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We know there are many from the movement here on Dakka, so shqameless plug for those who counter shame.

https://spikeybits.com/2021/04/tired-of-scalpers-this-facebook-group-is-the-place-to-be.html?u

Hmmmm, I would click if it wasn't spikey bits tbh. That site is of...dubious quality IMO and I personally don't think it deserves the clicks it gets. Frankly I find both the scalper and anti-scalper sides to be overdoing it.

Yeah SB is questionable, but the FB group it’s reporting on isn’t (I’m a member). Genuinely a really good place to find things at retail and a good bunch willing to help eachother out

Maybe it's just my disdain for that site but that comes off as "Scalpers get in here to secure your wares at cost for future gouging"

If SpikeyBits said Games Workshop is a miniature company from England I would double check it anyway, I trust them as much as Gas Station Sushi.

 Wha-Mu-077 wrote:
If SpikeyBits said Games Workshop is a miniature company from England I would double check it anyway, I trust them as much as Gas Station Sushi.

But Rob is a “hobby expert”!

 Nostromodamus wrote:

 Wha-Mu-077 wrote:
If SpikeyBits said Games Workshop is a miniature company from England I would double check it anyway, I trust them as much as Gas Station Sushi.

But Rob is a “hobby expert”!

And I'm the King of Saudi Arabia

Just in case anyone has read the article, and then the comments....

The bloke claiming we’re “thinking of taking the group private because SpikeyBitz and we don’t want their sort round here” is not me. Nor a group admin.

He doesn’t speak for us, and no such plan is underway. Unfortunately disqus doesn’t play nicely with my iPad, so I can’t login and call him out.

But the group is genuine, I should know, I founded it! As for “but this will just line up the scalpers”?

We have things in place to try to monitor people flipping items. Plus, the more people know about the group, what we do and how to reach us, the smaller the market for the would-be scalper becomes.

Darn it I had to actually go read Spikybits just to find out the minor level drama of someone pretending to be a mod

 Wha-Mu-077 wrote:


And I'm the King of Saudi Arabia

Your Majesty!

Please forgive us, for we had no idea!

Avoid the website but SpikeyBits has a fine youtube channel with good hobby tips.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Just in case anyone has read the article, and then the comments....

The bloke claiming we’re “thinking of taking the group private because SpikeyBitz and we don’t want their sort round here” is not me. Nor a group admin.

He doesn’t speak for us, and no such plan is underway. Unfortunately disqus doesn’t play nicely with my iPad, so I can’t login and call him out.

But the group is genuine, I should know, I founded it! As for “but this will just line up the scalpers”?

We have things in place to try to monitor people flipping items. Plus, the more people know about the group, what we do and how to reach us, the smaller the market for the would-be scalper becomes.

I read the post here (don’t go to SB really either) and immediately thought oh this is probably a group similar to Doc’s. So makes sense it’s just your group being discussed.
Still never got round to joining for searching fo things or offering things. But I shall one day.
I never really see much in my area that’s out of stock elsewhere etc.

Most scalpers don't gouge from retail prices without their being a product volume worth moving.

If you buy retail, you are like selling through eBay etc. You are losing 15% of your sale + shipping costs to have a sale. You can try and sale with the buyer paying shipping but on a 100$ or more item you likely won't sell - people with the same item will sell with seller paying shipping.

Let's take Belakor for example. MSRP 140. If you bought belakor at retail you paid about 154 for it. If you sold for 200 on ebay you will eat 12 dollars to shipping, and lose 30 dollars to ebay+paypal fees. Profit is 6 dollars. If you bought belakor at 85% of MSRP with tax you paid 131 for belakor and would make 29 dollars.

Belakor is 200-250 on ebay right now, many listings at 200. Honestly the 250 ones won't sell, so let's say a max of 225.

Best situation for profit as a non retailer is buying 85%+tax and reselling at 225. You still spend 131 but then pay 34 to ebay+paypal and 12 to shipping. Profit you make 48 dollars.

That's not that bad per item, the problem is per item. In last year's you might be able to get 10 of a new release as an individual to resell, right now most retailers received 2 per store. This isn't an item that mostly retail scalpers are getting onto the market, these are being scalped by the stores or employees of the stores buying them at employee discount.