IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Basic logic suggests scalpers CANT be a significant portion of demand.
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It was nearly impossible to buy the PlayStation 5 at launch thanks in part to resellers using the same type of bots that snatch up Yeezy drops
- Thread starter DeepEnigma
- Start date
Basic logic suggests scalpers CANT be a significant portion of demand.
MatrixReloaded101
Member
exactly, but others seem to think opposite
sloppyjoe_gamer
Gold Member
Bottom line is if you want this scalper bullshit to stop, people just have to quit buying the systems off of these people.
I don't care if you're selling one for $700 or $1,500......you're the scum of the earth. After being fucked over by Walmart and Bestbuy MULTIPLE times trying to get one system only for their sites to shit the bed, i don't know who to be more pissed at.....Sony or these shithead retailers.
I don't care if you're selling one for $700 or $1,500......you're the scum of the earth. After being fucked over by Walmart and Bestbuy MULTIPLE times trying to get one system only for their sites to shit the bed, i don't know who to be more pissed at.....Sony or these shithead retailers.
Fbh
Member
So is there no tech or system to stop bots? or is it more like retailers don't care to invest in it because they don't really care who buys the consoles as long as they get paid?
Either way sucks for people that couldn't get one. At least good guy Sony is getting ahead of scalpers in my country and already asking scalper tier prices for the console ;D
BS, I just got mine.
Half the retail price too!:
Either way sucks for people that couldn't get one. At least good guy Sony is getting ahead of scalpers in my country and already asking scalper tier prices for the console ;D
BS, I just got mine.
Half the retail price too!:
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Reptars Revenge
Member
Somebody should make a program to crawl the Internet and see how many PlayStation fives are for sale
IntentionalPun
Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
I'm sure it's an unprecedented number.. likely many thousands.. in the tens of thousands.
But Sony probably sold 1 million units at least.. that's probably way underestimating really. So even an unprecedented, and rather massive amount of scalping.. is still only touching single digit percentage of total units sold.
danielJackson
Banned
I dont think that we have bots or big time scalpers in my country, yet PS5 sold out in 30s to few minutes on all stores I tried to get them. And I got 3 finally, but still unsure if I get any on launch.
Series x took ~2 weeks until sold out and series s is still easily available I think.
So, that talks against big time scalping.
Some have been selling them online and people cry to them about scalping blaa blaa
Sad to complain about it imo, it is not like without zero resellers there would be systems for everyone anyway, at least here assuming most resellers bought 1-2 units and try to make few hundreds. And everyone here had their chance, it just took days/hours to be at PC refreshing different sites. Do it or pay the extra I guess
Buying with bots + tens of consoles is different thing, that can be blamed
Series x took ~2 weeks until sold out and series s is still easily available I think.
So, that talks against big time scalping.
Some have been selling them online and people cry to them about scalping blaa blaa
Sad to complain about it imo, it is not like without zero resellers there would be systems for everyone anyway, at least here assuming most resellers bought 1-2 units and try to make few hundreds. And everyone here had their chance, it just took days/hours to be at PC refreshing different sites. Do it or pay the extra I guess
Buying with bots + tens of consoles is different thing, that can be blamed
S
SLoWMoTIoN
Unconfirmed Member
Stop blaming the scalpers and blame the people that buy shit from them.
TalentedMrJ
Member
^^^Both are equally despicable
I've always admired those willing to wait a few years for the quality games to drop
Or those that play a generation behind. Ignoring all hype. Getting everything dirt cheap at the end.
At this point I'm content with the Switch
Seeing ads from scalpers irks my soul and I refuse to give them the satisfaction
Not getting finessed
I've always admired those willing to wait a few years for the quality games to drop
Or those that play a generation behind. Ignoring all hype. Getting everything dirt cheap at the end.
At this point I'm content with the Switch
Seeing ads from scalpers irks my soul and I refuse to give them the satisfaction
Not getting finessed
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YeulEmeralda
Linux User
Sony has a global policy.
Slothbeing1209
Member
cucuchu
Member
They should care.
If someone uses a bot to buy 30 PS5's, then turns around and sells them to buyers for twice that (or more) who would happily pay MSRP, those buyers have less money to throw into PS software, extra remotes, headsets, etc.
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Zog
Banned
Yeah! Stop blaming the drug dealers and blame the buyers instead!
Gamerguy84
Member
There are many types of scalpers. Pro scalpers who make a living st this. The product doesn't matter.
Then the scalpers here, reddit, and every other board I've been on who buy anywhere from 2 to 8 to make a few bucks or even just to get a free one. There were lots of these.
If everyone could only buy one there would still be a shortage but combine them all and we have a massive shortage.
I'm not going to blame the consumers though and think of the scalpers as innocent.
Then the scalpers here, reddit, and every other board I've been on who buy anywhere from 2 to 8 to make a few bucks or even just to get a free one. There were lots of these.
If everyone could only buy one there would still be a shortage but combine them all and we have a massive shortage.
I'm not going to blame the consumers though and think of the scalpers as innocent.
Zog
Banned
Is this the best you have? Screaming that I buy from scalpers because I blame the scalpers for scalping?
Puncheur
Member
Could a solution to console launch scalping be to link the preorder with your PSN Gamepass id? Sony and Microsoft work with retailers to distribute according to who registered an interest via their ids. And to prevent spamming ids you'd have to have an active paid account for say 3 months prior to launch.
Just bums me out seeing the ebay listings...
Just bums me out seeing the ebay listings...
Bartski
Gold Member
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PS5 Simulator is a very silly little physics based game where you unpack and set up your brand new PS5 as you join in the next generation of gaming. Your brand new PS5 has finally arrived! All you have to do now is unpack it, plug it in and get it set up and you’ll
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Zog
Banned
No and I also blame the thieves when they steal from a car with an unlocked door.
SupremeHoodie
Member
My friends got the ps5 when they posted the preorder early and we all got the link in discord.
BadBurger
Banned
Yea I didn't even bother to try to preorder a new console or get one launch day this year. Won't bother to try for another month or more. If retailers can't be bothered in the slightest to try to dissuade botting, and Sony can't be bothered to ramp up production, then I just don't give a shit. I'd gladly give them my money but I am not going to be bothered with this easily avoidable hassle. And I am damn sure not paying some scalper for a console.
Genx3
Member
It's funny you can get 3 consoles easily while I can't even I can't get 1 of either of the consoles.
HundredThousandTrillion
Member
Sneaker retailers have smartened up to the bot game and have (for the most part) made the playing field a little more even, though still favoring bots.
General retailers like Walmart, Target and even gaming retailers like GameStop don’t have their sh*t together.
One example is Nike’s SNKR app. A few years ago they introduced a random drawing feature which eliminates being “first” or quickest from the equation. Which in theory evens the playing field between humans and the bots that don’t interact with the UI (i.e. add to cart, checkout) like humans do.
The app gives you a certain window of time to enter a random drawing for the privilege of purchasing the shoe. After the time is up you either get them or don’t.
It’s a valiant effort by Nike. But at the same time nothing is stopping someone from emulating 10000 Android phones in the cloud with 10000 different bot created email addresses and entering 10000 different times.
Just managing to snag 2 or 3 pairs makes it worth the effort.
So here we have a totally random raffle that can still be rigged by automation. There really is no fixing this problem without encroaching on creepy privacy issues (i.e. ID copy or SSN to purchase)
General retailers like Walmart, Target and even gaming retailers like GameStop don’t have their sh*t together.
One example is Nike’s SNKR app. A few years ago they introduced a random drawing feature which eliminates being “first” or quickest from the equation. Which in theory evens the playing field between humans and the bots that don’t interact with the UI (i.e. add to cart, checkout) like humans do.
The app gives you a certain window of time to enter a random drawing for the privilege of purchasing the shoe. After the time is up you either get them or don’t.
It’s a valiant effort by Nike. But at the same time nothing is stopping someone from emulating 10000 Android phones in the cloud with 10000 different bot created email addresses and entering 10000 different times.
Just managing to snag 2 or 3 pairs makes it worth the effort.
So here we have a totally random raffle that can still be rigged by automation. There really is no fixing this problem without encroaching on creepy privacy issues (i.e. ID copy or SSN to purchase)
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Alcibiades
Member
The real solution is no more limited edition anything. (Talking about sneakers here).
The launch shortages issue can be solved by in-store raffles.
I remember getting an extra Wii in 2006 when Hastings had a raffle for the right to buy one. All in-person.
The launch shortages issue can be solved by in-store raffles.
I remember getting an extra Wii in 2006 when Hastings had a raffle for the right to buy one. All in-person.
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Kataploom
Gold Member
People asking for more free business regulations from corporations and/or governments cause they can't get their shinier new toy by ASAP... And damn it's working wonders in some places...
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/uk-lawmakers-propose-law-banning-retail-bots-after-ps5-fiasco/
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/uk-lawmakers-propose-law-banning-retail-bots-after-ps5-fiasco/
Zog
Banned
...and then there are the people defending scalpers.
Kataploom
Gold Member
There are things much MUCH worse from allowing powerful organizations to regulate freedom of business than just let the market do their thing.
Scalpers exist because there's enough demand for such products and not enough offer, if the market decide to buy from them, then they'll continue being a thing. If you want them to dissapear, then the only sane solution is to improve the offer-demand balance or stopping people from buying them.
Also, it's just a toy, literally a toy, many people would give up freedom rights of everyone because they want to play with their toys but can't, lol.
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Zog
Banned
Scalping really should be illegal. Scalping doesn't serve the public good.
Scalpers help decrease the supply and thereby increasing the demand.
Sometimes a corporation just can't keep up with demand but I don't see how scalpers are doing anything helpful, indeed they are doing the opposite by lowering the supply and thereby increasing the demand. Every person who foolishly bought from a scalper should have been able to buy at MSRP from a reputable retail outlet if not for scalpers.
Videogames haven't been toys in a long time. It's always entertaining to watch people justify scalping by saying 'it's just a toy' though.
Captain Toad
Banned
You're going to die on this hill? Lol.
I camped out to get a PS5 preorder. If I hadn't, I would have bought from a scalper.
I don't blame people who buy. If a product is worth the price, that's their call.
I don't even blame the sellers, assuming their methods aren't breaking any laws. Buying cheap and selling high is a completely logical if the market dictates it.
I DO think scalping is a problem - but it is on Sony and Microsoft along with their retailers to find ways to discourage and stop the scalping process.
Sitting around being upset the world isn't boycotting a process because it inconveniences you is not a reasonable thought process.
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S
SLoWMoTIoN
Unconfirmed Member
What shrooms did you eat?
Are you sure you are replying to the right user Toadman? I'm not buying or boycotting anything.
Kataploom
Gold Member
What's it to be illegal? Buying and re-selling? Do you know lots of small businesses start just by buying and re-selling from cheaper retailers and bringing those products to other people that otherwise would not get them?
"Scalpers" are just resellers, we can argue about using bots being legal or not since bots can probably bring security concerns for digital stores but that's it. You cannot disallow people from buying and re-selling because that's what makes commerce possible and what gives us all the opportunity to get in the market as providers.
What scalping bring to the society is the same as other business: Opportunity for some to get their income, they can decide if they'll stay doing it forever or if they'll decide to grow a much better business from there, but it's not illegal, not even morally wrong as long as they don't keep people from getting essential goods (like food or medicine, as they do in my country).
Also, many people that got PS5 via scalpers would probably have not gotten them if they had to go throw normal channels, it's there for those that want or can pay more to avoid certain barriers, someone else already went through them and is charging its services on top of the product price.
Like it or not, it's not bad in essence, it's only bad because people can't get their toys, if not, they'd be complaining about it all the time because its mere existence is just an effect of liberal economy, the one allowing us all to have said toys in the end.
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Zog
Banned
Are you telling me that people buy from scalpers on ebay because they don't have access to Amazon, Wal Mart, etc....
You see no difference between scalpers and a legitimate business like your local department store?
Here you admit that they are preventing people from getting these goods at MSRP from a legitimate retailer and you say it's not ok if it's a necessity. Good to know. I just don't think buying up all the stock and reselling for a huge markup is ok for any product.
Bullshit. If they bought it from a scalper on ebay then they could bought it from Wal Mart or Amazon or Best Buy's websites had the stock not been taken by scalpers and they probably would have preferred not to pay twice as much. Are you saying that these scalpers are doing a favor for rich people by buying up the stock and setting the price too high for poor people? Are you defending your own actions here?
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Shifty1897
Member
What is most frustrating is that Sony and retailers don't give a shit. Retailers can clearly see these are all getting shipped to the same address or are using the same credit card.
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Stiflers Mom
Banned
How? This is basically just good old glorious capitalism at work, you commie...
borborygmus
Member
This reflects a demand for a scalper-resistant pipeline from manufacturer to retailer. If Microsoft did something against scalpers and Sony didn't, with all other factors equal (i.e. I'm pretending Craig isn't a thing), they should get more sales. The same goes for retailers. If executed correctly, this could contribute to brand loyalty.
The problem is capitalism converges to the ideal so it needs a very large number of events in order to guarantee an optimal result. Console launches are too few so there's significant disequilibrium.
The problem is capitalism converges to the ideal so it needs a very large number of events in order to guarantee an optimal result. Console launches are too few so there's significant disequilibrium.
Kagey K
Banned
The thing is as far as MS and Sony are concerned a sale is a sale.
They don’t differentiate. A sale to a scalper is the same as a sale to a fan.
1 console sold to 1 person.
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Soodanim
Gold Member
It’s crazy when you think console console supply is low because of a worldwide pandemic and demand is high because of a successful marketing campaign for the next step in a highly successful console line but it turns out that only 20 people got one because there’s millions of bots
Kagey K
Banned
I got all mine without bots. Just good old refreshing and adding to cart
I also know that all the ones I got are now into play on both ecosystems, and generating playtime for those systems.
So I guess I’m the good guy here.
dcmk7
Banned
It isn't as simple as that, you have to consider the game attachment rates too.
If someone has purchased a console at an inflated price, the chances are they are going to buy less games and accessories in the short term compared so someone who paid RRP.