This Guy Needs a Beating

[Scoots]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3038287149&category=20387

[chadtower]

Why's that? It's worth a shot, I suppose.

[Scoots]

Just because you CAN rip someone off doesn't mean you SHOULD.

[chadtower]

I don't see how that's a ripoff. Someone bids what they want to pay.

[GrandAmChandler]

Chances are it's broke....

[chadtower]

How is it broken? IT'S ONLY A BOX.

[Oobgarm]

I think I might do the BIN. I think $75 is reasonable for ONLY A BOX. LOL

[leonk]

Folks,

you're missing the point! All he's selling is the cardboard box! Nothing inside!!!

[chadtower]

Yes he is, and he makes that clear in his description. You can't rip someone off when they've determined their own price for an accurately described item.

[Scoots]

Fuck that noise. Chad, you know good and well he's waiting for some 90 year old grandma to see that and think she's being sonny-boy an X-Box. Note his auction listing is for "X-Box". Note the retarded and primitive nature of his "item description." He's hoping some sucker will think this is an actual game console then he's going to try to hold them up for the money when they complain.

Unless you think a $75 BIN is a fair and accurate determination of market value :hmm:

[chadtower]

I think you're assuming far too much intelligence to him. He's just someone who's not very good at this... and set a high BIN. I've set stupidly high BINs on items I've sold from time to time, fully expecting that no one will use it, but hell, if someone wants to pay me that stupid price I'm more than willing to take it. If the person can't read that it's only a box then I guess I don't feel that bad for them.

[Sniderman]

Kids, this "selling only the box" bullshit was RAMPANT upon the release of the PS2 and Xbox. Some yahoo would buy the system, keep it, then toss a vaguely-worded desciption of the box up for $300+. And guess what? Ebay prosecuted every single one of them. Even those who said "It's a box, you get only the box, nothing but the box, no system incuded" were hammered because it was obvious what they were doing. I agree that eBay was policing for the Stupid People who bid without reading, but it's still slimey of the seller.

I promise you this will be pulled before it ends normally.

[chadtower]

So, what if I actually wanted to buy a box? Say I bought a used Xbox that didn't come with the box and I wanted to have the box, since I'm a collector, and we're basically all collectors here?

[1bigmig]

asis :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Dear ebay seller,
I received my box in the mail today (thanks for packing it in another box so it got here secure!!!1!1). However the box didnt work very well at all. I tried everything I knew how to get the box to work and I know you have a asis policy, but do you think you could make an exception this one time????!!!1!! Thanxz,
S. Ucker

[chadtower]

Ever buy a kid a really expensive toy only to find they throw it aside to play with the box all day? Why not just cut to the chase and only buy them the box?

LOL

[Scoots]

Riiight. Bid away, Chad!

[AB Positive]

...hey now. I've bid on boxes before. True, that's exactly what I was looking to buy... just the box for a used system but still.

I'm more of the mind that if people refuse to read the full description and make a dumb decision of it, it's their fault.

-AG

[Dobie]

We have our sucker. $20 plus shipping for a used box. Sounds like a good deal. Plus there were a couple of "legit" looking bids by a "0 feedback" bidder that upped the price a bit.

Oh, and by "legit," I mean "suspicious."

And by "0 feedback" I mean "shill."

[Mother]

Well it looks like his conscience got the better of him :roll:


On Tue Jul 29 17:37:39 PDT 2003, seller added the following information:

no system cardboard box only

I used to waste my time emailing bidders to let them know they were about to be scammed, but you know what? The are just to many dumb asses out there and too many cons willing to take advantage of them. Ignorance is no excuse...


Well at least in this case the box is about as entertaining as whats supposed to be inside.

[Atari7800]

Hey... I've sold a couple of empty N64 boxes on Ebay before (they also had instructions.) They were from Blockbuster and in good shape. I offred them because a lot of colectors have loose N64 carts (I do) and the box and instructions would make a complete set. Did pretty good.

That being said, I made it VERY CLEAR these were BOX AND INSTRUCTIONS ONLY... same wording on the title description as well. I'm not trying to rip anyone off... just profit off the fact that I got some good boxes free of charge.

[omnedon]

I really need an Xbox box. I don't have one! But $33USD plus ship is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much.
:)

[Lifebringeroftorv]

actually, i am looking for a new gamecube platinum box. my cat chewed a hole in the last one. :angry:

[Reverend JagDiesel]

My Xbox box is still like new, sitting in a closet, on a shelf, away from any critters that want to screw with it...
Hell, I'd consider selling it or trading it off... but... I will check with a friend at a local shop and see if he has any extras. If so, I'll hook anyone up here on the board for shipping + whatever the shop guy asks for them.. why profiteer on a box?

[BigBoogie]

He clearly stats what the auctiion is for. If somebody gets suckered they deserve it.

[Lifebringeroftorv]

I asked to exchange my gamecube box at a local gamestop, and they said sure they would switch it out for one of the displays. I went to do the trade, and to find out that my cat chewed hole was better then any they had, AND they were not really offical boxes they were shipped in. They are some cheesy promo boxes printed on cheap cardboard to make it look like they have 1000s of game systems. Bastards.

[tynstar]

Why are they bastards? You can tell they are not the real boxes.

[peeingas]

Kids, this "selling only the box" bullshit was RAMPANT upon the release of the PS2 and Xbox. Some yahoo would buy the system, keep it, then toss a vaguely-worded desciption of the box up for $300+. And guess what? Ebay prosecuted every single one of them. Even those who said "It's a box, you get only the box, nothing but the box, no system incuded" were hammered because it was obvious what they were doing. I agree that eBay was policing for the Stupid People who bid without reading, but it's still slimey of the seller.

I promise you this will be pulled before it ends normally.

I know this is really REALLY ancient, but I howled in laughter when I read this post. Ebay has never prosecuted anybody for anything. They have no prosecutorial powers. And they don't end listings for system boxes. And didn't in 2003 either.

[jb143]

I know this is really REALLY ancient, but I howled in laughter when I read this post. Ebay has never prosecuted anybody for anything. They have no prosecutorial powers. And they don't end listings for system boxes. And didn't in 2003 either.

"prosecuted" was probably too strong of a word for him to use, but I do know that selling product boxes used to be against eBay policy(not sure if it still is). Such listings would get pulled all the time, though usually only if reported. A lot more were likely to have slipped through the cracks only to end with the seller demanding their money back and eBay siding with the seller.

[peeingas]

Back in 2003 ebay was for the seller. If you got ripped off, they'd do nothing

[peeingas]

They alos have a policy of not allowing pirated software, but I'd guess a full 50% of the games being sold on ebay are bootlegs or reproductions.

I am just surprised someone responded

[jb143]

I was selling quite a bit back then and I do remember wanting to sell an empty XBOX box but decided it simply wasn't worth the trouble. Even if you put "BOX ONLY!!!!!" in the title and 100 times in the description, people were still biding on them as though it was the complete system. At the very least resulting in negative feedback if not lost eBay claims. And that's for listings that weren't even scams.

I can't find that policy anymore, so I assume they revoked it, but a simple google search will reveal many other people who were asking questions on the eBay community page about why their box only listings got pulled. The fact is, that they did indeed pull listings for empty product boxes, even back in 2003. Just because you don't remember doesn't mean it didn't happen.

And of course there a ton of people selling things every day that are against their policy, but that does not mean that they don't try to police it.