Here are a couple of scenarios which happened to me a number of times:
- I sold something close to cost, believing I was “helping” a fellow collector, only to see, rather suspiciously, what I sold being resold at an inflated price.
A viewer (of a different item I listed) complained that the item I was selling was once on sale for 50% off at regular Local retail and expected my price should be close to that. Basically called me a scalper. It didn’t matter that I actually acquired the item at about double the cost of local retail, because I bought the item from overseas and had to pay significant taxes/import/duties. My listed price was, in fact, less than what I paid.
It is sad, but really, when it comes to collecting toys, Buying event tickets, and other such
non-necessities, I’ll have to agree with the “don’t like the price, don’t buy it” point of view.
$10 for a fast food burger combo? I’ll skip it. $10 can buy ground beef, buns, and potatoes at a grocery store and I can make 6 burgers and 6 sides of fries.
I have greater concerns regarding the cost of mobile phone service, cable TV, home Internet service, electric & gas utilities, medications, etc... Items used on a daily basis...
Many valid points here... Buyers dictate the cost. Buying with the specific purpose of re-selling at a higher price is scalping.
If buying and re-selling is one’s career (/main source of income)...?? hmm. Perhaps that is an issue. For true collectors, anyway.
Another issue: When a store employee intercepts stock before it hits the shelf.
Really... As far as Transformers go, I think scalping is a problem when it impacts the supply and manufacturing end of things... Like, when re-sellers return unsold stock to retail making stores thinking they should reduce future orders of TFs, or making Hasbro think interest in a product/line is reduced... Thus leading to limited future offerings/supply...
