In the world of sports and gaming, it has long been a problem that scalpers snap up tickets and sought-after hardware, preventing others from getting their hands on them and forcing them to pay exorbitant prices on the secondary market. However, this phenomenon is also evident in other areas, not least in the watch market.
The other day, Swatch released a new watch collection called Royal Pop, and it's safe to say people were eager to get their hands on them. Buying them in stores didn't cost much, but they naturally sold out and were soon available on eBay for thousands of dollars.
Wired reports that it was obvious they would sell out (similar things had happened before), which led to unbelievable scenes in places like Birmingham, Düsseldorf, Milan, and New York. There are plenty of videos showing the chaos that ensued, with reports of assaults and police resorting to tear gas against eager watch buyers.
Swatch is thus facing criticism for failing to take measures to mitigate the chaos, and it remains to be seen whether they have learned their lesson this time or will resort to the same solution the next time a coveted collection is expected.
<social>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgTHvvJX3-E</social>