Why Quad City Toy Scalpers Are Still Going Strong

Do you remember seeing a toy you wanted in the store when you were a kid? Do you remember how excited you were to get a new toy? Well, sadly that feeling is being taken away from many kids, thanks to scalpers right here in the Quad Cities.

We have all most likely heard of the word "scalper," but it is usually linked to sports and defined as,

A person who resells shares or tickets at a large or quick profit.

The Rise In Popularity

Thanks to the internet, everything seems to get scalped. Anything from clothes, shoes, and toys unfortunately are considered fair game. But it's not fair at all, especially for the kids that miss out.

Toys that are most commonly scalped are things like cards, action figures, and LEGO. It's sad to see and hear about. Once a store "drops" a new shipment, adults rush in and buy all the products. They then sell these toys for more on their personal internet store.

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Shelves at stores all over the US are usually left like this:

The Toys Hit The Worst

The toys most affected are commonly Pokémon cards, Star Wars action figures, and specific LEGO. Sadly, kids don't get to see their toys on the shelves, nor do they get them for a fair price. Rather, we have people buying an excessive number of the same toys just to resell them.

My little sister and I are huge fans of LEGO, but it's hard to find sets in stores.

Buying a few of something you like is fine, but to buy all of something only to sell it for twice as much is messed up, especially when that thing is meant for children. Scalping has become a full-time job for people and I for one am not a fan of it.