Anyone Think Scalpers Are Using The Sightings Board To Find Figs?

GrimlockAutobot · 11-11-2007, 09:54 AM

It just occurred to me. What if we're "shooting ourselves in the foot" and scalpers visit this site and use the our very own sightings board to find the figs they sell on ebay?

I think it definitely happens. We might be hurting ourselves by publicly posting rare and hard-to-find transformers sightings. I mean, anyone could come and visit these boards without registering and look at the TF sightings

What if we're doing the scalpers' leg work for them? Just a thought. What do you think?

MrFX · 11-11-2007, 10:00 AM

No, we KNOW they are using the sightings boards. That's why members in the Twin Cities used PM as a way to alert each other to new sightings.

GrimlockAutobot · 11-11-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFX

No, we KNOW they are using the sightings boards. That's why members in the Twin Cities used PM as a way to alert each other to new sightings.

We might be hurting ourselves by posting on the Sightings Board. Maybe the Sightings Board should be a members only, password protected area of the site.

Also, to prevent them from registering and using the sightings board right away, maybe they should make it where only members for "X" amount of time or with "X" number of posts can access it.

ChickenWing · 11-11-2007, 10:14 AM

Scalpers would not do that. It would give them an unfair advantage over others trying to find toys. There fore it would be dishonest of them to use the sightings board in such a manner. Even scalpers would not pervert these boards for such selfish reasons.

Of course my thought process here can be WAY OFF.

Noisemaze · 11-11-2007, 10:15 AM

I NEVER post sightings because I don't wanna alert scalpers. I just say I've found something but I never say exactly where.

GrimlockAutobot · 11-11-2007, 10:18 AM

We need to do something about this. We can't have scalpers using our own boards against us. Are you listening Mods?

The sightings board is hurting us and scalping is becoming more of a problem than it ever was.

Sidecutter · 11-11-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChickenWing

Scalpers would not do that. It would give them an unfair advantage over others trying to find toys. There fore it would be dishonest of them to use the sightings board in such a manner. Even scalpers would not pervert these boards for such selfish reasons.

Of course my thought process here can be WAY OFF.

Yeah, I'd say your thought process is way off here.

Hollywood Hoist · 11-11-2007, 10:24 AM

Seattle area collectors are now using PM's and possibly an email system to increase chances of finding stuff. On the other hand, some of us just pick up the item and meet up to sell it the fellow collector.

There's no way I can think of to keep scalpers from using the sightings forum. Even if you allow only those registered, what's stopping them from registering to view the forum.

Scalpers or not, it's nice that this board is open for everyone to come and interact. I would rather lose toys to scalpers than to see this board become closed off. If that happens than the scalpers win, they've broken our spirits, all that would be left is to break our bank accounts.

shockwave2005 · 11-11-2007, 10:26 AM

Here in Michigan we went to PM's to alert each other about sightings for Masterpiece Starscream.

However, just making the Sightings forum a "Members Only" area wouldn't stop the scalpers - anyone can register to the boards and it's freaking easy.

Hyperion · 11-11-2007, 10:32 AM

Scalpers will still hit up every store and screw everyone over whether there's a Sightings Board on TFW or not. Besides that, it's not like this is the only popular Transformers community which has one.

All eliminating/hindering access to the Sightings Board will do is shoot the fans who use it in the foot. The scalpers have alternative means even without it.