4 ms·

Yep, in other words they are now available to buy. So availability increased without having to increase supply.

• 6gvONxR4sf7o 5y ago
  You’re completely ignoring the people who would otherwise have them. It’s less available to them and more available to those you’re talking about. It’s zero sum, at best.
  • yepguy 5y ago
    I don't think I'm ignoring anyone, but I really like living in a society where goods are actually available for purchase. All I'm saying is that that's such a good thing that it counts as value added by the scalpers. There are maybe a couple issues obscuring my point, though. First, there's a sense that scalpers are illegitimate and cheating the system. If Sony were to raise the MSRP themselves, or retailers did it instead, most of the anger and complaints would disappear. Honestly, they should absolutely raise the price. Scalpers are making the market function better in this case, because the "official" outlets are not doing their jobs. Second, most people in the West are not used to thinking about real scarcity and what it means. (If there was a terrible coffee shortage, you might be happy to find a guy who will sell you a cup for $20.)
  • colinmhayes 5y ago
    This is how the economy works. Scarce resources cost more money. Setting price ceilings just mean the people who are willing to pay the most can't get the item.