I basically got a free PS3 cause I sold one. If I had known the Wii would be the main seller I would have made a killing on that. I don't know about importing or anything like that. Its much easier to simply pre-order multiple systems buy them and sell them quickly on ebay or whatever. Usually launches happen on Christmas time so there are a ton of people that rather buy it on ebay that actually attempt to pick one up, which is not hard to do.
I don't know about the 3DS but I will definetly buy systems to sell on the next hardware cycle. I never want to play for a console again, besides they will break and you will have to pay for it all over again.
I was temped to sell my launch Wii, but I was stupid and kept it. *smacks forehead*
It has never occurred to me, but after reading Vaders post it makes a lot of sense. I feel like a chump for having only pre-ordered single launch machines in the past.
Archangel3371 said:No I've never sold any launch systems myself. I'm usually just more interested in getting one and playing it myself then trying to sell one.
But I mean, buy one, sell it at a high price and then buy a new one with the profits? Or buy two consoles, keep one and flog the other for mucho moolah? I think Vaders advice is best, because you buy domestic machines whose warrantys are all still valid in the country you are in. It protects you if you should ship a machine that ends up defective when the person opens it. I'm wary of selling consoles close to Christmas because if you can't guarantee delivery by Christmas day the buyer might go apeshit.
gamingeek said:Archangel3371 said:No I've never sold any launch systems myself. I'm usually just more interested in getting one and playing it myself then trying to sell one.But I mean, buy one, sell it at a high price and then buy a new one with the profits? Or buy two consoles, keep one and flog the other for mucho moolah? I think Vaders advice is best, because you buy domestic machines whose warrantys are all still valid in the country you are in. It protects you if you should ship a machine that ends up defective when the person opens it. I'm wary of selling consoles close to Christmas because if you can't guarantee delivery by Christmas day the buyer might go apeshit.
Yeah I know but I'm just really not all that interested in doing that myself.
gamingeek said:Archangel3371 said:No I've never sold any launch systems myself. I'm usually just more interested in getting one and playing it myself then trying to sell one.But I mean, buy one, sell it at a high price and then buy a new one with the profits? Or buy two consoles, keep one and flog the other for mucho moolah? I think Vaders advice is best, because you buy domestic machines whose warrantys are all still valid in the country you are in. It protects you if you should ship a machine that ends up defective when the person opens it. I'm wary of selling consoles close to Christmas because if you can't guarantee delivery by Christmas day the buyer might go apeshit.
Selling via craigslist or similar would be even better as then you don't have to ship. Though you do increase your chances of getting rolled.
^ Craigslist scares me. 
I've sold a few things on Craigslist, and get nervous everytime. But I did discover a good way to make the transactions. If it's for something small like tickets or a system arrange to meet up at your local police station. Problem solved.
^good advice.
When I left the US I sold (practically gave away) almost everything via craigslist. NP. But then, it was mostly large stuff that people ahd to pick up from my house.
I don't even know what craiglist is.
Was my post deleted by someone or did it not post?
Fucking police if it did! Which one of you's a copper?! 
gamingeek said:I don't even know what craiglist is.
It's a free online classified service -- it's put all the newspapers in the US out of business. In Australia we have Gumtree -- surely in the UK you have something similar?
Foolz said:Was my post deleted by someone or did it not post?
Fucking police if it did! Which one of you's a copper?!
Whatchootalkin' 'bout Willis?
aspro said:Whatchootalkin' 'bout Willis?
I made a post warning about the dangers of craiglist transactions conducted in front of police stations, and it's gone! It probably just didn't post. Though, I seem to remember editing it slightly...
We have gumtree in the UK.
I sold my Xbox 1 a couple of months after launch to make a heap of money which allowed me to buy the cheaper GC and a few games on top of that. I later rebought the xbox at a lower price.
I think Vader sold his launch PS3 to make money. Shelco got hit with a UK VAT charge on top of his imported PSP.
It's clear that there are usually shortages of consoles at launch and that the savvy gamer can make a profit on this.
With the impending (rumoured) launch of the 3DS in Japan this has got me thinking. Do you think it would be a risk to try and import a few of these machines and profit on them?
I guess my two biggest worries are VAT which customs adds to any item over £25 and also because the warranty only pertains to japanese customers, my worst nightmare would be buying a system that needed repairing and only finding out once a buyer had opened and tested said machine.
So, what's been your experience with buying and selling videogame hardware to make profit? What advice would you give and are you tempted to cash in on the new hardware releasing in the next few years?