[Updated, accounts no longer banned] Google goes after Pixel resellers by blocking the buyer's accounts

[dalekphalm]

10 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

I haven't, but it's good to know anyways. Disassociating my personal data from physical device just makes for good precaution. It's not like I bother reading the TOS of everything I buy. At the end of it's life selling the phone to a recycler essentially breaks TOS as well. 

I think the distinction is that it says you cannot resell commercially. Now, how Google (And the courts, if it came to that) define "commercially", is very important.

 

I would interpret that as meaning "reselling the device for profit". Eg: Buying it from Google for $800, reselling it for $1000.

 

Selling your old phone to a recycler or refurbisher isn't necessarily "reselling" for profit. You're not gonna sell your used phone for more then you paid Google for it - especially if you're selling it to a recycler.

 

I think Google should clarify the TOS, certainly, and make sure that it only punishes people who buy a brand new phone and resell it for the explicit purpose of driving up demand and price artificially.

[dragosudeki]

29 minutes ago, corrado33 said:

Um, no, I didn't. Read again what the OP said. I'll paraphrase. He said the rule breakers (resellers) should be punished, with that statement coming from someone (the OP) who was recently punished by a big corporation for pirating something.

Yes, he was punished in another scenario, but nowhere did he say that what Nintendo did in that situation is wrong.

Quote

lol, rule breakers should get punished (this is coming from someone who just yesterday got banned for pirating Pokemon Moon). The buyers should know that you can't buy it third party, and only on Verizon and Fi, through Google. No sympathy from me.

That entire bolded part is about him being punished in a different scenario, but agreeing with the punishments in both Nintendo's and Google's decisions....

[Snadzies]

1 hour ago, Kloaked said:

Did you even read into what is going on, or are you one of the resellers?

 

I don't support actions that take away my ownership of things I purchase.

 

Pissed about scarcity, inflated prices and such from resellers?

Wait a month or two when the retail chains are flooded with units and you can go to any online store or walk into a brick and mortar chain and pick one up no hassle.

[Paranoid Kami]

Don't see anything wrong with this.

[Guest Kloaked]

1 minute ago, Snadzies said:

 

I don't support actions that take away my ownership of things I purchase.

 

Pissed about scarcity, inflated prices and such from resellers?

Wait a month or two when the retail chains are flooded with units and you can go to any online store or walk into a brick and mortar chain and pick one up no hassle.

So you're being apologetic for people who are being assholes in the market?

[Snadzies]

Just now, Kloaked said:

So you're being apologetic for people who are being assholes in the market?

 

I'm supporting my right as a person to sell things I own.

[Guest Kloaked]

Just now, Snadzies said:

 

I'm supporting my right as a person to sell things I own.

I'm guessing you're one of those people who goes to stores and buys out all of the new electronics (consoles, etc) that they can and resell them on ebay for a fortune.

 

Yeah you're a dick.

[Misanthrope]

7 minutes ago, Kloaked said:

So you're being apologetic for people who are being assholes in the market?

The assholes in the market are the ones that release a product before they can meet demand: Google, Apple, Nintendo, Sony, etc. We know they do this intentionally to create hype and make the products desirable

[Guest Kloaked]

Just now, Misanthrope said:

The assholes in the market are the ones that release a product before they can meet demand: Google, Apple, Nintendo, Sony, etc. We know they do this intentionally to create hype and make the products desirable

Sure, but the worse thing is to benefit from the lack of a product from said companies. If I need any legacy hardware for my old PC, I would have to pay a fortune for it simply because it's not in production anymore and resellers think "oh this isn't being made anymore, so I can charge more than it's worth!"

[Misanthrope]

Just now, Kloaked said:

Sure, but the worse thing is to benefit from the lack of a product from said companies. If I need any legacy hardware for my old PC, I would have to pay a fortune for it simply because it's not in production anymore and resellers think "oh this isn't being made anymore, so I can charge more than it's worth!"

There's nothing wrong with benefiting from high demand and low supply. This is literally how Western Societies work, this is how stock trading works, this is how banking works, how the housing market works. How is it ok for billionaires to benefit from Wall st. everyday but not ok for some kids to get a few grand from selling a just released phone or console for the extremely brief window of time that's even possible?

 

You're either unfairly demonizing common people and small businesses that take advantage of a situation other companies created, or you might as well nove to North Korea: Communist have a very strong control of the market and this sort of thing would never happen, on any scale.

[Guest Kloaked]

Just now, Misanthrope said:

There's nothing wrong with benefiting from high demand and low supply. This is literally how Western Societies work, this is how stock trading works, this is how banking works, how the housing market works. How is it ok for billionaires to benefit from Wall st. everyday but not ok for some kids to get a few grand from selling a just released phone or console for the extremely brief window of time that's even possible?

 

You're either unfairly demonizing common people and small businesses that take advantage of a situation other companies created, or you might as well nove to North Korea: Communist have a very strong control of the market and this sort of thing would never happen, on any scale.

Lol shit. This dove straight into communism? K mate

[dalekphalm]

4 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

There's nothing wrong with benefiting from high demand and low supply. This is literally how Western Societies work, this is how stock trading works, this is how banking works, how the housing market works. How is it ok for billionaires to benefit from Wall st. everyday but not ok for some kids to get a few grand from selling a just released phone or console for the extremely brief window of time that's even possible?

 

You're either unfairly demonizing common people and small businesses that take advantage of a situation other companies created, or you might as well nove to North Korea: Communist have a very strong control of the market and this sort of thing would never happen, on any scale.

I'll concede that you have a good point, in that with phones, the limited supply is temporary only.

 

I reserve my opinion on scum ticket scalpers though. Bastards.

[Snadzies]

1 minute ago, Kloaked said:

I'm guessing you're one of those people who goes to stores and buys out all of the new electronics (consoles, etc) that they can and resell them on ebay for a fortune.

 

Yeah you're a dick.

 

Fun fact, I'm not.

Most things I own that I no longer need and I think are in good enough shape that they can still get good use out of I give to my friends and family or donate to thrift stores or shelters.

 

I am not going to support punishing people taking advantage of others impatience if it means down the road I lose my ability to sell things I own should I want or need to.

 

 

Reselling things we own is suggested constantly on this sight.

People suggest selling a graphics card or other components all the time to fund the purchase of other components or other items people want/need.

If you want, say, Nvidia to start tieing the serial numbers of graphics cards to the people who first purchased them so only that person can ever use the card then don't come crying to me when you're eyeing that new GPU but can't  justify the purchase because you can't sell the card you currently own because it is locked to you.

[Misanthrope]

8 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

I'll concede that you have a good point, in that with phones, the limited supply is temporary only.

 

I reserve my opinion on scum ticket scalpers though. Bastards.

Well, that's inherently different: A ticket is not a physical product. A ticket is a tiny services contract: it's a voucher for a company agreeing to provide you a service: Entertainment in the form of an artist, sporting event, whatever. Contracts and service agreements are totally different and thus ticket scalping is abusive behavior imho.

[Kobathor]

10 hours ago, DrMikeNZ said:

Resellers should face criminal prosecution.

The resellers didn't break any laws, only a terms of service for a private company. They should not face any kind of prosecution, and they won't.

[dalekphalm]

2 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

Well, that's inherently different: A ticket is not a physical product. A ticket is a tiny services contract: it's a voucher for a company agreeing to provide you a service: Entertainment in the form of an artist, sporting event, whatever. Contracts and service agreements are totally different and thus ticket scalping is abusive behavior imho.

Agreed - and tickets are in finite supply. The venue can only hold x number of seats.

[Mr.Meerkat]

So what could potentially happen is if I 'bought' a google phone for my cousin again, I'll get banned? Ermmmmm....how about no?

[spartaman64]

1 hour ago, Misanthrope said:

ToS my ass: this is a motherfucking hardware product I can do whatever the fuck I want with it up to and includying selling it for a profit. This is anti competitive bullshit Google, fucking stop.

 

It's bad enough carriers lock equipment to their networks but at least they have more of a justification since you're not paying for the equipment upfront and is build onto a service plan, but courts have found jail breaking to be legal making this action illegal.

most re sellers dont pay tax so this isnt just against google's ToS but flat out illegal

[spartaman64]

2 minutes ago, Mr.Meerkat said:

So what could potentially happen is if I 'bought' a google phone for my cousin again, I'll get banned? Ermmmmm....how about no?

if you dont sell it to your cousin you will be fine

[Arty]

32 minutes ago, Snadzies said:

 

I'm supporting my right as a person to sell things I own.

your buying what 1 maybe 2.

this was a group of people buying hundreds,

Understand the difference. 

[spartaman64]

5 minutes ago, Kobathor said:

The resellers didn't break any laws, only a terms of service for a private company. They should not face any kind of prosecution, and they won't.

nope i would bet pretty much all of them dont pay tax so they did break a law

[Misanthrope]

3 minutes ago, spartaman64 said:

most re sellers dont pay tax so this isnt just against google's ToS but flat out illegal

Oh because Google, Microsoft, etc. pay tons of taxes? Is not like they set up their corporate offices off shores in tax heavens to basically avoid almost all taxes and pay fucking nothing right?

 

Tax evasion is an unrelated tangent: if you decide to sell items for profit but do not declare it that's between you, your conscience and the IRS.

[spartaman64]

Just now, Misanthrope said:

Oh because Google, Microsoft, etc. pay tons of taxes? Is not like they set up their corporate offices off shores in tax heavens to basically avoid almost all taxes and pay fucking nothing?

 

Tax evasion is an unrelated tangent: if you decide to sell items for profit but do not declare it that's between you, your conscience and the IRS.

they probably still pay sales tax but not corporate taxes which they should. but two wrongs dont make a right

[Snadzies]

2 minutes ago, Arty said:

your buying what 1 maybe 2.

this was a group of people buying hundreds,

Understand the difference. 

 

I don't care if it is one or a thousand.

You can think it is a dick move and I'd prolly agree with you, but regardless of the quantity I or anyone else sells it should still be their right to sell said items that they payed for.

[spartaman64]

1 minute ago, Snadzies said:

 

I don't care if it is one or a thousand.

You can think it is a dick move and I'd prolly agree with you, but regardless of the quantity I or anyone else sells it should still be their right to sell said items that they payed for.

nope its actually illegal if you sell without paying taxes

also it is immoral to buy up all the stock so you can charge extra cost