王斌（音译）的iPhone 4S手机出现小故障，于是他想在最近的苹果商店天才吧预约维修。

    但他不走运。

    身为《北京晨报》（Beijing Morning News）记者的王先生很快就发现，北京三家苹果商店的预约提前四周就已经被约满。

    这些预约号都被黄牛抢购一空，然后被以每个号1.6到6.5美元的价格在网上出售。

    周一王先生就此发表了一篇文章。他只有两种选择：要么掏钱从黄牛手里买号，要么排队四个小时，把希望寄托在可能取消预约的人身上。

    这不由让人想起经济学家们所说的“公地悲剧”。所谓“公地悲剧”是指个体出于自身利益，透过自主行为过度利用共享资源——如物产丰富的鱼塘或牧场等，导致其迅速枯竭。发生在苹果维修店的这种行为便是“公地悲剧”在21世纪的一个新例子。

    这已经不是中国黄牛给苹果公司（Apple）带来的第一个难题。2012年1月，iPhone 4S在北京的上市突然叫停，原因就是公司设置的路障已经无法承受从乡村涌来的一群群黄牛。

    据报道，苹果公司CEO蒂姆•库克将于本周访问中国，以平息一系列问题。但眼下这个问题应该不在他的考虑范围之内。（财富中文网）

    感谢手机行业网站Electronista为本文提供信息。

    译者：刘进龙/汪皓

    When Wang Bin's iPhone 4S developed a glitch, he went online to book a slot at the nearest Apple Store Genius Bar.

    No luck.

    Mr. Wang, a correspondent for the Beijing Morning News, soon discovered that every appointment at all three Beijing Apple Stores had been booked four weeks in advance.

    They'd been snapped up by scalpers and were being resold online for anywhere from $1.60 to $6.50 apiece.

    Wang, who published an account of his troubles on Monday, had a choice: He could either pay the scalpers' prices or stand in line for up to four hours hoping for a cancellation.

    Think of it as a 21st century illustration of what economists call the "tragedy of the commons," whereby a shared resource -- a rich fishing bank, a field for grazing cattle -- is quickly depleted by individuals acting independently and in their own self interest.

    This is not the first time Chinese scalpers have caused headaches for Apple (AAPL). The launch of the iPhone 4S in Beijing was abruptly halted in January 2012 when the company's barricades were overwhelmed by gangs of "yellow bull" scalpers bused in from the countryside.

    Apple CEO Tim Cook is reportedly visiting China this week to smooth over a variety of issues. This one, however, is probably below his radar screen.

    Thanks to Electronista for spotting the story.