Secret Sightings Section idea

[LordCyrusOmega]

I had a problem holding toys as well. But considering the small amount of new toys that enter the Illawarra I'd rather pass it on to collectors first. I never hold every toy. It's usually only 2. Holding toys does prevent others from having access but it also prevents those that walk in and buy multiples only to pass them on at an increased cost

[jazzcomp]

Putting a bunch of toys on hold for other people is just as bad as scalping.
I don't contribute to the forum much but I do visit and read the threads 3-4 times a day. i am an ordinary collector. Stopping people who are ranked poorly like me from viewing sightings is quite bizarre as you are not doing the forum any favours. And by the way, it can work both ways...I have sighted heaps of things at certain places here in Perth as I travel around as part of my job. If I can't see what's been sighted elsewhere, why should I tell others where things are.

It's doing a favour for other members who contribute. Just looking at your total posts (2), sightings have been posted a lot. You most likely haven't posted a sighting even with the advantage of your job travel.

It's not bizarre. If the intention of a forum/community is to have majority of its members just waiting for active members to contribute, then you are right.
But if it's more to benefit the more active members, then you are most likely wrong. You can just refer to the sales section.

I have much bigger issues with holding toys than I do with a secret sightings section. Yes it's keeping scalpers from buying them, but it's also unfairly keeping anyone else from doing so. Whoever gets to the shelves first should have a chance to buy the toys, whether they be Ozformers, parents, kids or other. Putting toys on hold (particularly by phone) is almost as bad as hiding them.

I think there should be a limit to what can be reserved over the phone so that people walking in can still have a chance at buying a toy. I also believe there should be a limit as to how many toys you can buy to prevent scalpers. If they did buy one or two from multiple stores, then at least they made the effort of hunting down the toys instead of buying 6 from one store location. However if the toy is shelfwarming, you can buy multiples to clear the stock that no one else wants

I don't see the point of honoring phone reservation if someone in store is asking the same thing to be put on hold. That person came in first, but because the stock isn't on the floor yet - he can't even ask for a reservation.

[Sharky]

I think there should be a limit to what can be reserved over the phone so that people walking in can still have a chance at buying a toy. I also believe there should be a limit as to how many toys you can buy to prevent scalpers. If they did buy one or two from multiple stores, then at least they made the effort of hunting down the toys instead of buying 6 from one store location. However if the toy is shelfwarming, you can buy multiples to clear the stock that no one else wants

Sure you can buy 6 MP Thundercrackers but you have to buy a bumblebee for every thundercracker as well....

[Stompy]

My humble opinion...

I think it's a little bit much to have secret sightings. The reason of having a community is the interaction. To inform others of the item of interestis the single most joy I've had in this community. Finding first sightings is something that still gets my blood rising and can't wait to share with others.

I think the issue is just sour grapes that some fans missed out. Myself included. But it's part of it. We all know MP's are always limited due to their price and appeal as all are considered toys in this country. I called around to see if there's any but turned up zilch and I really wanted one. I'd just have to go without and hope to nab one in the future somehow. That's just the way life goes. I'm not more entitled to anything than anyone else regardless of status.

It's just a case of short supply. In contrast, my other robot love is Gundam kits. Those are constantly reprinted and attainable and have none of these problems and they aren't distributed locally at all. I'm going off topic now so I'll stop.

I don't think a secret sighting section will make any difference to the supply demand problem. There's greater issues in hand than just a few posts.

[Hursticon]

I too don't see the need for a 'Secret Sightings' section, but I will gladly back Scalpers being tasered on sight... multiple times...

[jazzcomp]

My humble opinion...
I think it's a little bit much to have secret sightings. The reason of having a community is the interaction. To inform others of the item of interestis the single most joy I've had in this community. Finding first sightings is something that still gets my blood rising and can't wait to share with others.

You said it interaction. Others aren't interacting.

think the issue is just sour grapes that some fans missed out. Myself included. But it's part of it. We all know MP's are always limited due to their price and appeal as all are considered toys in this country. I called around to see if there's any but turned up zilch and I really wanted one. I'd just have to go without and hope to nab one in the future somehow. That's just the way life goes.
I don't think a secret sighting section will make any difference to the supply demand problem. There's greater issues in hand than just a few posts.

It's not sour graphing when you hear of someone buying too many multiples & one sighting at a toy fair selling at more than double the price.

With the supply issue, there's nothing to do there. I guess my attitude is of preference. I'd like my close friends to have the same toy ahead of others I don't know due to short supply.

[griffin]

If it is fairly easy for a collector to gain the "Dedicated Member" status, so if this concept ever did happen, 90-95% of the people who regularly use this place and contribute here, would be able to benefit from it. The people who won't, are the newest members and people not wanting to contribute here. Both of which can still find these one-off items through the News postings, Reviews, Regular Sightings, Tweets, and Sightings Banner. Hardly a hindrance to those already relying on the current system.
Does anyone really think that this suggested concept would actually mean a total blackout of information of toys here?
The information is still going to be out there. Just that some of the specific details will be directed at those who make up 95% of the traffic (contributions) here.

It's doing a favour for other members who contribute. Just looking at your total posts (2), sightings have been posted a lot. You most likely haven't posted a sighting even with the advantage of your job travel.

It's not bizarre. If the intention of a forum/community is to have majority of its members just waiting for active members to contribute, then you are right.
But if it's more to benefit the more active members, then you are most likely wrong. You can just refer to the sales section.

Member "Autobot" (along with his other three registrations*) deletes most of his posts after he posts them, so if he isn't going to contribute here properly, I don't think he's entitled to complain about this community. And as he mentioned, he doesn't contribute with sightings to help out other fans with what he finds, so it isn't fair to complain about a sightings structure he isn't willing to help out with to begin with.


*As per the Userguide/Rules, multiple registrations are not permitted without approval, so he's been notified that three of his will be removed soon.

[Cat]

My humble opinion...

I think it's a little bit much to have secret sightings. The reason of having a community is the interaction. To inform others of the item of interestis the single most joy I've had in this community. Finding first sightings is something that still gets my blood rising and can't wait to share with others.

I think the issue is just sour grapes that some fans missed out. Myself included. But it's part of it. We all know MP's are always limited due to their price and appeal as all are considered toys in this country. I called around to see if there's any but turned up zilch and I really wanted one. I'd just have to go without and hope to nab one in the future somehow. That's just the way life goes. I'm not more entitled to anything than anyone else regardless of status.

It's just a case of short supply. In contrast, my other robot love is Gundam kits. Those are constantly reprinted and attainable and have none of these problems and they aren't distributed locally at all. I'm going off topic now so I'll stop.

I don't think a secret sighting section will make any difference to the supply demand problem. There's greater issues in hand than just a few posts.

I think it's too easy to dismiss any points made as sour grapes. But people like me are for it, and I got both recent MPs first time, so that's out for me.

I'm a bit surprised at the dislike for phone holds. I've never thought about that. I used that to get TC, because I wasn't driving to the other side of the city otherwise. I know of 4 of the others that went that morning, and mine was the only phone hold.

If a store doesn't want to take phone holds, fine. I have no issue with that. But I'd be pissed if they did accept a phone hold, but then sold it to someone else. I'd made the trip in good faith that they were to honour their offer of the hold.

I DO disagree with the proposal of a mass phone hold. That goes against the spirit of collecting, and it's no different to scalping. It's blocking consumers from any access to the product. And they're not even guaranteed sales. If you hold them all for a group, but there's not enough people, are you willing to pay for the extras?

I'd have a huge problem with that, along with any other proposal that has the same effect of removing them all from sale.

Secret Sightings = people have just as much of a chance, they just have to do the work themselves, and not rely on others to do it for them.

Autobot is complaining about it, when they haven't posted any sightings, despite apparently having good access. Well then, your usual trips will be just as beneficial as before. You just won't have us doing your work for you, without you bothering to return the favour at any time. 'Leeching' seems to describe the situation quite well.

I also don't think the one sighting of OP for sale at a toy fair means anything. One got scalped out of the dozens released at that time. That's statistically insignificant. It also could have come from overseas.

[jazzcomp]

I'm a bit surprised at the dislike for phone holds. I've never thought about that. I used that to get TC, because I wasn't driving to the other side of the city otherwise. I know of 4 of the others that went that morning, and mine was the only phone hold.

Your situation is different than in NSW/Sydney. Almost every MP OP was reserved (except Campbelltown). When I was talking to TRU staff in my local, he said he sold out 16 in one morning, I was there on lunchtime and I know that it's the phone holds = sold even though it's not paid for. The second time when I had a reserve and paid for it, i wanted a 2nd one for a mate. They said there were no more. But hearing other people got theirs later in the day just meant they lied. My friend was there at store opening and they wouldn't reserve him one because they weren't stacked yet. I was pissed at Campbelltown staff telling me they had none and I was willing to drive all the way out there if they gave the right info.

If a store doesn't want to take phone holds, fine. I have no issue with that. But I'd be pissed if they did accept a phone hold, but then sold it to someone else. I'd made the trip in good faith that they were to honour their offer of the hold.

I certainly agree with that. Just compare it with a shoe I was looking for and suddenly found in a particular store (awhile later - not during release and even when it was the week it was released), I was only given the rest of the day to get it. It will be sold to someone else tomorrow. If it was still available the next day, I could reserve it again. There was a store (only one franchise) that reserves and if the guy you talked to is not on his shift even though it's out back, it might still be sold by another staff and there's nothing you can do about that.

Autobot is complaining about it, when they haven't posted any sightings, despite apparently having good access. Well then, your usual trips will be just as beneficial as before. You just won't have us doing your work for you, without you bothering to return the favour at any time. 'Leeching' seems to describe the situation quite well.

No disagreement here.

I also don't think the one sighting of OP for sale at a toy fair means anything. One got scalped out of the dozens released at that time. That's statistically insignificant. It also could have come from overseas.

We'll see next week at Parra, but I'm almost sure that there'll be a sighting of MP OP there. I'm not particularly sure how many OPs that seller from the other fair has. If I was a seller, I'd certainly have more than one.

[griffin]

It seems that we do have scalpers in this country. Imagine the uproar here if this happened with a Transformers toy (and we didn't have this concept to fall back on if needed).