I dont feel that I can discuss the above too much as I was not at the event.....
However, if you try to compare the following "there was this one dude selling a Claydol for $10 on eBay" to "that will be $20 please sir" then you are going to feel upset.
If you then take into account just some of the following points:
Payment for the exclusive stand rights
Payment for 4 staff
Loss of profit at his store
Return on investment will take years - The cards purchased will not all be sold overnight
Now consider some of these points:
On eBay you have a good chance that items may be damaged / fake / never arrive
On eBay it would cost you hours of your time to sell 20 Ex's (example) and it would also cost about 25% of what ever you make
On eBay you have a high chance an item will not sell, yet you still have to pay fees
On eBay it will take you at least 3 days to get an item, sometimes weeks.
Some other points that people have made:
Prices fluctuated - Supply and Demand guys...come on, it's Day 1 and they had 100 of xyz item - on Day 2 they are down to 10 items (example) then the price is going to go up. (go and find LuxApe on eBay now.........doh......sold out).
A key point to remember here though.....
You had a choice, nobody forced you to sell or try to sell cards. Likewise, nobody forced you to buy stuff.
I cant comment on the staff but it sounds like they were very busy and the thought of 1000+ people all trying to use their trading skills and 'i know best about eBay' gives me a migraine and I swim with the sharks daily.
I am also sure that GG learn't a lot of things over the event and will take that into consideration if they attend again.
I will bet you one thing though, they have learn't that no matter how hard you try, you just cant please everyone