The Xbox was Microsoft's first entry into the video game console market and was quite successful. It is a great console to own because of it's large selection of games and new features not seen in before. But the system can be hard to find now that Microsoft has moved on to the Xbox 360. You might be asking yourself, where can I find an original Xbox? How much should I pay? And what do I need to watch out for when buying one? Follow these five simple steps below and you can make your Xbox console purchase as easy as possible.

1. Consoles Cost $90 or Less: The original Xbox stopped selling in the USA for a price of $149.99, but you can find it quite a bit cheaper now. Many stores will sell used Xbox consoles for less than $90. Be sure to shop around because prices can very a lot between stores.

2. Buy Used: Microsoft stopped making the original Xbox in 2005 and most stores don't carry new consoles anymore. You can still find new consoles if you look hard enough, but you will have to pay a premium for them. Thankfully, Microsoft built the Xbox well, so used consoles are still in good shape. The original Xbox isn't like the Xbox 360's that have had technical problems and recalls.

3. Don't Shop in Retail Stores: You will most likely be wasting your time. All major retailers and most used video game stores have stopped selling Xbox consoles and games. They have moved on to the newer systems and don't have room for it anymore. Smaller, independent video game stores near you might still carry Xbox consoles though. Gamestop and EBGames only sell Xbox games now, no more consoles.

4. Shop Online: The best place to find an Xbox console and games is in online stores or ebay. You can search google or shopping comparison websites and find quite a few available. And like everything else in the world, you can find Xbox systems

on Ebay too. Be careful when shopping online to make sure you don't over pay for shipping though, especially on Ebay. Lots of retailers advertise a low sales price for the console, but then charge a lot for shipping.

5. Watch What is Included: The Xbox originally came with one controller, an AV Cords, and an AC Adapter. You need all three of these for the system to work so be sure any sites where you shop explicitly say all three of these are included. You don't want to think you got a good deal on a console only to find it didn't include a controller, which will cost you more money to buy separately.

BONUS Tip: An Xbox console is almost worthless without some games, so try to buy from a store that carries a wide selection of games too. There is no need to spend extra time finding the games at another store, when you can buy them all in one location. And you will usually get discounted shipping on the games too!

If you keep these five things in mind when shopping for your Xbox you should be able to find a great deal and save yourself a lot of hassle. Go buy an Xbox console and start enjoying some of the great games the system has to offer.

Copyright (c) 2007 JJ Hendricks