Creepy Collecter/Scalper Sightings

[DarthMalak]

This Thread Was A Funny One Over At Rebel Scum It Had Reached  300 Some Posts . Let's See If It's As Good Over Here . So If You Have Funny , Creepy  Collecter Or Scalper Sighting Stories Please Post Them Here You Will Enjoy Yourself I Promise

[CHEWIE]

Well... I don't know how well this will go over... the level of maturity here is so much higher than it is everywhere else!   

But I'm game... so far the thing I've seen the worst of in ROTS stuff is a jacka$$ scalper being allowed to buy 20 of the holo Yodas at TRU on Sunday.

 

[Jim]

I agree with Chewie that we dont need this type of stuff here.  Plus I am sick to death of any person who buys multiples of figs or if a fig is not on the shelf at a given time, that a scalper has obviously taken the fig.  Stop assuming and stop stereotyping everyone.  Because I go into a Walmart at opening with my sweats on and a baseball cap means i'm some type of looser who lives in my basement. Give it a rest.  Most of the people here have families, good jobs and are respected in their communities.  The younger people here are respected students whether college or high school who have ambitions in life.  We try to work with facts here and work together as a community, not at cutting each other up.  Sorry for the rant, but that whole topic over at RS pissed me off.  Half of those stories were all BS and not even close to being believable. 

[Darth Broem]

I have to admit  you do run into some "interesting" folks at times in the toy aisle.  Then I look at myself in the aisle and I can't get too snotty

[CHEWIE]

The more I think about it - most of the people I see in the aisles looking at the stuff are just like me - huge fans of Star Wars - but are otherwise normal people going about their every day life.

I did see one person that first night that people were staring at like the collector was a freak.  It was a lady in maybe her late 20s or early 30s - she was a downright nerd in the eyes of many of the people there.  She was very excited about the new stuff coming out, and everyone was crowding in front of the aisle trying to get what they wanted, and were totally disrespecting her.

I felt very sorry for her, and helped her find the figures she was looking for.  The only "creeps" that night were the ones that treated her the way they did.

Not that I think this thread should be closed... but I don't think it should be used to go make fun of people or make stories up.  I did see that thread at RS.com and stayed out of it.  Too much immaturity and ignorance went on with it for my tastes.  I doubt that this one would turn into that - if it does, count me out.

 

[Rob]

I ran into a guy at MM who was reading an article about how to make money on ebay - underlining certain passages... and who apparently was there before anyone else waiting...

He said "I'll be damned if anyone is going to get to those toys before me" to which I replied "I'll be damned if I'm going to argue with grown men over Star Wars toys."

He later went on to tell us that he usually buys each figure - then returns the ones that end up being very common.  He was previously asking us which figures were short-packed.

When he left, he bought only a few figures - but 3 of them were Red Royal Guards.  While we watched the guy stock the aisle (they weren't ready until 12:30) we counted a grand total of FOUR Red Guards go onto the shelves.  He bought 3.  There were about 15 people there.

Made me want to puke.

That same night I bought literally an entire shopping cart full of figures - 2 of each (that I could find...) one to open, one to keep carded - plus a few extra Blue Guards (which were abundant).  I had one guy who had a full-grown padawan braid make some kind of off-handed remark that all of it was probably going on Ebay.

Yeah - I'm gonna make a killing selling Pregnant Padme's on ebay the day after 500,000 of them end up clogging pegs across America... 

[JoshEEE]

I agree with Chewie that we dont need this type of stuff here.  Plus I am sick to death of any person who buys multiples of figs or if a fig is not on the shelf at a given time, that a scalper has obviously taken the fig.  Stop assuming and stop stereotyping everyone.

I gotta agree.  This thread turned into total Bullcrap at RS.

"Yeah, and then the guy was a scalper, so I used my karate on him, and then I ran him over with my Ferrari".

9 times out of 10, the "Creepy Collectors" you meet are just other guys like you. 

Me talking about those guys would be like complaining about all the geeks I'm going to meet at C3.   

[Morgbug]

He later went on to tell us that he usually buys each figure - then returns the ones that end up being very common.  He was previously asking us which figures were short-packed.

Not that I really want to contribute, but there is a guy locally that will go in and request entire cases of McFarlane sportspicks from staff at certain stores.  They often haven't put them out due to space restrictions, so he gets them.  He subsequently returns anything he can't sell on ebay.  It's so sad it's pathetic and when it comes right down to it, I'd think he's losing money by listing them.  Canadian prices are higher, so it's hard to sell regulars above US retail and he's losing listing fees.  Strange guy, but he clearly fits the description. 

I'm sure that 99% of collectors that see me look at me and think "scalper" as soon as they see me.  Hell, I'm 41, what the hell am I doing buying toys   Still have all my hair though, seldom wear sweats and haven't packed on the pounds like some of our SoCal cookie freaks.

[Nicklab]

I've had guys ask me "which figures are shortpacked?" many times before.  Some are known Hot Wheels eBay dealers and I almost NEVER see them buy Star Wars.  I just play dumb and say I don't know.

There was one guy in my area who used to run in the aisles at store openings.  One time I was walking ahead of him at a normal pace, and he was almost stepping on my heels.  This same guy was also known for elbowing people while they were trying to get figures off the pegs, and even snatched a figure out of a kids hand once.

It's good to know that karma can be a bitch though.  Turns out that the guy wasn't just a jerk to fellow collectors, but to his wife, too.  She sued him for divorce and had his office raided to find cash and also had his stoarge bin with his collection raided as well.  He was last sighted at Celebration 2 selling his vintage collection under the supervision of an Indiana Marshall who took account of everything he sold at the show so that the proceeds of the sale could be split between him and his ex-wife.  It really makes you want to think about a pre-nup when it comes to your collection.  But at least a dirtbag got a taste of his own medicine in the end.

[Matt_Fury]

There are a couple of guys I've seen at the Target opening on 2 April and the TRU openings on 2 and 10 April that kind of have me wondering.  I think they are just Hot Wheel/Star Wars collectors, and I've never seen them be rude, take stuff from kids, or even run to the aisle, but both of them have told me "collecting tips" like I'm not collecting the right way or something.  Just kinda rub me the wrong way I guess....still I don't look down on them or anything, I just don't know them really well.

[Jeff]

There is this one creepy collector in my area named "Scott".

He is always buying the rare and HTF figures from the stores before I can find them. 

Anyway, this dude is seriously tall - almost freakishly tall - and he gives the store clerks the strangest looks.  Here, I happened to snap a picture of him once:



I'm getting creeped out right now just remembering it...

[JediMAC]

Ugh.  He is creepy looking... 


Ever talk to him?

I'd love to know what the story is with that weird hat he's got.

Looks kinda like a flasher, or something...

[Nicklab]

Is that a touque or something? 

[Jeff]

Ugh.  He is creepy looking... 


Ever talk to him?

I'd love to know what the story is with that weird hat he's got.

Looks kinda like a flasher, or something...

I have actually talked to him a few times.  He is hyper-obsessed with the Ice Cream Maker Guy from The Empire Striikes Back.  It's all he ever wants to talk about.

"Do you think they'll ever make ICMG (pronounced i-cee-em-gee)?"
"I heard on-line that they're gonna finally make ICMG!"
"Man I wish ICMG was gonna be the C3 exclusive."

 

[Diddly]

Have you ever told this scalper that he looks a lot like Ralphie from A Christmas Story?