The Energon Pub

Long time lurker, first time poster.

so here and there when a popular item turns up, it gets cleared out quick smart from retail stores by scalpers. it's often not particularly easy to spot a scalper on eBay but there are a few standouts.

Current scalpers are dealing in Masterpiece Soundwaves.

We often wish that we had a more pro-active way of deterring scalpers than simply not buying their wares, there will always be someone desperate enough for an item to pay exorbitant aftermarket prices.

I have a proposal. When you see a scalper on eBay or a similar sales sight, post a link to that listing here and then anyone who is irritated by the scalper/scalping in general can easily go to the listing and ask the seller a question.

It's better if the question seems legitimately about the item, that way they can't dismiss it out of hand and have to read and reply to it, taking up valuable time and effort. If enough people message them, it will effectively choke their dodgey business.

Over time this may have a reducive effect on the number of people scalping items that would otherwise be fairly purchased by legitimate collectors from their original retail store.

This is NOT intended to target someone selling one or two of an item at a dollar or few above retail as there are plenty of people out there who appreciate being able to use eBay to purchase items not available in their local area (globally speaking).

This IS intended to target people selling a currently hot item at 50% or more above the retail price, or who have many multiples of something for sale that is known to be in limited retail supply or who have purchased something and are then selling it peacemeal at an overall massively over inflated price.


If you don't agree with this thread, don't tell us below, just don't participate.
Mods if this contravenes any forum rules I apologise in advance and am happy for it to be removed. I have posted a similar post on several interational collectors sites.

A first submission
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformers-Masterpiece-MP02-Soundwave-Cassettes-Hasbro-Takara-TRU-SDCC-NIB-/251315320798?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123#ht_330wt_1318

have at him

before this gets entirely out of control like it did on the other two forums I've made a similar post:
My intention of starting this thread was to provide a place for Scalpers to be called out and then for people to work together as a global community to make life a little harder for Scalpers.

it wasn't intended to be a discussion. there have already been plenty of those.

Helping with an endeavor generally doesn't include listing all the ways it can go wrong or not work.
I see so many people in various places angry about scalpers, I was providing a tool that could be more effective and proactive than watching other deperate people spend their hard earned cash.

If I didn't explain myself I apologise.

UltraMarginal wrote:If you don't agree with this thread, don't tell us below, just don't participate.Mods if this contravenes any forum rules I apologise in advance and am happy for it to be removed. I have posted a similar post on several interational collectors sites.

It has the potential for some negativity as all anti scalper posts normally do. So I will be watching it. If something happens that is not acceptable I will deal with it accordingly.
I have been collecting toys since the mid 80's and I did not notice a "scalper" until the original Batman movie toys came out. There was head variations to the Batman figure and people used to come into Kaybee Toys (where I worked at the time) and dig for them. I would listen to their conversations and hear them talk about selling the figs at Comic shops, flea markets and mall conventions (they used to have these a lot back then, a bunch of "vendors" selling their items in the malls on weekends) and there was nothing to stop them back then.

Back then it was especially figures that were female since they were not as common as male figures. Through the years I watched the scalpers grow and start paying off store employees to get what they wanted first. I saw people scalp toys on local BBS chat boards. Then ebay came about and holy crap, did scalping take a massive jump..
Unfortunately as much as true collectors hate it the scalper will always be there no matter what we try and do to stop them.

I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

A sale is a sale, so why would they care who buys it as long as it sells?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformers-Masterpiece-MP02-Soundwave-Cassettes-Hasbro-Takara-TRU-NIB-SDCC-/251316492378?pt=US_Action_Figures&hash=item3a83a1585a#ht_357wt_1318
Same seller with less listed, and a single picture with the same price.

I'm away for a week and a bit from today, I'll try and drop a couple other links in if I get time.
others are more than welcome to link to a scalper.

For me, there's only one way of properly dealing with scalpers: boycotting them. As in, avoid them like the plague and take your business and money someplace else. There will be plenty of opportunities in the long run to get that item you want, either by chance in a (liquidator) store, or 2nd hand from a fan or reputable comic store or pawn shop. Just shop around and don't go for the first best. Sure, it wouldn't be "new" in some cases but it will save money and frustration.

As said before, scalpers are here to stay, but what we can do is simply take business away from them and minimize their profits. Nobody likes sitting on unsold stock for years, eventually they must be sold for cheap in order to make room for new potentially more profitable stock. That will be another thing working in your favor.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:boycotting them

Yup, stay away from their ebay auctions or flea market booths. Unfortunately some collectors always have to "have it first" so there will always be scalpers to cater to that group.

njb902 wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

A sale is a sale, so why would they care who buys it as long as it sells?

You'd be surprised how many stores are allowed to limit sales of an item because stores don't work with resellers. You'll see some of this later this year of the new consoles are hard to come by, as retailers institute a one per person sale. Many TRU employees either don't care enough to enforce the rule, don't know about the rule, or are simply too afraid to risk the negative feedback. As a retail employee I used to limit purchases on systems and other items with a high online resale value by my company.

Little known fact about negative feedback via retail - negative feedback is negative feedback. If the reason a customer complains about the store is because the manager wouldn't go on a date with them; it still counts as negative feedback. Most retail places don't bother cutting through the bullshit feedback.

datguy86 wrote:

njb902 wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

A sale is a sale, so why would they care who buys it as long as it sells?

You'd be surprised how many stores are allowed to limit sales of an item because stores don't work with resellers. You'll see some of this later this year of the new consoles are hard to come by, as retailers institute a one per person sale. Many TRU employees either don't care enough to enforce the rule, don't know about the rule, or are simply too afraid to risk the negative feedback. As a retail employee I used to limit purchases on systems and other items with a high online resale value by my company.

Little known fact about negative feedback via retail - negative feedback is negative feedback. If the reason a customer complains about the store is because the manager wouldn't go on a date with them; it still counts as negative feedback. Most retail places don't bother cutting through the bullshit feedback.

I totally understand limits on big ticket merchandise, but on 10 to 30 dollar toys? I'd figure they'd want the guaranteed sale right now as opposed to the hypothetical future sale.

njb902 wrote:

datguy86 wrote:

njb902 wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

A sale is a sale, so why would they care who buys it as long as it sells?

You'd be surprised how many stores are allowed to limit sales of an item because stores don't work with resellers. You'll see some of this later this year of the new consoles are hard to come by, as retailers institute a one per person sale. Many TRU employees either don't care enough to enforce the rule, don't know about the rule, or are simply too afraid to risk the negative feedback. As a retail employee I used to limit purchases on systems and other items with a high online resale value by my company.

Little known fact about negative feedback via retail - negative feedback is negative feedback. If the reason a customer complains about the store is because the manager wouldn't go on a date with them; it still counts as negative feedback. Most retail places don't bother cutting through the bullshit feedback.

I totally understand limits on big ticket merchandise, but on 10 to 30 dollar toys? I'd figure they'd want the guaranteed sale right now as opposed to the hypothetical future sale.

Point. I got confused with the masterpiece thread.

njb902 wrote:

datguy86 wrote:

njb902 wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

A sale is a sale, so why would they care who buys it as long as it sells?

You'd be surprised how many stores are allowed to limit sales of an item because stores don't work with resellers. You'll see some of this later this year of the new consoles are hard to come by, as retailers institute a one per person sale. Many TRU employees either don't care enough to enforce the rule, don't know about the rule, or are simply too afraid to risk the negative feedback. As a retail employee I used to limit purchases on systems and other items with a high online resale value by my company.

Little known fact about negative feedback via retail - negative feedback is negative feedback. If the reason a customer complains about the store is because the manager wouldn't go on a date with them; it still counts as negative feedback. Most retail places don't bother cutting through the bullshit feedback.

I totally understand limits on big ticket merchandise, but on 10 to 30 dollar toys? I'd figure they'd want the guaranteed sale right now as opposed to the hypothetical future sale.

There's also repeat business. They need to keep customers happy or they won't come back. If someone can never find the TRU exclusive they want they're just going to shop somewhere else.

Evil_the_Nub wrote:

njb902 wrote:

datguy86 wrote:

njb902 wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I work in the same shopping center as a TRU so I swing by a lot, and I know how quick scalpers can strike. When MP Grimlock came out I asked the TRU manager when they were getting them. He told me some guy bought 4 or 5 of them that morning. I went by at noon and there was a space for them, but they were all gone. When Animated Arcee came out I checked and there were 8 Ratchets and 0 Arcees.

I think the best solution is to put a "1 per customer" limit on exclusives. Maybe if we all complain to TRU enough they might implement that.

A sale is a sale, so why would they care who buys it as long as it sells?

You'd be surprised how many stores are allowed to limit sales of an item because stores don't work with resellers. You'll see some of this later this year of the new consoles are hard to come by, as retailers institute a one per person sale. Many TRU employees either don't care enough to enforce the rule, don't know about the rule, or are simply too afraid to risk the negative feedback. As a retail employee I used to limit purchases on systems and other items with a high online resale value by my company.

Little known fact about negative feedback via retail - negative feedback is negative feedback. If the reason a customer complains about the store is because the manager wouldn't go on a date with them; it still counts as negative feedback. Most retail places don't bother cutting through the bullshit feedback.

I totally understand limits on big ticket merchandise, but on 10 to 30 dollar toys? I'd figure they'd want the guaranteed sale right now as opposed to the hypothetical future sale.

There's also repeat business. They need to keep customers happy or they won't come back. If someone can never find the TRU exclusive they want they're just going to shop somewhere else.

That very well could be the case.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:For me, there's only one way of properly dealing with scalpers: boycotting them. As in, avoid them like the plague and take your business and money someplace else. There will be plenty of opportunities in the long run to get that item you want, either by chance in a (liquidator) store, or 2nd hand from a fan or reputable comic store or pawn shop. Just shop around and don't go for the first best. Sure, it wouldn't be "new" in some cases but it will save money and frustration.

As said before, scalpers are here to stay, but what we can do is simply take business away from them and minimize their profits. Nobody likes sitting on unsold stock for years, eventually they must be sold for cheap in order to make room for new potentially more profitable stock. That will be another thing working in your favor.

That is the best answer, but can I throw in some microeconomics. When there is a increased demand for a good (a toy) prices will increase and potential customers are will to pay more for that toy. When the price of said good increase, they will more suppliers (aka scalpers) entering the market hoarding the good. The only way for any of us to lower the price of a scalped toy or any toy is to decrease the demand for it, aka not to buy it. The scalpers will have an excess supply the toy and thus lower. It is up to you to determine the price that you are willing to pay for it and who you are you will buying from; rather if you willing to deal with a "failed" scalper, the lack of utility (satisfaction) from buying said toy is not high enough from a scalper, or you will get more satisfaction from telling a scalper to buzz off that from buying a scalped toy at any price. (sorry I just took an microeconomics course)