Major announcement from Target

[enyawd72]

Target announced a new all sales final/no returns policy on collectibles.

They are specifically targeting resellers and figure swappers.

It will really suck for genuinely defective products or items damaged in shipping due to poor packing.

[palitoy]

Yeah, it's punishing one group for the activities of another, that does suck.

Figure swapping is stealing though and I'm not sure that Target employees should be expected to be pop culture experts.

[enyawd72]

Buying NECA will be a nightmare for anyone. Those things break right out of the package if you even look at them funny.

[palitoy]

Buying NECA will be a nightmare for anyone. Those things break right out of the package if you even look at them funny.

I've only ever bought their 8" stuff and I've never experienced that issue but I have heard that about their 7" lines. That's the part that doesn't work about this policy.

[Werewolf]

It's sad it has to come to this but you can't really blame Target. It's the fault of scalpers and figure swappers. They ruined it for everyone else.

[Mikey]

Forgive me for my ignorance but what is a figure swapper ?

Don't remember hearing that term before.

[Werewolf]

Forgive me for my ignorance but what is a figure swapper ?

Don't remember hearing that term before.

It's a type of theft. A person buys a figure, I saw this a lot with Marvel Legends, takes the figure out of the package and puts a different figure in its place and returns it for a refund. They get the new figure and don't have to pay for it.

[Mikey]

^---- but doesn't the package scan as Spider-Man when the figure returned is actually Hulk ?

Or do they rely on the cashier not knowing any difference ?

[palitoy]

Or do they rely on the cashier not knowing any difference ?

pretty much. Sometimes the people are clever, other times it's not even the same genre. Some of it is pretty galling.

[Werewolf]

^---- but doesn't the package scan as Spider-Man when the figure returned is actually Hulk ?

Or do they rely on the cashier not knowing any difference ?

Customer service people generally don't have the time or the training to know the difference or check to see if packages have been resealed. Nor do they want to deal with belligerent customers demanding a return.

[Mikey]

Maybe a good way for the store to combat these actions is to demand the distributers send an equal amount of each figure.

This way the store is totally put out of the game -- instead of subconsciously encouraging it

[Werewolf]

Maybe a good way for the store to combat these actions is to demand the distributers send an equal amount of each figure.

Wouldn't make a difference. The figure swappers enjoy what they do. They could easily afford the figures. The theft is the point. Some people are just entitled jerks.

[enyawd72]

Wouldn't make a difference. The figure swappers enjoy what they do. They could easily afford the figures. The theft is the point. Some people are just entitled jerks.

I think a lot of figure swapping began with collectors angry when companies would release these 3-4-5 figure multi-packs, putting ONE new figure in them and charging $40-60. The companies knew what they were doing by forcing fans to pay for multiple figures they didn't want or need just to get ones they did. Then build-a-figures did the same thing. Marvel Legends collectors have long fumed about having to buy entire waves of characters they have no interest in just to build a much desired character that could have been sold by itself.

Now, I'm not saying I condone the actions of figure swappers, because I don't, and ultimately the swappers only hurt the retailer and other collectors, not the company that made them. But, I do understand the frustration of feeling a company is ripping you off and the mentality of feeling it's OK to do it back to them.

[Werewolf]

It wasn't just Marvel Legends. Plenty of swapping with Gi Joe and Star Wars too. Many times I was frustrated looking through the 25th Joes and finding one of those garbage Corps figures swapped in. It was like a game to them. It was all about screwing over others and getting their stuff for free.

The swappers hurt everyone and kids and collectors all have to pay for their theft in higher retail prices to compensate for it.

[Confessional]

Buying NECA will be a nightmare for anyone. Those things break right out of the package if you even look at them funny.

I've only ever bought their 8" stuff and I've never experienced that issue but I have heard that about their 7" lines. That's the part that doesn't work about this policy.

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I think this is largely a NECA hold-over rumor from years ago when they had a few popular runs with problems. I too haven't had any issues with anything I've brought from them over several years. But should one experience a broken figure, or missing/damage part(s), they do take customer service requests directly for replacements… apparently efficiently as long as the stock still exists.

That said, I don't see how Target can sidestep exchanges for damaged product. They may not give you a payment-based refund, but I think there are consumer protection laws (at least in California) that require damaged product to be exchanged, or given store credit.