Collectors/Scalpers and re packaging.

[vespapilot79]

Ok, here is one of my BIGGEST pet peves of shopping for GI Joe. I absolutely hate going into any of my local Wal-Marts to look for new figures. They usually keep a good stock of them, and Ive had my best luck at them. Im more upset at the fact that some collector/scalper/THIEF is taking the figures they want and replacing them with either star wars, the corps, or older GI Joe figures. Today I found an 80's v of SE in place of the new SE. I have found 2 RAM cycles in several boxes in place of the Trouble Bubble. Thats right 2 cycles in one box. I bought a Target exclusive HISS at Wal Mart with darth vader in the turret. I have seen the weirdest things placed in the dvd box sets replacing the wx dominator and MASS device. Poor SE in the MASS has been almost nowhere to be seen. I have only found a few HISS w Rip It inside. Im having a feeling the next hot item will be that battle damaged BAT and Rocket launcher bat in the dvd that will be hard to find.

So what can we do as HONEST individuals to try and stop this. Ive gone to the Wal-MArt mgmt. They had NO clue what was going on... It had been months sitting on the shelves since the tainted items had been retured. Its obvious the reg employees i brought this tho thier attn dont give a rats a**. I have sent several e-mails to Hasbro. We all work very hard for the money we spend on our Hobby/Obsession. I think we deserve these figues/vehicles more than those who just want to make a quick buck on e-bay. Is it only happening here in my little podunk town?

[Sgt_DP]

I totally agrea, I've seen them more at Wal Mart, only once at a Target. I thought it was a 'Variant" at first but then relized that its totally the wrong package for the figure. I didn;t think that some poor starving Chinise Laborer would be doing this.

I have seen several of the comic packs switched around. I find it funny when I think of what a pain in the butt it is to open them delicately as a collector and I still tear edges and these guys do a pretty good job and even replace everything to look almost new.

I miss the days where if someone stole something there would atleast be an empty package... not trying to trick you into thinking you found the guy you wanted only to find a switch a roe took place.

I totally agrea with the comments about the staff not giving a rats a$$. But if it was a $50 Digital Camera being returned for a $250 one, I bet they would look closer...

Funny story, back when I worked loss prevention for Sears, I got a call about a funny return with an irate customer. I go down to the sales floor and see associates gathered around this box for a Speaker Reciever for souround sound that had been returned. inside was a neatly repackaged cheapo VCR. The customer had bought this off the sales floor and taken it home and discovered the "mix up" and brought it back (did I mention he was pi$$ed off). After some investigation we figured out this was an associate theft. It was tense with a big ticket item but shows how clever people can be...

Now back to joes... Retailers just need to have staff look closer... Or toy dept manager... this is costing them $$MONEY$$ wich will cost us money... Joes are expensive enough.

[Sonneilon]

Crap Vespa. I forgot to send out your figures today. I'll do it tomorrow.

Bellingham really doesn't have much in the way of scalpers. Or dirty thugs like that. I've seen a few weird re-packages they've done, but it's literally once a year. Anyway, I hear ya tho. Dirty bastardos!

[vespapilot79]

I wasnt going to ask ask or start buggin about them. I just figued they will get here when they get here. Im really excited about my BBTS shipment. I have 5 BATs, 2 fang claw sets and 1ea of the desert and artic sets on order. Im adding more stuff to my order on fri!! MASSIVE pile of loot!!

[Sonneilon]

Sean, i'm notorious for being slow in shipments. It took me 1.54 years to send a Solid Snake figure to guy in Denmark (who punk'd me in the end).

So for me to get stuff within 6 months, that's good! GIJOCK is still waiting for stuff from me!

[Urban Saboteur]

[QUOTE=Sonneilon] GIJOCK is still waiting for stuff from me![/QUOTE]

I hear that.. I'm still waiting for stuff from DAVE!!
Pandamoniam!! Chaos... we're all waiting for stuff from each other!!! Arrrrghh.. :) :D

[bravo]

don't feel so bad they do it hear too, up at mild ford ct i find it all the time, i wont to tell someone but they just look at me if I'm crazy or something, so i say screw it, it gets me piss off.

[Rambo]

[QUOTE=Sonneilon]Sean, i'm notorious for being slow in shipments. It took me 1.54 years to send a Solid Snake figure to guy in Denmark (who punk'd me in the end).

So for me to get stuff within 6 months, that's good! GIJOCK is still waiting for stuff from me![/QUOTE]


It took you 1 day in my case. Gracias señor!

[vespapilot79]

Fine then. I'll jus harass the hell outta you via myspace and here till i get them LOL!! :D As long as I get my unemployment check tomorrow, im ordering soe more figures. I need to find another Flint in cobra disguise so I can re create him and junkyard in the Wx dom episode.

[Sonneilon]

If i can get this hangover to chill a bit, get this place cleaned up, and get going, I'll send out the stuff today, VespaSean. But I'm finding that the beer I knocked over last nite got all over! and it was under a lot of stuff! Good thing my gi joe filcards are in plastic filing boxes or I'd be in trouble!

[vespapilot79]

Woo BEEER. Fine. When I get the stuff, I'll use your return addy to send you a couple of night ops figures if you dont have them. Crazylegs, psychout.No weapons tho. Cant find them.

[guiltridden]

Read this thread and picked this up today at a flea market
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31129347@N04/2916636336/

[haradrel]

[QUOTE=guiltridden]Read this thread and picked this up today at a flea market
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31129347@N04/2916636336/[/QUOTE]

lol!
for real?

[silentdusty]

That is too funny! :D

[guiltridden]

[QUOTE=haradrel]lol!
for real?[/QUOTE]
Yep and they had 2 others w/ random 80's figures in w/ joes had to get it for $5 for the old trooper anyone want to trade for the Crimson guard?

[vespapilot79]

I have an extra overkill??

[GoCards]

Good find there, guiltridden. My brother used to work at Toys R Us and he would catch people doing this all the time. He knew what was up, and would call them on it. He said it got so bad that eventually people went to somebody else to make a return.
Personally, I feel really bad for little kids more so than for us "adults" when I see stuff like this.

[Trench-Viper]

I cant understand how people dare risk their friking job over earning ten dollars selling some figure on ebay!
And why is it that you run a greater chance of meeting dishonest scalpers trying to rip you off when buying gijoes than you do when buying friking crack cocaine!! :mad:
I am very thankfull for that most sellers are very honest but damm! When it is such a cheap hobby it should not attract so many wannabe con artists.

[vespapilot79]

People are opportunists. They see other people doing it so they figure, why the hell not I can make a few extra bucks. Just wait till the new DVD packs come out. You will start to see figures missing out of them too. Im thinking the BAT is going to be the big one to show up missing next to Snake Eyes. Im thinking I may just buy a few of those DVD packs and keep the BAT and Dusty and give the DVD and other figures to some of the neighborhood kids. Maybe I can get a few of them into GI JOE.Im definately not going to place them on E-bay just to make a few bucks.