Yangmei — October 29, 2025 — Guangdong

Surge of "AI Scalpers" on Second-Hand Platforms

Reselling AI-generated products becomes a profitable business model

---

Introduction

Many expected AI to represent technological equality. Yet on second-hand platforms, it has become a tool for exploiting information gaps.

This report examines:

• How “AI scalpers” profit through resale of generated products, account sharing, and service bundling.
• The hidden struggles of users caught in the digital divide.
• Why for some buyers, the purchase includes not just content, but a "ticket" into the intelligent world.

---

The Tip-Off

A reader recently alerted our editorial team to a wave of "AI scalpers" appearing across resale sites.

Key observations:

• Many AI-generated products are free to access via official platforms.
• Resale appears to target lower-tier demographics, often older adults who struggle with AI tools.
• Buyers include older users, early adopters seeking convenience, and even professionals valuing time savings.
• Popular goods include research reports from Gemini or Kimi — such reports are professionally formatted, with PPT visuals, priced at 9.9 RMB each.

---

How Sellers Operate

Models vary:

• Account sales — Reselling paid tool access.
• Single-use AI runs — e.g., OK Computer outputs.
• Bundled AI packages — Grouping several AI tools into one offer.

Objective: Monetize unused or exclusive computational privileges.

---

Case Study: “Lighthouse Jellyfish”

• Specializes in Gemini / Kimi deep-dive reports.
• Prices: 8–10 RMB per report.
• Format: Structured documents with PPT download links.
• Reality check: Similar results are obtainable in ~30 mins with free Kimi access.

Market scale: A quick search for "Kimi deep report" returns hundreds of listings.

Figure | Numerous accounts reselling AI products on the second-hand platform

---

Another Seller: “Raymon”

• Offers proxy AI services for ~10 tools (Claude, Manus, Gemini, etc.).
• Flagship: Research reports at 15.3 RMB — sells better than cheaper alternatives.
• Personal membership: 99 RMB/month Kimi Premium
• Includes 23 runs of “OK Computer” + 21 deep dives.
• “Scalper” pricing would value this at >500 RMB resale.

---

Beyond Convenience: What Buyers Value

Some prefer paying scalpers for:

• Ready-to-use outputs
• Avoiding learning curves
• Circumventing account registration hurdles

---

Two Dominant Scalper Product Categories

1. Service-Based "Cloud Labor"

• Buyer sends instructions → Seller processes request using advanced AI tools.
• Price example: Kimi Long Document Analysis — 9.9 RMB/run
• Resale model: Break a premium membership into microservices and sell per request.

---

2. Integrated "All-in-One Toolkits"

• Bundle multiple tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Grammarly, etc.
• Aim: Attract buyers wanting all functionalities in one package.

Image | Clever sellers bundling AI tools into an ‘All-in-One’ package

---

Scalper Revenue Models

Model 1 — Sub-Landlording

• Share or split one premium account among multiple buyers.
• Risk: Account bans, unstable services.
• Analogy: Cyber hostel — many tenants using one rented space.

Model 2 — Service Provision

• Sell final outputs instead of raw access.
• Example: “Kimi Deep Analysis” — cost 49/month; sell 10 runs at 9.9 RMB → net 50 RMB profit.
• Some sellers evolve into AI outsourcing studios for SMEs.

---

Black Market Tickets to the AI World

Buyer Types:

• Light users — Occasional needs, minimal payment habit.
• Group buyers — Split subscription costs among friends.

Example: User “Lotus Root” proposes a five-person Kimi subscription group buy:

• Monthly cost: 49 RMB → Annual per person: 147 RMB.
• Suits young “AI natives” balancing tech savvy + cost consciousness.

---

Industry Implications:

• Large-model companies struggle to cultivate paying consumers.
• AI outputs become tradable for one reason:
• Systematic task processing — AI shifts from simple conversation to performing real work.

---

Professional Use Case: “Linlin” in Advertising Design

• Buys Kimi services from scalpers at 9.9 RMB/report.
• Uses AI for end-to-end project workflows:
• Target positioning
• Script framework
• Visual description
• Shot length planning
• Voice-matching
• Dynamic rendering

---

Emotional Use Case: “Zhang Lu” reanimates old photos

• Age: 63, lower-tier market.
• Pays 88 RMB for 30-sec AI-restored video.
• AI repairs frames, generates expressions, syncs mouth movements.
• Result: Personal emotional value transcends technology.

---

Analysis: A Parasitic Cognitive Gap Economy

What’s truly sold?

• Not just AI output — but knowledge & access gaps.
• First adopters of AI usage thresholds become rule-makers in this new ecosystem.

---

Open Innovation Pathways

Platforms like AiToEarn官网 aim to:

• Let creators efficiently generate + publish + monetize AI content.
• Publish across Douyin, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Instagram, YouTube, and more.
• Integrate analytics + model rankings (AI模型排名).

These ecosystems reduce technical barriers and promote transparent monetization, helping bypass opaque middlemen.

---

———— / E N D / ————

📢 Join the Product Manager Evolution Camp

Stay ahead on industry trends, business insights, and more.

---

📚 Recommended Reading

---

Further Insights

As AI tools grow more advanced, bridging tech and ordinary users will be crucial.

Open-source solutions like AiToEarn官网 offer a route:

• Automate generation → publishing → monetization.
• Multi-platform support: Douyin, Kwai, WeChat, Bilibili, Xiaohongshu, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, X.
• Integrated analytics & model ranking tools.

Read the Original Article

Open in WeChat

---

Do you want me to also design a condensed, visually friendly summary of this article for social media sharing? That could make it easier to engage non-technical readers while keeping the depth of the insights.