frustrated collector

[ARROW]

Please don't take it that way Arrow, I get your meaning man. I was just joking @loll@

 

I get ya.

 

But the joke aside, some folks do think that way, and frankly it is a shame.

 

Collecting is supposed to be fun, and some folks spiral it all down into something miserable.

[ChopperMonsterPoint]

you all make me feel young *is 18 years old*

[ARROW]

you all make me feel young *is 18 years old*

IT IS!

[jjlecaros]

JJ would you happen to have any of those dragon mans left ?

 

nope sold my last one in jan

[Superpowers1980]

Am I one of the few who don't see a problem with this post? If I got this correctly, he is basically dissing scalpers who jack up prices on items. I agree with him, even when Wave 9 was hot and I didn't know my sets were cancelled I came across a few and left them there. I could o fbought them and sold them online at an inflated price, especially that last quick boom when and after everyone found out wave 9 was cancelled. I left Wave 5 figures on the shelf also.

 

Buyer/sellers, especially store raiders are a serious problem in the toy world and they suck big time.

[Ganesha]

you all make me feel young *is 18 years old*

 

Because you are.

 

Your adolescent brain is still developing and will continue to well into your 20's.

[synch]

Am I one of the few who don't see a problem with this post? If I got this correctly, he is basically dissing scalpers who jack up prices on items. I agree with him, even when Wave 9 was hot and I didn't know my sets were cancelled I came across a few and left them there. I could o fbought them and sold them online at an inflated price, especially that last quick boom when and after everyone found out wave 9 was cancelled. I left Wave 5 figures on the shelf also.

 

Buyer/sellers, especially store raiders are a serious problem in the toy world and they suck big time.

 

 

He is saying

 

"he is a true " collector, where as everyone else is not

scalpers a scum

& so are those that buy & off them & support them

 

Is what it comes down too really... I don't really see his post that way my self, but I think others are... For one of his first few posts he started off with a bang anyways, even though I don't think he really meant any harm from it he has offended people @loll@

JJ would you happen to have any of those dragon mans left ?

 

nope sold my last one in jan

@grumpy@ damn ! @loll@

[jjlecaros]

i understand what he says but honestly get over it. learn how to go out and hunt and the problems will go away. stop blaming other people for your short comings.

[Superpowers1980]

i understand what he says but honestly get over it. learn how to go out and hunt and the problems will go away. stop blaming other people for your short comings.

 

 

That is not fair. I think everyone on these boards do hunt, but some people just can't beat the scalpers. We all go out and hunt but some people are relentless and they need to slow down. Let's say your local Walmart gets 10 6 cases of DCUC WAVE 10, and the scalpers either have a store hook up or they are in relentless and you miss every single one?

[jjlecaros]

ok i make sure i dotn miss it, I know when my store puts thigns out so i try to be there if i cant, then i search again. I missed out on wave 5 do u see complainng about scalpers?

[jjlecaros]

ive said it in the past...if you cant be at the stores when they open or at night when the pallets come out...because of work, family or any other reason....then those cicumstances are what are stopping you from getting the figures. Other customers, scalpers, stores dont have the resposability to leave figures on the peg till you get urs first.

 

First come first served....thats the policy.....the only thing i do agree about is when store workers hold it in the back and the figures dont make it to the floor...but once they make it to the floor its fair game.

[Vashthestampede]

Unfortunatly the only way to stop a scalper is to decrease demand for a product. I dont think thats going to happen anytime soon.

 

It is nice to see that a lot of them are starting to choke on wave 10 (or at least no longer 400 dollars ebay) So maybe now they wont be inclined to buy 20 cases at once.

 

It frustrates me too, but thats just part of the game.

[Superpowers1980]

ive said it in the past...if you cant be at the stores when they open or at night when the pallets come out...because of work, family or any other reason....then those cicumstances are what are stopping you from getting the figures. Other customers, scalpers, stores dont have the resposability to leave figures on the peg till you get urs first.

 

First come first served....thats the policy.....the only thing i do agree about is when store workers hold it in the back and they figures dont make it to the floor...but once they make it to the floor its fair game.

 

 

Those are all valid points and I understand the Wave 5 situation but come on, the guy can't stake his claim and it be equally if not more legitimate, all he wants to do, like all of us is to go to the store and buy some figures. The problem usually is not in competition from regular collectors but from those who would profit. Look, there were people who gave his comment, thumbs down and he didn't even offend or call out anyone on the forums.

 

 

Personally, I don't shop at the stores unless its an exclusive, not interested in the game. Its not 1984-89 when you could go through multiple stores aisles and find figures, the stock is very limited and availability is very small, especially for these. The sad problem is that there is enough made for all of us to have multiple sets but again those who would profit go far and beyond to score these and resell at crazy prices, not even half decent ones, but 200 percent markups????

[EldestSon]

ive said it in the past...if you cant be at the stores when they open or at night when the pallets come out...because of work, family or any other reason....then those cicumstances are what are stopping you from getting the figures. Other customers, scalpers, stores dont have the resposability to leave figures on the peg till you get urs first.

 

First come first served....thats the policy.....the only thing i do agree about is when store workers hold it in the back and they figures dont make it to the floor...but once they make it to the floor its fair game.

 

 

Those are all valid points and I understand the Wave 5 situation but come on, the guy can't stake his claim and it be equally if not more legitimate, all he wants to do, like all of us is to go to the store and buy some figures. The problem usually is not in competition from regular collectors but from those who would profit. Look, there were people who gave his comment, thumbs down and he didn't even offend or call out anyone on the forums.

 

 

Personally, I don't shop at the stores unless its an exclusive, not interested in the game. Its not 1984-89 when you could go through multiple stores aisles and find figures, the stock is very limited and availability is very small, especially for these. The sad problem is that there is enough made for all of us to have multiple sets but again those who would profit go far and beyond to score these and resell at crazy prices, not even half decent ones, but 200 percent markups????

 

For that to be true, you'd have to believe there are more ______ for re-sale on (say) ebay than were taken home by collectors. Just because you can't find wave 10 (for example) doesn't mean that the majority were swiped by scalpers.

[HarryWildman]

Those are all valid points and I understand the Wave 5 situation but come on, the guy can't stake his claim and it be equally if not more legitimate, all he wants to do, like all of us is to go to the store and buy some figures. The problem usually is not in competition from regular collectors but from those who would profit. Look, there were people who gave his comment, thumbs down and he didn't even offend or call out anyone on the forums.

 

 

Personally, I don't shop at the stores unless its an exclusive, not interested in the game. Its not 1984-89 when you could go through multiple stores aisles and find figures, the stock is very limited and availability is very small, especially for these. The sad problem is that there is enough made for all of us to have multiple sets but again those who would profit go far and beyond to score these and resell at crazy prices, not even half decent ones, but 200 percent markups????

 

I do agree with with you, superpowers. I don't like how some act like it's the Amazing Race for figures or something.

[jjlecaros]

and i dont like how some people think the figures should sit at peg till they decide to go to a store and buy them. first come first served.

[HarryWildman]

and i dont like how some people think the figures should sit at peg till they decide to go to a store and buy them. first come first served.

 

wow jj. I hope that wasn't directed at me. I'm not taking up any one particular side here.

[jjlecaros]

not directed towards you but its been discussed here before that people think they are joe somebody and that the figures should be at a store when they decide to go. im also tired of the whole scalper mentality.

[ARROW]

i understand what he says but honestly get over it. learn how to go out and hunt and the problems will go away. stop blaming other people for your short comings.

 

 

That is not fair. I think everyone on these boards do hunt, but some people just can't beat the scalpers. We all go out and hunt but some people are relentless and they need to slow down. Let's say your local Walmart gets 10 6 cases of DCUC WAVE 10, and the scalpers either have a store hook up or they are in relentless and you miss every single one?

 

I don't buy the "some people can't beat the scalpers" thinking. I just don't accept that as being a perpetual insurmountable situation.

Case in point from my own experience: DCUC Wave 2 Classic Aquaman. I just got this figure a couple of days ago. I had been wanting it, looking for it since it came out a year ago. The brick & mortar supply of these figures seemed to dry up very fast, but there were ample opportunities to get the figure on-line, albeit for a sizable mark-up.

I simply did not want to pay the prices being asked, even though the figure slowly became harder to find--even after there were spot-reports of uncovered new stock here and there.

 

Seems like the avenues were closing and it would be time to give up hope, right?

 

Uh-uh.

I have faith and I understand intuitively how the "system" works. There is ALWAYS a way to get what you want, at a price you'll be willing to pay--be it retail, auction, or private deal.

And a private deal is how I scored. I got the figure I was seeking in loose form, for a great price from a fellow collector.

 

No scalpers entered into the equation, and all it took was patience. I KNEW I'd find a the figure at some point--it was just that mystical convergence of circumstances that needed to gel together in the right way. Folks, THAT is one of the ways its done--not the only way mind you, but I got results. And results are all that matter, right?

Hey, I've done this dozens upon dozens of times over the past couple of decades--and, it works.

 

Does it matter WHEN you get the stuff? Probably not, right? Does having it fast really mean all that much? Sure, its nice to have it NOW, but if it is tough to find, does a little patience hurt?

 

Does it matter HOW you get the stuff? Does it have to be brick & mortar retail, via a foot hunt? Can you buy on-line, or trade\deal with a fellow collector? Are you willing to take the time and effort to make friends all over the place that can help you out?

 

See, the secret side of this is something that a lot of people seem to fail to understand: along the way collecting stops being about stuff. Collecting is really about enjoying the hobby in whatever way you can, and even more sharing it with like-minded people. The fellowship is the REAL value in collecting, its potent, invigorating, and never-ending......and it deepens the experience in ways that "stuff" just can't. I can say that more passion for collecting exploded exponentially once I discovered the on-line communities, and the like-minded people all over the world.

The folks I call my on-line friends are not only people I like to chum with, they are also the greatest collecting resource I have ever known.

 

Scalpers do not even enter into the equation anymore, because I know, emphatically, I can do an end-run around them. The tools are there, the resources, the skills.....and the collective will in all the people I know. And the greatest thing is its not unique to me, ANYONE reading these words can do the EXACT same thing, in their own way and to their own liking.

 

So really, there's no reason to blame people, to be frustrated, to be miserable or to not have fun at all while collecting.

[HarryWildman]

not directed towards you but its been discussed here before that people think they are joe somebody and that the figures should be at a store when they decide to go. im also tired of the whole scalper mentality.

 

 

I know. I just think there are valid points to be made from either of the "sides" of the discussion. And I put sides in quotes because usually people can't agree on what is or isn't a "scalper", "opportunist", "true collector", etc.

[ARROW]

not directed towards you but its been discussed here before that people think they are joe somebody and that the figures should be at a store when they decide to go. im also tired of the whole scalper mentality.

 

 

I know. I just think there are valid points to be made from either of the "sides" of the discussion. And I put sides in quotes because usually people can't agree on what is or isn't a "scalper", "opportunist", "true collector", etc.

 

I think there's a simple definition/distinction after all: scalpers are the ones not having a whole lot of fun once they buy the toys, while collectors usually are.

[HarryWildman]

i understand what he says but honestly get over it. learn how to go out and hunt and the problems will go away. stop blaming other people for your short comings.

 

 

That is not fair. I think everyone on these boards do hunt, but some people just can't beat the scalpers. We all go out and hunt but some people are relentless and they need to slow down. Let's say your local Walmart gets 10 6 cases of DCUC WAVE 10, and the scalpers either have a store hook up or they are in relentless and you miss every single one?

 

I don't buy the "some people can't beat the scalpers" thinking. I just don't accept that as being a perpetual insurmountable situation.

Case in point from my own experience: DCUC Wave 2 Classic Aquaman. I just got this figure a couple of days ago. I had been wanting it, looking for it since it came out a year ago. The brick & mortar supply of these figures seemed to dry up very fast, but there were ample opportunities to get the figure on-line, albeit for a sizable mark-up.

I simply did not want to pay the prices being asked, even though the figure slowly became harder to find--even after there were spot-reports of uncovered new stock here and there.

 

Seems like the avenues were closing and it would be time to give up hope, right?

 

Uh-uh.

I have faith and I understand intuitively how the "system" works. There is ALWAYS a way to get what you want, at a price you'll be willing to pay--be it retail, auction, or private deal.

And a private deal is how I scored. I got the figure I was seeking in loose form, for a great price from a fellow collector.

 

No scalpers entered into the equation, and all it took was patience. I KNEW I'd find a the figure at some point--it was just that mystical convergence of circumstances that needed to gel together in the right way. Folks, THAT is one of the ways its done--not the only way mind you, but I got results. And results are all that matter, right?

Hey, I've done this dozens upon dozens of times over the past couple of decades--and, it works.

 

Does it matter WHEN you get the stuff? Probably not, right? Does having it fast really mean all that much? Sure, its nice to have it NOW, but if it is tough to find, does a little patience hurt?

 

Does it matter HOW you get the stuff? Does it have to be brick & mortar retail, via a foot hunt? Can you buy on-line, or trade\deal with a fellow collector? Are you willing to take the time and effort to make friends all over the place that can help you out?

 

See, the secret side of this is something that a lot of people seem to fail to understand: along the way collecting stops being about stuff. Collecting is really about enjoying the hobby in whatever way you can, and even more sharing it with like-minded people. The fellowship is the REAL value in collecting, its potent, invigorating, and never-ending......and it deepens the experience in ways that "stuff" just can't. I can say that more passion for collecting exploded exponentially once I discovered the on-line communities, and the like-minded people all over the world.

The folks I call my on-line friends are not only people I like to chum with, they are also the greatest collecting resource I have ever known.

 

Scalpers do not even enter into the equation anymore, because I know, emphatically, I can do an end-run around them. The tools are there, the resources, the skills.....and the collective will in all the people I know. And the greatest thing is its not unique to me, ANYONE reading these words can do the EXACT same thing, in their own way and to their own liking.

 

So really, there's no reason to blame people, to be frustrated, to be miserable or to not have fun at all while collecting.

 

I have to agree with just about everything said here. Not worrying about trying to "beat the scalpers" and instead trying to apply this perspective is probably why I was able to obtain Wave 10. However, I understand that some people will and will still not get good results.

[Ganesha]

Just keep your nose to the grindstone and hopefully you'll hit paydirt.

 

Keep you fingers crossed that eBay becomes so saturated with product that figure prices drop substantially. Then buy from eBay.

 

Here's a good example of what happens to a scalper when product becomes abundant.

[HarryWildman]

That might not be such a bad deal. It says those cases come with two Big Barbas, and I haven't even seen her yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I was being a smartass.

[Ganesha]

That might not be such a bad deal. It says those cases come with two Big Barbas, and I haven't even seen her yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I was being a smartass.

 

I got a kick out of that myself the first time I saw it.

 

Then again, nobody on the Internet gives a damn about proper spelling or grammar. @grumpy@