so i recently tried ordering a couple things during the KT Anniv. sale and received a sorry soldout notice. i can live with being too slow and others wanting the same thing being a bit quicker on the draw. i can live with it until said toy shows up instantly in some people's trade bait. if you don't want the god damn toy, don't buy it. i can't wait until next monday (or unfortunately probably sooner) when shit like the damnedron sets, rusty pirates, zags and other random sdcc treasures are instantly up for trade. it's one thing if you buy something and then you live with it for a while and decide someone else would be happier with it, but if you know you don't want something or if it instantly 'doesn't really fit in with your collection' then just pass on it and leave it for someone else. fuck trade flippers.
Yeah, I learned also that trade bait just ends up, usually, as sales. A lot of times something is up for trade, but the wants don't match and than it's a big mess. Plus it's a lot of time and energy (toy hunting energy) just to get something you MIGHT be able to trade for the toy you really want in the first place.
That's just a part of collecting. It's all in the eye of the beholder. Trade "flipping" is good for the trader because now they have a chance to trade for the stuff they missed out on, but bad for the person who missed out. Muling is good for the person who can't make it to the con, but bad for the person who's going and far behind the mule.
a problem is that if you then decide you want some older piece that you missed, you have no way to get it. because nobody really sells old stuff on here. the only way i've managed to get a couple of the more rare things i have is to buy anything rare i can find just to have something to trade.
same thoughts here - hope everyone going to sdcc will buy one nice extra fig to flip it here on monday @ retail or in a fair rfso deal. else i will never get to see any cool exclusives.