The Energon Pub

Ive seen alot of complaints about "scalpers", such as on ebay. What I don't understand is how some people hate them so much but then turn around and buy products from "specialty" toy stores that charge way over MSRP for collectibles. Some will argue that they have to import the toys, which means their cost is higher, but even then some of the prices arent justified. Any business is in it to turn a profit, whether it be an ebayer or a private store owner. I'm just curious on everybody's thoughts on this. I am not saying one is right or wrong, just merely making an observation. By the way, some of these toy stores pay people to go out and hunt down toys for resell, since they can't get their hands on enough of them.

Good point. I think the market determines the value regardless...but patience usually pays off.

GetterDragun wrote:Good point. I think the market determines the value regardless...but patience usually pays off.

I agree with Getter on this. I am laying off on anything old or in high demand that I cannot get through a local chain store of BBTS because of the influx of people getting into the hobby is sending prices soring. Eventually they will come down again and I am patient.

Noticed today that my local Target had the leader price at $44.99 (although there were no figures left). I swear that it used to me $39.99 there. Anyone else noticed a price change like this at Target, or anywhere else? I thought Fred Meyer was the only one jacking them up a bit, although I was willing to pay the extra $5 there when it was buy 2 get one free.

Most of the "scalpers" that people complain about are those who scalp for a living. Most collectors partake in one shape or form. It is the degree that matters.

As for ordering from online stores, there are many other reasons for the higher price:

1) It comes straight to my door in excellent condition.
2) I don't use any gas, waste any time, or end up disappointed.
3) I don't have to deal with the horrible service or general unreliability of most retailers, especially WalMart.
4) I don't have to compete with other collectors, store employees, and scalpers.

Sure, you could point out that I may be supporting scalpers by buying from certain businesses, but I highly doubt that the guy that I buy from is lined up at WM at 3 in the morning, ready to buy the cases hot of the truck. He orders them online, too.

There is a huge difference between supporting a legitimate business, and some jackoff selling stuff out of the back of his van while mom covers his rent.

I have an easy and sure fire way to save myself money.
Dont buy anything online, as shipping prices to Australia are ridiculously overpriced!

Scalpers have gone into overdrive here. The July toy sales meant Scalpers were paying even less than normal for figures like 08 Bumblebee, Robo Vision Prime, and the Leader Class figures.

Ebay.au has been inundated with Transformers movie figures, which really sucks, as before the movie, transformers toys were more or less untouched by the full time scalpers.

As hotrod and Getter said, in another year or so when many of the newer "fans" have lost interest, getting figures will be easier and cheaper (also possibly due to the newer "fans" getting rid of what the got in their short interest period!)

i usually don't comment about scalpers because they've always been there and always will!! but recently i've seen some things that have just TICKED me right off!!! i'm a member of over 20 + forums, on a few of them some people are posting there hauls from the SDCC, well posting gets is one thing, but when you post 11 damn Rodimus primes!!! thats a bit much!! then when asked they what $50++ !!!!!!!!!!!!! WTH!!!!! myself ,if i ever find something another boardie might be looking for, i'll try and do a trade( love some tradin!!) if not i'll ALWAYS do cost plus shipping!!never have i tried to " get rich " from a fellow board member!! sorry for the rant

If you don't like paying above MSRP...then don't.

The market determines how much someone will pay for a TF, it's as simple as that.

But I have my limits...Victory Leo for $300+...uh, yeah, you go and pay that for a damned kid's toy.

I would rather put a new clutch in my bike (when it will eventually need it, not anytime soon)...

[quote="YouFearGalvatron"]If you don't like paying above MSRP...then don't.

The market determines how much someone will pay for a TF, it's as simple as that.

Yeah I agree, but sometimes you have to pay a little more to get what you want and it may always be possible to pay MSRP. But if you refuse to pay more than MSRP you may have to sacrifice a few toys you may want. Im sure more than a few members on this board have paid more than MSRP for something, thats just life.

I won't say that I won't buy something over its MSRP because I have bought things online and its hard not to pay more than MSRP.

However, I refuse to pay double the MSRP, like the current online price for '08 Bumble Bee. $30 for a $10 toy is ridiculous to me. I'll just wait till a month of two from now when they are everywhere, Then I'll laugh and pay $10 for it.

SB

Bjjer wrote:

YouFearGalvatron wrote:If you don't like paying above MSRP...then don't.

The market determines how much someone will pay for a TF, it's as simple as that.

Yeah I agree, but sometimes you have to pay a little more to get what you want and it may always be possible to pay MSRP. But if you refuse to pay more than MSRP you may have to sacrifice a few toys you may want. Im sure more than a few members on this board have paid more than MSRP for something, thats just life.

Case in point actually: I just paid over $60 US (BBTS) for Titanium WW Fallen, WW Megatron, and G1 Ultra Magnus...

I wanted UM so badly that I ordered the whole case of three, even though I already HAD WW Megatron, and I did not want The Fallen (BTW, now that I see him, he is totally badass in matte black, I am so glad I was "forced" to buy him to get Magnus...).

For me, at that point in time, I was willing to pay it because the 6" Titanium distribution is utter $&^% here, and it always has been...

I can't degrade anyone for paying above MSRP for a NEW figure, I am just grateful that I did not go and pay $50 US JUST for UM on ePay, PLUS shipping!

As you all know, rarity plays into it a lot which is why I searched high and low for him, and I am VERY PLEASED today BECAUSE I paid over MSRP.

But when it gets to DOUBLE MSRP, then that is just insulting.

Thanks guys for all the interesting posts so far. I have payed above MSRP on many items....although I dont "like" to. As for simply chalking it up to market prices...I guess if that will help you sleep at night, then fine. Market prices are sometimes an illusion. They can be influenced by individuals or corporations as long as they are committed to doing so. Take an example such as the recent Elmo TMX craze. Elmo was not sold out in stores yet but was reaching auction prices of $400 or more. Elmo did not sell out until people heard about these auctions- then all the scalpers flocked to buy one (his preorder numbers werent even that good). So who was it playing with these auctions (A)stock holders (B)Company employees (C) resellers with large stocks- well the point is market prices may be partly affected by demand , but many factors affect what an individual should "feel" is the proper amount and it is wrong to influence this "feeling" by unethical business practices.

I just had my own scalper experience recently.
I wanted to pick up the Dirt Digger Mini-Cons (YEEE-HAAAAA!!!) and made a post about it. I eventually got an offer (from some kind person I refuse to name) to buy someone's carded set for $10 plus shipping. Speedreading, I thought he meant $10, incl. shipping.
The offerer/seller, being polite, told me that he was hoping to collect a profit based on the price he paid for them. (If he genuinely paid $7 initially, I might have to shed a tear. That's too much for Mini-Cons off the shelf!)

Before making a decision, I decided to see how prices were running on eBay. I not only found a seller wanting $3.99 for his carded Mini-Cons (plus an exhorbitant $5 for shipping), I was also lucky enough to learn that said seller was my local "animé hut", meaning I only had to pay $3.99 and (a cruel 9.25%) state sales tax.

My point is (with no disrespect to the kind poster who made the offer), if its brand-spittin' new, the retail price (give or take a few cents) plus shipping should be enough to ask for. Of course, this is coming from someone whose only traded something new once.

I don't like paying more than the MSRP but sometimes you have no choice.

Cybertronian wrote:Before making a decision, I decided to see how prices were running on eBay. I not only found a seller wanting $3.99 for his carded Mini-Cons (plus an exhorbitant $5 for shipping),

As a regular ebay seller, I have to say that $5 shipping is not exhorbitant. It is, in fact, quite reasonable.

eBay & Paypal fees in general run about 10% of the final bid price (sometimes more on smaller auctions like in your example). That cost is often figured into the shipping price (at least it is in my auctions). We have not even figured packing materials, time, and postage. At $5 to ship a carded minicons, that seller is losing money.

I'm in it for the money when I sell on eBay. I don't work for free. If I can fund my own TF hobby by buying and selling TFs, I will and do. It isn't greed; it's capitalism - the main philosophy that is the driving force of modern human culture.

The general rule of thumb is that you pay what something is worth to you. MSRP? Meaningless. Remember in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Belloq talks about how if you bury a $10 watch in the sand for a million years and it becomes priceless? Same idea of value with TFs, shorter time span.

If I buy something for $10 plus local tax, and I have two people willing to buy it - one who wants to pay me $10, maybe $15 and another who will pay $35, you can bet I will sell it to the highest bidder. So would anyone else here who has any common sense.

Ebay is great. You can make money off of it. You can buy things you normally would not find locally or haven't been made for 20 + years. Many might look at an inflated price and see it as something wrong. I don't. It is better to have the opportunity, even at a higher price, then to not have it at all.

If you see a shelf full of 08 Bumblebees I suggest you buy them all up, keep one and sell the rest on eBay. Make some money, get a cool toy, and life goes on until the next deal comes around.

...or why not just buy one or two and leave the rest for the kids.

YouFearGalvatron wrote:If you don't like paying above MSRP...then don't.

The market determines how much someone will pay for a TF, it's as simple as that.

But I have my limits...Victory Leo for $300+...uh, yeah, you go and pay that for a damned kid's toy.

I would rather put a new clutch in my bike (when it will eventually need it, not anytime soon)...

Rather have the Victory Leo if he is MIB complete, no yellowing. Otherwise, you are getting taken, pretty badly!

I'm okay with scalpers if they can live with themselves for doing what they are doing. I'll collect what I want, or need, pay what I think is affordable value for the item, otherwise I'll just exercise patience, and look at something else, and try not to judge whether my beliefs are better than someone else's. Plenty of other things to waste money on like 'bike clutches', sports, my wife, our house,...so yeah, I can be patient, I guess.