Scalpers in Singapore
!!! shocking enough!
But as a 17 yr ol guy who 'donate' $62 to scalpers, which $62 can be used to donate to NKF ( jk!) or buy lots of TYS(ten year series assessments...ya ya...). I think its way too much.
I'd learn to be more vigilant next time.
But I paid nearly $30 extra for a stupid unleashed Red clone trooper (which the retail around $42?) and i could have got a white clone and red clone at $72 plus some more dollars. Arghhhhhhhhhh!
And this about $30 contribute 1/2 to what i 'donated' to scalpers. No wonder the scalpers are so happy.
But as a 17 yr ol guy who 'donate' $62 to scalpers, which $62 can be used to donate to NKF ( jk!) or buy lots of TYS(ten year series assessments...ya ya...). I think its way too much.
I'd learn to be more vigilant next time.
But I paid nearly $30 extra for a stupid unleashed Red clone trooper (which the retail around $42?) and i could have got a white clone and red clone at $72 plus some more dollars. Arghhhhhhhhhh!
And this about $30 contribute 1/2 to what i 'donated' to scalpers. No wonder the scalpers are so happy.
-
vector_prime
- Posts: 327
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 3:37 pm
- Contact:
I think theres a misconception floating around our new local collectors here...
Hope I dont offend anybody....& for the record...this is my absolute honest view. I will try to differentiate REAL scalpers & collectors. Some of you might disagree with it...but be honest at the same time when reading this.
REAL Scalpers - absolutely no intention to collect or passion for collecting toys
Collectors - will do nearly everything for love of toys....well..some might
REAL Scalpers - would swipe everything from retail they know that can be sold at sky high prices...would'nt keep even a single piece for their own
Collectors - would swipe everything that they like & sell the xtras they dont need to fellow collectors
REAL Scalpers - usually sell their loot at flea markets & auctions at high prices to make easy money...full stop.
Collectors - also sometimes sell their xtra stuff at flea markets & auctions at affordable to high price to cover their expenses renting the stall..transportation & lastly to earn to buy more toys for their collection ( not every collector is a rich guy right? some of you are still schooling even)
Remember....I'm on nobody's side...just trying to be as honest as I can. Dont tell me if you guys can sell some of your stuff at Yahoo for a good price..you will be not happy about it? It s ok what...you can buy more toys with it.
I have been a seller since 1989...from the Sunday Market Substation Garden years to Clarke Quay....there was only 3-4 toy sellers when I started. All were collectors....for more than 2 years most of the time we just hang out...& talk about toys...we traded some...seldom we sold any toys since the number of collectors was very small... I mean REALLY REALLY small
took a few years after that for the market to grow but once it did...it was really vibrant. Since there was only 1-2 toyStores at that time & no internet...Clarke Quay was the place to be....everybody looked forward to Sunday.
Nearly every shop owner you guys know now started there. The formula of the scene becoming better is very simple - as long as there's value in the toys we collect...there will always be collectors. Nobody wants to buy something that wont be worth nothing in the future...sentimental or monetary wise. As long as there be buyers looking for stuff that we cant find at retail...there will be sellers. Love or hate it...we need each other.
The last days of CQ was also the last days of me being a toyseller for more than 13years....by then alot of new people coming in...some were collectors & some were scalpers.
Im just glad till today I can distinguish a little bit which is which....I recommend some of you guys learn to do that too. I know its not easy but hell...it took me nearly 10 years to understand it
Not everybody at the flea markets or the toy stores are scalpers...I mean..let's not judge people just like that...as we dont want others to judge us too right?
PEACE
Hope I dont offend anybody....& for the record...this is my absolute honest view. I will try to differentiate REAL scalpers & collectors. Some of you might disagree with it...but be honest at the same time when reading this.
REAL Scalpers - absolutely no intention to collect or passion for collecting toys
Collectors - will do nearly everything for love of toys....well..some might
REAL Scalpers - would swipe everything from retail they know that can be sold at sky high prices...would'nt keep even a single piece for their own
Collectors - would swipe everything that they like & sell the xtras they dont need to fellow collectors
REAL Scalpers - usually sell their loot at flea markets & auctions at high prices to make easy money...full stop.
Collectors - also sometimes sell their xtra stuff at flea markets & auctions at affordable to high price to cover their expenses renting the stall..transportation & lastly to earn to buy more toys for their collection ( not every collector is a rich guy right? some of you are still schooling even)
Remember....I'm on nobody's side...just trying to be as honest as I can. Dont tell me if you guys can sell some of your stuff at Yahoo for a good price..you will be not happy about it? It s ok what...you can buy more toys with it.
I have been a seller since 1989...from the Sunday Market Substation Garden years to Clarke Quay....there was only 3-4 toy sellers when I started. All were collectors....for more than 2 years most of the time we just hang out...& talk about toys...we traded some...seldom we sold any toys since the number of collectors was very small... I mean REALLY REALLY small
took a few years after that for the market to grow but once it did...it was really vibrant. Since there was only 1-2 toyStores at that time & no internet...Clarke Quay was the place to be....everybody looked forward to Sunday.
Nearly every shop owner you guys know now started there. The formula of the scene becoming better is very simple - as long as there's value in the toys we collect...there will always be collectors. Nobody wants to buy something that wont be worth nothing in the future...sentimental or monetary wise. As long as there be buyers looking for stuff that we cant find at retail...there will be sellers. Love or hate it...we need each other.
The last days of CQ was also the last days of me being a toyseller for more than 13years....by then alot of new people coming in...some were collectors & some were scalpers.
Im just glad till today I can distinguish a little bit which is which....I recommend some of you guys learn to do that too. I know its not easy but hell...it took me nearly 10 years to understand it
Not everybody at the flea markets or the toy stores are scalpers...I mean..let's not judge people just like that...as we dont want others to judge us too right?
PEACE
* You should be more concerned with character than reputation because character is who you are, while reputation is merely what others think.
=PATIENCE HAS IT's REWARDS=
=PATIENCE HAS IT's REWARDS=
Agree with Vec on his views.
Just my 5 cents worth...personally I feel collectors are ones that would purchase what they want/need.
Scalpers will grab almost everything that they can & will sell later (usually at high price).
Some personal experience & related ones by my friend on Collectors & Scalpers :
I was there during the opening of Suntec TRU. There was a mad rush for ROTS figure. I can remember 1 guy who manage to grab a Red Royal Guard figure but gave it to another collector cause he already have the fig.
Another experience related by a friend of mine was during a sale at Taka sometime back whereby he was pushed away from a group of people who own a store (shall not mention name here). They grabbed almost everything that is available on the shelf.
Sad to say but there will always be scalpers in the market where demand equals supply.
Just my 5 cents worth...personally I feel collectors are ones that would purchase what they want/need.
Scalpers will grab almost everything that they can & will sell later (usually at high price).
Some personal experience & related ones by my friend on Collectors & Scalpers :
I was there during the opening of Suntec TRU. There was a mad rush for ROTS figure. I can remember 1 guy who manage to grab a Red Royal Guard figure but gave it to another collector cause he already have the fig.
Another experience related by a friend of mine was during a sale at Taka sometime back whereby he was pushed away from a group of people who own a store (shall not mention name here). They grabbed almost everything that is available on the shelf.
Sad to say but there will always be scalpers in the market where demand equals supply.
had one experience when ROTS 1st reach our sunny shore...
went to tru forum...wanted to get DV...couldnt find...ask the staff...and she told me...completely sold out on the 1st day it reached their outlet.
told me to try those specality toy shops...in the end i decide not to buy even i did saw it at CSC..
few mths later....eventually got it from metro at retail price...
I love SW and I love collecting it too but I will not buy if the price is super unreasonable or unrealistic...
sure scaplers are businessman and should i buy from them...it will not be twice the retail price...
cos i believe once they are stuck with a certain item for too long...eventually they also need to lower the price in order to clear the stocks....
went to tru forum...wanted to get DV...couldnt find...ask the staff...and she told me...completely sold out on the 1st day it reached their outlet.
told me to try those specality toy shops...in the end i decide not to buy even i did saw it at CSC..
few mths later....eventually got it from metro at retail price...
I love SW and I love collecting it too but I will not buy if the price is super unreasonable or unrealistic...
sure scaplers are businessman and should i buy from them...it will not be twice the retail price...
cos i believe once they are stuck with a certain item for too long...eventually they also need to lower the price in order to clear the stocks....
Ur patience indeed paid off well!Friday13 wrote:had one experience when ROTS 1st reach our sunny shore...
went to tru forum...wanted to get DV...couldnt find...ask the staff...and she told me...completely sold out on the 1st day it reached their outlet.
told me to try those specality toy shops...in the end i decide not to buy even i did saw it at CSC..
few mths later....eventually got it from metro at retail price...
I love SW and I love collecting it too but I will not buy if the price is super unreasonable or unrealistic...
sure scaplers are businessman and should i buy from them...it will not be twice the retail price...
cos i believe once they are stuck with a certain item for too long...eventually they also need to lower the price in order to clear the stocks....
However abt ur last point, there will still be innocent victims unknowingly fall into the trap, and make the scalpers delighted...
Scalpers are getting a bit too much these days.
I went to an unnamed shop and asked for prices. Looked at me and anyhow give out prices of items which cost twice the original costs.
Think i sto-pigggg (stupid) ah?
I not stupid k?
I wanted to shoot that fella but then i can't be bothered wasting energy.
I went to an unnamed shop and asked for prices. Looked at me and anyhow give out prices of items which cost twice the original costs.
Think i sto-pigggg (stupid) ah?
I not stupid k?
I wanted to shoot that fella but then i can't be bothered wasting energy.