4 ms·

>There's nothing they can do to prevent scalpers from buying them and jacking up the price 10x There is, actually. They can raise their price until supply equa

>There's nothing they can do to prevent scalpers from buying them and jacking up the price 10x There is, actually. They can raise their price until supply equals demand

stjohnswarts 4y ago
Then that is just giving in to capitalist excess. The only way I could see stopping it would be to stop OEM purchases and sell to individuals who sign up with real credentials (like a phone number or credit card that can be verified) and limiting the number of sales to those individuals and even that is only going to sort of work.
- cinntaile 4y ago
  They can always let the middleman have the difference between the actual price and the MSRP, but then they might as well take it themselves if there is no difference for the end consumer anyway.
- boppo1 4y ago
  Equilibrium price is capitalist excess? Help me out here: if they can't meet market demand at 35/unit, doesn't raising the price mean they can make more units? Then, they are easier to find and so there is less unmet demand to support scalper prices at $150-300, ultimately making it cheaper for end users who don't 'get in' the first batch of orders?
  - stjohnswarts 4y ago
    Not everything is all about the laissez-faire market, if the seller wants to control who buys something. Luxury item companies and artisans do it all the time.
    - boppo1 4y ago
      Can you elaborate? I'm not completely following. Are you saying RPi wants to sell cheaply to specific customers and prevent everyone else from getting their hands on the product, even at the cost of increased revenue and (probably) margins?
- shaky-carrousel 4y ago
  No. If they don't raise prices what is going to happen is that the difference between the sale price and the real price will end in the scalpers pockets, who will have an incentive to keep scalping. Instead, if they raise prices the difference will end on the foundation pockets, and they could use that money to ramp up production. What they are doing right now reeks of either corruption or stupidity.
- voldacar 4y ago
  The goods will get sold at market price either way. The only question is whether that will happen formally, with the manufacturer profiting, or informally, with the profits going to flippers. In order to satisfy more buyers, they will have to increase their production quantity. The study of this & related phenomena is known as economics.
  - stjohnswarts 4y ago
    I think you're wrong. If the manufacturer requires ID to purchase then they absolutely can stop scalpers as it would be too expensive for the scalper to hire people to buy their limited number (say 3) of items per month/per year. Capitalism can be beaten into submission if you're willing to take the proper actions, if they're interested in the Pi's going to hobbyists and schools rather than to scalpers who buy hundreds of them and then resale them at 10x the price on eBay or other auction sites. I know libertarians don't like to hear that not everything is about money, but sometimes it is if the source truly wants to see the pi units get to the right people.

>There's nothing they can do to prevent scalpers from buying them and jacking up the price 10x There is, actually. They can raise their price until supply equals demand

stjohnswarts 4y ago

Then that is just giving in to capitalist excess. The only way I could see stopping it would be to stop OEM purchases and sell to individuals who sign up with real credentials (like a phone number or credit card that can be verified) and limiting the number of sales to those individuals and even that is only going to sort of work.

cinntaile 4y ago
They can always let the middleman have the difference between the actual price and the MSRP, but then they might as well take it themselves if there is no difference for the end consumer anyway.
boppo1 4y ago
Equilibrium price is capitalist excess? Help me out here: if they can't meet market demand at 35/unit, doesn't raising the price mean they can make more units? Then, they are easier to find and so there is less unmet demand to support scalper prices at $150-300, ultimately making it cheaper for end users who don't 'get in' the first batch of orders?
- stjohnswarts 4y ago
  Not everything is all about the laissez-faire market, if the seller wants to control who buys something. Luxury item companies and artisans do it all the time.
  - boppo1 4y ago
    Can you elaborate? I'm not completely following. Are you saying RPi wants to sell cheaply to specific customers and prevent everyone else from getting their hands on the product, even at the cost of increased revenue and (probably) margins?
shaky-carrousel 4y ago
No. If they don't raise prices what is going to happen is that the difference between the sale price and the real price will end in the scalpers pockets, who will have an incentive to keep scalping. Instead, if they raise prices the difference will end on the foundation pockets, and they could use that money to ramp up production. What they are doing right now reeks of either corruption or stupidity.
voldacar 4y ago
The goods will get sold at market price either way. The only question is whether that will happen formally, with the manufacturer profiting, or informally, with the profits going to flippers. In order to satisfy more buyers, they will have to increase their production quantity. The study of this & related phenomena is known as economics.
- stjohnswarts 4y ago
  I think you're wrong. If the manufacturer requires ID to purchase then they absolutely can stop scalpers as it would be too expensive for the scalper to hire people to buy their limited number (say 3) of items per month/per year. Capitalism can be beaten into submission if you're willing to take the proper actions, if they're interested in the Pi's going to hobbyists and schools rather than to scalpers who buy hundreds of them and then resale them at 10x the price on eBay or other auction sites. I know libertarians don't like to hear that not everything is about money, but sometimes it is if the source truly wants to see the pi units get to the right people.