Scalpers at Apple Stores

[Retired Cat]

Scalpers at Apple Stores

Then quit your bitching. You have no skin in the game. And it still doesn't change the fact that all people have to do to beat scalpers is to get in line earlier and the problem is solved.

Many of the scalpers don't respect queues, and will push their way to the front. What makes you think that people who willingly violate the law by littering are going to respect the people who got there first?

The only solution is for Apple or the municipal governments to crack down hard on these people.

 

[fishmd]

There actually should be some sort of crack down on this. Not so much because they (scalpers) are buying up phones that they then re-sell, keeping them out of the "true Apple fans" hands, but because many of these phones then are smuggled out of the country. Sold at a huge profit. And it is no like it is a reseller by themselves just fronting the cash. Most likely, this is backed by the Chinese mafia. That is certainly not a far stretch at all and is highly likely. So cool, Apple is helping fund the Chinese mafia now. Yea.

 

[3square]

Trashing a public space IS a valid complaint against the group of scalpers in question. It IS a valid complaint for law abiding citizens who don't want the smell of trash in a public space.

It is ILLEGAL to litter in most municipalities. I support free markets, but not at the cost of anarchy, which seems to be something that a lot of libertarian-leaning kids embrace these days. Few of the pro-market people here acknowledge that this is a problem, though I credit you for being fair about it. Market actors have to behave responsibly for markets to function properly. I don't care if some Asians want to camp out a week to get an iPhone, but they damn well better clean up after themselves.

The fact is that this scalping has lead to a disgusting problem with people who clearly have no regard for law and order. This doesn't even get to the matter of wasted tax dollars needed to pay overtime for cops to patrol the lines, and the cost of municipal cleanup. The complete disregard for personal responsibility cannot be tolerated.

I agree that it is against the law to trash the place. Yes you are right. But you have to agree the fact that the main point is scalping of the video is scalping and competition of people getting the phone. Stay on point if you want to have a valid argument. Bringing in other aspect that had no relevance doesn't back up your claim.

If that's the case the title should be. Line waiter trashing side walk

 

[IllIllIll]

Many of the scalpers don't respect queues, and will push their way to the front. What makes you think that people who willingly violate the law by littering are going to respect the people who got there first?

The only solution is for Apple or the municipal governments to crack down hard on these people.

HAHAHAHAHA "municipal governments to crack down hard." Get real. All Apple needs to do is hand out numbers to those in line or put names in numerical order on a list. Hard to disrespect that.

Nice strawman, by the way. You make it sound like the ONLY people that litter around Apple stores are scalpers. How about you take it to the next level and accuse all scalpers of being Asian too?

 

[GoLeafsGo]

Nice strawman, by the way. You make it sound like the ONLY people that litter around Apple stores are scalpers. How about you take it to the next level and accuse all scalpers of being Asian too?

In my experience, I saw many scalpers that were not littering. But I saw many scalpers that were as well. Most common thing left was folding or camp chairs interestingly enough.

 

[IllIllIll]

In my experience, I saw many scalpers that were not littering.

Precisely. That's why the whole littering viewpoint is a strawman argument and thus stupid.

 

[butterfly92]

This really sucks...I hate seeing this. It makes me so angry that people take advantage of it like this. There were many people in that line waiting all day so they can get the phone they want, but these people take that away from them. I wish something could be done.

 

[Retired Cat]

I agree that it is against the law to trash the place. Yes you are right. But you have to agree the fact that the main point is scalping of the video is scalping and competition of people getting the phone. Stay on point if you want to have a valid argument. Bringing in other aspect that had no relevance doesn't back up your claim.



If that's the case the title should be. Line waiter trashing side walk

Without the scalping, the area would not have been trashed. These issues cannot be addressed separately because they are systemically connected.

The scalpers are effectively externalizing the economic cost of their activity (police and cleanup) on the taxpayer, while taking all the profit.

HAHAHAHAHA "municipal governments to crack down hard." Get real. All Apple needs to do is hand out numbers to those in line or put names in numerical order on a list. Hard to disrespect that.

Nice strawman, by the way. You make it sound like the ONLY people that litter around Apple stores are scalpers. How about you take it to the next level and accuse all scalpers of being Asian too?

Litter? On an average day, the sidewalk outside an Apple Store does not resemble an Occupy Wall Street camp.

And no, ethnicity of scalpers will vary by location. Indians have been mentioned in other threads, and I'm sure white people participate too.

 

[IllIllIll]

This really sucks...I hate seeing this. It makes me so angry that people take advantage of it like this. There were many people in that line waiting all day so they can get the phone they want, but these people take that away from them. I wish something could be done.

Of course something can be done: get in line earlier. Scalper camps out a day early? You camp out 2 days early. Boom, problem solved.

 

[Retired Cat]

This really sucks...I hate seeing this. It makes me so angry that people take advantage of it like this. There were many people in that line waiting all day so they can get the phone they want, but these people take that away from them. I wish something could be done.

I'm hoping that more people just pre-order for pickup or delivery in the future. Problem solved.

The camping game is clearly not what it used to be, so why bother playing it anymore.

 

[ozziegn]

"you want it you work for it" is an unfair principle. little kids are born into wealth and little kids are born into poverty. so if those little kids from poverty cant get up in the world because their parents cant pay for college and they can't pay for scholarships, or other job training, thats their fault?

No, it isn't their fault. But that's called life which as everyone knows (or should know) isn't fair.

Take myself as an example. I'm a paraplegic by birth which means I've been in a wheelchair since day one. Is it fair I cannot play football? No, it isn't fair but it's life. I accepted that when I was old enough to realize pity would get me nowhere in life. This is why I work very hard for what I have. I have NEVER expected neither a hand out or any sort of sympathy from anyone to help make things "fair" for me.

I really wanted a 6 Plus on launch day so you know what I did? I camped out at my local AT&T store for 14 hours so I could be first in line. Never once did I cry to myself, "this isn't fair. I shouldn't have to wait this long to get something I want."

Boo-hoo for me? Probably not. At least not in my book.

 

[Deacon-Blues]

Then quit your bitching. You have no skin in the game. And it still doesn't change the fact that all people have to do to beat scalpers is to get in line earlier and the problem is solved.

I don't need any skin in the game to have an opinion. I'll continue to discuss it as I see fit. Also there are apparently issues with these drones line cutting and littering. I have a problem with that. Im less concerned about any problems you have with my comments.

 

[IllIllIll]

Litter? On an average day, the sidewalk outside an Apple Store does not resemble an Occupy Wall Street camp.

The fact remains: without knowing the intent of EVERY person there, you cannot conclude that the litter was entirely attributable to scalpers. Nice try.

Any place where a large group of people with a mob mentality gather will end up with a mess left behind.

----------

I don't need any skin in the game to have an opinion. I'll continue to discuss it as I see fit. Also there are apparently issues with these drones line cutting and littering. I have a problem with that. Im less concerned about any problems you have with my comments.

And I don't need any skin in the game to have the opinion that your opinion is meaningless.

Scalpers are not the only ones who litter and cut lines. Don't be a dullard.

 

[andrewxie]

I replied to couple threads about this issues today and yesterday.
Yes I do not against the idea of everyone can buy new iPhones. Nothing wrong with that. I could careless about what people do with their phones, they brought it, they owned it. However, it is the issues of they were cutting the lines over and over again! Me and my friends were behind about 150ish people, should had a decent shot at 6+. Guess what, when we eventually lined up outside the store, we waited around 4 hours to got in the store and we were told that 6+ were all gone.
I saw the guy was behind us during overnight, when I went out the store with empty hands, I saw him carried a bag with at lease 10 iPhones!
You tell me, is it fair?

 

[livingonvideo13]

It would be simple for Apple to get the phones in hands of their fans first. They could easily allow a pre-order for only people that currently have an iPhone activated on a plan with a main carrier.

I have had an active iPhone since the first one came out and I tried for two hours to get into their site during the pre-order and by the time it let me in they were already sold out. I went to the Apple Store at 5am in the morning and there where already hundreds of people there. With all of them buying 2 phones, there was no way I was going to get one so left.

By allowing a pre-order first to those that already have an active iPhone, they would be placed more in the hands of true fans instead of people buying them for resell.

That said, there is nothing wrong with scalpers waiting two days in line to resale it. Apple could really fix the problem if they wanted to.

 

[CompanionCube]

The scalpers were ALL OVER the southern new jersey Apple stores. I was at the Apple Store in Marlton (Sagemore store) and there were a few hundred of them lined up at 7am. It was disgusting. ALL of the cars they drove were from NYC, they were chain smoking, leaving trash everywhere, didn't listen to the Apple staff trying to get them to form a line. They rushed the door. I finally left after 3 hours of waiting with the line not moving. Oh and they kept having people leave and re-enter the line, sometimes with 2 to 4 EXTRA people that were not there when they left. That's why the line wasn't moving.

 

[ET iPhone Home]

Do these people sell these iPhones within a velvet cloth like they do in Canal St. in NYC? Or do they set up small tables at corners and alley ways like they do at the night market in Hong Kong? Or maybe, like they do here in So. California, park their cars right behind yours (preventing you from backing up) and asking you over to see their goods in the trunk of their cars?

 

[IllIllIll]

You tell me, is it fair?

Yes it's fair.

Actually, I take that back. Fairness has nothing to do with it. Until Apple sets a policy limiting the number of phones one can buy on launch day, then fairness is irrelevant.

 

[andrewxie]

Yes it's fair.

Let me tell you something, I am not saying that it is not legal, it is completely legal. Then if that is a "common" behavior, then this forum wouldn't so many threads regarding this issue.
hmm, I guess a good example would be, there is nothing wrong if you don't save a person's life when he is in danger, or run over an animal by mistake. It is not the matter of legal it is the matter of moral and manner.
I know it is just a phone. Just making my point. Period.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

It would be simple for Apple to get the phones in hands of their fans first. They could easily allow a pre-order for only people that currently have an iPhone activated on a plan with a main carrier.

At first glance this seems like a great idea. I don't think they should block the scalpers out, because they will always find a way around it, but then the scalpers can end up in their own line.

Just like they went walking up and down the line looking for people who pre ordered for pickup, they can go up and down looking for people who have current carrier contracts--doesn't just have to be iPhones. Ushering these people ahead into their own first priority line. This way they can accompany any switchers too. This may be a pain for people without cell phone contracts yet, but most people already have them.

These people are paid all day to camp out, so let them wait a little longer. Have more staff focused on getting the sales to the customers with cell phone plans first. Apple does want to remedy the situation, as they have tried other tactics before, so this might be a good idea.

 

[IllIllIll]

Let me tell you something, I am not saying that it is not legal, it is completely legal. Then if that is a "common" behavior, then this forum wouldn't so many threads regarding this issue.
hmm, I guess a good example would be, there is nothing wrong if you don't save a person's life when he is in danger, or run over an animal by mistake. It is not the matter of legal it is the matter of moral and manner.
I know it is just a phone. Just making my point. Period.

That's how capitalism works. There's a certain level of amorality inherent in the system. Nothing you can do about it.

 

[swagboy222]

Today I went to New York just to get the iPhone, I have gone through every stores in Manhattan except Prince Street one. Most buyers are from mainland China, they care is reselling back to China, because China still haven't start selling it yet. Either you have to wait for 4 hours, or rejected by those staff says the quota for today is done. I got nothing and back to NJ. This doesn't only happen in NY, also in Japan, those mainlanders are harming people who really want to buy an iPhone to use.

 

[andrewxie]

That's how capitalism works. There's a certain level of amorality inherent in the system. Nothing you can do about it.

Sure I agree! Next time if you do stand in line and you see scalpers, make sure to tell the Apple employees and the security people leave those scalpers alone!They should be allowed to cut the line whenever they want. Hey it is a free country!And it is legal!

 

[swagboy222]

Today I went to New York just to get the iPhone, I have gone through every stores in Manhattan except Prince Street one. Most buyers are from mainland China, they care is reselling back to China, because China still haven't start selling it yet. Either you have to wait for 4 hours, or rejected by those staff says the quota for today is done. I got nothing and back to NJ. This doesn't only happen in NY, also in Japan, those mainlanders are harming people who really want to buy an iPhone to use. I don't really want to be offensive, I just feel ashamed, cuz im Asian too.

 

[andrewxie]

Today I went to New York just to get the iPhone, I have gone through every stores in Manhattan except Prince Street one. Most buyers are from mainland China, they care is reselling back to China, because China still haven't start selling it yet. Either you have to wait for 4 hours, or rejected by those staff says the quota for today is done. I got nothing and back to NJ. This doesn't only happen in NY, also in Japan, those mainlanders are harming people who really want to buy an iPhone to use.

Yeah man, no only every apple store in this country, but Japan, Australia, HongKong, England. Pretty much everywhere around the world.