Scalpers... Come on in and say "Hi!"

[jourdo]

I appreciate site like this. It helps fans help out each other when trying to track down that elusive hard to find item.

But what about our friendly neighbourhood scalpers? We know you are out there. At least stop in to say hi to us.

Does it bother you that sometimes our trying to help out other fans can be turned against us?

[Aernaroth]

Jeez, I leave for a week and suddenly everyone's talking about scalpers, or at least so it seems, as I run through the threads trying to catch up.

Guess what, by your definition, I'm a scalper. I've purchased toys for the purpose of selling them at a higher price. Begin hurling bricks. Frankly, I don't see anything wrong with it. Because I, or those like me, have expended the effort (or have been lucky enough to find the hard to find toys, whatever) and have gained possession of these toys, don't we deserve compensation to part with them? I mean, if someone was charging too much money, wouldn't everyone refuse to pay and they'd be forced to lower their price if they wanted to sell the product? That's how a market works right? I mean, if its a hard to find, probably nice toy, they'd probably want to keep it for themselves, and would need an added incentive to give it away. Even if they offered the toy in demand at cost to people who wanted it, wouldn't people start outbidding each other in order to get it (just like on ebay)? I don't know, I don't see why you hate scalpers so much. Because you don't like paying extra to get toys that are rare? I hate to say it, but that's what makes them rare in the first place. They're hard to get a hold of.

[Spacemonkey]

It's not fair for the guy (or the girl) who came at the toy store five minutes (or 1hour or day) after you took all. I mean they made the same effort to track the object an they must have at least a little chance to get it ( or a little hope). That's my opinion

[Dark Rage]

I'm sure most people buy a few extras for MISB-ing, or trading purposes.

However, when one buys out the entire inventory of a certain toy, that's when scalpin g goes too far.

So many people have seen it one too many times lately at our Square One Wal-Mart.

[Robimus]

We have one person some would call a "scalper" in the peg.(OK I'm sure there is more than one). Some people I know refuse to buy from him for this reason.
I can see why it frustrates some people but this same scalper makes trips to the US and brings back all the exclusives for sale in his Flea Market shop. He's been set up there for a long time and is running a business so he needs to make some money. I like his set up and I don't find his prices that bad, I'm sure he makes way less profit margin than Walmart or TRU do.
I've certainly picked up things over the years for resale at the local shows but I really wouldn't pick up more than one of anything to resell. I hope those guys buying ten Soundwave reissues get stuck with them. Ebay is a huge problem on this front as well. Buy it, toss it on ebay, if it doesn't sell return it to the store type nonsense really bugs me. I've never bought anything to sell that I wouldn't be willing to keep if it doesn't move.
Scalping can be a problem but I really haven't found it to be that bad around here.

[chisau]

scalping is a valid business but it still feels evil all the same because you are taking away from someone else that really wants the item for the sake of having it. You are doing nothing more the adding yourself as another "middle man" and jacking up the price.

However, i don't blame scalpers for any of it. I place the blame squarely where is belongs. at the manufacture and the companies like Hasbro by creating "limited edition" and "exclusive" political crap. They have the very means to mass produce and ship every where to keep the price low. but nope. they have to be the greediest MFKs. If they would just make the toys and distribute them fairly, we would not have scalpers at all.

[MangaSpawn64]

I wonder if Mirage would be so popular if he was easily available everywhere

I'm like the opposite of a scalper, I buy stuff for my collector friend and sell it to him for cheaper than I paid

[Pascal]

I never buy extras. I think it's pathetic for an adult to scalp toys meant for children. Get a life and a real job, please. There are other ways to make extra money without resorting to scalping.

[Team Jetfire]

Originally Posted by megatroptimus

I never buy extras. I think it's pathetic for an adult to scalp toys meant for children. Get a life and a real job, please. There are other ways to make extra money without resorting to scalping.

That is a little harsh. Capitalism as a whole depends on people selling stuff to other people. Be it Ipods, Playstations, Tomatoes or toys.

I have bought thousands of toys in my life and only 2 to sell.

- One was a Alt Camshaft which I sold on Ebay to a guy in the states. I listed it for what I paid and still made a letter extra. The guy was so happy that he was able to find one. If I had not scalped the figure, he would have never gotten it.

- A marvel legends Doom bot. I don't even collect them, but new enough to buy it as it was a chase figure. I sold it to a comic book shop for credit. I knew enough about the toy market that this was a rare figure, meant for collectors, and took advantage of it.

[Robimus]

Mega, do you attend conventions or order off ebay? If you don't then great your sticking to your guns. But that is how most of those dealers get their stock.

I'm a little like the one other post'er here, I've done nothing but lose money the twelve years I've been a dealer at the local toy shows, I do it for the fun of it, also with the thought of one day having my own shop I feel a little like I'm keeping my foot in the door on that front. I feel like if we don't have a few people who want to sell things at a show we wont have a show and thats not a good thing at all. Imagine no TFcon cause they can't sell any tables? I feel there is a balance which needs to be reached.
And like someone else mentioned:If Hasbro made enough product and didn't short pack stuff there would be no scalpers. With all these US exclusives and such, without the "Scalpers" I'd have very few of those products.