What is Scalping

[griffin]

In summary, for me there are 3 elements that constitute scalping
1.) Intention to manipulate supply enabling them to
2.) excessively price to the
3.) detriment of the consumer

I essentially agree with the first two (I pretty much said the same thing in my own posting above before reading yours), but the third is a bit subjective. Buying from retail can be just as detrimental to consumers, especially with AUS prices, while some items I have bought from toyscalpers I have been happy about, because of how rare they are, and at least I had them. I find a lot of the limited JP items are effectively scalped on ebay and online stores (if you can't find someone who can get them first hand for you), so finding a rare item by an online 'scalper' can still be a good thing, because without the online scalpers, I wouldn't probably get a number of items I currently have.

So in summary scalpers aren't always a detriment if you have no direct access to the retail source and they do, and retailers (who are not scalpers) can be a detriment, as is the case for us Aussies.

[Pulse]

Trunk's recount from some 10 months ago comes to mind...




Quote:

"I'll keep this short.

I had to pop into Big W on my way home (I love their extended hours) to grab a few things for the gf (Uni goes back next week, the stress begins, for the final time!.

Managed to get all the paper, books, pens etc, so I decided to pop on down to the toy section, and see if they had restocked.
They had, half a dozen Dreadwings, Arcees, Swindles, 10 Bonecrushers, but not a single 08 Bumblebee, but there were 2 empty pegs.

"ah well" I thought, and grabbed an Arcee, seeing as she is meant to be somewhat decent if you take her head off. I made my way to the checkout, and stood in line behind a woman who had a basket full of Deluxe transformers figures.

Naturally I tried to peek at what she had, but could only see the top one: 08 Bumblebee. Now that irked me, as it meant I had literally just missed getting it.
What happened next irked me even more.

When it came her turn to be served she pulled out 7 08 Bumblebee's. 7. Now I could understand maybe 2 or 3 of the same figure, 1 for each kid, or maybe one to open, one to keep mosc, but 7? Straight away I knew she was one of them, the filth and lower than low scum that is a scalper.

I hoped against hope that she was paying by cash (but it seems no-one does anymore) and that she would not have enough, and would have top leave 1 or more behind, she didn't.
I hoped her card was declined, it wasn't.
Finally I begged whatever higher powers there may be that she should slip on her out scum layered feet, fall and crack her skull open. I't didn't happen.

The second she left the store, she lit up a cigarette (still inside the centre mind you) and took a few puffs, by the time I had been served, she was walking away about 3 metres ahead of me. She whipped out her mobile phone, and starting yapping away, loud as anything, and I Quote:
"Yeah got seven of 'em, all dey had in the shop, y'know. Yeah 19 bucks each, yeah cheap, make a pack on 'em, gonna put 'em up tamorra, yeah, see if dey go as quick as de last bunch. Didn bofer wif any others, jus' de yellah one..."

She started talking bout how cheap she got them again as she left the centre, into the carpark. I was seriously tempted to follow her and smack her around with the 20 notepads and various books I had bought, but fought the urge.

Now I dont mind the average person selling doubles or spares of figures on ebay, what I do hate is people like this woman that go and snap up every figure that they can, as cheap as they can, leaving none on the shelves for regular people, for the one purpose of re-selling them at a far greater price. It's despicable.

Anyone else have stories about scalpers, either trying to buy from one, or witnessing the scum actual buying stuff themselves? "

[jaydisc]

Jaydisc, Where did this topic originate from? Are you thinking about becoming a Scalper? To me, all Scalpers are scum! I'm sure all people who buy toys (be it either collectors or Mum's/Dad's searching for a gift for their child's Birthday/Xmas) have encountered a Scalper at some stage & have nothing good to say about them.

What this topic aims to do is to discuss this topic. I have no motive behind the discussion except to raise my own and others' awareness of different perspectives on the topic.

(With much adoration): What I certainly would like to dispel are general comments like this:

To me, all Scalpers are scum!

At least for the point of this discussion, there's nothing that productive in that comment. I would personally much prefer you responded to the specific questions I asked.



--



I think the term is used way to loosely.

Personally, I see very little different between:

1. Target, who buys toys from Hasbro at a certain price, and marks them up for profit.

2. An independent seller, that buys toys from Target at a certain price, and marks them up for profit.

3. A collector, that buys toys from anywhere and resells them 10 years later to pay for his child's education

I think many generically categorize everyone in group 2 as a scalper. It seems that you, specifically in the comments previously posted, lumped someone in group 3 as a scalper as well!

I've passed on toys to board members in nearly every state here, and have always done so at cost. TF76 posted he was looking for Blackout one morning. I knew my local Target had some, so I stopped by after coffee and grabbed him one. He came over that night and asked me to take $40 instead of the $35 I paid... for my trouble. I politely refused.

Inversely, a month or so before Christmas, I picked up some extra Bumblebee Evolution of a Hero 2-packs. I offered them to board members and no one was interested. So I calculatingly put them up on eBay 2 weeks before Christmas at 99c-starting-auctions and doubled my money.

Now, am I a scalper for that? Should I not be able try to regain some of my shopping/hunting costs? Shouldn't I be able to recover those costs from those completely willing to pay (parents too busy to shop?) as opposed to my board brethren? I didn't constrain supply. I didn't mark up exorbitantly.

Why is treating those who buy and resell TF any different from those that do the same with stocks or currency?

As said, I really just hoped for discussion on the topic. I love hearing your opinions and I love pushing my own.

[jaydisc]

Let me add something for clarity here.

Pulse, regarding your story of the lady buying 7 BB08's, I don't think anyone is denying that that is a scalper.

I'm talking about all the other people that get this label.

[Golden Phoenix]

Golden Pheonix has pulled the magic number of 10 out of his hat.

It was just an example.

I think griffin's example is a good one. And I was thinking, is it really that bad.
Like if you were to do it on the occasion, I don;t think its going to cause too much damage.
Doing it all the time will, but if I were to order a case of deluxe figures, only intending to keep half of them, and sell the rest for a little more then retail so I can help cover costs, is it really that bad??

[jaydisc]

It was just an example.

I didn't mean to single it out specifically. I was just trying to illustrate the ambiguity by showing that two posters suggested two very different figures.

[Pulse]

Jaydisc, Toy People have a tonne of differing opinions on all things Scalping. You can sway some of those opinions in one direction or another, but my own personal opinion on Scalpers will never change.

Remember that time you picked up those 3 Allspark Scouts from me? All up they set me back some $60 (including BIN, shipping & exchange rate). All I wanted from you was $30 + shipping. So I lost some $15 of my own money. But I don't care about that. I consider you a Mate & all I wanted to do was to help a Mate out.

I guess when people sell toys on Demonbay etc. to complete strangers, They don't know them as real people so therefore - the seller doesn't care how much the buyer pays for them.

But when you wanna help a Mate obtain what they've been searching for, then you're more than willling to do them a good deal.

[TheDirtyDigger]

Despite everyone's (highly) subjective opinions, the hard truth is that this is a capitalist society we all live in and any seller can charge whatever the market is paying.
If obsessed consumers are willing to spend three times or more of the retail amount on a luxury item like a child's toy then it is to the good fortune of the seller.

[jaydisc]

Pulse, thank you for your kindness and I'm all about helping out my mates as well, as I'm sure many can attest to (though please don't )

Also, I'm happy to not change your opinion, and I'm very glad that your opinion has been added to the mix here.

I'd still like you to answer the specific questions I directed at you in response to the comments you linked to:

I don't know how some scalpers can do it. By Scalpers, I mean the ones who have amassed an amazing collection over the years (which began in 1984) & then one day decide to sell them all for as much as possible.

Are you saying that a collector that suddenly decides to move on, possibly due to the birth of a child, or a higher interest rate on their mortgage, should be selling their toys at cost??!?!

You also say that markup to cover costs is acceptable, but unnecessary markups for no reason becomes scalping. I don't understand this. Every goods-based business is all about markup for profit.

Why is profiting off Transformers such a no-no? Why can used car lots by cheap used cars and mark them up? Why can a supermarket by cheap groceries mark it up? What makes markup on these toys so different?!?!

[jaydisc]

Despite everyone's (highly) subjective opinions, the hard truth is that this is a capitalist society we all live in and any seller can charge whatever the market is paying.

Yes another great point. BMW is a very high margin business... as is Apple. Should they only be limiting themselves to make a few bucks? Apple is an even better example as if you compare them to any one else in their sector, they get CONSIDERABLY greater margins. Apple negotiates ruthless deals with Asian flash manufacturers for their iPods/iPhones and because they are buying in SUCH quantity, they get a much better price and reduce market supply, forcing competitors to pay higher prices! Yet, this is fair and acceptable business.

I think one of my key questions here is:

Why do we consider this market different? What are the DIFFERENTIATING characteristics??