This has happened to transformer toys. Just recently on the TF Prime wavesOriginally Posted by griffin
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This has happened to transformer toys. Just recently on the TF Prime waves
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Scalping to me dosen't really make financial sense, as it takes time and effort. If they were moving large volumes on a regular basis, then fine. Its all about someone getting a buzz about buying something cheap and then selling it for profit. Thats it. Id be surprised, if the person would use this money to pay bills, no they will go out and blow it on something selfish.
I just hope people know and understand the difference between someone scalping, and someone trying to sell something at market value. Totally understandable the rage when something for retail is swiped and put on ebay for double the price. But say if the same item shows up years later maybe the market value is indeed double the original retail or less or worthless.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Guys, if this secret sightings thing goes ahead, you're at high risk of becoming an elitist collector site.
What we collect are toys... they're to be enjoyed by primarily children and then the adults (that's the target group toy companies aim for now isn't it? ...the kiddies)
You may argue that some toys (let's not talk about 3rd party ones) are targeted at adult toy collectors and thus collectors have the right to swipe em of the shelves before anyone else does and thus the need for a secret comm channel... but you'll be very much surprised that many kids have no clue of TFs like we do, yet buy them (or get their parents to) for their "cool" appeal.
I recall a couple of years back seeing a 7-8 yr old kid get an MP Optimus (the older bigger one) from Target and ripping the box and everything else to get his hands on the toy... this right outside the store and him squatting on the floor. You should see the joy on that kid's face... made me laugh...it's a toy (the collector side of me cringed then as I saw the box and instructions getting ripped!)
Just last week (or was it week before? Can't remember), I was at Target Carousel and the shelves were loaded with FoC SB and SW... I didn't get any as I was hunting down Ben 10 stuff for my son. I think someone posted that the toys were available and whoosh! Gone like the wind!
But that's how it is... I don't blame anyone for missing out on the toy (I decided I wanted one later after seeing some reviews but it was already sold out yesterday when I went back)... heck, it's just a toy... so I missed it.
At the end of the day, Griffin and the senior crew here will have the final say...
It's entirely up to you guys if you think there's a huge scalping issue in Aus and this site is being used by them to locate hot items... bear in mind that there would be other sites that they'd use as well.
We do see quite often as well, fellow collectors selling off heaps of their "extras" or proudly showcasing pictures of multiple MULTIPLE purchases of a similar item (which then pops back up on their sales thread much later)... so your scalpers may not be so much of an external issue but an internal one.
So where does this end? If with the extra diligence you set up a relatively "safe" secret thread only to discover later on that some of the members given access end up scalping? And in large quantities? So what then? Another secret within a secret?
Don't trod down this path... it never ends and you may end up creating a much bigger monster(s) than you can handle (of the selfish, hoarding & mega scalping kind).
So there, my 2 cents...
Rank 8 - Multi-Section Mod
This argument makes no sense in this context. Making some sightings secret doesn't affect children in any way whatsoever.Guys, if this secret sightings thing goes ahead, you're at high risk of becoming an elitist collector site.
What we collect are toys... they're to be enjoyed by primarily children and then the adults (that's the target group toy companies aim for now isn't it? ...the kiddies)
You may argue that some toys (let's not talk about 3rd party ones) are targeted at adult toy collectors and thus collectors have the right to swipe em of the shelves before anyone else does and thus the need for a secret comm channel... but you'll be very much surprised that many kids have no clue of TFs like we do, yet buy them (or get their parents to) for their "cool" appeal.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Most times people have 'extras' they have ordered a case online from Robot kingdom or some other online store to save more because its cheaper that way most times. I agree we shouldn't go into retail and buy all the figures denying children a chance. But this is unavoidable when something new has just been put out. I see it all the time especially with the generations toys. But once the same location restocks the same wave, they sell much slower.
Usually alot of people buy the extras for a particular reason, army building eg. Scourge and the sweeps or Wreck Gar and Junkions. Or customs? or maybe they have a Sealed collection for a toy store style collectionand an open one for play and display. I agree if we have knowledge that a figure is rare, we shouldn't multi buy that one. If army building maybe we should pace ourselves buy 1 , don't grab another one for a while as to give someone else a chance. It really just comes down to a case of thinking of others.
And sometimes selling off extras later down the track is beneficial to others who are just starting to collect and are catching up. Sure sometimes they pay more, sometimes they get a bargain
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
Yes, that seems logical, Defcon If we know it's rare, don't buy more than one, at least from retail. But army-building is completely different, as you said. I, as sort of a kid, (teen) wouldn't mind having the hunt a little easier for us, as many have outlined, there seems to be a sudden disappearing of wanted toys as soon as we spot them.
Honestly, people can join if they want to see things. They don't have to actively post that much, but at least let us know that they are out there and read this forum's sightings. That's kind of lurking in the shadows. Or in the very least they should tell us that they have bought them or are going to.
However, it's their choice and their purchase and we are helping them, whether we like it or not.
As I said before, I would like to get my Masterpiece op sooner and I think this idea would help, as long as we are not completely turning off from everyone else.
Also, why should only level 5 members have access? I sort of get it but isn't it enough to be a member to access it? Level 3? There are those that have just joined, yet have been in collecting for a while.
Anyway, it's still debatable and Grif Grif and the senior members make the decision at the end of the day.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
The secret shrine. Only those that are wise enough may enter.
I think we could make a seperate sighting thread in the sale thread.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
With MP Soundwave and Acid Storm around the corner, I've been wondering about something - given how hard it was to find MP Optimus Prime and Thundercracker (I personally never even saw 'Cracker in stores myself), would anyone be open to the idea of "cooperative buying" of these toys?
e.g. I don't need MP Soundwave, but say if I found one at a TRU, I could grab one immediately - then sell it to another OTCA member for the same price that I paid. It wouldn't be scalping, because the rule would be that we only charge whatever the store charges us (and people buying should only pay TRU prices). If people wanna charge an extra 'commission' for their time or fuel costs, then they should pre-arrange that with a buyer first. I'm personally willing to absorb those costs myself because I've had other people buy stuff for me plenty of times, so for me it's like paying it forward.
If people are interested in doing this, then perhaps we can start threads in Salesyard? The idea of this is that we ensure that these toys go to the hands of collectors rather than scalpers or children who may not appreciate the toys at the same level. I know that some people find this idea to be 'elitist' or 'snobbish,' but I don't. Masterpieces are explicitly designed for adult collectors (what Takara calls "high end" toys) rather than for children. I wouldn't recommend doing this for more mainstream TF toys that are aimed at kids like Transformers Prime, but I think Masterpiece is entirely different.
It's just a suggestion -- and if people are interested then perhaps we can start a thread. The rules would be simple... someone buys up MP Soundwaves and Acid Storms then quickly posts how many they have available to sell on that thread. The first person to reply on the thread (to avoid PM inbox clutter) gets first dibs on that toy.
e.g. say I buy an MP Soundwave from TRU, then post it on the thread. Now say The_Damned is the first to reply calling dibs on it. He pays me for the toy and gets the figure.
Whaddaya guys think of this idea? And also importantly, would such a suggestion be in any violation of existing board rules?
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
The idea I have is to keep it really simple, team up with one other local person, for example both can visit Toys r Us on alternating days. If the other spots them instore, buy an extra one to give to the other person and send text to let them know. Some people don't really live close to a Toys r Us, so maybe one person could do all the hunting. But Im not really big on the idea of someone going and buying all the stock in one swoop to sell to other forum members. If that's the case why not just try and order a box of them online instead? sure you will pay a bit more, but it at least gives others a chance, who intend to try their luck at retail. Just my thoughts.
Rank 6 - Dedicated Member
Don't agree with a lot of what you said Gok. I don't think we should promote any form of hoarding to prevent others from a fair chance at picking one up in store.
It sucks for the people who actually make the effort to visit their local retailers and not find anything bc one person got in first and put the whole lot on hold. That's no better than scalping - because not only do collectors suffer but also regular joes as well as the children.
You could argue the positives as much as you like; but you need to see the other side of the coin as well.
Sharky - those words are spot on my friend. Fair way of thinking
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