Selling tickets for Black Friday items while in line

[Kalel]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

[roflwoffles]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

First of all, I hope to god there is a TV that size for that cheap.

 

I would feel anger at myself for not getting there at 3:00PM. Early Bird gets the early bird items. Also, if you are number 11, you are first up to buy a ticket off of someone else. Its just the way it is at BB on BF. Fight it all you want, and get angry at the people who do it, but BB does this to create more sales.

 

In response to the one ticket per person idea: what would stop someone from just having their friends show up just before they hand out tickets, and have them grab one each?

[Cru]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

 

I would talk to the people in line with me and make sure that I'm going to get the item I want. I'm sure one of those 10 people would be willing to work with me. If not, I would make sure to get there at 3:30 pm next year.........

[RBWilliams]

I've watched these discussions for a while now. This is the law of supply and demand. Who wants it the most. If you want popular concert tickets, you camp out to get them. What happens if other in from of you buy more to sell? Nothing, unless they set limits on how many you can buy. I camped out the first time at Best buy 2006 to get (2) laptops and a desktop. I was in the first 20 something in line. As the night progressed and I chatted with folks, I heard the first 10 or so did this yearly to sell stuff on EBAY.

 

Hey, there was no guarantee I was going to get one, but I took my chances and it paid off. I can't be angry at the folks ahead of me in line looking to sell their tickets or sell the items on-line. They got there way before me and we willing to sacrifice their time and effort to do so. Yeah there were multiple family members or friends in line getting tickets for the same items. I just wanted the items I was camping out for and hoped I was one of the lucky ones. I did happen to be, but if the person ahead of me got the last ticket and sold it to someone after me. I wouldn't have been upset at him. Just myself that I couldn't have gotten there earlier. If you want items badly enough, you gotta get there in time to do so.

[TazErase]

A few comments on this thread....

 

Best Buy has loss prevention staged throughout the line, anyone caught selling a ticket will be arrested and lose their tickets. It is not recommended. In the past I wish someone would have sold me their ticket for the laptop, and where you are saying people sold their laptop ticket for $50, I would have jumped as high as $150 for that ticket.

 

Next, as far as reselling them on Ebay or Craigslist I think there is nothing at all wrong with it. There was a person last year that bought a total of 12 computers (they bought 3 different ones with 4 different people). Although I think that's a bit greedy I can hardly blame them for it. I bought 2 extras last year and kept 2 for myself. The profit I made on the 2 I sold got me 2 free computers. Well worth the long wait in order to get the computers for free, although it took a few weeks to get the prices I wanted they both sold for cash.

 

Next as far as people jumping in shortly before the doors open. There are 2 things we do at the Best Buy I go to. First, we start a list and the first 50 - 75 people put their name on the list. The management verified with the people in the front that the list was valid and actually had the customers go by that list upon entry to get the items they wanted. Second, the best way I found to stop the idiots that jump in the front just before opening is simple. First since I am still ahead of them there is no reason for me to personally get involved and get arrested, so I find some of the biggest guys on line behind where they cut in and inform them that although they were on line for the past 12 hours or so, those people over there (pointing out the cutters) got here 5 minutes ago and cut the line. Let them deal with it, and I have been pretty good at picking the ones to approach them and it has worked over 95% of the time that they will go further back, to the end, or just leave the line altogether. Since there is no place to go to the bathroom near the Best Buy we do allow people to return to their spots as long as they don't just leave and come back just before opening. They have to be there a reasonable ammount of time but sometimes it gets to be so cold that a lot of people go their cars to warm up. Some of us are crazy enough to just bring enough blankets, gloves, coffee, etc. and not leave except in a bathroom emergency and not within 3 hours of the doors opening. Anyone trying to get in the front at 3 or 4 am get yelled at from the rest of the line unless others in the front verify that they were there the whole time or when we put our chairs, etc back in the car. We unfortuneately are not allowed to have tents, generators, bbqs, or any of the other outragous stuff only us diehards are willing to do to make the night more fun

[TazErase]

Here's my thought when it comes to BF items: Many (if not all) of the really great deals are being sold at prices that either drastically reduce or completely eliminate the profit margin. The idea for these sales is to increase overall customer traffic, both on BF and throughout the X-mas shopping season. The more people that come through the doors...the better. From the retailer's point of view, it might make the most sense to limit the ticketed items to one per person. Granted, this would reduce the benefit for someone who really wanted two or more items. But, it would spread the wealth to more people and bring more people into the store. Ultimately, the register totals on those hot items would be the same, but the chances of greater overall sales would increase.

 

 

Yup, and I'd go start a line at another storeand get my name in the paper for being the first at that store instead of being the first at Best Buy. Last year I was still lucky enough to get everything I wanted but was beaten out by 1 other person, I will not let that happen 2 yrs in a row so I'm going about 2 hrs before the first person arrived last year

[Guest CS.Dean]

I am on the fence as well with this. 2 years ago I was like 30th in line and I got 2 tickets for laptops and 1 desktop. I was in the market for just desktop. The young guys behind us in line were really rude and mean to anyone who was not in their group. I took the laptop tickets out of spite towards them ( they missed getting the cheap laptop when I did it). There was this young college student who was obviously and exchange student. She had no idea what was going on when she showed up at like 3 am. The guys behind us were really mean to her. All she wanted was info. Well I took the ticket for the cheap laptop and found her. She was 300th in line. I pulled her aside and gave it to her. She was shocked and was very happy.

The other ticket was used by a friend of mine. Last year I saw several tickets sold on computers. It really did not bother me ( I was 1st in line so I got what I was looking for)

[jpatz18]

i personally don't care if they sell them. People who get mad that people take every doorbuster item shouldnt. They take there time out of the day to sit in line 1 or 2 days in advance. They deserve to sell them if they like... If you want that item you should have gotten there soone or planned better. Why should they have to feel sorry for you?

[jpatz18]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

Id offer 5.00 more then the other person offered. What difference does it make? if he sell it online or inline. If you want that item bad enough your going to be the first person in line. If your not you didnt want it enoh

 

Another note best buy does not have loss prevention in line. As far as selling tickets in line in states it may be illegal but a lot of places have better thing to do then "secure and patrol lines"

 

Why are people so offended when people sell there tickets?

[chaoz]

Id offer 5.00 more then the other person offered. What difference does it make? if he sell it online or inline. If you want that item bad enough your going to be the first person in line. If your not you didnt want it enoh

 

Another note best buy does not have loss prevention in line. As far as selling tickets in line in states it may be illegal but a lot of places have better thing to do then "secure and patrol lines"

 

Why are people so offended when people sell there tickets?

they are pissed they did not get there early enough to get a ticket.

and now they have to listen to that bad ticket seller person try and sell his spot.

plus at worst buy most people just get pissed by pulling into the parking lot.

evil store.

[zim05]

I've never encountered selling tickets on BF (mostly because I don't camp out at BB) and basically when I've been lines with tickets there has never been a problem with it (Wii at K-mart on TG last year).

 

I can see both sides of it to be truthful but I would never personally do it because (A) I'm not in that kind of finanical pickle to actually do that nor would I do that just to make a few bucks and ( I think if I ever got extra tickets for things I don't want I would just give the tickets to those behind me who waited just as long. And who knows maybe the nice gesture will be returned to me!

 

And I think the main difference between selling tickets and reselling the things on ebay is that the person selling the ticket is doing it right in front of me whereas I don't know if the person in front of me is getting a bunch of things to resell or not. Also those people who resell things have been in line just as long as I have been so at least they've put in the time. Those who sell tickets to people just rolling into the store as its opening (obviously not sacrificing sleep or TG) would, to say the least, irk me a bit.

[wx4svr]

I'm not a big fan of people selling tickets in line. I don't know why... just not.

[roflwoffles]

A few comments on this thread....

 

Best Buy has loss prevention staged throughout the line, anyone caught selling a ticket will be arrested and lose their tickets. It is not recommended. In the past I wish someone would have sold me their ticket for the laptop, and where you are saying people sold their laptop ticket for $50, I would have jumped as high as $150 for that ticket.

There are no "loss prevention" people at my best buy, as best buy has nothing to lose when people sell tickets. Also, the tickets have no face value, so scalping laws do not apply to them, and thus, the worst that could happen is a manager could ask you to leave. If your BB and state have laws and policies that could cause you to get arrested, I feel bad for you.

[lovebears65]

Here is my take. For years I have waited in line for the early bird specials. I do not sell tickets because I get what I need only or for some of my family members ..

 

Most of the time I get what I come for except for one year when they gave all the tickets to the lap tops for the first 4 people because they had no limit that year:mad: I was upset at the time because I knew they were going to sell them on ebay. SO what is the different if they get the item and sell it on ebay or just cut that middle man out all together and sell the ticket to someone in line. But to be fair I would start with the first person in line who couldnt get the ticket. Lets just say Person 22 got the last ticket and Person 4 had a ticket. I think he should ask Person 23 to see if they want to buy it and go down the line till he got a buyer. I dont think its fair if he goes to the end of the line or people who just coming in and not waiting forever.. So my answer is I dont see any difference on selling the tickets then people who sell them on ebay for profit.

[josetann]

...But to be fair I would start with the first person in line who couldnt get the ticket. Lets just say Person 22 got the last ticket and Person 4 had a ticket. I think he should ask Person 23 to see if they want to buy it and go down the line till he got a buyer. I dont think its fair if he goes to the end of the line or people who just coming in and not waiting forever.. So my answer is I dont see any difference on selling the tickets then people who sell them on ebay for profit.

The one year I sold a couple tickets, I went to the very back. If I had turned behind me and tried, I felt that they'd get angry (since they waited in line for so long, though a good bit less than we did). Back of the line, they just got there and are more than happy to buy a ticket for a doorbuster. Not saying that's the right way to do things, but as I try to avoid confrontation as much as possible, that's the way I'd do it.

[Gporter34]

Not sure if it's right or wrong, I just don't go to stores that use the "ticket system". It might bother me if I did, but then again, I have been BF shopping long enough to know that you have to be willing to get there earlier than others. It does however, irritate me to see people selling "limited" items on eBay.

[barc]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

 

I feel that I should have gotten there earlier and that next year, if there's something I want, I get there earlier. And if I'm not willing to make the sacrifice to be 10 in line, then that's on me, not the guys in front of me who were willing to do it. Even if they got there 2 minutes before me because I missed the traffic light, it's still on me to make sure I get there early enough to get what I want. The stores don't owe me anything and the guys in front of me in line don't owe me anything. I don't sell tickets, but I could not care less about the folks in front of me who do. As Brad said, this is no different than buying the item and reselling it for a profit.

[barc]

A few comments on this thread....

 

Best Buy has loss prevention staged throughout the line, anyone caught selling a ticket will be arrested and lose their tickets.

BB can confiscate the tickets, but they can't have arrested if it is not illegal to resell them. I don't know where you live, but I can't image that it is illegal in most parts of the US to resell tickets that are worth hundreds of dollars for one-forth or even one-tenth of that. I"ve camped out at BB the last 4 years and seen tickets resold the past two years and have never seen anyone from BB or the cops who were standing right there in the front of the store do anything about it. Has anyone on this board ever seen anyone arrested for this?

[Mursilis]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

 

How dumb is that? Seems to fail the logic test. If you're there for the TV, and clearly aren't going to get it, why stay in line?

 

Much of the behavior of people in line puzzles me. At my BB, the line is amazingly long - it literally stretches out of the shopping center and into another. I'd guess 500+ people, easily, which is why I've stopped going for the past 5 years, although I like to drive by and gaze in wonder. So why does it grow bigger every year? If you're number 500+ in line, you're probably not getting a doorbuster, and most of the cheaper things like DVD sets etc. will be there at 10 or 11, after the crowd dies down.

[raejae824]

I agree that I think it is wrong for people to resell tickets for hot items to someone. I, too, am there to buy an item for myself. I have actually offended a relative who tried to crowd in line with me at the last minute by telling her I didn't feel right about doing it. She left, got mad, but got over it. I feel there should be a more fair way to make sure people get a hot item. I also get upset when you ask if there are any more and being told there was only about 10 in the first place. I personnaly do not shop Best Buy because there are known for that. Also, having worked in retail, I know for a fact certain employees hold an item for a friend or relative.

[setlok73]

BB can confiscate the tickets, but they can't have arrested if it is not illegal to resell them. I don't know where you live, but I can't image that it is illegal in most parts of the US to resell tickets that are worth hundreds of dollars for one-forth or even one-tenth of that. I"ve camped out at BB the last 4 years and seen tickets resold the past two years and have never seen anyone from BB or the cops who were standing right there in the front of the store do anything about it. Has anyone on this board ever seen anyone arrested for this?

I asked an officer who was at BB for security purposes if it was legal or not. He stated that (at least in our location) it is totally legal to sell the tickets but BB can have you removed from their property as they did not give permission for selling. I'm not even sure they could legally take the tickets from you because the ticket is in your possession so doesn't it make it your property. Technically they could void it but I don't know they could take it...not sure on that I didn't ask.

[bigjimslade]

The tickets are property of BB. It is printed on the bottom of the tickets. I got to see a ticket yesterday. It says on the ticket "Not for Resale - One Per a Person Per a House Hold - ID Required For Sale - Property of Best Buy"

 

 

 

I asked an officer who was at BB for security purposes if it was legal or not. He stated that (at least in our location) it is totally legal to sell the tickets but BB can have you removed from their property as they did not give permission for selling. I'm not even sure they could legally take the tickets from you because the ticket is in your possession so doesn't it make it your property. Technically they could void it but I don't know they could take it...not sure on that I didn't ask.

[setlok73]

The tickets are property of BB. It is printed on the bottom of the tickets. I got to see a ticket yesterday. It says on the ticket "Not for Resale - One Per a Person Per a House Hold - ID Required For Sale - Property of Best Buy"

Good to know...sounds like they are trying to end this issue before it even begins. Thanks BigJim!!

[josetann]

The tickets are property of BB. It is printed on the bottom of the tickets. I got to see a ticket yesterday. It says on the ticket "Not for Resale - One Per a Person Per a House Hold - ID Required For Sale - Property of Best Buy"

I've never agreed with the "one per household" thing, hope they're not actually implementing that. If my wife and I are both in line the entire time, why should only one of us get a doorbuster?

 

Anyways, just saying it's not for resale doesn't mean you can't actually sell it, just means if they catch you, that the person you sold it to might not be able to use it. Besides, there's an easy way around that. Give a ticket away to each person that buys a $50 paperclip from you (check ebay, this idea is used a lot for "not for resale" items).

[mkayte]

A few comments on this thread....

 

Best Buy has loss prevention staged throughout the line, anyone caught selling a ticket will be arrested and lose their tickets.

I'm not sure where you're from, but there's nothing illegal about selling a Black Friday line ticket in many places. I'm not even sure what you'd be charged with, other than ticket scalping, and that would be highly dependent on how the statute is written in your particular area. A prosecutor would have to prove that that ticket had any kind of a value to begin with, and that would be a tough sell. If you were charged by police, you probably still would not be prosecuted. And ticket scalping is not even illegal in many places anymore.

 

Best Buy can set a rule and legally kick you out of their line or their store if they want, but there's nothing illegal about selling the ticket. It's just capitalism.

 

Now if they start trying to take names or check IDs and you try to defeat that system, then you are committing fraud, which would be illegal.

 

And, no, I've never sold a ticket. In fact, I've never had a ticket before to sell. The last time I went to BB on BF, all they handed out were store maps.

[2manypuppies]

me personally i think if your willing to freeze your butt off in line thats fine i bf every year usually not for big ticket items like the wii or whatever but i do think the store should limit amount of tickets one person can get for a specific item example if toys r us has 20 wii systems the first person in line should not get 20 tickets for them but limit to maybe 2 or 3 to give other shoppers a chance jmo

[lucyismycat]

I wish that stores would limit the tickets to one per person, period; so if you want a laptop and a tv, you'd better bring a friend along and hope they don't want anything. I might be more inclined to shop at a store that did things that way.

[crazypurgatory]

Let´s suppose this scenario: Best buy will have an early bird of 10 42" LCD TV at $399. You arrive Wednesday at 4:00 pm and there are already ten people in line, so you are number eleven. You decide continue at line.

 

What will you feel if one hour before best buy open the doors, customer number 10 sell his ticket to someone who arrived 5 minutes ago?

 

I would call the police and get a hold of the store manager.:)

[sracer]

Not sure if it's right or wrong, I just don't go to stores that use the "ticket system". It might bother me if I did, but then again, I have been BF shopping long enough to know that you have to be willing to get there earlier than others. It does however, irritate me to see people selling "limited" items on eBay.

That's odd. I don't go to stores that have a "dash-n-grab" system. I find that type of system, like at Walmart, to be degrading and demeaning.

 

- - - - -

 

Selling tickets for BF doorbuster items is just mega-commercialism (commercializing a commercialistic event) I'm not angry at those who do it (I am usually about 20th in line every year) but I feel that they're missing out on the fun aspects of camping out. I've met some very interesting people on BF campouts. There are some people that I met on BF campouts that I only see at subsequent campouts. I see some of these regular irregulars more often than some of my relatives.

 

[xhlowner]

Last year at Circuit City there was a cop that showed up around 3:30 and he was shooting the breeze with us and the guy behind me in line asked about selling tickets in line and the cop said it was legal because the tickets have no face value. At that time I wasnt even going to get any tickets because the stuff i wanted wasnt even door busters. But then I got one for the laptop and a few other things and did my business.