanted to get rid of it
oh, and i heard(from an inside source, like always) that there isn't a chance any apple stores will be selling out. they're gonna be shipping a TON
much much emphasis on a TON
oh, and i heard(from an inside source, like always) that there isn't a chance any apple stores will be selling out. they're gonna be shipping a TON
much much emphasis on a TON
as far as i know you have 30 days to cancel your contract with att. and if your paying full price for the phone then you don't have to return it if you cancel your 2 years after a day. i'm sure that many people will want an iphone even if you can't use all the features with a different carrier. i wouldn't be surprised to see some of them go for a higher than retail price. but nowhere near 1000. who knows though people buy stupid things for stupid prices everyday.
Me too. Good friend of mine bought one at the beginning of December 'cuz the Best Buy he was at had JUST gotten a shipment. He tried 3 times to sell it -- eBay and Craigslist -- and was unsuccessful, even offering it for just $50 more than he got it for with tax. He returned it just before Christmas and got his money back. Not worth the trouble.
If they ship enough of them to defuse any eBay scalping I will be very pleased. I'm REALLY sick of that crap. If you want the device, go buy it. If you don't, don't. I understand the economics of it and supply and demand and all that jazz, but I completely hate people that try to take advantage like that. I interviewed people in line for PS3s near where I live for the gaming podcast I host, and 90% were just there to resell. It was completely sickening. I take some comfort in knowing that they probably all got screwed.
I know the rumors are rampant, but in the last few days it seems more and more leaning towards a favorable E-Bay environment.
I was kind of stoked for a while that it seemed like you would not be able to leave without having signed a contract to use the phone. Now it sounds like potentially Apple Stores will just be checking people out to be activated later.
If that is the case plenty will be on E-Bay.
Hopefully there is enough in the supply chain that everyone who wants one can get one without going to E-Bay and the E-Bay sellers get stuck. I am not a big fan of people who buy and re-sell new launch items on E-Bay.
I was kind of stoked for a while that it seemed like you would not be able to leave without having signed a contract to use the phone. Now it sounds like potentially Apple Stores will just be checking people out to be activated later.
If that is the case plenty will be on E-Bay.
Hopefully there is enough in the supply chain that everyone who wants one can get one without going to E-Bay and the E-Bay sellers get stuck. I am not a big fan of people who buy and re-sell new launch items on E-Bay.
For people outside of the US, waddling down to the ATT store isn't an option and Apple.com in the US doesn't appear willing to ship abroad.
