My God I Fucking Can't Stand Scalpers
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Bingo, we live in an era of artificial scarcity and instant collectabilty. Transformers were a hot item in the 80s, but you could still easily buy any specific Transformer in your choice of the 20-30 local stores that were all well stocked for a 2-3 year window to buy the product, there was adequate supply to meet the demand. You can't grow a fanbase if fans can't easily buy your product, only the most hardcore fans will buy, thus further driving away mainstream fans who are alienated by the whole hassle.
Enter the Dragon Punch
Banned
Isn't it literally just a fancy wrist phone case
Consider it them doing you a favor
Consider it them doing you a favor
People as person in plural who actually want to see the concert/use the collectible rather than make a profit off it.
when PS4 preorder went up on Amazon.de, i was hovering over the buy button. Even thought about getting 2 or 3 but i was not sure about the demand. Well, at release, there was nowhere a PS4 in retail available (except if you liked to take part in a zombie MediaMarkt run for one of the 10 units they had) or online for the normal price while they went for 600-800 € on ebay.de. And PS4 stayed rare for a long time in germany.
Really regreted that i didn't cash in.
Really regreted that i didn't cash in.
People tend to hate just the seller in this scenario because they don't relate to the position of selling. People are usually buyers but there are no sellers without buyers.
If you think that flipping a product for profit is bad then buying that product at inflated prices is equally as bad.
Tl;Dr: If you can't stand scalpers then you also can't stand people that buy from scalpers.
If you think that flipping a product for profit is bad then buying that product at inflated prices is equally as bad.
Tl;Dr: If you can't stand scalpers then you also can't stand people that buy from scalpers.
the_don_patch
Banned
I sold 7 of the pip boy bundles and I have no regret. $$$
Things can have different value to different people. Just because some fool will submit and pay astronomical amounts for something doesn't mean anyone should take advantage of that. Also, not everyone can pay those prices. What if some poor guy wants to see a concert and can afford it, but then can't because Mr Ticket bot artificially made it a premium market?
Yep that's what it all comes down to.
Why is the buyer a fool?
Scalpers using ticket bots isn't the same as pre-ordering games then flipping them.
superNESjoe
Member
I get the frustration, but honestly I've been on both sides. I am an indie game developer and sometimes money is tight. When I walked into a store and saw a Pit amiibo that I could pay $13 for and resold for $80? Yeah, that extra little cash is my groceries for a week.
Because they'd be paying lower prices if they didn't indulge the scalpers to begin with, even if they were buying on the secondary market. And yes, yes they are, one is just smarter than the other.
P.S. I hope you guys know this isn't that important to me, as some posts and frequent replies might suggest. I kinda just like to debate stuff.
Bingo. The $300 profit I made from selling the BO3 Juggernog Edition basically paid for lots of necessities.
I wasn't going to sell it at first but, seeing that I could more than double my money? That mini fridge isn't worth THAT much to me lol.
DoktorEvil
Banned
That is just the crappy reality of today's marketplace, limited supply and demand runs plus a parasitic secondary market.
Alternative is to import and captialize on currency exchange rates to offset the added cost.
I learned to hate it when it was being done with fucking Nikes. Sneakers!
People getting killed over fucking sneakers.
All in all, 120+ 30 dollar markup isn't worth a glorified phone case. I'd recommend looking into DIY kits. Might be cheaper too, who knows.
Alternative is to import and captialize on currency exchange rates to offset the added cost.
I learned to hate it when it was being done with fucking Nikes. Sneakers!
People getting killed over fucking sneakers.
All in all, 120+ 30 dollar markup isn't worth a glorified phone case. I'd recommend looking into DIY kits. Might be cheaper too, who knows.
Skellig Gra
Member
It's not like they are scalping insulin. This is shit you don't really need.
SpinningBirdKick
Banned
Fixed.
I dislike the idea of scalping, but we seem to have an acceptance for people buying something for collection purposes with the prospect of selling it down the line, which is essentially delayed scalping, so I can't hate on the concept of scalping too much.
I understand your point, but there are people who buy items just to have them (and might leave them unopened). They aren't really getting any 'enjoyment' from the item itself, just from owning it. The idea of owning something for its rarity, separate from wanting the actual thing, isn't foreign. So to go on and sell it ... it feels scummy, but I am tolerant of things that are very similar, so I dunno.
I understand your point, but there are people who buy items just to have them (and might leave them unopened). They aren't really getting any 'enjoyment' from the item itself, just from owning it. The idea of owning something for its rarity, separate from wanting the actual thing, isn't foreign. So to go on and sell it ... it feels scummy, but I am tolerant of things that are very similar, so I dunno.
Arthr2ShdsJcksn
Banned
I've scalped video game consoles and related items.
For example, I got $650 I for an XBone the day after it came out.
Those who get angry off about it are childlike in their innocence as to how the world works. You can go ahead and try to convince me how much of an asshole I am. I've heard it all before. None of it is convincing. These are luxury first-world items that nobody needs, and capitalism is a game in itself... a far more compelling game than has existed on any of these platforms I might add.
For example, I got $650 I for an XBone the day after it came out.
Those who get angry off about it are childlike in their innocence as to how the world works. You can go ahead and try to convince me how much of an asshole I am. I've heard it all before. None of it is convincing. These are luxury first-world items that nobody needs, and capitalism is a game in itself... a far more compelling game than has existed on any of these platforms I might add.
I did this with a Wii on release. I don't think I even made that much money, maybe $150 on top of retail?
There's a huge difference between buying an extra of something or selling your own preorder to the greedy, despicable people who trawl deal forums for price errors and closeouts and swoop in and buy out everything, making an absolute joke out of the community aspect of finding and posting deals.
I enjoy it when people make speculative investments and get burned by getting no or negative return for their effort.
There's a huge difference between buying an extra of something or selling your own preorder to the greedy, despicable people who trawl deal forums for price errors and closeouts and swoop in and buy out everything, making an absolute joke out of the community aspect of finding and posting deals.
I enjoy it when people make speculative investments and get burned by getting no or negative return for their effort.
Indrid Cold1
Member
Cc23830
Member
Broke me being away for work, coming home to find every pipbpy in the uk had gone out of stock. Fair? no as i am a huge fallout fan and have collected / made so much to do with the series. My big box pc being a favourite. But i had to order from amazon France to get the pipboy edition and its worked out at £98 delivered which is helluva cheap compared to retailers and scalpers.
Im under the mindset of Fuck you scalpers.
Im under the mindset of Fuck you scalpers.
I dont really think of someone that occasionally buys a single extra item to flip as a scalper. I dont really have a problem with that practice.
I do have a problem with people who make a career out of it, soaking up large amounts of the product by hiring mules or other shady crap so they can resell them at a profit.
Cant understand people who say stuff like just get there earlier. Soon enough you'll end up with people having to line up at 8pm for a release the next day. It sucks and scalpers make it worse for the people that actually want a product.
I do have a problem with people who make a career out of it, soaking up large amounts of the product by hiring mules or other shady crap so they can resell them at a profit.
Cant understand people who say stuff like just get there earlier. Soon enough you'll end up with people having to line up at 8pm for a release the next day. It sucks and scalpers make it worse for the people that actually want a product.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Nintendo?
I went on eBay and looked at results for "Fallout 4 Pipboy". 171 results worldwide. That's seriously it.
I can't stress enough that some of you are really blowing out of proportion how many people actually bother to do video game scalping.
Vermillion
Banned
It's not like it saves lives. I really don't have so much emotional investment in these things, and not only have I never been a scalper, things I wanted have been flipped for a higher price.
Maybe you should stop calling people scum over toys?
Maybe you should stop calling people scum over toys?
Sure as soon as soon as people stop calling George Lucas a scum for the prequels. Believe it or not, people are allowed to complain about stuff that's not a life or death situation. You should see how some people in this place feel about *gasp* advertisements.
RichiRamjag
Member
I blame the knuckleheads who buy the shit rather than the people who sell them. Shit is only worth what people are willing to pay. The purchasers create the market. Personally, I wait shit out and buy it from the guy is trying to make a bill.
bananafactory
Banned
Thanks for the reminder OP
I have a Pipboy F4 edition that I'm gonna go sell in there for face value
Cheers
I have a Pipboy F4 edition that I'm gonna go sell in there for face value
Cheers
That's you receiving something you didn't want and selling it. Fair game I'd say.
I'm not talking about this item, I'm talking scalping in general
webkatt
Member
So OP is pissed that he has to pay more for Fallout Pip Edition or is it a vent thread where he hates scalpers in general?
Can a similar argument be made for Apple items or Nintendo games?
They aren't necessarily better that X product but people will still pay more for them new/used based on perceived value and lack of discounted sales.
Can a similar argument be made for Apple items or Nintendo games?
They aren't necessarily better that X product but people will still pay more for them new/used based on perceived value and lack of discounted sales.
I was using that item - the current scalping hot topic - as an example of why it all seems like an overreaction in regards to video game scalping.
I'd agree that video game scalping isn't a huge issue. Games haven't been hard to buy since optical media, even less so now with digital. I guess there is the LE stuff but I'm not too interested in such things.
An area where I always run into issues with beer. A small brewery will do a release of 1,000 bottles of something and sell them at 3 per person for $20 each. People mule it up and bottles start showing up for sale in the $350 range. Stuff like this is also a major problem in the Bourbon market.
DoktorEvil
Banned
No. Apple and Nintendo are primary sellers. They are selling products and services they assume are priced and valued accordingly to retail channels.
Scalpers tax is the abuse of secondary markets and consumers rights, plus knowledge of supply and demand to profit.
One supplies value. The other exploits value.
Scalping can be consumer friendly(low demand can result in lower than retail price and scalper takes a hit) as well.
First question: The latter.
Second question: Nah. The company put work in and spent resources on making their product. I think it's fair for them to sell it at whatever price they want. Some practices that companies like Comcast do are pretty crappy though.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Isn't it pretty much a given that some secondary peripheral makers will release generic pip boys? I mean, it's just a plastic cell phone holder, right?
kitchenmotors
Banned
Yeah, I've seen that guy for MONTHS trying to sell it for $1000. It's like dude, no one is gonna buy it at that price. Sell it for something more reasonable and then you might move it.
He obviously got it just to scalp, which is annoying considering how hard they were to get.
I feel you. It's hard missing out on some Mondo stuff only to find people selling it for twice or three times the price.
Video game scalping is a big thing. Maybe not with certain releases, but anything Nintendo that is limited gets purchased up really quick and sold for high prices. From World of Nintendo items, to Amiibos, limited edition consoles, and so on.
Hell, even the fucking cover plates get a mark up. The glow in the dark Boo cover plate, no.050, is now selling for over $300. It's ridiculous.
Visualante2
Member
Stood in the cold all night for a 20th anniversary PS4. Got told to come back this evening so they can do their photo shoots with celebrities. Paid $70 for a train ticket to come back just to write my name down on a list after 4 hours of sleep and then paid another $70 to pick it up the next day. Sometimes scalpers go through a lot of bullshit to get the things. Things in their life change and they have to make a decision about whether to keep it.
old manatee
Banned
I used to see tons of live music, but I've pretty much stopped because every show sells out immediately and then Craigslist is choked with overpriced tickets.
Isn't that exactly what Valeant is doing? People seemed to be pretty upset with him.
biggersmaller
Banned
I don't understand the hate for scalpers. There is X number of things. Anyone can buy it. Everyone has equal access. If their intent from the beginning was to resell it - who are you to deem their reasons for buying something as invalid?
hobblygobbly
Member
Scalpers are driven by the same greed corporations are when they take advantage of a situation/manipulate it for excessive gains and take advantage of the desperate by leaving them with little or no choice (even if that desperation is materialistic). Scalpers exist because they can take advantage of certain people who enable them. That alone makes it distasteful and shouldn't be defended. The fact that they can do it is part of the reality of capital world/free market but that doesn't make it right.
RichiRamjag
Member
The hate is understandable, when something is in low demand and someone buys it just to resell it to you at a higher value, it can be frustrating. I blame the people who buy more than the scalper, but it still isn't hard to see why folks don't like them.
Because they are taking advantage of people?
If I were to buy a bunch of a limited item for the sole purpose of destroying them, would that not make me an asshole?
They'd still buy them at 'market value' and make you pay twice the amount.
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