Hoarding Dealers/Collectors at SDCC

[Rugby1970]

Maybe the guy owns a shop and plans to sell the items there?

This would be my guess. A ton of the exclusives that were sold ended up on the other side of the show room floor in the various shops.

My gut says he has a store or website and wants to offer these there.

 

[Darth Cruel]

A scalper is a scalper whether they scalp one item or 1 million. And by the dictionary definition, Target and Wal-Mart could be considered scalpers. Question is, what do you consider a scalper? My own definition requires that a seller be selling something that they were not intended to sell, and intentionally made an effort to secure one or more of those items with no other intent than to make a profit by selling it to someone who could have gotten it from the same source, at the same price as the seller, but now has to pay more for the item, if they buy it from the seller, just because the seller got their first. And I know some of the sellers that were at the con, and they rarely get volume discounts for exclusive items. On the other hand, Hasbro Toy Shop and Star Wars Shop will both tell some sellers that they are scalpers and are not welcome in the lines, but then they both have pet sellers who are not much more than scalpers, who they gladly sell 5,000 pieces of the event exclusives to.

I don't buy from scalpers any more, period. That is the only way to put them out of business. But I WILL buy from the sellers who are selling in booths right next to the scalpers. And people mistake the two very often. But I make it my business to know where my own sources get there stock from and I do not buy if I am not at least reasonably comfortable that I know. But make no mistake. Hasbro and Star Wars Shop both knowingly support some of the scalpers.

But then there is another side as well. There are some of these sellers, and I know at least one who was at the con, who legitimately get there stock from Hasbro, or Entertainment Earth, but still sell it at much higher prices than brick-and-mortars. If they buy from Entertainment Earth, they have to, to a small extent, as the wholesale prices from there are higher than buying direct from Hasbro. And people just assume they got their stock from the shelves at Target.

Now in my own head, I simply cannot understand why more of the scalpers who work primarily at selling these figures don't buy directly from Hasbro. It is very easy to do. And it is a hell of a lot cheaper and easier than running around to all of the stores. And it is certainly a lot easier to do than managing an army of helpers who are running around buying stuff at the stores for you. It is easy enough to make money at it that you can eventually get big enough to get Hasbro to break their own rules and give you exclusives like they do with Entertainment Earth.

I actually got set up to start an action figure retail store. I had done the math and I came to a very low price point even now, and even compared to Wal-Mart. But when I talked to Hasbro about an exclusive (I was going to pay for complete production from beginning to end, I wanted it to jump-start the business, it was my plan to have an army-builder exclusive, lots of them, and sell them at the prices of the normal figures), they told me that they only give out exclusives as a reward to retailers who sell a lot of ALL of Hasbro's products like games figures and everything they make as Target and Wal-Mart do. When I mentioned the fact that Entertainment Earth only sells the action figures, they stumbled on their words, backpedalled and told me that EE supports the action figures enough to warrant an exclusive.

And gee, guess who buys a lot of the figures that EE sells. Other sellers do.

Edit - I was also told by the Hasbro rep that I was dealing with that NOBODY gets a volume discount. Target and Wal-Mart pay the same price for 1 case if they only ordered 1 as they would for each case of figures if they ordered 1 million. And those cases cost the same as the cases I was going to buy.

 

[tylerd]

Lately, there seems to be more sellers (flippers) in this hobby than actual collectors.

I mean Christ, Red Skull isn't even at your doorstep and you're already flippin the bastard in the Commerce section because it has "potential grail status".

and your point? commerce does mean buying and selling, doesn't it? would you feel better if i waited a few months and it went up like a doom ex. and the price was $1300 for a $300 statue? would that be better for you?

flipping is an acceptable part of collecting, and MANY do it here. don't chastise my methods *erkoff.

 

[DVDVampire]

and your point? commerce does mean buying and selling, doesn't it? would you feel better if i waited a few months and it went up like a doom ex. and the price was $1300 for a $300 statue? would that be better for you?

flipping is an acceptable part of collecting, and MANY do it here. don't chastise my methods *erkoff.

Doom didn't rise to $1k in a three month span.

You make it sound like you're doing us a *Public Service* by pre-ordering these "Potential Grails" early before they actually hit $1k and offering them to us for a small premium

A flipper with an important cause.

 

[Roc74]

I think this whole flipper or scalpers business all boils down to the resposibility of one Group, and thats the Buyers....

If people dont buy scalper prices, scalpign will not happen... Ive learn that if you are patient enough most times you will get what you want... when a scalper finds himself with mountins of toys he cant move, he will ethier have to sell them lower then reatils or return back to whatever store he bought them at... This would help all the collectors if ppl would just be patient.

Now on the other hand, if you feel the extra money is worth paying someone to either get in a line early, or preorder a "future grail" only to sell a few months earlier or send thier kids to hunt donw hard figures.... then by all means pay it, but dont complain about it afterwards, just know you just made it harder for other collectors to get the figures they wanted at retail.

 

[tylerd]

Doom didn't rise to $1k in a three month span.

You make it sound like you're doing us a *Public Service* by pre-ordering these "Potential Grails" early before they actually hit $1k and offering them to us for a small premium

A flipper with an important cause.

not offering *hit to you, and never will. my first blocked buyer.

 

[IrishJedi]

Blocked buyers.

 

[tylerd]

I think this whole flipper or scalpers business all boils down to the resposibility of one Group, and thats the Buyers....

If people dont buy scalper prices, scalpign will not happen... Ive learn that if you are patient enough most times you will get what you want... when a scalper finds himself with mountins of toys he cant move, he will ethier have to sell them lower then reatils or return back to whatever store he bought them at... This would help all the collectors if ppl would just be patient.

Now on the other hand, if you feel the extra money is worth paying someone to either get in a line early, or preorder a "future grail" only to sell a few months earlier or send thier kids to hunt donw hard figures.... then by all means pay it, but dont complain about it afterwards, just know you just made it harder for other collectors to get the figures they wanted at retail.

some people, including myself with sim, don't mind paying a little extra to guarantee they get their item. i gladly paid an extra $100 to a board member. i had considered keeping red skull, but not too sure about displaying a character in nazi garb. but i was at the specified place at the specified time to order the exclusive. that and sideshow's ordering policy says it's perfectly OK for me to keep or flip. whatever i decide, it's up to me.

 

[DVDVampire]

not offering *hit to you, and never will. my first blocked buyer.

I'll make sure to let everyone know.

 

[tylerd]

I'll make sure to let everyone know.

that you're out of the closet?

 

[DVDVampire]

weak....

 

[galactiboy]

So what was this thread about again?

I try not to buy from scalpers and flippers... but I also understand that if I have something everyone else is selling for $$$ above retail its hard not to look for that as well. Mostly its the cheapskate in me that prevents such dealings.

 

[tylerd]

weak....

you certainly are. i actually enjoyed your new sig. very funny.

 

[Blake]

I'm not taking sides in the Ty vs. Vamp discussion, but I will say that Vamps sig is HILARIOUS.

 

[niennumb1]

but if that guy got a volume discount, and you bought one from him on ebay for less than you would have at sdcc without waiting in line, would you be complaining?

That would NEVER be the case for much sought after exclusives. This guy's probably got half of them on Ebay right now.

I've had experiences directly with a collectible trade con artist as well as scalpers. Been spending the last ALMOST wasteful 9 years of my life putting this fan film together with what little free time I have and it's getting near done now. Some may have seen clips of this in the past, but anyway I'm shooting to have it complete by the end of the year. Have just about 3-4 pickup shoots left. I so can't wait to move on to other projects...

https://www.toywars.org

 

[Mesa]

You expecting some sympathy??? I suggest you do something more constructive with your life.

what a dick

 

[Mesa]

Trust me, this guy isn't a "collector."

I'm glad that Hasbro limited the GI JOE Cobra exclusive figures and set limits on other items (max qty = 4 in most cases, unless you had multiple badges). You could only get 2 of the black suit cobra and 1 of the blue suit cobra; Hasbro stamped the back of badge and tallied each purchase. So, for anybody who had a 4 day pass (1 pass for all 4 days) was at a disadvantage compared to anyone who had 4 single day passes (1 pass for each day) because the stamped history was erased with each new badge. But since blue cobra sold out first day, it was basically a non-issue.

This guy will double his money at least, which is fine. I doubt he bought all these to collect, just to flip. I did the same, but to a much smaller extent. I spent $200 at Hasbro and have recovered most of that, hoping to sell the rest for profit. I could care less about a 3-3/4 GI JOE figure.

I don't think people realize some of the hassle involved in getting all this crap, as I just learned first hand. First, you have to get there early, to get in a line to get a ticket that have a limited amount to be released, and then use that ticket to be given the privilege of standing in another line for 2-3 hours. And once you score your booty, you have to lug the crap around without allowing it to get crushed in the crowds, or get it out to your car/hotel, requiring leaving the show. It's really not as simple as "flipping."

I got my stuff for flipping the first day, and a small attempt on Friday (blue cobra was sold out, buy DA and I cut some lines at the right time to avoid major waiting) and after that, I was done and didn't try anymore. The only one I wish I knew about was the del Torro signed bust, which I missed out on at retail.

You expecting some sympathy??? I suggest you do something more constructive with your life.

My point was, if this tool wants to go through the hassle of standing in line while he could be checking out other crap, and then lugging it around the convention, and earn a few bucks off of it, that's completely within his rights. And if I want to flip some stuff to finance some other larger purchases, that's completely within my rights.

I'm not looking for any sympathy, just expaining what all is involved in the process in case anyone thinks it's an easy buck, which it isn't.

Next time don't be such a douche.

 

[Mesa]

some people, including myself with sim, don't mind paying a little extra to guarantee they get their item. i gladly paid an extra $100 to a board member. i had considered keeping red skull, but not too sure about displaying a character in nazi garb. but i was at the specified place at the specified time to order the exclusive. that and sideshow's ordering policy says it's perfectly OK for me to keep or flip. whatever i decide, it's up to me.

Agreed.

the money that I made went straight into another scalpers hand for the Pan bust. Eventually, everyone flips stuff. It's impossible not to. So all you high and mighty newbie "true collectors" that criticize the efforts of trying to make some cash to help finance this hobby, get off your high horse and wait till you've been collecting for a few years, you'll be doing the same thing.

 

[Ktjn]

What is with these people? They spend pretty much ALL of their time at the con standing in lines for junk that (mostly) will be available after the show... even some of the exclusives.

Get a load of this dude I snapped a pic of outside of the SDCC Exhibit Hall on Sunday:

I didn't know Tylerd was at sdcc, i kidd.

That had to be Sunday, look at all those sealed SSC boxes. Wonder how many left over sitters,aayla,or IM helmets he bought?

 

[galactiboy]

Agreed.

the money that I made went straight into another scalpers hand for the Pan bust. Eventually, everyone flips stuff. QUOTE]

Hey, what did you have to pay for that... if not comfortable posting in public would you send a PM? I'd like one, but am worried what it would set me back.