Okay, for accuracy's sake would the analogy work better if we replaced shares with let's say RMBS tranches or Forex market or other securities which are strict investment instruments.
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Is scalping and reselling inherently bad?
- Thread starter Raitosaito
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Okay, for accuracy's sake would the analogy work better if we replaced shares with let's say RMBS tranches or Forex market or other securities which are strict investment instruments.
Yeah, I heard it, good episode, and while I think you can kinda, sort of make an argument that some of the people they talk to provide some service (mainly convenience) I think as a whole, scalpers are a net negative contribution to the economy. It's not the end of the world, but things as a whole would be a little bit better if they went away.
Sometimes I can't camp a computer when things go on sale so sometimes I have used a scalper to go to events, and I'll do it in the future.
It would by hypocritical of me to them throw them under the bus.
For example I am planning on trying for Pax west tickets this year, but I live in Australia, planning for a trip to pax is pretty much a multi $1000/may as well do USA/massive amounts of time off event. Ill also have to plan for the trip before tickets go on sale to get friends/GF on board for a trip. If I miss the 10 minute window to buy tickets you can bet your ass I'm going to find tickets any way I can.
I've also bought limited editions (New Vegas, transformers merch etc) for more than retail, that's just the nature of collecting.
It would by hypocritical of me to them throw them under the bus.
For example I am planning on trying for Pax west tickets this year, but I live in Australia, planning for a trip to pax is pretty much a multi $1000/may as well do USA/massive amounts of time off event. Ill also have to plan for the trip before tickets go on sale to get friends/GF on board for a trip. If I miss the 10 minute window to buy tickets you can bet your ass I'm going to find tickets any way I can.
I've also bought limited editions (New Vegas, transformers merch etc) for more than retail, that's just the nature of collecting.
No, look at my post after that.
With RMBS tranches or similar securities, the same logic works--banks would give you very much worse loan terms if they knew they could not resell or securitize the loan. The investment instrument also have real investment risks, you can't just return it in 30 days if you can't resell it.
LouisaFerre
Member
it's not stealing, but I just dislike it because it's essentially a means to profit by doing nothing other than making things less convenient for other people. If you have to do it to get by, w/e, but I think it's a bad thing to do.
Keep in mind, this is only targeted towards people who purposefully buy up stock of an item just so they can force the price up. People who buy a good, use it, and then later down the line just sell it for a higher price because of rarity or w/e, I don't mind.
Keep in mind, this is only targeted towards people who purposefully buy up stock of an item just so they can force the price up. People who buy a good, use it, and then later down the line just sell it for a higher price because of rarity or w/e, I don't mind.
I agree with what you are saying but I think we are talking past each other because arbitrage is very much a real thing and that is how this discussion started.
Easy to say in abstract but let's use a specific.
I live in Detroit where no Broadway shows ever come for more than a couple of weeks. I wanted to take my mom to a run of either Lion King or Phantom as a Christmas gift. Went to buy tickets and the ordinary $59 tickets in the balcony were all purchased by scalpers and resold on third party sites for almost double their real price ($150).
Now me being a guy on a modest budget just had a gift idea go from $120 to $300. All because a couple shitbags got their early access code and bought a TON of tickets just to immediately jack the price up on the secondary market.
So yeah. I think scalpers are scum.
But they shouldn't have to wait to be able to buy it.
And sometimes it can take several months before items is available again because they get bought by scalpers again and again.
michaelius
Banned
Well I have more of a problem with people who buy from them since ultimately it's their fault.
But as long as scalpers stay in luxury goods market and they don't resell medicines or other life saving stuff I don't really care about the practice since I'll never buy from them as I have "deal hunter" mentality.
But as long as scalpers stay in luxury goods market and they don't resell medicines or other life saving stuff I don't really care about the practice since I'll never buy from them as I have "deal hunter" mentality.
Jesus, you're still exploiting people.
Even if you find that there are degrees of exploitation which are acceptable to you, I won't just "get over it" because you say so.
What a fucked up thing to even say.
dreamcastmaster
Banned
This is also where I stand. But when you need additional income and your employer wont give a raise while rent and gas prices are climbing that money needs to come from somewhere.
Messofanego
Banned
If it gets Nintendo fans in a fluster about Amiibos, I'm all for that salt.
What do you mean, "profession"? Is your business registered and do you pay taxes?
BronsonLee
Member
Bitch I'll sell what I want at whatever price I want
frankie_baby
Member
Finding a bargain and reselling it is fine
But actual buying full priced popular products to then profiteer off is complete cuntish behaviour and people doing it deserve punching
But actual buying full priced popular products to then profiteer off is complete cuntish behaviour and people doing it deserve punching
Bit of a cunt move mate with concert tickets. Thats low as.
BronsonLee
Member
Here's a fun concert ticket example:
I bought a ticket to go see ROH in New York. Show sold out almost immediately. I put it on Stubhub with the whole matching price market gimmick. 20$ ticket turned into 100$ ticket, sold immediately. ROH opened up more seats that next week.
Is that on me? nah fam
I bought a ticket to go see ROH in New York. Show sold out almost immediately. I put it on Stubhub with the whole matching price market gimmick. 20$ ticket turned into 100$ ticket, sold immediately. ROH opened up more seats that next week.
Is that on me? nah fam
LyleLanley
Banned
How is that not on you? People bought your ticket logically assuming there were no other seats available.
BronsonLee
Member
I also didn't know that. Nobody knew they were going to do that, the show had been sold out for months
Exactly, so you buy up stock so it isn't available elsewhere and charge more. Complete shithouse thing to do but if that is all you're able to achieve then go ahead.
Fudgepuppy
Banned
I'm only against it when it comes to concert tickets and so on, basically stuff that you can't just it to be re-stocked.
This is the reason I haven't gone to see Metallica yet, because you have to plan and make sure you're available the second the tickets become available. It just puts me off on the whole thing to begin with.
This is the reason I haven't gone to see Metallica yet, because you have to plan and make sure you're available the second the tickets become available. It just puts me off on the whole thing to begin with.
LyleLanley
Banned
Yeah, so you were scalping tickets to a sold out concert, we're in agreement.
BronsonLee
Member
Or, alternatively, I bought one ticket, couldn't go, and sold mine. Which is what actually happened.
See the issue? I didn't even apply the price on it, Stubhub did. I did the same thing when I bought Bon Iver tickets and couldn't go, and those ended up going for a little bit above face.
The market decides.
Messofanego
Banned
It's still on the person who wishes to pay the price.
You are willing to pay $100 for a usually free code to a beta because they've run out? Done.
You are willing to pay $100 for a usually free code to a beta because they've run out? Done.
I don't mind it for stuff like consoles because some people just can't wait one month before the retailers get restocked.
But tickets like Adele concert? Only people who can afford 500% extra of the real ticket price can buy one of the scalpers ... Nice
Didn't manage to get one for me and my gf for her Berlin concert although i was on point with 7 tabs open. Had the possibility to buy only one and a few seconds later everything crashed. Minutes later the ebay.de listings started popping up with 500+ prices...
Fuck stuff like that.
But tickets like Adele concert? Only people who can afford 500% extra of the real ticket price can buy one of the scalpers ... Nice
Didn't manage to get one for me and my gf for her Berlin concert although i was on point with 7 tabs open. Had the possibility to buy only one and a few seconds later everything crashed. Minutes later the ebay.de listings started popping up with 500+ prices...
Fuck stuff like that.
Holy Order Sol
Member
Nah. Only reason I don't do it is because of the risk involved, nothing to do with morals.
It's not nice. There are a lot of things in this world that are significantly less nice, but still, it's not nice.
I'm not going to tell someone that they shouldn't make money by being unkind. If I was, I would be very busy for a very long time.
...But yeah, just so you know. You're not being nice.
I'm not going to tell someone that they shouldn't make money by being unkind. If I was, I would be very busy for a very long time.
...But yeah, just so you know. You're not being nice.
Beta codes are scarce commodity. They suppose to be rare, limited in quantity by their nature. So if a entusiast/collector is willing to buy it and you happen to get one by sheer luck and don't intend to use it. It a ok. Both of you are happy.
It's quite a different story when you purposefully buy large quantities without intent to even use it, to create artificial shortages and make a buck.
Brianimaniac
Banned
Yes, scalpers are assholes. All they do is come in and add unnecessary complication to to people trying to buy things. Like people don't have enough shit to deal without that added on top of it.
prag16
Banned
Your mom is providing a worthwhile service because she's offering items that Amazon users may not be able to easily access (at least not as conveniently). My sister in law used to do this with thrift shop type items along with Marshall's, TJ Maxx, etc. This isn't scalping; things generally aren't going for over MSRP unless it's a much older hard to find item.
Scalping on the other hand provides no service to anybody. It makes items HARDER for consumers to find unless they pay typically way over MSRP.
It just distorts the market to nobody's benefit except for the scalper. Not sure how to reasonably curtail this, but scalping is a dickheaded practice.
Scalping on the other hand provides no service to anybody. It makes items HARDER for consumers to find unless they pay typically way over MSRP.
It just distorts the market to nobody's benefit except for the scalper. Not sure how to reasonably curtail this, but scalping is a dickheaded practice.
It's an evil practice and I really don't agree with it. It's not fair on other people if they've been waiting to go to a concert, or buy a limited edition games console or something, only to find that all the items get sold out in seconds, bought by people who don't even want to play on the console/go to the concert themselves and literally just want to make money at other people's expense. If you find yourself not being able to go through with cancelling a preorder for a soon-to-be-commonplace console, then fine, sell it. If it's an item that potentially will never be available again, then I have no respect for that.
When I was thirteen some kids were selling a bunch of old video game stuff (games, toys etc) at a car boot sale. I didn't have any money on me so I went to ask my dad for some, and by the time I came back there was this huge, sweaty twenty-something man towering over the stall and bought literally everything they had in one go. I cried in the car. That was my first experience with scalping.
When I was thirteen some kids were selling a bunch of old video game stuff (games, toys etc) at a car boot sale. I didn't have any money on me so I went to ask my dad for some, and by the time I came back there was this huge, sweaty twenty-something man towering over the stall and bought literally everything they had in one go. I cried in the car. That was my first experience with scalping.
prag16
Banned
Yeah, I liken this attitude to the old thing where a guy walks into a bar. And asks a girl to have sex with him for $10,000,000. She says "okay". Then the guy says "how about $10" . She scoffs, "what type of girl do you think I am". The guy answers, "we already established what type of girl you are.. Now we're just haggling over price."
Granted it's not a PERFECT analogy, but it can still fit.
If you think scalping video game consoles at launch is perfectly fine, we've already established your view on exploiting people. Now we're just arguing degrees of exploitation.
You can't really make it illegal or anything. But it may be smart for platform holders to try to find ways to curtail it, as this practice definitely hurts them too, along with end users. When somebody has to pay $500 instead of $300 for the hardware, that's $200 less they have to spend on games, services, and accessories.
pirateluigi
Member
It's really hard to defend scalping. You're making money, and some rich asshole gets his toy earlier. But the people that tried to do things the right way get screwed.
Scalping tickets is the worst though. It's not a case of waiting until demand slows down or more toys are manufactured. The average person can't ever see that show, rich people can, and the scalpers make money while contributing nothing to society.
Scalping tickets is the worst though. It's not a case of waiting until demand slows down or more toys are manufactured. The average person can't ever see that show, rich people can, and the scalpers make money while contributing nothing to society.
Wellington
BAAAALLLINNN'
I see nothing wrong with this. Amazon FBA is a very well known side hustle, just google it.
Only rich people can go to baseball games. They still wear formal outfits and top hats. I've seen it!
Tickets to see Seinfeld in Melbourne have jumped from $250 vendor price to $400+. Luckily I got mine from the vendor or I wouldn't have been able to afford it, $500 for 2 tickets is crazy enough let alone $800 or more.
travisbickle
Member
Buying consoles/electronics from scalpers at release in the UK is crazy. Nearly all retailers offer 12 month guarantees on electrical items and some offer up to 3 years for an extra fee. With a scalper you're paying a lot more and get no guarantee whatsoever.
As for tickets to live events, it's scummy.
As for tickets to live events, it's scummy.
In a way, yeah. There are some items that are now lost to me forever because scalpers bought them all and reposted them at over 10x their original price and the company making them has yet to ship more, and probably won't because it's been years.
That's not about not getting the thing early without paying a high price. That's about not getting the thing AT ALL. Patience isn't worth shit at that point. The people in here defending scalping seem to assume that it's always gonna be a patience thing.
That's not about not getting the thing early without paying a high price. That's about not getting the thing AT ALL. Patience isn't worth shit at that point. The people in here defending scalping seem to assume that it's always gonna be a patience thing.
frankie_baby
Member
Hopefully with live events at least it'll probably end up illegal at some point
mysocksarepink
Banned
I buy and resell sneakers. I make an extra few thousand a year next to my salary so I can't hate the game.
Straight Edge
Member
Scalpers provide a service to people who don't want to spend the time or effort tracking down rare goods on their own.
There is very little chance those cannot be returned.Just don't get burned OP.
Then they should have secured the rights to one via pre-order or waiting in line like the scalper did originally.
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