IMO, it sounds like the guy was trying to make their own sales number look good by scalping cards that he was not suppose to have access to. I don't think the comparison to Hellcat and GTR is the right one because it's the dealerships that is scalping not the manufacturer. Dealerships aren't part of the manufacturer like Starlit is part of MSI.
As a consumer, you have the right to walk away. I'm just saying this particular situation wasn't as bad the community (not just HWC, I mean everyone) spun it initially. I do agree with you regarding the marketing crap they are doing and it gives me pause when I consider the next upgrade. But is MSI inherently more evil than Asus, ASRock, GB, Zotac? They are just the poo flavored ice cream of the quarter.