Scalping at retail - The UK Retailer that tried to charge £3000 for an RTX 3080 Ti...

[AngryGoldfish]

I don't see the point in actual outrage over PC components, they're essentially a luxory item. This behaviour will continue as long as there's more demand than supply. I see scalpers more as an option for people with more money than sense (or patience). Nobody is forced to buy GPUs, and there's a massive backlog of games which don't require current generation hardware.

Then again, I'm quite happy with my current setup, I guess I might be more miffed if that wasn't the case.

But from the way I see it, that logic only takes you so far. An inability to control spending can be considered a mental disorder by some psychologists. 5.8% of US citizens are reported to have a form of this. Obviously not all desperate gamers have a mental disorder, but the point is, taking advantage of desperation is like charging $5 for 100ml of water during a drought to impoverished children. To a hypothetical 'first world person', a new GPU might be all that they have to feel happy, even for a moment. Someone works gruelling office hrs and is in debt to an Audi dealership and to the bank for their £300k flat in London. They take steroids to look better and drink caffeine to stay awake. He's miserable until he gets a dopamine rush after buying. Or you've got streamers who are desperate for the a new GPU in order to wow their dwindling audience and garner a few more subscribers. Or you've got people who do nothing but play video games. They live off social welfare in their parent's house and save every little penny they have on gaming. It's all they have and all they are.

All these scenarios could be considered cases of extreme unhappiness and desperation. These are potential candidates for buying a GPU for £3k. CCL and others are taking advantage of that. Maybe it's a bit extreme of me to say, but it feels like we're approaching the stages of selling a model phone to a kid with autism in the corridor at school. Or selling water at exorbitant prices in drought. Sure, there's a shortage, but selling it at a gross profit causes desperate people to do desperate things. It then becomes a social issue. It's not JUST "people with more money than sense (or patience)". There's more to it than that I think.

 

[KingNosser]

Tbh I'm as sickened by the retailer as much as i am Nvidia, the price is already a rip off and then the AIB's and retailers on top make it pointless to ever want one.

I got my monitor from them it was actually a decent price i checked all retailers when buying, but i can't support this it's disgusting, so they have lost my trade all be it little and less often i'll stick with others but i've always had a good experience with scan they are imo the best for the longest time atm.

 

[NeverBackDown]

I don't see the point in actual outrage over PC components, they're essentially a luxory item. This behaviour will continue as long as there's more demand than supply. I see scalpers more as an option for people with more money than sense (or patience). Nobody is forced to buy GPUs, and there's a massive backlog of games which don't require current generation hardware.

Then again, I'm quite happy with my current setup, I guess I might be more miffed if that wasn't the case.

You're saying this as someone who has a RTX 3080 in their signature... little ironic tbh :huh:

 

[queeg]

was going to do a full rebuild this year from a 5820k with a 1080ti but because of prices and availability plus the fans on x570 boards i havent bothered if it breaks i got a couple 980ti in cupboard or i might treat myself to the first console ive had since the ps3

 

[looz]

But from the way I see it, that logic only takes you so far. An inability to control spending can be considered a mental disorder by some psychologists. 5.8% of US citizens are reported to have a form of this. Obviously not all desperate gamers have a mental disorder, but the point is, taking advantage of desperation is like charging $5 for 100ml of water during a drought to impoverished children. To a hypothetical 'first world person', a new GPU might be all that they have to feel happy, even for a moment. Someone works gruelling office hrs and is in debt to an Audi dealership and to the bank for their £300k flat in London. They take steroids to look better and drink caffeine to stay awake. He's miserable until he gets a dopamine rush after buying. Or you've got streamers who are desperate for the a new GPU in order to wow their dwindling audience and garner a few more subscribers. Or you've got people who do nothing but play video games. They live off social welfare in their parent's house and save every little penny they have on gaming. It's all they have and all they are.

All these scenarios could be considered cases of extreme unhappiness and desperation. These are potential candidates for buying a GPU for £3k. CCL and others are taking advantage of that. Maybe it's a bit extreme of me to say, but it feels like we're approaching the stages of selling a model phone to a kid with autism in the corridor at school. Or selling water at exorbitant prices in drought. Sure, there's a shortage, but selling it at a gross profit causes desperate people to do desperate things. It then becomes a social issue. It's not JUST "people with more money than sense (or patience)". There's more to it than that I think.

I don't really get that point of view. If GPUs were all reasonably priced, they'd probably buy mechanical wrist watches - when Quartz watches are objectively better. With today's economy there will always be a way for such spenders to scratch their itch. What they need is professional help instead of the whole market to turn its course to become unhealthy spender safe.

 

[AngryGoldfish]

I don't really get that point of view. If GPUs were all reasonably priced, they'd probably buy mechanical wrist watches - when Quartz watches are objectively better. With today's economy there will always be a way for such spenders to scratch their itch. What they need is professional help instead of the whole market to turn its course to become unhealthy spender safe.

Yeah, fair point. You can't expect the whole market to do that; I can expect some of the market to do that though. With how emotionally attached people can be to gaming, in my idealistic eyes it's a prime area to not feed into people's desperation. But I can be quite naïve at times.

 

[WYP]

Have been hearing on Twitter that CCL is calling OC3D clickbaiters over this, claiming that they don't have stock to sell and that their prices were placeholders and wouldn't have been used.

Doesn't explain them hiding the prices on their site, and how they have RTX 3080 Ti product in their pre-builds. That means that they have product.

https://twitter.com/tinytomlogan/status/1400424280408707084

Shortly after TTL posted this, all of CCL's RTX 3080 Ti "Coming Soon" listings disappeared. Presumably to move product to pre-builds. If they need to save face by not selling at extortionate prices, they may as well use the cards to sell a whole system' worth of components.

These are my opinions based on how I saw things go down earlier this week. \

CCL is sending DMs to folks that ask saying bad things about us. The fact that they are not doing so publically is telling, as it prevents us from responding.

Anyways, I think that is enough insider talk for now.

 

[Dawelio]

Have been hearing on Twitter that CCL is calling OC3D clickbaiters over this, claiming that they don't have stock to sell and that their prices were placeholders and wouldn't have been used.

Doesn't explain them hiding the prices on their site, and how they have RTX 3080 Ti product in their pre-builds. That means that they have product.

https://twitter.com/tinytomlogan/status/1400424280408707084

Shortly after TTL posted this, all of CCL's RTX 3080 Ti "Coming Soon" listings disappeared. Presumably to move product to pre-builds. If they need to save face by not selling at extortionate prices, they may as well use the cards to sell a whole system' worth of components.

These are my opinions based on how I saw things go down earlier this week. \

CCL is sending DMs to folks that ask saying bad things about us. The fact that they are not doing so publically is telling, as it prevents us from responding.

Anyways, I think that is enough insider talk for now.

Haha I love it, simply put - You caught them with their pants down for not being morally correct to their customers. Now they act like children, trying to get back at you for catching them on their act. How low, immature and unprofessional of them.

 

[Warchild]

Haha I love it, simply put - You caught them with their pants down for not being morally correct to their customers. Now they act like children, trying to get back at you for catching them on their act. How low, immature and unprofessional of them.

Well total lie from them. However....

Dawelio being as you are in Sweden (still?) you will know that Komplett.no or Komplett.se do exactly the same. The difference with Komplett is that they do not allow you to preorder or reserve said item.

I recall seeing the PS5 on Komplett for 9,999kr which was indeed a placeholder price. When it came to GPUs though their pricing was rockbottom when listed as placeholders. If you recall, I had been boasting that i managed to get a reserve price on a 3090 for about £900. But due to demand I had not been able to get one so cancelled in the end.

Anyway. In my opinion, they intentionally ramped up the price to try and sell since you know there will always be some with no willpower at all, and knew that if it backfired, they could always site the "placeholder price" excuse.

 

[looz]

You're saying this as someone who has a RTX 3080 in their signature... little ironic tbh :huh:

That's a fair point to make - I got it at near MSRP (870€). I wouldn't pay more.In fact I felt like an ass for paying that much for a GPU.



I don't find today's prices reasonable.

 

[NeverBackDown]

That's a fair point to make - I got it at near MSRP (870€). I wouldn't pay more.In fact I felt like an ass for paying that much for a GPU.



I don't find today's prices reasonable.

Fair enough. If you have the money for it and it makes you happy then I don't care, it's your life

I just thought it was a little funny was all lol

 

[TheF34RChannel]

Used to be a respectable shop, now they're shamelessly scalping: www.alternate.nl €2700+ euro.

 

[Warchild]

Elkjop in Norway here are holding prizes for this...

Subscribe to facebook, follow us on instagram etc etc.. for chance to BUY a 3080ti when it comes in stock.

So basically you need to win the competition to be able to purchase one at the excess prices that it will be listed.

Further more, you do NOT get a choice on which 3080ti model is available, so if you are stuck with a PNY then tough luck.

 

[Dark NighT]

Used to be a respectable shop, now they're shamelessly scalping: www.alternate.nl €2700+ euro.

Almost all shops in the netherlands have insane high pricing, check Tweakers.nl, Alternate isnt just the only one and given the nature of supply and demand we all know rare stuff gets more and more expensive, not defending any of the shops, just plain and simple truth, its disgusting, i hate it but thats where we are now.

 

[Warchild]

Almost all shops in the netherlands have insane high pricing, check Tweakers.nl, Alternate isnt just the only one and given the nature of supply and demand we all know rare stuff gets more and more expensive, not defending any of the shops, just plain and simple truth, its disgusting, i hate it but thats where we are now.

We wouldnt be there if consumers actually had some form of willpower. Its turning pathetic how weak willed some are these days in the race to have the latest and greatest at any cost.

 

[Dark NighT]

We wouldnt be there if consumers actually had some form of willpower. Its turning pathetic how weak willed some are these days in the race to have the latest and greatest at any cost.

Completely agree!