Did the scalpers do this?

[The Darth Vader]

I finally found some Reek at my local WM yesterday but the figure was already drain of its batteries. You know how the Reek has a tag if it mint and telling you to pull it to try it? most of the ones at the store were already pulled and try by almost everybody. Has any of you guys found Reek with the tag still intact? Also at Target I found some of the hard to find characters such as yoda, dooku, and han and a roya guard their card were so damaged that I doubt that anyone would buy them. The cards were badly bent, the bubble caved in, the figure's package were mostly ripped half open and taped back in by the employees . So I'm asking is it just my local stores or have you seen some of these happen at your local store too? Is it the scalpers that did this or little kids trying to take them out to see if it was worth to buy?

[Hellboy]

The damage you're speaking of is usually due to poor packing and happens all the time. The tags missing from the Reek is most likely due to the fact that you can't hear the electronics without pulling it out. Most scalpers are only there to make money by hoarding hard to find items and selling them at inflated prices.

[Cubehead]

Your'e right that many times damage caused to figures is actually from shipping rather than something done intentionally.

However, I encountered a Target employe in Albany NY, who used to deliberately damage EVERY new Star Wars item that came in. Cards bent, 12" figure boxes crushed, it was the most malicious thing I have ever seen done.

Also I was at the Toys R Us in Santa Monica CA, when I witnessed an altercation between a manger and a vicious scalper who had taken to cardbending short packed SW figs. In this case
the scalp actually got busted and was forbidden to re-enter the store. (I had heard that this was only one of many altercations he had had with management so this card bending issue was just the "last straw."

Finally, there are actually some Jack@ss collectors who bend cards thinking that they are hurting scalpers. This is the biggest pile of B.S. I have ever heard!

In the end, who really knows who is damaging the products in your area? I'd say keep an eye on the situation, if it continues
report it to someone.

[Hellboy]

Originally posted by Cubehead
Your'e right that many times damage caused to figures is actually from shipping rather than something done intentionally.

However, I encountered a Target employe in Albany NY, who used to deliberately damage EVERY new Star Wars item that came in. Cards bent, 12" figure boxes crushed, it was the most malicious thing I have ever seen done..

If you see this going on please report it to the store manager. I can assure you that this employee would lose his/her job and most likely would have to pay for the damaged merchandise.

[Obi-Don]

Yes,report it. I have no problem reporting this what so ever. I may open my stuff,but I will not buy anything that I think is damaged. Which may cause me to miss out on something that I was looking for.

[icatch9]

I think this problem is 3 fold. Everyone is trying to stop scalpers. Collectors bend cards to stop scalpers, employees bend cards to stop scalpers, scalpers bend cards to stop other scalpers. We are all fighting the same war and no one is winning. Bending a card is silly and just not worth it. I feel that what goes around comes around. If you bend a card on purpose, someday you'll find that figure you've been looking for and it will be badly bent. Sort of a carma thing.

I have a story that's not Star Wars related, but collectable related.

A while ago at a KB there where these two guys argueing over a hot wheels treasure hunt car (they could of been scalpers or passionate collectors it doesn't really matter). These two baffoons were getting pretty heated over who had the right to buy this car. I guess they both saw it as the same time and it was a mad dash to get it. Anyway, the store manager got involed with these two idiots. He grabed the car from them, threw it on the ground and smashed it as hard as he could with his foot. He told them "I guess I bought this one". This is card bending to the 10th power. Those guys probally weren't allowed back in the store, and they walked out of there with nothing.

A funny and true story, but one that is relevant in our hobby.

[LTBasker]

Collectors bend cards to laugh at scalpers -
Hoarders bend cards to laugh at scalpers AND collectors -
Scalpers bend cards to laugh at scalpers, collection AND hoarders.

Mind you a hoarder is a scalper, but mostly considered as the ones who "stock up" and then sell the stuff after it is no longer shipping and "HTF".

[SNAYSON]

i found some of the figures from the han wave and the palpatine wave all bent and mangled! It did not look like shipping damage to me! the bubble was crumpled and some were slight torn, peeled back from the card so that it would not be completly sealed! TORN & peeled? that can't be from shipping! To me, the bubble and card condition doen't matter cause i open them, but to people who are looking for good carded examples for there collection, that is just plain wrong to ruin the package like that! for shame to the people who DELIBERATLY damage the bubble/cards like that!

[LTBasker]

Back in May when I found a single Bespin Luke and single Endor Soldier, the Bespin Luke was badly crumpled, but the Endor Soldier was in great condition. Luke's damage could've been random since he was in a seperate case assortment, but it was a Bloody version and the damage was a little too extensive.

[SNAYSON]

Originally posted by LTBasker
Back in May when I found a single Bespin Luke and single Endor Soldier, the Bespin Luke was badly crumpled, but the Endor Soldier was in great condition. Luke's damage could've been random since he was in a seperate case assortment, but it was a Bloody version and the damage was a little too extensive.

that sucks! finding the bloody bespin luke only to discover it was badly crumpled! I would have bought it if i did not have the bespin luke yet, but i have it (non bloody). I would buy the bloody version bespin luke for collectablity.