Has anyone witnessed someone pay someone for their spot in line?

imacericg said:

I have told several people about my plan to get an iPad 2 on Friday, which entails taking off work. And several people said "just hire someone on craigslist to wait in line for you".

Has anyone witnessed this?

It would be so weird to me. The #1 guy giving up his spot at the last minute for $$$. What would the reaction of the people behind him be?

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I did that at the Obama rally for the 08 election in Chicago, but on the spot. Walked up to the guy at the front of the food line, told him he could have 10 bucks extra if he got me two hot dogs and two cokes and he did it. people were in that line for over an hour and they all started swearing at me. Smiled and yelled "That's capitalism! Welcome to America!" and walked off.

imacericg said:

It would be so weird to me. The #1 guy giving up his spot at the last minute for $$$. What would the reaction of the people behind him be?

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I wouldn't care if its a swap. A second person cutting in line is where people object.

I might do that.

Happens all the time... as well it should. Free market. There is a value for time. Some people have time, some have money. I am always amazed when people get mad. As long as no additional wait time is added by extra people trying to cut, it seems fair to me.

I bought a place in line a couple of times, but once there was a whole group of people who were very upset with me. I couldn't understand it. I didn't bother trying to argue the point, I just felt accosted.

I would never take away from the time and effort people make by getting there early and waiting a long time. No one should cut in line, ever, but swapping a spot with someone is fine as long as no extra purchases are added to the line. I have been the one arriving at 4am several times and I never begrudged someone for getting paid for their efforts or someone else choosing to pay for someone else's time rather than wait themselves.

Just my opinion.

I think selling places in line is kinda sleazy myself. When I was in line for the iPhone 4 a guy offered people behind him $50 to take his place, but the Applestore employees would not allow it.

If it's allowed, you'd end up with a line of 500 hundred people with no intention of purchasing a product, but who are just there to sell their place. That kinda ruins the experience Apple is going for and its well within their rights to stop it.

When the first iPhone came out, I had our office admin go and wait in line for most of the day and paid her for the day. Stopped by in the afternoon and bought her and her boyfriend lunch. Then, I went over towards the end of the work day and relieved 'em.

Funny part was that when I showed up, the two people in front of her and one person behind her were also saving places in line for their bosses.

Can't do that anymore...I'll be heading over after work this time and hope that I'm not to late!

I witnessed it a few years ago while waiting in line for concert tickets. There were about 100 people in line and I was # 10. Dude walks up to the first person and asks to buy his spot and they line guy says no. Dude #3 says he'll sell him the spot and then the rest of the people in line start heckling him and threatening him. It was quite a show.

When the PS2 launched, people had been camped out for four days. I was planning on camping out, but I shattered my ankle a few nights prior. On the morning of, I hobbled over to the third guy in line, offered him $100 for his spot, and to my amazement, he accepted. If time is money, I got one helluva deal.

What's the big deal? I think most of it is crowd mentality. Get mad and follow the crowd cause you see some action that seems threatening to you. If you take someone's place in line by replacing them, it doesn't matter who's there. It could be a ****in 7 year old kid or a good friend who's holding my spot. The people behind don't have to wait any more or less.

Sure, it's not very sportsmanlike, but that's capitalism.

When I was buying the iPhone 3G my lil brother was standing with me and some guy offered $100 for the spot. Since my brother wasn't buying anything he gladly took it. lol

On the iPhone 4 launch, I was 7th in line. The store opened at 7am, I was there since 3:30 or 4 am. They guy that camped all night was a hardcore fan and couldn't be bought, however the number 2 dude in line ended up with a free iPhone 4 as the gent that strolled up and pulling out a roll of hundreds and asked to purchase a spot in line as he did not have time to wait but was willing to make it worth someone's while. $600 cash, and the kid went to the back of about 50 or 60 ppl in line.

I don't really have an issue with it myself, it doesn't effect my spot or my time in line, if they buy the spot and the holder leaves, it really doesn't effect me at all. It's always interesting to see what people will take for a spot, that so far is the largest sum of cash I've seen given.

Which btw, happens all the most people just don't see it. I've been with a buddy that more than once has slipped a wad of cash to get into a resturant that has a 45 min wait, in 5 mins. No one bitches because people just don't know it. Cash talks, in every situation.

bossxii said:

I don't really have an issue with it myself, it doesn't effect my spot or my time in line, if they buy the spot and the holder leaves, it really doesn't effect me at all.

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Yeah, I don't get why anyone would have an issue with a one-for-one spot exchange? It doesn't change your own standing in any way. Now if a single person holds/sells/gives a spot up to more than one person, then there's an issue since your "spot" changes. But a one-for-one? Why does it make any difference?

Mattstkc said:

I did that at the Obama rally for the 08 election in Chicago, but on the spot. Walked up to the guy at the front of the food line, told him he could have 10 bucks extra if he got me two hot dogs and two cokes and he did it. people were in that line for over an hour and they all started swearing at me. Smiled and yelled "That's capitalism! Welcome to America!" and walked off.

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You are my hero for the next 12 hours.

On that note. I was on a train terminal in Beijing a few months back. Had to take the last train, about 400 people queuing for the ticket machines. (No clue why). Pay the guy in front 300 rmb for his spot. Probably as much as he made that week.