Hey everybody. I just wanted to share with you a shocking encounter I had yesterday. I was at my local Wal-Mart visiting my sealed and shelved friends friends in the toy aisle when a little kid, maybe 9 years old, jumped in excitement when he grabbed the only Human Alliance Sideswipe off the shelf. The kid was glowing and glanced up to his mother, whom gave a nod of approval. I smiled and asked the little guy if Sideswipe was his favorite and we soon got into a quick discussion of our favorite scenes from ROTF. I told him that he was pretty lucky to find this particular Transformer because almost everywhere else here in Rhode Island, the H/A figs are going fast. When I glanced down and got a closer look as to what the child had in his hands...I was absolutely disgusted. Like with what has happened a few times with the 07 Leader Optimus being returned in ROTF packaging, this little boy had been the victim of a lowlife Transformer fan. Sloppily twisty tied into the package and not even transformed properly was a deluxe Sideswipe and in place of Sgt Epps was a knock-off dollar store military figure the size of a GI Joe. I was, for a micro-second, reluctant but I had to explain to the mother what the situation was. At first the boy said it was okay because of his eagerness to obtain the toy, and I'm even sure for a second the mother thought maybe I was some crazy collector who wanted to dupe a child out of the last goodie on the shelf, but after pulling another deluxe Swipe from the peg, and comparing it to a H/A Bumblebee from an endcap, she understood and thanked me for my intervening. The boy (Justin) was very dissapointed and the glow and excitement that was there just a few moments earlier was diminished. He ended up leaving with a Deluxe Dead End, Scout Ransack and, I'm sure this may seem a bit melodramatic, but a broken heart. I mean, I was 9 once too. I'm also sure that the boy will find one eventually and he's probably already over it as I type, but to have to go through that because of someone elses' sneaky dishonesty is uncalled for. We all may think that retailers and corporations ask a bit much from our earnings, and I know i enjoy sticking it to the man, but this is completely immature and unnecessary. Sometimes the victim isn't some adult collector or a retailer. Sometimes the victim is an innocent, bright and well behaved 9 year old boy. If the person who did or does things like this is reading: I dub thee-DOUCHEBAGATRON!
some ppl will always only think of themself and it is with high probabilety a adult collector ( over 18 ). Those who do this..man you sure fail at life.
You did the right thing, good on you. i'll do the same thing in that situation. btw did you report to the store manager?
I've never personally come across a repackaged figure, but I think it's extremely low of a person to do that, and unfortunate most clerks don't recognize it. I only ever return a figure if it's broken/QC issue/etc., and I just exchange it for an identical figure.
I think that kid just learned another lesson in life: Never take things at face value... But I don't think we've lost him as a TF person - He's just become a more cynical one... heh
Interestingly enough, we've had (on more than one occasion) posters come here to TFW bragging about accomplishing such things... and then they're incredulous when everyone blows them away, like they were expecting congratulations for their ingenuity in stickin' it to the man. Sadly, when it comes to the people who are willing to do this kind of stuff, you'll never change their "whatever I can get away with" mentality.
Swapping is a big issue with Star Wars stuff, you have to be really careful that the packin figures have not been swapped out.
What’s unfortunate is that they wouldn't have known better had it not been for you. I mean, you have a kid that isn't savvy enough (yet) to distinguish between such things and, no offense, a clueless parent that’s only going to compound the issue. I would’ve done the same, but you can't save every consumer.
I have noticed an increase in this kind of crap around here (MN) just last week I have seen an Iron Man Heores mini fig in one of the new Marvel minifig boxs. I saw a TFA Prowl with the black placeholder shuriken from Samurai Prowl in his box and I spotted a Legends Desert Blackout in a Grindor box. Freaking infants.
