Shopping Bots and Scalpers Thread

[ABQCOWBOY]

So, some of you may not know about shopping bots. Basically, they are a commodity product with a specific coding that allow private entities to go out and target products for purchase.

Lets say I have access to a significant credit line. I can set up a shopbot and go out and buy up any hot product before consumers ever see it hit the market. For example, the new PlayStation 5. Your kid would like a play PS5 for Xmas, that retails for lets say 500 bucks. Well, a shopbot can buy them up before they ever hit a wallmart rack and set up an Ebay account, or what have you, and sell them for a 1000 bucks a unit. Do you want a PS5 for little Joni? Cough up the 1000 rather then the 4 of 5 hundred. This should be illegal but it's not. Now, you can't use these devices on things such as tickets because it is illegal but it's not outside of those types of markets. Why is that? This is wrong. Should not be allowed IMO.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

So, some of you may not know about shopping bots. Basically, they are a commodity product with a specific coding that allow private entities to go out and target products for purchase.

Lets say I have access to a significant credit line. I can set up a shopbot and go out and buy up any hot product before consumers ever see it hit the market. For example, the new PlayStation 5. Your kid would like a play PS5 for Xmas, that retails for lets say 500 bucks. Well, a shopbot can buy them up before they ever hit a wallmart rack and set up an Ebay account, or what have you, and sell them for a 1000 bucks a unit. Do you want a PS5 for little Joni? Cough up the 1000 rather then the 4 of 5 hundred. This should be illegal but it's not. Now, you can't use these devices on things such as tickets because it is illegal but it's not outside of those types of markets. Why is that? This is wrong. Should not be allowed IMO.

There was a brief discussion about this the other day in the video game thread that made me ask, isn't there some sort of regulating entity ala FCC that keeps a watchful eye out? If not, there should be. The new generation of video cards from AMD/Nvidia are going through the same thing and i'll be dammed if im paying more. This kinda stuff burns my arse up.

 

[jsb357]

is cost to be on the bleeding edge of technology

 

[DasTex]

My 6 yr old son wants football cards this Christmas - go try and find a box of those right now. Bots buy up all the stock online at retailers. You might occasionally run across a box if your lucky.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

There was a brief discussion about this the other day in the video game thread that made me ask, isn't there some sort of regulating entity ala FCC that keeps a watchful eye out? If not, there should be. The new generation of video cards from AMD/Nvidia are going through the same thing and i'll be dammed if im paying more. This kinda stuff burns my arse up.

Apparently there is not. Now, there is law against things like marking up products but I don't think anybody is watching this stuff. Those who should be are probably busy setting up the shopbots and booking orders!



Seriously though, this is BS. Should not be this way, especially in this day and age.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

is cost to be on the bleeding edge of technology

Not if you do it right, apparently......

 

[HungryLion]

I had no idea these existed. That’s ********. Any price gouging like that should be illegal to be honest.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I had no idea these existed. That’s bull****. Any price gouging like that should be illegal to be honest.

I think that there are laws on the books against that very thing but somebody has to be paying attention or care to pay attention right? Things like campaign finance donations, various other innocent avenues can easily allow for ignorance on any number of issues. That's just the truth of it unfortunately.

 

[Runwildboys]

I'd assume the manufacturers would be against this as well, for at least a couple of reasons. First; the people buying up the products are making money off their products, and second; it could cause people to refuse to buy as many of that product. Hopefully people learn to be smarter with their money, and tell their kids what my mother told me..."No."

 

[65fastback2plus2]

get your own shopbot and quitcher whining.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

My 6 yr old son wants football cards this Christmas - go try and find a box of those right now. Bots buy up all the stock online at retailers. You might occasionally run across a box if your lucky.

those are bought up in stores too. Wasnt even a box on the shelf of anything at target the other day.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

So, some of you may not know about shopping bots. Basically, they are a commodity product with a specific coding that allow private entities to go out and target products for purchase.

Lets say I have access to a significant credit line. I can set up a shopbot and go out and buy up any hot product before consumers ever see it hit the market. For example, the new PlayStation 5. Your kid would like a play PS5 for Xmas, that retails for lets say 500 bucks. Well, a shopbot can buy them up before they ever hit a wallmart rack and set up an Ebay account, or what have you, and sell them for a 1000 bucks a unit. Do you want a PS5 for little Joni? Cough up the 1000 rather then the 4 of 5 hundred. This should be illegal but it's not. Now, you can't use these devices on things such as tickets because it is illegal but it's not outside of those types of markets. Why is that? This is wrong. Should not be allowed IMO.

I agree with you. IMO that's taking advantage of a technical loophole in the market. The bozos who try to do this don't create anything. They just try to exploit vulnerabilities to gouge the public.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'd assume the manufacturers would be against this as well, for at least a couple of reasons. First; the people buying up the products are making money off their products, and second; it could cause people to refuse to buy as many of that product. Hopefully people learn to be smarter with their money, and tell their kids what my mother told me..."No."

It's a supply and demand thing. I think that manufactures don't care. Their product is sold and they meet their quarterly numbers and, they probably have even more demand because what will happen is that consumers will want to buy this from Costco or what have you, so as to get it cheaper. That will mean that they get orders to refill shelves and that's more revenue, more product and more press that comes to their product in the way of reported demand. I mean, this has been going on for a while now and any of these manufacturers could have put an end to this immediately by simply Prioritizing orders that were directly placed to Manufacturer. That would take the middle man out of it and insure that consumers get their products but they never did that. I think they are fine with it. They want to move product and this only helps that effort, as I see it RW.

JMO

 

[Runwildboys]

It's a supply and demand thing. I think that manufactures don't care. Their product is sold and they meet their quarterly numbers and, they probably have even more demand because what will happen is that consumers will want to buy this from Costco or what have you, so as to get it cheaper. That will mean that they get orders to refill shelves and that's more revenue, more product and more press that comes to their product in the way of reported demand. I mean, this has been going on for a while now and any of these manufacturers could have put an end to this immediately by simply Prioritizing orders that were directly placed to Manufacturer. That would take the middle man out of it and insure that consumers get their products but they never did that. I think they are fine with it. They want to move product and this only helps that effort, as I see it RW.

JMO

All I can say is, people have the option to tell their kids that something costs too much. If they're too stupid or weak to do that, it's their own fault. I think people forget that kids can do without extravagant things and still survive. In fact, they'll probably be better off for it. I didn't have nearly as much as most of my friends had, but I was fine.........I just used their stuff.

 

[DasTex]

those are bought up in stores too. Wasnt even a box on the shelf of anything at target the other day.

I saw that as well. They had a signed limiting you to 1 item. When did the card industry explode again?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

All I can say is, people have the option to tell their kids that something costs too much. If they're too stupid or weak to do that, it's their own fault. I think people forget that kids can do without extravagant things and still survive. In fact, they'll probably be better off for it. I didn't have nearly as much as most of my friends had, but I was fine.........I just used their stuff.

That's absolutely true but from the perspective of the manufactures, they don't care. What will happen is that these Bot guys will sell a bunch of product for a lot more money because there are plenty of people out there who will spend it, they may end up getting caught with some inventory but if that happens, they will just drop price to 600 or 750 and get rid of what they still have. At worst, after Xmas, they will still have inventory that they can mark down to 500 and get their money back. They won't get caught on this deal. Now, what the manufacturer will do is gear up more build to try and hit the market at the end of the Xmas season and sell at a higher price then 500 on the restock. I mean, it's still Covid, we are still locked down so if you are a parent and you have kids, that money spent on a PS or whatever is money well spent. Your kids will be entertained, at home, for hours. They won't learn a damn thing but at least they won't be stuck with nothing, at all, to do. This entire thing is like gold for them RW.

 

[visionary]

So, some of you may not know about shopping bots. Basically, they are a commodity product with a specific coding that allow private entities to go out and target products for purchase.

Lets say I have access to a significant credit line. I can set up a shopbot and go out and buy up any hot product before consumers ever see it hit the market. For example, the new PlayStation 5. Your kid would like a play PS5 for Xmas, that retails for lets say 500 bucks. Well, a shopbot can buy them up before they ever hit a wallmart rack and set up an Ebay account, or what have you, and sell them for a 1000 bucks a unit. Do you want a PS5 for little Joni? Cough up the 1000 rather then the 4 of 5 hundred. This should be illegal but it's not. Now, you can't use these devices on things such as tickets because it is illegal but it's not outside of those types of markets. Why is that? This is wrong. Should not be allowed IMO.

Free market economy
Don’t cry when it doesn’t work for you

 

[Runwildboys]

That's absolutely true but from the perspective of the manufactures, they don't care. What will happen is that these Bot guys will sell a bunch of product for a lot more money because there are plenty of people out there who will spend it, they may end up getting caught with some inventory but if that happens, they will just drop price to 600 or 750 and get rid of what they still have. At worst, after Xmas, they will still have inventory that they can mark down to 500 and get their money back. They won't get caught on this deal. Now, what the manufacturer will do is gear up more build to try and hit the market at the end of the Xmas season and sell at a higher price then 500 on the restock. I mean, it's still Covid, we are still locked down so if you are a parent and you have kids, that money spent on a PS or whatever is money well spent. Your kids will be entertained, at home, for hours. They won't learn a damn thing but at least they won't be stuck with nothing, at all, to do. This entire thing is like gold for them RW.

One more reason I'm glad I don't have kids.

I agree that the whole concept of shopping bots sucks, and that they should be illegal, but I don't think anything they buy up is essential.

 

[Runwildboys]

Free market economy
Don’t cry when it doesn’t work for you

Spoken like someone who uses shopping bots.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

One more reason I'm glad I don't have kids.

I agree that the whole concept of shopping bots sucks, and that they should be illegal, but I don't think anything they buy up is essential.

How about things like masks or TP etc?

Doesn't matter, I agree with you that PS5s are not essential.

OK, i'm out for the day. Be safe RW. Have a good evening!