Got a question about wholesalers...

[Gagabiji]

I'm in the market for a PS2, and I see people on ebay advertising on how to get them for only $25. Now since I can't find anything (even using Google!) and don't want to spend the cash on this stuff, do any of you have "secret sources" and if you do, (AND are willing to share them) could you post here or PM me? Thanks!!!

 

[Chumpman]

if it's too good to be true ...

 

[Cuda1447]

I think you gotta have a retailer license of some sort, AND be buying in bulk to get good deals like that... and if at that rate I doubt you could get it for 25 bucks.

 

[MournSanity]

PS2s don't cost anywhere near $25 for retailers. Probably around $130 in bulk. Maybe more.

 

[HappyFace]

I used to work for CompUSA and they would make about $2 on a PS2 system sale. Most of the profits were from selling pricey warranty plans, discount plans and games..

 

[Gagabiji]

One

Two

 

[MrBond]

Here's how the three major "get XX for [really cheap]" scams work.

Method A: The Matrix Method
You go to a website and pay $25 to get added to the matrix. After X number of people sign up after you, you get bumped to the top of the matrix and get the "prize". This is illegal and they usually collapse on themselves. The people you see running the auctions either A)Run the site themselves or B)are in the matrix and hope to get bumped up

Method B: The "freevideogames.com method"
You sign up for offers on a website (netting that website referral bonuses). This is stuff like price clubs, buyers cards, etc. You usually have to pay for a short trial period (ie: pay $1 for the first week in X club, after that it's $30/month), which is where the "PS2 for $20" comes from. There's big threads at fatwallet/DVDtalk about these kind of deals. Apparently they've gotten a lot harder to get the big ticket items. You also curse yourself to endless amounts of junk mail.

Method C: The "act like a buyer to foreign companies" method
You send letters to companies saying you want to start carrying their product but require a sample first. Any large company (ie: Sony) is already wise to this and won't bite. It's also illegal.

Of the three methods I listed, only Method B works, and even then it's so much screwing around I'd say just save up $150 and wait for Sony to drop the price of a PS2.

EDITBoth auctions you linked are the "Method B" type it looks like. Save yourself $2.75-6.50 and head over to DVDtalk.com and check out the forums there.