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With TikTok Out of App Stores in the U.S., Phones with the App Installed Are Being Listed on eBay for up to US$ 999,999. Understand How Scarcity and User Desperation Have Created a Million-Dollar Market!
Last weekend, TikTok was removed from Apple and Google app stores in the United States, leaving many users desperate. Even though the service was back up and running on Sunday, the app remains unavailable for download. Those who accidentally deleted the app or lost their phones are now at a crossroads. The result? An emerging market on eBay for phones with TikTok already installed.
An Opportunity for eBay Sellers
While some cry, others sell tissues. Many users are capitalizing on TikTok’s scarcity by listing their phones on eBay and other platforms, betting on the desperation of those in need of the app. With prices ranging from a few thousand dollars to absurdly high amounts like US$ 999,999, these sellers are trying to turn others’ needs into profit.
The Scarcity That Creates Luxury
TikTok is not just an app; for many, it is a work tool or a source of daily entertainment. Content creators who rely on the app to make a living see this scarcity as a major problem. And as they say, value is in the eye of the beholder. For some, paying a premium for a phone with TikTok installed may seem like a solution to continue creating content.
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It is not an exaggeration to say that some people are addicted to TikTok. Examples of this include extreme protests, such as a case of a teenager who set fire to a congressman’s office in the U.S. against the app’s ban. This level of emotional attachment explains why a phone with the app can become an almost irrational object of desire.
Curious Cases of Phones Sold on eBay with TikTok
A simple search for “phone TikTok” on eBay reveals exorbitant prices. There are iPhones being sold for up to US$ 999,999. These amounts are absurd but show how some sellers are willing to bet on rarity. There have already been records of actual sales, such as an iPhone listed for US$ 22,000. Is it really worth all this?
This is not the first time that the scarcity of apps has created crazy markets. Remember Flappy Bird, the addictive little game that was removed from the stores in 2014? Or PT, the PlayStation Store demo taken down in 2015? In both cases, devices with these software were sold for absurd amounts on auction sites. The story repeats itself with TikTok, proving that scarcity can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
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