darkSpyro

Quote: CAV

You do realize that you somewhat agreed with me right? Shortages and upset kids go hand and hand. Fixing a shortage means making some kid happy. Ergo, you essentially restated my point, only in a more broader term that I couldn't think of at the time. Thanks!

I knew this was coming, hence the last sentence of the post. The only thing is that your whole reason was "A CRYING KID MADE THIS RULE HAPPEN" and my post basically said "not really", especially considering they've been getting complaints about scalpers from said complaining parents AND customers not considered part of the children demographic.

Anyways, you are very much welcome for having me fix your argument.

This makes sense, and I get it. I have seen ads for characters on eBay where the people are taking pics of them and posting them up, while still in the Walmart parking lot where they just scored their profit. However, I went into a Game Stop a few weeks ago and they had just gotten a dozen in, via UPS. They had at least five different characters (of which I needed four), and the guy at the desk told me that the limit was two. He explained that this was to keep prevent the eBay scalpers from snatching them all up. I told him that I understood, but needed the four characters. Told me no. Sucks, seriously! I bought the two and left. It is a ***** when a game is a huge hit and there is a shortage. However, you can't expect a company to make a ridiculous amount of accessories and then have the game flop. Hopefully they will catch up soon and the eBay market will become diluted to the point that the scalpers can't make a profit. Then we will be able to go to a retailer and buy the character that we need......

They didn't impose this limit because some kids cried about not getting any skylanders. And they didn't impose this limit specifically to target scalpers.

They imposed this limit because of supply and demand. Simple basic economics. The last thing a retail store wants to do is not meet the demand for a product they sell. IF single customers are taking all the supply of Skylanders, then that means there is an awful lot of demand NOT being supplied. In a lot of cases, such as this one, the problem comes from manufacturing and distribution. The makers of a product simply can not keep up with demand. They will be in pretty constant talks with the retailers about ways to rectify the problem. I'm sure there existed the thought that either demand would go down to more reasonable levels for the current supply to keep up with or that the supply could be ramped up to meet the demand.

TRU gave it some time to see if it could rectify itself without imposing limits. For one reason or another they are still facing the problem of having a high demand for an item and unable to supply that demand. That's a problem for a retail company. They have made the decision either on a store by store, region by region, or perhaps for the entire corporation to start limiting the amount any one customer can buy in order to help rectify the supply - demand divide.

There is very little TRU can do about increasing the actual supply of Skylanders, that is up to the manufacturer and their capabilities. But they can impose policies to help spread the supply around more evenly among the demand. That's the purpose of limits.

Domer

Quote: CAV

Is this really to combat scalpers?

I think this is more to combat people constantly buying duplicates for no reason, therefore preventing kids from buying any. I doubt TRU knows about scalpers, or sees them as a threat. They probably did this when they noticed kids getting upset when they don't find Sonic Boom because some dude bought 6 of them not too long ago.

They know. This is the digital age, word travels fast. Skylanders aren't the first toys to be scalped or in short supply. Just looking at threads in this forum from people who have talked to managers at TRU will tell you that the retail level is well aware of scalpers, which is a good indicator that corporate knows. I'm sure this limit was put into place after many angry emails and tips from customers, as well as managers reporting the problem of having to deal with angry parents, because some scalper came in and bought the entire stock for resale. Regardless, Activision knows and is constantly receiving messages about low stock due to scalpers, so they are now trying to produce more stock to saturate the market, and discourage scalpers.

Also, no one is buying 6 of one figure for no reason. Over 2-3 of one figure, and I would seriously start to think they were intending to resale. Some actual players buy duplicates, because they collect and play(1 for playing with and 1 for keeping in package), and others buy duplicates, because they have friends or family that play and want the same figure. Players/collectors who buy duplicates are not the problem, because they still don't buy on the same level as scalpers, many of which learn when the stores restock, and show up to buy the whole box week after week.

I think a limit is a good idea, although perhaps it should have been a limit of one of each figure, as opposed to an amount. This still doesn't stop a person buying several of the same character (I mean, if a scalper had a choice of buying six Cynders or six Boomers, it's obvious what choice they'll go with!), which is the issue moreso than just buying several Skylanders.

Quote: Sunny Castanets

I think a limit is a good idea, although perhaps it should have been a limit of one of each figure, as opposed to an amount. This still doesn't stop a person buying several of the same character (I mean, if a scalper had a choice of buying six Cynders or six Boomers, it's obvious what choice they'll go with!), which is the issue moreso than just buying several Skylanders.

Making a limit that strict would then alienate customers who have a legitimate reason to be buying more than one of the same figure, such as families with multiple children who want their own figures. Parents would be walking away, because it's not right to ask them to play favorites to decide who gets to take home one of the 5 cynders in stock, even though all of their children really wanted that figure for weeks. Can you imagine the disappointment and tantrums? I'm against any limit, because there are real reasons while people buy what seems like an excessive amounts to average people, but the limit in OP's image is at least reasonable compared to a 1 or even 2 per customer limit.

I dunno, I hate the mindset that kids can't share in some parents these days. My kids share, and if they don't, I take it away from them both. I turned off the game the other day because they couldn't decide who was going to play as Prism Break (new character that day) and voices were raised.

I also make them earn 15 points by doing chores around the house before they can open a new guy. They have 7 guys to play with, and almost 20 in reserve that I'm making them earn. Seriously, I see these parents with kids out of control and throwing fits and my kids always say "what's wrong with that kid? Doesn't he/she know how to act?"

But this is a good thing, this limit. It hurts collectors trying to buy multiple copies, but for someone like me, or parents I know, it is a blessing to help complete a single collection of figures for our kids.

There is still no limit at the TRU's in my area.

Pretty much what Rubix said; either kids need to learn to share or just to have their own figures. If they really want their own that badly, they can either queue at the till themselves, or go in with a different parent.

Quote: Sunny Castanets

Pretty much what Rubix said; either kids need to learn to share or just to have their own figures. If they really want their own that badly, they can either queue at the till themselves, or go in with a different parent.

Rubix said kids in families should share, not that they should have their own figures. I think it's great if kids can share all of their figures, but some kids aren't that open, and there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone grows up having at least one thing that was special and unsharable, like clothes, a room, pokemon cards, a stuffed animal, etc. Having personal belongings helps children learn to respect boundaries. Also, this game is marketed towards kids age 7 and under. Most stores won't sell to children that young, even with a parent standing by. Not all families also have two parents, or at least not two parents at the time of purchase.

On the topic of sharing toys with siblings: What if you have a ham-fisted careless oaf of a brother that breaks everything and borrows your stuff without asking? Because I did when I was growing up and I really wouldn't want to find he'd drawn on it or used a lighter to melt part of it (think Sid from Toy Story 1) one time he wore my best trainers (sneakers/athletic shoes) to go kayaking in a quarry... completely ruined them, I'm so glad I don't live with him anymore. I think teaching kids to share is all well and good but if your sibling won't respect that shared property then I see no reason (other than the inability to afford multiples) why it's wrong to let them have their own things, in fact it's unfair not to. If one kid won't share with their sibling because they broke their things in the past it's the careless sibling that needs to be taught a lesson not the kid who won't share.

/rant

Funnily it's the same brother who bought me my Skylanders game as a birthday present, I don't think I'd have ever bought it for myself so I'm really glad he got it for me. If he hadn't I'd have probably never got into the game... would have saved me money though lol. He's a good guy he just doesn't look after stuff.

Quote: Deandria

On the topic of sharing toys with siblings: What if you have a ham-fisted careless oaf of a brother that breaks everything and borrows your stuff without asking? Because I did when I was growing up and I really wouldn't want to find he'd drawn on it or used a lighter to melt part of it (think Sid from Toy Story 1) one time he wore my best trainers (sneakers/athletic shoes) to go kayaking in a quarry... completely ruined them, I'm so glad I don't live with him anymore. I think teaching kids to share is all well and good but if your sibling won't respect that shared property then I see no reason (other than the inability to afford multiples) why it's wrong to let them have their own things, in fact it's unfair not to. If one kid won't share with their sibling because they broke their things in the past it's the careless sibling that needs to be taught a lesson not the kid who won't share.

/rant

Funnily it's the same brother who bought me my Skylanders game as a birthday present, I don't think I'd have ever bought it for myself so I'm really glad he got it for me. If he hadn't I'd have probably never got into the game... would have saved me money though lol. He's a good guy he just doesn't look after stuff.

Couldn't agree more. Why punish all the children, because there is one sour grape ruining it for everyone? Really, most kids aren't each going to need a complete set. They will probably be fine sharing most figures, but have a few select favorites that they want their own personal figure for, so they can name it, and play with it how they want. It's a compromise between forcing them to share everything, and getting each child their own set. My brother wasn't as bad as yours, and generally we got along. As kids we shared a PS2 and gamecube. We originally had only 1 memory card per system, and so I'd get justifiably upset when all the hard work I put into a game got deleted by him, so he could put who knows what in it's place. If we argued over it(because most kids can't calmly talk out the problem like adults), then none of us got to play. Essentially I was being taught that I shouldn't stand up for what I felt was wrong, because every time I got punished along with my brother who didn't even have enough respect to ask if I was okay with my data being deleted. It made me hate video games for a period. The simple solution that solved everything? Our mother bought a second memory card, so we each had our own. We shared the systems, the discs, took turns, and even played together most of the time, but we always had our own memory cards, because we each had different opinions on what save data was worth keeping. Skylanders essentially are memory cards.

I stopped at a local TRU this morning they had up a sign that stated two figures of each variety person.

I see what you guys are saying, but all behavior issues like that need to be addressed by a parent. Maybe it's because my wife and I have set up our life so one of us is always with the kids, but we don't allow dumb stuff like that to happen without swift and immediate consequences.

My store has no limit imposed still. It's a topic I've brought up to management, but no action has been taken.

Quote: Rubix42

I see what you guys are saying, but all behavior issues like that need to be addressed by a parent. Maybe it's because my wife and I have set up our life so one of us is always with the kids, but we don't allow dumb stuff like that to happen without swift and immediate consequences.

Actually my brother has a relatively severe mental illness, he is unlikely to ever learn to 'play nice' with other people's things... or even with his own things... but he's not a typical case.

Regardless, I do agree with a limit but it should be ok for people to get 2 of something, as long as it's not 2 of everything all at once.

Quote: Hexin_Wishes

Quote: CAV

You do realize that you somewhat agreed with me right? Shortages and upset kids go hand and hand. Fixing a shortage means making some kid happy. Ergo, you essentially restated my point, only in a more broader term that I couldn't think of at the time. Thanks!

I knew this was coming, hence the last sentence of the post. The only thing is that your whole reason was "A CRYING KID MADE THIS RULE HAPPEN" and my post basically said "not really", especially considering they've been getting complaints about scalpers from said complaining parents AND customers not considered part of the children demographic.

Anyways, you are very much welcome for having me fix your argument.

My crying kid point was simply just me trying to throw in bad humor.

SEE KIDS? THIS IS WHY I NEVER TRY TO MAKE JOKES.