To think it's cunty to buy up popular toys then flog em on eBay for several x the price??

[GaryShitpeas]

There are a few things my dc want for Christmas that are sold out everywhere. So I've looked online and I've seen them all on eBay (on buy it now) for loads more than they cost in the shops

I think it's grabby, vile and morally reprehensible. Cashing in on children. wtf

Mind you I also blame the manufacturers to some extent as I suspect they deliberately don't release new stock to create hype. And also the parents that are blithely handing over their money to these cunts are dipshits as well

I sold a reservation code on eBay a few years back for the vtech tab. Bids went to £28, guy paid for it and was happy.

So was I!

It doesn't always work that way, some toy manufacturers make limited quantities to push up the demand.

so teach your kids not to be sheep and to learn that there are some pieces of plastic tat that they just can't have.

don't like capitalism? There are alternative places to live where it doesn't operate. I don't think you'll like it very much though.

Ah yes because a 4 year old really understand the concept of 'plastic tat' and going against the norm...

Why all the pity for the purchasers? Parents who have fallen for this weird concept of media-hyped 'must-have' presents have already bought into the whole capitalist dream, lock stock and barrel and are turning their children into the uber-consumers of the future, with no understanding of deferred gratification. Don't they understand what marketing and advertising are? Why not wait until January when stocks are replenished?

People who have raised their kids to believe their lives will be ruined if they can't receive a particular piece of tat on one specific day of the year are hardly going to be anti-consumerist home-knitted socks-for-Xmas types. They are not victims; by paying over-inflated prices on eBay they are actively colluding with the system. If you think making a profit in this way is 'cunty', how on EARTH do you imagine our economy actually works?

?Deferred gratification is kryptonite for banks and big corporations ?

I think it is a great idea. Disney, Toys R Us, Smyths etc all make money out of children. Kudos to people who have been smart enough to snap up the right toys. I will be doing it next year.

don't like capitalism? There are alternative places to live where it doesn't operate. I don't think you'll like it very much though

you present a false dichotomy.
You may be disingenuous or have a severely unsophisticated understanding of economics.
it is possible for markets to be regulated within a capitalist system so as to mitigate the worst consequences of an unfettered free market

don't like capitalism? There are alternative places to live where it doesn't operate. I don't think you'll like it very much though.

What an interesting thing to say.....

If people are daft enough to pay inflated prices then YABU. If no one bought into this nonsense it wouldn't happen.

Toy makers do not limit manufacture to inflate prices if they don't benefit from them. They make descisions months in advance, the largest toy show, in Las Vegas. where all the new Christmas toys are shown is in March.
They limit supply because they don't want to get lots of stuff left unsold and by the time they know the must have toy, it is too late to make more

Ah yes because a 4 year old really understand the concept of 'plastic tat' and going against the norm...

4 year old's also don't understand the concept of playing with a toy for more than a few weeks. If they want something bad enough, a parent will get it early. If they just decided in December the item they "couldn't live without", they can be distracted by something else.

Suzanne

it is possible for markets to be regulated within a capitalist system so as to mitigate the worst consequences of an unfettered free market

Fine for essentials, although exceedingly difficult to enforce.

For trivia such as this year's must-have-for-Christmas silly toy? Come on. When and where has that ever been regulated?

It's greedy, selfish and mean when people buy the must have toy purely to sell it for profit. But yes, let's instead teach our 3/4/5 year old they can't have the (previously affordable) toy they wanted. Some people are gits.

"Ah yes because a 4 year old really understand the concept of 'plastic tat' and going against the norm..."

Well that is when you start teaching them.

Yes I know darling that you want the super revenge kicking robot ninja and it is really cool and David has one. I'm not sure we are going to get that. Let's think of some other wishes too. Some little wishes and some big ones. Maybe if we draw a picture of lots of fun things that you like Father Christmas/Granny/Mummy might buy one of them for Christmas. Yes I know you want the robot ninja, if you don't get that what other things do you like?

Four year olds aren't idiots.

How about the My Little Pony Knacker's Yard and Horse Butcher Outfit?

'Tat' is such a popular word on MN.

Has anyone seen the movie 'Jingle all the Way'?

It's very funny, and related to this...

In related news, black friday shoppers struggle to sell tvs on e-bay. What a shame, not. No sympathy whatsoever, and I won't have any for anybody that gets stuck with toys either.

fatlazymummuy You have made my day. Have you a link you could post?

Here you go andrew www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11266978/Black-Friday-shoppers-struggle-to-sell-TVs-on-eBay.html

Many thanks and you have made a happy man very old, or something of the sort. Serves the buggers right!

Sorry, yabu - it's harsh but just market forces. The price of any commodity is determined by its scarcity relative to demand. Toys aren't an exception to that, why should they be?