The Energon Pub

zemper wrote:

Sledge wrote:We're not talking about a childish "I can't have it ever, so I'll hide it so no one else can get it." I don't see how hiding something so you can come back and buy it later is depriving a child of the toy anymore than buying it there and then would be.

QFT. like i said earlier (or maybe in another thread), hiding is just part of the game.

besides, if a child really wants it, he could always ask the help of a salesperson to see if it is in stock; if it is, then the salesperson could look for it. if he finds it, then good, he can sell it to the kid. if not, too bad. it's not breaking the law or anything so people should not add a hint of morality to this practice.

bottom line: as long as you buy it, then do so.

Well, I can't imagine a kid is going to have the wherewithal to do anything like that, but at the same time, I don't really see much difference in someone buying a figure on the spot or hiding it and buying it 3 hours later either. I've never done it, but the thought doesn't infuriate me...

As to other topics within this thread…hiding something solely for the sake that nobody can buy it even though they don't actually intend to...that's just stupid and being a dick. Just as bad, or worse, as scalping. Do people other than children actually do this?

And lastly, I do find it odd that someone would specifically go "TF shopping" if they didn't have the money to buy, only to hide their finds to purchase at a later date...but I guess to each their own.

megatron7 wrote:

fnlrun wrote:Well lets see. I have the money to buy said Transformer, but can't because jerk-off over here hid it because he/she is broke. And you call "scalpers" bad. Your no better.

hey if u have the money u should u have gotten there first, if u didnt too bad, if we need to hide transformers to get them later that day and avoid paying a super high price for it on ebay then we'll just do that

He was probably at work earning the money. Not everyone can go to the store on a whim.

zemper wrote: the salesperson could look for it. if he finds it, then good, he can sell it to the kid. if not, too bad. it's not breaking the law or anything so people should not add a hint of morality to this practice.

bottom line: as long as you buy it, then do so.

Why don't you ask one of the store representatives what they think of this? It may not be against the law, but I'll bet they wouldn't look too kindly on your hiding their stock, and thereby preventing people from purchasing it. Especially since the would-be customers would probably blame the store for not having it when it's supposed to be in-stock, rather than thinking of someone hiding it in another section.

MagnusPrimal wrote:

zemper wrote: the salesperson could look for it. if he finds it, then good, he can sell it to the kid. if not, too bad. it's not breaking the law or anything so people should not add a hint of morality to this practice.

bottom line: as long as you buy it, then do so.

Why don't you ask one of the store representatives what they think of this? It may not be against the law, but I'll bet they wouldn't look too kindly on your hiding their stock, and thereby preventing people from purchasing it. Especially since the would-be customers would probably blame the store for not having it when it's supposed to be in-stock, rather than thinking of someone hiding it in another section.

jeepers, i dunno man, because the sales representatives at our local toy stores here are more than happy to accept reservations for toys, especially TFs, from customers. plus, they don't frown upon hiding their stocks, as long as it is within store vicinity and not outside LOL.

:MAX:

Ok this kinda bugs me..What is the difference really between hiding the figure yourself or calling the store and having a employee hold it?

I know I know, the employee is holding it so it's fair and such. But if a customer hid something, it's the same thing cept the said person can go back to it later and retrieve item without having to find a employee.

Still seems a lil funny people are playing hide and seek with figures. I dont look down on it but just amuses me how far people go to get that certain TF. Sure they were designed with kids in mind, but alot of people collect stuff..Don't see people hiding a book of stamps from someone else or whatever.

Personally, I don't really see the need to hide anything. If I see something I want, but don't have the money, I'll just leave it there and have to hope I can find it when I do have the money for it.

Some of the people both for and against the hiding in this thread seem to be making WAY too big of a deal out of it. They're only toys, after all.

Yeah, it'll kinda suck for me if that figure I leave behind never shows up again, but I'll get over it. Like I said, they're only toys.

I'm not looking down on anyone that does hide them, I just personally think that the extra steps are really more trouble than these things are worth.

Why the hell would you be hinding stuff?

If you are in a financial position where you need to hide toys till your next paycheck, you might wanna re-evaluate whether you should be buying toys.

This is one of my pet peeves btw. I HATE having to hunt through the backs of random shelves to find TFs that some juvenile hid away.

Bonger wrote:If you are in a financial position where you need to hide toys till your next paycheck, you might wanna re-evaluate whether you should be buying toys.

I concur.

Bonger wrote:Why the hell would you be hinding stuff?

If you are in a financial position where you need to hide toys till your next paycheck, you might wanna re-evaluate whether you should be buying toys.

This is one of my pet peeves btw. I HATE having to hunt through the backs of random shelves to find TFs that some juvenile hid away.

Yep, this is why I buy most of my stuff online.... that and package tampering is really irritating. Customer Service will always so, "no, the item was not returned, probably just had to be resealed b/c kids open them in store and play with them."

NotEnoughKibble wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:*points to second bolded part of quote*

You're right. That would be sensible. Problem is, if you're married, or a kid at the mercy of a parent's travel accommodations....this wouldn't work.

My current girlfriend would have no problem doing just that (in fact she has), but my other girlfriends would stand firm and say "No. You can come back for that stupid toy, later. You really don't even need it, it's really pathetic." So, I ended up losing out completely. I didn't hide it, couldn't put it on Layaway (they wouldn't take the time, nor have the patience to let me wait in line) so I ended up losing my chance at getting it. (Went back later that evening, sure enough...gone, gone, gone.)

Looking back, if I had thought of hiding the figure, I would've. I should've, I could've. I ended up paying almost twice the figure's cost in gas just so I could find it in another town.

There's legitimate arguments on both sides of this issue, but neither side is 100% right. There is a middle ground, yet no one's willing to bend and admit it.

Well, for the first two points...if you're married then I would hope your spouse is supportive of your collecting. If not, maybe you shouldn't necessarily be collecting. If you're a kid, then hopefully your parents are willing (if able) to buy the figure and allow you to pay them for it when you get home.

Anyhow, I'm just debating for no real reason, so please don't take offense or feel I’m trying to imply you or others are in the wrong. Like I said, I don't much care if someone hides a toy. Yeah, I'd prefer to get it sooner than later, but if I want it bad enough I'm going to find it eventually...and I'll probably appreciate it all the more if it took a that much effort to find. It sucked that it took 3 months to find CC BB, but I tell you what...I was pretty flippin' pumped when I finally found him.

Oh no. I'm not married, just attached. (Though I was engaged once, I don't consider my current "engagement" to be real. I have my reasons for that though...)

I too would hope my spouse will be supportive of my collecting, but even if she didn't...screw that. She has her stuff, I have mine. I'm going to collect 'em. Tough tittie.

And why, pray tell, should I end my collecting if I have a spouse who isn't supportive? That's excessive, and not your place to say. (Nor is it anyone's.) Seriously, I'd love to know the reasoning behind this one.

At the end of the day, who has the more complete collection? Who is closer to getting everything they want from a line?


Not the person who hopes and prays like hell that the toy they put back on the shelf is still there a few days later.

I've bought a toy from a shop in the morning, gone back two hours or so later, and the whole tf section is either dismantled by some little bunch of **** and their loving parents, who a scalper's had the lot.


I don't care about anyone else's collection. I care about my own. Did I get the figure I wanted? I am damn well gonna make sure I did.
If another collector needs a hand, I'm gonna do my best to help out. But everyone else can piss off. They're not here to help me out, so why the hell should I help them?

And so you know, I spend a good half hour or so reassembling the tf department at my local TRU after some little bunch of shits have finished destroying it and have moved on to the lego.

Children can be the worst thing in the world. Some people still teach them discipline, but most of the ones I see get away with murder. I HATE children.

The Master Blaster wrote:At the end of the day, who has the more complete collection? Who is closer to getting everything they want from a line?


Not the person who hopes and prays like hell that the toy they put back on the shelf is still there a few days later.

I've bought a toy from a shop in the morning, gone back two hours or so later, and the whole tf section is either dismantled by some little bunch of **** and their loving parents, who a scalper's had the lot.


I don't care about anyone else's collection. I care about my own. Did I get the figure I wanted? I am damn well gonna make sure I did.
If another collector needs a hand, I'm gonna do my best to help out. But everyone else can piss off. They're not here to help me out, so why the hell should I help them?

And so you know, I spend a good half hour or so reassembling the tf department at my local TRU after some little bunch of shits have finished destroying it and have moved on to the lego.

Children can be the worst thing in the world. Some people still teach them discipline, but most of the ones I see get away with murder. I HATE children.

Uh...that might be your experience, but generally the people I see tearing the aisle apart are teenagers being pricks and adults who just don't take the time to be polite.

More often than not, it's the adults. The college age (20-24) who bounce around the beachballs and what not. They're the same ones who go through, aisle by aisle and destroy everything in sight.

The children only learn from example in this case. The adults are to blame and need a headcheck like yesterday.

Uh...that might be your experience, but generally the people I see tearing the aisle apart are teenagers being pricks and adults who just don't take the time to be polite.

More often than not, it's the adults. The college age (20-24) who bounce around the beachballs and what not. They're the same ones who go through, aisle by aisle and destroy everything in sight.

The children only learn from example in this case.

SPOT ON.

Autobot032 wrote:Oh no. I'm not married, just attached. (Though I was engaged once, I don't consider my current "engagement" to be real. I have my reasons for that though...)

I too would hope my spouse will be supportive of my collecting, but even if she didn't...screw that. She has her stuff, I have mine. I'm going to collect 'em. Tough tittie.

And why, pray tell, should I end my collecting if I have a spouse who isn't supportive? That's excessive, and not your place to say. (Nor is it anyone's.) Seriously, I'd love to know the reasoning behind this one.

Actually I wasn't telling you or anyone else what they should have to do, only expressing my opinion. When I said "you" or "your," I didn't mean you specifically, but you as in a hypothetical person.

But to answer your question... Wife or toys? Healthy marriage or toys? Granted, in my opinion your significant other should take your feelings into consideration and be supportive of you and your collecting if it means that much to you, but if you'd actually choose toys over your significant other you should probably take a long, hard look at whether you should really be marrying that person, and that person you for that matter. Again, I don't mean you specifically, but anyone!

No wonder the divorce rate is what it is these days...wow.

zemper wrote:jeepers, i dunno man, because the sales representatives at our local toy stores here are more than happy to accept reservations for toys, especially TFs, from customers. plus, they don't frown upon hiding their stocks, as long as it is within store vicinity and not outside LOL.

:MAX:

If they accept reservations, then why would you hide anything?
And you're telling me they really don't care when you go in and screw with their shelves? How do you know this? Have you asked them?
And again, if they will actually reserve the toys for you, why would you hide them?

MagnusPrimal wrote:

zemper wrote:jeepers, i dunno man, because the sales representatives at our local toy stores here are more than happy to accept reservations for toys, especially TFs, from customers. plus, they don't frown upon hiding their stocks, as long as it is within store vicinity and not outside LOL.

:MAX:

If they accept reservations, then why would you hide anything?
And you're telling me they really don't care when you go in and screw with their shelves? How do you know this? Have you asked them?
And again, if they will actually reserve the toys for you, why would you hide them?

well, if you must ask, all of the observations that i have posted regarding toy stores here is based on my personal experience with them, not a derived insight from point-of-view observation.

1.) yes, they accept reservations, but there are times when there are no toy representatives in sight - so there, that's the time when you can hide the figure you want.

2.) they are particular with their toy shelving - BUT - when i hide, it's usually a single figure and not a horde of toys, which i assume would cause the so-called "screwing" of the shelves. and when i get a figure from a shelf (say, Classics Ramjet) i take care to replace it with another figure (the perennial pegwarmer Astrotrain).

3.) lastly, there are exceptions to the reservation rule (and thus the point of hiding): when a restock hits with a particular chase figure (like Concept BB), usually the store does not allow any reservations for the toy. if i find out this is the case - then it's back to #1 for me.

:MAX:

Alright. I didn't read the whole thread, and I'm not going into the politics of to hide or not to hide.

But I can tell you where I as an employee, and nearly every other hate going to and won't much notice something out of place. Clearance isle. We had to go zone it the other day, and nobody gives a **** about those isles. It's just a huge collection of crap that we want out of the way and literally throw into piles on the shelves.

DorkimusPrime wrote:

The Master Blaster wrote:It's called keeping tabs. When we don't have money with us and find something we want, we're gonna make sure nobody else gets it till we come back for it.

And that's just bullshit. Total five-year-old nonsense pulled off by immature little brats that run through stores. "I'm going to hide something because if I can't have it, nobody else can, either." I hope that if another collector catches you doing it, that they take it from your hiding spot and then punch you in the face.

ditto, not just collectors, but parents, retail workers, and anyone else who isn't a self entitled little poor little dip ****, anyone with an ounce of integrity should have the right to kick the crap out of you.

what is wrong with you people.

Ploptimus Prime wrote:

The Master Blaster wrote:

Ploptimus Prime wrote:If you have no money, what are you doing at the store in the first place?

It's called keeping tabs. When we don't have money with us and find something we want, we're gonna make sure nobody else gets it till we come back for it.


Here's one for you.

The topic disinterests you. What are you doing posting in it?

Disinterest has nothing to do with it. I simply don't understand the motivation. I guess I'm just not a cheap sh*t who would deny a kid/other collector who actually has some money the chance to buy the toy. But hey, you go ahead and keep on hiding crap around the store like a retarded squirrel burying his nuts. Very mature. Don't call greed "keeping tabs". Big difference.

Most of you bitch and moan about scalping, but have no problem denying others the toy they want, simply out of selfishness, by hiding it away in a drawer like a 5 year old who has to wait for his birthday money. Grow up.

I'm also not buying for a second the idea that you're at the store buying groceries, clothes, etc. and can't afford an extra $10-$20 toy and so you hide it. Please. If that's the case, you have bigger problems and should be spending your time and money in more productive ways than hiding toys in retail stores.

Amen

NotEnoughKibble wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:Oh no. I'm not married, just attached. (Though I was engaged once, I don't consider my current "engagement" to be real. I have my reasons for that though...)

I too would hope my spouse will be supportive of my collecting, but even if she didn't...screw that. She has her stuff, I have mine. I'm going to collect 'em. Tough tittie.

And why, pray tell, should I end my collecting if I have a spouse who isn't supportive? That's excessive, and not your place to say. (Nor is it anyone's.) Seriously, I'd love to know the reasoning behind this one.

Actually I wasn't telling you or anyone else what they should have to do, only expressing my opinion. When I said "you" or "your," I didn't mean you specifically, but you as in a hypothetical person.

But to answer your question... Wife or toys? Healthy marriage or toys? Granted, in my opinion your significant other should take your feelings into consideration and be supportive of you and your collecting if it means that much to you, but if you'd actually choose toys over your significant other you should probably take a long, hard look at whether you should really be marrying that person, and that person you for that matter. Again, I don't mean you specifically, but anyone!

No wonder the divorce rate is what it is these days...wow.

Alright, I'll admit. My tone was a tad harsh, and unnecessary.

It's not really a matter of choosing between your significant other and your collecting. (or it shouldn't be)

Here's why...

1.) When you enter into the relationship, both of you come to know the other's quirks.

2.) Both of you know what the other likes, dislikes, collects, etc.

3.) Even after all of that, you still go through the paces and become legally married, etc.

Knowing all that you know going in, going ahead and getting married anyway, then afterwards coming up with excuses and problems and issues over the collecting...it's not you making the choice. It's your spouse/significant other doing it for you.

If they had a problem with it to begin with, they should've made it extremely clear at the beginning and never backed down from it. That way the both of you can see the ugly side of each other and figure out what to do from there. Problem is, that requires logic and common sense. Neither of which is in abundance these days.

Not to mention, it gives people a reason to save up excess anger and energy and use it as a weapon to hurt each other as much as they can. (Doesn't even have to be collecting, it could be hunting, etc)

It's not the collecting that's the problem, it's the people. They don't communicate beforehand, they end up with major problems afterward.

It's as simple as this... "Look. I collect (insert here) and I'll admit, it's been a big part of my life. I have no plans of stopping it now, or anytime soon. If that's a problem for you, please tell me now. But before you answer, please realize I'd understand why you collect what you do, and I'd never ask you to stop it, just to be with me." if you can't even muster the courage to say that, and the person isn't even willing to bend a little just to compromise on something so insignificant in the big picture...then you're just not meant to be with that person.

Today it's collecting.
Tomorrow it's how you chew your food.
The next day it's that you didn't put enough gas in the tank.
Etc, etc, etc.

If there's a bone to pick, the person will find it, use it, and beat you with it until you're broken. No one needs to be with someone like that.

My one ex girlfriend didn't like my collecting, she thought it was immature, retarded (yes, her wording), etc. Yet she collected stuffed Disney dolls and their accessories, plus all the Disney movies because she grew up with it. I had no problem with it, I realized it was special to her. Yet my TransFormers were a problem for her, even though we were basically the same. I grew up with TFs, I collect them, yet she had a problem with it and didn't reciprocate the respect I gave her.

So of course I dumped her. Why would I stay with a hypocrite? Especially one with something simple as this, which could turn into something bigger, and then worse and worse and worse.

If I was married and my wife said "We're going to have to sell your collection to make the house payment, just like I had to sell off my stuff" I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I've sold off my collection before (for a woman) I got rid of my G1/G2, then I got rid of my CR/RiD collection, and ended up alone after all of that. What did I get in return for it? More than nothing.

If my wife, girlfriend, whatever wants to walk out the door because I refuse to give up my collecting (the only thing I really do, I don't go out and buy computers, cars, etc at the drop of a hat) then she isn't worth my heart or the ache she could cause.

If that's such a terrible thing, well then call me a prick and be done with it. Personally, I find it sensible. Anyone that's willing to throw you out of their life like garbage, all because you collect toys needs a serious reality check. Your husband, wife, girlfriend, etc needs to realize that there's more at stake in life, actual serious issues to contend with, and if they can't tell the difference between the two...then they're the ones who need help.

They're the ones who help bolster the Divorce numbers.

It's not rocket science. If something as insignificant as this bothers the person, everything will bother the person and you've got to move on. Even if the person doesn't like it, they can at least tolerate it if they truly, actually love you enough.

That's the problem...nobody loves enough anymore.

Autobot032 wrote:
It's not the collecting that's the problem, it's the people. They don't communicate beforehand, they end up with major problems afterward.

QFT.

Getting woman to communicate what they're 'feeling' instead of what they're 'thinking' would actually solve a lot of relationship problems.

and yes it's a childish hobby, it's collecting toys. The question is whether or not it bothers or embarrasess you. I don't brag and tell the world that I collect TF's, but at the same time I'm not shy about talking about them or the hobby.

DorkimusPrime wrote:you people are asshats, hiding figures from people who actually have the money to buy them.

Yes. Not bothering to read the entire thread, but I sure hope there are people berating people who hide toys for taking them away from children just like people jumped all up and down about the 'scalper' arguement this summer......

These toys are ment for kids, not us collectors, so hiding them is evil and repulsive and immoral. Ooops, forgot to alert people to my use of sarcasm.

immoral? LMAO.

Sorry, I don't hide toys, but I'm pretty sure you'd have to rape the neighbors dog with a transformer to actually be doing something 'Immoral' with it.

Sticking that Deluxe figure behind a 'Dora the Explora' box for a couple hours till you come back and buy it is hardly immoral.

I think some people here are misconstruing the argument as being, "I don't have the money, I may never come back for this toy, but I'm going to hide it so that noone will ever have this particular one."

I don't think that's the argument. I don't see anything wrong with "hiding" a toy if you're going to come back that same day to purchase him.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a date with the neighbors dog........

^Right, but it's also not immoral to buy more than one toy with the intent to sell the extra one, and this summer a whole messa' people got all high horsed about how evil and vile 'scalpers' were, and they were taking toys away from children with their vulgar practices, and seems to me that hiding a figure amounts to be more or less the same. Even if I only buy one, hiding it until I come back later makes it impossible for a child to buy that figure I've hidden. Or is this one of those double standard issues, where this is ok but selling a toy after market is not? Either way, I don't care....I don't hide figures nor scalp them.

Autobot032 wrote:.
If that's such a terrible thing, well then call me a prick and be done with it. Personally, I find it sensible. Anyone that's willing to throw you out of their life like garbage, all because you collect toys needs a serious reality check. Your husband, wife, girlfriend, etc needs to realize that there's more at stake in life, actual serious issues to contend with, and if they can't tell the difference between the two...then they're the ones who need help.

They're the ones who help bolster the Divorce numbers.

It's not rocket science. If something as insignificant as this bothers the person, everything will bother the person and you've got to move on. Even if the person doesn't like it, they can at least tolerate it if they truly, actually love you enough.

That's the problem...nobody loves enough anymore.

Speak on Brother! You say many things that are true. I was reading your post to my husband who was also agreeing with what you had to say. You got it in a nutshell.

Before we got married, we were honest with each other and we knew what each other liked. Most of which we do together like collect toys and play video games. We also knew the little things about each other that were kind of annoying. My husband (who has a Society Anxiety Disorder) will never order pizza or talk to a store clerk unless he absolutly has to. I have some issues from growing up in a home filled with hatred and violence. But we knew, discussed, and are okay with it all.

It's worked for ten years with no signs of failing yet.

Plus it helps that you can now order pizza online!

My husband isn't into Transformers like I am, but he enjoys watching me make a beeline to the toy isle to check the Transformer secton. My daughter also thinks I am a really cool Mom for it.

And to make this on topic. I don't usually hide Transformers. However, I'm okay with it. As long as it's not a lot of toys and they are still in a place I can still seach and find them.