smearone1994
Mid-Carder
Joined on: Dec 5, 2012 17:29:21 GMT -5
Posts: 231
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Post by smearone1994 on Feb 11, 2013 1:58:41 GMT -5
I for one love to buy figures for the purpose of customizing!! Its a hobby i love and i dont think its the same or in the same catagory of scalping because as stated before its takes time to customize, hell i have even cut my finger which has no feeling anymore since i cut the nerves lol but i def get ur point but i dont see how it can be scalping aswell... Loving the discussion going on though good topic!!
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Post by Calcifer Boheme on Feb 11, 2013 2:55:44 GMT -5
Customizers are buying them to create art. They are not buying a figure to resale the exact figure for marked up prices, they are creating a one of a kind figure that no one else will ever have. If they turn around and sell that piece of art, I see no problem with that.
It is a shame when it happens with a harder to come by figure, but there's a good chance they are paying the higher prices for use in the first place, as I doubt most people are lucky enough to find 10 AJs in store, to use the example from earlier. So no, I do not think they are at all the same thing.
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Post by Wrestlaholic on Feb 11, 2013 3:06:07 GMT -5
I think this is one of those where it depends on how you feel about collecting and all the rest of it. For example; I would never go to a store with the intent on buying a load of new figures with the intent on selling them on and making a small bit of money, nor would I customize, but if someone gets there first and they buy the whole stock (which is damn annoying) that's part of the game and if they choose to sell them on, so be it. I feel if customizers do buyer a load of the same figure, customize then sell on are as bad as scalpers in some ways, but as a previous user said, they do put work and effort into things like that and deserve a reward at the end of it.
I think it's fair to say for a lot of collectors, a lot don't have a huge amount of disposable income, certainly not to always go on figures when they have a family and have expensive bills, with that said I then understand why people will do anything to make a bit of extra money to keep their collection going.
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JuiceWinslow
Main Eventer
Flair Country
Joined on: Sept 9, 2012 17:32:08 GMT -5
Posts: 2,706
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Post by JuiceWinslow on Feb 11, 2013 3:13:45 GMT -5
I have never tried to sell a custom. If I put work into it, I would like to keep it for myself.
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ellisd
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Posts: 4,757
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Post by ellisd on Feb 11, 2013 3:42:56 GMT -5
This is actually a great topic, and it got me thinking a bit. I understand what you're saying.
From the view of the guy that showed up after the scalpers or a customizer has shown up and bought up all of one figure that he's really wanting...regardless of which it was, that sucks.
But when it comes down to what they do with them, there's no comparison between the two.
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DudeAbides
Main Eventer
Joined on: Oct 8, 2012 16:53:30 GMT -5
Posts: 1,316
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Post by DudeAbides on Feb 11, 2013 4:22:06 GMT -5
This is actually a great topic, and it got me thinking a bit. I understand what you're saying. From the view of the guy that showed up after the scalpers or a customizer has shown up and bought up all of one figure that he's really wanting...regardless of which it was, that sucks. But when it comes down to what they do with them, there's no comparison between the two. After reading through this post, this is exactly what i was going to say 100%. Course in my area, stores are lucky to get 1, maybe 2 cases, so to me scalpers, customizers, casual collectors, and all the little jimmies are all the same if the figure i want is gone. |
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Post by onleeone643 on Feb 11, 2013 4:39:57 GMT -5
Nothing compares to scalping, except maybe switcheroos.
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Deleted
Joined on: Jun 16, 2024 18:44:17 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2013 4:51:42 GMT -5
Not as bad as scalping imo, as long as it's not a large amount.
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Post by ¡Twist Of Lime Green Jello! on Feb 11, 2013 4:53:08 GMT -5
I'm another person that used the E6 Matt Hardy for customs. One for a 2007 black code Chris Jericho, the second was for a blue version which I didn't end up finishing. It was a major shelfwarmer over here so I thought 'why not?'. The figure had endless possibilities for customizing
Anywho, comparing customizing to scalping is ridiculous, there is no comparison. If you've put effort into customizing a figure to represent a look that hasn't been released in figure form then you have every right to make money from it. Scalping is just effortlessly buying hard to find figures for a profit.
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Post by Emerald Enthusiast on Feb 11, 2013 6:59:19 GMT -5
Nothing compares to scalping, except maybe switcheroos. There is no "maybe" about it. Scalping is an opinion in this case. Switcheroos are returning an altered/ stolen product under false pretenses. That's illegal, so it's far worse. |
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Billy F'N Shogunn
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Embargo spelled backwards is F'n ograbme
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Post by Billy F'N Shogunn on Feb 11, 2013 7:18:27 GMT -5
Customizers, at least ones like me, generally used less desired figures and can help clear inventory in less trafficked or stagnant markets.
I do see where you're coming from as I have seen some more sought after figs being used in customs but it is what it is, capitalism. Lovely, lovely capitalism. at least in the case of customizers they're not trying to sell an original product at a higher price for their own individual financial gain. Though I don't sell my customs I know some people do, and its usually in an auction type environment where the buyer is getting something that has required effort, skill and inspiration to complete. But again, I can understand a certain degree of frustration if some is looking for, say a legends 6 ultimate warrior, and pop it into an eBay search or cruise the fix-up thread (which is getting pretty darn technical -and amazing at times) to find some custom warriors using that body.
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Post by Devastation Inc. on Feb 11, 2013 9:41:12 GMT -5
Elites.....4.2.2012 return Brock in track pants with shirt, IWGP Champ in red, "Flashback" Brock, Factory Basics.... Factory, WM 19 with rib tape from BP19 with regular boots, UFC style with Kevin Von Erich's legs, and 1 for just the head for a Hasbro custom that is currently a W.I.P. I bought 4 Basic and 4 Elite versions of Brock Lesnar...all for customs and fix-ups. None of them were to sell. I'm just a huge Lesnar fan and wanted several Mattel versions of Brock. In doing so though, I've come to realize that scalping isn't lazy. It's actually hard work to go to multiple stores, day in and day out. Granted, their time could be better spent working and contributing to society. But I really wouldn't use the word lazy to describe these wretched, rat bastards. How man versions of Brock can ya do? |
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Post by jrjumpshot on Feb 11, 2013 10:41:31 GMT -5
Here are a couple more points that I would like to make that I don't believe have been made yet in this thread.
Is it ok to "scalp" a figure or two if that is where you get your income to continue collecting? As someone stated above, some collectors don't have a bunch of disposable income to spend on figures. So, if you can take your $20 budget and use it to buy a figure that you can sell for $40, you can now use that to buy 2-3 figures instead of 1 or 2. To me, that seems resourceful.
I'd really like for a member of MDT to chime in on this one....How do you think they feel about customizing? Or better yet, how would a customizer feel if someone took there custom figure and decided to customize it again? Someone put some hard work into making that final product....I for one would be pissed when I come across a thread where I see my work of art modified.
Also, to someone who brought up "Switch-A-Roos", that doesn't even compare to any of this because that is illegal. It is theft and wrong. Ain't no one got time for that.
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Post by master of the WORLD! on Feb 11, 2013 11:03:52 GMT -5
At the end of the day the figures are on the pegs for anyone to buy for whatever they want to do with it. Buying multiples for Scalping and customizing are two TOTALLY different things. Scalpers purposely buy a hot figure with intentions to sell it for a profit where a customizer buys to use parts or make a custom out of it and even if he custom is for sale the way I lol t it they are selling their work not the hot figure.
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Post by master of the WORLD! on Feb 11, 2013 11:08:07 GMT -5
Lol you think mattel cares what you do with our figures after you buy them? They design and sell them to make money while I'm sure the design team takes great pride in what they are doing as long as the figures are selling and making them money you can prob buy cases of figures and burn them for all they care
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Post by poindizzle on Feb 11, 2013 11:57:46 GMT -5
Scalping and Customizing are two different things by the virtue that they are literally two different things. The end result could be the same regardless of the two though. If someone is buying every Brock to scalp or if they are purchasing them to customize, either way, I'm always a day late on those figures and still don't have them (the basic one). Regardless of why they were purchased, I'm not mad, it's part of the game. If we lived in a world where nobody customized or scalped, and people only bought what they wanted but Brock still sold out, would I complain then? Only Target stores around here have had basic 25 so far and I've missed Lesnar at both of them. I don't know who got them. A kid? A collector? A scalper? A customizer? Doesn't matter one way or the other to me, they weren't mine, and outside of someone stealing them, nothing is illegal about buying a toy at a store, especially if they have no limit on quantities you can purchase.
I'm with the OP, I've found almost every figure at retail. It's not hard, every store on the planet carries WWE merchandise. I can find figures at every drug store, toy store, closeout store, and box store in the area just about. Scalping is less of an issue. I might would change my stance if I collected Marvel, DC, or G.I. Joe, since those brands are not carried by as many stores and stocked so infrequently. WWE figures roll in every week at Wal-Mart it seems, but Marvel Legends get stocked at a rate of one case every six months.
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Post by Emerald Enthusiast on Feb 11, 2013 13:06:15 GMT -5
Lol you think mattel cares what you do with our figures after you buy them? They design and sell them to make money while I'm sure the design team takes great pride in what they are doing as long as the figures are selling and making them money you can prob buy cases of figures and burn them for all they care True words. No company really cares about the secondary market after they make their sales. In 10 years, most of these figures are going to end up as paint-streaked yard sale fodder or in the trash. That was certainly the case with my old LJN collection. ;D |
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Don't Go Down
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Post by Don't Go Down on Feb 11, 2013 13:42:09 GMT -5
i would say there are different degrees to both. I'm sure there are some people who don't solely buy figures to flip for profit- this is an expensive habit and any time you can make the money through figures and use that to support your habit I can't say I disagree with that. But yes in both cases I think there is some overlap of BS if ya will
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MELO
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Member formerly known as melomano
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Post by MELO on Feb 11, 2013 15:59:58 GMT -5
Not every customizer has the skill as well, which inherently can result in the waste of a figure. A figure would seize to exist in its original (and perhaps desirable) form due to the alterations done to it be they skilled and good or sloppy and botched. The original figure is out of circulation, for future trade or purchase or whatever. And it sucks when it's a figure of seemingly limited quantity/availability.
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zombiesnake
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Joined on: Feb 23, 2011 17:15:34 GMT -5
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Post by zombiesnake on Feb 11, 2013 16:11:43 GMT -5
Scalpers rob other collectors and kids to get a figure they may want at a reasonable price in favor of turning some profit by exploiting the desire of those same people to own said figure. It's exploitation pure and simple.
Customizers use said figure to alter what was originally produced to their own desired end. Where scalpers take solely for the sake of making money, customizers are putting more time, effort and material into that figure to make what they want out of it.
Someone earlier brought up the idea of house-flipping. Even house flipping is more like customization than scalping. You buy the house low, put in some time and effort quickly to make the house better, then sell higher for a profit. Scalpers just take what they bought, do nothing, and want to make higher profit solely because they found something other people want.
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