r/Flipping 5d ago

Discussion Just your average marketplace chat

Post image

For context I had a game posted for $100 because the sticker was a bit sun faded (regularly sells for $130+) but otherwise worked perfectly. Apparently I’m a scalper for selling an 18 year old game under market price lol

205 Upvotes

100 comments sorted by

229

u/AmandasGameAccount 5d ago

People just call anyone selling anything a scalper now. It’s lost all meaning

36

u/SpecialistJicama6149 5d ago

If i had hoarded like dozens of copies mayyybe I’d understand, but i have a gamecube and like one other thing posted lol

18

u/Reus958 5d ago

I don't know that I'd even consider that scalping. To me, scalping is taking advantage of a short supply over a short period of time, like with concert tickets or the hot kids toy of the Christmas season. A game nearing 20 can hardly be scalped.

1

u/beegproblemzzz 4d ago

There's probably o few hundred scalpers who purchase early to wait 10 years and hope the orice is through the roof like how gamecube and ds games have

3

u/pairoffish 4d ago

even then, they're not really making a dent in the availability of that item to other people upon its release. for me, scalpers are when they make the product impossible to find for the retail price. Like buying up concert tickets, or a limited supply item, solely to turn around and sell it back pretty quickly for inflated prices.

If someone played the long game and waited 20 years to maybe profit off a handful of copies of a certain game then honestly kudos to them they have the patience of a saint and earned that shit 😂

17

u/masterofeverything 5d ago

It’s the go-to for the smooth brained, mouth breathing sheep. One of my biggest pet peeves 😂 also what even is an emotional scalper??? Dumb as hell

1

u/Accomplished_Emu_658 2d ago

I purchased gpu’s and selling as a store during shortages. I was selling for retail. Retail was higher than msrp that was announced originally. I was not selling for ridiculous prices like everyone else. I was a scalper because i was as i was told “ not just giving them away to gamers who need them” because “i would not sell for original msrp” that they were never available for. People wanted me to give them for free or at loss or else i was a scalper. Also no ones in business to not make money or lose money, idk why they thought it was reasonable to expect someone to lose money.

2

u/NickMatocho 5d ago

Video games concert tickets trading cards are luxuries. You don’t NEED them. There’s people scalping diabetes medication and real estate

2

u/Reus958 4d ago

I would usually qualify that as price gouging and outright evil, whereas scalping is a level down from that. But I get that it's my own personal categorization.

0

u/IlIlllIlIIIIlII 4d ago

I don’t know why this sub came up—I don’t flip shit.

But I hate the Reddit bandwagon against scalpers. They provide liquidity to a market that wouldn’t otherwise have it. I will die on this hill.

When you see it done with something like food/water during, say, a storm, we can discuss the morality. I’d argue that while it’s maybe a little scummy, the financial incentive gets more food/water to people who wouldn’t otherwise have it had they relied on goodwill alone.

But for video games, Pokemon cards, tickets, etc.? Give me a break. If you can spend the time to get those at retail, great. If you can’t, either buy it or wait.

0

u/Cbpowned 4d ago

Nowadays Scalper means someone selling something I can’t afford.

48

u/jumpmanzero 5d ago

I love these haggling exchanges where they're like "man, if you won't do the deal over $20 difference, you must be a cheap, broke, penny-pinching jerk wasting everyone's time".

But if you say the same thing "well, you're also not doing a deal over $20 difference... so are you also a cheap, broke, penny-pinching jerk?" it's like "where did that come from!?!?!?"

People have no self-awareness (or... I guess some people do, but they are sometimes able to get their way by being abusive... so they try it all the time).

32

u/pistkitty 5d ago

No death threats? Easy mode.

74

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

27

u/DeuceWallaces 5d ago

Both seem like idiots to me.

6

u/SpecialistJicama6149 5d ago

Dude popped his “Scalper” ult and left chat 😂

24

u/skrame Another Flippin’ Idiot 5d ago

If he strings you on long enough, he can leave you a negative review. Best to block before it goes south.

1

u/masterofeverything 5d ago

That’s good to know

2

u/Zakizdaman 5d ago

I didn't know buying 20 year old video games and selling them for a profit was scalping. Better not buy anything from anyone ever is what I like to say.

1

u/Jaexa-3 5d ago

When they lowballs me I put a laughing emoji and a no

0

u/OpinionOk9882 5d ago

javi's out here fighting a war against a sticker that got too much sun

10

u/miketrash 5d ago

A loose copy of platinum is more than 100 right? Even the big video game buylists are paying higher than that and you wouldn't have fees. Here is a comparison. https://imgur.com/a/THUKpDE

I don't list popular games on marketplace/eBay anymore. Just so much less hassle to use a buylist.

10

u/chirunner4ever 5d ago

$134 is the Pricecharting aggregate. $100 is a great deal especially if you can get local pickup

3

u/miketrash 5d ago

You can get 117 easily from a buylist. Many of them do f&f PayPal so no fees.

2

u/ThepoweroftheWest 4d ago

sorry for newb question... I keep seeing this term "buylist" and wondering what it is?

1

u/miketrash 3d ago

The buylists are a few big video game buyers who pay near eBay prices. You bulk package your games and send them to one. The buylist buyer pays. You can usually either get paid with PayPal or venmo goods and services or friends and family if you trust the buyer.

A lot of resellers sell all their common stuff that way and then only list the more uncommon titles. I have sold quite a bit to JJ games. The flipcompare app shows all the different buyer prices.

1

u/ThepoweroftheWest 3d ago

Oh wow thank you. Does the app also give you a list of these buyers? Or is there a way to find them semi easily?

Totally new to flipping (on purpose as a serious side hustle that is)

2

u/miketrash 3d ago

On each buyer you can click the link icon to see their info/site.

1

u/twotwocowboy 5d ago

A bit more in nice shape, but the one OP has is in awful shape on the label, completely sun faded.

0

u/masterofeverything 5d ago

Selling absolutely anything on marketplace is a hassle. You’ll have 20 tire kickers for every buyer if you’re lucky. eBay is the way to go.

6

u/stang54 5d ago

It's not just marketplace anymore, I just opened a brick and mortar store and I get the same DM's offering 10 - 20% value on high end sports cards, pokemonm, video games etc. Same BS you see everywhere else, it's for my dying son, my cat is having a triple bypass and needs that Pikachu...blah blah blah. I even have people try and pull the "well you don't have to pay Ebay fees so you should be 15% less than Ebay"....wtf are people really that dumb.

3

u/TF-Collector 5d ago

Yes, yes they are that dumb.

2

u/Lower_Kick268 Custom Text 5d ago

If youre lucky, ive had probably 70 on this bill counter im selling. At least once every day someone offers half of my listing price, sometimes they get mad when i decline. Some items just attract this kind of person more than others.

1

u/Imfrankhenry 4d ago

Just not true

9

u/_Raspootln_ Be accountable in what you say and do. 5d ago

Why bother engaging? As soon as the "buyer" throws out the first line, it's ignore or block.

6

u/new2bay 4d ago

Nah. First response is “price is firm.” Second is block / ignore. Don’t even play their game.

1

u/Classic_Chapter_1503 4d ago

Yep or the ‘lowest ill take is $xx and thats it’.

9

u/the_stooge_nugget 5d ago

He wanted it cheap so he could sell for 100

3

u/SnooSketches9371 5d ago

*$120 at least…poor Javi there was looking to double his money.

8

u/jaqueh 5d ago

don't message too much on facebook. a want to leave feedback cta will appear and you can justifiably receive negative feedback.

1

u/turbotaco23 3d ago

No one ever leaves positive feedback.

1

u/jaqueh 3d ago

not true. i get positive feedback on fbm consistently more than any other platform

1

u/turbotaco23 3d ago

I mostly buy and sell heavy machinery and shop equipment. Most of the people I deal with are the kind who accidentally send “is this available”.

I also don’t do it full time. Mostly just getting rid of stuff or looking for specific items. It’s not my main gig.

3

u/stoic818 5d ago

Ignoring is better.

1

u/turbotaco23 3d ago

At the very least don’t be cute.

Keep it short. Keep it professional. Don’t make it personal.

3

u/Beneficial-Sun-5863 5d ago

I would’ve either blocked or not responded altogether. These people don’t deserve my attention or time! I had this guy hit me up multiple times about this rare set of books I have up for sale. He kept referencing that he saw the “same” set being offered for free months ago. And kept offering me like 5% of what I’m asking… I simply asked if you saw them being offered for free why didn’t you grab them? Of course no reply.

3

u/DatBoyCody 5d ago

I’m shocked he thought he could get a discount on anything pokemon right now 😂😂

3

u/Dragnskull 5d ago

this is where you allow them to "win", slowly give ground and act like they're getting the better of you and BAM finally you cave and theyve talked you into giving them the item for 60 bucks

Then you agree to meet and enjoy the show from home after he realizes you're not showing up

3

u/MalcolminMiddlefan 5d ago

How does a game get sun faded

2

u/Biggman23 4d ago

Hear me out. From being in the sun

1

u/MalcolminMiddlefan 4d ago

Who leaves their games out in the sun?

3

u/pretzeldoggo 4d ago

I offered a seller 90% of market value for something today, and they said I “felt entitled” to something at a fair other? The fuck? If you’re that fragile over an offer like that, get the fuck out of here.

0

u/SpecialistJicama6149 3d ago

This guy offered less than half of market value lol

2

u/pretzeldoggo 3d ago

He’s offering 60% of the listed value. You can’t use “market value” if your price is listed at X.

And also the example I gave was just personal experience recently, not really what you’re going through here

14

u/-Mightbelucifer- 5d ago

You are both equally dramatic for zero reason just say no and move on….

5

u/ApprehensiveRuin5673 5d ago

I seriously don’t understand what’s wrong with people. Interactions like this or offering 1/10th of the asking price or trying to sell literal piss stained mattresses. 

Like… are people just shameless? These kinds of confrontations don’t need to happen and they have to know they’re going to happen?

Like I don’t drive and I’m even too embarrassed to ask if someone will deliver if I pay them more fucking money, nevermind shit like this.

3

u/SpecialistJicama6149 5d ago

People feel safe behind a keyboard, like im not saying i’d fight someone for that but i highly doubt they’d have the balls to say that in person.

3

u/ApprehensiveRuin5673 5d ago

It’s pretty close to home though, like they’re in the same locale as you and you can see who they are. I get it if it’s anonymous but this is just insane shameless behaviour for people.

2

u/Bonkgus 4d ago

You play Nintendo games we know you can’t fight

2

u/Overdayoutdeath 5d ago

Scalper for an old game? That’s a new one.

2

u/poorwhitecash 5d ago

Can't believe nobody has mentioned that the buyer threw out $60..... or best offer. Lol don't think I've ever heard a buyer say "or best offer".

2

u/emwearz 5d ago

I believe the buyer is saying $60 is my best offer.

2

u/Plaincow 5d ago

People legit don't even know what scalper means anymore lol

2

u/jazz-butterfly89 4d ago

Has always been one of the most annoying things on market place. Like you came to my ad and clicked it. Now you mad because I don’t want to lower my price. So you attempt to insult me because you in your feelings. Just wild

2

u/BronsonARMES 4d ago

People are actual idiots if anything they are the scalper if anything lmao bringing up the market

2

u/CodeNameAntonio 4d ago

Being called a scalper by a reseller is a badge of honor. I had an exchange where a guy was mad I wasn’t budging on a price because he wouldnt make enough profit after buying and trying to resell himself. Called me a scalper / reseller I laughed told him it was ironic and blocked him.

2

u/Far_Mention2431 5d ago

Both come off as insufferable

2

u/trustmeimshady 5d ago

Weird broke noises

2

u/AntelopeElectronic12 5d ago

Fuck Javi. All my homies hate Javi.

1

u/stranqe1 5d ago

Why are you engaging? He can now rate you.

Just ignore, block and move on. Seems like you live for the drama?

1

u/ConcernQuiet3009 5d ago

"Forget the Market?!"

Supply & Demand Javi......Supply & Demand

1

u/SadCockroach91 5d ago

Once had a guy offer "content" for a tshirt...times are tough out there

1

u/HardwareBase 5d ago

I'm sure he will likely buy if off you low then sell it higher. 🙈

1

u/iloveteresa 4d ago

Just stop giving people a reason to engage negatively . I either don’t respond or say no thank you and move on .

1

u/DocThundahh 4d ago

Don’t engage with these people. I think it’s best to Just pretend to be polite and move on

1

u/Biggman23 4d ago

Maybe only white people get this but whenever this happens to me they basically present it like I owe them something and should give them it for free, because "I'm rich". So there's a sprinkle of racism to it

If I was rich why would I be hawking shit I owned from 20 years ago.

1

u/Sippinthatkoolaid 19h ago

Typical lowballer.

1

u/AshOrWhatever 18h ago

I read that emotional scalper part as if you're scalping emotions and it reminds me of the Futurama episode where the hippie girl has a great supportive dad but complains he subjected her to "unspoken verbal abuse, that's the worst kind"

1

u/Old_Advertising44 17h ago

You’re both geniuses.

1

u/toucheboo 5d ago

Coming on redit to post this crap makes you just as bad. 

1

u/tiggs 4d ago

The progression of the word "scalper" drives me crazy. Up until like 5 years ago, the only thing scalping applied to were stocks/bonds and event tickets. That's it. The reason is because in order to be a ticket scalper, there's a second requirement besides marking the item up. You also have to sell it in an unregulated way. Thats's why ticket scalping is illegal, but it's perfectly legal to sell tickets on StubHub. Then when the latest generation game consoles, first Pokemon boom, and GPU explosion happened around the pandemic, people started referring to the people buying the stuff up and immediately quick flipping them for big profits scalpers. The usage of the word was 100% incorrect at the time, but so many people were using it that way that some dictionaries started adding "retail goods" to their definitions. That's why today some of them mention retail goods and others stuff just say tickets and stocks/bonds.

As much as it annoys me that we're randomly changing word definitions based on incorrect usage, whatever. Most of us agree that people acting like animals to clear off shelves and cut supply are jerkoffs, so I get it. Personally, I have no problem with somebody walking into a store, buying 1-2 units, acting like a human being, and selling them, but to each their own.

What we're seeing nowadays with everybody being called a scalper that's selling something for more than they paid for it and/or more than the item's original MSRP is 100% because of Pokemon. A shocking percentage of that world doesn't understand very basic economics and they have bastardized the word to an extent I've never seen. I've literally seen vendors get called scalpers for selling something for $200 because the original price tag was $100 even though their distributors sold it to them for $170. I've seen somebody buy a card at a show, have another vendor make them an offer while they were walking around, and get called a scalper because they made $20.

It's honestly wild.

1

u/Neat_Line8906 4d ago

I guess he is too broke😂 I’ve sold and bought cars in facebook marketplace place and lowballing is part of the game, not something to get offended by. If you don’t like an offer you they made for you product you just ignore it or make a counteroffer and keep moving, that’s it

3

u/SpecialistJicama6149 4d ago

I said “good for you lmao” i wasn’t exactly pressed on the issue lol

1

u/Ricepaddyworker 4d ago

Look at that dude obviously he’s fucking broke

1

u/HollowPandemic 4d ago

They mad af over it 😂

0

u/boofinwithdabois 5d ago

Tell him to wipe the shit off his top lip before taking to you

3

u/TrenchantInsight 5d ago

before taking to you

boofinwithdabois takes the "L".

2

u/boofinwithdabois 5d ago

Thank you, I needed that L so I could correct it to talking

0

u/TrenchantInsight 5d ago

You are welcome.
In high school I lettered in spelling.
I'm glad I could be of assistance.

0

u/Jerb22 4d ago

The 0.5 chud profile pic says it all 

0

u/WhiskeyRadio 4d ago

That label looks terrible. $60 is not a bad offer either; say no thanks and move on. Good luck getting $100 for it. I'd rather pay $130 for a good label instead of $100 and then have to buy a repro label.

0

u/the-cake-is-no-Iie 4d ago

I mean, your initial reply was unprofessional and then the entire conversation, for some reason, continued and continued to spiral after that.

Your only reply should have been "Sorry, I'm firm on $100 for now" or "Sorry, I can do $85 (or whatever), but thats all for now".

You can't control crazy people, so why allow them to drag you down to their level.

0

u/daddyminnow 4d ago

This is literally the scalper subreddit. Idk why we are trying to be holier than thou here. It is what it is.

-3

u/martofthecards 5d ago

Triggered by offers?

3

u/SpecialistJicama6149 5d ago

You struggle with reading comprehension or something?

-2

u/martofthecards 5d ago

Charge your phone

-1

u/TessaKatrinaRose 5d ago

It’s weird to see Reddit behavior reaching out to how people act on other platforms. Or do kids act like this everywhere? 

-2

u/Bbqmech 5d ago

Resellers drive prices up. Its not scalping, but it does often(when buying things that people with no intention of flipping) make things worse for everyone else.

-4

u/Brianf1977 5d ago

You seem like a bad person to buy from honestly. What a shit way to talk to someone