Scalping

[javasaurus]

While looking for information regarding ticket scalping laws in Maryland (see my previous post about the panda cub tix on ebay), I came across a lot of anti-scalping-law articles, arguing for free market, and saying there were no good reasons for anti-scalping laws, blah blah.

One of the best comments against anti-scalping laws was along the following lines: Why should selling hard-to-get items at high prices be illegal for tickets, but not for beanie babies?

I hate scalping (for profit -- I see nothing wrong with reselling tickets at cost if you find you can't see an event). But I have trouble justifying why it is wrong, or even immoral. Yes, it may mean that only people with loads of cash get good seats (or any seats) at an event. It may mean that a small number of people with nothing better to do than stand in line make a boatload of cash (which they may or may not pay taxes on, but that's another issue). But it's not life necessities, so you don't have the water and gas gouging during disaster type issues.

So why is scalping wrong, and why do I hate it so?

Feel free to comment.

Oh, found this at ebay: "There are no ticket reselling restrictions for residents of Maryland for any tickets bought or sold to events taking place in Maryland."

link to article with beanie reference -- note, the author is not as young as his picture suggests...

Comments

[dacuteturtle.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, a difficult problem. The sticky thing is, both sides are right in their views.

For those who make profits, their lack of imagination in maximizing their own profits is their own fault. They can sell their tickets for a higher price, should they choose. The superbowl can "dutch auction" their tickets, insuring that those who bid highest get the best seats. However, nothing will ever stop the trade in tickets, as ticket value changes over time. If you want a last minute ticket, what does it's worth become? Ah, that's the sticky problem. In the end, any mis-pricing that the venue does of their own tickets is their own fault.

For those who give away tickets, they have every right to make trade in their tickets unworthwhile. They can't remove all value from their tickets, but they can discourage those who would grab tickets that otherwise should be free for other people. That's about all that they can do. The zoo should hold firm to the precedent that they are setting. If they want a blind and fair distribution of tickets, they need to insure that resellers who would organize mass-grabs of the tickets for resale are not rewarded.

I think that the problem comes in when the resellers get too efficient, and the ordinary person can't get tickets at the box office price. This results in sold-out shows with empty seats. This screws up a company's business plan. At what point do you call it racketeering? At what point do the resale ticket prices give your show a bad reputation? At what point does scalping turn away customers to your venue, and loose you secondary monies, like concession sales or parking fees?