KSI: YouTuber slams 'unfair' resellers of Prime drink
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YouTuber KSI has criticised people who buy Prime hydration drinks and attempt to sell them on at a higher price, saying it's "unfair" and "takes advantage of people".
The brand by KSI and fellow influencer Logan Paul has been extremely popular, with many shoppers scrambling to get hold of a bottle since the drink launched.
There have been long queues in shops where they are sold, and even reports of people fighting in supermarkets to get their hands on them.
Many shops have now introduced a limit per customer due to extremely high demand.
Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, KSI said: "I saw people just getting frustrated that they can't get more than three bottles, because it's three bottles per person."
But even restrictions like these haven't stopped some people buying the drink to try to sell them to others for much higher prices than shops like Asda and Aldi.
He said: "I genuinely, I hate it. I hate the reselling. I hate it. I want everyone to have Prime at a reasonable price."
It's just taking advantage of people because of the hype - and it's not fair.
He added: "Yeah, obviously people gonna say it's business, but I just think it's unfair."
What are Prime hydration and energy drinks?
Logan Paul and KSI have been posting a lot about the drinks on their social media
Prime drinks were launched last year by popular YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI, working together with the US based supplier and distributor Congo Brands.
Prime markets itself as a sports or hydration drink.
The drink is mostly water, but according to the ingredients it contains 10% coconut water, vitamins and antioxidants. It also has 2g of sugar and around 25 calories per bottle.
The drink comes in a range of flavours like raspberry, lemon lime, orange, and grape.
It's been a massive hit with young people and describes itself as helping you "refresh, replenish, and refuel".
The two are popular YouTubers, with a massive following on social media.
They had a rivalry which saw them face each other in two boxing matches in 2018 and 2019.
Why are people reselling Prime drinks?
Due to the huge demand since its UK launch, it has been hard to get hold of and this has pushed up prices.
KSI has in the past also used his social media to voice his frustration after seeing bottles being sold on the 'black market', which means something is being sold by an unofficial or illegal seller.
The official price for a single bottle is £2 and a case of 12 online is listed at £24.99, but some shops have been seen selling two flavours for £12.50 - more than six times what bigger supermarkets are charging.
Some have now said they will stop selling the energy drink, after customer complaints about the cost.
Other individual sellers online have been trying to re-sell bottles of the drink for as much as £20-25 per bottle.
In July last year Prime became the official sports drink of Arsenal football club
Why is Prime so popular?
This is a question KSI himself has even been asking himself!
He told Newsbeat: "It's just unbelievable. I honestly didn't expect it to happen. I knew it would do well, because you've got me and Logan Paul and we're very good at marketing.
"I'm very, very, very picky with everything that I do, so if I promote something, then you know, I truly believe in it."
But those in the industry say Prime drinks are not that different to many already being sold in shops, so you may wonder why they're so popular.
A lot of the appeal seems to be down to KSI and Logan Paul, and the way the pair use their social media power to create huge demand for their drink.
KSI has more than than 24 million subscribers to his main YouTube channel, while Logan Paul has 23.6 million - and they have been using all their online influence to promote the Prime brand and drink.
People who use social media to advertise or sell products are known as 'influencers'.
BBC Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman says: "Influencers can often feel like great friends that you want to hang out with - they share their lives with you on social media and make you feel like you are part of it all.
"This means that when they tell you they've got something new that they like - like a new drink - you feel like you want to try it too, and you might find that your friends who also follow the same person already have it.
She added: "But you have to remember that often they are getting paid by the company which makes the drink, because that company knows that lots of people will buy the drink if an influencer tells all their fans it's good and then the drink company will make lots of money.
"Being an influencer isn't just about having lots of fun, it's also a job."
Influencers online are supposed to tell people when they've been paid to promote a product by using hashtags like 'ad' or 'gifted'.
By getting their huge number of followers interested and wanting to try the drink, KSI and Logan Paul created huge demand for when it went on sale, and with the company having a limited supply of the product, this makes it seem even more exclusive and sought after.
What do you think about people reselling the drink? Do you think it's unfair like KSI, or is selling on something very popular for more money just good business? Let us know in the comments...
- Published22 November 2013
- Published30 August 2018
