disappointed in ebay

[mayergirl]

Not meaning any offense to anyone, but I'm frankly disgusted by the people on ebay who are price gouging for MCM tickets. These are $12 tickets to a charity event, and it is simply wrong to try to charge $200 for one ticket. If I had extra tickets for which I had no need, I guarantee that I would be selling them for the purchase price plus shipping. If I was not in desperate need of 5 more tickets, I would just swear off ebay forever. It really is revolting to see people take advantage of others like this. I'll get off my soapbox now, but I'm just so disappointed.

[Ashley1972]

The tickets I got for someone are terrible(1:00) and if she decides she doesn't want them you can have them for the purchase price and shipping. I hope she was able to get online and get her own tickets. I feel awful that I got her such a bad time slot.

[MollyGirl]

I am with you. I saw them selling for $100. I guess it is like selling the AG free shipping code. Some people will do anything to make a buck but in this case, a whole bunch of bucks.

[img]eek.gif[/img] [img]eek.gif[/img] (Molly is so upset her glasses fell off.)

[jlogemann17]

In case anyone was wondering what I did with my 7:45 tickets that I was trying to decide if I wanted when I saw how much they were going for on e-bay (I had posted in another thread about maybe selling them on e-bay and wanting advice)... I sold them to a board member who graciously agreed to buy some books for me at the sale. I didn't sell them for $99 on e-bay. I feel so much better about doing it this way, too.
Jo

[prasnlrd]

WHAT!!! [img]graemlins/grrr.gif[/img] You mean people are selling MCM benefit tickets on EBAY! That is really disgusting. I remember when they were selling the code a few times. SHEESH! I bet the persons doing this are buying the ticket(s) with no intention of ever going to the sale either. How revolting! [img]graemlins/gulp.gif[/img]

[img]graemlins/island.gif[/img] [img]frown.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/island.gif[/img]

[Ashley1972]

Jo, I bet it was tempting to sell them on ebay so you could buy more AG stuff. I'd rather sell them to someone who agreed to pick something up for me, too.

[LindaL]

I'll admit I find it amusing that the people in charge of the MCM sale are so worried about people reselling items bought at the MCM sale, but then the tickets are resold at close to 10 times the original price for the good times.

Mayergirl - Were you unable to get online Saturday morning? Or did you already get some tickets, and still need 5 more?

And, without meaning to offend fellow board members who are reselling these tickets for a huge profit, I, too, am shocked at the prices some of these tickets are listed and selling for on ebay. But, on the other hand, the sellers aren't forcing anyone to pay those prices, either. The buyers are choosing to pay those prices.

Edited to add: Sheila, yes, some of the tickets for early times have sold for $150 each! And I've seen one listing asking $250 per ticket. The tickets have always shown up on ebay, but it seems, at least to me, that the prices for them are really high this year.

Linda

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ June 04, 2006 10:29 PM: Message edited by: LindaL ]</font>

[mayergirl]

Linda, I did get three tickets Saturday morning, but I still need five more for my family members. The bad thing is that people really aren't paying the prices. I've only seen a couple of ticket sets go, and those went for relatively reasonable prices. Despite the fact that they aren't selling, the sellers are still listing them, and not accepting any offers (why say best offer if you respond by saying you won't take anything less than the buy it now price?)

[mandasmom]

There are lots of tickets listed on ebay that aren't at inflated prices-one seller has 2 auctions of 2 tickets each for 10:45 for 34.00, including shipping, which must be very close to her actual cost. The tickets are 12.00, plus there was a convenience fee of 2.00, plus the fed ex shipping, which they inflate the price of. I know I had figured that morning tickets would average a cost of close to 20.00 each by the time it was all over.

When I looked on ebay this morning there were 88 listings for tickets (at least). People buy desirable tickets for events like concerts all of the time to resell for a profit-search Celine Dion tickets in Vegas on ebay sometime. It's hardly shocking that they are doing the same thing with the MCM sale. The thing about tickets though, is that they are a perishable item. Something highly desirable is worth zip, unsold the day after the event. Last year there was a huge rise in the amount of tickets that were bought for profit listed on ebay, and there were lots still for sale a few days before the sale. Prices became much more reasonable, and sellers who didn't lower their prices had to eat the money they had put out for the tickets when they went unsold. Don't freak-the same thing will happen again this year. Of course the sellers aren't interested in a low ball price offer-they have only had their tickets listed for 3 days and they are hoping for more-when it gets closer to the sale, they will be more cooperative. Unless you are hoping to get very early tickets (which will sell for less than sellers are trying for now, but still higher than face value) you should have no problem finding 5 tickets at a reasonable price.

Post if you want the auction number for the 10:45 tickets. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Mary Kate]

I am always surprised at the people who are willing to pay a fortune for 7am tickets. I guess they think they are "first". In reality, over 500 people shop before them.

There are always a few "rare things" there... but nothing worth sleeping overnight in a parking lot. Even if you get in the door FIRST... you have about 5 minutes before the warehouse is filled with the other 200 people with that ticket time. So you have the opportunity to check for one or two items FIRST.

The doll outfits are generally gone by 8am (but there aren't many retired outfits there anyway). The vast majority of things will still be there at 10am and 11am... when ticket prices are much more reasonable.

This whole thing is like a snowball rolling down a hill and increasing in size. When tickets became difficult to get, people attending the sale had friends try as well... and ebayed the extras. That is what let most people outside the area discover the sale (which was around 2002). Before that time it was extremely rare to find anyone from the sale outside of WI IL and MN. And yes... many of the "locals" are highly offended that many of you come in from other parts of the country. I am not one of them... but be aware the attitude exists. They are as upset at the idea of people from far away competing for tickets as many of you are at the idea of competing with resellers for tickets.

When demand increased, so did the prices. Now many ebay their extras... and many from other parts of the country buy them simply TO ebay them.

I hate the extra competition which makes it more difficult for me to get MY tickets to attend the sale... but.. it's free enterprise.

In many senses, it's no different than anything else someone wants to sell for a profit. People on this board find dolls and other AG things at thrift stores and rummage sales all the time. If they don't want it... they sell it on ebay for a profit. No one tells them "Oh you shouldn't buy that doll for $5 and ebay it for $50. You should let someone else buy it". If someone has posted "I got this great Addy for $5 and I will sell it here for $5"... I have missed it.

Afternoon tickets are STILL available. There will be plenty of dolls and furniture and goodies still available then. It also is much less crowded... and much more relaxed then.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not worth getting so upset and stressed... honest.

Mary Kate