Honda’s traditional Motocompo is beloved by automobile journalists, JDM fans, and anybody else with an affinity for bizarre transportation. When its successor, the Motocompacto, was launched, all of us rejoiced — lastly, a tiny little fold-up scooter for the fashionable period. Plenty of us Jalops even thought-about getting one for ourselves.
But then, the market hit. Like the PlayStation 5 and Nvidia 3090 earlier than it, the Motocompacto has been besieged by scalpers — resellers itemizing the scooters on Facebook Marketplace for lots of greater than their MSRP from Honda. Every week, as I seek for the net’s Dopest Cars, I see posting after posting for Motocompactos, all with a wholesome revenue margin baked in for the vendor.
What’s odd about that is that Motocompactos don’t appear to be in brief provide. I can head over to Honda’s retailer proper now and add one to my cart, with none warnings about stock points or lead occasions. I’ve reached out to Honda to see if there are any provide constraints behind the scenes, however haven’t but heard again.
Honda’s sellers, nevertheless, appear to have considerably prepared entry to new scooters. I referred to as three close by sellers, and whereas two didn’t fairly appear to know what the Motocompacto was, the third had a demo unit able to attempt to mentioned they’d be getting extra scooters in by the top of February. I do know I’d somewhat wait two months than pay one and a half occasions MSRP, however perhaps some people are simply impatient.
Normally scalpers present up when an merchandise is in brief provide, artificially constraining that offer additional to eke some revenue out, however that doesn’t appear to be the case right here. Are they simply hoping folks don’t know the best way to get their palms on a Motocompacto for MSRP, that the buy-online-pick-up-in-dealer course of is simply too difficult? Are they counting on these early experiences of canceled orders and low manufacturing, hoping that individuals aren’t updated on the extra steady provide chain we’ve got at the moment? It appears just one factor is for positive: I would like one so so unhealthy and Rory gained’t let me expense it.
Source: jalopnik.com