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[Amory]

Scalpers are dicks, but they're a reality and not just for PS5s. Everything's getting scalped nowadays.

I just wish people would stop buying from them. I figured the number of people who are willing to pay hundreds of dollars over MSRP would run out much faster than it has.

I have the money to buy a $1000 ps5 bundle, but out of principle I'm not going to do that. I'll just keep waiting

 

[checkcola]

Never buy from a scalper and we need to get back to the days of buying new systems in store, not online. I have not purchased either a ps5 or xbox series x.

 

[PaintTinJr]

Even if there weren't scalpers you probably still wouldn't have a console. There's been shortages for the last two generations too, where people will sell for higher. The consoles end up getting sold to a player in the end. The demand is there, it's just that the scalpers are seizing the stock and taking advantage of the demand.

At the end of the day these game consoles are luxuries/leisure. It's hard to feel bad that someone who wants a game console right away to play games they can probably already play on PS4. And it's hard to find a good reason why the people who didn't get one deserve one more than the people who are willing to pay more, the people smart or resourceful enough to automate buying one, diligent enough to buy it as soon as stock is available, or the people who had the foresight to try and buy it early..

That misses the point entirely IMHO. It damages our game industry - and the market as a whole - because the platform holders can't create a business model that allows them to charge £1,200 at day one- for a product they could sell at £350/£450 -without it damaging their reputation as a platform holder - when selling at £200 in year 4 - and thereby damaging their perception of their product and its chance to succeed in the market, which is counter productive for the market that realise that gaming is bigger than music and film combined by value IIRC.

I suspect most gamers would be much happier if B2B bot scalpers were fined for their profits and platform holders were given tax breaks for those amounts - because the rewards being made by those that take all the risk, advance computer science and make great entertainment for our industry is good for us and them, and the economic markets. Scalpers are parasites, and I suspect them raising the profile of the problem with game console launches being ruined by bots, in a pandemic, will be the catalyst for legislation change in the UK/Europe - with the US to eventually follow.

Consoles might be a item that will get a production run in the 10s or 100s of millions, as required, so waiting is a strategy, but these same immoral people also target limited edition trainers, etc (with bots) and these products are hard to gauge demand, so made in small quantities - that are then split across foot sizes unevenly in the case of trainers, and ultimately people never get access to the product - unless prepared to get robbed by scalpers.

 

[cireza]

What a coincidence, I am actually selling "Good Public Images" for only 1000$ each. I invite scalpers who are interested to contact me to get one.

 

[Interfectum]

 

[kraspkibble]

i think it's shitty what they are doing but it's not illegal. i have to laugh at all the people throwing shit fits that they can't get a PS5. relax you'll get one. there's like only 2 games worth playing on PS5 right now. you're not missing much.

 

[iHaunter]

I must've contacted 30+ eBayers calling them assholes and cunts.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

The only type of scalper i tolerate is this one

I think that this is cultural appropriation, cancel them!

 

[alabtrosMyster]

I must've contacted 30+ eBayers calling them assholes and cunts.

I just offer them 20$ on FB market place.

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

Yeah gues what? The public is not happy with the scalpers...
Fuck them. I wait till i'am the next on the reservation list in the Mediamarkt and get my PS5 then...I'am not that needing that i want it now. Dont give does scalpers a dollar.

 

[oagboghi2]

"Forbes Contributors" must not be able to get interviews with legit players in the gaming industry if they have to go ask questions to dishonest scum in order to get some clicks in a trigger topic.

"Legit players" okay dude

 

[Azurro]

Wtf y'all don't like capitalism?

Normally each link in the chain adds value, farmers don't have logistics equipment, people doing logistics don't have supermarkets and so on. Scalpers on the other hand are parasites, they add nothing except trolling.

 

[oagboghi2]

They are providing a service to people with money and no time or patience. You mentioned Walmart. Do you think Walmart buys directly from Sony? Nope they buy from a middle man. It's all middle men. One is just the status quo. Now I don't want to get into a conversation about my hate for capitalism because I'll probably get banned again and called a communist by people who have zero reading comprehension so I won't, but scalpers are enjoying capitalism and doing literally nothing different then any other seller of goods. Scalpers are just portrayed as bad so you ignore and normalize all the other scalping in your daily life

How are they providing a service for people with no patience? They literally make the process longer and more diffucult

Capitalism and The Market are two separate things.
The Market is about efficient transfer of goods from suppliers to consumers. So to the Market, Scalpers are bad.

Capitalism is about making a much money as you can get away with, causing as much destruction as you want in the process. For Capitalism Scalping is perfectly normal. Because Capitalism doesn't care if the consumers get screwed.

Here is the kicker; Capitalism was created to SERVE the Market. Much like Laws were created to serve justice. And just as unjust laws should be struck off when it is unjust, Capitalism behavior that harms the market by definition should be removed.

Saying "Scalping is just Middlemen!" is you ignoring what the Market wants. You think the market serves Capitalism when it is actually the other way around. Anything that increase costs is an inefficiency, and The Market want it killed. Scalpers are one such source of inefficiency.

Absolute nonsense

 

[Rayderism]

It would seem to me that if you are a scalper, "public image" would be the last thing you would be concerned about. While price gouging is supposed to be illegal, it happens all the time. No one likes it, so why would a scalper think anyone would like them? Did they really think doubling and tripling the MSRP of a product was going to make them beloved heroes or something?

 

[Werewolfgrandma]

How are they providing a service for people with no patience? They literally make the process longer and more diffucult


Absolute nonsense

10% in US bought by scalpers. That means they are 10% harder to get. They are still very hard to get regardless if you put that 10% back into the system. It won't come close to covering demand. Now for people with a bunch of money who want one now they are literally a million percent easier to get because you just go on eBay search click buy it now and fast shipping. Everything is easier if you have money. Scalpers provide this service to rich people.

Side note. Rich people buy covid vaccines away from nurses doctors and elderly and it's you know an actual problem but let's keep complaining about ps5s and how it's 10% harder to get one for poor people.

 

[Kataploom]

Essentially every business resells their products. Tesco, for example, buys milk from farmers for 26p or so per litre and sells it on for upwards of 70p per litre. No one ever seems to complain to the extent as they are currently doing towards ourselves.

His mother should have swallowed him instead.

if you are fucking over other people be honest about it.

sony has retail fixed. That dude is a parasite.
He brings no service to the table. The farmer uses tesco to sell his milk. Tesco takes a cut from the profit.
The comparison makes no sense.
He would instead be hoarding all the milk from tesco and sell it at double the price. Not from the farmer you dumb fuck.

People that otherwise wouldn't get a console at retail price waiting for Sony eternal times and too big of a demand are getting theirs easier because someone else is already spending the time they don't have to be queuing.

No matter what emotional gamers say, "scalping" is not a bad practice for as long as it's not on first need products. Almost all people interested on PS5 now already have other platforms to play games and if not, there are other choices in the market (cheaper, with same fucking games).

I can't stop being triggered by this subject because it seems so clear that politicians will use it to limit peoples right on the market with the excuse of "social justice" as is being proposed already in Europe.

 

[Spukc]

People that otherwise wouldn't get a console at retail price waiting for Sony eternal times and too big of a demand are getting theirs easier because someone else is already spending the time they don't have to be queuing.

No matter what emotional gamers say, "scalping" is not a bad practice for as long as it's not on first need products. Almost all people interested on PS5 now already have other platforms to play games and if not, there are other choices in the market (cheaper, with same fucking games).

I can't stop being triggered by this subject because it seems so clear that politicians will use it to limit peoples right on the market with the excuse of "social justice" as is being proposed already in Europe.

i don't mind scalpers really i don't give a fuck.. But don't pretend you are not in it to fuck over people and making a quick buck

 

[small_law]

I'm not communist and that's a big ol' crock of shit.

Yeah because the Soviet Union was a hotbed of game development back in the '80s.

 

[Werewolfgrandma]

Yeah because the Soviet Union was a hotbed of game development back in the '80s.

And it's currently the 80s? Well shit maybe my music tastes will be back in style.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Who are the bigger douchebags, scalpers or hedge funds?

Narrator:

Spoiler

Yes

 

[Fox Mulder]

People are being fucking crybabies over it. You aren’t entitled to supply limited consoles or shoes and a scalper isn’t fucking you over if they got them instead.

the ps5 stock situation would still be shit even if scalpers hadn’t got a single one.

 

[Kataploom]

i don't mind scalpers really i don't give a fuck.. But don't pretend you are not in it to fuck over people and making a quick buck

"To fuck over people" is absurd, maybe some people have enough time to waste (I don't, I have a job and/or clients and family) but definitely not the norm and "Quick buck"... Come on, there are many people which main income source is reselling for those that want to pay more for having it quicker (or at all sometimes), I'm pretty sure that most "scalpers" (resellers) are this type of person, maybe some got in the business temporarily due to profitability but it's not like they all do it for spare money or to kill free time, this is a totally valid source of income and there's people dedicated to it as do many other people buying products on remote places to resell them on distant cities, I've seen that myself many times on the places I've lived.

 

[MeatSafeMurderer]

Yeah because the Soviet Union was a hotbed of game development back in the '80s.

In fairness there were games...they were just comparatively shit and mandated by law to be educational...also very limited as to what platforms they were on because importing stuff made by Capitalist pigs was verboten.

 

[Frito_Pendejo]

Good point.

But capitalism is generally make as much money as you can legally.

If a homeowner bought a house for $300,000 and it's now $1,000,000, is it really fair to charge people $1,000,000? The answer is yes since there's a single buyer (or more) willing to bite. The answer can also be no because the owners are jacking up the price to unaffordable levels only rich people will buy.

When homes are sold for big prices it's more celebrated than pissy.

But this isn’t the same thing at all. This would be more like buying every single house in a neighborhood and then artificially inflating the price of those houses for no other reason than because you own them all.

And I’m not shocked at all that there’s a dude in this thread defending the practice. They provide no service at all and they’re basically cheating to the front of the line by using bot programs to purchase the item. It’s not a fair or genuine practice and they know it otherwise they would stand in line at a store or virtually like everyone else. So yes, this stupid shit should’ve been reigned in a long time ago. This isn’t about a middle man or them providing a service. They’re simply bullying their way to the front of the line and then forcing you to either buy it from them or twiddle your thumbs until you get lucky enough to not get beat out by one of their bots every time a system magically appears at an online retailer.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

Buying and selling is the economy and it always happened and still happens every day with every item ever.
If you don't like the high price then you go to another seller. If the other seller doesn't have the item you are looking for then you wait till it is in stock again. Don't blame people for selling for a high price. If there is a market that buys those items for double the price you have the right to make use of it. And no, you are not forced to buy anything at a high price. That's fantasy. I understand getting mad over the usage of bots, but not every reseller does use bots for once, and second, the reason why this goes on is the fact that plenty of online shops let it happen. They don't care.

If this artificial and with double standards riddled rage against scalpers is just a procedure to cut off the everyman to use his right to make use of the free market, then thank you very much, you blew it.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Good. Fuck 'em, lmao.

Really though, do you expect the public to praise you? What a bunch of cabbage brains.

Edit: Wait, people are justifying scalpers? LMAO!

So you think purchasing and acquiring something and selling it back for double, triple, and quadruple the price is A-OK? Not even one time mind you, but multiple times? With several hundred units?

I feel those that have been trying to just acquire a single console this entire time have every reason to be pissed, annoyed, etc.

The PS5 stock situation would still be pretty rough because the demand is so high, of course. However, there would certainly be a lot of fulfilled orders without the scalping.

 

[Frito_Pendejo]

Buying and selling is the economy and it always happened and still happens every day with every item ever.
If you don't like the high price then you go to another seller. If the other seller doesn't have the item you are looking for then you wait till it is in stock again. Don't blame people for selling for a high price. If there is a market that buys those items for double the price you have the right to make use of it.

If this artificial and with double standards riddled rage against scalpers is just a procedure to cut off the everyman to use his right to make use of the free market, then thank you very much, you blew it.

But you guys keep missing the point. If this were a level playing field where they simply stood in line or bought the shit before you fairly then by all means charge whatever you want. That’s life. However this isn’t what’s happening. Once bots were introduced to the situation the landscape changed and they simply created a situation where it’s next to impossible to beat them to an item and they use these bots to buy up tons of limited stock and then sell it. They provide no service nor are they essential to the business. And this is from someone who has two Series X and a PS5. I simply feel bad for the gaffers who were genuinely excited about these console releases and meanwhile hundreds and thousands of these things are just sitting in some dudes apartment or garage waiting for people to grow impatient and pay their exorbitant prices.

 

[Forsythia]

I'm baffled so many are fine with scalpers. They're pieces of shit, doesn't matter what they scalp.

 

[small_law]

And it's currently the 80s? Well shit maybe my music tastes will be back in style.

I'd come up with current day examples but none exist. And I could go for some new wave or hair metal right now myself.

 

[Gamerguy84]

Bottom line is no one likes scalpers, not even scalpers, it's a shit practice.

I'm baffled so many are fine with scalpers. They're pieces of shit, doesn't matter what they scalp.

Most people aren't. They get a lot of defense from somr users on this site. Most everywhere else they are pretty hated.

 

[Allnamestakenlol]

I'm baffled so many are fine with scalpers. They're pieces of shit, doesn't matter what they scalp.

I imagine the people defending them are also scalpers (or wish they were), but don't want to admit it.

Edit: Or maybe a scalper rescued their cat from a tree and now they feel indebted to them. *shrug*

 

[Miles708]

People that otherwise wouldn't get a console at retail price waiting for Sony eternal times and too big of a demand are getting theirs easier because someone else is already spending the time they don't have to be queuing.

No matter what emotional gamers say, "scalping" is not a bad practice for as long as it's not on first need products. Almost all people interested on PS5 now already have other platforms to play games and if not, there are other choices in the market (cheaper, with same fucking games).

I can't stop being triggered by this subject because it seems so clear that politicians will use it to limit peoples right on the market with the excuse of "social justice" as is being proposed already in Europe.

I'm sorry but I'm not sure I'm following you.
Basically you say scalpers make buying the item easier for those who want to pay, is that correct?

But you're missing an important point: the scalper does not offer more stock. He doesn't offer items that were, otherwise, out of reach.
On the contrary, the scalper first takes stock out of normal people's reach, and then increases the price for that exact same item, that would have been bought at regular price otherwise.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Buying and selling is the economy and it always happened and still happens every day with every item ever.
If you don't like the high price then you go to another seller. If the other seller doesn't have the item you are looking for then you wait till it is in stock again. Don't blame people for selling for a high price. If there is a market that buys those items for double the price you have the right to make use of it. And no, you are not forced to buy anything at a high price. That's fantasy. I understand getting mad over the usage of bots, but not every reseller does use bots for once, and second, the reason why this goes on is the fact that plenty of online shops let it happen. They don't care.

If this artificial and with double standards riddled rage against scalpers is just a procedure to cut off the everyman to use his right to make use of the free market, then thank you very much, you blew it.

Wii was impossible to find in 2006 launch and well into 2007. Nobody cared. And ya, tons of Xmas scalpers back then. I remember reading Wiis were getting scalped for $1000.

Wait it out nd the Wii scalping disappeared.

Right now, there's not even any awesome games for PS5 or Series X anyway.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Never buy from a scalper and we need to get back to the days of buying new systems in store, not online. I have not purchased either a ps5 or xbox series x.

Sounds reasonable, but some stores are doing the opposite.

Walmart Canada's policy is next gen systems are bought online. They even have pieces of paper taped on the glass cabinets in the game section saying stores don't carry them, and go online.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

I imagine the people defending them are also scalpers (or wish they were), but don't want to admit it.

I'm not ashamed of admitting to resell. I don't scalp and therefore don't use bots, but I do resell shoes and clothing acquiring it like everybody else does. I also restore old electronics and sell those for a profit. If this upsets you to a point of calling other people a piece of shit then you can kiss my ass. I don't do anything wrong.

So you think purchasing and acquiring something and selling it back for double, triple, and quadruple the price is A-OK? Not even one time mind you, but multiple times?

Absolutely!

With several hundred units?

When gotten via. good contacts or by buying it regularly without a bot, then again, absolutely.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

Wii was impossible to find in 2006 launch and well into 2007. Nobody cared. And ya, tons of Xmas scalpers back then. I remember reading Wiis were getting scalped for $1000.

Yeah, I remember. That's why I was getting a Gamecube with Pokemon XD. It was worth it though, gonna admit. And dirt cheap too! I think my parents paid less than 100€ bucks for it.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I'm not ashamed of admitting to resell. I don't scalp and therefore don't use bots, but I do resell shoes and clothing acquiring it as everybody else does. I also restore old electronics and sell those for a profit. If this upsets you to a point of calling other people a piece of shit then you can kiss my ass. I don't do anything wrong.

Absolutely!


When gotten via. good contacts or by buying it regularly without a bot, then again, absolutely.

People are getting salty because a video game system that launched 3 months ago is in short supply (regardless of scalpers). Wow.

And in most places the price of homes have probably doubled or tripled (depending where you live) the past 10-15 years.

If anyone really wants to shout loud about getting grilled to the bone for every cent, go complain to the government about people reselling their homes for giant prices. Those are in short supply too.

Goes to show all these launch gamers who can't get a shiny new PS5 or Xbox care more about a $500 console vs. a $1,000+ scalper price, as opposed to a home or condo that was $300k 10 years ago now being $700k.

Go tell the home reseller to price the home at $310k because that is more reasonable.

 

[Danjin44]

I didn't know Scalpers would even care about their "public image".

 

[Zog]

For the record, I don't agree with laws against scalping either.

How about vigilante justice against scalpers?

 

[Zog]

i have to laugh at all the people throwing shit fits

Can you define 'shit fit'?

 

[The_Mike]

Don't be fucking assholes then?

You should at least try it. It can be very good.

 

[Melubas]

Well, I can go with "It's legal", which doesn't change the fact that it's morally devious. It's akin to buying up all the turkeys at your local store for thanksgiving and selling them outside at a stand for 160% of the original price. That guy would have gotten a fist in the face in days.

 

[jakinov]

That misses the point entirely IMHO. It damages our game industry - and the market as a whole - because the platform holders can't create a business model that allows them to charge £1,200 at day one- for a product they could sell at £350/£450 -without it damaging their reputation as a platform holder - when selling at £200 in year 4 - and thereby damaging their perception of their product and its chance to succeed in the market, which is counter productive for the market that realise that gaming is bigger than music and film combined by value IIRC.

I suspect most gamers would be much happier if B2B bot scalpers were fined for their profits and platform holders were given tax breaks for those amounts - because the rewards being made by those that take all the risk, advance computer science and make great entertainment for our industry is good for us and them, and the economic markets. Scalpers are parasites, and I suspect them raising the profile of the problem with game console launches being ruined by bots, in a pandemic, will be the catalyst for legislation change in the UK/Europe - with the US to eventually follow.

Consoles might be a item that will get a production run in the 10s or 100s of millions, as required, so waiting is a strategy, but these same immoral people also target limited edition trainers, etc (with bots) and these products are hard to gauge demand, so made in small quantities - that are then split across foot sizes unevenly in the case of trainers, and ultimately people never get access to the product - unless prepared to get robbed by scalpers.

Platform holders could definitely choose to charge a lot more but their whole business model right now is to get it out as cheap as possible and make money elsewhere. I don't see how it hurts the industry if a fraction of people pay a premium to get it right away. I would also argue that the scarcity and demand is also great marketing for the product, it keeps people talking about how badly people want it that they are paying a shit ton and how about how you can't get one if you wanted to. I only argument I've heard that's somewhat decent was that there are going to be people less willing to spend money on gaming items if they are spending more of it on the console itself. Which I would argue that if people are willing to pay these premiums, they have a lot more extra cash than what they paid to get the console early so that they can actually get short term value, and they are motivated to get short term value because they paid a premium to get it right away.

I don't think the government should get involved. A lot of companies are already thwarting bots and I believe in peoples ability to resell stuff and two consenting adults to agree on a price.

Scalpers trying to seize up entire (or almost all) control and doings things to ensure that they maintain then sure maybe. Because then you get closer to a "monopoly". But if scalpers own like 10% (that's what's estimated) of the supply and maybe even 20-30% later; I strongly don't think the government should go around fining people and threatening jail because people are butt hurt their chances of getting a console are lowered or that they don't like the idea of other people making money. Especially because what control they have over their limited supply is only going to be temporary. Switches are now readily available and so has every other console that has had shortages.

The platform owners I still think still win at the end of the day. I don't think there's any real losers just displaced winners and scalpers winning too.

 

[Jeeves]

The scalper's ideal consumer:

Thank you for cutting me in line and buying the last console, and then graciously selling it to me for $900 with no return policy. You're doing a great service/I respect the hustle. See you again in 5 years, in greater numbers!

 

[Allnamestakenlol]

I'm not ashamed of admitting to resell. I don't scalp and therefore don't use bots, but I do resell shoes and clothing acquiring it like everybody else does. I also restore old electronics and sell those for a profit. If this upsets you to a point of calling other people a piece of shit then you can kiss my ass. I don't do anything wrong.

Tbf, regular, old-fashioned resell doesn't bother me much at all. The type of business like what you describe isn't the same as the horde of locusts most of us are bitching about, IMO.

 

[checkcola]

The scalper's ideal consumer:

Thank you for cutting me in line and buying the last console, and then graciously selling it to me for $900 with no return policy. You're doing a great service/I respect the hustle. See you again in 5 years, in greater numbers!

5 years ? This gen hasn't even really started yet and we're already lookign forward to the next. F that. Times like this I'm happy sticking with the Switch and its 'kid games'. LOL

 

[Neo Blaster]

Well, I really don't think people will loose their sleep on that.

Not getting their console for a fair price because a bunch of a**holes are using bots to secure all stock available , now that's something...

 

[Alebrije]

Scalper and Public image should not be on the same sentence....

 

[MiguelItUp]

Tbf, regular, old-fashioned resell doesn't bother me much at all. The type of business like what you describe isn't the same as the horde of locusts most of us are bitching about, IMO.

Yeah, that's where I'm at too.

If someone works to restore something, clean it up, and then resell it at a higher price. They SHOULD as they're putting time and effort into doing so. It makes perfect sense to me.

Hell, I don't see a problem with someone that was physically standing in line for hours, got two consoles, one for themselves and one to resell. Even if they resell the console at a gouged price, because they were physically putting time in to acquire the console

But the act of botting by the hundreds/thousands to buy up what stock is available every single time alone is what is really shitty about all of it IMO. I think that's the issue the majority has.

 

[mhirano]