A worry about HT and chase figures.. (READ)

[lunarembrace]

I know the original post wasn't about minis, but then it levitated towards people bringing in scales to weigh mysteries, etc. xD

[EZA]

I have a toy broker he finds me items that I want for my collection and I add 10% on top the cost and shipping for his trouble I don't have time to do what he does for me so for me its a win win he fuels his addition with a little profit I get the pieces I want for almost market prices and I am happy with that. In the 30 plus years I have been collecting toys flippers have always been there this is not new to the Funko world.

[grandpa_stern]

Flippers are not new, but they are more abundant. The internet has seen to that. If your guy is getting you one, I wouldn't necessarily call that flipping unless you're immediately selling it. Which I wouldn't even care, if it was just 1 out of 6 or 12. These people that buy up ALL the local stock from every local location are who burn me up.

Also, about the scale and mystery minis, the guy apparently figured out what a, let's say 1/144 mystery mini Jaime, weighed and then tried to go through all the boxes until he got a similar weight. Seems like an unreliable method, but if these people were rational they'd realize they could get better money and benefits at a day job.

[Birdeh]

Flippers are not new, but they are more abundant. The internet has seen to that. If your guy is getting you one, I wouldn't necessarily call that flipping unless you're immediately selling it. Which I wouldn't even care, if it was just 1 out of 6 or 12. These people that buy up ALL the local stock from every local location are who burn me up.

Also, about the scale and mystery minis, the guy apparently figured out what a, let's say 1/144 mystery mini Jaime, weighed and then tried to go through all the boxes until he got a similar weight. Seems like an unreliable method, but if these people were rational they'd realize they could get better money and benefits at a day job.

Yeah, I wouldn't count on that working because bubbles in the plastic and whatnot.

Though I have to admit I ALMOST stooped to that level after I pulled my seventh double of the ponies while looking for Octavia. x.x

[lexiyrock]

Flippers are not new, but they are more abundant. The internet has seen to that. If your guy is getting you one, I wouldn't necessarily call that flipping unless you're immediately selling it. Which I wouldn't even care, if it was just 1 out of 6 or 12. These people that buy up ALL the local stock from every local location are who burn me up.

Also, about the scale and mystery minis, the guy apparently figured out what a, let's say 1/144 mystery mini Jaime, weighed and then tried to go through all the boxes until he got a similar weight. Seems like an unreliable method, but if these people were rational they'd realize they could get better money and benefits at a day job.

Jamie is the hardest to get. The weight of Jaime is too similar to like other 2-3 figures.
Most figures go from 33 grams to 51 grams. The heaviest one being Ned of course and the lightest I believe its the Dire wolves. I know this because I weigh them at home when I sold all of them for shipping costs. LOL.

[grandpa_stern]

Flippers are not new, but they are more abundant. The internet has seen to that. If your guy is getting you one, I wouldn't necessarily call that flipping unless you're immediately selling it. Which I wouldn't even care, if it was just 1 out of 6 or 12. These people that buy up ALL the local stock from every local location are who burn me up.

Also, about the scale and mystery minis, the guy apparently figured out what a, let's say 1/144 mystery mini Jaime, weighed and then tried to go through all the boxes until he got a similar weight. Seems like an unreliable method, but if these people were rational they'd realize they could get better money and benefits at a day job.

Jamie is the hardest to get. The weight of Jaime is too similar to like other 2-3 figures.
Most figures go from 33 grams to 51 grams. The heaviest one being Ned of course and the lightest I believe its the Dire wolves. I know this because I weigh them at home when I sold all of them for shipping costs. LOL.

Lol, I was almost worried at how you knew all those off the top of your head!

[FunkTenn]

1. A guy comes in with a small, portable scale and weighs all the Mystery Minis to try and find the chases.

A blast from the past! I haven't heard scales talked about much since the old sport/non-sport card craze when people would weigh the packages to look for game used cards, autograph cards, memorabilia cards, etc.


I have collected a lot of stuff for a long time - too much for too long, really - and this has always been a part of it. And it does not matter what the collectible is - Johnny Lightning, Star Wars, license plates, Beanie Babies, Pokémon cards, comic books, Moshi Monsters, etc.

[Mori_LeStrange]

I hate it when scalpers/flippers ruin the fun of collecting for others. My friend and I have been doing large pre-orders for the MLP figures to increase our chances for glitters. But she sells the regular figures on EBay and MLP forums. Neither her or I would of thought to return our extras in store.

[Queen of Marvel]

Okay, I don't buy the pony Funko but I'm trying to understand why not just buy the glitter? I don't get the buying all of the ponies then returning regular ones.... are the packages opened when they return them?

The glitters are only 1/24 so you can't just buy them normally it's random.

I love your sig!

[allonsy_slayergirl]

I'm with grandpa_stern on this one. I know from the employees at my local HT that there is at least one person (possibly more) who come in and buy up all the exclusive stock from the store. I've called ahead multiple times and arrived to find them all gone within an hour or so of my call. It's not fair to the other local collectors and certainly not acceptable (to me) in the spirit of collecting.

Also, why the h@ll is that HT allowing those idiots to return the plain ponies??? That's lunacy!