The Community Perspective on Reselling

momof2boys99

I really love this board. I enjoy all of the discussions. If anyone does not know, I will explain my situation. We have collected Lego for 13 years. We love Lego. My son competed in his first BrickWorld this year. It was so much fun. It was such a wonderful experience. We had a lot of relatives come and they could not believe what people can do with Lego. It was a beautiful day.

I also love to sell Lego. I am passionate about it and work hard at it. I don't wipe out shelves. I only purchased 1 Minecraft this past week. However, I do not look down at sellers that do. Everyone has a different story. If they took the effort to get to the store earlier than me, then all is fair. They might need the money more. They could be out of work and this could be their source of income in between jobs. I don't think it is right to jump on so quickly to judge someone when you do not know what their circumstances are. It seems like people get so mad at people who resell. I find that there are many nice resellers out there. So, my question is...what is all the anger about. I would like some insight as to why you get so upset. Thank you.

LegoFanTexas

I am not who you directed your question towards, however...

There are many reasons why, it is the same list of reasons why any group of people doesn't like any other group.

It could be envy, it could be jelousy, it could be they had a bad experience with a reseller once, it could be they don't believe in capitalism, it could be they don't like themselves and it is easier to lash out at anyone different than themselves.

Replace resellers with any ethnic or religious group in the world, you'll get the same reasons, the same anger, the same responses.

A lot of people in the world simply are afraid of anyone or anything different than themselves, or simply don't like anyone who is different. Or perhaps want what someone else has.

Pick a reason, or multiple reasons. :) And I'm sure I'm leaving some out.

We each have our own points of view in the world. As I've watched my children grow, as I've grown myself, I've learned to celebrate our differences and respect others, more than judging others.

Judgement of other people is a harsh thing that I've worked hard in the past year to let go of. I think it makes me a better person. I am of the belief that if we all did more understanding and less judging, the world would be a nicer place to live in.

My 2.3 cents worth.

drdavewatford

I'm not sure there is anger towards resellers in general. There are however those on the forum who have questioned the ethics of people who clear out every last bit of discounted stock from stores thus denying others the chance of getting a bargain. There has also been some dismay expressed regarding the mean-spiritedness of some folks on the forum who have been unwilling to pass on savings to fellow forum members; given that the forum is a small community in its own right, I can see why someone bragging loudly about getting fifty sets at 50% off and then being unwilling to help out fellow forum members who are looking for that particular set might cause some resentment.

momof2boys99

I agree. That is why I started this thread. I was hoping that we could all learn from each other and lessen the anger that comes up in some of the threads. I always think if you understand where someone else is coming from it can help any situation.

momof2boys99

If anyone was looking for something I would help. It happens all of the time on Ebay to me. I think most people are good. I only have a problem when I am helping someone and they try to take advantage of that help and begin to expect it.

atkinsar

I have no issue with resellers, I think in general it is good for the hobby. There are countless OOP sets that I've got hold of through the reseller route that would otherwise be difficult to source. In my experience, I'd say the majority of resellers are also fans who collect, build and love the brick and who are willing to share great deals with friends at cost when they come across them.

Of course, just as in any group, there a few bad apples, and it is the apparent behaviour of the few that seems upset others. I say apparent, because not everyone who sorts someone out with a good deal will then publicly shout about about in the forum. So, even someone who on the face of it seems to be clearing shelves and bragging about it on the forum, may well be sorting other people out with great deals in private.

As we start the run up to Christmas, and more and more deals start to appear, it is worth remembering that there are always two side to every story, nobody knows the full story, and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

LegoFanTexas

I'm not sure there is anger towards resellers in general.

You don't think so? :)

From reading the Walmart shipping thread, there are a few posters who are taking outright glee in resellers (or anyone else) getting damaged boxes in the mail from Walmart.

There are however those on the forum who have questioned the ethics of people who clear out every last bit of discounted stock from stores thus denying others the chance of getting a bargain.

Then they are expressing an opinion. Ethics are just opinions using a fancier word. Many people in all walks of life throw out words like morals and ethics, as if they were fact-based like gravity.

What these people should really be saying is, "I think stores should enforce per-item limits so that everyone gets a shot at the deals", rather than attacking the people who actually get to the store first and get the deals.

There has also been some dismay expressed regarding the mean-spiritedness of some folks on the forum who have been unwilling to pass on savings to fellow forum members

Mean-spiritedness? I honestly can't think of a single example of that, ever... has this been a problem that I missed?

As for passing on deals, some people do and some people don't, and that should be ok both ways.

My 2 cents worth... :)

dougts

I can see why someone bragging loudly about getting fifty sets at 50% off and then being unwilling to help out fellow forum members who are looking for that particularly set might cause some resentment.

If anyone was looking for something I would help. It happens all of the time on Ebay to me. I think most people are good. I only have a problem when I am helping someone and they try to take advantage of that help and begin to expect it.

Exactly!

I have personally done this on these forums, and seen it done by others as well. Where my willingness ends however is when the "entitlement" sense has kicked in - people feeling they are entitled to an at-cost transfer of someone else's pre-paid sale purchase anytime they ask, it turns more into a personal shopper, who is fronting the cash for you. That's a bit beyond the line of reasonableness, rather than recognizing that it'a favor being done in the spirit of fostering the community.

LegoFanTexas

dougts said:

I have personally done this on these forums, and seen it done by others as well. Where my willingness ends however is when the "entitlement" sense has kicked in - people feeling they are entitled to an at-cost transfer of someone else's pre-paid sale purchase anytime they ask, it turns more into a personal shopper, who is fronting the cash for you. That's a bit beyond the line of reasonableness, rather than recognizing that it'a favor being done in the spirit of fostering the community.

I tried that about 6 months ago, and got swamped by PMs from people wanting everything and the world, at cost, for no effort on their part.

If I'm going to buy 50 copies of something, then have 25 people demand a copy each at cost, I'd rather just leave them on the shelf. I don't need to work for free, and it became that really fast.

I have a few people here that I help out privately and there is a select few that have done for me, and I'll do for them any time they need it, but for the most part, I don't care to be swamped again with "help me get a great deal after you've done all the work, and oh yea I don't want to value your time at anything!"

Thanks, but um... no... :)

I will say, most people are nice about it, but it doesn't take very many "gimmie, gimmie, gimmie" PMs to make one lose a lot of interest.

TheCultLeader

Possibly because resellers can limit availability of an item and drive up market value. I used to resell Jordan sneakers, so I've gotten my share of hate from people that were unable to get a pair for retail because I purchased ten at once.

cheshirecat

^^^^ Yes that can be OK both ways, but then its perfectly reasonable for someone to decide on the basis of how that other person behaves that they don't like them and they don't like the way they behave. When there are enough of them then that starts to taint all resellers. I have to say, that hasn't happened to me - I neither look down on all resellers nor the idea of reselling, but there are one or two people whose practices to me, shall we say, raise an eyebrow. But they are very much a minority and, truth be told, they don't tend to hang around here very long.

There is also an issue that for a while at least almost every thread seemed to turn into a 'how much money can I make from this set'. Whilst reselling is a valid subset of collecting it isn't the same and for many of us we don't see every part of our lego collection as a monetary value. I'm guessing to many when every other thread started talking about reselling and future profits it started to feel somewhat dirty. I suspect most of us love LEGO for what it is, we hold it in quite high esteem (even if thats more than a little weird), the idea of seeing it as a commodity is some what of an anathema.

The final issue for me are those that clean out the shelves which to me is just selfish and greedy (a very bad combination of two things which whilst potentially ok on their own produce a heady mixture that in my eyes can only be bad for communities and society). I know many/most will disagree and either go down the 'I was there first' or 'if not me then someone else' arguments which whilst hard to disagree with can also be applied to many far worse, morally bankrupt ideas.

greekmick

Picking up items at a discount and selling for a profit is what most people would do to fund this expensive hobby. But people shouldn't forget we are a friendly community with whom most people like to help each other. If I find a deal at my local Tesco I normally contact the few bricksetters in my area I know will be able to make it to the store to purchase themselves. If not I am happy to pick up a few extra for them to sell back at cost or trade. I wouldn't clear the shelves and then contact them to say I have xxx for £££ (plus my markup). I am also confident they would do the same for me ;)

If people start getting fed up with items selling out before purchases can be made then others will stop posting great findings and just keep the news to themselves. HUKD is a prefect example, I watch the site closely through the day but you have to be so quick to actually get any deal as the resellers will be logged on and buying up dozens of items. I have noticed that people are more reluctant to post findings now and just brag about deals now expired.

Sell your extra items on ebay and make your money but also spare a thought for your fellow bricksetter who no doubt will be willing to return the favour in the future.

drdavewatford

greekmick said:

Sell your extra items on ebay and make your money but also spare a thought for your fellow bricksetter who no doubt will be willing to return the favour in the future.

Yup - I think that this is the crux of it; we've tried to build a community of like-minded adults here on the forum, a friendly group who can help each other out and enjoy the banter. For many, buy low and sell high doesn't fit with that ethos and hence the bad feeling that sometimes emerges.

rocao

This thread will probably have a lot of people weighing in with their opinions. Let's use this as an opportunity to show that we can do it in a mature, respectful, and receptive manner.

jdylak

Why? Because a lot of them love to come here and brag about buying 30 of this and 30 of that. "Oh, I could only get 20 Grand Emproiums with my 10 different Amazon accounts". Ok, we get it already. "Now this puts me to have 50 Death Stars". We should take a bow to you?

Christmas Walmart clearance got wiped out by one guy here. One guy with two carts heaped of Lego. He had an associate round them all up for him as he pushed one cart to the front and told the associate to take them to the back if he had to. He had cash and he was buying. So, I would have loved one of those Mill Village Raid sets. Anyone help me out? "I'll sell one to you at retail". Yea, if I could have gotten one when it was at retail, I would have. Best anyone could do to "help me out". One person wanted to charge an extra $10 for a "finders fee". Please.

Funny thing is when my Walmart clearanced out all the Friends sets, who were the first ones wanting to buy them from ME. I wanted the set for my son. These people wanted to make the money. Thanks.

cheshirecat

^^^ well said. To me it is important than brickset is something very different all together from the Lego threads of moneysavingexpert or hotukdeals. And at its heart its that collectively we have an appreciation of what's in the box, not just thinking of it in terms of how much cash we can make turning it around.

momof2boys99

^I agree. I wanted that to happen. I was sad looking at the Walmart sales thread. We are adults. I think it always helps everyone to learn from each other. Why does buy low and sell high bother someone if they could do the same? As I stated I do not clear out shelves. I purchase weekly and stock up. So, I am doing what anyone else would have a chance to do. I sell at great prices and I am friendly. I don't think most people wipe out shelves. I think that is only a few, but even those few don't bother me. Life is too short for that.

momof2boys99

I don't see it just as making cash. I have fun with it. My kids have fun. My son's dream is to work with Lego.(as is everyone else's) I love that I have a place to talk with other people who sell here. I might not have the same ways of going about it, but that is o.k. I like the conversation. I don't see why brickset can't include these conversations too as they effect quite a few people. I am sure I sell to people on this board on Ebay. I have sold and traded on here. So, I think we can all get along.

drdavewatford

momof2boys99 said:

Why does buy low and sell high bother someone if they could do the same?

Apologies for not being more precise - I meant buy low and sell high to fellow forum members. And as for all of us being able to "buy low sell high" you're absolutely right - anyone can do it - but you can do that anywhere - eBay, Bricklink, Craigslist etc. etc.. Speaking as a founder member of this forum, my recollection is of a desire to try and build a community rather than just provide yet another place to make a profit on sales, and I think most people have embraced that.

momof2boys99

So, do you not want us to talk about reselling? I apologize if this was a bad idea.

Bumblepants

I think there are just some people who are just always chaffed about something. One thing I really appreciate about Brickset, and probably why I keep coming back so often, is how pleasant and helpful just about everyone on here tend to be. Several people have been kind enough to help me get a few things here and there and I have helped out a few others when I could. It is disappointing when the occasional rude or antagonistic commenter pops up but overall there is a good atmosphere with very little in the way of hate here.

LegoFanTexas

^ with only a few exceptions, I think that has been the case.

most of the deals posted here under marketplace have generally been really good deals, I think. A few have not, and I'm sure I've done it once or twice, but when I think of a deal to post, generally I try to offer a better price here than anywhere else

What concerns me is the inability to talk about Lego sales, that happen elsewhere. I fully get the whole "don't try to make all your profits off Brickset members", that would be pointless, too many great deals are posted here. But talking about reselling at all seems to get people up in a bunch.

I wear both hats, I love Lego, I have lots of it myself, I love building it, my kids love it, that is all great.

I also love when reselling Lego pays for a vacation for my family. That is not evil. :) But it seems like some people think it is, that I should give that up, so other people can get cheap Lego.

I just don't understand it. The very "selfishness" that resellers get branded with, the branders are doing. "don't clear the shelves to make a profit, that is selfish, leave it there so *I* can get some cheap Lego".

Now who is being selfish? ;)

CCC

I love the marketplace here. I buy quite a lot knowing it is not for myself. But I prefer to trade than sell.

If I can buy a £50 set for £25 and trade it with someone else for a £50 set that they bought for £25, I'm much happier than (i) selling the set for £25 and not having enough money to buy the other set I am interested in or (ii) trying to sell the set for near £50 to get the most money I can towards another set. (i) Feels like I am doing myself a dis-service and (ii) feels like I am conning them. Reciprocating deals like for like is much more comfortable for me.

cheshirecat

I don't think anyone is saying don't talk about reselling, but perhaps try and stop it flooding in to every other topic (which in fairness people have been doing recently, but then I haven't seen this hatred of resellers either).

@LegoFanTexas I have to say, whilst most of your points are well considered and well laid out the last one about "don't clear the shelves to make a profit, that is selfish, leave it there so *I* can get some cheap Lego" makes absolutely no sense to me at all.

At its heart, when someone posts that there is a great lego bargain at shop X then thats so that other people, probably lots of other people on brickset can potentially benefit. That is giving to the community. When one person then comes along and buys all the stock (ok that might be an exaggeration but even if three people clear the stock between them) then that is doing the exact opposite and preventing others on brickset benefiting. That is taking from the community and adding nothing, ultimately unsustainable. I do fail to understand whats hard to understand about that.

rocao

jdylak said:

Why? Because a lot of them love to come here and brag about buying 30 of this and 30 of that. "Oh, I could only get 20 Grand Emproiums with my 10 different Amazon accounts". Ok, we get it already. "Now this puts me to have 50 Death Stars". We should take a bow to you?

I'm honestly trying to process why this is an issue for some and not for others.

Personally, I don't see this as bragging or boasting. I do not perceive any action directed at me, positive or negative. Whereas I think your question "We should take a bow to you?" seems as if you take it as a personal affront.

When there is a buying opportunity in which a lot of people are taking interest, I will post whether or not I was successful: what I was able to get and in what quantity. I am not doing so to brag or to assert some financial superiority. I do so to contribute to the shared experienced -- to help inform others so they might succeed or caution them not to waste their time in vain.

All of us, whether we are collectors, resellers, or both, know how much time and energy goes into the pursuit of the brick. This is why I never begrudge someone when their hard work pays off. This also gives me compassion to share my good luck.

This is evident in the recent Walmart shopping thread. A group of us were up late into the night informing each other as stock became available, ways to avoid glitches in the system, and discussing which buys were attractive. We were not beating our chests with braggadocio about who could buy the most.

TheCultLeader

LegoFanTexas said:

I just don't understand it. The very "selfishness" that resellers get branded with, the branders are doing. "don't clear the shelves to make a profit, that is selfish, leave it there so *I* can get some cheap Lego".

Now who is being selfish? ;)

Would you consider it selfish if, say, you clear out an entire stock of a set in an area leaving none for a kid that's been saving up his allowance to buy the set?

momof2boys99

I do leave stuff on the shelf....but I am in the Chicagoland area and I always have a feeling that I left it for a reseller. Heck....even the workers of stores take the good deals once they know about them. Is that fair? I mean why get worked up about something that is out of your control. I put up good deals on Ebay and I am sure 50% of them go to resellers. It really does not bother me. The only think I think about when purchasing Lego is what I need to get for my kids. I do purchase months ahead and look for sales. I know that is not possible for everyone.....and that is where the reseller can be your friend.

CCC

TheCultLeader said:

LegoFanTexas said:

I just don't understand it. The very "selfishness" that resellers get branded with, the branders are doing. "don't clear the shelves to make a profit, that is selfish, leave it there so *I* can get some cheap Lego".

Now who is being selfish? ;)

Would you consider it selfish if, say, you clear out an entire stock of a set in an area leaving none for a kid that's been saving up his allowance to buy the set?

It's a tough lesson for that kid. He should have been quicker if he wanted it at sale price, and in that sense he is no different to anyone else. He has absolutely no entitlement to any discounted lego. His age does not come into it. However, since he is saving up, he can still keep saving at buy at full price like anyone else can.

If he wants to learn a lesson, then he should save up and keep a kitty ready to buy sale items, and not spend all his money as soon as he has enough to purchase a set at full price. That way he is ready to purchase at sale prices, if he can get them before others do. Most sets are out for a long time, so don't rush in and buy as soon as you can if you want to optimise your spending power.

jdylak

rocao said:

jdylak said:

Why? Because a lot of them love to come here and brag about buying 30 of this and 30 of that. "Oh, I could only get 20 Grand Emproiums with my 10 different Amazon accounts". Ok, we get it already. "Now this puts me to have 50 Death Stars". We should take a bow to you?

I'm honestly trying to process why this is an issue for some and not for others.

Personally, I don't see this as bragging or boasting. I do not perceive any action directed at me, positive or negative. Whereas I think your question "We should take a bow to you?" seems as if you take it as a personal affront.

When there is a buying opportunity in which a lot of people are taking interest, I will post whether or not I was successful: what I was able to get and in what quantity. I am not doing so to brag or to assert some financial superiority. I do so to contribute to the shared experienced -- to help inform others so they might succeed or caution them not to waste their time in vain.

All of us, whether we are collectors, resellers, or both, know how much time and energy goes into the pursuit of the brick. This is why I never begrudge someone when their hard work pays off. This also gives me compassion to share my good luck.

This is evident in the recent Walmart shopping thread. A group of us were up late into the night informing each other as stock became available, ways to avoid glitches in the system, and discussing which buys were attractive. We were not beating our chests with braggadocio about who could buy the most.

No, not directed at you or anyone in particular because I can never remember who says this or that. I'm not into going to hunt down who says things to make a point. There has been many a brag/boats when it comes to deals. Remember people posting all the pictures after the Walmart Christnas clearance? How is that helping or sharing insight? To me that is just "hey look how much I can buy". Why the need to post pictures of piles and piles of sets, sometimes 30 of the same? How is that contibuting to anything?

Now have I posted in the "brag" thread? Yes, guilty. It is a GREAT feeling to be on like ebay at the right time when something is posted. But I don't drive all over waiting for stores to open just to go and grab this or that. Not saying anyone here does that but, it's just my perception of resellers I guess. I have been a collector of one thing or another (sometimes many diff things at once) over the last 30 years, so the stereotypical "ebayer/resaler" has always been the evil man to the casual collector. Just how my brain thinks when I hear those words. It's not an attack at any specific individual here on this board.

momof2boys99

^My take on that is if the person is driving all over the place from store to store, they are working. They are taking a lot of time and gas to find those deals. So, when I see someone with a picture of a cart full of Lego. My first thought is....Holy Crap!!! My next thought is I am sure they drove all over and worked hard and got excited to find that. It might help their family somehow. Who knows? Just something to think about.

Bumblepants

I don't think it is too unreasonable for someone to buy up a ton of clearance. It is called that for a reason, the store is hoping it will clear out quickly. That said, if the hypothetical kid who is going to miss out is in the aisle when you take the last two sets, the right thing to do is let the kid have one. But I think it is a waste of time to try and imagine who all the future shoppers in a given store will be and how your purchases will affect them.

Last summer I gave a fellow AFOL one of the two 50% off Hogwarts Castles I had in my cart at Target because he was right there and also looking for a good deal. If no one else had been there, I would have taken both home and somewhere down the line sold one of them to help fund my future Lego purchases.

People are going to have different opinions on where to draw the line here. Between the Black Friday shopper who is knocking people down and cursing to get all the best deals for himself and the shopper who is trying to find her grandson a birthday gift is a large gray area where you have to decide for yourself what is appropriate.

cheshirecat

@CCC We've been here before so its never going to end in agreement, but lets take that further. If someone is clearing the shelves and a little boy comes up to the shelf just as the evil reseller (joke) is putting the last set in their trolley but doesn't think of handing one over, is that selfish. Is the reseller a t*** or is it just a hard lesson for little johnny to learn. Hell, why not just snatch the set out of little johny's hands - another hard lesson he needs to learn.

As i said before: At its heart, when someone posts that there is a great lego bargain at shop X then thats so that other people, probably lots of other people on brickset can potentially benefit. That is giving to the community. When one person then comes along and buys all the stock (ok that might be an exaggeration but even if three people clear the stock between them) then that is doing the exact opposite and preventing others on brickset benefiting. That is taking from the community and adding nothing, ultimately unsustainable. I do fail to understand whats hard to understand about that.

momof2boys99

^I know when I went to my Walmart. I listed the my city and stated what Lego sets they had. I think that is fair. If someone drives to it and the sets are gone, atleast I tried to help. I think most of us try to tell people where to go.

SirKevbags

This is a constant issue that won't go away. I've not been around since the start here but I think the "issue" started around the Back Friday sales last year. Wasn't it an XXL box that was practically being given away? People posted about scoring very large amounts and there was a public request for one. From memory the request was denied. People see things like that, myself included and think you greedy buggers. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

For the record if people want to resell anything that's their business not mine. They could be doing it to fund a giant moc, the next UCS purchase, to pay the mortgage. It makes no difference to me. Personally I do consider the bragging to be rather distasteful. At times people people might aswell drop their trousers and get out the tape measure.

The community spirit is alive and well though. You only have to look at the Steam event this past weekend. There were thousands of £'s worth of sets changing hands. These weren't trading partners. These were sets being exchanged from friend to friend. Lego may have introduced those people but friendship lead to them swapping those sets at cost. Running round picking up sets doesn't make any profit for me. I would rather have the mates who I know do the same thing for me.

leemcg

cheshirecat said:

As i said before: At its heart, when someone posts that there is a great lego bargain at shop X then thats so that other people, probably lots of other people on brickset can potentially benefit.

I think that's only correct when you're talking about a bargain in an individual store (which seems relatively unlikely). If you're talking about a bargain at a chain of stores, it's generally enough to be told that it's worth checking your own local store for stock, or slow-to-update shelf-edge pricing.

I'd like to throw something else out in this (very interesting) discussion, the reverse. Sometimes if you leave something on the shelf, it will never get sold and you'll regret it later. This has happened to me in the recent Tesco discounts, when Series 7 figs were 49p. Almost a box full is still there, but now priced back at 1.97 - I really wish I hadn't left any on the shelf for other fans or resellers now.

pvancil27

I was going to make another argument for my thoughts, but I really dont want to be given another doodad speech or called a commie.

momof2boys99

^Thanks for sharing that. I will think of that next time I leave things on the shelf. I guess you just never know.

momof2boys99

pvancil27 said:

I was going to make another argument for my thoughts, but I really dont want to be given another doodad speech or called a commie.

I want to hear what you have to say. That is why I started this thread. Please share. I can't speak for everyone, but I think we have all been respectful.

pvancil27

momof2boys99 said:

pvancil27 said:

I was going to make another argument for my thoughts, but I really dont want to be given another doodad speech or called a commie.

I want to hear what you have to say. That is why I started this thread. Please share. I can't speak for everyone, but I think we have all been respectful.

Theres is a topic a while back that got split out of the reseller price guessing thread where it pretty much ended up me and one other person against the board.

One thing on this board is it has a very large number of resellers and they tend to be among the most vocal here. For better or worse it makes them the first things a lot of people see. And as others have said in a lot of cases those thread get taken over by them, intentionally or not. I've had some good interactions with some and very bad with others. I just dont want to get back into what will get me borderline railed by some people again. If you really want to read it you can find it a few months back I'm sure.

momof2boys99

^I am sorry that it happened to you. I hope you have better experiences in the future. :)

CCC

cheshirecat said:

@CCC We've been here before so its never going to end in agreement, but lets take that further. If someone is clearing the shelves and a little boy comes up to the shelf just as the evil reseller (joke) is putting the last set in their trolley but doesn't think of handing one over, is that selfish. Is the reseller a t*** or is it just a hard lesson for little johnny to learn. Hell, why not just snatch the set out of little johny's hands - another hard lesson he needs to learn.

I agree. If he is there and wants one, I'd give him one. But I wouldn't leave one in case another child might come along, not if I thought I could use all the ones I was buying, either for myself or for trades. As if you follow that, then what about the next child, and the next, and the next, and the granny that wants one for her grandson, and the woman that wants five for her kids and the guy who wants to buy 20 to "donate them to the local hospice" (in inverted commas as, 9 times out of ten, by donate he means sell and local hospice means on ebay).

I think you also have to remember that for everyone that posts a deal, and every registered member that says thanks or I got some too, then there are probably at least ten people that just look for deals here and contribute nothing - links to brickset often appear on HUKD, MSE, etc, and so it wouldn't surprise me if the big resellers check HUKD, MSE, brickset for posts about deals.

I have also noticed sometimes I post something here, and within minutes it is on HUKD. I'm sure it happens with other people's posts, I just notice it with mine. People seem to think that "heat" there is some kind of honour. Are they members here? Are they adding to the community by spreading deals further, or just taking by giving a heads-up to people that don't really care about the product, but just want stock to sell in their own search for heat?

Every time I post something, I know it means it is likely to end up on HUKD. I often try to delay posting to a more convenient time - but that is hard to know when other bricksetters are likely to be around. This is the problem of posting useful time sensitive information on a public forum. Others who don't care about the community will take it and they will use it for their own gain. Even a heads up to new stock is likely to get that stock cleared out in minutes.

cheshirecat

^^^ I remember, it was a little like a pack of rabid dogs. If i remember rightly a fairly moderate stance that wasn't quite the same as an american very free capitalism was derided as communist (even though it certainly wasn't), the irony being the last few years having not learnt anything about the bad mix of selfishness, greed and unfettered capitalism. It actually (and its sounds overly dramatic I know but hey) left a nasty taste in the mouth and lowered my opinion of some of the more regular posters.

TyoSolo

I love the community here, especially recently, as we do tend to help each other out. Look at @kevbags - he got a Brand Store that he didn't need, and he rallied the community to raise cash to buy sets for sick children. Amazing.

@rich69 saw one of my posts recently looking for a Batwing set. He messaged me and said he could pick me one up from Tesco for £16, with no thought for profit. Again, amazing.

@silentmode wasn't able to get to the Sheffield Grand Opening, and asked if someone could pick up the exclusive minifig pack for him, so I did. That's what we're about.

Equally, I can see why people snatch up deals for resale. Some for profit, others, like me, to sustain their hobby. If it wasn't for resellers that hold on to stock for long periods of time, I wouldn't have picked up some of the out of production sets that I've managed to get for reasonable prices.

Love 'em or hate 'em, we all use them.

momof2boys99

I did not know that people were posting things on other sites. I have not even heard of the sites that you mentioned.

I personally want to apologize if I ever offended anyone on the boards. I would never want to do that. I am a sensitive person and I know things sometimes don't get interpreted right online.

cheshirecat

@CCC - that was exactly the point. The 'hard lesson' argument falls down then, if its not a hard lesson for the one that was 20 seconds too late, why so for one 1 minute too late, or 20 minutes to late? then you get left with:

"I know many/most will disagree and either go down the 'I was there first' or 'if not me then someone else' arguments which whilst hard to disagree with can also be applied to many far worse, morally bankrupt ideas."

Slightly off topic, I wonder how many people would happily pass on the odd bargain set at cost to a fellow bricksetter but not if they knew that set was to be resold?

LostInTranslation

^ in response to your last point, I wouldn't.

As for the rest of this topic, it's all been said before and there are no definitive answers as to what is right, acceptable, decent etc. It all ends up getting heated and personal, as @pvancil27 has experienced. For the first time ever though I'm considering unfollowing

cheshirecat

@TyoSolo add to that a few people (I beleive CCC above was one) that passed on a great deal they got when the initial poster had their order cancelled on them. I'm sure every day lovely things happen on Brickset, I remember when I first joined someone sent me some free Lego without any kind of payment/trade at all (I'm still looking to repay that favour). Someone else here traded me a £50 BNIB Lego set for a TC-14.

cheshirecat

^^ No, nor would I.

SirKevbags

^ Great things do happen here every day re deals, favours etc often as @atkinsar said behind the scenes.

momof2boys99

^^^I know I end up selling to resellers. They can tell me it is for them, but usually I know.

SirKevbags

@momof2boys99 Those sites mentioned are UK based so unlikely to be on your radar.