Oh man! What is this?! Christmas Toy Scalpers? Hand me my cattle prod!

In My Humble Opinion
1

First, a little personal back ground.
I was raised with the belief that when guests drop in, if you have cake, the biggest pieces go to them.

If there are goods in a store that are running low and you really don’t need the item, leave it for those who do.

Take what you need of something, don’t foul, ruin or destroy the rest because others might want some.

Don’t pee in the pool because others swim there also.

All in all, be considerate.

Christmas is here. Shoppers are beating each other up with clubs and knives to get gifts, especially those always limited supply new toys. (Why is that? The makers start shipping the darn things out in January!)

The other day I listened to this lady bragging about how she bought several PS2’s, though she has no kids, and has them up for sale now at 3 times the store price and has already sold one.

Another woman, last year, bragged about how she made a fortune on Tickle-me-Elmos by buying the last 4 in town at $40 apiece, posted flyers in public places about selling them off and did so at $100 each!

During the Beanie Baby insanity, a guy who worked in a store which carried them, bought a bunch at store prices, waited until they were sold out before Christmas, then sold his to buyers at a huge profit.

I risked life and limb to drop in at a Walmart the other day to buy a card and spotted mothers grabbing up limited edition Barbies, talking to each other about the profits they’d make by reselling them just before Christmas.

I’d never thought of doing such a thing. I’ve also known kids to be bitterly disappointed because their special gift was sold out before Christmas and they had to wait until after to get it.

According to a radio show I enjoy, every time a concert comes to town, people rush to ticket master, buy up a bunch of tickets, wait until the place is sold out, then scalp them for two or three times the original price.

Is it just me or are people starting to become generally a bunch of greedy pigs? When did it become the ‘thing’ to buy up popular kids Christmas toys with the explicit design to resell them to desperate parents when the stores run out?

I mean, come on! Christmas toys for kids!!

Why don’t they just go steal candy from babies?

Now, I have a whole new category on my list of people who piss me off: Christmas Toy Scalpers.

2

Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not just X-mas time that this occurs. Try collecting HotWheels or looking on the Ebay hotwheels section and look up “2001 FE” or “2001 first edition” Last year I saw a guy pay $52 for a 2000 FE that I found on the pegs three weeks later for 97 cents BWAHAHAHA!!!
There are plenty of people whose only way of making money is by exploiting and artificially creating toy shortages.

Scum.

3

Hmm…

I wouldn’t mind getting a cattle prod for Xmas!

I’ve only seen people talk about these things in the US, is it legal for anyone to have one there? I know they used one to wake up Sid Vicious in the later stages of his alleged life.

I bet that really hurts if you’re not out of your head on heroin like he was… anyone here ever get ZAPPED?

OH, and toy scalping SUCKS! It’s a new low…

What’s next, buying up all the wheelchairs on the market??? Will scalpers try to corner the Insulin market???

— G. Raven

4

If they ever become “collectible”, yes.

5

I heartily recommend the use of a cattle prod on these scalpers.

But only if it is inserted properly prior to actuation.

6

Luckily, my niece and nephew have determined and wise folks, for they grabbed up the highly prized toys early on for the kids. There’s a doll called Adventure Alli or Ally or Alley or something that my niece has been after for two years. I’ve never even seen the commercial but her folks got one early on.

I spotted a small ad stuck on the poster board in the entrance to Walmart – neon high lighted so as to be obvious. Adventure Ally’s for sale. $75 each and a number to call. I went into the store and found none on the shelves, so I cornered a harassed, bedraggled and worn out counter girl and asked her about them. She said they were sold out.

I went back to the ad, ripped it down and tossed it in the trash.

I’ve my cattle prod with fresh batteries in it. If you think those little hand held stun guns sting, you oughta figure out how much juice it takes to get a 1500 pound cows attention.

I think I might go scalper hunting. Might take a little KY with me so’s I can best place the business end where it will most likely get their attention.