darkSpyro

^

I know Seiki's comment above here was mostly innocent. But this is exactly why the moderator staff here should consider this entire thread to be advertising, even though it clearly isn't overt/intentional advertising in the most traditional sense.
Perhaps this clears it up for you a bit more, "IWHBYD", although I won't be holding my breath in anticipation of your enlightenment.

Quote: UncleBob

Quote: shelly9871

You just love to try to start problems. That is such a clear example of purposely trying to initiate an argument. But here is my answer...yes scalpers can do whatever they want...we all can...but I don't have to respect what they do.

Hey, I agree with your statement. I just don't understand the disconnect that appears on these forums so often. Scalper going in and clearing a shelf is bad becuase he's keeping poor, defenseless kids from getting a toy. But, a collector going in, wiping the shelves for 'the Collection' (which also has the side effect of keeping them out of kid's hands) is okay.

Scalper buying a rare variant and reselling it at 10x the price is bad, but a "Collector" doing the same thing gets a free pass.

I don't care what anyone does with their own stuff. I've tried more than once to get Gamemaster to record a youtube video of him melting one of his uberrares. It's simply the disconnect that gets my attention each and every time.

There is a difference, though.

Us humans, especially adults, shouldn't have to be reminded every 5 seconds here, what a scalper is. If I told a Walmart employee, "Hey, here's 50 bucks. Open up all the boxes and let me take each chase variant," so I could grab 3-4 (an example number) and come hock them on Ebay for 100-200 bucks a pop, then I would be scalping.

However, in my case, every variant I ever owned came from Ebay, and at an extremely high cost. At no time in selling my variants, did I ever just get my money back or more. I took a loss for my stupidity in collecting the chase variants off of Ebay. That's why I won't fall for buying variants anymore... unless I'm uber rich (ie sell a movie).

The only variant in this household, that I found for 8 bucks, was Gold Chop Chop, which I bought for my son, who opened it, and who lets me display it with my collection until he wants to play with it. I never said we're selling it on Ebay for way more than what I bought it for. I told him to decide what he wants to do with it since I bought it for him.

He could take my 8 bucks and trade it for more money, but he loves Chop Chop, so he opened it. Good kid, right there. Somethings are worth more than money, and it's sad that us adults can't understand that, where a child can. Sometimes children are truly more mature than us adults, we're just too stupid and arrogant to admit to that.

So, yeah. When I think of scalpers, I think of all of the over the hill bafoons going into stores, robbing them blind, and immediately throwing them up on Ebay. Their purpose wasn't to even collect for their personal collection. Their goal was to snatch and buy, sell and get paid.

However, forum members on Darkspyro always mandate a loop of forever debate about what constitutes scalping. I guess it's different in everyone's eyes. That's their right.

All I know, is I am about almost done getting rid of the rest of these expensive figures, so I can better my collection's uniqueness (because owning variants doesn't really make a collection unique if a lot of others have the same variant). It's a goal near met. It's a goal to make my collection stand out, because I still don't know of anyone else who plans on buying 17 of every Swaplander in order to play and display all 256 combinations.

For those who enjoy looking at my collection, and want to give me some advice, are there any sites out there that allow you to upload as many pics as you want, without issues of bandwidth due to people sharing images?

GameMaster is both right and wrong here. He's wrong about his definition of scalping, but he's right about there really being no definition of scalping.

There will never be consensus on this, and even if there were a consensus, it would be a compromise that many still wouldn't agree with.

The best way to put it is that there are varying degrees of scalping, ranging from mostly innocent to downright intentional. And yes, despite the protests of some users here, collecting multiples of the same item DOES fall somewhere in that spectrum of scalping that I just described.

So, although I'm probably just tossing pennies in the water fountain display at the shopping mall here, I do wish that everyone involved with this forum would simply accept that scalping does exist, always will exist, and it exists in many forms and degrees of severity ... and with probably VERY few exceptions ... you have ALL probably been guilty of "scalping" on some level at some time.

Well, there is a clear cut description of what a scalper is...

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Scalper

... but, on this site, no one can ever come to an agreement on what it means to be a scalper, or collector who is at the end of the rope collecting certain things, in order to make his collection look even more unique than just owning variants like everyone tries to do.

Quoting UrbanDictionary for a "clear cut description"? You might as well use Last of the Mohicans to define scalping.

Wish you luck GM.

I'm not a fan of scalping, or in general multi-purchasing. Even for Gamemaster, because like I've said before it would be absolutely rough trying to get a new figure when it first comes out given his sweeps. I distinctly remember him going from Gamestop to Gamestop when Eye Brawl and Thumpback came out, first for himself, then to get more for people he knew. Now, before GM drops a mammoth post defending it, I DO recognize the difference between that and scalping. If you are indeed buying them to use (and display purposes are included in "use") or picking it up for a friend, then that is FAR better than grabbing all you can to EBay, and everyone knows that. If you are picking them up for a friend that can't make it to the store that day, that is also different than buying a bunch to play Skylander Claus for everyone you know that might want one (knowing full well if they don't you can EBay it). We also all know of the people that show off four in their cart, then after getting called out they claim to be buying them for all the members of their family - most of those cases aren't true, as they quickly change their EBay auctions to not be the same as their forum ID. People buy Skylanders, when they get a new or rare find it isn't unusual to think about buying more than one. This isn't black and white, there are many shades of grey.

I myself, over time, have accumulated more than one of some figures that I don't "use". I don't deny it, I have a Gnarly, a Ninjini, a Polar, a Jade and an extra four Giantkicks packaged, as well as two extra Cynders, a Shroomboom, a S2 Chop Chop and a Jet Vac unpackaged. I either got them from the various packages I got, or for gifts for my son's friends and he ended up not making it to the party or they already had it and in one case for a trade that never materialized. It happens. I could EBay almost all of them, and in many cases make a decent profit, but I won't. I have never bought more than one of a figure at the same time, except for once - in February I bought six GiTD Sonic Booms as party favors for my son's birthday party, I didn't feel bad about that since they had been out months and no one else wanted them (Walmart had a good dozen or so). Like I said, there are many shades of grey here.

It is easy to say what's the difference in scalping and buying one to keep. It's your figure, do with it what you want. But we are smarter than that. Some guy that buys out all the Thumpbacks to put them up on EBay for $200 each when they came out is worlds apart from what GM did. Sure, he made it harder for some to find one, but he didn't outright try to enrich himself at the expense of other fans. I do think it is part the fault of those that would pay $200 for a Thumpback, but blaming the victim is a cop out. Taking advantage of people isn't ok.

At best, the most I could hope for is for people to think about it when they find something new. Put themselves in other's shoes and maybe think about the harm they are doing by true scalping if that is their goal. Prices go up, not just because of economics, but because stores see that people will pay more for figures. Gamestop knows people will go crazy for variants, so variants cost a dollar more. Also think about if you weren't the first to find them and how much it sucks to get in a store only to be told "yeah we had it, but some dude bought four of them a minute ago".

Quote: LloydDXZX

Quote: Haseo

Awww he's not selling a molten hot dog v.v

lol http://www.ebay.com/itm/SKYLAN...=item2c7257d2ef This is the best price where you can get it!

Reveal Spoiler

Or if you're talking about bronze hot dog...

Thanks a ton ^.^

Quote: GhostRoaster

Quote: shelly9871

They are his figures to do what he pleases with.

Bottom line. It's a personal decision, and probably the reason why he hasn't visited this thread yet.

Quote: Sunny Castanets

I'd say that but then he's still buying numerous copies of the same figure for the new game so, not really.

For HIS FAMILY. He unboxes them all except for one set.

No, he buys ONE figure of each Skylander for his family (a.k.a. his two kids who have to share). He buys three for himself.

Quote: Tashiji

Quote: Sunny Castanets

Quote: Tashiji

I don't think this is on-topic. Love him or hate him, GM is a poster on the forums and not actually Skylanders-related. Not only that, we generally don't advertise, as others are saying. That being said, yup, those are his. GM is a lot more wishy-washy about his variants than I thought he was going to be when he started posting about them. But hey, if you're a single dad with three kids as GM is, there's always going to be something better to spend your money on than hundred-dollar figures. Maybe he just came to his senses a little.

I'd say that but then he's still buying numerous copies of the same figure for the new game so, not really.

Sunny, as always, you are so darn smart. I honestly didn't even think of that. He's obviously selling them to afford 256+ Swappers at $15 a pop. I don't know how I could have been so blind to that, but you are right.

Sigged for truth

I also have to agree that this is really a non-topic. I don't see topics being made about any of the other members who have garnered impressive collections, so why should an exception be made for one person?

(also all the giggles for UrbanDictionary being used as a "legitimately serious" definition for something)

Quote: GameMaster78

For those who enjoy looking at my collection, and want to give me some advice, are there any sites out there that allow you to upload as many pics as you want, without issues of bandwidth due to people sharing images?

Imgur is pretty great. You can put them in albums and stuff too.
Photobucket (where I assume you had your pics hosted as well) went to some stupid bandwidth bs a few months ago. Mine started all appearing as grey boxes with some stupid stuff about going over (apparently from it being linked somewhere else or something...) so I said the heck with it and put my stuff on imgur now. Plus, they have easy to link urls and you can shrink/edit your pics easier than photobucket's janky flash heavy thing.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

So, although I'm probably just tossing pennies in the water fountain display at the shopping mall here, I do wish that everyone involved with this forum would simply accept that scalping does exist, always will exist, and it exists in many forms and degrees of severity ... and with probably VERY few exceptions ... you have ALL probably been guilty of "scalping" on some level at some time.

Can we also all agree to stop going out of our collective ways to make negative posts about scalpers for no real reason? Because that'd be swell.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

^

I know Seiki's comment above here was mostly innocent. But this is exactly why the moderator staff here should consider this entire thread to be advertising, even though it clearly isn't overt/intentional advertising in the most traditional sense.
Perhaps this clears it up for you a bit more, "IWHBYD", although I won't be holding my breath in anticipation of your enlightenment.

Come on now kid, this is in your profile

The bunghole list:

UncleBob
TheGooch
MoonHorizons
Judaschrist0240
jet-vac6000
IWHBYD
LightSpyro13

I'm not the one in need of enlightenment, grow up.

Thanks for visiting my profile, "IWHBYD"!

As you can see, you're famous there.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

Thanks for visiting my profile, "IWHBYD"!

As you can see, you're famous there.

No problem, feels good to be loved.

Quote: UncleBob

Can we also all agree to stop going out of our collective ways to make negative posts about scalpers for no real reason? Because that'd be swell.

No. Scalpers deserved to be mocked, humiliated and hated. They take advantage of fans of this game and provide no benefit. They make it harder or more expensive to find figures.

And before you pick that apart, you know what I am talking about when I say "scalper", so don't go there.

And yet, I disagree that they provide no benefit.

For example, I can go onto eBay and buy just about any chase variant I may want.

If there were no scalpers, you wouldn't be able to do that.

And they hardly "take advantage" of anyone. Every single person who has ever purchased from a scalper of Skylanders toys did so willingly.

I am glad that I am so important to be included on someone's list! Perhaps I should start a few lists on my guest book? Top self-important individuals. Top most pompous forum police members. Most pretentious forum members. Oh never mind, there is only one single person that belongs on all of those lists.....I won't be childish enough to post who it is but I am sure everyone can guess.

Quote: TheGooch

I am glad that I am so important to be included on someone's list! Perhaps I should start a few lists on my guest book? Top self-important individuals. Top most pompous forum police members. Most pretentious forum members. Oh never mind, there is only one single person that belongs on all of those lists.....I won't be childish enough to post who it is but I am sure everyone can guess.

I feel your pain bro.

[quote=[url=http://forum.darkspyro.net/spyro/viewposts.php?topic=88461&post=4616719]MoonHorizons[/url]][quote=[url=http://forum.darkspyro.net/spyro/viewposts.php?topic=88461&post=4616652]TheGooch[/url]]I am glad that I am so important to be included on someone's list! Perhaps I should start a few lists on my guest book? Top self-important individuals. Top most pompous forum police members. Most pretentious forum members. Oh never mind, there is only one single person that belongs on all of those lists.....I won't be childish enough to post who it is but I am sure everyone can guess.[/quote]


I feel your pain bro.[/quote]

Oh it doesn't bother me. Imagine how ****ty it must feel to hate so much though? Certain people will just naturally go out of their way to make others feel ****ty like they do. You can't argue or reason with them.

Little late to this pony show but.... Popcorn I got the Popcorn!


1. This site leads to scalping. People come here when new waves are coming out and see where they are and go pick them up and sell them. They don't post here, or rarely do. What is that one guys name.... Something with Bash in it is a good example of it.

2. Do scalpers suck? Yep. As it was posted in an earlier post, most of us have done it in one form or another.

3. This may get me on the "list" but, BahamutBreaker when you first got here you were okay. Nice friendly and willing to help. Now, you come on here start crap and are the forum police. You accuse Unclebob of trolling but, you troll him in return.

4. People have always tried to pick fights with GM. When in reality they are his figures to do what he wants with them. It's like you guys getting mad at someone who has 4 rare cars and he decides to sell one of them. Not that big of a deal. While GM may have said somethings in the past about his collection meaning a lot to him, and not selling it or whatever. Things change. A month a go I didn't plan on being out of work for three weeks. Yet, crap happens and I have been. So, leave the guy alone and let him do what he wants.
The problem with the internet and the world today is that everyone is worried about everyone else. When in reality if we just mind our own business this site and everyone would get a long a lot better.

Quote: UncleBob

And yet, I disagree that they provide no benefit.

For example, I can go onto eBay and buy just about any chase variant I may want.

If there were no scalpers, you wouldn't be able to do that.

And they hardly "take advantage" of anyone. Every single person who has ever purchased from a scalper of Skylanders toys did so willingly.

Chase variants are not intended to be scooped up by the highest bidder on EBay, otherwise TFB would just sell them for $200 themselves. They are intended to be bought and enjoyed by the fans lucky enough to locate them. Scalpers turn them from rare finds into "which collector has the most money". That's not a benefit.

And I thought you disliked "entitled" people that believe they should be able to purchase every single variant? Now you consider people that contribute to that a benefit?

And I tell you what, I'll park a bulldozer at the end of your street blocking the road. You can always drive all the way around the neighborhood to get home or pay me $100 to pass. You don't have to go this way. I'm not preventing you from reaching your house. The people that do pay me to pass did so willingly. That makes it ok, right?

People that are willing to be taken advantage of does not justify people taking advantage of them. Maybe it does in UncleBobLand. My grandmother has a habit of inviting strangers in for coffee and buying things she doesn't need or want. You think it is ok for someone to sell her a $10 magazine subscription for $50 because she is lonely during the day? Is it ok for a similar grandmother to have to pay a similar $50 for a $10 Skylander their grandchild wants?

You "blame the victim" people make me sick. It is sociopathic behavior to justify personal greed.

Quote: spyroflame0487

Quote: GameMaster78

For those who enjoy looking at my collection, and want to give me some advice, are there any sites out there that allow you to upload as many pics as you want, without issues of bandwidth due to people sharing images?

Imgur is pretty great. You can put them in albums and stuff too.
Photobucket (where I assume you had your pics hosted as well) went to some stupid bandwidth bs a few months ago. Mine started all appearing as grey boxes with some stupid stuff about going over (apparently from it being linked somewhere else or something...) so I said the heck with it and put my stuff on imgur now. Plus, they have easy to link urls and you can shrink/edit your pics easier than photobucket's janky flash heavy thing.

Awesome, thanks. I will check that site out, sign up, and get ready to upload some Swap Force and other Skylanders collection goodness.

Honestly, why do you people care? does what GM do to his collection somehow physically affect you? does him buying 4 sets of skylanders hurt you? does it hurt you when he sells them?
no.

calm down a little, these are toys revolving around a game. quit treating it like an economy. even if someone buys lets say, 10 of each skylander, it really wont change your chances of getting a rare variant.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

Thanks for visiting my profile, "IWHBYD"!

As you can see, you're famous there.

Definetley find it funny whenever you add a person to your block list just because they disagreed with your opinion.