Selling Free Things

[Das Brutus]

So I'm searching ebay, as I do for grunts and giggles, and I see that folks are selling the code for Sgt Johnson. One is as high as $75. Really? Wasn't this code free to begin with? A promotional gimmick for pre-ordering the game?



This is a trend that just baffles me. I saw it for the Golden Lancer for Gears of War, I saw it for the Captain Armor for Section 8, and I see it all the time for other games and non game related items.



"I got it for free... but pay me for it."



Maybe I'm naive, maybe just a noob, or maybe I just don't get it at all...



This thread is just to help me understand the concept of selling what wasn't purchased to begin with.



It's not jealousy either... I have the preorder, I recieved the code.



Please feel free to voice your opinion, in a nice way. No flame.





***FS: Air... pm me for price

 

[Flyerfye]

They sell because people will buy it. Maybe not at those super-high prices, but they'll buy it. If there's a buy 2, get one free sale at the supermarket, the third item doesn't become worthless just because you didn't pay for it. Besides, Johnson codes aren't available officially anymore, so some people who didn't have a chance to preorder, for whatever reason, might pay for the item. It is still property (although digital), and "technically" worth x amount of money, even though it, for a limited time, was given away for "free" with purchase of the full game.

 

[Das Brutus]

Fair enough! Maybe I'm just taking too much of a Buddhist style approach to the whole idea.

 

[MIRAGE]

I FEEL IT, people are willing to pay for it what can you do,supply and demand..free money.

on a second note i have a Golden Lancer for Gears of War code for sale j/k

 

[Ruze789]

***FS: Air... pm me for price

They've beat you to it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_bar

 

[Sigma LS]

If people will pay for it, folks will sell it.



I think free things (gifts) on a more personal level should be treated differently, treasured more. Now folks on ebay selling hardcopies of bootlegs they torrented for free, that's a bit nastier than game codes I think.



But what do I know. I payed $10 for one of the Comicon coupons(given for free at the con) for the Hell Spartan and CQB Camo exclusives when it came out. And that was just to get the right to pay Mcfarlane another $30 for the figs themselves.

 

[Das Brutus]

All points are valid. Lord knows I've paid for things such as autographs and pics with "stars" with my own camera... I guess I just dislike the taking advantage of aspect of it all... my vent, my issue. My own generosity sometimes blinds me to the idea that those who lag behind get ravaged by those who wait to make a profit off of them. I should now sit on my short bus and watch... hehe

 

[cwsilver]

honestly

just people trying to make some money from the people who were too lazy to pre order, or didn't have a chance

 

[AngelVirusX]

People like to want things they done have and missed their shot at getting it cheaper (or free in this case). And there's always people ready to exploit others with this desire.



Hindsight is usually 20/20, I think.



I can't imagine paying for something that I could easily get, like a free pre-order code for something special like Johnson. Which, let's face it, does nothing than add a level of customization to Firefight and has no special advantage. Say he came with ulimited grenades or something, then that'd be something I'd kick myself for missing. But would soon get over it once I saw all of XBL playing with him. All Johnsons with ulimited grenades? Boooring.

 

[Sigma LS]

All points are valid. Lord knows I've paid for things such as autographs and pics with "stars" with my own camera... I guess I just dislike the taking advantage of aspect of it all... my vent, my issue. My own generosity sometimes blinds me to the idea that those who lag behind get ravaged by those who wait to make a profit off of them. I should now sit on my short bus and watch... hehe

Don't feel frustrated with it Brutus. Generous gentlemen can get other folks to do cool stuff for them like this just because they're awesome. (I know it's tiny and bad resolution but that's cause I'm a jerk and it's not done).

Spoiler

 

[RadioactiveMicrobe]

Well, the gamestop guy accidently gave me two codes stuck togther, and I didn't notice until later, so I plan on selling one for some armor funds, as I am very short on cash.



I suppose that's a reason.

 

[Sniperbaas]

It's a bit like that Jim Gaffigan joke.

They are so stupid, I bet we could sell them water.

That would never work

Yes, it would.

How?

We'll tell them it's from France.



Although I can't imagine paying $75 dollars for Sgt. Johnson... Hell that's even more than the bloody game!



Cheers!

 

[Drakku]

I think, though, and correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't Sgt. Johnson only available through preorder? So if you went and bought ODST now, you wouldn't get the code?

'Cuz of that's the case, you're going to have the fanboys that didn't manage to get Johnson that are FREAKING OUT that they don't have everything possibly Halo. That guy's just trying to take advantage of it.



When Xbox 360 came out, and same with Playstation 3, I remember eBay exploding with tons of box sales. Like, they were selling the BOX that the system came in, not the system itself, and naive people were getting suckered out of hundreds of dollars.



It's really kind of a pandering to the ill-informed and the obsessed.

 

[Yodajammies]

They sell because people will buy it.

Supply < Demand

 

[Tafumi]

Odds are that, at some point in the future, Sgt. Johnson will be available as a general MS points oriented download. At least, it's a possibility. I've seen them do that for pre-order exclusive content before. But I've also seen them NOT do that.



Regardless, and as was said, they sell because someone will buy. The method of procurement is irrelevant after that realization.