Holiday pet peeve: People scalping Children's toys at Christmas.

[MIB41]

I certainly agree with the distain by which the secondary market dominates store shelves during the holidays. But in many ways it's no different from alot of new product in the action figure domain. Look at the Dark Knight Joker figure when it first came out. Initial demand was low when an unconfirmed report came out that Mattel had pulled this figure from shelves due to a safety issue. Turns out it was little more than a package change and it took a while for Walmart stores to start stocking them again. This miscommunication developed a false sense that the figure was suddenly in "demand" and "hard to find". Part time stock boys became full time Ebayers buying these figures before they ever hit store shelves and driving demand higher due to the lack of availability. It was nothing to see diehards paying over $100.00 for ONE of these figures. You can now find this figure in huge volumes discounted at TRU and even Big Lots. Where's the value? Do these people who paid $100 get their money back later? Not likely. So while I understand and completely agree, it's really an ongoing problem that is only underscored during the holidays.

[toys2cool]

I gotta admit i've done this twice in my life, both times I was really broke so it saved my ***..

I did it with the tickle me elmo's, i bought a couple for $25 each and resold them for $100 in the streets

and with the PS3 a couple years back, I made a $100 on each one

[jwyblejr]

what the hell is a zhu zhu toy ?

Fake hamsters. You don't have to worry about your cat eating them or dropping dead in about two years. Just have to worry when the batteries croak.

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

Fake hamsters. You don't have to worry about your cat eating them or dropping dead in about two years. Just have to worry when the batteries croak.

Damien you're going to have to learn about all these things real fast

[Earth 2 Chris]

Oddly enough, our Wal-Mart had tons of Zhu-Zhu Pets when word first hit that they were hot. I commented to my wife that they must not be all that popular. Little did I know the wave had yet to make it here, and soon they were nowhere to be found. Luckily, my daughter is too young for them, and my son is a bit too old

I have a hard time with scalping period. There were a few times in the past I tried to make a profit off a "hot" item, but nowadays, I just leave what I don't want behind.

Chris

[Meule]

I gotta admit i've done this twice in my life, both times I was really broke so it saved my ***..

I did it with the tickle me elmo's, i bought a couple for $25 each and resold them for $100 in the streets

and with the PS3 a couple years back, I made a $100 on each one

[Bizarro Amy]

I can't read those hot toys list without singing, "My horn can pierce the sky..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JdkloDrrZY

I tried to post the video, but it wasn't showing...

[palitoy]

My next 30 days will be spent insuring my daughter doesn't learn of these zhu-zhu pets.

[Mikey]

I dabbled in scalping in the early-mid 90's but it didn't pan out.

Since I wasn't on the internet and didn't have collecting "friends" the only people I ever delbt with was dealers ... and they would pay me barely what I paid for the stuff.

So I gave up

[4NDR01D]

I'm surprised that nobodies mentioned this perspective yet, people that are paying double or triple the price for toys at Christmas are typically well off and are "spoiling" their kids.
I'm sure it makes it easier for a would be scalper (I feel scumbag is a little harsh, they're not scalping h1n1 vaccine) to ask double the price of something like the ps3 etc. I remember when people were paying $1000 a couple years ago at xmas.
It wasn't typically middle class families that were buying them, but people who could afford to pay double.
I do understand what is being said, and I agree to a certain exstent. it's unfortunate that some kids don't get that particular toy/item that they have their hearts set on on Christmas day. I remeber this happening to me as a kid, and my mom telling me how upset she was that she couldnt find what I wanted. She simply told me that when they were available (usually within a month) she would get me one. That was good enough for me.
why not, instead of paying double, tell your kids that if they still want it when it becomes available, they can have twice as much?

[toys2cool]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FqFDV-L66E...-feathers2.jpg

lol

[toys2cool]

Damien you're going to have to learn about all these things real fast

lol i'm sure i will

[Duncan]

I dunno...on the one hand, I agree that scalping the hot X-mas toy is distasteful. On the other hand, how else do you allocate something scarce? The issue here is that the wrong people are making the profit. Really, the toy companies , Target, T-R-U & WalMart should jack up their prices on hot items until they stop selling out of them. Obviously, that also wouldn't be a popular idea.

[Hector]

Same goes for the Hotwheels 66 Batmobile, Batcycle and Batboat. Ever since they were released I keep hearing stories of people not being able to find them, but they're all over eBay.

I bought these yesterday at Toys R Us...

[Hector]

what the hell is a zhu zhu toy ?

I didn't know what the hell that was either...until I read this thread...and google the bloody thing...lol...