Ebay Ethics

[Purveyor Of Evil]

There's a sucker born every minute as P.T. Barnum said. If someone is willing to pay a shit ton of money for something, then tough shit. I have the right in this country to jack up the price as high as I want just as much as someone has the right to buy it or not. if you don't like the price, then don't buy it. Simple as that.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Oh yeah, I own a bunch of collectibles that are worth money that I sell. idk though, to me it's a bit different with bands. Especially small metal bands. I just feel that there's a special intangible sense of "community" with small bands like that, and you feel like you are getting something really special when you buy a limited edition vinyl or shirt on tour directly from the band you know? It's different from collecting cards or stamps or beanie babies or whatever. That's just me though, I'm sure to some people it's sentimental and hoakey.

As the saying goes, "It's always about the money."

 

[dcowboys311]

There's a sucker born every minute as P.T. Barnum said. If someone is willing to pay a shit ton of money for something, then tough shit. I have the right in this country to jack up the price as high as I want just as much as someone has the right to buy it or not. if you don't like the price, then don't buy it. Simple as that.

Cool, and Nike can hire little Taiwanese kids to make shoes for them for 10cents an hour. Does it mean they should?

This is an ethics discussion...not a 'can I do it' poll.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Cool, and Nike can hire little Taiwanese kids to make shoes for them for 10cents an hour. Does it mean they should?

This is an ethics discussion...not a 'can I do it' poll.

I'm not defending this practice as you can tell by my P.T. Barnum comment. I'm saying that this is how it is. It's life. It's reality. Whether we all like it or not.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Of course life sucks. That's still kind of a cheap, throwaway response.

 

[Diabolik]

Tonight at the Dawnbringer show they had a very limited run poster for the show tonight and people were trying to buy 10 at a time because they were going to resell them on Ebay. Band cut them off and allowed 1 only since they knew what was going on. It was nice to see a band do this where they easily could have made a profit quickly decided not to and let others get the chance to get something that is special and limited.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Of course life sucks. That's still kind of a cheap, throwaway response.

No amount of internet crusading will change anything.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

No amount of internet crusading will change anything.

This isn't necessarily true, haha. An internet crusade just recently got enough people together and enough money together to erect a statue of Robocop in Detroit. If that's not awesome, I don't know what is. <3 Robocop.

 

[dcowboys311]

This isn't necessarily true, haha. An internet crusade just recently got enough people together and enough money together to erect a statue of Robocop in Detroit. If that's not awesome, I don't know what is. <3 Robocop.

that
is
AWESOME

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

that
is
AWESOME

THANK YOU for your cooperation.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

No amount of internet crusading will change anything.

And who said that this was a crusade, or that that the purpose of this thread is to change something? You seem to really love making lofty generalizations huh?

 

[ashaman7122]

Wow...can't believe I just wasted 10 minutes of my life reading this whole thread...

 

[Kimavir]

In summary: This shit ain't illegial, but it does make you a douche bag.

 

[ashaman7122]

In summary: This shit ain't illegial, but it does make you a douche bag.

But...at least you're a douche bag with $$$...

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

And who said that this was a crusade, or that that the purpose of this thread is to change something? You seem to really love making lofty generalizations huh?

No. Just making a toungue-in-cheek comment.

 

[skyrefuge]

Of the three parties involved in such transactions, I say that the band themselves is the most ethically deficient. They are well aware of the secondary market for their limited releases, yet they continue to produce them and sell them in the same method. By highlighting the fraudulent poster seller, while remaining silent on non-fraudulent price increases you're referring to here, they give their tacit approval to such increases. They are intentionally creating an entirely artificial scarcity, presumably with the intent of increasing their "buzz".

The market has decided that a limited Agalloch release is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $100. By selling them at well below market value, the band is screwing their #1 fan out of the chance to own the release simply because he had the misfortune to be born in Malaysia, a place Agalloch never tours. Instead, they give it to some schmoe in New York who just heard about Agalloch last month, and worse, they give it to him for a ridiculous discount. Thus, someone who acquires an item at that discounted price and then places it for sale on ebay is providing a valuable service to that #1 fan in Malaysia, giving him an opportunity to own an item that he otherwise would have no access to.

Ok, now I should probably go to an Agalloch show. Maybe I should toss my "Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor" CD from the balcony and watch the mob devour itself trying to get their hands on it.

Neil

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

I concur.

Of the three parties involved in such transactions, I say that the band themselves is the most ethically deficient. They are well aware of the secondary market for their limited releases, yet they continue to produce them and sell them in the same method. By highlighting the fraudulent poster seller, while remaining silent on non-fraudulent price increases you're referring to here, they give their tacit approval to such increases. They are intentionally creating an entirely artificial scarcity, presumably with the intent of increasing their "buzz".

The market has decided that a limited Agalloch release is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $100. By selling them at well below market value, the band is screwing their #1 fan out of the chance to own the release simply because he had the misfortune to be born in Malaysia, a place Agalloch never tours. Instead, they give it to some schmoe in New York who just heard about Agalloch last month, and worse, they give it to him for a ridiculous discount. Thus, someone who acquires an item at that discounted price and then places it for sale on ebay is providing a valuable service to that #1 fan in Malaysia, giving him an opportunity to own an item that he otherwise would have no access to.

Ok, now I should probably go to an Agalloch show. Maybe I should toss my "Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor" CD from the balcony and watch the mob devour itself trying to get their hands on it.

Neil

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Of the three parties involved in such transactions, I say that the band themselves is the most ethically deficient. They are well aware of the secondary market for their limited releases, yet they continue to produce them and sell them in the same method. By highlighting the fraudulent poster seller, while remaining silent on non-fraudulent price increases you're referring to here, they give their tacit approval to such increases. They are intentionally creating an entirely artificial scarcity, presumably with the intent of increasing their "buzz".

A fair argument. I totally see your point, however I think I disagree. I don't think it's unethical to want to give something cool to the fans. And yes, the word "give" should be noted, because as I've said in this thread, nobody makes a ton of money on these things. It's already not so great business to do limited pressings of regular CDs. The cost of printing the CD doesn't change and you're only making a small amount of money as opposed to distros constantly ordering thousands of copies continuously (assuming that they sell of course)

The market has decided that a limited Agalloch release is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $100. By selling them at well below market value, the band is screwing their #1 fan out of the chance to own the release simply because he had the misfortune to be born in Malaysia, a place Agalloch never tours. Instead, they give it to some schmoe in New York who just heard about Agalloch last month, and worse, they give it to him for a ridiculous discount. Thus, someone who acquires an item at that discounted price and then places it for sale on ebay is providing a valuable service to that #1 fan in Malaysia, giving him an opportunity to own an item that he otherwise would have no access to.

This I agree with 100%.

Ok, now I should probably go to an Agalloch show. Maybe I should toss my "Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor" CD from the balcony and watch the mob devour itself trying to get their hands on it.

Neil

Or just Ebay it! ha ha!

 

[OrbWeaver]

This is a thread that is supposed to be an ethics discussion, correct? So why are there people accusing others of trying to change the world via internet crusade? It doesn't seem to me anyone is trying to change the world. It looks to me like AS is trying to get an open discussion going on whether or not reselling a limited edition item solely for the purpose of making money is ethical or not. It's a philosophical discussion, not an effort to change the world.

 

[cslebn]

Of the three parties involved in such transactions, I say that the band themselves is the most ethically deficient. They are well aware of the secondary market for their limited releases, yet they continue to produce them and sell them in the same method. By highlighting the fraudulent poster seller, while remaining silent on non-fraudulent price increases you're referring to here, they give their tacit approval to such increases. They are intentionally creating an entirely artificial scarcity, presumably with the intent of increasing their "buzz".

The market has decided that a limited Agalloch release is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $100. By selling them at well below market value, the band is screwing their #1 fan out of the chance to own the release simply because he had the misfortune to be born in Malaysia, a place Agalloch never tours. Instead, they give it to some schmoe in New York who just heard about Agalloch last month, and worse, they give it to him for a ridiculous discount. Thus, someone who acquires an item at that discounted price and then places it for sale on ebay is providing a valuable service to that #1 fan in Malaysia, giving him an opportunity to own an item that he otherwise would have no access to.

Ok, now I should probably go to an Agalloch show. Maybe I should toss my "Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor" CD from the balcony and watch the mob devour itself trying to get their hands on it.

Neil

Or even more morally reprehensible: how do we know the seller on Ebay aren't actually band related, and thus funneling money back to the band? It's capitalism. It's supply and demand. And it would be unethical as all hell.

Not saying that's how it is but an interesting what if since I agree with you that the band does bear a moral and ethical responsibility in this as well.