View Full Version : Sony acting against PSP importing to the UK
charlie angel
16-06-2005, 07:53
And so it continues - try adding anything PSP related to your cart at Play-Asia (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-1p3h.html) & you get a message saying that they are unable to ship those products to your destination.
Looks like Sony have given them the strong arm - no doubt with more to follow.
anephric
16-06-2005, 08:13
Shocking, isn't it? My supplier of choice, too...
MetalGearAl
16-06-2005, 08:17
Gah, I was going to order a case from them.. this is bloody annoying.
anephric
16-06-2005, 08:20
It's still business as usual at Lik Sang, apparently. But I haven't used them for quite a while now...
Then again, they had no problem selling pirate-related gear (until stopped by Nintendo), so...
Not proper pirate gear, you understand. Eyepatches and stripey stockings for cabin boys and such.
better get me stuff i want from vg+ incase they are targeted next!
Peter UK
16-06-2005, 09:36
Ouch :(
Sony can stick it; imposing 'bans' or using strong arms on a portable machine that they've took the mickey over so long to release is just riddiculous.
Thankfully it seems only PA are bending over at the moment.
Xenomorph
16-06-2005, 10:41
Sony are cretins. They really are.
impydave
16-06-2005, 13:30
Well, I for one haven't turned my PSP on for about 3 weeks now - played all the current games, had a look at the release schedule and with the exeption of Virtua Tennis (old game) there is nothing that takes my fancy - Time to sell me thinks, if you can't import prices for machines already in the UK should rise then ;-)
Thanks Sony
hookbeak
20-06-2005, 08:37
There will always be ebay.
billyblockhead
20-06-2005, 08:50
I had my PSP taken down from EBay over the weekend.
Decided to sell after it sat in my drawer for the last 3 weeks doing nothing.
Got a nice email detailing why Sony wanted me to take it down, something to do with selling there intellectual property.
Nevermind I still managed to sell the PSP and Ebay refunded my auction fees, so it's not all bad.
Nice bit of kit, but pretty useless without games to play on it.
Only Lumines really held my attention. Ridge Racers is nice, but I've played it all before.
ro_ram_ro
23-06-2005, 09:03
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1512591,00.html
Apparently Sony are going into your home with the cops to confiscate your PSP
:nuts: :nuts: :nuts:
Fight Fight Fight
PlexShaw
23-06-2005, 09:08
Sony really are a bunch of tards.
Reading billyblockhead's eBay experience made my blood boil. :mad:
HubbaHubba
23-06-2005, 09:11
What a waste of time and effort! If they put all the money this must be costing them into getting the European releases out there quicker they wouldn't have this problem. What do they expect when we are constantly screwed by releases dates and prices!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1512591,00.html
Apparently Sony are going into your home with the cops to confiscate your PSP
:nuts: :nuts: :nuts:
Fight Fight Fight
This is truly unbelievable!
I fail to see any harm coming about from people importing PSPs, and despite how it might seem on these forums, people importing are in an absolute minority. People will still queue up at midnight to get their PSP on the UK launch. Why on earth can't Sony see that having a few thousand PSPs knocking around the UK ahead of the launch has a positive effect and excites non importers ahead of the official launch?
The precident and data protection implications alone are kind of worrying to me...
ro_ram_ro
23-06-2005, 09:16
Makes you wanna get them back where it hurts... ahemmm if you know what I mean, now which Sony artist can I get......
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1512591,00.html
Apparently Sony are going into your home with the cops to confiscate your PSP!What a clever way to treat your most enthusiastic and dedicated customers - I can't see this back-firing at all!
I don't even want a PSP, but I'm tempted to buy a grey import now just so I can get sued by these arseholes.
its sounds totally pointless anyway
/knock knock..can i have your imported psp please sir?
"erm no, i lost it"
**door closes**
LooneyJetman
23-06-2005, 10:19
I suspect this is just Sony using scare tactics to try and dissuade people from importing to the UK. If they somehow managed to confiscate the existing consoles they would permanently turn some of their most hardcore gamers against them.
More fool them for continually putting off the European release date.
I don't see how Sony can possibly come and take peoples PSPs; afaik there is nothing illegal about purchasing one from overseas.
I think they're on dubious ground legally if they try to impound any stock that has been imported from overseas too...
charlie angel
23-06-2005, 11:30
No impounding -
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=9706
Absolutely ridiculous :brickwall
So they won't allow play asia to ship to the UK but any other country is ok??!!
I know for a fact that hundreds of PSP's made their way from Canada to Spain. Whose next on the list? (I'm lucky enough to be resident in spain)
As they say here locally, sony are "poco loco"......................
inquisitor
23-06-2005, 11:36
I don't see how Sony can possibly come and take peoples PSPs; afaik there is nothing illegal about purchasing one from overseas.
I think they're on dubious ground legally if they try to impound any stock that has been imported from overseas too...
Unfortunately, this isn't true: the precedent of Levi vs. Tesco ISTR means that importing and selling trademarked items that the company doesn't want here (such as Turkish 501s or a US PSP) is illegal. It's a horrific state of affairs and something that is truly wrong with British law - why shouldn't a company be able to sell legitimately imported, tax-paid jeans or games consoles, especially if they're made in the same place and the same item anyway?
They probably won't dare attempt to take people's imported PSPs, though - it would be disastrous publicity. However, so is their current attempt to stop people buying one because it costs less to import one now, even including VAT, than it will to buy a UK one in September - so who knows?
SIMON ADEBISI
23-06-2005, 11:41
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1512591,00.html
Apparently Sony are going into your home with the cops to confiscate your PSP
:nuts: :nuts: :nuts:
Fight Fight Fight
2 lads in work are now walking around worried because of this :lol: Couldn't see it ever happening.
Ignore - "I've lost it" excuse already posted
2 lads in work are now walking around worried because of this :lol: Couldn't see it ever happening.
Update from the Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,1512891,00.html
I still wonder what all the fuss is about, is there something more sinister behind it (ie region locks for UK PSP's)
DarthVader
23-06-2005, 15:03
Personally I find the idea of Sony acquiring details of customers (in a vein attempt to retain their PSP's) quite laughable. There is no way that could possibly happen in a Scottish or English court. :suspect:
look at this ! It seems Sony don't even own the 'brand name' PSP in the UK !! :nuts:
the PSP trademark has apparently been registered by a small Bristol-based IT and design firm, called Owtanet.
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/06/03/sony_psp_grey_market_fight/
and here's the PSP in question !! - http://www.owta.net/ecommerce.html
What are Sony gonna do now ? Rebrand for the UK ?? Pay a fortune for PSP ?? Can this be right ?? Is it as bad (for Sony) as it sounds ?? :nuts:
Maybe they want to know the address of people so they can swap,there jap or usa console woth a uk one whens its released i dont think so. but isent that a invasion of privacy of customers?
Steve Jackson
23-06-2005, 17:38
There is what should be a very interesting blog here (http://www.danmorelle.com/) by the guy behind the website Electric Bird Land (http://www.electricbirdland.co.uk), who is being taken to court by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. The case starts on Monday. Good luck to the guy anyway.
DarthVader
23-06-2005, 18:42
Maybe they want to know the address of people so they can swap,there jap or usa console woth a uk one whens its released i dont think so. but isent that a invasion of privacy of customers?
The idea of Sony trying to acquire people's names and addresses is so stupid (and probably media spin) that Sony themselves said they would not be doing that. Besides the case would fall flat on its face if they did plus it would be bad publicity for Sony.
Actually, I bet you any money they are requesting customer's names and addresses - it's a common practice and is used to decide how much financial 'damage' Sony have suffered. The court will need to see actual orders sent to actual people to decide whether or not Sony's monetary damage claims are valid or not, hence them requesting the names.
DarthVader
24-06-2005, 10:23
Actually, I bet you any money they are requesting customer's names and addresses - it's a common practice and is used to decide how much financial 'damage' Sony have suffered. The court will need to see actual orders sent to actual people to decide whether or not Sony's monetary damage claims are valid or not, hence them requesting the names.
Ah but would Sony be the ones who actually got their hands on the customers' information?
Ah but would Sony be the ones who actually got their hands on the customers' information?If it's part of a court case they're involved in, then yes.
Wuldn't the data protection act come in force. What about those users that have bought them from the US or Canada. What about all the traders on ebay. I don't think Sony have a chance on Monday. Despite the fact that the guy at Electric Birdland was charging a fair bit for the PSP I still hope he wins the case.
DPA has exemptions for legal proceedings, so if the court say the retailers have to release the names, they have to release the names.
William Shatners Wig
24-06-2005, 11:39
So, why is it illegal to import (and pay import duty on) goods such as clothing and electrical items, but not on other mass-imported items such as cars?
Sony have traditionally ask fleabay to withdraw sales of PS2 imported games so this is an extension of their policy.
Idiotic stance though as the import numbers are likely miniscule in real terms and they must be getting some pretty bad press on this on the net.
anephric
24-06-2005, 12:00
So, why is it illegal to import (and pay import duty on) goods such as clothing and electrical items, but not on other mass-imported items such as cars?
It depends on whether the manufacturer cares or not. If they don't want goods intended for one market imported and sold into another they can raise an injunction (a la Levis).
Idiotic stance though as the import numbers are likely miniscule in real terms and they must be getting some pretty bad press on this on the net.
Any publicity is advantageous to Sony. This is more to do with getting as much free publicly/marketing as possible before the launch. It’s been done by the industry before and will continue this way in the future.
anephric
24-06-2005, 14:01
I wouldn't say that - I doubt this is good PR for Sony in any way. Just check out the bile on various fora.
I agree - this may be publicity, but its really harming them in Europe. You must wait, you have no choice. Well, why can't you pay them money to buy it even if from a diff. territory? Pretty harsh, really.
d80s0q
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