Scalpers are selling iPhone X pre-orders on eBay for up to $60,000

[midian182]

After months of hype, the iPhone X arrives in just a few days’ time. As is the case with every hotly anticipated new product, especially one that’s expected to be in short supply, scalpers are taking advantage of the situation, with thousands of pre-ordered handsets appearing on eBay—the most expensive of which went on sale for $60,000.

It took just ten minutes after iPhone X pre-orders opened for the shipping times to jump from two to three weeks to five to six weeks. There will be a limited number of handsets available from Apple stores on launch day, but expect a long wait in line for a chance to get one.

TechCrunch notes that scalped eBay phones are averaging around $1500 for the 64 GB model, with the more expensive 256 GB version trending even higher. eBay told the publication that 1200 listings appeared on the marketplace within 45 minutes of the pre-orders going live. 13 hours after they went on sale, 36,555 people had searched for the iPhone X on the auction website.

While there are doubtlessly some Apple fans willing to pay extra to secure an iPhone X sooner, it appears that some scalpers are pushing the limits. Would anyone really pay $30,000 for an unlocked, silver 256 GB model? But even that amount pales in comparison next to the $59,999 Space Grey pre-order available through T-Mobile.

Apple says the iPhone X sold out so quickly because people are excited about the handset, rather than as the result of reported supply shortages.

We are thrilled to be taking orders for iPhone X, the future of the smartphone. We can see from the initial response, customer demand is off the charts. We’re working hard to get this revolutionary new product into the hands of every customer who wants one, as quickly as possible. We will keep accepting orders online, and iPhone X will be available at Apple retail stores on Friday, November 3 starting at 8 a.m., as well as from our carrier and retailer partners around the world.

As expensive as they are, there is a chance the iPhone X’s average eBay price could go even higher once the device is released. If you really want a new iPhone in a hurry, you might want to go down the Steve Wozniak route and buy an iPhone 8 instead, or even the iPhone 7, which Apple has now reduced.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71640-scalpers-selling-iphone-x-pre-orders-ebay-up.html

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Anyone spending 60K on a phone deserves everything that happens to them.

If they really do sell for this, man, I need to up my game. This scalping business is incredibly profitable.

 

[VitalyT]

One should never underestimate the two most essential human traits: greed and stupidity.

People who understand it will always profit from the rest.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

You have to remember they're targeting the dyed-in-the-wool iSheep (pun intended). Logic , commonsense and brains is not a factor.

 

[OutlawCecil]

What kind of witchcraft is Apple employing that makes Apple fans pay ANY price for this crap? $999 is just stupid, and $60,000? I hope there's an app on it that drives you around town for that price...

 

[Kibaruk]

Let me put up a phone at 1 mill, I'll let you know and you can call it news. Shame on you guys. Not even if someone actually payed that is worth mentioning.

 

[Lionvibez]

What kind of witchcraft is Apple employing that makes Apple fans pay ANY price for this crap? $999 is just stupid, and $60,000? I hope there's an app on it that drives you around town for that price...

It would have to drive me around town for 5-10 years for 60k.

Some clueless applefan will still pay this no doubt...

 

[Bubbajim]

You have to remember they're targeting the dyed-in-the-wool iSheep (pun intended). Logic , commonsense and brains is not a factor.

"Logic, common sense and brains are not factors."

FTFY.

 

[captaincranky]

The whole issue confounds the senses. How could someone stupid enough to pay $60.000 for an iPhone, be smart enough to have accumulated so much money as to be able to do so? Oh well, I suppose they could have inherited it. That said, you would think their parents would have been smart enough to put an administrator in charge of their trust fund. Hm, if that were the case though, the administrator is the one likely to be buying that phone.

 

[commanderasus]

Skidmarksdeluxe said: ↑
You have to remember they're targeting the dyed-in-the-wool iSheep (pun intended). Logic , commonsense and brains is not a factor.

Here is at photo on an iSheep.

 

[wiyosaya]

The whole issue confounds the senses. How could someone stupid enough to pay $60.000 for an iPhone, be smart enough to have accumulated so much money as to be able to do so? Oh well, I suppose they could have inherited it. That said, you would think their parents would have been smart enough to put an administrator in charge of their trust fund. Hm, if that were the case though, the administrator is the one likely to be buying that phone.

Perhaps this is not a great comparison, but there was a Michael Jackson documentary several years back where they filmed him in some trinket shop. His words were literally, "I want this, I want that, I want this, I want that" all without stopping to think for even a nanosecond about what he was doing or how much he was spending. I suspect that people who would spend that kind of money on something like this have a similar disposition.

Heck, anyone stupid enough could drop $2,999 on a GTX 1080 Ti on e-bay these days - https://www.ebay.com/sch/I.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=gtx+1080+ti&_sop=16

I don't care how much money one has - as Forest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

 

[captaincranky]

Perhaps this is not a great comparison, but there was a Michael Jackson documentary several years back where they filmed him in some trinket shop. His words were literally, "I want this, I want that, I want this, I want that" all without stopping to think for even a nanosecond about what he was doing or how much he was spending. I suspect that people who would spend that kind of money on something like this have a similar disposition.

I don't care how much money one has - as Forest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

In reality, Michael Jackson is one of the best comparisons you could have made. This is attested to by everything he owned, from Bubbles the chimp, to Neverland Ranch.

This is a quick read which summarizes his penchant for buying nothing worthwhile while spending tons of money to do so:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...biggest-fortunes-ever-earned-by-a-singer.html

Were he alive today, he likely would have spent a million dollars or so for a case of iPhone X's. (After sending a cadre of his security employees to buy his way to 1st in line).