I sold a ticket on ebay - Am I bad??

[brejc]

I paid for a U2 membership and got me San Diego GAs for the opening night.

I bought San Jose and Philadelphia GAs during the General Sale hoping I could go to those too.

I'm a student paying many expenses and could not possible afford all these trips... I live in Toronto!

I am flying down and staying at a hotel for 3 nights with my brother.

So I sold the 2 pairs of tickets on eBay and made enought to pay off our trip.

I find what I did is not wrong at all, as I"m still spending the money in order to see U2.

I don't feel like I"m ripping anybody off, because I never held a gun to anyone's head, I'm sure that whoever buys tickets on eBay HAS the money to spend that much.

Hell, when I"m out of school and making a 100 grand a year, i"ll buy MSG tickets for 2 grand too!

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

when apple slapped the U2 logo onto the ipod and jacked up the price, no one said a word. U2 fans climbed all over themselves to get it - and the band profited from it.

would you say then, that the band's morals were compromised? they did, after all, "play no role in the creation of a product" and "charged more for it", thus, "making money they didn't do anything to earn."

they could have easily said, "oh that's just wrong, charging more because our logo's on it." but they didn't. instead, they arranged a nice little package of songs for even more money.

seems to me, if anyone's into ripping off U2 fans these days, it's the band itself.

it's slightly off topic, but i just wanted to throw that one out there.

Saying that it's morally quesitonable for them to charge more for a U2 ipod is like saying it's morally questionable for them to charge more for a t-shirt that has "U2" written on it. You could argue that it is. But in any case, the relationship U2 has their name and putting it on products (and putting their songs in commercials for those products) is far closer than any connection a scalper has with the tickets they sell. U2 is adding value to a product by putting their name on it. A scalper is adding value to a ticket by...the ticket continuing to exist? Or...what, exactly? You could argue that U2 are still ripping fans off, but I think that situation is fundamentally different than scalping.

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

I find what I did is not wrong at all, as I"m still spending the money in order to see U2.

Um, what? That's a noble use for your profits, but I don't see how that at all justifies scalping, since scalping hurts U2 fans, not U2.

And, like I said, I'm sure the people who paid for your tickets had the money to pay for them. Unfortunately, it wasn't up to you to raise the price of the tickets (and prevent people who should have been able to afford them from doing so) after the band already decided what the prices should be.

Also, if you can't afford the trips without scalping...don't go. Again, that's a fine use for your money, but it doesn't justify scalping in my mind.

I have to say I find it pretty shocking that so many U2 fans think scalping is ok. I don't want to be too preachy...everyone's entitled to their opinion. But every other fan community I've been a part of really frowns upon it, so this just really surprises me. Anyway.

 

[Liesje]

when apple slapped the U2 logo onto the ipod and jacked up the price, no one said a word. U2 fans climbed all over themselves to get it - and the band profited from it.

would you say then, that the band's morals were compromised? they did, after all, "play no role in the creation of a product" and "charged more for it", thus, "making money they didn't do anything to earn."

they could have easily said, "oh that's just wrong, charging more because our logo's on it." but they didn't. instead, they arranged a nice little package of songs for even more money.

I agree, I posted numerous times that it sounded quite backward that a lot of people on this board were pissed when that car company wanted to use Streets in their ad, but when Apple used U2 on their iPod and THEIR commercials, everyone was like "ooooo, ipods are sooooo cooooooool *drool*".

 

[Brianga26]

U2 brought IPOD's further in the mainstream..and we all bought the U2 edition.. (well everyone but me!)

 

[MrBrau1]

I buy beer for $10 a case and sell it to underage kids for $50. Fuck the law. It's capitalism at it's best.

 

[beegee]

Saying that it's morally quesitonable for them to charge more for a U2 ipod is like saying it's morally questionable for them to charge more for a t-shirt that has "U2" written on it.

t-shirts aren't fifty dollars more because they have U2 written on them.

A scalper is adding value to a ticket by...the ticket continuing to exist?

yes, exactly. how many fans who didn't get tickets have i heard say, "thank god i can still get them from ebay, ticket agencies, etc..."

You could argue that U2 are still ripping fans off, but I think that situation is fundamentally different than scalping.

the only difference is the product being sold. making a buck is making a buck, no matter who's doing it.

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

t-shirts aren't fifty dollars more because they have U2 written on them.

No, they're just $20 more...

yes, exactly. how many fans who didn't get tickets have i heard say, "thank god i can still get them from ebay, ticket agencies, etc..."

Really? I've heard a lot more fans say something like "shit, I didn't get tickets. Now I'll have to pay a billion dollars to get them from scalpers or ticket brokers." If a scalper sells a ticket for face value, people still have the option of buying tickets after the show is sold out. Only this time, for a fair price.

the only difference is the product being sold. making a buck is making a buck, no matter who's doing it.

Fine, then it's the same, and U2 are wrong in this instance. Still think scalping's wrong, too.

 

[beegee]

cool. i respect your opinion. i don't want to argue it anymore.

wanna buy a ticket?

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

cool. i respect your opinion. i don't want to argue it anymore.

lol. Same here. Cheers.

wanna buy a ticket?
[/B]

Haha. No thanks.

 

[Bonochick]

I agree, I posted numerous times that it sounded quite backward that a lot of people on this board were pissed when that car company wanted to use Streets in their ad, but when Apple used U2 on their iPod and THEIR commercials, everyone was like "ooooo, ipods are sooooo cooooooool *drool*".

Personally, I could care less if U2 uses songs are in ads. I don't go for that "sellout" crap.

I always thought iPods were cool...I'd wanted one for a very long time but had a hard time justifying the cost. But when the U2 one came out, it was like, now THERE'S a reason to get one. I still didn't have that kind of money though, but thanks to my generous family chipping in to get me the perfect Christmas gift and donations from people at the Ryan Adams message board (which I didn't have to beg for...another person started a fund for me, which was so unexpected and awesome), I not only got the U2 iPod but awesome accessories as well, like kickass speakers.

If there hadn't been a U2 iPod, I'd still be iPod-less, so...woohay for the U2 iPod!

 

[indra]

Perhaps I'm weird, but I really don't mind scalping. I despise people who download illegally or buy cds, burn them or rip them to their pc, and then re-sell them -- thus depriving the artist of the money which would be made had the second buyer purchased a new copy (I don't mind someone selling a cd they just don't like or don't listen to anymore, but they shouldn't copy the damned thing before selling it). And I don't really mind people selling out of print cd's either as the artist isn't going to be making a profit on it no matter what.

My reasoning? The artist has already made the profit from the tickets. Events that don't sell out or nearly sell out don't attract scalpers (trust me, there are no scalpers at shows by The Church ). The fans will make their own choices about what is a price they are willing to pay. If few fans were willing to pay inflated prices for the tickets scalping with virtually stop, but there is a market for it.

I don't think scalpers should have any greater access to tickets than anyone else, and if a band wishes to put in measures to reduce the sale of tickets to scalpers, that's also fine with me. But if some guy is able to get a few tickets he wants to sell and someone else is willing to pay more than face value for them...I don't ave a problem with it.

 

[matt76]

I have to say I find it pretty shocking that so many U2 fans think scalping is ok. I don't want to be too preachy...everyone's entitled to their opinion. But every other fan community I've been a part of really frowns upon it, so this just really surprises me. Anyway. [/B][/QUOTE]

There are two types of scalping though really aren't there?? There is the type where somene is buying 10+ tickets and selling them on as a business to make money out of fans. Then there is the scalping that some of us here are talking about.. Selling a ticket or two even there to make some money. I understand you can frown at that. At "real" scalping I think you have every right to go nuts and be really pissed off.

I think most people on Interference (who post) will all say they are against Scalping. In reality there are loads of people scalping who are part of interference.com. You will never get them to admit it though.. I personally wish I did not have to sell the tickets I had, but what choice did I have. Either I Miss seing my favourite band, or I go.. Pretty easy choice that!!

 

[matt76]

Hey, I said it was "EXTREME"!

I don't care if you're using the money to go watch U2 or to go buy drugs. It doesn't matter what you do with the profit. The action to gain that profit is still that of a scalper. It's not like you're making a business out of it or anything though...I'm not getting down on you personally, I'm just tossing out my two cents, as message board people like to do oh so very much.

Yesh fair enough, I really do respect your opinions..

Btw it was a confessional, so at heart I no I am a sinner!!

 

[Rono]

I am thinking about selling two Amsterdam tickets and a Brussel ticket through Ebay. I was the one that sit outside for 14 hours, in the freezing cold to get the tickets so why not get some extra for it.

 

[bsp77]

oh please with this. WHY is it bad to sell them for prices that people are willing to pay? please, give me a real answer. you have a product people want. you decide to make a profit. more power to you, i say. i have an extra GA for the opening night. after reading this, i think i'm going to look into ebay. i wasn't going to, but this irritated me. three hundred extra dollars would set me up real nice down there in san diego. no one is twisting anyone's arms out of their sockets to buy these tickets.

start that thread, matt. i'll proudly post in it.

It very simple why it is bad. You have people purposefully buying tickets just to sell them at higher prices. This makes it harder for honest buyers to get the tickets when they go on sale. They are then forced to pay higher prices to go see the concert that they have their hearts set on. Clearly this is wrong. Anybody who argues that I am wrong here is just being an ass about it.

Now, all of sudden realizing you have an extra ticket is a different story, although you should sell at retail.

 

[all_i_want]

I am thinking about selling two Amsterdam tickets and a Brussel ticket through Ebay. I was the one that sit outside for 14 hours, in the freezing cold to get the tickets so why not get some extra for it.

well why did you buy them if you werent gonna use them?

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

There are two types of scalping though really aren't there?? There is the type where somene is buying 10+ tickets and selling them on as a business to make money out of fans. Then there is the scalping that some of us here are talking about.. Selling a ticket or two even there to make some money. I understand you can frown at that. At "real" scalping I think you have every right to go nuts and be really pissed off.

I think most people on Interference (who post) will all say they are against Scalping. In reality there are loads of people scalping who are part of interference.com. You will never get them to admit it though.. I personally wish I did not have to sell the tickets I had, but what choice did I have. Either I Miss seing my favourite band, or I go.. Pretty easy choice that!!

I'd agree that there is a bit of a distinction between people who scalp as a business and people who sell extra tickets they ended up with for proft. In a way, the second one isn't as bad because at least the person didn't buy the tickets for the purpose of scalping. But I still think they're both wrong. Regardless of how they ended up with the ticket, a fan still has no right to raise the price of the ticket and to profit from it. And, frankly, on a gut level it bothers me even more that fans would do this. I don't expect much from professional scalpers- I expect more from U2 fans. And maybe a lot of U2 fans do scalp. That would disturb me, but it wouldn't change how I feel about scalping. Just because a lot of people do something doesn't make it right.

And, sorry, I'm unimpressed by the argument that you "had no choice" because you couldn't go if you didn't scalp. That's like me saying I had no choice but to sell drugs because without that money, I couldn't have bought that nice Prada bag. I realize that analogy's a bit dramatic, but my point is that you can't use the ends to justify the means. You had a choice: not to go to the show. You don't have some fundamental right to see a U2 show. If the only way you can afford to see a show is to rip off other fans (see my posts above for why I think you are ripping off fans by scalping), then don't go[i/]. I don't think you're a "bad" person for doing what you did, but I still think you made a bad choice.

 

[anitram]

I'm not particularly bothered by people selling their tickets for whatever reason.

But I really don't get the idea that scalping is okay because you needed to finance your own trip.

Hello? Nobody has to travel thousands of miles to see a show. It's some weird sense of entitlement, that's for sure.

 

[indra]

I'm not particularly bothered by people selling their tickets for whatever reason.

But I really don't get the idea that scalping is okay because you needed to finance your own trip.

Hello? Nobody has to travel thousands of miles to see a show. It's some weird sense of entitlement, that's for sure.

Dublin to Paris is only a few hundred miles, isn't it?

No one has to buy the ticket he's offering either. But someone wanted it enough to pay whatever price he charged for it. BUt I'm sure the next time he tells the reason why he sold it for higher than face value he'll be sure to say it was because he needed to buy shoes for his kids or they would have to walk to school barefoot in the snow. (You gotta learn how to phrase these things matt76! )

 

[Sicy]

I was going to sell my extra tickets on ebay (face value) but luckily someone from this forum bought them.

 

[anitram]

Dublin to Paris is only a few hundred miles, isn't it?

I wasn't talking about him, but the guy financing his trip from Toronto-San Diego by scalping.

I dunno - I've always had extra GAs (and probably will again), but I've had no trouble whatsoever selling them for face value to people I knew or people on Interference.

To each his own.

 

[digsy]

i havent read any of the other posts in this so i dont know what sort of discussion is being had. but to answer you're original question as per the title of the post:

no

 

[Tania]

Hello? Nobody has to travel thousands of miles to see a show. It's some weird sense of entitlement, that's for sure.

Sorry, this is off topic but yes, some of us will have to travel thousands of kilometres to see a show (approx 4000). I'm thinking of selling my kidney to finance this j/k

 

[Mullen4Prez]

I don't think you are a bad person for doing this.

 

[Rono]

well why did you buy them if you werent gonna use them?

Because something else importaint showed up.