JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => Saga Collection '06 => Topic started by: Reid on March 28, 2006, 08:15 PM
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After seeing bare pegs yet again (Except for seeing a single Cody around a week ago) when I was at my local Target earlier today, I was wondering, what exactly is the motives of scalpers? Most of you would say to create a quick buck on eBay, but it just seems like too much trouble to wake up at 7 am, fatten yourself up with MickeyDees Breakfast, then head on to Target, obtaining every single figure in the store, including snatching figures straight from childrens hands (I've seen this), then selling them on eBay. I don't know about you, but that just seems like too much trouble for scalpers to do. So why do they do it? Were they summoned to Earth by Beezlebub to make collector's lives miserable?
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Well, it is to make a buck. But they don't just buy SW, they pick out all HTF and rare items from all toy lines. In fact, just today I saw a guy with at TRU with a cart full of Barbie and some other line. He had duplicates of a few different products. Then he dug through the Titaniums and pulled all of the silver ones. I'm sure that it adds up after a while.
--Speedermike
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I think a lot of it is people who have no life at all, that this is their way of entertaining themselves. Most of them probably still have to have a regular job but do this as maybe a part of extra spending money, but I think basically it's like a hobby to them or gives them something to do. I wouldn't worry about them too much, I think at least 90% of the time when someone beats you to new figures, that it's another collector.
:P
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Ya know I get pretty upset knowing that some of the figs go straight to the 2nd hand market but look at the big picture. So many people are drawn to making a quick buck doing it in a way that you really dont need any brain cells. The majority of us will retire at a decent age and have our families, pensions, healthcare and retirement funds to kick back on. Last time I checked some of these people selling stuff on ebay wont be taken care of financially, so in a way payback will eventually enter their meaningless lives.
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I don't know why I had to be the one to come in here and raise the point that scalpers have a couple inches less of erectile tissue than regular collectors. It frustrates me that 4 people chipped in their $.02 and every single one of you left that out.
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It's because they have small penises.
Kevin
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It's because they have small penises.
Kevin
Bingo.
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That logic is somewhat fraud. I am NOT a scalper. :P
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That logic is somewhat fraud. I am NOT a scalper. :P
Dude, keep that **** inside.
Kevin
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I know a few locals who scalp just to pay for their own collection.
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It's because they have small penises.
Kevin
Bingo.
;D LoL That made me laugh! Its all compensation to them!
I think they are all out to make a buck.
When I was 12 we went to Florida and I had a SA Clone wars trooper and a red arc trooper and a blue arc trooper.
Some dink wearing a target shirt went and grabbed them right out of my hands. >:(
Damn scalpers.
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I know a few locals who scalp just to pay for their own collection.
I have a job to pay for my collection.
They should maybe get one too?
Kevin
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I know a few locals who scalp just to pay for their own collection.
Who?
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I know a few locals who scalp just to pay for their own collection.
I have a job to pay for my collection.
They should maybe get one too?
Kevin
Here here!
I've heard that before myself... "Well, I sell hot items in other lines to help pay for my collection of ____________"
How about getting a better job so you can help pay for ___________
Typically in my area, the __________ is Hot Wheels collecting. What are cars in the store $1? If you can't swing collecting a line where each item costs $1, you shouldn't be collecting. I know that sounds snobby, but it's the truth.
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I know a few locals who scalp just to pay for their own collection.
This is THE worst excuse people throw at you too... I always hate when I hear this line of BS as the "excuse" that makes someone not a scalper when they're trying to defend their scalper ways... I notice it a LOT at that otheR Site... And to be honest if it were said here there'd be some punishment dealt because it's not condusive to a happy/good collecting community.
Yet you see it all the time, that people scalp and then say "but I collect and I only sell stuff to help me pay for my collection"... I just can't stand that. I don't know if it's the sheer stupidity of people who delude themselves into BELIEVING that it's ok or somehow not scalping, or if it's the possibility that they're saying it with the idea others are stupid enough to accept that...
Anyway... What's this about?
Oh motives... Well I think there's a comical tone to the original post but yeah obviously some kind of profit's there to some people. Whether they actually make much or not I don't know... It's probably little work to get up early and do that, especially if you actually live close to anything. That's maybe the positive to living in Pittsburgh, nothing is close by so it's tough for scalpers too... They do tend to hit multiple toys though, and that's where I think the real benefit is.
If you've got time to keep up with Hot Wheels, Marvel Legends, Star Wars, LOTR (at the time), Sportpicks, etc., etc., etc., and know what's hot and what's not, then it's maybe more beneficial...
That then is why I hate the "UGH" bull that Hasbro's dumped on it... Without chases I think certain pieces of cow dung left the line be because of getting burned. Now they have a reason to come to the aisle...
Not only does that now mean they're in flubbing things up on the UGH crap, but now they also probably will take a gander at other random basic figures they think are hot, and also the simple fact that these maroons leave the Hot Wheels aisle looking like a tornadoe hit it is annoying. I see more Star Wars crap laying around, on the floor, on the lower shelves laying about, all because I know guys that aren't collecting are messing up the toy aisle because they don't care... You see it where these people haunt the most (Hot Wheels for certain) and now you see it even more in Star Wars. I know I'm noticing it more this year already... Total BS, and all thanks to Hasbro's official "head-up-their-ass" idea of the year.
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And they are part of a community- They know each other, some like each other, some don't. They end up at the same swap meets with the same stuff. The one's I knew saw it as a game, and they liked to be better at it than the others. A couple of them used to have a store near me, but it closed up a few years ago. It was kind of nice, because I could drop in and see what had hit, and often find out when and where. Hot Wheels, Beanie babies, sport cards, pokemon, it was whatever could make a buck. I don't think they collected any of it for themselves.
I had posted this story in another thread, but it bears repeating here.
I went into Walmart the other day when they opened. As I was going back to SW, a guy with an armload of cars saw where I was headed and followed me back there. There was nothing on the pegs, but he says "I forgot about those silver stand figures, I have to remember to keep those on the list."
So there it is for Hasbro. Mission accomplished, the buzz is back in the line.
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I know a few locals who scalp just to pay for their own collection.
Who?
None of them post here, and they're all from the SF Valley. I think Crunchy Nug knows two or three of them. Two of 'em post on sandtroopers (one's a friend, unlike the other guy who I always complain about. :P )
Jesse, I've never heard theys guys claim they weren't scalping. :-\ They're fully aware of what they're doing.
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The motives of scalpers are irrelevant in the end. This is all about supply and demand. Scalpers exists because collectors go to them to buy the stuff. I have done it before when I used to be a carded collector but now I rather not have a figure than give in to that.
If nobody bought from them, scalping would not be a profitable venture but alas collecting (not only SW but anything) lacks patience and here is where scalpers make their money.
I know that a lot of you do not give into scalpers (and many more will claim that even though they do). Still for every person that does not give in, there is one or maybe two that do.
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The motives of scalpers are irrelevant in the end. This is all about supply and demand. Scalpers exists because collectors go to them to buy the stuff. I have done it before when I used to be a carded collector but now I rather not have a figure than give in to that.
If nobody bought from them, scalping would not be a profitable venture but alas collecting (not only SW but anything) lacks patience and here is where scalpers make their money.
I know that a lot of you do not give into scalpers (and many more will claim that even though they do). Still for every person that does not give in, there is one or maybe two that do.
You are absolutely right, the frenzy is what feeds them, and SW now has a frenzy.
I will defend some people who purchase from ebay. I am lucky enough to live in a city with a couple dozen Targets and a bunch of Wal Marts. I find virtually everything I want at retail, although sometimes it takes longer than I would like. I'm also lucky enough to be able to order some cases here and there when there is an assortment that fills a lot of holes. Some people don't have the luxury of these options, and ebay becomes the place to "shop" for these items. This doesn't justify the ridiculous prices some of these reach, and even if you are reduced to ebay you should show good judgement and patience. People who spend $50.00 (or more) on the first figure to hit the auction block are driving the scalpers to make these things a priority, because the payoff is huge if you get in early.
Patience, you must learn patience.
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Well, thankfully, there are more nice and honest collectors than those hardass scalpers. I haven't ever seen a scalper at work but I have been approached and offered a fig by someone else in the store. I tend to see more good than evil in the toy aisles, and I'm happy about that.