New MSI GS73VR for $1500 too good?

I came across the following deal on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/122293551916
New, unopened MSI GS73VR laptops for $1500. The cheapest I see from authorized resellers is $1699 in a similar configuration. The seller seems to have plenty of good reviews. So what's the catch? Is this a grey market item without warranty or some scam?

 

Careful here, I read in the gt73vr owners forum of a company which had loads of them stolen and the company rep was posting the news coverage of that heist. They got 200k worth of high performance gaming rigs stolen amongst others, various msi Modells. Check the post there. On my mobile and can't link now.

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Yup, this model is being sold for $1799 right now, plus if it's a stolen product then it does not have any warranty.
By looking at his reviews, the reseller has never sold any MSI products in the past.

 

Could always contact the seller directly and ask them if everything is new, has warranty, or even how they are lower compared to the standard pricing.

 

Doesn't hurt to ask for a serial number and pass to MSI for verification.

 

There's no way this random person just happened to get their hands on 9 GS73VRs, and heavily discounted the prices out of the kindness of their heart.

 

Are you guys referring to HIDEvolution? They had About $300k worth of systems stolen.
@Donald@HIDevolution

From the looks of the listing, it states that there is a 2 year warranty from the factory. Not sure what that means. But I would just contact the seller and ask for the serial no. If possible and run that by HIDEvolution or MSI.

 

I sent Donald a PM, just in case they did have GS73s stolen.

 

Thanks Kevin...however we did not have any of these stolen. Whew!

I reported it to MSI anyway because it is from an unknown seller, and way below MSI's minimum advertised pricing.

 

I did order one before coming here to the forum and getting all the good advice. Should be getting it this Saturday. How should I go about checking if it's stolen. Would attempting to register automatically flag a stolen machine, or should I email customer support?

 

If you will PM or email ([email protected]) me with your serial number I can check it with MSI.

MSI has no dealers in Reno, NV, so this is quite suspicious. Did you get Buyer Protection when you bought it?

 

Seller has solid feedback, what is the worry? The purchase is covered through ebay, I don't see the need for all of the worry. The deal is probably legit because, hey no-one can even afford a $2k laptop let alone $1500!

 

Living in an alternate world

 

Thank you for the offer.
It's through Ebay and I purchased with a CC, so I am not terribly worried about getting my money back if there is something wrong with it. I just don't want to find out 3 months from now that my laptop "fell off the truck" somewhere and is not covered by warranty.

 

I think it will be worse than not being covered by warranty, you could get a criminal record and have the computer taken away from you.
Depends on what MSI or any other organization wants to do or if they can prove you knew you where receiving stolen goods.

No doubt the ebay seller would get away with it.

 

Since I have no way of knowing prior to placing the order, I don't think that's an issue here.

 

You're living in an alternate world?

Yeah, I have no idea what I'm saying:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmc...han-1000-in-savings-infographic/#516416f191ee

http://www.citylab.com/housing/2015...2-bedroom-apartment-in-every-us-state/394142/

http://www.epi.org/publication/unde...-workers-pay-why-it-matters-and-why-its-real/

http://www.mybudget360.com/wealth-distribution-in-us-wealth-inequality-america-gilded-age-wealth/

 

How would they "know" you knew said product was stolen? Better how would they be able to prove you knew it was stolen in a court of law? No-one is going to jail for purchasing something on ebay unless the seller explicitly states "this item has been stolen" and even then.

Man so much unfounded paranoia.

 

Gotta love studies.
Hey India barely has 2 Mbps internet. Who would buy Alienwares there.

 

@Briarned, @Neo79 is exactly correct. You could not only be risking not having a warranty, but when you buy an MSI laptop, from other than an authorized dealer, that states it is brand new factory sealed, that is $300, almost 20%, below market price, and you start a thread saying " New MSI GS73VR for $1500 too good?" it could lead an aggressive prosecutor to make the case that you either knew, or should have known, that it was probably stolen.

I am not saying that is what is going to happen, but it was suspicious enough for @Briarned to start this thread, and common sense says there is something highly abnormal here. You just have to have your eyes wide open to the potential risks, and use good judgement as to whether you want to take those risks.
.

 

eBay isn't going to be the one who takes the losses, especially after 60-day of your purchase. By the time you will need to use the warranty and then find your warranty has already been void, then that's the extra cost (loss) to you in the end.

 

When you register the SN then you will be able to see if it's having warranty or not.
You can also call to find out for fastest service.

 

The paranoia on this thread is absolutely insane and ridiculous. The laptop is the outgoing model, the seller has excellent feedback and long standing ebay account, and it's get this a mere $199 less than what Amazon had it listed for just a couple weeks ago! Wow! You're right this definitely screams stolen and the FBI is most likely going to break your door down over a laptop your purchased legally on eBay.

Use your credit card for the purchase to fund PayPal something like Amex. You will be covered by PayPal (6 months warranty required now), eBay, and a legit credit card company like Amex will also insure you and protect your purchase. Amex also extends the warranty a full year with most of their cards.

Register the laptop immediately after purchase and you're good to go.

 

par·a·noi·a
/ˌperəˈnoiə/

suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification

There's nothing paranoid, about questioning a random eBay seller, who has never dealt MSI laptops in the past, suddenly having 9 unopened laptops, selling way below cost.

 

So, you are aware of the massive theft of laptops from MSI a couple of years ago that ended up being sold on eBay? From what you say I think maybe not. There is nothing that magically makes a purchase of stolen goods from eBay 'legal', nor will PayPal or your credit card protect you in a case of purchasing stolen goods when you had good reason to believe they might be stolen goods.

While your advice is good to the extent that contacting MSI right way is the best way to confirm these have not been reported as stolen goods, it is not accurate to the extent that simply buying from eBay somehow makes it legal.

It doesn't really matter where you bought it, if you didn't buy it from an authorized MSI dealer. eBay, a dark alley, Amazon or from a 'friend'. Stolen goods are stolen goods. The legal test is whether the buyer either knew, or should have known (...too good to be true...), that there was a reasonable possibility that the goods were stolen, did no reasonable investigation, and bought the goods anyway. What law enforcement looks to is, did you buy it from an authorized dealer when it is sold as 'new...factory sealed', or did you buy it from a seller that is not an authorized dealer?...would a reasonable person suspect that due to the low price it could be stolen...did the buyer, given their reasonable suspicions (obviously had by the OP since they started this thread with its title), do any investigation to discover the truth (easily done through MSI in this case). If the answers are, did not purchase from an authorized dealer but rather bought through the anonymous site like eBay, at a price that was well below market (no one else was selling them for under $1,699...a $10 or $20 difference is not significant...but $200 is indeed significant), was suspicious that it was 'too good to be true' and did no investigation other than posting a thread here, that buyer is at risk if indeed the goods were stolen, that they would be determined to be not a bona vide buyer, and would have to forfeit the goods.

There is nothing insane or ridiculous about this fact pattern. Nor is it paranoia. It is the legal truth, and this OP was asking for good advice. To suggest that buying it 'legally' from eBay (it isn't a legal sale by any legal definition if the goods are indeed stolen, and purchased by a buyer who knew, or should have known, due to the fact they were not buying from an authorized dealer, and were buying it for significantly below market value), or that PayPal or your credit card will protect you if it is determined that you were not a bona fide buyer, and the goods you purchased were indeed stolen, is simply giving incorrect, 'bad', advice.
.

 

No the CIA will get involved and deploy an attack drone* and shoot a Hellfire missile into the home where the laptop is located to prevent any future cyber attack on NORAD by Arab (always the Arabs) terrorists who likely have a backdoor into the unit which is all plainly obvious because the ebay seller doesn't have 100% positive feedback or 10,000 transactions and the listed price of the unit is a massive $200 lower than MSRP!

*only for residents of North Dakota

 

This $1522.00 on Jet.com is far too good to be true and you just might go to jail if you purchase it. $1557 (no free returns and debit card) and a $35 discount. Sure you'll pay taxes here but those don't line the pocket of the seller.

https://jet.com/product/detail/042d...2&code=PLA15&gclid=COzUl4jZwNECFUW2wAodVtQAfQ

 

I actually went and looked it up on a couple of legal sites. The buyer has to know the property was stolen. A price drop of 12% is not proof that the buyer had to know the property was stolen.
My original post asked about grey market warranty or a scam (which is much more common). I am fairly a buyer would be in the clear here.

 

One last time. The buyer does not have to know the property belonged to someone other than the seller...:

bona fide purchaser
n. commonly called BFP in legal and banking circles; one who has purchased an asset (including a promissory note, bond or other negotiable instrument) for stated value, innocent of any fact which would cast doubt on the right of the seller to have sold it in good faith. This is vital if the true owner shows up to claim title, since the BFP will be able to keep the asset, and the real owner will have to look to the fraudulent seller for recompense. (see http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/bona+fide+purchaser)

What is BONA FIDE PURCHASER?
A purchaser for a valuable consideration paid or parted with in the belief that the vendor had a right to sell, and without any suspicious circumstances to put him on inquiry. Merritt v. Railroad Co., 12 Barb. (N. Y.) 005. One who acts without covin, fraud, or collusion; one who, in the commission of or connivance at no fraud, pays full price for the property, and in good faith, honestly, and in fair dealing buys and goes into possession. Sanders v. McAffee, 42 Ga. 250. A bona fide purchaser is one who buys property of another without notice that some third person has a right to, or interest in, such property, and pays a full and fair price for the same, at the time of such purchase, or before he has notice of the claim or interest of such other in the property. Spicer v. Waters, 05 Barb. (N. Y.) 231. (see http://thelawdictionary.org/bona-fide-purchaser/)

Problems that should have aroused suspicion, and render the buyer not innocent of any fact that would caused doubt of the right of the seller to have sold it in good faith:
Bought from eBay, not from an authorized MSI dealer, as brand new factory sealed.
Bought for $200 below market value sold by any MSI authorized dealer on any marketplace, store or e-commerce website.
Exhibited their suspicion in a public post on Notebookreview.

That's it...take the advice, or ignore and mock it, your choice.
.

 

I have to agree 100%. I already showed you can purchase this laptop for $1522 on a well established retailer Jet.com. $22 sale from that price on an outgoing laptop model is far from uncommon and would isn't unreasonable or highly suspicious. I understand why he's upset over what happened to his shop but spreading unfounded rumors about another company or seller on eBay is just wrong.

 

Do you not see the difference, between what you just called an"established retailer", and a random eBay seller who suddenly has a trunk full of gaming laptops?

Someone who has never sold such a product, suddenly having that many of them, is worthy of suspicion.

I'm not even arguing that those are stolen at this point, just that to not question such a situation shows a lack of critical thinking.

 

Questioning is OK. This is why I started the topic. However, claiming that anytime you see a good deal on eBay on a new product, you have to assume it's stolen or you will go to jail is a bit over the top.

 

Yep. Unfortunately it's just not worth arguing anymore man. Cover yourself best you can on your purchase if that's what you chose and most likely it will all work out fine. I think you've gotten the original feedback that you were looking for now. Good luck with your purchase and please do let us know how to works out.

 

Got the notebook. It's definitely new and never opened. Tried to register it. MSI makes you download a registration helper app that told me that the "Hardware number is invalid." Oh the HORROR!. Called MSI. The tech checked the S/N and said that it's valid. He also said that the registration helper does not work. Instead he made me use a web based form (pick "other" rather than "notebook" on the first page) and it registered just fine. Got 3 extra months of warranty for filling out a survey.

There was one gotcha. Seller's specks say it's a 7200RPM HDD while it's a 5400rpm one, but I kind of expected that.

So far I think I am happy with the purchase.

Edit: typo

 

But perhaps identifying the supply chain of the seller would reveal the criminals behind it - only if it turns out to be a stolen unit from Donald's stock.

And maybe your reward is a HID sponsored beast machine.

Still, I want to assume first that your seller is a correct person and you made a great deal. It's the US after all, where else to struck an insane deal when not there. Maybe people turn credit into cash that way, although at a significant loss.

Have fun gaming friend.

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