Corvillus

In an effort to protect it’s shoppers from being burned by scalpers who fail to deliver, eBay has launched a new policy regarding pre-release console sales of the PS3 and Wii. Specifically, the restrictions are as follows.

• Only one of each console can be listed per eBay account prior to the launch of the console (PS3 is expected to be available on 11/17/06, Wii on 11/19/06).
• The seller must only accept payment through PayPal, and have at least 50 feedback with a 98% or greater positive rating so that they qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection.
• The pre-sale item must be listed in the 3, 5, 7 or 10-day formats, and cannot use Buy It Now.
• The listing must include a photo of your pre-order receipt in the description.

Personally, I think this is a great idea. Especially with the sudden shortages the PS3 in is having, there’s no guarantee that the stores will be able to deliver on all their pre-orders, or even that manufacturers won’t be forced to lower the shipping numbers due to issues beyond the their control, so these restrictions are necessary to protect buyers. Not to mention the fact that scalping consoles on eBay is a dirty practice that deprives actual gamers of the consoles they want to play at launch, instead they are forced to pay high prices through the scalpers. This slap in the face to those who did pre-order the consoles for the purpose of selling them on eBay teaches them a much needed lesson.

Listing Policy Clarifications: PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii Pre-Sales, and ‘Canned Hunts’ [eBay via Evil Avatar]