3rd Party Toy Resellers on Amazon - "Price Gouging"?? Seriously??

[QuantumPion]

Anyone that buys an item during x-mas and turns around and resells it on CL or ebay needs to be reported to the IRS and local taxing authorities for failing to collect tax on the sale.

Why? They paid sales tax on the item when they bought it to begin with. Why does it have to be taxed twice? Unless they are buying online and then re-selling at a retail store or live in a state that requires you to report sales tax for online purchase, they don't need to add tax. And in the latter case, reporting of on-line purchases to state sales tax is extremely high non-compliance anyway.

 

[spacejamz]

It's artificial because they are contribute to demand with no intention of actually using the product. Their demand is solely for the purpose of increasing demand so they can charge a higher price and profit.

So you are saying that I couldn't Wii or PS3 when they first came out because of the 3rd party resellers??? I am glad you cleared that up....

For a second, I thought it was because [insert some number greater which is a lot more than the number produced] people wanted to buy one, but they only made [number of units produced] units.

Sorry for being a smart azz, but the shortage was going to exist no matter what. There are ways for people to get these items are regular price. The same ways that the 3rd party resellers buy them.

If you don't want to play the game, then don't bitch about the score.

I have waited in lines for up to 12 hours to get items that I wanted on launch day (XBOX360, PS3, etc). If I waited till launch day and couldn't get one unless I paid two or three times the store price, I am not going to blame the 3rd party resellers. I have done my homework and knew that I would have to put in some effort to get it because the demand would be very high. If I don't put in that effort, it is my fault. The problem is that people don't want to put in the effort. They just want to go to Toy R us or Walmart and have the toy ready and waiting for them no matter how hot the toy is.

 

[Perknose]

I'm surprised you've never heard of such things as the stock market, stock options, investing, banking, or interest. All of this activities add value by either absorbing risk, adding time-value, and reducing price fluctuations. This is the same deal. If you don't think these add intrinsic value then you are as silly as the OWS people.

And I am surprised you don't understand what the basic English word "intrinsic" means.

a : belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing <the intrinsic worth of a gem> <the intrinsic brightness of a star>

 

[KeithP]

It is an American right to artificially inflate demand so that you can profit. This happens every Xmas with the hot toy.

They aren't inflating demand, the demand is already there. All these people are doing is taking advantage of idiots that must have whatever the trendy, hot toy is for particular season. More power to them.

If a person's self worth were not so tied up in their material possessions this wouldn't be a problem.

-KeithP

 

[Wyndru]

If people really wanted to do away with these resellers, then don't buy from them. Instead people bitch, then give in and buy it anyhow.

Some of these profiteers get stuck though. Look at the touchpads still on amazon and craigslist. People don't even care about them anymore since the hype has died down, but there are still a bunch out there unable to be sold. So it's a risk for them too.

 

[waggy]

meh they are idiots.

while i hate not being able to get the newest toy/game system whatever because of idiots that buy them to flip. i don't freak out and demand new laws, or claim price gaugiing. i just wait for it to get on the shelf.

We wanted the wii when it first came out. but Nintendo being dicks kept the numbers low and people were buying them to re-sale (some were going for twice the value). We happened to get one on blackfriday (at a good cost) by pure luck. kids were happy and so was i.

i do hope that those that buy them to flip get screwed..but that's just me.

 

[lokiju]

Nothing new. Same thing the last few years I've been paying attention to toy prices.

Try their other site yoyo.com, it's specifically for toys. Maybe that'll have better prices? I haven't personally compared between the two...

http://www.yoyo.com/

 

[Macamus Prime]

Yes, it sucks. But, what do you expect? If it's in demand, prices go up.

I saw Mario for the 3DS jump to double the price after Thanksgiving, because there was widespread shortages on 3DS hit games and 3DS systems. I have also seen Best Buy sell the collector's edition for Killzone 3 for $24 (which was $99 originally, I think).

Big chain suppliers will normally not price gouge. But, the smaller suppliers, well, it's whatever the highest price they can get. Big chains have a reputation to maintain. The smaller sellers just want to make a quick buck.

Frankly, don't deal with the trash who is more concerned with making money, than providing you with a fair buying experience and reputable services behind the product.

And, don't think for a second that you are hurting "Jimmy's Rare Toys Shack" by throwing a hissy fit and leaving in a huff. Jimmy WILL find a buyer. Best Buy (overall) wants you to come back.

 

[Jeff7]

It is an American right to artificially inflate demand so that you can profit. This happens every Xmas with the hot toy. That being said, it's not price gouging since it's not an essential good during a civil emergency. It's just people profiting off doing nothing of value at all and making other people miserable as a result. Merry Christmas!

*cough*
DeBeers
Inflate demand and deflate supply - an awesome gig, if you can get it.

If people really wanted to do away with these resellers, then don't buy from them. Instead people bitch, then give in and buy it anyhow.

Some of these profiteers get stuck though. Look at the touchpads still on amazon and craigslist. People don't even care about them anymore since the hype has died down, but there are still a bunch out there unable to be sold. So it's a risk for them too.

I'd gladly buy a few more Touchpads from them. It's just that they don't want to sell them at-cost. 😀
Now, if they were selling them at $99 for a 16GB, I'd consider helping them with their excess inventory.

 

[Ns1]

Sorry, I need to pay for my christmas gifts too. Suck it up or buy something else.

<--reseller (not toys) and doesn't give a fuck

 

[Macamus Prime]

Sorry, I need to pay for my christmas gifts too. Suck it up or buy something else.

<--reseller (not toys) and doesn't give a fuck

Do the customers that pay the "gouged" price come back to you to buy again?

Or, do you never see them again?

 

[Ns1]

Do the customers that pay the "gouged" price come back to you to buy again?

Or, do you never see them again?

I only need to sell to them once. Had a blast during the 100% wii markup days - most of the customers are quite nice, all things considering. I even still have one on my twitter feed.

 

[purbeast0]

i sold an xbox360 that i won at launch for $1700. i sold 2 others for like $800 and $900.

made $2600 profit.

i was happy.

 

[nageov3t]

it might not be the most generous behavior at Christmastime, but if it's only a matter of individual resellers, I see nothing wrong with it.

groups that use programs to buy thousands of concert tickets and then resell them at a 100&#37; mark-up can die in a fire, though.

 

[Macamus Prime]

I only need to sell to them once. Had a blast during the 100% wii markup days - most of the customers are quite nice, all things considering. I even still have one on my twitter feed.

Gotcha, you aren't in the business of providing a "Best Buy experience", you just want to make money off of an opportunity.

Which is what some Amazon 3rd party resellers are all about.

 

[spacejamz]

Gotcha, you aren't in the business of providing a "Best Buy experience", you just want to make money off of an opportunity.

Which is what some Amazon 3rd party resellers are all about.

Pssstt....in case you didn't realize it, every product you buy is all about someone making money off an opportunity.

 

[waggy]

Gotcha, you aren't in the business of providing a "Best Buy experience", you just want to make money off of an opportunity.

Which is what some Amazon 3rd party resellers are all about.

err that is what every business is about.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I don't take too much issue with it, as to be honest, pretty much none of the stuff they do this with is worth it and the people they're selling to are idiots. Most of the toys quite frankly the parents should stop throwing their money away on garbage and buy them better, more thoughtful gifts.

On the flipside, the people I've met that do this give a really scummy vibe that I normally only get from car salesmen.

At this point though, I think the manufacturers do it intentionally to build hype, so they're often the ones that probably should get the blame.

Sorry, I need to pay for my christmas gifts too. Suck it up or buy something else.

<--reseller (not toys) and doesn't give a fuck

More and more you seem to be turning into a Spidey07 clone. 😛

 

[LookBehindYou]

It works both ways too. I've sold shit for a ton of profit, but I've also had to buy stuff that I knew I was paying extra for. You want it bad enough, you pay the price.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Pssstt....in case you didn't realize it, every product you buy is all about someone making money off an opportunity.

Pssst,... this is a discussion about "Price Gouging".

And, the person I quoted clearly stated 100% mark up.

Yes he will make money, but opportunity here is noted as making a shit load of money. More than what you paid for it, as well as beyond what other sellers are offering it for.

 

[Homerboy]

meh.
Few years ago, LEGO Star Destroyer was the "got-to-have" LEGO set.
I happened upon a huge pile of them at TrU one day... just as they were having a buy 1, get 1 50&#37; sale. No limit.

I bought 8 (one for my kid) and opened a TrU card for an extra 10% off the purchase. The check out lady made some comment of "some kid is going to be happy Christmas morning." and I laughed and said "Hell no, these are going on Ebay the minute I get home" (spaced 5 days apart as to not cannibalize my own bidders). She just looked and me dumbfounded and said "That is an incredible idea."

Paid for Christmas and New Years that year, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[GundamW]

So most of you guys are ok with the way TicketMaster works then?

 

[spidey07]

So most of you guys are ok with the way TicketMaster works then?

Completely and totally not anywhere near the same.

 

[Ns1]

So most of you guys are ok with the way TicketMaster works then?

I scalp tickets too :biggrin:

Make no mistake about it though, scalping tickets has significant financial risk

 

[LookBehindYou]

So most of you guys are ok with the way TicketMaster works then?

As someone who has gone to many concerts, many UFC/MMA events, many circuses, and many other random events that required ticketmaster, yes. I am ok with it. Do I like it? No. But I am ok with it. I don't dislike enough that it causes me not to buy tickets.