The Energon Pub

Sensitive debate this could be young padawan!

I think there is a difference between a "scalper" and someone who buys more then 1 of the same item.

Scalper A Buys 5 CC Bumblebees and sells em for about 2X the retail price on e-bay.

Scalper B Buys 5 CC Bumblebees and sells em on E-bay with a starting bid of $.01 knowing people will bid for it right away.

"Scalper C" Buys 2 CC Bumblebees 1 for himself and the other to kitbash.

So I believe a true scalper is selling a hyped up item for double it's value on e-bay while scalper B who is helping those that cant find said item in their stores can purchase it online though it'd cost a lil more or the same if you include gas money you'd spend to get to the store and taxes (if their state has it).

Seibertron wrote:to close out this overly massive post, I'd just like to ask for a definition of scalper from all of you, and maybe we can come to some conclusion as to what is and isn't acceptable. I'll be the first to provide my own answer:

In my opinion, someone who saved their G1 Optimus Prime, mint in sealed box, which nobody makes anymore, and walmart/target/whatever doesn't carry anymore, and sells it on ebay for a high price, is NOT a scalper, nor is someone who buys more than one item (one to open, one to keep MISB).
A scalper is someone who acquires large amounts of a recently released item which has a high demand (either due to a recent popular movie, or a new technology: look at the ps3 and scalpers) in order to sell it at a high price, and, whether through design or coincidence, drives the natural price of said commodity higher by depriving others of acquiring it at the standard, given price (via acquiring an unfair quantity of the items on shelf.) Scalpers use the same skills, abilities, and tricks that a hardcore collector will use, and may, in addition, useunfair practices, such as paying/bribing/being an inside man and taking said products off the shelf or out of the warehouse before the general public can even get a hold of them.

Vindication from the site owner on the site posters that have claimed that I am a scalper since I own more than 4,000 TFs! Owing 2 of the same item (one to keep open and one to keep sealed does not make me a scalper as 'some' on this site have suggested). Buying up 18 pieces of a figure well that would definitely for more obvious reasons than one could imagine.

megatroptimus wrote:

GetterDragun wrote:
I never meant "that seller" I said "it costs".

We were clearly discussing about that seller.

Actually, the original post was, but the thread has progressed on. I thought you were talking about shipping for $9 and I was usuing my example at $8. Regardless, many people don't stock boxes in their house or bubble wrap and have to buy it. Neither of which are free, and average box is $2.50 and bubble wrap can start at like $8 for a small roll. So say you that's $3 for packing materials, which is a fair price. Plus many many people on e-bay only ship priority mail with delivery confirmation, because that is the safest way to ship something to avoid chargebacks. Of course you can use first class, but I won't and many others won't. But it seems most of the people buying stuff on e-bay never complain about an extra $3 for something shipped well. They obviously know they are paying more.

But figure this, if I'm at work with no time to go looking for a figure, but if I paid someone $10 to go get one for me, I figure it takes them time to go to the store, pick it up, wait on the checkout line, drive back home, package it up, and bring it to the post office to ship it. That time I was at work that I didn't have to go to the store was an opportunity cost I didn't have to take.

What are the MISB ones for?

Kanyon wrote:Sensitive debate this could be young padawan!

I think there is a difference between a "scalper" and someone who buys more then 1 of the same item.

Scalper A Buys 5 CC Bumblebees and sells em for about 2X the retail price on e-bay.

Scalper B Buys 5 CC Bumblebees and sells em on E-bay with a starting bid of $.01 knowing people will bid for it right away.

"Scalper C" Buys 2 CC Bumblebees 1 for himself and the other to kitbash.

So I believe a true scalper is selling a hyped up item for double it's value on e-bay while scalper B who is helping those that cant find said item in their stores can purchase it online though it'd cost a lil more or the same if you include gas money you'd spend to get to the store and taxes (if their state has it).

i'd go with B and C !! i have done both! mostly to help out other board members, but i've never bought mutibles of something with the thought of profit! NEVER!!

--B-- wrote:That was very well researched. Nice to see that some people take the time to get the facts before they post.

"Well researched meaning sitting in front of the computer for 10 minutes with a pocket calculator.

Seibertron wrote:I'm sticking up for them because they aren't doing anything illegal. I also am sticking up for the scalpers because I want to help you guys BEAT the so called scalpers, which I think a lot of you use as a scape-goat when you can't find a figure. I just want to see someone say when they can't find a figure ... "Dammit! I took too long getting to the store. Some other COLLECTOR got here before me!" Or heck, maybe little Jimmy's mom stopped by on her way home from work and snagged a new TF for her kid as a surprise or for good behavior. It seems that everyone blames an imaginary scalper in their area and that drives me nuts.

Good point. People jump the gun and blame the scalper when it could have been some kids mom or another fan. Unless you actually SEE someone buying all the figures of the shelf, blaming an invisible scalper is ridiculous.

Also you have no idea if the guy IS a scalper or someone who buys one to keep in package and one loose.

Counterpunch wrote:Can I get an Amen?

AMEN!

Prime vs Wild wrote:Why shouldn't Mr. Jazz be able to turn a profit for providing a service to his customers? If you buy one of his figures you've saved yourself the time and effort of finding it yourself. He's already made the effort for you. Whether its through connections, making calls, or just getting lucky shouldn't matter. He's still saving you that step.

So when you see an ad like this you have to decide if the mark up is worth the savings you get in your own time and stress. That's all it boils down to. Its not the end of the world.

That is the other side of the coin. On one hand he is keeping the toy from others in his area. On the other he is providing people in other areas with a toy they are having trouble finding. I still don't like what the guy does but it's a sad fact of the collecting world that sometimes you'll have to buy a toy with a large markup from a scalper. I have had to do that with Titanium 6" G1 Magnus. I didn't like doing it, but I had no choice.

pfcparts wrote:Do we have a section for SKU #s and DCPI #s here? I think those would be helpful in addition to the toy sighting page.

They have a topic with SKUs and DCPIs at TFW world that we could reproduce here or link to if Ryan has no objections.

Seibertron wrote:Er, Priority Mail, while it is more expensive than it used to be, still starts out at $4.60 for packages.

Here's USPS' shipping calculator. See for yourself. Use my current zip code (60613) and Fenton, MI's zip code (48430, the town I grew up in). 2 lb box that's 10x10x10 starts out at $4.90. If you use Paypal to generate your USPS shipping labels, delivery confirmation is free and insurance is only $1.65 to cover items valued under $200.00.

While shipping starts out at $4.60 he is probable asking $9.00 to cover materials and distance to areas. From Chicago (60613) to my hometown (01960) a 2lb package with priority shipping costs $6.20 with $1.65 for insurance is $7.85 total. He probably just gave a shipping price to cover costs for different areas.

Seibertron wrote: strongly disagree. I only allow Priority and Express Mail shipping with the items I sell on eBay. This is to cover my ass, to cover the buyer's ass and to cover USPS' ass (though they probably don't really care). I'll pay for whatever shipping I can get so that I have a tracking number, not to mention the speed difference. You might think it's stupid, but I think it's extremely smart. In my opinion, a seller is stupid for even thinking of shipping a package without being able to track down where the package is. You're just asking for some negative feedback on eBay later down the road. I want to be able to know where my goods are that I've shipped people when they ask "where's my package?"

I agree here as well. Using the calculations I used earlier USPS says that the package would arrive in my area in 2 days with priority. With a tracking number you can tell where it is if something goes wrong. But considering the speed one may not need it. However seeing as "Better safe than sorry." is one of my creedos I would use the pricier choice.

allisonaxe wrote:to give you an idea of how difficult to navigate houston is: as it stands, there are 3 Targets, 1 Walmart, and 2 Toys R Us's that i check fairly regularly (and i have a friend who lives in a suburb that can check 1 of each, too.) that stated, in the greater houston area, there's probably about a a dozen more targets, about a ten more walmarts, and about 4 TRU's that are generally outside my typical range of travel.

Do you know how many fans would love to be in your shoes? You have a boat load of stores around you just like Chicago. That map alone that I took a screen shot above should show you how fortunate you are! Yet, you're complaining that the toy sightings section is worthless. Someone in Houston reported that they found a Bumblebee at a Target and yet you haven't even checked the five or six stores that are no more than 5 to 10 miles from that store. Most people around the country have to drive twenty or thirty miles (at least) between some of these stores. You're in toy heaven living in a major city like Houston!

allisonaxe wrote:houston is a large city (from what I recall, the largest metro area in America, as far as actual geographical space goes. only 4th in population, yes, but everything is spread out.) and keeping the sightings section up to date would probably be a darn near impossible task; checking them for whats actually out there has proven useless because it out-dates itself quicker than I can navigate the city.

This is entirely not true. There's a Bumblebee spotted at a Target in Houston as of this morning. If you wait to go in 3 or 4 days, yeah, the figure will most likely be gone. But if you go right now or tonight after work and ONLY stop at the Targets in your area, you should have a pretty damn good chance of finding '09 Bumblebee.

allisonaxe wrote:Its a noble goal, and I commend you for even having it, but that doesn't mean that its useful for all areas.

See above. It's what you make of it. How many toy sightings have you posted? The more people that use it, the more useful it becomes. But based on what I just saw for Houston, it's EXTREMELY useful ... you aren't taking advantage of the information. Are you waiting for someone to post that they had 6 Bumblebees at a Target in Houston and then you'll go? That's never going to happen. You have to use the sightings tool as a guide to help you figure out which store chains you should be looking at.

I can't believe you think it's useless when there's sighting right now in Houston for Bumblebee yet you're stating how useless the tool is. What do you want the sightings tool to do for you? THIS IS MY WHOLE POINT!!! It seems that some of you don't understand how to use the sightings tool to your advantage which is why I keep offering to help you guys figure out how to use the data that's there.

-Z- G1 Snarl Rules wrote:

Seibertron wrote:to close out this overly massive post, I'd just like to ask for a definition of scalper from all of you, and maybe we can come to some conclusion as to what is and isn't acceptable. I'll be the first to provide my own answer:

In my opinion, someone who saved their G1 Optimus Prime, mint in sealed box, which nobody makes anymore, and walmart/target/whatever doesn't carry anymore, and sells it on ebay for a high price, is NOT a scalper, nor is someone who buys more than one item (one to open, one to keep MISB).
A scalper is someone who acquires large amounts of a recently released item which has a high demand (either due to a recent popular movie, or a new technology: look at the ps3 and scalpers) in order to sell it at a high price, and, whether through design or coincidence, drives the natural price of said commodity higher by depriving others of acquiring it at the standard, given price (via acquiring an unfair quantity of the items on shelf.) Scalpers use the same skills, abilities, and tricks that a hardcore collector will use, and may, in addition, useunfair practices, such as paying/bribing/being an inside man and taking said products off the shelf or out of the warehouse before the general public can even get a hold of them.

Vindication from the site owner on the claims that I am a scalper since I own more than 4,000 TFs! Owing 2 of the same item (one to keep open and one to keep sealed does not make me a scalper as 'some' on this site have suggested). Buying up 18 pieces of a figure well that would definitely for more obvious reasons than one could imagine.

I never said you were a scalper, ever. You are not.

And I was pushing the point saying that if you have 4000+ Transformers, that would mean you have at least 2 of every single TF ever made, ever. Figuring that you probably don't have every Lucky Draw or white headmasters (cause I only know of two peoplpe with the complete set of white headmasters), that would mean you have triples of many items, to which people were saying that buying more than one figure is selfish. I don't think so, because I understand the point of having multiples, one to lay with, one to be perfrect, and an extra in case the open one ever falls and breaks. It's reasons like this hy there are many sealed G1s left.

I have 5 Star Convoys, 1 original sealed, 1 original opened, and 3 reissues. I don't plan on selling them, but I guess people could call me greedy. Why do I have that many? I bought the original sealed before the reissue, I think it is an awesome looking figure and wanted one to display open, so I got that, then they came out with the reissue, so I wanted one sealed and one opened, and the third reissue came as part of a package deal. So while others might call me greedy, I had a reason for buying that many.

GetterDragun wrote:
Actually, the original post was, but the thread has progressed on. I thought you were talking about shipping for $9 and I was usuing my example at $8. Regardless, many people don't stock boxes in their house or bubble wrap and have to buy it. Neither of which are free, and average box is $2.50 and bubble wrap can start at like $8 for a small roll. So say you that's $3 for packing materials, which is a fair price.

AND

But figure this, if I'm at work with no time to go looking for a figure, but if I paid someone $10 to go get one for me, I figure it takes them time to go to the store, pick it up, wait on the checkout line, drive back home, package it up, and bring it to the post office to ship it. That time I was at work that I didn't have to go to the store was an opportunity cost I didn't have to take.

1-I'm doing enough transactions so I don't have to buy boxes and stuff, I always recycle.

2-If the scalper is making a special trip just to get his stuff, that's entirely his problem, he should be smart enough to make it coincide with errands. The mark-up is certainly not there to cover the guy's expenses, that'd be a lame excuse.

Eh...i dont really care for the G1 re-paint, it doesnt suit the type of car its painted on.

But being a scalper is just wrong. I mean buying an extra 1 or two is ok but to go and freaking buy the whole store out or whatever, thats just wrong and id like to kick their asses.

I'm kinda on the fence on this one. I've been collecting Transformers since the late 90s and I've never been unable to find a retail toy in retail stores, even by just checking the toy isles when I was shopping or something. I think (and I may be wrong) that Ryan's doings are not 'massive hoarding' but collecting a few figures and reselling a few. If he'd gone all around the Windy City and bought 7 boxes of Starscreams, it'd be different.

The only times I've had to buy online were for SDCC Menasor and Galaxy Force Soundwave because the Japanese one is a nice darker blue. All in all, I just don't think that a few people scooping up toys is going to impact the availability a lot. That being said though, its really crappy to buy a metric asston of them. But fighting over children's playthings just seems a bit silly to me.

I've tried using the Sightings, it can work, if people in the area post it up. don't see that many in my area of a lot of figures. Could just be dumb luck.

Sure, I've used the "scalper" excuse. but I do know that things don't get out here that fast. or in the case of Reissue Soundwave, who's YET to get a spot or a price tag so far as I can tell. on the shelves at my local TRUs. And I've asked about. You kniow what kinds of faces you get when a KID rattles off a numeric code? They don't take me serious. And I've called too. I get similar responses.

Which then gets me to the next point. I physically can't go hunting the day an alert comes out. Something about a lack of a car, a license, insurance, you get the pic. And I have no prob with people buying a bunch one time. Because the next case SHOULD come in. But when the same person keeps ripping cases (may or may not be the case here)

And I have passed guys walking out of the toy department carrying overloads of a figure I want. And me getting into an aisle to find that fig completely gone.

This scalping bastard is scum.

A person should only be allowed to buy one or two of each figure.

I
think Seibertron is right you have to take a pro active stance when it comes to transformer toys especial now when they are so scarces. I think this guy is just being a smart business man. Heck I could have done the same thing yesterday at my local target they were just stocking the shelves with g1 movie repaint starscreams when I arrived but I didn't want the figure.

Definition of a scalper: one that buys toys at normal or less than retail prices and resells them for double or triple the original price and claims that the item is uber rare.

They are seen hanging out at flea markets a lot.

Cyber Bishop wrote:Definition of a scalper: one that buys toys at normal or less than retail prices and resells them for double or triple the original price and claims that the item is uber rare.

They are seen hanging out at flea markets a lot.

Often don't shave, have greasy hair, and are obese. If you try to haggle with them they'll yell at you with their mouth full of mcdonald's double quarter pounder.

I buy rare toys and sell them for a profit and I'm proud of it. I then turn around and reinvest that money in other luxury items, usually Transformers for my own collection. I find that if I can buy three and sell two, I usually make enough extra to cover the expense for the figure I keep.

This year I bought three Botcon sets and three looses sets, plus all the souvenior sets I could get. I kept one of everything for me and made enough profit off the rest to buy a 50" Panasonic plasma tv.

Resourcefulness is a virtue, not a vice.

Someone mentioned being grateful to scalpers because they make figures available in other markets(like the UK) that would not be otherwise available?

I don't really have a response to that, but it is a very interesting cultural viewpoint.

Counterpunch wrote:

allisonaxe wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Inappropriate comparison.

Transformers are NOT requisite for living.

Thats just, like, you're opinion, man...

sure, you can survive without TF's, but can you really call it "living?"

You're new, so it's cool.

What you may not realize is that opinions passed down by the High Court of Counterpunch read like legal opinions from the Supreme Court of the US.

Now that slut Punch often writes a dissenting opinion, but who cares about that anyway?

I'm not that new, I'm just not as old as you, old-timer. i've been around here a while (over a year, darnit!) I just don't post that much.

-Z- G1 Snarl Rules wrote:
Vindication from the site owner on the site posters that have claimed that I am a scalper since I own more than 4,000 TFs! Owing 2 of the same item (one to keep open and one to keep sealed does not make me a scalper as 'some' on this site have suggested). Buying up 18 pieces of a figure well that would definitely for more obvious reasons than one could imagine.

actually, i wrote that bit, and it must've gotten into one of seibertron's quoted-posts somehow.

Seibertron wrote: all that junk you were saying about houston target stores

Houston is a LOT bigger in geographic space than Chicago, which i mentioned in another post. you're from chicago? according to wikipedia, which cites the U.S. Census, Chicago has a total area of 234.0 square miles. Houston, on the other hand, has a total area of 601.7 square miles. so the majority of my local target stores? SPREAD THE HELL OUT ACROSS THE MAP, a map, I might add, has no actual zoning regulations meaning... twisty, screwy roads (really! the city just sold a street to a development project,) that jam up 4 times a day, more if its august and raining... Have you ever driven in Houston? Depending on the time of day, weather, traffic, sporting events, whether its rodeo season, etc., it can take a very long time to get from point A to B. if you want to drive from here to Austin, on a Friday evening, it can take a matter of a couple of hours just to get out of town. and public transportation is a joke (and doesn't even actually go everywhere you might need it to go,) so everyone has a car, and every car is always on the road.

Houston also seems to get things later than a lot of other places. it could be just how things seem, but unless they have a specific release date, its as though the trucks (and the stores) don't put things out here until everywhere else gets them. also, each actual store's stock here tends to vary. maybe they do things differently where you're from, but just because one store has something, that doesn't mean that another location's even gotten a shipment. even more shocking, last I was at the target in the Meyerland area of houston, they had *no* transformers. literally: they'd completely stripped out the action figure shelf altogether, for some reason. all that remained was an end-cap with Optimash Prime, and a few real gears, and thats all. (that was a couple weeks ago, but considering its about a 20-minute drive out there from here, assuming the rare optimal traffic conditions, i haven't gone back since.)


As for the Main St. target's bumblebee? its long gone. san felipe didn't have one today at lunchtime. Meyerland? as far as I can tell doesn't even carry action figures at all anymore (see above). Westheimer is un-navigable at this time of day, and in my experience, is usually the last to restock. I'll be going back out to check the last one in range (on.. sawyer, i think, but i forget street names sometimes,) but they're restocking schedule is wonky too, so who knows? thanks for trying to help, but yeah, Houston works different.

that said, they did have the G1 jazz and starscream repaints.. at the main location and no other that i've visited. so, i guess those are listed in the sightings section at that location, yeah? guess it works after all, but its not a guide to the rest of the Houston area.

I want to keep this civil. i appreciate your site, and even though I may disagree with what you say, or am convinced that "you just don't get how Houston works," I still like you, and your site, and everything you do for this little community of collectors. I'd appreciate, however, if you'd not attack me for speaking *my* mind, either. I'm trying to break my habit of being "YAAAHH!!! INTERNET WARRIOR PRINCESS!" and I apologize if I come off as abrasive. please note i never called your tool "useless" but rather "borderline useless"... and thats not a reflection on the tool, but rather, because Houston's different, man. Texas is different. The rules of the real world don't apply out here in the wild west. I'm sure in more compact cities, where the truck visits one store after another and drops the same stuff off at each one, things work differently. here, not so much, and you could probably ask anyone from here about that and get a similar response.

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I buy rare toys and sell them for a profit and I'm proud of it. I then turn around and reinvest that money in other luxury items, usually Transformers for my own collection. I find that if I can buy three and sell two, I usually make enough extra to cover the expense for the figure I keep.

This year I bought three Botcon sets and three looses sets, plus all the souvenior sets I could get. I kept one of everything for me and made enough profit off the rest to buy a 50" Panasonic plasma tv.

Resourcefulness is a virtue, not a vice.

You are just a scalper with a big tv that will break in less than two years.

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I buy rare toys and sell them for a profit and I'm proud of it. I then turn around and reinvest that money in other luxury items, usually Transformers for my own collection. I find that if I can buy three and sell two, I usually make enough extra to cover the expense for the figure I keep.

This year I bought three Botcon sets and three looses sets, plus all the souvenior sets I could get. I kept one of everything for me and made enough profit off the rest to buy a 50" Panasonic plasma tv.

Resourcefulness is a virtue, not a vice.

Exactly the type of collector I despise.

megatroptimus wrote:

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I buy rare toys and sell them for a profit and I'm proud of it. I then turn around and reinvest that money in other luxury items, usually Transformers for my own collection. I find that if I can buy three and sell two, I usually make enough extra to cover the expense for the figure I keep.

This year I bought three Botcon sets and three looses sets, plus all the souvenior sets I could get. I kept one of everything for me and made enough profit off the rest to buy a 50" Panasonic plasma tv.

Resourcefulness is a virtue, not a vice.

Exactly the type of collector I despise.

Wiii!! It's 533r o' clock here in Chicago. Pull out the drinks out of your work fridge, let's toast, and carry on.

MM ... Killian's.

Wow this thread has some life in it. Seriously never expected it would triple its original five page size. O_o

I gave this issue some more thought.

Buying a figure or two for yourself is not selfish and it's not hoarding.

Buying a figure or two for yourself and to sell one off to a friend at cost, or a little extra (covering gas) is not a bad thing. It's not scalping. It's called breaking even without losing a cent. At this point, you're not in it to make money, but you're not willing to lose money in the deal either. This is sensible and is passable.

Buying a case of the same figure to keep for yourself, and hock the rest at store cost plus $15.00 or more is ridiculous and it is scalping. Had you not bought the entire case, just the two figures you needed, the other two would've gone on the shelf and someone locally could've gotten that figure without having to go search online.

A kid gets the toy? Perfect! This is how it's supposed to be. Regardless of whether or not it was the kid or the parents buying...the kid gets the toy!

A collector beats you to the punch. No problem. It happens and it will continue to. Sometimes luck is on your side, other times it isn't. That's just how it goes. You can try as hard as you want, but sometimes you're just going to be beaten. I should know, it's happened to me.

And the whole "You're not using your resources correctly" bullsh*t...I and many others *HAVE* used the sightings forums on all the boards.

To a certain extent, they do help. But the problem is, a lot of people get their goodies and don't share the wealth of information. If they don't post, how is that supposed to help us? It isn't. So don't sit around stating that the sightings threads are the end all, be all help of finding the item you covet.

Besides. Someone finding Bingo The Radioactive Monkey in Bakersfield California doesn't affect me here in PA. Oh sure, if someone posts the pertinent information, I can call local retailers, see if they have it. 9.9 times out of 10...they don't.

While that's not the sightings forum's fault, telling us that if we follow the steps, we'll absolutely find what we're looking for is just not the case. Just because it works sometimes, doesn't mean it works all the time. Yet many people believe it does, and they're so out of it that they think "Well my store has it, everyone else's must too." which is definitely not the case. No, not even close.

The sightings are an invaluable tool, but they won't fix the problem, not always. It just doesn't work like that.

I agree that if you want your item, you have to put aside the time and work to get what you're looking for. I never said otherwise, and I don't think anyone else did either.

However, it would be easier if people bought one or two of the figure, not the entire friggin' case so they can sell off the extras at a markup (beyond gas costs, etc).

You're not a business, you're not providing a service. You're providing a way for you to exploit weaknesses in people and make money off of it. A business must buy the new figures in order to keep up with demand and continue to make money. You don't have to buy the extras to sell off. You choose to do so, knowing it will make you a little extra money and you even admit that you do it. That is scalping, that is not providing a service, and you are not a business.

You get lucky and end up buying a case from some hapless store clerk who's none the wiser. Businesses actually draw up contracts, meet their order obligations, work to meet the criteria required.

They actually work and earn the markup. You do nothing but get lucky and pawn the rest on those who are desperate. No one has to buy off of an online store or eBay, but when you buy up all traces of the figures from local stores (where they could've gotten them, if it hadn't been for you) and resell them for more money, then you force the people around you to have to use online means.

Seeing that it's wrong would be admitting you're wrong. No one's willing to do that. Or (and this is even worse) you see it's wrong, but you don't give a damn, you're gonna make that profit.

I've lost money over the years in trades and sales, but I still followed through because when you agree to make the deal, you follow through with it. If you miscalculated costs in the interim, that's your fault and the money issue rests on your shoulders, not the buyer. It shouldn't either!

Covering your costs is sensible. Raking in the dough from screwing people over is not being a shrewd businessman...it's being an opportunist.

"TransFormers 2: Exploitation

Featuring the new Decepticon character Opportunist"

publicvisage wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Why is that bad? You could've called your local Target as well to find out what they had in stock. Those of you who just randomly hunt stores without a battle plan in place are just wasting your time. Be proactive. Find out the SKU #s, the DCPI #s, etc. Call the stores ahead of time with that information.

Watch the toy reports on sites such as Seibertron or TFW to see when figures start showing up in stores. If there's a news post on Seibertron tomorrow that says Movie So-and-so has been sighted, don't wait until next Wednesday to go looking for that figure. Figure out how you're going to obtain it tomorrow. If you wait until your next paycheck in 5 to 10 days, I can guarantee that that brand spanking new figure will be long gone already.

Remember, every time you point a finger to blame someone else (i.e. the scalpers in this case), just remember that there are three fingers pointing back at you. Take responsibility for figuring out how to obtain new figures. It's not rocket science.

Please top blaming the so-called "Scalpers". They're just doing it the smart way.

Although you make a valid point, my problem with Scalpers doesn't derive from their "skill" in obtaining the toys. Rather it's that they take advantage of people who are willing to pay exorbitant prices for a 10 dollar child's toy.

You could claim that Scalpers are simply doing good business, and blame the people who buy from them for being stupid. But I see this practice as being similar to price-gouging for, say, gasoline, which is ILLEGAL.

Hrm. Apparently, one shouldn't enter debates when one is drunk off one's ass.

*goes to soak head*

I think the original point of this thread was lost somewhere along the way...

I see people using the "if you bought an Concept Bumblebee and started the bid at $.01, whats the big deal...blah, blah, blah."

To me, there is NOTHING wrong with that.

NOW...this thread started with a guy that has several CASES of the G1 deco Jazz, STILL IN THE FACTORY BOXES.

The big guys at this site keep faulting our toy hunting abilites and keep bringing up the site's sigthing forums... not to mention complimenting these scalpers. Here are my problems with their whole arguement...

1) As I said before, dont ASSUME that we dont know what we're doing in our collecting. Collecting in Houston is more difficult than some other markets and getting finding anything requires skill and a whole lot of luck. I am OFFENDED that you talk down to us and be so critical of us "Powers That Be."

2) The Sighting Forums... I am sure they COULD be helpful to a point, IF everyone posts everything they see in every city. All in all, they end up being more entertainment than resource. OH, and here is the brainbusting part of this equation... How in the HECK are we suppose to update your "sightings forum" if there are A-Holes like the G1 Jazz guy taking EVERY case from one OR several stores??? There is nothing for us to sight because of guys like that.


The point isnt that this guy is making money...thats the American way of life... The point is that he is blatant and an unsavory individual for his methods.

We are all entitled to our opinions, but I think you are missing the point of what we are "complaining about," and I think you have insulted the very fans/collectors that make your site what it is during this discussion.