Scalper group says it has ‘no regrets’ over reselling 3,500 Playstation 5 consoles

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You guys on your “moral standards” pedestals in a conversation about people overcharging / overpaying for video game consoles are hilarious. The fake outrage is real, I guess.

since you guys are so insistent that it’s just wrong to sell it for a profit, does that mean it’s also wrong to buy at more than SRP, because it encourages the “scalpers” to keep doing it? Do your high moral standards and fake outrage extend to the people who feel like they need it so bad they’re willing to actually pay extra for it? Are you angry at them, too, for giving in to fomo and hype and creating the demand in the first place?

Are you seriously saying that if you had an (let’s say “not scalping”) opportunity to double your money you wouldn’t do it because you’re “not just about making money?”
 
If you have the money, buy one from them on ebay. Wait until day 29, then return it as defective. Sit back and see what they can get for a used PS5 a month and a half from now.
 
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As a Father If any of my kids 'had to have' a PS5 or new Xbox this year I would use this present situation as a teaching moment. They are in fact fortunate and even though we could we won't be supporting this type of behavior for not only moral reasons but for learning delayed gratification and financial responsibility. Never pay too much. Never support behavior that you don't agree with. Wait for the thing you want and decide what a 'need' really is and so on.

On topic. I get the buy low sell high and get it while you can. Its capitalism at work. I would at least have some measure of respect for these people if they just came out with it and said "yeah we saw an opportunity to make some quick cash and took it' instead of all the food on the table shit.
 
deruberhanyok said:
You guys on your “moral standards” pedestals in a conversation about people overcharging / overpaying for video game consoles are hilarious. The fake outrage is real, I guess.

since you guys are so insistent that it’s just wrong to sell it for a profit, does that mean it’s also wrong to buy at more than SRP, because it encourages the “scalpers” to keep doing it? Do your high moral standards and fake outrage extend to the people who feel like they need it so bad they’re willing to actually pay extra for it? Are you angry at them, too, for giving in to fomo and hype and creating the demand in the first place?

Are you seriously saying that if you had an (let’s say “not scalping”) opportunity to double your money you wouldn’t do it because you’re “not just about making money?”
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Now who is being ridiculous. Nobody is against making money here, I work for living just like anyone else. But no, if the said doubling of money comes at the expense of other people and causing chagrin to them then fuck that shit, even if it is over a small thing like "its just a videogame".
 
deruberhanyok said:
Are you seriously saying that if you had an (let’s say “not scalping”) opportunity to double your money you wouldn’t do it because you’re “not just about making money?”
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It's not about making money, it's about actually lowering the value of the product by injecting yourself as a middleman and then charging more for it. Your hypothetical question is too vague to answer. Maybe you did that on purpose? If I have to justify the investment using some kind of mental gymnastics to tell myself it isn't wrong, I probably wouldn't do it.
 
Sorry, scalpers are just parasites. I don't think the practice should be illegal, but be prepared to be considered scum.

To some that won't matter. Apparently it does to others or else we wouldn't have these pity write-ups.
 
MaZa said:
Some people do have standards and are not living their lives with a goal of making as much money as possible.
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MaZa said:
Now who is being ridiculous. Nobody is against making money here, I work for living just like anyone else. But no, if the said doubling of money comes at the expense of other people and causing chagrin to them then fuck that shit, even if it is over a small thing like "its just a videogame".
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Not being ridiculous. just quoting you and your “making money” comment above.

Nside no mental gymnastics required. If someone feels like they need something so bad they’re willing to pay double what it should be, and someone else takes that offer, why is only one side at fault? Either they both are, or neither is. But no one here seems to be blaming the people actually paying the scalper prices.

people need to learn some damn self control. If they can’t, they’re just as much to blame as the ones selling.

so, do you guys want to sit there on your moral standards and start telling people who are “buying it because their kids just need it” or “had to have it because I’m a gamer and it’s my only form of entertainment” that they’re just as much a bunch of assholes as the people doing the selling?

or would you prefer to just get upset about scalpers because it’s trendy right now?
 
As long as they get taxed I don't really care, because that moves them into at least being a partial contributor to society. If they are avoiding taxes, then they are just a leech on society at large and not worth a scrape of care, hand out or hand up.

Yes, buying from scalpers is almost as bad as scalping, but at least those that buy from scalpers very likely already paid taxes on that money.
 
The more butthurt I see about this stuff, the more I think it's not about scalping, the grey market, economics, or even common sense.

I think it's butthurt that people don't themselves have a couple mil cash that they can turn into $4-5 mil with at least one Playstation left over for quality control.
 
They do poop move ND try to make everyone feel sorry for them?! Blast!! That's bloody hardcore low move!
 
Krenum said:
I think all of this could have been solved if they released these consoles, and graphics cards at brick and mortar stores only, until demand was met or their was a glut of product, i.e. Walmart, Best Buy, ect. and limited 1 per customer.

You know, like the old days? Where you could go to a store and purchase things like this.

They would have still sold out, but at least people would have been able to purchase them.
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While I agree in principle, that’s tough to do during COVID.
 
Aireoth said:
As long as they get taxed I don't really care, because that moves them into at least being a partial contributor to society. If they are avoiding taxes, then they are just a leech on society at large and not worth a scrape of care, hand out or hand up.

Yes, buying from scalpers is almost as bad as scalping, but at least those that buy from scalpers very likely already paid taxes on that money.
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Those sales would have been subject to sales tax regardless of who bought them, so they aren’t being a contributor to society.
 
Can't afford to put food on the table for their families but can afford lots of consoles lol. Scalpers gonna scalp... :LOL:
 
deruberhanyok said:
You guys on your “moral standards” pedestals in a conversation about people overcharging / overpaying for video game consoles are hilarious. The fake outrage is real, I guess.

since you guys are so insistent that it’s just wrong to sell it for a profit, does that mean it’s also wrong to buy at more than SRP, because it encourages the “scalpers” to keep doing it? Do your high moral standards and fake outrage extend to the people who feel like they need it so bad they’re willing to actually pay extra for it? Are you angry at them, too, for giving in to fomo and hype and creating the demand in the first place?

Are you seriously saying that if you had an (let’s say “not scalping”) opportunity to double your money you wouldn’t do it because you’re “not just about making money?”
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Just because you’re morally bankrupt, or playing devil’s advocate for those that are, doesn’t mean everyone is. There are some lines you just don’t cross, and not everyone sees life as a transaction to make profit.
 
WorldExclusive said:
Most people have less than $1000 in savings,
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I am not sure if you need to use saving to participate in those short term transaction, but source for that statement ?

If you are talking about the UK:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...tepensionwealthgreatbritainjuly2012tojune2014

Most household has significantly more than $1000 in saving


Having use the $, maybe you mean in the USA, in the USA the median net household worth was of 121K:

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2019/demo/p70br-166.pdf
In 2016, most household had over 65K in a retirement account, over 45k in stocks, over 5000 in their bank account, etc...
 
Ha, I love it. Now selling something for a profit makes you morally bankrupt, and it means your whole life is about profit.

you guys crack me up. none of you want to blame the people spending the money, who can’t be patient or just don’t care, you just want to blame the people doing the selling. Because that’s easy.

you want to solve the problem of “scalping” game consoles? Tell people to stop spending so much on the damn things. Get mad at the assholes fighting over them in stores and offering hundreds over retail for them. If no one is buying high, no one will be able to sell high, and the whole thing collapses.

Or you can just go on getting mad at the people doing the selling, and ignore the whole of the problem.

anyone care to respond to that or are you guys all just going to keep talking down from your cloud about morals?
 
deruberhanyok said:
Ha, I love it. Now selling something for a profit makes you morally bankrupt, and it means your whole life is about profit.

you guys crack me up. none of you want to blame the people spending the money, who can’t be patient or just don’t care, you just want to blame the people doing the selling. Because that’s easy.

you want to solve the problem of “scalping” game consoles? Tell people to stop spending so much on the damn things. Get mad at the assholes fighting over them in stores and offering hundreds over retail for them. If no one is buying high, no one will be able to sell high, and the whole thing collapses.

Or you can just go on getting mad at the people doing the selling, and ignore the whole of the problem.

anyone care to respond to that or are you guys all just going to keep talking down from your cloud about morals?
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Do scalpers pay taxes on the profit they make?
 
I don't think it's really a moral issue, at least not for me. It's free market capitalism, and it's a fair hustle.

But the way I like to think about it is bringing joy into the world. The scalper himself may feel bad about ripping someone off, and the buyer may also feel bad about paying double MSRP when they shouldn't have to.

I like giving good deals. I sold an old laptop for $20 because I never used it anymore and I figured maybe someone needed one for WFH or were hurting financially because of Covid and needed a computer. In this case, I feel good about helping someone, and they feel good about getting a great deal.

I also had two 1080 Ti's when they first came out. Decided I wanted to wait for Vega (big mistake) so I sold them to my friends for $500. I think they still may be using them, everyone feels good now.

If people operated like this, making an actual contribution to the world and making people happier, well the world would be a better place.
 
cybereality said:
I don't think it's really a moral issue, at least not for me. It's free market capitalism, and it's a fair hustle.

But the way I like to think about it is bringing joy into the world. The scalper himself may feel bad about ripping someone off, and the buyer may also feel bad about paying double MSRP when they shouldn't have to.

I like giving good deals. I sold an old laptop for $20 because I never used it anymore and I figured maybe someone needed one for WFH or were hurting financially because of Covid and needed a computer. In this case, I feel good about helping someone, and they feel good about getting a great deal.

I also had two 1080 Ti's when they first came out. Decided I wanted to wait for Vega (big mistake) so I sold them to my friends for $500. I think they still may be using them, everyone feels good now.

If people operated like this, making an actual contribution to the world and making people happier, well the world would be a better place.
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It’s not really capitalism though. Capitalism require fair competition. What we saw was one group with a monumental advantage over the other group. In essence, by using bots, there was a monopoly on orders.
 
deruberhanyok said:
Ha, I love it. Now selling something for a profit makes you morally bankrupt, and it means your whole life is about profit.

you guys crack me up. none of you want to blame the people spending the money, who can’t be patient or just don’t care, you just want to blame the people doing the selling. Because that’s easy.

you want to solve the problem of “scalping” game consoles? Tell people to stop spending so much on the damn things. Get mad at the assholes fighting over them in stores and offering hundreds over retail for them. If no one is buying high, no one will be able to sell high, and the whole thing collapses.

Or you can just go on getting mad at the people doing the selling, and ignore the whole of the problem.

anyone care to respond to that or are you guys all just going to keep talking down from your cloud about morals?
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I actually agree with this. If people would just close the wallet, scalping would stop pretty quick.

Still doesn't make scalping any less shitty, however. Some of them even agree based on the need to rationalize thier actions. "I'm putting food on the table!" "Are you saying you wouldn't do it too?"

If they would just let it all slide off, then I'd just shrug and say "whatever". But having a pity party over it? Nah, get screwed.
 
Krenum said:
I think all of this could have been solved if they released these consoles, and graphics cards at brick and mortar stores only, until demand was met or their was a glut of product, i.e. Walmart, Best Buy, ect. and limited 1 per customer.
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This would all be solved if supply was enough that it didn't justify scalping. I personally believe that Sony, Microsoft, Nvidia, and probably AMD are limiting supply to get more people to FOMO. Are you really going to see a big difference from a PS4 Pro compared to a PS5? Is a GTX 1060 user going to see that much better graphics with a RTX 3070? Probably not, but due to a lack of supply they may feel like they're missing something they don't yet fully understand. Sony, Microsoft, Nvidia, and AMD know this and so do scalpers. Scalpers knew there was going to be a shortage of supply and took advantage of it.

deruberhanyok said:
Seriously, if you had the opportunity to double your money for little to no effort, you wouldn't do it?
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Fuck yes I would. No hesitation there. I know it's wrong to do but that wouldn't bother me when I could potentially double my money. It's like the stock market but with less gamble. The only reason I didn't do it is because I don't have thousands of dollars laying around to buy this stuff, nor the foresight to anticipate this would be profitable. Capitalism is all about morally grey areas and this is as grey as it comes. The people to blame is always the consumer who is dumb enough to pay $750 or more to buy a console with not a very large gaming lineup to buy games for $70. Scalpers wouldn't exist if the consumer wasn't such a dumbass, but that doesn't make the scalpers morally correct either. I'm sitting back with my Vega 56 wondering what is in the water that is making everyone buy this new stuff?

Sometimes it's nice to just have an extra few hundred bucks. Why not accept that there's a middle ground where some people might actually need the money. And some people just want an extra few hundred bucks, because... it can't hurt.
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Taking advantage of a bad situation to make a few hundred bucks is not morally correct. I would just accept that and walk away with the money. Ultimately it's the gaming market that will suffer as it'll drive up prices. You know, during a economic recession that could turn into a depression. This is how you crash a gaming market. Not that it wasn't due for a crash considering what's been going on in the market for the past 10 years.
 
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deruberhanyok said:
Ha, I love it. Now selling something for a profit makes you morally bankrupt, and it means your whole life is about profit.

you guys crack me up. none of you want to blame the people spending the money, who can’t be patient or just don’t care, you just want to blame the people doing the selling. Because that’s easy.

you want to solve the problem of “scalping” game consoles? Tell people to stop spending so much on the damn things. Get mad at the assholes fighting over them in stores and offering hundreds over retail for them. If no one is buying high, no one will be able to sell high, and the whole thing collapses.

Or you can just go on getting mad at the people doing the selling, and ignore the whole of the problem.

anyone care to respond to that or are you guys all just going to keep talking down from your cloud about morals?
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Chicken and egg scenario.
 
HockeyJon said:
Ah, I think I see what you’re saying now. Tax on re-sale, I thought you were referring to initial purchase. My mistake.
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I agree, they very likely don't, which makes the entire thing both immoral and borderline fraud, contrary to deruberhanyok's position.

It isn't capitalism when you circumvent the laws governing capitalism, companies pay taxes on their profits. Deruberhanyok's position is that the scalper is just participating in capitalism, when what they are doing is circumventing capitalism, harming everyone in the process, and profiting.

This is particularly applicable in the mass scalping operations that are becoming so common.

​

 
deruberhanyok said:
Ha, I love it. Now selling something for a profit makes you morally bankrupt, and it means your whole life is about profit.

you guys crack me up. none of you want to blame the people spending the money, who can’t be patient or just don’t care, you just want to blame the people doing the selling. Because that’s easy.


Or you can just go on getting mad at the people doing the selling, and ignore the whole of the problem.

anyone care to respond to that or are you guys all just going to keep talking down from your cloud about morals?
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That seem a bit of a strawmen, most if not all of the people blaming the scalpers are also blaming (if not more) the rich buyers and it is very easy to do in both case (it is just blaming people on the Internet... hard to imagine anything easier to do in life)

you want to solve the problem of “scalping” game consoles? Tell people to stop spending so much on the damn things. Get mad at the assholes fighting over them in stores and offering hundreds over retail for them. If no one is buying high, no one will be able to sell high, and the whole thing collapses.
I am really not sure telling them and getting mad will solve the problems. You can see many example of long list of ridiculous over the top people wishing death to the rich buyers and the scalpers

Or you can just go on getting mad at the people doing the selling, and ignore the whole of the problem.
That seem where something could more possibly be done (by the resellers) and the different tax agencies and why worth of complaining about it, the buyers.... I am really unsure what can be done.

That said it is much more fair to say to someone: Wait a little to buy a PS5 instead of spending $1,100 on one than to say to someone do not make a lot of easy money in a short time because by doing so only rich people are getting that luxury stuff right now, that is asking to refuse a lot of money with a small incentive/moral argument giving to them.
 
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Aireoth said:
I agree, they very likely don't, which makes the entire thing both immoral and borderline fraud, contrary to deruberhanyok's position.
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Not fraud, but it is tax evasion and not borderline if they do not declare it, it is a clear cut case of it. Buyers assume they buy from someone doing tax evasion I would imagine.
 
LukeTbk said:
Not fraud, but it is tax evasion and not borderline if they do not declare it, it is a clear cut case of it. Buyers assume they buy from someone doing tax evasion I would imagine.
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(tax fraud/Evasion)

As far as being borderline, I am not aware if scalpers have any court related verdicts regarding taxes or not, so I cannot conclusively say it is.
 
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MaZa said:
Anway, selling things for profit is one thing, taking advantage of peoples needs just in a time when christmas and such are coming up is another.
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Lol needs. I didn’t know PS5 was a necessity. Enough with the self righteous histrionics already. Let them scalp every ps5 ever made, if there are people willing to pay then the market will bear that. If not, they’ll end up returning it and you can go get your badly “needed” console. I love how so many Americans, especially on this forum are pro-capitalist until it affects them or their bullshit concept of ethics. Either you’re a pure unapologetic capitalist (I am) or you are a bullshitter.
 
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Ain't nothing illegal about buying something and reselling it as "used like new". As long as they are listing them that way.... nothing to see here.

Retailers don't really care who buys from them, that is the bottom line. Best thing to do is chill and worry about a PS5 or Xbox in the new year when stock will be easier to come by. Same for GPUs and CPUs. There not necessities... and people getting pissed off at resellers, honestly fuck you. lol Be mad at the retailer if they have shit bot detection practices, but why be mad at the guy reselling them. I am not in the market for anything right now... but frankly if I was and snagged a popular GPU CPU or console I think I would be tempted to just sell it at a profit right now and buy one in 3 or 4 months down the road.

You could also of course choose to be mad at the morons paying 2-3x what things are worth on sites like ebay. The scalping wouldn't work if people where not actually paying the markup to have it NOW NOW NOW.
 
Taco don't understand why there's a camp that says scalpers don't do anything wrong. Wtf mates? Your acting like it is some fine business model and they shouldn't be ashamed of doing what their doing. Wtf?

Replace PS5 or gx3080 with some other non essential item that you DONT NEED, but would so gladly want to acquire nd we'd like to see how that will bode for you, mates.

Taco luvs u, but this "nothing wrong" is going a bit too far!

Edit: here's what it should be selling for, but got "cleaned out"...
20201126_165341.jpg


Nd here's what scalpers want for it.

20201126_165410.jpg


If you think this is fine nd you dont see anything wrong with this picture. Well, taco think you need to eat a sour taco instead of juicy Thanksgiving Turkey. Out!

😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗
 
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Aireoth said:
Do scalpers pay taxes on the profit they make?
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Can't speak for everyone but when I resold scores of Wiis and other hardware (e.g., hard drives after the flood, etc.) over a decade ago, yes, I had a private corporation for my side hustle and paid income taxes on the profits. I generally made $10-20k/yr (on top of the $20ish-k/yr I made as a graduate TA) though so the tax rate was low.

These posts about disappointing people over the holidays during a pandemic by depriving them the latest $500 video game console speak volumes to how fucked up and entitled our stupid society can be.

Hats off to modern resellers. Seems more complicated than when I was doing it to put myself through school.
 
UltraTaco said:
Taco don't understand why there's a camp that says scalpers don't do anything wrong. Wtf mates? Your acting like it is some fine business model and they shouldn't be ashamed of doing what their doing. Wtf?

Replace PS5 or gx3080 with some other non essential item that you DONT NEED, but would so gladly want to acquire nd we'd like to see how that will bode for you, mates.

Taco luvs u, but this "nothing wrong" is going a bit too far!

Edit: here's what it should be selling for, but got "cleaned out"...View attachment 303288

Nd here's what scalpers want for it.

View attachment 303290

If you think this is fine nd you dont see anything wrong with this picture. Well, taco think you need to eat a sour taco instead of juicy Thanksgiving Turkey. Out!

😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗
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lol I disagree but i like your post, it gave me a good laugh.
 
I read this and I am mad, but at the same time I know I wasn't going to be getting my ass in line days in advance to get one so I am not actually mad. But then I get mad on the principal of the Idea, but then I look at my bank statement and think well fuck I could use a few extra K, and then I can't tell if I hate them for them being bad or if I hate that I couldn't cash in on it so. I guess it all balance out in the wash, the simple fact is people were willing to pay those huge markups to get theirs first and those people had the cash where they could still justify it, so its really the people buying them that I am mad at because really if they didn't exist then the rest of the problem solves itself so I guess Eat the Rich??
 
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