Toy Sabotage At Retail

[lerath666]

Anonymous did it.

No, Seriously. Google the organization some time, you'll see what i mean.

Specifically, the Card bending. if you see ALOT of excess Card bending of new release and rare, hard to find figures at your store, you've got at least one, possibly more Anons in your area. this is actually a GLOBAL campaign to try and cut back against the scalpers who buy up every figure they can Mint On Card and then resell them at stupid prices at flee markets and online.

and for the card bending, i say Bless them. I've found TONS of stuff new at retail on bent and damaged cards that I've not of found otherwise.

now, Just like in ANY society, or online community, for every good anon, there are some who're kinda shady, and are thieves. i've seen entire threads on certian boards and forums dedicated to how to properly open and swap figures to get them "for free". It's just advanced stealing.

as for the people with crap loads of loose versions of free figures, sometimes, yes, they do it because it's cheaper for them to ship without a package, and some times they sell loose versions of new figures because the figures are purchased as stolen figures from Chinese factories.

So it's not a giant conspiracy... well.. at least not the giant conspiracy you think it is.

 

[jlprjlpr]

Specifically, the Card bending. if you see ALOT of excess Card bending of new release and rare, hard to find figures at your store, you've got at least one, possibly more Anons in your area. this is actually a GLOBAL campaign to try and cut back against the scalpers who buy up every figure they can Mint On Card and then resell them at stupid prices at flee markets and online.

Personally, the card bending doesn't bother me, because I open my figures. I do keep the cards and of course I would prefer that they aren't bent but I've already opened them so the bending doesn't bother me that much. I also have found new figures I've wanted because the card is bent. If the card had been mint, they probably would have been sold.

However, there are many collectors who collect mint on card and it is unfair for anyone to bend the cards, preventing them from buying mint cards. Its just plain wrong to damage merchandise.

 

[Rotfish]

I didn't even know these things happened. I might've seen it in-store once or twice, but this is a regular thing??

 

[kl241]

I saw this twice in the past week. Once at Toys R Us with a vintage style Dack figure being replaced with a POTF2 figure. I took he figure and a correct version to a manager and explained. She just kind of looked at them as if she couldn't tell the difference. I know the main manager of the store is a toy collector and she said she'd show it to him.

The second one I saw was at walmart with the new Jabba the Hutt. I was excited to find it and it was the only one on the shelf. But upon closer inspection I noticed the Oola pack in was a POTF2 Oola and not the new articulated one. The Jabba inside probably wasn't the real one either but I had no way of knowing that. Could have been a brick for all I or the person who accepted the item for refund knew. All they knew is that the box was still taped up and looked untampered.

These employees and managers don't take the time to notice and, from my experience, don't care.

I don't see a problem with this since Hasbro and Lucas have been milking the fans for years. If they had done it right the first time instead of making them keep upgrading their collections people wouldn't be doing this. I may have to try this. Excellent idea. Thanks!

 

[agentofchaos73]

About 10-12 years ago, the local Target store, which was the only Target in our area at the time, were intentionally bending the card backs or marking an "X" in black marker on SW figures and Hot Wheels as they stocked the shelves. This particular store was overrun with scalpers, and wrecking the packages was their answer. It didn't bother me any, since I was always an opener. It did seem strange to go in there and see all the rough looking figures. Probably not a coincidence that I found most of my hard to find items there, either.

 

[jlprjlpr]

I went to a local TRU on Friday and saw tons of Star Wars toys where someone had swapped out the new action figures and replaced them with old ones. So I grabbed 4 examples, found the manager and showed them to him. He said: "I know, I know, but there's nothing I can do about it. I can't train my sales people to catch this and I can't be at the returns desk all the time." So I said: "but this guy is ripping off the store all the time". And amazingly he says: "actually its not a guy, its a woman, she comes in here all the time."

!!!!!!

At that point, I didn't know what to say. So they know EXACTLY who is doing it and they still don't care! Amazing.

 

[CelticPredator]

I have never heard of this....ever...nor seen it.

 

[darthviper107]

Sounds like your main issue is you're buying action figures

 

[jlprjlpr]

Sounds like your main issue is you're buying action figures

Not sure what you mean by that. Are you implying that action figures are a "lesser" collectible than Sideshow statues and aren't worth the trouble? If so, I have to strongly disagree. In fact, Hasbro is currently putting out some of the finest sculpts ever of Star Wars, Marvel and GI Joe characters.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Sounds like your main issue is you're buying action figures

 

[Jay1138]

I can't abide card bending at all. Not acceptable either.

Example...

Yesterday I went into TRU to find some new SW figures I've been looking for. And to my surprise I find them -with ALL the cards bent up. And not all the figures -just the newest ones. Now, I'm not a scalper, thief or figure swapper. I just want 1 of each. Is that ok? According to card benders, it's not.

 

[jlprjlpr]

I can't abide card bending at all. Not acceptable either.

Example...

Yesterday I went into TRU to find some new SW figures I've been looking for. And to my surprise I find them -with ALL the cards bent up. And not all the figures -just the newest ones. Now, I'm not a scalper, thief or figure swapper. I just want 1 of each. Is that ok? According to card benders, it's not.

Bending cards and swapping figures are the lowest form of in-bred behavior.
It is amazing how sick and disgusting these individuals are.

 

[xkage824]

ha ha this is alot of effort for the person stealing these to actually buy it, take it home, take out the figure, put an old figure in and then return it. all i ever notice is people just opening the box or packaging in the store taking out the figure and then leaving the rest there.
i noticed this at zellers when i was last there and i was looking at the iron man toys by hasbro. pretty much all of them where taken or had missing items or where just busted up. looked like someone took a knife to the packaging and just took them out.
ive never noticed it before until then. this world is going crazy to steal toys from kids...its just messed up.