Final-Fan said:
Eomund said:
I don't see what the big deal is here. I will side with Capitalism any day of the week. Cdude is, for all intents and purposes, saving his Wii for someone who values it at that price. Its all supply and demands friends. When the demand is what it is now, and the supply barely or almost keeps up, then the value = cost. When the demand is higher, and supply is not keeping up with the demand, the the value > cost.
So peeps, when supply is less than demand, costs go up. They should go up to keep the market working. If people don't like it go to Cuba. When a price is fixed and demand increases, supply will NEVER keep up. If, however, prices can be adjusted, and demand increases, Supply will be able to meet the demand at some level.
If, for instance, Cdude has the last Wii in his state, then he could set the price much higher and people would pay for it. There is no shame in setting prices whatever you want, so long as people will pay it. There is nothing terrible or "douchebag" like quality to it. It simply is what it is. Profit.
If people are willing to pay, then they deserve to "get burned." I personally don't believe that people will pay more than something is worth (valued to them). If they don't want the product at that price then they won't buy it. Simple as that. |
Eomund said:
choirsoftheeye said:
Dear Everyone,
The fact that capitalism is beneficial for some things doesn't mean that all instances of it are ethical or worthwhile. This isn't a debate of socialism vs. capitalism, it's a debate about a particular facet of capitalism. Stop grandstanding about the free market and consider the specific ethical properties of what I believe has been correctly identified as scalping.
Thanks!
-Choirs |
Sadly, Capitalism is exactly what this is about. IF NOBODY VALUES A WII AT HIS ASKING POINT NOBODY WILL BUY IT! He will not take advantage of anybody that wants his Product. You may indeed call this scalping, that doesn't mean this is exactly what is happening. It is all about your perspective, world-view, paradigm, prism of reality, etc... of the market. I don't think he is taking advantage of anyone, so I cannot say that he is crossing any ethical line in the sand. |
So are you saying that it's not scalping if people are willing to pay? That's idiotic. This situation is a function of fixed-price markets.
Let's say there's a lake in Flatland. (i.e. hypothetical two-dimensional world, as if on a sheet of paper.) People live on the edge of this Flatlake, and use the water for various things. Then the Flatlake shrinks. cdude is like an entrepeneur who offers, for a fee, to shift the Flatlake so that is is closer to one group of people -- and consequently further from others. cdude makes his profit, and some people "benefit", but that doesn't make him ethical -- and he does NOT benefit the market in general. |
What you are not taking into account between your example with Flatland and Real Life is that there is always more supply being pumped out by Nintendo. I also disagree with your premise that he "offers, for a fee, to shift the Flatlake so that is is closer to one group of people -- and consequently further from others." He isn't shifting the entire flatlake, he is more carrying a bucket of water for someone else. Does the person buying that bucket of water EXPECT to get his service for free? Not if the person is rational.
I do not see how Cdude is not benefitting the market in general either. If someone will buy it then it is a good transaction. That benefits the market, no? When supply shrinks and demand is still high, prices by necessity will rise if they aren't fixed. In this manner supply may meet demand.
