How many scalpers do you think get on here and view the TF sighting posts?I always see double the guests as members on-line. Maybe it would be better if you had to be a member to view the sighting pages.I'm sure it would get more people to join and help thin out some of the scalpers from snatching up toys before we can ever find them.
We've discussed this before. There's nothign to stop a "scalper" from signing up to view the forum, and we'd only be hurting people who use the forum for legitimate reasons.
I hear you, but there are lots of reasons people don't join. Maybe they're only casual fans, or movie buffs looking for news, or not old enough to join. But scalpers are in there, I'm sure. Best thing to do is make sure you have instant e-mail notification on your sightings thread, so you get the update first. When a hot item like MP Starscream comes out, maybe take notifications to PM with other active participants in your area coordinating store visits. That worked for us in Minnesota, and all active collectors on TFW who live around here got hooked up.
would it not be better if they were sighned up though?It would give more members.BTW the Vizzini Rocks!
There are Transformers scalpers? Tell that to the people who live around here so they will start buying up some product.
I don't think you realize how many sites link to TFW2005. (That looks harsher than its meant, I promise) I go to sites that have (almost) nothing to do with Transformers and still see links to here or credits to news here. There's a ton of traffic from non-members.
But the problem is that the Transformers scalpers will just take things that are shortpacked and hard to find. This means that everything else will shelfwarm and even less product will be moved. This happens around where I am. Im still only on wave 1 of Animated here!
Check out the bottom of the Sightings Forum to see how many members versus guests are viewing that particular forum. It's not many.
The only way to actually stop this scalper "problem" completely would be to not have any Sightings section on any site
That seems a bit drastic and would ultimately be deleterious because alot of members help each other find stuff because of those forums.
And even so, don't the other sites have sightings forums? Unless there were to be a mass-removal of sightings forums on the internet, there's no way to remove scalpers. And even then, they check stores often anyway... A quick ebay search lets them know what is in-demand... Scalpers are a part of collecting. Get used to them. They aren't going anywhere any time soon.
i dont think that would do ANY good, tehy still know whats going to be a sought after product and will still go looking for it and buy it up
I lerked this site a few years before I became a member. some people just dont have anything to say, so why become a member?
Scalpers will unfortunately always be a problem now. Honestly we are more lucky than GI Joe fans anyway. Have you ever tried to find a Major Bludd? In demand toys are always going to be hard to find.
Many scalpers aren't on forums looking for sightings threads. They're on the road and in the stores looking for your toys.
Don't tell me the TF community is going to start wetting itself over the scalper "menace" just like the Star Wars one. Honestly, there aren't that many around (sure they exist, but not in the numbers forums often worry about)! Collectors often blame the "scalper bogeyman" for why they can't get any new toys in their area, whereas likely its just other collectors.
What is going to stop them from signing up, never posting and lurking in the sighting threads to 'scalp' your toys? There is no rule against it. Not to mention there is nothing wrong with 'scalping'. They take the risk, they reap the reward. And adult buying a toy to scalp is no different than an adult buying a toy to collect, they both keep a toy out of the true demographics hands. Next time you buy a toy or two of them (one for opening and one for MISB) just remember you are the devil tat probably made some child cry because you are a dreaded 'adult collector' who is taking toys out of the hands of children. See how that works?
