i think it is worth mentioning that the best buy example is not really representative. there is a big difference between exchanging your spot in line w someone else and then going home vs having 5 buddies join you in line at the last minute.
the former does not negatively affect those in line behind you, whereas the latter certainly does.
Very true. Not an apples to apples compare.
I don't see anyone going to Best Buy in the wee hours of black friday to get a top spot in line, and then trying to sell that spot to someone. Not a very profitable one-and-done kind of market.
I used to work in the ticket broker industry in the late 90's. It can be very lucrative.
It is very much a haves and have nots kind of industry. But I still think it's funny when people get upset about it.
Event tickets are for entertainment. Hence, they are, at their essence, a luxury purchase.
Getting mad about ticket prices is just jealousy plain and simple. I'm sorry some people can't afford to go to a concert or pro sporting event. But it's a business. And the market demand determines the value, which influences the prices. That's basic capitalism. It's not predatory. No one is forced to buy anything.
Now, when it comes to the monopolistic greed machine that is
TicketMaster, I am wholeheartedly on the side of the consumer.
Tickets would be half the price if they went away (or at least down some %, which meant more went to the artist). And I am completely for that. Companies like that are the real enemies.
If you eliminated them, the base prices of tix would go way down, the local availability of tix could improve, and many more regular folks could afford to go.
But the music industry, for example, has grown accustomed to being able to sell out entire tours before it even starts. So they rely on that to make their scheduling easier, their budgeting easier, basically all aspects of a tour can be predetermined when they can go to one resource online and know how much money they're going to make. And because of that influence the record labels and music industry leaders have, they want TicketMaster around. They very much prefer it. So I hate it when I hear anyone bashing the brokerage industry simply because they couldn't afford to go see their favorite artist when they come to town. The scalpers would be present at any level of that market. So I just think those people don't really know how the industry works when they lash out at scalpers.
Anyway, just my two sats.