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What Are Your Thoughts on Scalping?

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173080 said:
If there is a scalping opportunity it's because the price was too low to begin with or production can't keep up. Easy: speed up production or raise the price.
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So offering something at a reasonable price is a bad thing, and therefore scalpers are doing the world a service by raising the price for such an item? Ohmygod, some people make me laugh. Well, seeing as how you make your living by betting on inflating prices, I can see how you would WANT things to keep getting more expensive. :rolleyes:
 
samiwas said:
Wait, wait wait...



So offering something at a reasonable price is a bad thing, and therefore scalpers are doing the world a service by raising the price for such an item? Ohmygod, some people make me laugh. Well, seeing as how you make your living by betting on inflating prices, I can see how you would WANT things to keep getting more expensive. :rolleyes:
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Interesting perspective, that selling something for less money than the market is willing to pay is a "reasonable price".

I would call that unreasonable. Selling WidgetX for $500 when the market is willing to pay $900 for it doesn't seem very reasonable to me.

It is much more reasonable to sell WidgetX for $900 when the market is willing to pay $900 for it, which is its true value. That's a proper price equilibrium, and wouldn't allow for scalping.

You're looking at it from the buyers' perspective. Look at it from the sellers' perspective. If I can sell WidgetX to a group of people to whom it is worth $900 and not $500, why would I want to keep selling it for $500 only for someone else to buy it from me and resell it, pocketing $400 that should have been mine?

These items are not a necessity (an iPad is a luxury), so there is nothing inherently wrong with setting a price that a segment of the population cannot afford, especially if it makes sense financially.
 
173080 said:
You're looking at it from the buyers' perspective. Look at it from the sellers' perspective. If I can sell WidgetX to a group of people to whom it is worth $900 and not $500, why would I want to keep selling it for $500 only for someone else to buy it from me and resell it, pocketing $400 that should have been mine?

These items are not a necessity (an iPad is a luxury), so there is nothing inherently wrong with setting a price that a segment of the population cannot afford, especially if it makes sense financially.
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If you'll read my opinions earlier in this thread, you will see that I generally don't have a problem with reselling items such as iPads, as those will have more availability later and the people who MUST HAVE IT NOW would be the ones paying the higher price.

I am against this action in something like concert or sports ticket sales, where there can only be a certain number available. There is no "I must have it now"...only "I want to see it and this is the only way". A scalper buys up everything available, then inflates the price. This is not "the market"...at least not the way I see it.

But as I've said before, I don't look at things and wonder how much money I can gouge out of someone else for my own benefit. It's just not what drives me. I like to be fair and play along with people, doing what I can to help them enjoy things as much as I do. I get absolutely no joy out of saying "Wow, I could have given that guy WidgetX for $500 and made a tidy sum, but I was able to get him to pay $900! Sucker!" Would you do that to your friends? Your family? Your neighbors? I would never consider it. Money drives your world. It only helps support mine.
 
benhollberg said:
You make yourself spend more money by not buying stuff when it first goes on sale. Therefore you pay a premium.
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Why the **** do I have to pay more just because some people wanna make money easily? Nobody wants to stay for so long time on a queue. That's just not comfortable and unlike some people, we have stuff to do.

And what's the premium part? Isn't the premium supposed to be better? Seriously, scalping should be prohibited by law. It's a crime against the public economy.

Hope you will get a decent job someday and understand that scalping is just unethical.
 
fernandovalente said:
Why the **** do I have to pay more just because some people wanna make money easily? Nobody wants to stay for so long time on a queue. That's just not comfortable and unlike some people, we have stuff to do.

And what's the premium part? Isn't the premium supposed to be better? Seriously, scalping should be prohibited by law. It's a crime against the public economy.

Hope you will get a decent job someday and understand that scalping is just unethical.
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Scalpers buy stuff to events that will sell-out, so if you don't want to wait in line then you aren't going to get a ticket. If there are no scalpers then you won't get a ticket because everyone that buys one will actually use it. So if you don't want to wait in line and you want to go then you buy from a scalper. That's how you make yourself spend more money.
 
benhollberg said:
Scalpers buy stuff to events that will sell-out, so if you don't want to wait in line then you aren't going to get a ticket. If there are no scalpers then you won't get a ticket because everyone that buys one will actually use it. So if you don't want to wait in line and you want to go then you buy from a scalper. That's how you make yourself spend more money.
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In many events, we don't get a ticket because of scalpers. We can get them from scalpers, but so do other people. So I don't see why they would change my life. And in many situations, if there was no scalpers, I'd not have to wait in line.
 
fernandovalente said:
In many events, we don't get a ticket because of scalpers. We can get them from scalpers, but so do other people. So I don't see why they would change my life. And in many situations, if there was no scalpers, I'd not have to wait in line.
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Why wouldn't you have to wait in line? If you didn't wait in line then someone else would just buy a ticket before you, and they would actually use it.
 
benhollberg said:
Why wouldn't you have to wait in line? If you didn't wait in line then someone else would just buy a ticket before you, and they would actually use it.
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I think I'm talking to a retarded guy here. Lemme try to speak it in a way your 2 neurons(I hope you they are working well, because they don't seem to be) can understand: if there was no scalpers, people would have MUCH more chance to get the stuff they want. Scalpers do NOT have the power to MULTIPLY anything, so they cannot make more people get it. And, anyone can get stuff from scalpers. Scalpers DO NOT help anyone to get stuff. And if you think people show "positive reactions" to it, I believe your 2 neurons were not working very well on that day, so you didn't understand they were telling you that scalping sucks.

People like you make me get tired. Scalping DOES NOT contribute with the society and you DO NOT seem to understand it. You do not seem to use LOGIC. How high is your IQ? 15? Ok, I doubt it's more than 10.
 
The people in line at the iPad 2 launch almost everyday showed positive reactions, they said stuff like thats a great idea, and good for you.
 
fernandovalente said:
I think I'm talking to a retarded guy here. Lemme try to speak it in a way your 2 neurons(I hope you they are working well, because they don't seem to be) can understand: if there was no scalpers, people would have MUCH more chance to get the stuff they want. Scalpers do NOT have the power to MULTIPLY anything, so they cannot make more people get it. And, anyone can get stuff from scalpers. Scalpers DO NOT help anyone to get stuff. And if you think people show "positive reactions" to it, I believe your 2 neurons were not working very well on that day, so you didn't understand they were telling you that scalping sucks.

People like you make me get tired. Scalping DOES NOT contribute with the society and you DO NOT seem to understand it. You do not seem to use LOGIC. How high is your IQ? 15? Ok, I doubt it's more than 10.
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Yep...this is pretty much it. Scalpers help in one fashion: offering the same product for a much higher price. Scalpers do not help people who couldn't get something before. They just take the same product and sell it to that person or a different person...with a huge markup. As I've said before, I have been online at the time tickets went on sale, and they were already gone...to scalpers. That's not a service.

I'm sure you would get some real positive reactions from the guy who waited in line all day, only to get into the store and find something sold out...because you bought them all....oh, but wait...he can buy one from you for twice the price. "OH SWELL! Thanks buddy...you have helped me greatly!!" Uh huh...positive reactions.

Let's put this in a situation: There are 100 tickets available to a show for $50 each. There are 100 people in line, with a scalper being number 80 in line. When the scalper gets up to the window, he buys the last 20 tickets. He then turns around and raises the price to $125 and offers them to the last 20 people. Is that a service? Has the scalper helped people? Would those people be happy and praise the scalper for his smart business practice? If you think "yes" to any of the above, then we obviously can't discuss this much further.
 
I've had this happen many times before, almost every line. People call me and say they need tickets to something and they'll give me $50 plus cost for each ticket they want if I just wait in line for them. So I go wait in line for them for $50 each ticket they want. Do you find that all the bad?
 
benhollberg said:
I've had this happen many times before, almost every line. People call me and say they need tickets to something and they'll give me $50 plus cost for each ticket they want if I just wait in line for them. So I go wait in line for them for $50 each ticket they want. Do you find that all the bad?
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If someone wants to pay you to buy a ticket, no. But you're just trying to fix the situation here. We all know you don't do that. You buy stuff and them try to sell it. I think you finally understood your service is not welcome to anyone in this earth. That's a progress.
 
benhollberg said:
I've had this happen many times before, almost every line. People call me and say they need tickets to something and they'll give me $50 plus cost for each ticket they want if I just wait in line for them. So I go wait in line for them for $50 each ticket they want. Do you find that all the bad?
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#1 - How many people actually wait in lines for tickets? Hasn't the internet all but killed this practice?

#2 - If someone wants to hire you in advance to wait in line for them, then great. If you go buy two tickets for that person...OK.

#3 - What you more than likely do is find some way to buy 100 tickets, thus reducing supply. Then turn around and not only add a small fee for "your time" but instead add a 200% markup so you can make big profits...don't try to fool me or anyone else here. We're not stupid enough to buy into it.

Do you really think you are helping people? Is that REALLY your goal? Do you really lay around saying "I'm so glad I make so many people happy and provide a useful service!" Hhaha...no...you count your money and say "Yeah suckers! Now I can buy a new guitar!"
 
fernandovalente said:
If someone wants to pay you to buy a ticket, no. But you're just trying to fix the situation here. We all know you don't do that. You buy stuff and them try to sell it. I think you finally understood your service is not welcome to anyone in this earth. That's a progress.
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This happens all the time, for example. Two weeks ago for a Tim McGraw concert I had 24 tickets already sold before I bought them. Most of those people even gave me the money before hand.

samiwas said:
#1 - How many people actually wait in lines for tickets? Hasn't the internet all but killed this practice?

#2 - If someone wants to hire you in advance to wait in line for them, then great. If you go buy two tickets for that person...OK.

#3 - What you more than likely do is find some way to buy 100 tickets, thus reducing supply. Then turn around and not only add a small fee for "your time" but instead add a 200% markup so you can make big profits...don't try to fool me or anyone else here. We're not stupid enough to buy into it.

Do you really think you are helping people? Is that REALLY your goal? Do you really lay around saying "I'm so glad I make so many people happy and provide a useful service!" Hhaha...no...you count your money and say "Yeah suckers! Now I can buy a new guitar!"
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Internet fees are a ton of money, especially if your buying a lot of tickets. It is cheaper for me to hire people to come buy tickets with me in line.

Ok.

Lots of people thank me after I sell tickets to them.

Again, lots of people thank me after I sell tickets to them. I don't buy guitars, mostly Apple products.
 
benhollberg said:
Internet fees are a ton of money, especially if your buying a lot of tickets. It is cheaper for me to hire people to come buy tickets with me in line.
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So wait...are you selling the $50 for $60 (instead of the $50 ticket with the internet fee of $12), or are you selling the $50 ticket for $125? If the latter, how is your practice more affordable?
 
samiwas said:
So wait...are you selling the $50 for $60 (instead of the $50 ticket with the internet fee of $12), or are you selling the $50 ticket for $125? If the latter, how is your practice more affordable?
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Fees are a lot of money, lets say $10 per ticket. If someone goes and buys 40 tickets that is $400. I make spend less money by hiring a bunch of people to come with me to get tickets. Also just people in line that aren't buying to the limit usually help out.

Also concerts always have limits and high profile sporting events such as playoffs have limits as well. It is hard to get around those limits when buying online.
 
benhollberg said:
Fees are a lot of money, lets say $10 per ticket. If someone goes and buys 40 tickets that is $400. I make spend less money by hiring a bunch of people to come with me to get tickets. Also just people in line that aren't buying to the limit usually help out.

Also concerts always have limits and high profile sporting events such as playoffs have limits as well. It is hard to get around those limits when buying online.
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Thanks for the math lesson, but you didn't answer the question. Here's another math lesson:

40 tickets at $50 cost with $10 fee = $2400 total cost

40 tickets at $125 friendly-helpful-scalper cost = $5000 total cost

If you, as a scalper, are selling your tickets for less than the face value + high convenience fee, then by all means you are providing a great service. Otherwise, your lesson above means nothing.
 
I never said it was more affordable, I meant the fees are a lot of money online to waiting in line is better for me. I can't sell tickets for less than people can buy them online, I'd just wait until it is completely sold out.
 
benhollberg said:
I never said it was more affordable, I meant the fees are a lot of money online to waiting in line is better for me. I can't sell tickets for less than people can buy them online, I'd just wait until it is completely sold out.
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Yeah, you've lost me completely now. The incoherent sentences don't help.

Then, what do the online fees have to do with anything? It originally sounded like you were saying that because online fees are so expensive for the end buyer, that what you do makes it better for them. But that wasn't it at all. Yeah I really don't know what your point is. You buy normal, sell ridiculous, and think people are happy because they thank you.

Whatever...no one likes scalpers. No one WANTS to pay more for something. I'm not sure who is saying "yeah man, that's awesome that you gobble up all available inventory and jack up the price! Can I please pay you double the price for that Bieber ticket...I didn't think that the price they were selling them for was fair anyway, so I want to pay more to you! Thanks buddy!" Is this how people talk to you? You live in a dreamworld.
 
samiwas said:
Then, what do the online fees have to do with anything? It originally sounded like you were saying that because online fees are so expensive for the end buyer, that what you do makes it better for them. But that wasn't it at all. Yeah I really don't know what your point is. You buy normal, sell ridiculous, and think people are happy because they thank you.
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Online fees are expensive for both the scalper and the end buyer. Not buying online saves the scalper money and the end buyer as well.
 
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