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But I don't value market efficiency. Market efficiency is only useful as a means to an end. If nvidia were to charge more, they could at least use that money to make more graphics cards. When a scalper does it, they just increase the price for the consumer. They're worse than the people who drive into disaster areas and sell bottles of water for $50; even if it would be better for the disaster victims to get water for cheaper or free, they're at least generating some value by shipping it in and distributing it. Graphics card scalpers just generate value for themselves while lowering value for actual consumers and being net neutral for producers. As @SubstantialFrivolity says, they're parasites, unhelpful to anyone but themselves.
Yes, I'm in complete agreement with you there. The existence of scalpers is a strong signal that the original price was too low and I'd much prefer the counterfactual world where Nvidia raised its own prices 30-50%, generating more profits (thus delivering more value to shareholders). I can't blame scalpers, though -- their actions are not wrong any more than picking up a $20 bill from the sidewalk is wrong -- it's Nvidia's pricing error that they're taking advantage of, so it's Nvidia's fault. Personally I find the people complaining about Nvidia's higher prices to be more infuriating than scalpers. As you say, at least when Nvidia charges more, that value is going to R&D, manufacturing, stakeholders, etc.
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