A big ticket item for 2006 and 2007 is the PlayStation 3, a high-demand item that has also become very highly priced. The console was released in November 11, 2006 in the U.S. and other continental markets, and is gearing up for a Europe and Asia release in March 2007.

The PlayStation 3 is manufactured by Sony, and only a few thousands were made and distributed through special markets. Sony allowed pre-ordering and pre-registration of many of its consoles, and this was made available to the public over the early parts of 2006, right through October. As a result, it quickly became a high demand product just because of market need and popularity. At the time, it was directly competing with the Nintendo Wii as it entered the market in late September.

Bidding wars on EBay and other online auction sites quickly began from the pre-ordering stages, right up to the formal public release in early November. Thousands of PlayStation 3 fans lined up in front of stores, camped overnight, and took extra steps to ensure that they had a place in line at their electronics distributor as the PlayStation 3s arrived on the shelves. The local hype, along Sony’s attractive reputation and brand image, further encouraged the demand level of the PlayStation 3.

Today, the PlayStation 3 is only available through online auction sites and independent sellers because it is sold out in stores. If you weren’t able to pre-order the console in the early parts of 2006, it’s likely that you were not able to make the popular list that essentially drove up the product’s value.

It’s clear tha the PlayStation 3 is a high demand product, as thousands of people are still bidding heavily on the available PlayStation 3s on the market today. EBay rankings change daily, and many people are looking for the best deal. If you are bidding on a PlayStation 3, it’s important to verify the seller and resource. Many people do sell illegal or devalued systems on a ‘black market’ and it is buyer beware!

PlayStation 3 is preceded by the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, and continues to carry its strong brand image of quality, value, and modern technologies from Sony. Sony releases attractive games, accessories, and console packages on a regular basis to keep its customers and fans up to date and is very competitive with the Nintendo Wii at this time. PlayStation 3 is an in demand product because of its limited manufactured consoles, its brand image, the variety of quality games and accessories available, and the thousands of loyal fans that continue to buy its products.