Kid gets phone book instead of PS3 for Xmas
By Donald Melanson 
posted December 27th 2007 2:29PM
posted December 27th 2007 2:29PM
It's certainly not the first time we've seen someone open the box to a pricey gadget only to find their hopes and dreams dashed by some unscrupulous individual that's swiped the device and replaced it by something similarly weighted but decidedly cheaper, but it just wouldn't be the holidays if we didn't bring you another account of the same wrong-doings happening again. This latest one comes to us from Thousand Oaks, California where one kid opened the box to the PlayStation 3 he got for Christmas and found a phone book in its place of his desired console. What's more, the PS3 wasn't bought on eBay or out of someone's trunk as you might expect, but at the local EB Games, where the kid's parents are apparently now doing their best to get things sorted out.
[Via Digg]
[Via Digg]
This is why you gotsta check your boxes! Imgine buying a new car, and when you drove home and checked under the hood only to find out there was no engine! This is what Im saying.
lol wut
I'm sure if you were able to drive home in the first place, that the engine was stolen after you bought it.
All I can hope is that they get their money refunded or get a replacement system. Hopefully they'll have a better chance of it because it hit the news, but it's hard to say.
Retails and the companies that produce these expensive electronics needs to come up with a system to verify the contents of the packaging is still in tact when it is returned (or when it is sold). I'd place the blame more-so on EB Games as this probably happened due to the incompetence of their employees.
Wait is ther not a hole in the box where the employee has to scan the serial number of the unit? look on the reciept if there is a serial number then the parents are scamming
I feel for this poor kid. Back in the day I got my brother a Palm III (hey, I did say back in the day) for Xmas, and the box contained a ream (pun intended) of copier paper. It took dozens of phone calls to both Circuit City and 3Com over a period of 2 months to actually get the unit. Too many cooks in the retail kitchen means more work for the consumer.
i think i smell a scam, the parents did it to get another playstation
His parents are douchebags for thinking a $600 piece of equipment weighs the same as a 2lb phonebook.
I should think any monkey would sense something fishy when you can swing the box around your head without so much as breaking a sweat.
Let this be a lesson. Open your crap in the store to double check, unless your package is still vacuum sealed and protected.
Phonebook nicely pinpoints the location of the one doing it, finally we have evidence as to the chain of events somewhat, is it the distribution area, local area, or japan.
When I was a kid, at least our parents put something useful in the box. Like socks and underwear.
Poor kid! What can he do with a phone book except try and find a good foster home. Or the nearest strip joint. Whichever he prefers.
Lame, apocryphal holiday story.
def a scam for either the parents or ebgames
This kid got lucky; he got a phonebook instead of that stupid PS3
Always open the boxes to ensure you're actually giving someone the right gift.
So, was it a YellowBook, or the "other book?"
I used to work as a tech at Circuit City and we would get fully sealed laptops from HP factory and they would have phone books or paper plates, inside. once even a set of work boots. Ive seen bricks, romance novels. pretty much it all. The good thing was that my stores manager realized the problem and did help out the customers. we started suggesting that customers check their packages before they left.
This happened to me on Christmas day before also, i was to get metroid prime for game cube and inside was a AOL cd cut to size. Good thing CC gave me a new game.
though sometime especially with best buy you here mangers not giving a new [product and calling the customer a thief.
Geeez...From now on,whenever I buy something in a brick & mortar store I'll check what's inside: EBgames already shafted me once buy selling me a deluxe edition of fsx with the regular edition dvds inside and of course to basically told me to fuck off when I brought it back.
But what's the phone book worth on the black market? Next time don't be so fast to be a cry baby.
I just feel sorry for the KID. Even if, and that's an IF, the parents did pull a scam it really sucks for that kid on Christmas day.
Expecting something as good as a PS3 and getting a crappy phone book.
Ohh, and for all the peeps making this a flame war about XBOX 360 Vs. PS3, you guys are complete asshats.
I don't care if I got a PS3, XBOX 360, or a Wii. I would still be excited and grateful about it. One may be better then the other, but that's not to say you could not have some fun with it.
And it's last years phone book!
I ordered a new phone book from Santa, and he delivered it in this crap PS3 box. What the hell?
You are trying too hard.
umm... I think I know what happened. The kid and parents conspired, actually received a playstation, and hid the thing. Replaced it with a phone book, and are seeing if they can get a 2nd playstation. With the ruse of bad PR nightmare for the EBgames store on their hands, they should get 2 for the price of 1.
Brilliant.
santa took it!
Its a scam. The parents were tricked, but not by EB Games.
They probably got it wrapped in the mall, and the guys doing the wrapping done the robbing too.
check it out here...
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=XKNGUCVNyH0
I guess he was a naughty boy this year and Santa gave him a modern equivalent of a lamp of coal. LOL.
*lump
I was hoping for a turd, but all I got was this phonebook....
Did anyone actually watch the video? It's not like the parents are broke and living in a dumpster...
yeah, that kinda removes the whole for the money theory.
also the box is weird with the GB sizeage.
also anyone who buys a pirates licensed game is not intelligent enough to pull a scam like this.
I suppse they could have borrowed a house..??.
He should spend time trying to memorize the entire phone book instead of playing games. He'd certainly use less electricity.
Too bad I have alredy sent out the Christmas gifts...
:(
that would have been great if he found a 360 in there lol
They stole the PS3 themselves, and then staged this video. It's all an act. The re-wrapped the box with the phone book in it, and then the kid went through his "WOW... Awww..." SHOCK! HORROR! routine for the camera.
They're tying to gank GameStop out of one PS3. Mark my words. This is a scam.
In some countries it is standard practice for stores to ensure that the contents of the box is correct and complete, and that the product is what the customers wants. I hope stores in America start doing this. This is good customer service. This is not the first time this has happened with a product.
I opened a condom once and it wasnt inside the package. Remember that night honey? Why they would give me an empty package. She was so upset. Why they do things like that :/
I hope they're dusting that phone book for prints to find the scumbags!
Good trade.
..U c wut i did thar?
o ya, i see know.
never seen such high ranks...really, people seem to be in good mood these days...
MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY NEW YEAR
C'mon Fernando, you can admit it, it was you!
How can you not tell if a platicy thing with disks and controllers aren't in a box? Have you ever FELT a phonebook in a box? It feels like a big book in a box. I mean, there really is no mistaking it. Everytime I've gotten some kind of gadget for xmas I've known that it was a gadget - ofcourse I don't know what it is exactly, but I know it's either a laptop or xbox or PS2, etc. etc. Only undetectable things are ipods/mp3 players etc. because they're generally cushioned in pretty tight. Apart from gifts, I always open whatever I purchase from a gadget store in my car....even then I have never come across this kind of thing. I'm not saying it doesn't happen.
Seems more like a "clever" plot to either get an extra PS3 or get the money the parents spent on the PS3 back. I guess I'm just cynical. I suppose the day I get a book/bible/etc. in the box of something electrical and believe it's the item I purchase, is the day I start believing stories like this.
What stores need to do is have customers open the box on-site, to prevent stuff like this from happening.
There is something fishy going on. The receipt says it was purchased on 11/23/07 for 4499.99, which would make it the 80 GB model. That is not the 80 GB box, however. The 80 GB box has Motostorm graphics and a clear indication that it is 80 GB.
http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-3-80GB-Motorstorm-Pack/dp/B000TVT8PI/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1198881726&sr=8-2
That box looks more like the old 60 GB or 20 GB model which have been long discontinued.
4honor, I work for Office Depot. Yes, we are supposed to check if it's in there. We do something call DND for returns. It means we do not resell them, we send them back to the manufacturer. They take care of it from there. Also, I never believe these "OMG I BOUGHT THIS AND GOT A PIECE OF JUNK INSTEAD." Any jackass can say this kind of stuff. They also said "he opened a SEALED PlayStation 3" sounds about right. God people are ignorant. -_-
serves him right for buying pirates of the carribian the game.
anyway, i would simply steal gamestop's ps3, via the phonebook.
poor kid instead of getting a Playstation 3 he got a P(honebook) S(cam)3 and as for the ps3 not having any good games is beside the point this kid had his whole christmas ruined and is likely traumatized to some extant by this eb games should make it right and give himthe ps3 he should have openedon christmas, not that it will give the kid back the christmas that was ruined
from what i have seen i cannot see enough of the box to tell what version of the ps3 it was supposed to be, so saying it is this version or that is unwisein my opinion as for the parents not realizing the weight was wrong, that is easy enough to explain, 1. they might not and likely do not have much experiance with game systems and 2. it was a christams gift who isn't rushed at christmas? they may have beenin such a hurry to get it home and wrapped, if the wrapped it themselves, that they never realized it, as for getting something giftwrapped for you i never leave something to be giftwrapped, i either stay there while its gift wrapped or wrap it myself that way you cannot get ripped off in that way
the original story says the issue has been resolved but it doesn't say how. which doesn't clear up the msytery if i was the manager of that story id want to make it public that idid the right thing as to reverse some of the bad publicity they got over this and i also want to nail the SOB responsible assuming it wasn't from their store
wow, that kid sure looks over dresed for christmas, & also, fox is really good @ being in the right place @ the right time...I mean, they were there when the kid opened the box
I´ m from Chile and i bought an Ipod that had 2 stones on the inside.The store says that they can not be responsible for that.My son opened his present for Christmas and he still does´nt understand SANTAS JOKE!!jo..jo..jo!!
Can somebody tell me what to do..i´m not going to let the store not to be rsponsible of something that is happening and that i´m not guilty.I´m in Chile,far away, and would like to have my Ipod or money back.any suggestions??
haha yeah i remember when i bought GTA:Vice City for PS2 when it came out, i found a scratched up men and black soundtrack cd