Why Is The Sale Of Demo Codes Immoral?

[Sorual 607]

why? i see nothing wrong with it. ive never sold any but i have bought them before and dont regret it. a person recieved a demo code to a gae and doesent want it so he/she sells it to a person that does want it. i for one really wanted a demo code for smash 3ds but didnt get one due to my not being a club nintendo platinum member. so i went on ebay and bought one for 10 dollars. so did my sister and friend. i dont regret the purchase because i had a great time with the demo. i understand the argument that states "its immoral to make money off of a demo" i really do nderstand that. however, we live in a day and age where demo codes exist. and if someone who really wants one doesent get one, and a person who has no interest in it gets one, i agree that it should just be given. however, that leads to incredibly overcluttered reddit posts about giving away smash demo codes *hint hint remember that?* and i think that selling the codes provides an easy way for a person who recieved a code but didnt want it to give it to another person who does want it. and also get something in return for his/her effort. the money not only repays people who sell the codes, but gives them more insentive. if someone is willing to sell his/her code, then that means that they dont value it. and person who is willing to pay for the code, is someone who would value it. so, its a means to get something from a person who doesent value it to a person that will value it. the person who values it gets their demo code and the seller gets something out of something he/she would normally not benefit from. everyone wins. of course, this is all assuming that these sellers got the codes they are selling in an innocent way. as long as their method of obtaining the code doesent stop another person from getting the code for free, like sniping a code on a certain reddit thread that was intended to be a free thing, then flipping it on ebay. thats absolute BS. as long as it was NOT done like that, then its ok. if the seller got the code in a way that would stop another actual fan from getting a code for free, then i have a problem with it. the same problem i have with scalping of products. (most notably movie tickets and freaking amiibo) your making it harder for an actual fan to get their hands on what they want because of the scalper's own selfish desires for money. if this is the same thing with demo codes, then i agree that it is bad. however, if the way that the seller is obtaining the code DOESENT stop an actual fan from getting it for free, then im all for it.

 

feel free to critisise my opinion. im open to other opinions. i created this topic only to better understand others so any reply would be appreciated as long as it is civil

[HeyMouseSayCheese 1,133]

Because someone is making money off of something someone else created and gave away from free. Why should some slimy merchant get the money for basically no effort?

[Sorual 607]

Because someone is making money off of something someone else created and gave away from free. Why should some slimy merchant get the money for basically no effort?

i see. maybe ur right. but still, if they obtained the code for free and didnt stop any1 else from getting it for free (the seller was just lucky to obtain 1) then i think its ok to be paid for the service of giving it to someone who would have never gotten it before. 1 mans trash is another man's treasure. paid for not throwing away the trash but rather sellig it so it doesent go to waist. however, i do agree that it should be given to those interested for free. however, like i said, that leads to overcluttered reddit threads. however i do understand your point. how something that was intended to be given as free is sold by someone other than the creator. i can see why that is wrong. purhaps your right. however, i do know that the sale of demo codes has provided people who would normally never get them, with them. thats the up side. the convienient distribution of codes from someone who doesent value them, to someone that does value them. however, i do understand your point. and purhaps it is right. i guess i need to think about it thx

[BlankShell 638]

Because plenty of people would give away the code for free (I ended up getting a few codes just randomly, and I didn't even enjoy the demo) vs some people who knew that others would buy the code if they sold it. It's not immoral, per se; business is a two way street, after all, but banking on the gullibility and desperation of people isn't something a "good" person does.

[Sorual 607]

Because plenty of people would give away the code for free (I ended up getting a few codes just randomly, and I didn't even enjoy the demo) vs some people who knew that others would buy the code if they sold it. It's not immoral, per se; business is a two way street, after all, but banking on the gullibility and desperation of people isn't something a "good" person does.

i see what you mean. maybe ur right i need to keep in mind the good and bad sides. on one had, it provides a convienient way for someone who would have never gotten a code otherwise, to get a code without going through the hell that is a crowded discussion thread with people sniping codes that were given out. on the other hand, what you said.

[143436611Xxcc 1,105]

I did this with FFXV.... I was happy with my puchase... Look at it this way, would you rather pay $50 for a game you wouldnt play just for the demo or $10 for the demo you just want? Idc who the money`s going to.

[HeyMouseSayCheese 1,133]

Because plenty of people would give away the code for free (I ended up getting a few codes just randomly, and I didn't even enjoy the demo) vs some people who knew that others would buy the code if they sold it. It's not immoral, per se; business is a two way street, after all, but banking on the gullibility and desperation of people isn't something a "good" person does.

 

I would say it is kind of immoral; it's not that people are selling things that are being sold elsewhere, like Amiibo (or y'know, full release video games). People are selling things that the people who actually made them and put real work into making them gave away for free to certain people and then free to everyone shortly after. Plus, Nintendo isn't making any money off demo sales. With actual products that they sell, at some point at least some money goes to the company and eventually to the people who worked on the product, even if it's sold through a third party or used even- if a merchant sells a demo, that's extra profit that the devs never see and that some merchant got for work they never contributed to.

 

It's not normal business to up-sell things that are free, it's more or less a scam.

[Sorual 607]

I would say it is kind of immoral; it's not that people are selling things that are being sold elsewhere, like Amiibo (or y'know, full release video games). People are selling things that the people who actually made them and put real work into making them gave away for free to certain people and then free to everyone shortly after. Plus, Nintendo isn't making any money off demo sales. With actual products that they sell, at some point at least some money goes to the company and eventually to the people who worked on the product, even if it's sold through a third party or used even- if a merchant sells a demo, that's extra profit that the devs never see and that some merchant got for work they never contributed to.

 

It's not normal business to up-sell things that are free, it's more or less a scam.

i see what you mean. purhaps your right. like i said to blankshell, i need to keep in mind the good and bad sides. on one had, it provides a convienient way for someone who would have never gotten a code otherwise, to get a code without going through the hell that is a crowded discussion thread with people sniping codes that were given out. on the other hand, what you said.

[BlankShell 638]

I would say it is kind of immoral; it's not that people are selling things that are being sold elsewhere, like Amiibo (or y'know, full release video games). People are selling things that the people who actually made them and put real work into making them gave away for free to certain people and then free to everyone shortly after. Plus, Nintendo isn't making any money off demo sales. With actual products that they sell, at some point at least some money goes to the company and eventually to the people who worked on the product, even if it's sold through a third party or used even- if a merchant sells a demo, that's extra profit that the devs never see and that some merchant got for work they never contributed to. It's not normal business to up-sell things that are free, it's more or less a scam.

Right, the actual "Nintendo doesn't see any money from this" is the scummy part. The rest is basically just how you perceive capitalism and the market; "supply and demand" is a pretty old concept. The seller has something the buyer wants, and knows it. Caveat emptor.

[President Yoshi 313]

immoral? no.

disgusting? ehhhhh, sure. (in my opinion that is. just the act, not the actual people, fyi)

 

in some ways, it's similar to how people see scalpers

 

edit: certain demos are ok to sell. for example  the "special" ssb4 3ds demo. that's fine. but it's different to see people charge up to 5 dollars for teh oras demo or the mh4 demo

Edited July 30, 2015 by President Yoshi

[VisitJoan 2,713]

I guess I would put this in the category of things that aren't really immoral that people like to call immoral with no reasonable explanation what so ever.  There's no steeling involved because it was given away for free.  And anyway it's almost redundant when you think about - most people would not pay money for something they would get for free.