Today, of course, marked the release of Microsoft’s new XBox 360 videogame console. It also marked another explosive new item for online sales through eBay as thousands of people who stood in line for the $299 and $399 systems are now auctioning the units off for two to three times that amount.
At the store I was at this morning, a non-insignificant number of people were there solely due to the profit-making available anytime there’s a hot new product that combines large amounts of hype with very low amounts of retail availability.
Of course, the phenomenon also has a tendency to feed upon itself, as a good number of gamers who bought the system for themselves see the amounts of money being made through online auctions and decide to forgo their immediate pleasure for some quick cash made by selling their system.
No doubt we’ll continue to see this trend stretch through the holiday season as shoppers continue their push for every last gift option they can find.