Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

On the subject of the Muggs, why does Prowl have dimples? Don't get me wrong I loved the human like facial expressions, especially in the Marvel comic line towards then end with Wildman, but why dimples....

might as well have him drowling from the mouth.

Weird.

Looked because of one of the threads and it shows Blaster available again?

Guess that means keep trying folks, might still luck out

Blaster is back in stock! WOOT! Just ordered one!

Out of Stock Again!

revengeofstarscream wrote:Kidding! I only got one for myself. I could have purchased more, but to me scalping is immoral. Scalpers should burn in hell. If you buy a bunch of Blasters at Comic Con and then sell them on EBay, then I have no problem with that. The seller is actually adding value by making them available to those who were not able to attend. Additionally, the seller does not know for sure if they will be made available on HTS or not. If you buy a bunch online from HTS with the intent of selling them, then you should be castrated. Buying them online is something everyone can do. The seller is adding no value by slapping on his steep markup and then reselling them on EBay.

I haven't done this in a while, but I have to get it off my chest again. In the interest of full disclosure, I do buy and resell some new Transformers that I come across. For the most part, these figures end up going to international buyers on eBay.

revengeofstarscream wrote:I could have purchased more, but to me scalping is immoral. Scalpers should burn in hell.

I don't believe in the scalper phenomenon, at least not in the scale that collectors think that it happens. The problem with the scalping myth is that its very definition is more-or-less extremely self-serving to the supposed "victim". Basically any time a fan can't find a figure, it's because their "local" "scalper" was at it again! Seriously, there's a scalper in every town in every part of the world?

I don't get any special favors from anyone at Hasbro when it comes to buying figures first. Maybe once or twice a year I get something sent to me for free from Hasbro but I have to buy each and every other figure that I own just like you guys. Somehow though, I don't have a problem with the scalper phenomenon and haven't had a problem with it ever since I built the Toy Sightings section way back in 2004. Once I built it and started watching toy shipping patterns and following the sightings on several different Transformers fansites for my area as well as a couple of surrounding states, I've had extremely good luck with going out to a store and buying something the moment it comes out.

I missed out on Blaster this morning. Was it the fault of the evil boogie-man scalper? No. It was my fault. I was up until 5am working on Seibertron.com, had my alarm set for 9am, alarm went off, I forgot about SDCC stuff, and I immediately turned off my alarm, slept until 11:45am, and lo and behold the figures are sold out by noon, just like they have been in years past. No, that was my fault. Not a mysterious mythical scalper that selfishly made it so that I couldn't buy a toy. Nope. Just me. My fault.

As for going out to stores to buy figures, I take it very seriously about buying new figures as soon as they come out. I obviously have a much bigger motive than just getting a new figure. I want to get the figure, and get pictures up of the figure ASAP so that I can post that content on Seibertron.com to share with the rest of the world. I don't buy every figure in stores, however. I pre-order EVERYTHING on BBTS. If it shows up in stores first, then I go out, buy it, then cancel my BBTS pre-order. I don't care where I get the figure from as long as I get it first. BBTS charges a little bit more for items that show up at brick-and-mortar stores but when you calculate my time, gas, and having to pay taxes at the store, the difference in price betweeen retail and ordering online is usually insignificant.

revengeofstarscream wrote:If you buy a bunch of Blasters at Comic Con and then sell them on EBay, then I have no problem with that. The seller is actually adding value by making them available to those who were not able to attend.

This is what I mean by the definition of a scalper is one of self interest. In this instance, revengeofstarscream feels that it's ok for someone to buy a bunch at SDCC to resell them, which in theory makes less stock available for people to buy the figure at SDCC. So were those people victim of the scalper phenomenon? Apparently not according to revengeofstarscream because it didn't affect him.

revengeofstarscream wrote:Additionally, the seller does not know for sure if they will be made available on HTS or not. If you buy a bunch online from HTS with the intent of selling them, then you should be castrated. Buying them online is something everyone can do. The seller is adding no value by slapping on his steep markup and then reselling them on EBay.

Herein lies the problem with the scalper phenomenon that so many fans believe in. The seller doesn't always know if something is going to be of value. Most items you can make a few bucks on ... but do you realize how many toys you'd have to buy and resell in order to make a living off only a few bucks a figure? Do the math ... it doesn't add up, especially when you add in eBay fees, limited availability, the pure risk involved, etc. Yes, I buy and resell some Transformers (note "some"). I have made some money on some items but I've also lost a buck or two here and there and broke even more than I'd like. It's not an exact science.

For example, let's say that I know Drift is hot, because well, he is. Let's say there are ten Targets nearby and that every Target gets 4 Drifts a piece initially when they do the reset here in a week or two. Let's say someone drives around and happens to get each and every single one of them for $9.99 a figure ($11 a piece in Chicago after tax). If the figures are sold on eBay for $20 a piece, eBay takes out a $2.40 fee, plus the initial fees for listing the auction which could be anywhere for $.05 to over $2 or $3. Let's go on the cheap side and say $.20. Our mythical scalper who bought every single Drift at every single Target nearby sells each one for $20. $20 - $11 (for the product) - $2.60 (ebay fees) = $6.40 profit a figure not counting gas and other expenses. That's only $256 profit, which is not a lot of money especially when you consider how much time it would take to drive around to that many stores, buy all of those figures, then list them on eBay, package them, etc. It's not bad money, it's just a lot of work to the tune of I don't think that these supposed "scalpers" go through that much trouble to screw everyone over.

Yet, any time a collector can't find a figure it's because of the wicked scalper, not because another fan of a major brand like Transformers just happens to collect the same thing as you and just happened to get there first, or heaven forbid that a kid (yes, a child my friends ... who these toys are intended for minus a few here and there) actually got their hands on something while their parent(s) was shopping with them at your local Target or Wal-Mart or Toys R Us.

Yes, from time to time there are figures that are absolute gold mines, but there isn't a science to it and it affects so few figures every year that I don't believe in the scalper phenomenon.

So what do I believe in? I believe in supply and demand dictate price. If you really want a figure, you have to watch the sightings online, figure out the shipping patterns at your local stores, and be prepared to go out to buy a figure at whatever time of the day you read that someone online said they saw new toys at a local store. If you see someone write "hey the brand new Transformers are at the Walmart down the road" at 8pm and you decide not to stop by until the following morning on your way to work, well, I don't know what to tell you when the figures are gone. I'm pretty certain it's not because of a mysterious scalper.

Able to get my order in during take 2. Much needed boost to my horrific Monday.

Good luck to anyone waiting for take 3.

That's the most American thing I've read in a while.

God Bless America and God Bless capitalism!



I mean it too.

Friends, fellow site members, people in the fandom that contact me...they get friend prices and at-cost assistance.

Everyone else, pays for my time.

I've always thought the whole scalper myth was blown way out of proportion. There's a guy on another siting board I use that cries scapler every single time a new figure is released. This guy rants and curses about the supposed scalpers with such venom it's kind of scary. I've never really had any problems finding any figures at retail, even the store exclusives.

Seibertron wrote:

revengeofstarscream wrote:Kidding! I only got one for myself. I could have purchased more, but to me scalping is immoral. Scalpers should burn in hell. If you buy a bunch of Blasters at Comic Con and then sell them on EBay, then I have no problem with that. The seller is actually adding value by making them available to those who were not able to attend. Additionally, the seller does not know for sure if they will be made available on HTS or not. If you buy a bunch online from HTS with the intent of selling them, then you should be castrated. Buying them online is something everyone can do. The seller is adding no value by slapping on his steep markup and then reselling them on EBay.

I haven't done this in a while, but I have to get it off my chest again. In the interest of full disclosure, I do buy and resell some new Transformers that I come across. For the most part, these figures end up going to international buyers on eBay.

revengeofstarscream wrote:I could have purchased more, but to me scalping is immoral. Scalpers should burn in hell.

I don't believe in the scalper phenomenon, at least not in the scale that collectors think that it happens. The problem with the scalping myth is that its very definition is more-or-less extremely self-serving to the supposed "victim". Basically any time a fan can't find a figure, it's because their "local" "scalper" was at it again! Seriously, there's a scalper in every town in every part of the world?

I don't get any special favors from anyone at Hasbro when it comes to buying figures first. Maybe once or twice a year I get something sent to me for free from Hasbro but I have to buy each and every other figure that I own just like you guys. Somehow though, I don't have a problem with the scalper phenomenon and haven't had a problem with it ever since I built the Toy Sightings section way back in 2004. Once I built it and started watching toy shipping patterns and following the sightings on several different Transformers fansites for my area as well as a couple of surrounding states, I've had extremely good luck with going out to a store and buying something the moment it comes out.

I missed out on Blaster this morning. Was it the fault of the evil boogie-man scalper? No. It was my fault. I was up until 5am working on Seibertron.com, had my alarm set for 9am, alarm went off, I forgot about SDCC stuff, and I immediately turned off my alarm, slept until 11:45am, and lo and behold the figures are sold out by noon, just like they have been in years past. No, that was my fault. Not a mysterious mythical scalper that selfishly made it so that I couldn't buy a toy. Nope. Just me. My fault.

As for going out to stores to buy figures, I take it very seriously about buying new figures as soon as they come out. I obviously have a much bigger motive than just getting a new figure. I want to get the figure, and get pictures up of the figure ASAP so that I can post that content on Seibertron.com to share with the rest of the world. I don't buy every figure in stores, however. I pre-order EVERYTHING on BBTS. If it shows up in stores first, then I go out, buy it, then cancel my BBTS pre-order. I don't care where I get the figure from as long as I get it first. BBTS charges a little bit more for items that show up at brick-and-mortar stores but when you calculate my time, gas, and having to pay taxes at the store, the difference in price betweeen retail and ordering online is usually insignificant.

revengeofstarscream wrote:If you buy a bunch of Blasters at Comic Con and then sell them on EBay, then I have no problem with that. The seller is actually adding value by making them available to those who were not able to attend.

This is what I mean by the definition of a scalper is one of self interest. In this instance, revengeofstarscream feels that it's ok for someone to buy a bunch at SDCC to resell them, which in theory makes less stock available for people to buy the figure at SDCC. So were those people victim of the scalper phenomenon? Apparently not according to revengeofstarscream because it didn't affect him.

revengeofstarscream wrote:Additionally, the seller does not know for sure if they will be made available on HTS or not. If you buy a bunch online from HTS with the intent of selling them, then you should be castrated. Buying them online is something everyone can do. The seller is adding no value by slapping on his steep markup and then reselling them on EBay.

Herein lies the problem with the scalper phenomenon that so many fans believe in. The seller never knows if something is going to be of value. Yet, any time a collector can't find a figure it's because of the wicked scalper, not because another fan of a major brand like Transformers just happens to collect the same thing as you and just happened to get there first, or heaven forbid that a kid (yes, a child my friends ... who these toys are intended for minus a few here and there) actually got their hands on something while their parent(s) was shopping with them at your local Target or Wal-Mart or Toys R Us.

Yes, from time to time there are figures that are absolute gold mines, but there isn't a science to it and it affects so few figures every year that I don't believe in the scalper phenomenon.

So what do I believe in? I believe in supply and demand dictate price. If you really want a figure, you have to watch the sightings online, figure out the shipping patterns at your local stores, and be prepared to go out to buy a figure at whatever time of the day you read that someone online said they saw new toys at a local store. If you see someone write "hey the brand new Transformers are at the Walmart down the road" at 8pm and you decide not to stop by until the following morning on your way to work, well, I don't know what to tell you when the figures are gone. I'm pretty certain it's not because of a mysterious scalper.

To add to this. I have sold transformers a little bit on
e-bay, don't anymore due to time issues. Even when I want a toy, I have to call toys r us or walmart and ask when something comes in, i had to get there early or ask some one to hold the items for me. There are alot of people out there that like transformers. when the g1 reissues came out, they were shelf warmers due to the fact that they were way too much and they made a ton of them.

Hasbro decided to not release as many in the states. Perceptor and insecticons is a good example.i called toys r us for weeks and finaly some showed up but they only had one case of them. The ones that everyone wants they don't make alot of but the ones that no one wants, they make a ton. Same with wing saber in energon, i would find two of them, get em and sell em, but only for maybe 10 to 15 more. If i wanted figured for myself like masterpiece startscream, i went to 5 walmarts before i found it on clearance for 25.00.

When i need to find figures for myself, i go out and look, i get the sku, i call target, walmart, toys r us, ask when the trucks come and if things are in stock. Alot of times they are not and alot of times it isn't scalpers that take all the toys, it is the fact that hasbro does not make alot of them so there may be only 6 cases delivered to toys r us of insectioncs and perceptor with 4 to a case and there are alot of people around here that love transformers.

Are there ones that sell em sure, but that is capitalizm, early bird gets the worm, we as a society are used to things being handed to us and not have to work for it. Well you do, do i like when toy stores online get a figure for 49 and mark him up 50 dollars when it is a U,s.a figure.. No, i think that is really wrong, but they get it straight from Hasbro, as they bothered to get a business account and order them. but they had to start somewhere and once they are stopped being made, they will be even more valuable. An example of something good, the seacons are 59.00 for a combiner set that is pretty good. they are a u s a release so that helps but not bad, yet blaster and others are a different situation.

Again, there have been plenty of figures i missed out on and didn't get a chance to get. ebays prices on blaster mostly match bbts. A lot of international people want these things and can't get them so it is a service to them to be able to buy it online. There are those that buy alot in certain places to sell and maybe they should leave one on the shelf but when i bought perceptor and insecticons, for a week, the other two boxes were on the shelf before someone got one and then a few days later the other.

I don't like it when i have to pay alot more then somethings is worth but if i wait too long or expect to walk in a store and see it then that is no ones fault but mine. I then have to shell out the money for what i want. That is why i was up at 7 this morning checking every 30 min or so for the blaster to be online, i wanted to get one. If i can't get on, i will get a friend to do it for me. In America, you have to take the initiative if you really want something because there are 9 other people behind you that will if you don't. Also hasbro does the crappy thing of only putting one of the most popular figure in the box along with two of the ones everyone has or doesn't want.

There have only been 3 figures since 2002 that I have not seen at retail...

Universe Soundwave and Spacecase
Alternators Camshaft (because I was in the middle of a move)
Human Alliance Mudflap (and he's probably on his way with the next wave again)

Toys these days are mass produced and plentiful. The issue is that they are not on shelf for a long period of time (by design) so you have to jump at the opportunities when they are present.

astrotrain was only a exclusive online.

though with the alternators, how many times were there two smokescreens but only one sunstreaker. but again, there are thousands of people that like transformers and they are all out there shopping. My area is always plentiful on most things, i have 5 walmarts near me, a toys r us and target so i have never had a problem finding any figures, even hard to find

On a side note, i would love a usa release of predaking because paying 180 just doesn't do it for me, come on hasbro, take a clue and release it. Though coudos on the masterpiece grimlock, getting him for 56 dollars is awesome, better then 150. Now there is a figure that gets jacked up alot.

To anyone out there looking, call toys r us early in the morning and ask if it is coming in, just get the sku and keep checking, when they are released, they will tell you if you ask and hold it for you until you get there.

Blaster is available again on HasbroToyShop.com!!! I placed my order.

back in stock!

got 'em

3rd times a charm for me!

Counterpunch wrote:There have only been 3 figures since 2002 that I have not seen at retail...

Universe Soundwave and Spacecase
Alternators Camshaft (because I was in the middle of a move)
Human Alliance Mudflap (and he's probably on his way with the next wave again)

Toys these days are mass produced and plentiful. The issue is that they are not on shelf for a long period of time (by design) so you have to jump at the opportunities when they are present.

Notice that all 3 of those figures are figures that came out at the end of a line. This happens with almost every series that the last way or two of figures are hard to find. Retailers cut back on their orders toward the end of a series and/or Hasbro cuts the numbers down on their end. I've seen this happen with just about every series since all the way back to Beast Machines (remember Blast Punch Optimus Primal and Rattrap anyone?)

BBTS got in HA Mudflap way back in January or February. This is one of those times that I was really glad that I pre-ordered him from them. He's also widely available in Asia. I keep thinking about ponying up some cash to buy and sell them back here but that's quite an investment only to make $5 to $10 a figure (which is about how much over retail they're selling for on eBay).

Seibertron wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:There have only been 3 figures since 2002 that I have not seen at retail...

Universe Soundwave and Spacecase
Alternators Camshaft (because I was in the middle of a move)
Human Alliance Mudflap (and he's probably on his way with the next wave again)

Toys these days are mass produced and plentiful. The issue is that they are not on shelf for a long period of time (by design) so you have to jump at the opportunities when they are present.

Notice that all 3 of those figures are figures that came out at the end of a line. This happens with almost every series that the last way or two of figures are hard to find. Retailers cut back on their orders toward the end of a series and/or Hasbro cuts the numbers down on their end. I've seen this happen with just about every series since all the way back to Beast Machines (remember Blast Punch Optimus Primal and Rattrap anyone?)

BBTS got in HA Mudflap way back in January or February. This is one of those times that I was really glad that I pre-ordered him from them. He's also widely available in Asia. I keep thinking about ponying up some cash to buy and sell them back here but that's quite an investment only to make $5 to $10 a figure (which is about how much over retail they're selling for on eBay).

Oh, I know.

I ordered Camshaft online. Got Mudflap through someone on this site as a hook-up and passed upon Soundwave.

Still pretty good that only 3 figures in 8 years have slipped past my grasp. I didn't buy all of them, but at least I saw them.

Esoen wrote:3rd times a charm for me!

Welcome to the site Esoen and congrats on getting Blaster

For anyone who still wants Blaster, it's listed on preorder now on HTS, ships 8/13.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/transformers-universe-autobot-blaster?BR=496&SBR=97&ID=27188

Got 'em this time.

Thanks for playing Blaster Whack-a-mole.

Currently showing available again at HTS.

Its funny, been out of stock 3 times now and magically restocked.

Interesting

3.8TransAM wrote:Currently showing available again at HTS.

Its funny, been out of stock 3 times now and magically restocked.

Interesting

same thing happened with soundwave last year

RiddlerJ wrote:Got 'em this time.

Thanks for playing Blaster Whack-a-mole.

Heh heh

I wish they would restock the Sgt. Slaughters!

That seems to be the only Exclusive they haven't restocked again today...

Seibertron wrote:

3.8TransAM wrote:Currently showing available again at HTS.

Its funny, been out of stock 3 times now and magically restocked.

Interesting

same thing happened with soundwave last year

Hasbro works in mysterious ways

Anyhow , Ryan (it is correct?), I owe u a beer some day, live in NW IN(so not far away) and its just to say thanks for this site, so thanks

3.8TransAM wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

3.8TransAM wrote:Currently showing available again at HTS.

Its funny, been out of stock 3 times now and magically restocked.

Interesting

same thing happened with soundwave last year

Hasbro works in mysterious ways

Anyhow , Ryan (it is correct?), I owe u a beer some day, live in NW IN(so not far away) and its just to say thanks for this site, so thanks

if you're ever up around o'hare, i might just take you up on that offer. do you post in the Illinois or Indiana toy sightings section here? i keep thinking i want to do a seibertron.com get together at TGI Friday's or something nearby.