I don't agree with this at all

I joined this forum because a google search led me to the sightings thread which led me to an acquisition win.

At first when I was very active in retail toy hunting I felt that the sightings thread should be restricted to members only but I now realise that it is arguably one of the biggest reasons why people would join this forum in the first place.

I managed to pick up MP-10 because I was willing (and I guess able) to put in the hard yards to go hunt for it, assisted by a rolling update of sightings (and non-sightings) in the sightings thread. I also sighted MP Thundercracker, simliarly by putting in the effort to go out and look for it.

I honestly am beginning to think scalpers don't thrive in Australia anyway given the following factors:
-US prices are far better than AU ones, importing is cheaper than retail
-If scalpers are purely motivated by profit, it is a lot of effort to put in (keeping updated with exclusives, prices and sightings) for a, comparatively, little gain.
-We beat them to it, every single time. Either by forming syndicates or simply by pure dedication to the hunt. We are our own worst enemy and are growing in number.

Besides which a real clever scalper would be or have friends in retail who would reserve them stock as soon as it hits the shelves, thereby bypassing the 'sightings' process.

If understand that many of us are frustrated by recent events but if you are truly concerned that you or other members will miss out on a toy then DON'T POST IN THE SIGHTINGS THREAD. I'm sure many of us do this already, myself included.

But to restrict sightings from the public? That is elitism of the highest level. You are basically saying that you deserve these products more than other members (and non-members) and you want to be able to obtain a toy by refreshing a page on webpage that most other people can't see and then make a phone call.