# Is it safe to buy an xbox 360 from this site? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282 "2006-02-13T16:04:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/1 "2006-02-13T16:04:56Z")
So, I decided - enough drooling over CoD2: time to shop around for an xbox 360. Amazon seems to be “out of stock”; everywhere else, even on Craig’s list, E\*Bay and such, the regular system is going for ~ $500. Then I happen upon “XBox 360 stock”. I got there through Google ads from another site; in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if there ends up being an ad for it at the end of this thread. I won’t make it a link because I don’t want it to appear that I’m advertising the site. In fact, I’m very suspicious of the site: it has a real “po-dunk” feeling about it. I did check the domain registry and it’s not in some third-world country or anything like that. They _seem_ to be offering the regular xbox 360, not “core”, for $200, including free shipping. I Googled extensively but couldn’t find anything about them, good or bad. The old adage is “if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.” That certainly applies here. Anyway - my questions are: - What are anyone’s experiences with this vendor? - Is it safe to buy from them? - What am I missing? Why is this vendor selling for hundreds of dollars less than others? The units appear to be new, factory sealed and presumably (dangerous word…) under warranty. I just noticed that they also want a check / money order - not credit card, which raises a red flag too. Not to mention that the “Contact us” link is broken :eek: As a bonus question: any reason to get the core system? It looks like you’re better off buying the regular system, since you’ll need at least the HD to make the console usable anyway. If I go through with the purchase, which I’m very nervous about right now, I’ll post my experiences here. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/2 "2006-02-13T16:37:42Z")
It’s dodgy, They don’t accept credit cards, a regular online business ? The thing about credit cards and the like is that there is a way to reclaim money if the vendoer goes bankrupt or something, you have a certain amount of protection. Credit card companies don’t give this away for free, and they will recover their losses from the errant vendor if possible. Don’t be a mug. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/3 "2006-02-13T16:46:11Z")
I wouldn’t do it. I’ve been itching for an Xbox 360 myself, and was tempted mightily by a fly-by-night website, but it’s just not worth it. You have no recourse against these people if they rip you off. Maybe they wouldn’t, but it seems impossible that they’d be offering a hotly-sought-after product for _less_ than retail cost. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/4 "2006-02-13T16:53:40Z")
Probally worth it to wait. [Xbox shortages come to an end](http://www.xboxic.com/news/181) ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/5 "2006-02-13T22:43:25Z")
I wrote to the guy to ask him why he doesn’t accept credit cards. I’m going to try to persuade him to either take a credit card or COD, in which case I can make sure I receive it and it looks OK before forking over any cash. Otherwise, no deal. A little Googling reveals that the company behind this is G. W. Fetter Co. They have a store on E_Bay with lots of sales and 98% positive feedback; they also have another storefront that sells sleazy spam-type stuff like “how to beat traffic tickets”, “winning on slot machines”, "making a profit on E_Bay", “credit repait” etc. Damn, it’s tempting - a $600 system for $200. My own greed is going to push me into this. It’s like a miniature 419 scam 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/6 "2006-02-15T06:09:18Z")
_Update_ No reply from the guy to my email asking about credit cards. Either it’s a scam, or he’s a shady seller; either way, I’m not going for it. I found an xbox 360 premium package with an extra wireless controller and CofD2, new in box, for $425 on Craig’s list. The guy is local and is willing to drive it over to me on Thursday, if I pay upfront using Paypal. Do you think I’m safe if I used PayPal, and back it with a credit card? if anything goes wrong I can then address it through PayPal and/or chargeback on the credit card. Should be OK, right? (except for the danger of having a total stranger come to my house.) ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/7 "2006-02-15T23:37:19Z")
Reasonably safe on the PayPal end. Why not meet him somewhere neutral and public? ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/8 "2006-02-16T00:43:11Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > Reasonably safe on the PayPal end. Why not meet him somewhere neutral and public? Good idea. In fact, after thinking about it I had the same idea - meet him at the local coffee shop, and exchange cash for item. However, when I emailed the guy this morning he said the item was sold. I emailed what looked like a totally different ad on Craig’s List, and, lo and behold, the same guy answered, but with a sarcastic, snarky reply to my questions. (I asked him unreasonable things like “do you have a receipt?” and “is it under warranty?”) Oh well. Back to E\*Bay. It feels like I’m trying to buy a kilo of Uranium 235 or illegal drugs, rather than a damn game console. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/9 "2006-02-16T15:13:13Z")
I actually had a hard time getting my hands on one too over here in the Netherlands. Everywhere I went they said : no, you can’t get one. We can put you on the list but it will take more than a month. Until I ran into a shop that had 100’s of them! Apparently this one shop had bought all of them as they were still unavailable in all other shops. ---
**Author:** ![rowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@rowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowe)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/10 "2006-02-16T22:36:02Z")
The guy is probably selling “information” on how to obtain a cheap Xbox 360 or something like that. That’d be my guess based on his storefront selling the sleazy spam-type stuff. There’s absolutely no way you’re going to get one for $200. > [@DarrenS](#): > > I wrote to the guy to ask him why he doesn’t accept credit cards. > > I’m going to try to persuade him to either take a credit card or COD, in which case I can make sure I receive it and it looks OK before forking over any cash. Otherwise, no deal. > > A little Googling reveals that the company behind this is G. W. Fetter Co. They have a store on E_Bay with lots of sales and 98% positive feedback; they also have another storefront that sells sleazy spam-type stuff like “how to beat traffic tickets”, “winning on slot machines”, "making a profit on E_Bay", “credit repait” etc. > > Damn, it’s tempting - a $600 system for $200. My own greed is going to push me into this. It’s like a miniature 419 scam 😉 ---
**Author:** ![squeekster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@squeekster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeekster)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/11 "2006-02-16T22:55:08Z")
I think the first question I would have is why can the guy running that website get XBox 360’s and no one else in the world can. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-safe-to-buy-an-xbox-360-from-this-site/344282/12 "2006-02-17T01:21:27Z")
> [@squeekster](#): > > I think the first question I would have is why can the guy running that website get XBox 360’s and no one else in the world can. I think it probably was a scam, having scoured E\*Bay and Craig’s list for a couple weeks. People are selling them way _above_ retail, not below! And $200 is ridiculous. I don’t know what kind of scam he’s running, but I’m not buying it. Why do some people have them? Well, there are definitely people who foresaw the shortage and bought up a bunch at Costco, with the express intention of “scalping” them later on E\*Bay. Epilog to this story: I just bought one on E\*Bay. Premium edition, with 2x wireless controllers and two games, slightly used, for $500 + $40 shipping. I used PayPal backed by a gold Amex, which offers its own extensive buyer protection program. The seller seems very honest and replies quickly to email.