General Action Figure Question

[JohnFranklin]

The following question is not COMPLETELY Muppet related, but it does deal with action figures in general. If the powers that be feel they need to remove this because it's off topic, please do so. I'm merely asking here because this is the one of the nicest communities online and I think I'd get some good reqponses.

So here's my question:

What is the deal with people buying action figures and opening them, doing something to the figure, carefully resealing it and then taking it back to the store?

Example: I was in Target last night and there was one of those GI JOE packages of DUKE vs. COBRA COMMANDER and the package had been opened, Cobra Commander removed and a action figure of some NASCAR driver put in it's place and then the package was neatly resealed. I have also seen a Jakks Pacific WWE figure of The Rock where the shirt had been removed and the whole figure resealed.

These are just two examples of this. I've seen many like these for the past two or so years in stores in Northern and Southern CA and it boggles my mind everytime. Is this happening anywhere else? Or is it the work of one lone wacky Californian (Maryland has their crazy guy running around, we have ours.)

Also, what's the point of doing this? Is someone trying to make a RARE VARIENT and then waiting for it to show up on eBay, then buying it and reporting the seller to eBay for selling a resealed item?

I just don't get it!

Thoughts?

jf

 

[BigDumbWookiee]

9 times out of 10 someone does it to get one figure they need; i.e. they already had the Duke figure from another two pack, and didnt want a second one, so they bought the two pack, took out Cobra, and returned it. This is mostly because Hasbro and other companies but out senseless variants, ie one figure that is identical to other packages and one new one. The chances that they are doing it to get it on Ebay are pretty rare, since the odds would be highly against them that they'd see it again...

 

[Drtooth]

I HATE when people do this! I once got the Burger King Apu figure, and it looked like someone opened it, and returned it to Burger King by stapling the thing shut! Of course, it could have been an employee!

 

[JohnFranklin]

Originally posted by BigDumbWookiee
9 times out of 10 someone does it to get one figure they need; i.e. they already had the Duke figure from another two pack, and didnt want a second one, so they bought the two pack, took out Cobra, and returned it. This is mostly because Hasbro and other companies but out senseless variants, ie one figure that is identical to other packages and one new one. The chances that they are doing it to get it on Ebay are pretty rare, since the odds would be highly against them that they'd see it again...

So they buy it, take it home, take out the figure they need, re-seal it and then return it for the money? Or is it all done 'in store'? "Glue! Hand me the glue! What? Well then run over to school supplies and get some!"

I once saw a WWF figure in a package that was SO bad. They had taken parts from various figures and glued them all together and then released the package. THEY HAD DRAWN ON THE FACIAL FEATURES WITH A MARKER!

If this is just a scam to get a figure for free (by returning it later) then Toys R Us or Target or whoever deserve what they get when something is SO OBVIOUSLY wrong and they take it back and put it on the shelf!

I was just wondering if anyone else had noticed this sort of thing in their neck of the woods.

jf

 

[BigDumbWookiee]

I've seen where people have both returned the figure with one replaced, and just took one out in the store. I used to work at Target, and would constantly bust people on this, and I'd say well over 3/4 of them were not kids, they were adults. I worked Toys, register, and customer service. On many occasions, I'd sell a toy one day, and the fool would try and replace it and bring it back the next, and I'd be working at customer service. Ive never seen anyone more embarressed than when I'd say "Well, when you bought this here yesterday, it didnt have this figure in it. If you bring back both of the original figures, then you can return it"

Worse than that are "card benders". Basically these fools think they are protecting kids, buy bending cards to keep them out of the hands of carded collector's and scalpers. They go through, and bend every single card. Its also scalpers doing it so you have to buy from them.

Theres only so much you can do, unfortunately people aren't toy savvy enough to pick up on replacement toys, so it still happens. People still rip em out of the packages, and people mutilate cards. The more popular the line, the worse it gets. We've banned numerous people from the store, had some arrested for destruction of property, theft, etc, but it still happens.

Some people just ruin it for the rest, that goes for everything in the world. Adult toy collectors are kind of looked down on because of people like that. It takes a lot of the fun from collecting as well. People take it WAY to seriously, its supposed to be fun. I collect Muppets and Star Wars, and within Star Wars, I collect packaged and loose. Therefore, that makes me an evil hoarder in the eyes of many other collectors. Nevermind army builders, or customizers. Because one of the two figures I bought remained in its package, clearly I must be a scalper. I will never sell my collections. Unless I am in sever danger of loosing everything I own, I'd never even consider it. Way too many people collect for profit nowadays, and frankly, about 90% of it is because of Ebay and other internet auctioneers.

Top Lines People Take Way Too Seriously:
Matchbox
Star Wars
GI Joe
WWE, etc
Toys of the moment, i.e. Furby, Tickle Me Elmo, etc

This is a big reason I do all of my shopping online. If I have to pay a small premium to guarantee myself a mint figure, then I have no problem doing it.

 

[Stryder Wolfe]

I've NEVER seen anything like that around here...that's crazy! Man what a strange thing....

 

[Aerosmith]

BigDumbWookiee dont forget Hot Wheels and McFarlane Sports Picks

 

[Walker Boh]

Wow, I've never seen that either. I guess everyone's nice and honest down here in Miami. Fortunately, it'd be really hard to try that with the Muppets. "A G.I. Joe painted green? No, it's Kermit! Really!" Plus, it'd be really hard to repackage them ... I had to destroy the lab playset's packaging to get everything out.

 

[fshow]

I've seen that kind of stuff at my local TRU, it's mainly done with the Hero Clicks.
The boxes are sometimes bent at the tops so little fingers can reach in and get the figures around the top.

 

[JohnFranklin]

Originally posted by Walker Boh
Plus, it'd be really hard to repackage them ... I had to destroy the lab playset's packaging to get everything out.

Not to mention all those twist ties!

jf