And there it is above, folks: the EasyTrip RFIDs that originally sell for only
Php200 each are now being sold online for as much as Php900!
The November 2 implementation of the 100% cashless toll collection system on
all Luzon expressways (NLEX, SLEX, TPLEX, etc.) has become a high profile
event, causing a shortage of EasyTrip RFID stickers at designated service
stations. But the scarcity may have been artificially created by online
entrepreneurs.
Whenever a high profile event sells out, you can be sure that retail
arbitrageurs are at work, endeavoring to make profits at the expense of those
who missed out. Much like ticket scalping – when tickets for popular events
sell out fast, people take advantage of the shortage by selling tickets for a
mark-up in the secondary market. This is what is happening now on the RFID
online market places.
You see, in a situation where an online entrepreneur is certain that the
demand for products will be greater than supply at the face value price, he is
able to purchase them now and be assured of a profit on resale, once the
supply in the primary market is exhausted.
So by the time you'll be ready to make the purchase, everything's sold out and
your RFID sticker is going for thrice the asking price on online websites.
Just like the alcohol and face masks all over again.
You wonder, why is this happening, and what is the EasyTrip management doing
to stop this?
According to automotive guru, Top Gear, EasyTrip operator Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) conducted their
own investigation and found out that "these resellers apparently availed of
the express and stick-it-yourself Easytrip RFIDs that were made available a
while back."
Hence, the company encourages all RFID customers to buy their RFID tags
only via the authorized Easytrip customer service stations. The initial cost
of each RFID tag is still priced at Php200 each and customers should not pay
more than this amount.
Legit companies like the MPTC hate to see their RFID stickers fall into the
hands of enterprising resellers. They don't profit from the artificially
increased prices and hate to hear from disappointed customers. When this
happens. it only means that they sold an RFID sticker to a business, not to
a consumer.
Resellers or wholesalers: Whatever you call them, they're the bane of both
consumers and suppliers. They are online storefronts that instead of
producing their own merchandise, they instead find and source products from
other suppliers to sell from their store. They purchase popular products,
then sell them for huge markups. In some ways, they're not all that
different from a guy hanging out near a concert venue, trying to sell
last-minute tickets to anyone who happens to be passing by.
To know more abut installation and reloading of EasyTrip, as well as
Autosweep RFID stickers, read
COMPLETE GUIDE: Where to install and reload your RFID stickers for NLEX,
TPLEX, SLEX, NAIAX, STAR, other expressways
ANY THOUGHTS?
Share your ideas in the comments box below.
If you have read this post here, I'd like to inform you that the original
post is at
https://emongsjournals.blogspot.com
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