SCALPING: 5 Good Reasons You Should NOT Do It!

We have all rushed into stores looking for THAT figure only to be disappointed by empty shelves! Could it be a rival collector? Possibly. Could it be a kid with birthday money? Of course. But could it also be a legitimate adversary... the evil entity known as the SCALPER? Unfortunately, yes...

What is scalping?

Here is Action Figure Almanac's definition:

Scalping - The intentional purchasing of a toy (in-store or online) for resale or trade at a higher value than purchased.

So is scalping justifiable? NO!

Here are 5 reasons why...

1. Resale value sucks!

"I need to pay my mom's bills." "I need to sell these so I can buy Hot Toys." "Well, somebody else will just do it if I don't." I have heard every excuse in the book for scalping. None of them are valid. Are you struggling financially? THEN GET A LEGITIMATE JOB! Reselling toys is unstable and the resale value of toys suck. Scalping is only profitable when a toy is hot (usually when a new wave is fresh off the trucks). So what happens when you scalp? There are exceptions, but stores eventually restock, thus dropping your toy's value to only slightly above retail. Toy values also don't care about the sale tax you paid too. If you're selling online, prepare to pay shipping. Selling facilitators (eBay, PayPal, vendor tables, etc.) also take a chunk off your remaining slice of pie. After all the effort of scalping, you're left with only slightly above breaking even (if you're lucky). Oh, and don't forget, you also forced some poor sap to pay higher than retail too. Ultimately, when you scalp, nobody wins.

In this fresh case of vintage Spidey Legends, each figure MAY sell up to $30 on eBay. After paying $20, taxes, shipping, and fees, is it really worth the time driving, searching for, and selling any of these figures?

My 1/6 contacts all claim Robby is a rare find, but I find him at most Wal-Marts. If I scalped, I may get away with $10-$15 above retail, but the cost to ship this guy would probably eat that and more!

2. You're screwing over kids!

I know most collectors forget, but mainstream action figures are only viable if they appeal to the largest market for toys... KIDS! Yes, kids love toys, and they still visit the toy aisle with mom and dad to buy cool stuff. When scalpers buy toys, they are denying kids the opportunity to get their favorite hero at retail price. Are collectors guilty of this as well? Yes, but the freedom of frequent store visits with available cash is a perk of being a working adult. These adults earn the privilege to buy first, but this does not mean they should abuse that privilege. If you get to the store with enough money and everything you want is there, JUST BUY WHAT YOU NEED! Don't be greedy. We were all kids once. Kids must first have the available cash (usually from a special event), the privilege of a store trip with parent, AND be lucky enough to be there when the figure they saw on the back of the box is on the shelf. Don't be a jackass to fellow collectors, but more importantly, don't be a jackass to kids who love cool toys too.

Star Wars Black Series. You don't think kids want articulated Vader with some cool clone fodder? Think again pal...

I possess the gift to feel out Lego minifigure blind bags and collect whole sets without duplicates. I can pick up extras of the more desirable characters, but I know kids want them too, so I don't.

3. Toys are horrible long term investments!

"I do not open my toys, because they are good investments." No they are not. Toys are terrible investments. If you know anything about toy lines, then you're aware that a company will unapologetically release any high demand character they know will lead to sales. Hasbro, Mattel, NECA, etc. will never be on the side of the collector; they will always be on the side of the mighty dollar. This is understandable, because they are businesses. BUY TOYS BECAUSE YOU ENJOY THEM! Don't even waste time thinking about their future resale value. If you are hoarding a high demand figure, its company will eventually rerelease it, thus killing the value of your "investment."

What is this nonsense? Hasbro rereleased Goldar and Mighty Morphin Red Ranger? What gives them the right?!

4. You're taking advantage of hobbyists' TLC!

Scalping does not only apply to big brand action figure products. It also applies to customized small production lines or commissioned projects. Being an action figure customizer, I know very well that most clean customized toys require many hours to fabricate. In fact, most of the time, customized items take more time to produce than what fellow enthusiasts are willing to pay for. Fortunately, many hobbyists simply enjoy the art of customizing and are willing to sell to fans at a small loss. Unfortunately, there are some sleazy sharks that take people's compassionate projects and turn them into opportunities of self profit. Don't succumb to this. It deters the action figure community's innovation/creativity and hurts the hobby as a whole. Also, definitely do not buy from people who commit this heinous act. Buy directly from the customizing source, and do everything else possible to shut scalping crooks out of business.

Customizer Frederick Jay balded and flocked this custom 1/6 head for me at a great price. I will never sell this head, because it would dishonor his kind deed for me.

5. Toy karma is real!

I put this reason last, because my evidence could be purely coincidental. Toy karma is real. I never scalp. In the wild, I only buy what I absolutely need and no more. I also help out fellow toy collectors, whether it be a good friend or possibly a new face struggling at a store. For my close friends, I will purchase toys they cannot find locally, charge retail, and not even burden them with sales tax. Because of my approach to action figuring, I have always encountered every figure I desired at an affordable or cheap price. This is known as toy karma. IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU IF YOU GIVE IT A TRY!

Hella Walgreens find! I only need 1 Moon Knight, so I will put the others back!

I don't collect 1/12 Joes, but I hope a true believer rescues them before a Cobra scalper arrives!

Action figuring is a hobby, but scalpers make our hobby a drag. Don't buy from them. Wait for the shelves to restock or a rerelease. Patience saves money, believe me. If you run into a desirable figure that you do not require, do the right thing, and allow the opportunity for another action figure fan to get it at retail. Remember, just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you should. As Uncle Ben once said, "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Don't disappoint Spiderman! Put his highly articulated butt back on the shelf if you already have one!

-Chuck