Scalping is discouraged on this forum, and so shouldn't all pro scalping posts also b

[ProgMatinee]

Ah yea. I wouldn't say they are exact equal but I mean, you gotta start somewhere right?

That is how commerce originally started. People would go from one nation, buy a bunch of stuff (probably for retail price, although bargaining back then was a little different) come to a different nation where whatever they bought was rare and jack up the price. Flippers are doing the same thing but on a small scale, just the foundation of commerce. Just on different scales.

I don't know. I doubt Marco Polo was dealing with retail store owners when he was in China buying tea or whatever to bring back to Europe. It wouldn't be cost effective. He would have gone directly to the manufacturer and secured the lowest possible price, which would have made him a retailer, not a scalper.

To me a scalper is someone that inflates prices above MSRP. A retailer offers the item at MSRP or below. Thats a significant difference on the impact on the community.

That said, regarding SSC the products that need "scalping" are not necessarily the products that a retailer even has access to.

I'm sorta referencing back to the old POTF2 Target and Walmart run to the aisle "scalpers".

 

[FLOSI]

Here is a whole listing of exclusive items sold from an online retailer at increased prices.

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=466&page=2

Funny how they're just about all sold out too....

 

[BadMoon]

Funny how they're just about all sold out too....

 

[ProgMatinee]

not that BBTS has anything really jumping up in value if the only SSC SW ex they had was mechnochair.

 

[RoboDad]

Well, technically, in Marco Polo's day, there was no such thing as an MSRP. There also was not much in the way of manufacturing/distribution infrastructure. Much of that came about as a result of the industrial revolution.

So, in a very real sense, the "manufacturer" and the "retailer" were one and the same in those days. In that sense, Marco Polo was a "hybrid" of a retailer and a scalper. Plus, I have no doubt that many of the goods he brought back from his travels were considered quite rare and valuable, at least at first, and therefore commanded a fairly high price.

 

[ProgMatinee]

But the difference is Marco Polo's actions, much like a retailer, increased net demand for the product. He didn't just move items from A to B with a net 0 influence.

Without Marco Polo, or today's retailers, many would not have access to the product at all, regardless of the money they would be willing to spend.

The $$ income is irrelevant to the discussion. Its the practicality, necessity and impact of the service provided.

 

[BadMoon]

Marco!

Spoiler

Polo!

Marco!

Spoiler

Polo!

 

[Something Sexy]

Well, technically, in Marco Polo's day, there was no such thing as an MSRP. There also was not much in the way of manufacturing/distribution infrastructure. Much of that came about as a result of the industrial revolution.

So, in a very real sense, the "manufacturer" and the "retailer" were one and the same in those days. In that sense, Marco Polo was a "hybrid" of a retailer and a scalper. Plus, I have no doubt that many of the goods he brought back from his travels were considered quite rare and valuable, at least at first, and therefore commanded a fairly high price.

Yea I see your point here.

Some of these exclusive pieces are rare and valuable and they command higher prices on there on. Now of course the flipper has the decision to NOT sell it for a higher price but in some cases if someone is offering more than it is worth, why not take it.

 

[LOTRFan]

Marco!

Spoiler

Polo!

Marco!

Spoiler

Polo!

Fish out of water?!

 

[BadMoon]

Fish out of water?!

Damnit! I'm it!

Marco!

Spoiler

Polo!

Marco!

Spoiler

Polo!

 

[316what]

Stores help increase the reach off the manufacturer. A scalper doesn't.

A scalper does in the case of Bowen products...see below.

These services that retailers offer expands the hobby for collectors and manufacturers. Do scalpers?

In the case of Bowen, yes they do since Bowen does not ship outside the US. Scalpers afford non-US collectors an opportunity to add Bowen items to their collections.

 

[LOTRFan]

In the case of Bowen, yes they do since Bowen does not ship outside the US. Scalpers afford non-US collectors an opportunity to add Bowen items to their collections.

Thus creating harmony in blackthoron's universe.

 

[ProgMatinee]

A scalper does in the case of Bowen products...see below.



In the case of Bowen, yes they do since Bowen does not ship outside the US. Scalpers afford non-US collectors an opportunity to add Bowen items to their collections.

are there not US distributors? I thought SSC was a distributor of Bowen?

 

[316what]

are there not US distributors? I thought SSC was a distributor of Bowen?

It all depends on where you live. SSC is a distributor of Bowen, however, they usually get a very small allocation. Not nearly enough to fill all international orders.

 

[ProgMatinee]

in circumstances where there are no other possibilities, then they offer useful services. i don't know that applies to the majority of cases though. put its true for every positive service a scalper offers it is netted with the prevention of someone else from getting the item.

thats the fundemental difference in retailers and scalpers to me. retailers increase distribution whereas scalpers just shuffle the same figure around.

whether a company like Bowen cares to embrace the broader appeal and impact international retailers can offer is ultimately up to them.

 

[316what]

in circumstances where there are no other possibilities, then they offer useful services. i don't know that applies to the majority of cases though. put its true for every positive service a scalper offers it is netted with the prevention of someone else from getting the item.

thats the fundemental difference in retailers and scalpers to me. retailers increase distribution whereas scalpers just shuffle the same figure around.

whether a company like Bowen cares to embrace the broader appeal and impact international retailers can offer is ultimately up to them.

E-tailers buying from SSC also can prevent someone else from getting the items. And there have been times when E-tailers have charged more than SRP for items they most likely bought at a discount from SSC.

There is no black and white...only shades of gray.

 

[ProgMatinee]

E-tailers buying from SSC also can prevent someone else from getting the items. And there have been times when E-tailers have charged more than SRP for items they most likely bought at a discount from SSC.

There is no black and white...only shades of gray.

$$ doesn't even matter to the conversation. The truth is that etailers and retailers send orders into SSC and say "I'll take 6" or "I'll take 60" based on the reach that individual retailer has.

This equates to larger production runs which satisfies a larger number of people.

Scalpers do that in a small degree but not nearly as large.

 

[Something Sexy]

In the end this discussion is stupid because if the collector wants to pay the extra than that is there business. If no one paid the extra prices there would be no incentive to do it but there is because there are people willing to pay the prices.

People especially shouldn't be pissed at paying higher prices for something that is rare and has been out for a while, it is what it is.

 

[karamazov80]

Buyers create scalpers. Blame them.

 

[ProgMatinee]

People especially shouldn't be pissed at paying higher prices for something that is rare and has been out for a while, it is what it is.

I don't consider selling old product scalping.