Resellers and scalpers: discussion welcomed!

[EngineeringPreparedness]

Gents and ladies,

I’m new to GECs and the wildly different pricing associated with them from MSRP to secondary. I’m probably 3 months into it and have amassed a pretty decent collection. I have paid markup on a few knives, but nothing exorbitant like Ebay sellers charge (with the exception of two knives). I don’t mind paying some folks $50-$100 over MSRP, especially for knives way beyond production schedules. I just don’t like the prices that are 3-5x the original price.

Caveat: I’m a huge huge watch collector and not immune to secondary price markups. I just have never paid 200% over retail for a watch.

With that being said, is my frustration with scalper level knife prices warranted? I get that some people make a living buying and reselling, but I feel like the hardcore flippers are ruining the hobby.

What say you all? Am I wrong for loathing scalpers and flippers?

 

[Danke42]

Flippers ruined the hobby years ago. A lot of people thought if prices went up it would deter the flippers. I wasn't one of them.

Your best bet is to build relationships on the porch here.

 

[SharpBits]

Flippers, gatekeepers, & speculators poison every hobby.

 

[DennisM]

Damn! You and I voiced our frustration about the same time. I am going to delete my post because I didn't see your post until after I hit post.

My rant below:

Scalpers ... PISS ME THE F OFF!

Don't you just friggen hate it when a drop comes along for something with limited supply that you've been wanting, but it all gets gobbled up by azzholes whose sole intention is not too keep but to resell at an inflated price. Sporting events and concerts are the worst, but I've also seen that happen several times on our knife exchange. The worst are the people that don't even have the items in hand yet soliciting what they can leverage out of the people who really wanted to get the item for themselves in the first place. Thanks friend! Scammers and scalpers ruin the trust of allot of honest members here.

Rant over!

 

[Blues]

The worst are the people that don't even have the items in hand yet soliciting what they can leverage out of the people who really wanted to get the item for themselves in the first place.

It violates the rules of the Exchange to attempt selling something which one does not possess.

Make a report if someone attempts to do so and we will help brighten their day for them.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I've clicked on the email notification minutes after receiving the email only to find the entire stock is sold out. I can't tell if that's one person buying the entire stock, if people have some kind of automated buying software, or someone at the retailer is letting someone know they are in stock ahead of time. Either way I've never seen a GEC for sale that wasn't a resale. So I ended up paying twice retail for the one and only GEC I will probably ever own.

 

[Snacktime]

I use to flip knives, still do here and there if I can make enough to cover keeping one. I got into flipping by accident, I would jump on so many pre-buys that some times I would score a knife and other times I would get 4-5 knives. I don't dabble in GEC knives, I got a feeling that there is some insider crap going on at these larger warehouse. How else are people affording so many knives lol.

 

[SharpBits]

Lots of automated buying out there. Some GEC dealers have a list of known buyers and all their stock is essentially pre-sold. Good luck getting on the list. It's not just outsiders flipping to rubes.