The REAL Phantom Menance, Euro-Scalpers!

[Mace Windex]

Everyone,

Today I was making my rounds looking for the new figs when I saw a guy (prob late 40s) and his wife grabbing a stack of preview ZAMs off of the pegs. Obviously, I though this was weird but didn't really pay much attention until I saw that he was taking EVERY sneak preview figure off the rack! So, I gently grabbed a Clone Trooper off the peg and was looking at it while the guy continued to clean out the ENTIRE section. And I asked him, "Are you building an army?" He answered, "yeah, you could say that." Then, without even hesitating or looking at me (about finished filling his cart) this guy has the gall to mumble "you gonna buy that one or are ya just lookin'?" What? I said. (as if to point out that he already had enough in his cart). I sure am! Then I made a dash for the "other" SW section to get there first. I proceeded to grap a few sneak figs and hid them from Euro scalper's impending peg rampage. Sure enough, he was seconds behind me and cleaned out every figure once again! My wife was shocked. She even commented on how it wasn't fair to kids or fans who really need some of these figs. This guy is a jerk in my book. Buy a lot but at least leave some of each so others can enjoy them too. Darn scalper! And my comment about Europe comes from the fact that both he and his wife had British accents. Plus, who here in the USA is hoarding Sneak preview figures? Just a hunch that may solve the puzzle as to why so many figs vanish.
By the way, this guy saw my wife and I leave the store empty handed! It must have frosted his cake!! He probably went back in the store trying to find that Clone Trooper. Too bad dude!

[DarthMaulSithLord]

Man that sucks!!! I really hate scalper scum, they make it hard for the people in the US, but so much harder for the Europeans. Whenever something good is released here and at reduced prices, they are the first to know about it and grab whatever they can. That's why i already missed out on a $10 Force F/X X-Wing, some orange carded figs and the Han/Tauntaun and Luke/Wampa beastpacks.

I think it's time for Hasbro and stores to do something about this.

:(

[187-Maul]

well as many of you guys know the toysrus' here in france had a lot of the last episode 1 wave on stock at 5 euros each
I found every figure of the line except TC-14 and R2-B1
a few days later I go to a comic/scalper shop in Paris, and what do I see, about 10 TC-14's hanging on the pegs priced at 20 euros!
that can't just be coincidence that they suddenly had that many TC's in stock
scalpers really **** me off since I really would've liked to have a TC-14!

[odb]

I know of several UK dealers that fly out to the US with empty suitcases for 3 days to a week and go round all the shops (eg: TRU, Walmart, etc) buying everything, then bringing them back to the UK and selling them with a large markup at their shops or stalls at collectors fairs. I believe one of their favourite areas is Orlando. Hope this sheds some light.

My real pet hate are collector stores that have quite blatently been 5 minutes down the road and cleared out the local TRU or other store and stick on their shelves for £4 more (in some cases so blatently that the TRU stickers ae still on the bottom of the bubbles).