# Step 3: Profit! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446 "2005-08-17T15:47:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/1 "2005-08-17T15:47:00Z")
[Life imitates art:](http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/08/17/cops_going_undercover_to_try_and_stop_lingerie_store_thefts/) > [@](#): > > BROCKTON, Mass. --Brockton detectives are going undercover in an effort to stop a rash of thefts at a Victoria’s Secret lingerie store that so far have netted the culprits more than $10,000 worth of bras and panties. So have the culprits finally figured out Step 2 when the underpants gnomes could not? Apparently so: > [@](#): > > “A lot of times, if you go on eBay, you can buy this type of merchandise for reasonably marked down prices” ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/2 "2005-08-17T17:37:28Z")
Isn’t step three: PROFIT_S_!!! Just sayin’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/3 "2005-08-17T20:09:35Z")
Perfect place to ask the question that has long nagged me - but not enough to actually start a thread asking… Where the hell is this from? I see it constantly, and I vaguely recognize it, but I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/4 "2005-08-17T20:18:22Z")
It’s from South Park. The gnomes were stealing all of the underwear. Their plan was: 1. Steal underwear. 2. \ ? 3. Profit! They were making fun of the dot com business plans of the time. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/5 "2005-08-17T20:21:10Z")
Ahhh. Thank you 🙂 Another pop culture reference under my belt. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/6 "2005-08-17T20:30:55Z")
I coulda sworn Step 3 involved greeting Opal. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/7 "2005-08-17T20:37:02Z")
Lemme get this straight: people buy used underwears over the computer? ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/8 "2005-08-17T20:45:21Z")
Well, the article is referring to stolen underwear being sold over the internet. But hell, yeah, there is an alarmingly healthy market for used underwear over the internet. Some money is just a little bit _too_ easy. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/9 "2005-08-17T21:13:06Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Lemme get this straight: people buy used underwears over the computer? Porn stars have been selling their used undies for decades. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/step-3-profit/317446/10 "2005-08-17T22:14:36Z")
I coulda sworn the people were stealing NEW underwear from V.S. and then selling them as new? Not used. Ick. But people do buy used undies. My cousin is stationed in Japan and was telling me about how sex shops will by used underwear for $25-$50 American dollars a piece. The undies are then sold in vending machines. I think I found a way to fund my trip to Japan :).