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Is it safe to order a Playstation 3 online and have it shipped?

post #1 of 18
8/14/12 at 2:18pm
Thread Starter 
Hi, this may seem like a silly question but I am totally clueless about this stuff and am just looking at my options. Let me give you some quick background

Basically, I decided to get a Video Game system for my son and husband( and to a lesser extent, me!) First one I ever bought. I like this bundle they have on Amazon and at Target that comes with the Playstation Move and Sports Champions. It's $300, which as i understand it is $50 off, and comes with a free baseball game which my husband should enjoy as he is a big baseball fan. I really want the Playstation Move, so after doing some research, i decided this is definitely the one for us and the $50 sale and free game sealed it. But i would prefer to buy it from Amazon, as I could save more than 20 bucks on tax. $300 bucks is already a lot for me, so the extra $20 savings would be nice.

But I'm worried that shipping an item like this might potentially cause damage to the system. Again, it may be totally untrue and a stupid notion, but I don't know. Seems like an electronics item like that can easily get damaged with some manhandling by the UPS/FEDEX guy. I used to work part time at Fed Ex when i was in school and saw them load the trucks in the morning. They had to get it done fast and often threw the items, slid them, etc. So i know these packages don't get handled as gently as they could or should.

So is it safe to order a Playstation 3 from Amazon? Are they usually packaged well and are they durable enough to withstand any potential shipping trauma? I would likely get the One Day Shipping to minimize the actual time it is in the hands of the shipper, since we have the Amazon Prime Service on a Free Trial Basis. Or is it a safer bet to just go to target and get it from there and pay the 20 bucks extra for tax?

Any input would be appreciated and sorry again if this seems like a silly question
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post #2 of 18
8/14/12 at 2:52pm
I ordered a PS3 Slim through Amazon.com approx. 10 months ago to replace an aging original "phat" version of the PS3. As I recall, the Slim is packed in rigid molded styrofoam that is almost like a "clamshell." I seem to remember it also being placed in a seperate packing box that had air packets in them as well, but that may have been because I ordered something else in addition to the PS3 (sorry, I can't really remember it all that well). I remember it coming in 2 days (I also have Amazon Prime) and setting it up immediately--it worked right out of the box (no damage whatsoever). Using Prime, Amazon almost always uses UPS (at least, in my area).

I can't really give you a recommendation--I bought my original PS3 through a physical store (EB Games/Gamestop) and the Slim through Amazon. Both worked as I expected them to right out of the box. The only thing that I can say is that if you've already had problems with damaged items delievered to your house through FedEx/UPS, then you might want to consider going with the Target store even though you'll pay more. Otherwise, it truly is your choice--I didn't have any problems ordering a PS3 through Amazon, but maybe others can chime in with their experiences (esp. if they were negative).
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post #3 of 18
8/14/12 at 3:17pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for the detailed and serious post. I will probably decide tomorrow, so hopefully others can chime in with their thoughts.

Something did just occur to me, however. The Playstations that are at the retail stores also had to be shipped and then transported there at some point right? So maybe I'm just overthinkign this and it's all the same? I don't know, but I would like to hear from others. Not just on their personal experiences, but on the durability of the Playstation. Is it something that can withstand some rough handling?

And yes, I have had soem issues with items shipped to my house. Not many, but enough for me to consider this
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post #4 of 18
8/14/12 at 3:18pm
Vanessa, ignore blklightning. He is a simple troll and should be on everyone's ignore list by default.

My PS3 came from Amazon, as do plenty of other things at a rate of about once a week. Amazon's return policy is also fantastic, so if it does arrive damaged you print out a pre-paid UPS label and ship it back to them. Just make sure to order from Amazon directly, or a seller listed as "Fulfillment by Amazon".
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post #5 of 18
8/14/12 at 3:36pm
It's packaged pretty well in a clam Styrofoam shell inside the box, so it would have to go through some extreme abuse to actually damage it IMO. They also come with a 1 year warranty, so if something is wrong right off the bat, you're covered. If you use a Visa that also has extended warranty service, Visa will doubt that to two years. And if you're super paranoid, you can also buy additional warranty services online through third party providers (much like a best buy extended warranty, but cheaper and less painful).

Honestly, my only worry buying from amazon would be the quality of your local point shippers (UPS/FedEx) and if they just drop it on your doorstep if there might be issues with theft (city? common mail area?)
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post #6 of 18
8/14/12 at 3:46pm
I don't think you should have any concern getting something shipped from Amazon, unless you have serious local issues, due to their great return policy. But on the very off-chance you get a bum unit, exchanging at a local Target might be more convenient and obviously faster (I believe Target has a 90 day return policy and Amazon 30 days, before you have to go through a warranty claim with Sony). Though I don't hesitate to buy electronics from Amazon, I did get my last PS3 from Target as I wasn't willing to wait more than 24 hours to replace my dead PS3 ... but that's just me. wink.gif

That sounds like a great deal by the way. Wish there was something like that back in August 2010.
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post #7 of 18
8/15/12 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone for the helpful answers. I'm a bit more at ease about having it shipped. I still haven't decided what I will do, so if others can add something else I would appreciate it. I'll buy or order one tomorrow afternoon. I have to go to Target anyway, so I'll see and maybe make a decision on a whim. They might not even have any. When i first looked at them a few months ago they just had a couple of bundles behind a glass of a small display. In that case, it's Amazon by default.

Also, what are some good game recommendations for a 7 year old( soon to be 8)? I already bought him Up in anticipation cause he loves that movie. I might get him some other Disney games, but outside of that I have no clue what he would like and what is age appropriate.
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post #8 of 18
8/15/12 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanessa79 View Post

Thanks everyone for the helpful answers. I'm a bit more at ease about having it shipped. I still haven't decided what I will do, so if others can add something else I would appreciate it. I'll buy or order one tomorrow afternoon. I have to go to Target anyway, so I'll see and maybe make a decision on a whim. They might not even have any. When i first looked at them a few months ago they just had a couple of bundles behind a glass of a small display. In that case, it's Amazon by default.
Also, what are some good game recommendations for a 7 year old( soon to be 8)? I already bought him Up in anticipation cause he loves that movie. I might get him some other Disney games, but outside of that I have no clue what he would like and what is age appropriate.
Two games that I would recommend are Little Big Planet 1 & 2, they are good family games and are very fun to play, but I don't know if it would be too hard for a 7/8 year old to play.
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post #9 of 18
8/16/12 at 7:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanessa79 View Post

Also, what are some good game recommendations for a 7 year old( soon to be 8)? I already bought him Up in anticipation cause he loves that movie. I might get him some other Disney games, but outside of that I have no clue what he would like and what is age appropriate.

I'm not at home at the moment, so I'm trying to this from memory, but here are a few suggestions:


All games in this list have been linked to their Wiki articles to give you more info about the games. If I think of any more, I'll edit this post and add them in throughout the day. Hope this helps!

EDIT:
Here are few more suggestions:
Edited by shadowlock - 8/17/12 at 4:54am
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post #10 of 18
8/16/12 at 8:38am
I agree with most of the game recommendations so far. I had the opportunity to play a lot of PS3 games with a girlfriend's daughter, who was 7-10 during that relationship, and the one game she couldn't get enough of was LittleBigPlanet. The main story levels for LittleBigPlanet2 seemed to be easier than the ones in the first LittleBigPlanet game, and in LBP2 you can also use the Move controller with the main game and the two included add-on games (if you get the special edition version). There's also Muppets and Toy Story 3 DLC levels available for separate purchase ($6/ea).

I never had a chance to play Mini-Ninjas with her, as it's a single-player game only, but I do own it and think it would be a great game for a young boy.

Regarding Ratchet & Clank games, Tools of Destruction only has one difficulty setting, and though it's not exceedingly difficult, you might be better off with "Crack in Time," which has a casual difficulty setting, or better yet, All 4 One, which can accommodate up to 4 player local co-op (like LBP), so you can play together as a family.

Given those recommendations, LBP2 and Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, you might look into getting a PlayStation Plus membership, which currently offers both those games for free along with many others--including ones your husband may like, such as InFamous 2, PacMan DX and Outland, Here's a link to the current line up: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/08/13/playstation-plus-update-outland-and-bloodrayne-betrayal-join-the-instant-game-collection/ .
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post #11 of 18
8/17/12 at 6:04pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks again everyone for your advice. Two Targets near me didn't have any left so i ended up ordering on Amazon, Hopefully everything is fine when it arrives. Unfortunately, they said it would take a little longer top process so my delivery estimate isn't until Thursday, even with the free 2 day shipping. I did read the recommendations on here and bought Little Big Planet 2( it was a "Special Edition") for $20 and a Lego two pack with Lego Batman and Lego Harry Potter for $35. I'll look into some of the other ones in the future, but 4 now that's 4 games with Up, plus the Sports Champions and Baseball game. That should be enough for the time being
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post #12 of 18
8/20/12 at 9:59pm
No you need Call of Duty MW3!!!!!
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post #13 of 18
8/20/12 at 10:46pm
Her 7 year old does not need MW3. Why give him a terrible game? She got him Lego Batman and LBP2, you know, games that are actually good.
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post #14 of 18
8/26/12 at 9:34pm
Thread Starter 
OK, so we got the thing on Wednesday and it seems to be working fine for the most part and we're really enjoying it. There is something I noticed that could be a concern, so i figured I'd ask here. We put a DVD in there today, and it made really noticeable spinning/whirring sounds. We tried a few others and it varies. It never happens with the games or any movie Blu Rays, they run very quietly. But when you put DVDs in there, they always make louder spinning/whirring noises. Some DVDs make little to no noise, but others make a lot of it. Sometimes where the PS3 actually feels like it's vibrating when you touch it. It's also usually when you just put it in. You put it in, it makes the loud noise and then usually calms down while the discs are playing. And it's pretty consistent. Meaning we got the same results consistently from each separate disc. The one that makes a lot of noise always makes it, while the ones that don't are always quieter. Is this something to be concerned about, or normal?
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post #15 of 18
8/26/12 at 9:38pm
Normal. DVDs just physically spin faster than Blurays in the PS3's drive. As you already noticed, they slow back down when you start playing the movie.

Don't worry about it. smile.gif
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post #16 of 18
8/27/12 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by darklordjames View Post

Normal. DVDs just physically spin faster than Blurays in the PS3's drive. As you already noticed, they slow back down when you start playing the movie.
Don't worry about it. smile.gif

Good to hear, thank you. In that case, everything appears to be fine!
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post #17 of 18
9/1/12 at 1:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by darklordjames View Post

Vanessa, ignore blklightning. He is a simple troll and should be on everyone's ignore list by default.
My PS3 came from Amazon, as do plenty of other things at a rate of about once a week. Amazon's return policy is also fantastic, so if it does arrive damaged you print out a pre-paid UPS label and ship it back to them. Just make sure to order from Amazon directly, or a seller listed as "Fulfillment by Amazon".

I'm not a troll. I'm just making a point. But I'll spell it out for you to help you along -- PS3s are made in China. I live in the US. So, how did my PS3 get here I wonder? Oh yeah, it was shipped here.
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post #18 of 18
9/2/12 at 8:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blklightning View Post

I'm not a troll. I'm just making a point. But I'll spell it out for you to help you along -- PS3s are made in China. I live in the US. So, how did my PS3 get here I wonder? Oh yeah, it was shipped here.

You've got a person who has NEVER bought a video game system before online asking a legitimate question and you just HAD to pop in the thread and make a sarcastic post. THAT, my friend, is a TROLL. What other purpose did your post serve other than sarcasm? Oh, that's right, none whatsoever.

To the OP, don't worry. Amazon (and many other online retailers) ship hundreds (if not thousands) of video game systems everyday. Even if there is a problem, Amazon has a great return policy and will take care of you.
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