Do scalpers still exist?

[txteach]

I remember in the mid to early 90's seeing guys (mainly) going from store to store looking for short packed figures to sell at a high price. Since I do not collect new toys I was wondering if the breed still exists. They were always there, almost every day, when the cases were opened.

[RG]

there seem to be less of them, but the hot wheels hobby still get hit hard with them.

I think that the short packed figures seem to drop in value after a few months, so at last the collectors have learned to just wait it out. And with star wars, it seems if the collector can't find the figure he wants ... most likely it will be made again but maybe even better or just as good in a few months, so they've calmed down. That's at least what I've seen and my take on it

[vulcan2074]

I'd say yeah but definately not as many as there used to be. My chick was at walmart a few months back and there were a couple guys cleaning out the toy aisle. She said they had the cart filled over the top. The last time I saw something like that was years and years ago
Sammy

[toystalker]

short packed figures hitting shelves... dont be daft, not here

here in cardiff there are 2 major toy stores and scalpers already got there hands on the short packed stuff because they bloody work there... waste of time looking for a closed hand open hand or what ever it bleeding was tusken rader, or a thx leaflet boba fett or a long saber short saber...2 notch belt, or even a bloody bog standard ben kenobi was never ever going to happen

thieves they are

[TEXASFETT]

I just order my stuff online.Its not even worth the wait at toy stores anymore.But seems like there becoming extinct if you ask me over here.

[Mod Style]

I've heard of people taking a job at Toys R Us, just so they could get first crack.

[jwyblejr]

Go over to TNI. You'll always see threads over there about people gripping about scalpers.

[wayne foundation 07]

I think when WalMart was marking and cutting the packages it slowed them up quite a bit.

[toys2cool]

I still see them

[starsky]

yeah, they're still there. i still get a trip out of grown men fast walking to the toy aisles once the store opens.

[Tyme2tyme]

RussG and I agree. They hit the Hot Wheels hard. JOHN

[Bill]

Scalpers are alive and well in skateboarding. At least in the Beanie Baby-esque world of limited edition reissues. Out of the 100 that are issued I'd guess that more than half are bought just to toss up on eBay.

[Adam West]

They still exist but don't seem to be out there like they used to....I think Ebay did a lot of things that almost discourages the behavior. With their fees through the roof; it really isn't worth it to many people to buy a hard to find item, mark it up and place on Ebay along with many of the same items. By the time fees are paid; the scalper doesn't end up with much.

[Toy Talk]

Years ago there was a team of toy-scalpers that scoured the entire town every morning, and stayed in touch using walkie talkies. By my best count there were five of them. They would go so far as to pay-off employees at the different stores to make sure the product never hit the shelf. That practice is what got me buying my kids toys using online stores; pathetic people that have no life...

[TrueDave]

I'm sold. If I cant order or pick up the reissued Megos from a comic shop I'm just not trying.
I'm going to go fight scalperts anymore.

I'll collect a lot less. Or I'll just wait untill someone here wants to trade.