Collectors vs. Scalpers

[NoDivision]

Like look at the guy filling several carts of the Black Friday MH; he's being incredibly selfish, even if it's just to buy presents for his own kids. What about everyone else's kids. 

What obligation does this guy have towards other people's kids? The dolls are there for anyone to buy. If he's taking the time to wait in line like everyone else, it's his right to buy whatever he wants. What he does with them is really none of anyone's business.

I agree with this. Does it bum me out when I can't find a doll I want? Sure. But I am not entitled to that doll, and nor is anyone else. A child is not more entitled to a doll than an adult collector, a collector is not more entitled than someone who wants to resell the doll. These items are on the shelf available for anyone to buy as many as they want. Whoever gets there first and has the money gets to buy the doll. If someone wants to buy every doll in the store, that is their right just as much as it would be mine to buy just one.

[aellos]

Like look at the guy filling several carts of the Black Friday MH; he's being incredibly selfish, even if it's just to buy presents for his own kids. What about everyone else's kids. 

What obligation does this guy have towards other people's kids? The dolls are there for anyone to buy. If he's taking the time to wait in line like everyone else, it's his right to buy whatever he wants. What he does with them is really none of anyone's business.

I agree with this. Does it bum me out when I can't find a doll I want? Sure. But I am not entitled to that doll, and nor is anyone else. A child is not more entitled to a doll than an adult collector, a collector is not more entitled than someone who wants to resell the doll. These items are on the shelf available for anyone to buy as many as they want. Whoever gets there first and has the money gets to buy the doll. If someone wants to buy every doll in the store, that is their right just as much as it would be mine to buy just one.

Truuuuuue.
But it doesn't make it less mean. Just because you have a right to do something doesn't mean it's a nice thing to do y'know? Heh. But you honestly can't control other's so *shrugs*

[SwordPony]

I have bought dolls for people on the board but if it is the only one left even if someone needs it I'll leave it.

Just because this man waited in line doesn't give him the right to take 20 or each doll. Its wrong and just plain rude when your there looking for the same item and this guy walks off with two buggy loads. People just don't care anymore. Especially with the holidays coming up people get more and more greedy.

[hannaliten]

Just because this man waited in line doesn't give him the right to take 20 or each doll. Its wrong and just plain rude when your there looking for the same item and this guy walks off with two buggy loads.

Rude? Maybe. Wrong? Nope. He has the right to buy whatever he wants and has the money to pay for.

[SwordPony]

Just because this man waited in line doesn't give him the right to take 20 or each doll. Its wrong and just plain rude when your there looking for the same item and this guy walks off with two buggy loads.

Rude? Maybe. Wrong? Nope. He has the right to buy whatever he wants and has the money to pay for.

It is wrong weather you think so or not. Maybe my thinking of wrong and yours are not the same.

[Galactica]

I have nothing personal against re-sellers, we all make a living-  but it does seriously bum me out when I get to the store and the entire shelf has been cleaned out in one swoop. 

I do really wish that people wouldn't do that...

[NoDivision]

Life isn't always about being "nice" or being "mean." If reselling item is a business for someone then emotions do not play into it. It's not like these people are the grinch running around going "yessss I'm going to buy up all the toys so no children can have them!" (at least probably not... ya never know there might be some crazies.) I think people are projecting their own feelings onto someone else's actions. I see no "right" or "wrong" in these situations. If it were wrong for someone to be able to buy as much as they like, then there would be rules and laws preventing it. As there aren't, there is no "wrong" being done. It may upset some people's personal moral compasses, but one person's morals cannot define another person's actions. 

This conversation could go in circles for days, so I won't add much more to it. But I get a bit weary of people constantly taking so much time to call out and complain about "scalpers." Just live your life and let other people live theirs. I think we can all think of more productive things to do than go on for pages about an issue that most people have very firmly made their mind up on already.

[kakenterprise]

I have nothing personal against re-sellers, we all make a living-  but it does seriously bum me out when I get to the store and the entire shelf has been cleaned out in one swoop. 

I have to agree with this.

Was I really bummed that I couldn't find the monster high werewolf sisters pack yes but that's how it goes.  I know someone came in every time and bought them all out.  I got lucky once and there was one left(or someone returned it).  Eventually I found it.  I don't have the funds to resort to buying from ebay.  If I had the money to, I might. 

I don't think you can look at scalpers and monsters that just want hoards of money.  They could be in a situation where that's there only option for supporting themselves or there family. I doubt that's always the case but they have the money to wipe out the shelf and the time to sell them off then they get to.

[SwordPony]

I personal don't buy that buying and reselling toys is scalpers only way to make a living. These people spend hundreds of dollars buying toys to resell. They could use that money they are buying toys with to take care of there families.

I'm not downing people that buy a doll and resell every once in awhile either. But people on here defend scalpers like this might be the only way they make money. I'll call BS on that story all day long.

[Icecrystalline]

I personal don't buy that buying and reselling toys is scalpers only way to make a living. These people spend hundreds of dollars buying toys to resell. They could use that money they are buying toys with to take care of there families.

I'm not downing people that buy a doll and resell every once in awhile either. But people on here defend scalpers like this might be the only way they make money. I'll call BS on that story all day long.

I agree Swordpony, scalping isn't probably their only income. that's what i think anyway

[NoDivision]

Well, I'm sorry that you can't imagine that it could be possible that someone has to make a living that way. I think it's incredibly unfair to "call BS" on something that is a way of life for some people. Just because you don't understand or can't imagine being in that situation doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

No, not all scalpers do it because they have to. Some probably do it just to make extra income and would be fine without it. But there are people who use buying and reselling items for profit as their livelyhood, especially in a tough economy like this, and I think it's rude and unfair to be so dismissive about it and assume everyone is just being greedy. Not everyone has the same life situation.

[Icecrystalline]

Well, I'm sorry that you can't imagine that it could be possible that someone has to make a living that way. I think it's incredibly unfair to "call BS" on something that is a way of life for some people. Just because you don't understand or can't imagine being in that situation doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

No, not all scalpers do it because they have to. Some probably do it just to make extra income and would be fine without it. But there are people who use buying and reselling items for profit as their livelyhood, especially in a tough economy like this, and I think it's rude and unfair to be so dismissive about it and assume everyone is just being greedy. Not everyone has the same life situation.

If that's referring to me, I'm not dismissive. I'm opinionated, yes, but everyone has their views, and everyone is entitled to them. I would scalp if I was in dire need of the money, but as I'm not in dire need, I don't, I don't care what others do for money, that's their way, not mine, and I choose not to get my money in a way that occassionally involves ripping people out of money. I'm not saying anymore because, to be honest, I'm not fussed either way, not my problem, nor something I should be concerned about, but that's my piece of cake on the matter . I'd probably have too much of a conscience to scalp, I'd overthink of parenta wasting unnecessary money as they can't get them in stores.

[jupiternwndrlnd]

I have seen many people, even here on the Arena, sell dolls for more than they paid for them.

That being said, I am inserting a MOD WARNING: take this down a notch, as it is getting far too heated in here. Opinions have been expressed, and things are being repeated and escalated.

[SwordPony]

Scalping toys is not a way of life.

But I'm gonna be done here before I say something I can't take back.

[Maniah]

When you stop and think about it.. Every major retailer is a scalper by the definition given here.. They buy up items in massive quantities, then turn around and resell the item for a marked up price.

It's just business.

It drives prices up, yeah.. But it's still just a business.

Wrong can be used to describe something that is morally questionable. Something that is incorrect. Something that goes against the rules. Something that is hurtful.

To say that scalping is wrong, is to use the word  "wrong" in the sense that it hurts peoples feelings, and is morally questionable. That doesn't mean that they are doing something they should not BE doing.. It just means they are doing something we FEEL they should not be doing. In the end, it's feelings that get wronged, and that is something that we just have to live with.

When it comes to making money, if you are too soft, you won't make money and you go out of business. Thats what these folks are doing.

Now, if stores raised the prices on these dolls to what the scalpers were charging, I bet there would be a lot more stock on the shelves. The dolls are worth what people are willing to pay for them. The scalpers are capitalizing on the markup margin that the stores are ignoring.