I'm not sure if equating TFSource to a retailer like Best Buy or TRU is a fair analysis.

Comparing TFSource with your local small business collector store like Image Anime or something similar would be a better comparison. Hence they can charge essentially whatever they like.

By making this move they are definitely alienating many customers but for every customer that they lose, I'm sure they'll find one who will gladly buy from them but it's definitely risky.

 

Alright Jeremy.

 

My question is simple, how the hell could TFSOURCE scalp there own exclusive??? Its been released for less then a month, so the 20 has to be left over or if people didn't pay.
I guess the (personal assistant) that I was directed to by TFSOURCE doesn't work for shit.
I was never alerted when these 20 came back in stock...
Honestly, I dont think I would buy from them agin.

 

This is actually a good point, but I think suspicion from board members leads to fairly warranted assumptions.

 

Interesting. Where was this comment about market price?

 

love you  

 

Can you imagine how the collecting world would be if retailers kept track of second hand market values and then gamed the system to maximize their profit on hot items? Why not have a whole division devoted to producing items that could be gamed with a synergy of retail and second hand markets to realize insane per unit profits?

Are you people defending TFSource in favor of all retailers gaming the market?

 

My comparison was based on the "exclusive" nature of the item and the unique position this gives a retailer in the supply chain. If this item wasn't a US exclusive for TFSource I don't think we'd be having this discussion.

 

That's not how that happened. It didn't sell out first. It sat in stock, people weren't buying the last ones they had. So they started raising the price as stock got lower and lower.

 

From their page:

So it seems they never got extras in to deal with any claims about broken ones or missing pieces.

 

Eh, I don't know about that. As Razerwire stated:

As such, if they were a Wal-Mart, Best Buy, TRU, etc., they may be subjected to some sort of anti-scalping laws IF it were found they were artificially inflating prices OR manipulating the market; I doubt anyone legally cares about 20 units of a 3rd party toy manufacturer.

Basically, nothing they did was illegal. Their risk is in whether those they piss off with this is greater than those customers that will jump on board and remain loyal, as well as potential negative WOM within their core consumers.

I dunno. I probably wouldn't do it if it were me, but to each his own.

 

Isn't that the true definition of capitalism. Face it, pure capitalism would suck.

 

Apples and oranges my friend.
Tfsource is not Walmart, target, or best buy. They are not even close, If anything they are a step up from your local comic book store. Just like a comic book store they sell items for what they consider to be fair market value.

There is no MSRP for this thing, It's not an X-box, it's an unlicensced fan product.

What your saying is that you bugged a store about an item they did not have for sale and your mad they didn't sell you one first. Your considerable effort as well as the effort of i'm sure at least dozens of other people probably helped convince Tf source to sell them at the price they are.

 

Again, the nature of TFSource allows them to charge whatever they please regardless of whether the item was an exclusive or not.

 

I have been calling them scalpersource for months.

This is a dick move plain and simple.
They are a garbage company and this is just one more notch on thier belt.
I am so VERY happy to have other connections for the things I want in my collection (including shadow scythe) These asswipes will never see another dime from me.
If these dipshits had any brains whatsoever they would have sold these on an anonymous ebay account and not caught the flak from such a straight out pile of trash move. However given thier record (at least with me) I am not surprised in the slightest.

So how would the Scalpersource white knights feel if hasbrotoyshop (another small retailer) had held stock back on exclusive items to resell at market price?
I seem to remember several of you bitching and moaning at the very possibility of it.
(Sgt. Slaughter)

I have no doubt these will sell, because people feel they gotta have it.
Just sucks to see a retailer scalp thier own exclusive.

 

Didn't they do that with a couple of Transformers? I remember SDCC Rodimus being expensive a couple years back.

 

TFSource certainly has every right to sell their items at whatever price they see fit. However, if these 20 were indeed leftover stock from the initial wholesale purchase (which I assume they are) then they are selling their once good reputation for a quick buck. Curt better have a good explanation for this or I and many others will shop elsewhere from now on. No threats, just voting with my dollar.

 

And why couldn't a major retailer do exactly the same? I'm not seeing the difference you are trying to imply between TFSource selling an exclusive and any other retailer.

 

TRU did raise animated rodi and IH to as much as 19$.....so....

 

It also depends on their contract with FP, who supplied them with the product. I'm sure FP worked the deal out so both retailers who carried Shadow Scythe would sell them at the same price. Though, I don't remember what RK and TFSource's original price was.