Update 2: The 280$ deal fell through, and it's a funny eBay story! So this guy put up a 300$ or best offer deal for his stock of 3.55 120gb PS3s. I offered 250$ because that's around where I'm comfortable, and at the moment, that was all I could spare towards this endeavor until being paid 2 days later. So this seller rejects the 250$ and makes a counter-offer of 280$...acceptable..just not immediately affordable. So I planned to let this offer sit unaccepted for the allotted 3 day period before it is erased... After 2 days pass I go to check the auction only to see that this seller has removed the offer, taken down his 3 auctions (of 120GB, 160GB, and 320GB PS3's on 3.55), which he then re-listed at upwards of 500$. The funny thing being that he is now asking ~500$ for a 160GB or 320GB, and (here's the kicker) a whopping 560$ (literally double the offer) for the 120GB I planned on buying. I tried to message and he had blocked all messages. I tried to make another offer of 280$, and he had changed his settings to only allow bidders who have purchased 2 or more items. So this guy has clearly thrown a temper tantrum and think's he's hurting me but...I have a friend who works at a pawn shop who just scored me a like new 120GB for ~100$ on her discount, so...I think I know where to go from there...you got me bro!
The eBay seller I inadvertently made throw a temper tantrum is Orkmastermcgee. I saw him recommended before on other PSX sites, but don't deal with this guy...it's not worth it, especially for the price. There's a ripoff report somewhere on google you can find claiming that he kept a buyer in returns on a product long enough for eBay's transaction period to end, clearing him of all obligations.
The Solution for Anyone Interested: Looking to get yourself a unit on 3.55 without getting taken? Let's look at what this horrid eBay seller does for a living (Orkmastermcgee). This guy went out and invested in the required hardware to flash PS3's, probably set him back a little over 100$, one time purchase. Now all he has to do is find the correct models that are capable of reverting to 3.55 OFW or lower, and flash them. These particular units? You can score 120GB 160GB and 320GB PS3s for ~125-150$ at pawn shops all day long, with cables and a controller included in MANY cases I've personally seen. So, let's say you get one at 150$, you now need it flashed and you do not have the tools. The median price of eBay sellers offering downgrade is ~60$ both ways, and if you carefully read feedback and know how to spot fake feedback, you should be pretty confident before sending your PS3 off. 150$ + 60$ = 210$. I'm telling you, you can have a PS3 on CFW for 210$ or under. If you were to buy a 300$ 3.55 PS3, that means you're letting these chumps (Orkmastermcgee for example) get paid ~90$ for their downgrade service. Eh...who do you even know who gets billed out that high hourly? Especially when considering that I could teach a 5 year old to flash PS3's for me in a South American sweat shop in WELL UNDER an hour. Yea...leave eBay mostly alone if you want my most researched opinion. So to recap..
1. Stay away from Orkmastermcgee and generally anyone who wants to take something from you that they don't deserve.
2. Buy correct model PS3 from pawn shop (hoping to find a PS3 naturally on 3.55 is quite unrealistic this late in the game.)
3. Select a downgrade service with excellent feedback and fast turn around.
Edit: Should also mention though, that deals around 200$ for a 3.55 PS3 do occasionally surface through bidding, but never for Buy It Now. This is rare, completely luck, and making the last bid. Also these people are usually just getting rid of the one they owned in preparation for PS4. These sellers might not be very professional and when you get the box, you might see that the packaging created a nice bounce-castle for your unit in the shipping process.
