TM2 Dinobot Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I know most of yall would kill them on sight. I merely find them annoying that they got to something before I did. Still, I wonder how much of what we blame on scalpers are actually due to other collectors and/or children? Just a though. Haven't really read it all the way through yet. http://articulateddiscussion.com/post/Scal...-the-Enemy.aspx BTW, on a random unrelated side note, anyone notice how Nathan Fillon always smiles when he talks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 ......... anyone notice how Nathan Fillon always smiles when he talks? Strangely enough I always smile when I fart ......& often when I post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkRedShadow Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 ......... anyone notice how Nathan Fillon always smiles when he talks? Strangely enough I always smile when I fart ......& often when I post LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobsterman Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 ......... anyone notice how Nathan Fillon always smiles when he talks? Strangely enough I always smile when I fart ......& often when I post But do you often fart when you post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthRaider Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Haven't really read it all the way through yet. ... which I just did. All in all, a very interesting and thoughtful article. All the miscellaneous craziness that goes with toy collecting these days makes you wanna stop for a moment and put everything into perspective, don't it? I mean, I got into collecting toys because I loved playing with them. I have no idea how and why I started getting entrenched in all this expensive business of hunting down chases or hoarding or keeping stuff mint in package or even buying stuff online/abroad. For a hobby founded on painted pieces of sculpted plastic based on popular characters, toy collecting is sure becoming one very undemocratic and incomprehensible system. (And no, none of that political BS please. I'm not American so I use the word "democratic" in a more general sense.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 (edited) But do you often fart when you post? ... which I just did. Edited January 8, 2010 by buttheadsmate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthRaider Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Oh well, so much for a modicum of maturity And please BHM, easy on the baked beans! (Are we even going to try staying on-topic anymore?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SErge Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 But do you often fart when you post? ... which I just did. i thought the same thing while reading this thread , seriously though,an intresting article!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessex Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 (edited) Haven't really read it all the way through yet. (And no, none of that political BS please. I'm not American so I use the word "democratic" in a more general sense.) Well - toy collecting is becoming more 'Republican' in recent years . . . only those who have the most money get what they want. Edited January 8, 2010 by Nessex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docholliday666 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Well. What do you expect when you give people blankets with smallpox? Scalping. That's right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stack32 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 It bothers me hearing a scalper talk about surfing the fan sites to find out what to buy. It's obvious, but frustrating that a forum for enjoying toys is used against collectors. How much can a full-time scalper actually make? I make a decent wage at my job, nothing spectacular, but I don't see how the math works out for scalping to be worthwhile. If a trip gets you 5 GI Joes that you can sell for $10 above retail, it's still only $50. Spread that out over a whole day and it's just not much money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Being a scalper couldn't possibly be worth the time or money involved. Ebay fees are a real bitch, barely making it worth my selling my old stuff just to get rid of it. Seems like a scalper has to try and estimate future value, because they aren't gonna find all the hottest stuff when it is currently popular, and trying to guess on what is gonna be popular in a month or 6 months is risky--probably paying off less than half the time--and requires a lot of money and storage space. Shipping itself also takes time, money, and energy (I shipped 6 things a couple days ago, and it took me an hour and a half or more to package them, weigh them, and to print and apply the shipping labels. But one thing about toy collectors--many of us don't have a lot of sense, particularly when it comes to our hobby--so the scalping epidemic is less than surprising in some ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM2 Dinobot Posted January 8, 2010 Author Share Posted January 8, 2010 It bothers me hearing a scalper talk about surfing the fan sites to find out what to buy. It's obvious, but frustrating that a forum for enjoying toys is used against collectors. How much can a full-time scalper actually make? I make a decent wage at my job, nothing spectacular, but I don't see how the math works out for scalping to be worthwhile. If a trip gets you 5 GI Joes that you can sell for $10 above retail, it's still only $50. Spread that out over a whole day and it's just not much money. But if you re-invest that $50, you can buy 10 Joes and make $100. Re-invest that... ect ect. It's small change but it adds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthFLGuy Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I know around here I see one "scalper" a lot. He buys for a local comic shop, even has a sales tax exempt form. I think he collects for himself too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 But if you re-invest that $50, you can buy 10 Joes and make $100. Re-invest that... ect ect. It's small change but it adds up. How much time does a trip take? How much money could be made in that time doing something else? How much gas does it cost? How much time does it take to list the things on eBay and ship them? Besides, how many people are gonna run across Joes worth $10+ over retail during a trip to the store? Just irrational behavior, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsomedevil Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I'm of the opinion that if I can't buy it at the store or trade for it with one of my Multiverse pals, I don't need it. I can't imagine paying some of those crazy eBay prices for a figure. I spend enough as it is on toys. I will buy off of eBay, but I bargain hunt. No sense in encouraging the scalpers IMO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drgnrbrn316 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 It bothers me hearing a scalper talk about surfing the fan sites to find out what to buy. It's obvious, but frustrating that a forum for enjoying toys is used against collectors. That bothered me too. Maybe we should establish a code, where the least desirable 'mates are dubbed the most sought after. Like, say, from the latest wave of Toys R Us 'mates, Spider-Man & Scorpion are the ones to collect. Everyone likes Spidey, right? Regarding the interview though, I didn't really like Biff much. I think there's a difference in investing in one packaged figure to maybe draw a retirement fund in the future and buying all the rare items from retail to sell on eBay. I think there's a difference in buying a couple extras to sell at cost or trade with other collectors and denying collectors a chance to buy it at cost so another collector can buy it at over 4 times the cost. Of course, I won't deny that buying extra from a local store has the potential of denying other local collectors a chance, but I'd wager some of us are only scoring extras because they aren't moving as well in our areas. Overall, it makes you think, but it hasn't changed my opinion much on scalpers and their trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 (edited) Now that you mention it, I wonder how much our speculation in the eBay thread has affected eBay prices. I don't recall seeing much interest over a certain variant from a certain crappy X-Men movie until certain person or people started claiming it as the rarest variant of them all Whether or not that's the case, the character wouldn't garner that much interest without the rarity factor, IMO, and I've personally seen it on eBay a heck of a lot more than certain other variants. Edited January 8, 2010 by karamazov80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthRaider Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Pssssst, I hear TRU Captain Marvel/Black Bolt pack is getting really popular with the Cosmic Marvel and Illuminati fans these days. Better stock up on as many of them as possible before the massive demand starts kicking in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSpiderX Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I think one of the best way to deter these scalpers is to not give into them. I realize that we all want the figures as soon as they come out, but it often doesn't work that way. If people weren't willing to pay 50 bucks for a bullseye pack, then like they said in the article, these items would get returned because there is no profit to be made. Unless it's an item that was made in extremely limited numbers, then eventually we will all get the one we want. It's just a matter of being patient. I personally was prepared to pay 50 or 60 bucks for the BTTF series 1 because they are no longer making it. I ended up getting it from a friend here, for half of that almost a year later. I've said it before, patience and a little bit of luck are key here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dio Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I think the scalpers might have a retail license or they are tax exempt, and then they also build up points at TRU to get gift cards... I'm guessing they HAVE to be in the know, to know if something "exclusive" is really exclusive, and had as was mentioned before, if they know how many were produced. I'm sure they go to cons for the REALLY limited stuff, especially San Diego Comic Con. They might even sell passes for all we know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 (edited) My comments are Minimate specific............ In reality I'm hardly in a good position to be a scalper ....I'm in the UK where 'mates aren't available ,I have no access to a TRU at all (even if they were stocked) & 90% of the stuff I buy has international shipping & customs charges added. I do however get fantastic support from you guys here & I try in turn to help whoever I can especially those who support this place .......& some who ought to. That said I often feel like one because almost from the start of my obsession I concentrated on the rare stuff for my own collection & maybe a few 'spares' for trading. I then changed tack by buying 'extras' of what I perceived to be 'cheap' older stuff which might become future classics . The trouble has always been that I am a piss-poor salesman & rarely sell anything......so am I a scalper if I don't actually sell anything? Perhaps. Sam's comment about my 'outing' of stuff is spot on but there is nothing that should surprise the canny people we have as members here. The price guide also reflects an area that could be usurped by unscrupulous profiteers but I can honestly say it's a guide & unless you are nuts or are desparate ....there isn't one price you would have to pay if you are patient.......but I can't guarantee you won't have to pay more. That's the free market system I guess scalping is wrong but retro-scalping ......buying up old, previously unwanted stuff .......is far more rewarding & very satisfying . Edited January 8, 2010 by buttheadsmate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gambitron Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Very interesting article, I buy extras from time to time but only with the intention of trading here. I do admit buying an extra King Grayskull at SDCC two years ago with the intention of selling it on ebay, which I did, to pay for the one I got for myself. I remember feeling that I wasn't that bad as people around me in line were buying whole cases of Grayskull to sell them all. A bunch of these people didn't even get one for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I like how the one scalper guy justifies his own behavior, while sharply judging that of others who repack and "jealously whine" without getting a "real job" like running an eBay store Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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