knightedfeline wrote:How would setting limits be unfair? The scalper can still do what he wants, but this way doesn't effect the market in his territory.
If we've got a person that is scalping as we have defined, or a person that scalps, all it means is that he's got to come back the next day. This actually gives people a chance to get the item for their kid and for themselves. It would mean a scalper would actually have to work. How is this bad?
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:How would setting limits be unfair? The scalper can still do what he wants, but this way doesn't effect the market in his territory.
If we've got a person that is scalping as we have defined, or a person that scalps, all it means is that he's got to come back the next day. This actually gives people a chance to get the item for their kid and for themselves. It would mean a scalper would actually have to work. How is this bad?
I don't care enough about this thread anymore to continue it any further.
knightedfeline wrote:If there were enough people, to write in and tell the companies, they'd listen. We're a fanbase. That's always important to a company. If we band together on an issue, they will listen.
knighted feline wrote:No the items wouldn't fly off the shelf, but they're items that are going to sell anyway. The difference being instead of selling all at one time, they sell them throughout the day. Gee, that's a big difference isn't it?
knighted feline wrote: Fairness is part of being American. At least it used to be.
F Prime wrote:I see your point...I would love to agree, but I am on the fence about how they would act.
F Prime wrote:No need to get snarky. I see your point, I am just saying that they think with their capital. There is a chance that the toys wouldn't all sell. If scalpers make up a large enough base and they aren't interested in returning day after day to buy them all up the toys may shelf-warm in some areas.
F Prime wrote:Now you sound like a socialist.
F Prime wrote:Unfortunately, fairness and succeeding in a capitalistic market are often, but not always, at odds with each other.
knightedfeline wrote:F Prime wrote:I see your point...I would love to agree, but I am on the fence about how they would act.
I'd love for you to elaborate on your point, please?
knighted feline wrote:F Prime wrote:I see your point, I am just saying that they think with their capital. There is a chance that the toys wouldn't all sell. If scalpers make up a large enough base and they aren't interested in returning day after day to buy them all up the toys may shelf-warm in some areas.
Honestly, the only toys I see shelf warm are the ones no one wants. Ones like the excessive amount of movie Primes for DOTM, or ones they make too many of. And in all fairness, those are the kind that always self warm.
knighted feline wrote:F Prime wrote:Now you sound like a socialist.
Well, if making certain that everyone gets a chance at the American dream, if making certain that the majority of this nation gets it's voice heard over the ruling class, if that means I stand up for people's right to make choices for themselves, and it means standing up against those who would tell me what I can and can not do makes me a socialist, then I'm a socialist, doc. posting.php?mode=quote&f=27&p=1293115#
knighted feline wrote:F Prime wrote:Unfortunately, fairness and succeeding in a capitalistic market are often, but not always, at odds with each other.
Not always. Capitalists want their products bought by everyone, not just one small group. They make more money that way. It's the market that determines who can and can not. Thing is the capitalism in the US is screwed up because not enough are following the market and what it wants. The market has been saying for twenty years, faster, more fuel efficient, safer cars, but the big companies have been selling bigger, slower, gas guzzling cars and lost their share of the market to Toyota, Kia, and Hundai. They produced SUVs with the belief that that's what American's wanted, and yet they kept losing ground to foreign competitors. The people that bought the SUVs were status seeking people and not the majority of the market. There are many examples of this in the US market, and part of is because we've cut back on the regulation that the market needed and because there's too many people that run these corporations that think, "We tell them what they want," which is communism.
knightedfeline wrote:First I never said anything about Anti-Scalping laws. I said, "Contact Businesses." All I'm looking for is a little customer Service.
knightedfeline wrote:
Secondly, I said that scalping *may be* illegal depending on the state. If I'm not mistaken on this, my business allows that only 25 units be sold per month or a certain amount of money to be transacted to be classified as a business. It changes depending on the state.
.
knightedfeline wrote:The worst example of scalping I have seen was in '93 at a convention. Dealers were given 20 comics of a pre-release as part of their admission cost. There were about 1000 comics that were going to be sold to fans. When time came to sell to the fans, they were sold out in about 2hrs. The line had been up since 6AM and about 12 people bought the vast majority of the comics. Working as with a dealer at the time, I found out quickly that those twelve people had been hired by dealers to get the comics. The fans found out before the convention was over and it created a huge mess.
knightedfeline wrote:Also people put aside money for the conventions, so their money is available and accessible to make these big purchases. Basically they're not out any money, they've put into it.
Also businesses that go own brick and mortar stores that are basically self paying permanent storage facilities. These business also there to give credibility, and brand recognition for the owner. A smart businessman makes far more at a convention than he ever spends out. There are also a few tricks that stores have started doing, like getting their employees to get individual ebay or whatever accounts and have them say stuff like, "I'm getting rid of my collection," and "I don't know anything about these toys," and then sell the merchandise that way. .
knightedfeline wrote:Okay, now no longer playing Devil's Advocate for anti-scalpers I've got to clarify something on a personal note. You actually bought 6 RPs and sold them to cover the price for one? Are you nuts? Not only that but you did research to find out this stuff? Are you kidding me?
knightedfeline wrote: Look I'm the kind of collector that gets one or two things a month and that's it. Doing things that way I've managed to build myself a nice little collection. If it's not in the budget I don't get it.
knightedfeline wrote:I'm even the kind that doesn't mind spending time to rebuild a figure. I've spent 19 years doing that for just one. To me that's what makes this such a fun hobby..
knightedfeline wrote:I'm just saying though that all that time you spent researching, chasing down and buying these figures you could have been doing ANYTHING else.
knightedfeline wrote:Do you realize you're not even covering your overhead? Do you realize the money and resources you wasted just to do that? Look at it this way, you're not getting paid for your research time, your driving time or the time it takes to complain to the company. Now I could understand if you've got a day set aside to do all that running, or if you happen to be in the area, but that forty miles that's what about an hour of time you could have been doing, I don't know, anything else? All that time you spent researching, searching, buying, driving you could have been doing anything else. (If it was me I'd rather be biking, watching cool toons, talking with my lady. Maybe that's just me.)
knightedfeline wrote:A person whose sole business is doing this I could understand, but to just do this to cover your cost for one figure doesn't make sense. You lose money even if you sell them all just to cover for the cost of gas.
knightedfeline wrote:Look at it this way; you're not getting paid for your research, searching, buying, driving and prepping for the the net sale.
knightedfeline wrote:I think that's why some scalpers charge so much is they're actually covering their costs for all the extra work. .
knightedfeline wrote:If you just add up all that time and multiply that by minimum wage, you'll see what I mean. In the time that you spent doing all of that, you could have worked a 5-15hr job that would have paid you more, and more than covered the cost of the one Rodimus you bought. I'm sorry, but this is the one part about scalping I just don't understand. Maybe I'm naive.
donnie_707 wrote:well......atleast we now know who NOT to buy from(--->points at deathy). seriously deathy.....you need a new hobby(or atleast a new way of making money lol). put it this way. i flip cars on the side. the last car I sold will be able to get me ALL the TFC hercules figures(2 of each if i so choose). collecting TFs is a hobby for me. theres really no SHORT term way to make a good amount of money.(unless fansproject makes more add-ons for that ugly toy that no one wanted but you bought anyways*bruticus im lookin at you*) youre spending all that time scalping just to be able to pay for ONE MP rodimus? i just dont get scalpers sometimes....
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:First I never said anything about Anti-Scalping laws. I said, "Contact Businesses." All I'm looking for is a little customer Service.
You clearly said via your replies in this thread. you wanted the stores & goverment to enact scalper laws. that would make it harder for scalpers or people to buy more than one item per day. then you gave a snarky comment about scalpers having to do more work like keep comming back day after day to stock up on the item. these are clearly anti scalper laws & anti-scalper comments you wrote.
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:
Secondly, I said that scalping *may be* illegal depending on the state. If I'm not mistaken on this, my business allows that only 25 units be sold per month or a certain amount of money to be transacted to be classified as a business. It changes depending on the state.
.
But why should scalping be illegial at ALL?? why should others be treated inferior or less of a person. all because you & others don't like what they do or who they are.
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:The worst example of scalping I have seen was in '93 at a convention. Dealers were given 20 comics of a pre-release as part of their admission cost. There were about 1000 comics that were going to be sold to fans. When time came to sell to the fans, they were sold out in about 2hrs. The line had been up since 6AM and about 12 people bought the vast majority of the comics. Working as with a dealer at the time, I found out quickly that those twelve people had been hired by dealers to get the comics. The fans found out before the convention was over and it created a huge mess.
These dealers did no wrong,they were given 20 comics for free by the convention organizers. since their was no limit put in place by the convention owners. the 12 buyers did nothing wrong,nor did they do anything illegial.
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:Also people put aside money for the conventions, so their money is available and accessible to make these big purchases. Basically they're not out any money, they've put into it.
Also businesses that go own brick and mortar stores that are basically self paying permanent storage facilities. These business also there to give credibility, and brand recognition for the owner. A smart businessman makes far more at a convention than he ever spends out. There are also a few tricks that stores have started doing, like getting their employees to get individual ebay or whatever accounts and have them say stuff like, "I'm getting rid of my collection," and "I don't know anything about these toys," and then sell the merchandise that way. .
I don't understand what your trying to say here in these 2 paragraphs.so well just move on along to other paragraphs in your reply.
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:Okay, now no longer playing Devil's Advocate for anti-scalpers I've got to clarify something on a personal note. You actually bought 6 RPs and sold them to cover the price for one? Are you nuts? Not only that but you did research to find out this stuff? Are you kidding me?
Please don't insult me by calling me "NUTS". I don't mind debatting with on-line TF fans as long as things are kept civial,respectful & polite.
deathy wrote:I needed to do the research anyways because I was interested in getting one Hasbro TRU Rodimus Prime for my personal collection to keep.
what's wrong with doing research like checking out sightings threads. calling the TRU store each week to find out if the item was in stock & asking what day the trucks arrive. I was prepared & it paid off as I got my item before others beat me to the punch.
you clearly didn't do any research & thus you don't own a TRU Hasbro MP Rodimus Prime toy yet.
deathy wrote:What I did with the profits of the multiples of toys I sell is none of your business. as long as it paid for my gas & Paid for my free rodimus,I'm satisfied.
deathy wrote:I only bought 5 TF toys this year within a 10 month time frame. Since it's not illegial to scalp toys in order to get yourself a free toy with the profits. I did no wrong nor did others who do the same thing.
deathy wrote:knightedfeline wrote:I'm even the kind that doesn't mind spending time to rebuild a figure. I've spent 19 years doing that for just one. To me that's what makes this such a fun hobby..
I'm only 27 years old & lack the patience & desire to do this. I would have had to start when I was 8 years old to do this.
deathy wrote:I had to do the research anyways to get the one figure for my personal collection. I got the other 6 Because I was in the store anyways.
un-like yourself you did no research thus you still don't own a Hasbro TRU Rodimus Prime toy. instead your using your valuable spare time replying to threads complaining that scalpers & others cleaned out your stores of the item you were looking for.
It would have been far more efficent to spend 5 hours of your valuable spare time to do the research before the toy hit your stores. INSTEAD YOUR NOW using THAT 5+ HOURS RESEARCH TIME replying in threads about why you dis-like scalpers & you want anti-scalpers laws in place. so the scalpers don't clean out your stores of a item you like.
deathy wrote:Do you realize you spent hours/days/weeks,complaining about scalpers cleaning out your store on the internet. you could have transferred that time into research instead of complaining.
I work a 50+hours work week at UPS. When I do toy hunts its either before work or after work or on my lunch hour or my two 15 minute breaks. I have plenty of time to spend with my family & friends as I do toy hunts on my free time at work.
deathy wrote:AGAIN,Your making fun of me wasting 5 hours of my spare time doing the research to get my Hasbro TRU Rodimus toy. we'll guess what at least I bought the toy & have it.
You basically chose the oppossite to do no research,get no toy. complain for hours on the internet afterwards that the scalpers cleaned out your stores. at the very least my wasted time got me the toy.
deathy wrote:So now your making fun of me & others for not being full fledged 100% scalpers? so now it's wrong to be low level & we need to be higher level. please mind your own business what others do in their private lives.
deathy wrote:AGAIN,I needed to do the research & waste time+gas going to the store buying the one MP Rodimus,I needed for my collection. So while I was their,I bought 6 more to make the profits help pay for my gas & get my toy for free.
I made $120 in profits from selling all 6 Hasbro TRU Rosimus prime toys. because I also went to the TRU.com facebook page & printed out 6 20% off coupons. The $120 paid for my free toy,my gas & all my sales taxes,ebay fees & paypal fees. I also got some money left over.
deathy wrote:If given the option,I'd chose option #1. I'd rather do the 5+hours of research & get the item before others beat me to the punch. Rather than chosing the 2nd option you've clearly chosen,do no research,get no item & waste 5+hours of your valuable time complaining all over the internet scalpers beat you to the punch & you want anti-scalpers laws created by either the goverment,states or created by stores.
At some point you clearly wasted gas & time driving to the store also. only to find out that the scalpers cleaned out the stores of the item you wanted.
At the very least all my wasted gas+time,got me the toy. as I did the research & kept calling the store & knew the item was in stock before I drove to the store.
deathy wrote:I make over $25 per hours being a UPS package car driver. I don't know what your trying to imply but I'm not un-employed.please lets try to discuss the topics in the thread. without going off topic & trying to discuss or insult people's personal lives.
deathy wrote:AGAIN,ME & YOU,chose to do two totally different options with our 5+hours worth of spare casual time. I chose option one,which was doing the research,calling the stores to find out what day the trucks arrived. calling the stores everyday to find out if the item was in stock. using the sightings section to guess when the item would arrive at my store. my research paid off as I went to the store & got a hasbro TRU MP Rodimus toy in my personal collection.
You chose option two,which involved no research & then complaining for 5+hours of your spare valuable time on the internet. that scalpers cleaned out your store & wanting anti-scalpers laws put in place by the goverment,states or by the stores. this 2nd option has no toy as others who did the research got the toys.
knightedfeline wrote:Just as side note to anyone else. I started this post with the idea that I could come to understand both sides of the issue better, and I am finding more clarity as well unexpected aspects. One I never new this was such a touchy subject for scalpers. It seems that some even try to convince themselves they're not doing anything wrong because they keep repeating it like a mantra. They even go out of their way to read as many anti-scalping posts as possible so they can defend themselves, when if they really felt that way they wouldn't read them at all. I know that the scalped have hurt feelings about it and it's easier to understand their side of it, than the scalper. It's also good to know that some scalpers know how they effect others. I have tried to be as objectionable as possible and play Devil's Advocate when necessary. It is not my goal to bring disharmony, but to bring greater understanding. I do hope this helps.
scalpers have feeling to
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