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I do think the VC looks even hotter beside Kate Beckinsale.

Or, to look at it another way, some of us are competitive and have the drive to excel at our chosen business, side business, or hobby, and don't see anything wrong with what we're doing, while others have a kind of touchy-feely pseudo-empathy for people who aren't willing to actually bestir themselves to find discounts or rare in-stock items and instead stand shrieking on the edge of the playground at a group of kids playing ball under the rules, because they wouldn't agree that the kids who couldn't hit the ball deserve points on the board, too. Yeah, some of you are that shrieky whiny kid. Don't be that kid - learn to hit the ball, or go play a game you can excel at and forget what you're not suited for.

OK, I have 68 VC, will get 2 more for a even 70

Hope so. I haven't been in the game long but I would like to start seeing some more of my items appreciating. I got 7 helms deeps ready to make me some good money.

You want to know a luxury I cannot possibly live without? Ultra soft toilet paper. Sorry, I tried going green and use natures TP of forest leaves but that doesn't work so well for my sensitive bum.

People hate on resellers because 1. They don't know how to do it. 2 They are too lazy to do it. 3. Just like to complain. 4. Do it, but poorly. 5. Don't really know what it is. Or all of the above.

You don't lose debates well, do you? You're getting to troll status now, and you're not fooling anyone by switching around your argument every other post to pretend you didn't mean what you said or that you have any actual points to make other than being argumentative because you don't like the purchasing tactics of some resellers. There is no difference in the basics of running an online business versus a brick and mortar business versus a hybrid business that combines the two. In all cases you will have income, and you will have costs. Cost of goods sold is one of those costs, and it is in fact the subject of this entire conversation as you know perfectly well. I employ two people besides my husband and myself, and your new stupid tactic of asking extremely personal financial information isn't going to scare me off or impress anyone, either. I am relatively sure you aren't interested in posting your tax return, nor am I vulgar enough to ask to see it.

I have no problem clearing a shelf if it's a great deal that I can make a lot of money on. Heck, I should start leaving a business card explaining where they can go to purchase the merchandise from me at my price. I have had several conversations with people who think you're some kind of monster, and a spoiler of Christmas's of kids when you're a reseller of toys. Everyone that buys my stuff is grateful for being able to find it somewhere for their kids. Not every person in the United States has a Toys R Us nearby, so they are perfectly fine paying a mark up to buy an exclusive item for more money. Some people don't care about spending more money and not running around through 15 stores to find one item. I provide a service. I find those items, and I risk my hard earned dollars purchasing stuff I think I will be able to make a return on. I do all the work to find that hard to find toy, and I charge a premium for that service. Not everyone wants to pay that premium, but from my experience, enough will and do which keeps me in business. I always ask people that hate on resellers, "What makes what I do any different than what TRU or Walmart does?" Then I explain to them that they purchase stuff at a lower price than they sell it at. By their hatred of resellers, they should hate retailers too, because they don't just give the toys away to make kids happy. Let's clear things up, every single toy I buy for resale has been sitting on the shelf since September most times. I do my research, and I go out and check out the field to see what's out there. Some stuff I scoop up at full blown retail knowing I'll get a bigger return, other stuff I wait for sales on. If you got an item that your kid just HAS to have, why are you waiting until November or Black Friday to save 20%?

Chin up! We'll get through another round! Slow-moving parents of young children despise faster-moving parents of small children who get there first. Fast-moving parents of small children despise adult collectors who buy the last box on the shelf when they SHOULD leave it "for the children!" Collectors despise the collector/casual investor who buys TWO of a set (shocking! Just shocking! Even if they are the LAST TWO!!) and don't leave any for the purist collector. Collector/Casual Investors despise the Mid-Level Investor/Collector who don't leave any for them. Mid-Level Investor/Collectors despise the High-Level Investor/Reseller (often those counting on Lego for a significant amount or all of their income) who don't leave any for them. It's not "sick" for someone to buy more Lego than another person, or for them not to leave Lego on the shelf for the children, the parents, the purist collectors, the casual investors, the lazy, the stupid, or the weak. We're not talking bottled water in a hurricane here, we're talking a luxury toy. I won't call you whiny if you don't call me sick. Or, better yet, keep calling me sick all you want instead of taking steps to make sure you can compete with me on the fair and level playing field called "Open Hours" at the store selling Lego.

Here we go again....

Many People are finding the witch polybag for 50% off (2.49) and the Umbaran MHC Star Wars Poly Bag for 1.99 in Target Halloweeen Clearance. I passed earlier and now I am wondering if we should go round some up. Figured the witch wasnt that appealing and would not be too popular year round thought the MHC was a joke of a set. Am I missing something. Are you guys swooping these up without second thought.

I think condoms would be great POP items at TRU. "Hey wife, lets get some of these, cuz the 2 kids we already have are expensive as hell."

The Brick Fan posted that the company behind the Minifigures Online game, Funcom, has allowed people to now register for Beta access. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YUf9H6lLlU

Nice find on the Flatbed truck and almost 50% off MSRP. You'll make some bank. I flipped a couple several months ago for $175 each.

^ Damn you beat me to it Halloween costumes are 70% off at target. He combined the deals to make this work!

Seeing that its in store only, I'm guessing he has a full wardrobe. Target had all costumes at 70% off after all :p

Sure, you COULD complain about all 3 things, and I have nothing against complainers, but please just try to show a little restraint.

I just shipped a couple Catwoman and Capt America sets. The 9x8x4 box is a little over 5 oz The sets are both under 5 oz I use bubble wrap and an air pillow Total weight for Catwoman was 9.4 oz and Capt America was a little less

I use 9x8x4 boxes. First class comes to $2.79

Or as Paula Deen would have put it: "It's like a pot calling kettle African American y'all"

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=973pb861&in=M Parts > Minifig torso > search for space*, its the first one that pops up.

Torso: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=973px4&in=M Head: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3626bpx302&in=M I am guessing these belonged to a MOCer. To find the body I just typed Chef into BrickLink, then clicked through inventory links until I got down to just the torso (no arms / hands). Then clicked on minifigures to find out who has it. For the head anytime they have white pupils you can search on that. So browse to parts > minifig heads > then search for pupil. Once you find the head click on minifigures.

I think my whole thing comes down to - There is a way I wish the world could be and then there is a reality. I wish things could be a little better, people didn't have to be so cut throat and savage when it came to business. In the same boat as Diabolos - while ericb may be riding the titanic. But in reality, now having an Ebay business, there are a lot of times when you have to be this way. Like with the USPS Shipping spike. If these prices really do go up, I will have to find a way to fix that with my margins. If that means clearing more shelves, raising prices, doing things a little dirty - I may not have a choice. And thats business. I don't necessarily like it - but I think some of it is just strict reality. In general, we probably just can't judge others for what they do. I am bad about it at times - like the guy who squeaked 15 crawlers out of TRU. I thought restraint would be nice - but then, really it just comes down to my personal opinion and what I feel comfortable with, right? Because where can any of us actually draw a line in the sand? And on top of that, we are all doing something that probably isn't wholesome somewhere. Again, "he who hasn't, throw the first stone". Pretty sure all of our stones are on the ground. Doesn't mean we are bad people - more we just all want the same thing: success.

The chef's set is from 10216 - among others? - but the face/pants don't match.

I don't care for this thread.

http://cm4sci.wikia.com/wiki/LEGO_2014_Prelims

Helm's Deep is done, I been posting this since January, even though the Wholesale sheet said Spring only, Pretty sure Lego was making these 24/7 and made plenty of them to last the whole year or so. just like last year with the Potter 4842 Castle and the POTC 2 Ships and the Potter Diagon Alley all these were still available at retail or cheaper until the end of the year or early 2013. "All The Monster Fighters are Done to, Except The Haunted House"

This color chart has been helpful with all the random slight differences...

I never liked Seinfield although I never hated it. I heard enough people complaining in my day job, I did not need to watch 4 people complaining / arguing about nothing every Thursday night to relax

You know how it goes, us wierdos are psychically linked. Actually I was going to post a question of "Is Maersk blue the same as Medium Azure?" since I had thought they appeared similar but instead I did a little search and it seems they are not. I then thought of sharing my findings with everyone! Ask and you shall receive.... >The Old Grey LEGO Challenge by TheBricks, on Flickr

I have a friend that said he didn't like "Seinfeld", but he likes obvious in-your-face humor. He liked "Scrubs", which I could never get into. He says he didn't get it? Which pretty much means he must live an obscure life, since he can't relate to anything?

Shut up you! Now the Name and the Bingo song is in my head!

If there was a show that needed to go on forever, it was that one

I am personally happy that you decided to express and defend your point of view, especially in a respectful way. Quite honestly, that's something that I feel is lacking in our society at the moment, people seem to just run away from an argument instead of defending their principles. Hope to see you around the forums, ericb.

I said what I wanted. Actually, it was all a big plan to get a lot of people involved in the thread and then drop a newer band onto you all. No really, it wasn't my plan, but if I've really made some people mad, the least I can do is leave something good before I sign off. If you like Black Sabbath, you should check out Kadavar. Good night.

I hate my wife's cat. It sheds like crazy. It meows at nothing. It has never caught a mouse or a bug. I wish it was on death's door. Someday, my son will leave the back door open...hopefully.

I used to work part time for kmart to pay my bills. Now I primarily resell toys I buy from kmart for more money yearly than I did working there. I drive to at least 9 kmarts in my region during these sales. I dont do it all in the same day. Most stores I cant get to until 3 days after the sale begins, and many times youd think the sale just began. These toys just sit. The managers love me because I turn big numbers for them. Many times some of them will email me when toy plcs are being done so I can go see what is being marked down. I do think about exactly what I am doimg. Instead of working 40 hours at my day job and 35 hours a week part time for peanuts, I now work from home shorter hours in addition to my full time job. Robbing you from deals creates more time with my family and more money to boot. I think about this, and I'd make the same decision every time.

It's too late, he went too far and thoroughly outed himself with a childish jab at Jared's Brickfolio. He had a good run going, but like most trolls he had to get greedy and wasn't bright enough to show... restraint. I'm sure he'll be back with a new i.d. some other Sunday afternoon when he gets bored eating Hot Pockets in his mom's basement.

Welll said!!!!!!! And paypal...and box companies....and maintenance, parts and insurance on those vehicles that deliver our goods...and gas (which opens up a entire group of other jobs)...and the paper company that I print labels on (and they also make tissues that the guy who started this thread uses.)...the guys who slaughter the trees so that I can make a buck with those labels...can't forget the ink company and the people who make my printer...then we certainly can't forget about the power that my computer/camera/printer use...the people who make the turbines that create the power that we use in said items...the miners that get the natural resources required to power the power plants that we need to get power for our items needed to be resellers...Now I have mention all the hospital workers needed to service said miners/tree cutters/delivery drivers when they have accidents. (I would be forgetting some if I didn't mention the hookers, strip clubs drug dealers and bars that they use as well. ...The people who make my computer/camera/printer. (Hopefully child labor in some third world country...just kidding.) the tape company...people to clean the offices of these people that provide all the things mentioned prior...I could go on but hopefully u get the gist... .....annnnnd the extra employees that stores have to hire just to deal with Willy As a materr of fact I am pretty certain that Lego resellers are what makes the world go 'round. I think we should get stimulus cash...

Here is the Sparratus minifigure from Legends of Chima giving a good example of what the Spider tribe will look like. The Brick Fan

Are you under some delusion that no online business employs people or has operating expenses? I can't pay wages, along with every other operating expense, if I don't buy for resale at the right price, either. Me and Walmart, same problems, different scale.

As with anything in life, there are those that prepare, and then there are those that don't. And more often than not, the ones that do not prepare are the one complaining about the ones that did.

Thanks for making my life easier. Clicking "Like" is so much less work than writing all that

This is getting kind of sick. Many of you go and clean out stores without thinking twice about what you're doing, but when you're on the outside looking in, you complain. Enough is never enough, and when you have it all, you still want more. Instead of thinking of others, you only think about yourselves. It seems like you get the thought in your heads that only resellers are buying LEGO or looking for the next deal, and 'if I don't buy all of them, another reseller will!'. Exercise some restraint and leave some for others. You don't need everything. Some non-resellers are actually looking to purchase a set when a sale arises. I'm all for getting a deal on LEGO, but at the same time, I know I'm not the only person who should benefit.

Lets play a game........Hold or flip?

LOL. I don't care if you care about anything I ever post about. Besides, I never said a thing about investing in this set in any way. I was referring to its value as a set to build, and Oldsmobile summed up my point beautifully. I won't be picking up this set to build because the only thing that interests me in this set for building is the manual/booklet (emphasis on the word ME. I'm voicing my opinion, of which I am fully entitled to do so). It sounds like you don't build too often, since by the looks of it, you only invest. I'd give it a try...might help you vent some of that hostility.

Thanks for being so useful.

You get tracking for first class package, the $1.69 (online price) mentioned earlier for up to 3 ounces. I wrap minifigs in one sheet of additional bubblewrap inside the bubble mailer. I "roll" the fig up in the center line of the sheet, then fold one loose end over the front of the fig, one loose end over the back of the fig, and use one long strip of tape to secure the whole thing (easy for the buyer to cut off/tear). Then, I wrap the 1/2 sheet of paper packing slip around it, slide the whole thing into the bubble mailer (which I've already taped the label to), slide it far enough down to make it easy to close flap, reinforce the flap with one more strip of package tape this time, and it makes a nice, bulky, bomb and postal-proof package.