Chrome Storm Trooper PolyBag

[Morgan19]

For those still looking, don't give up! I went in to TRU on a whim this morning and asked about the chromie, and the service rep (very nice lady, for once) let me know they still had a few left. One rebel pack later and I was able to get one.

This particular store was adamant about not selling them individually (they mentioned it without me even asking), so there's still hope that not every TRU's been hit by your local eBay-obsessed nimrod.

m19

[The Brain]

I have a feeling that my local one might be one of the less-slammed stores. Of course, there's also the chance that people from Lucasfilm came and raided the store (it's happened in the past), so it's possible that everything might be gone. I would like to check again soon. I'm satisfied with my 2, but if I can get more with some battlepacks, I would feel great.

[Tyrant]

This particular store was adamant about not selling them individually (they mentioned it without me even asking), so there's still hope that not every TRU's been hit by your local eBay-obsessed nimrod.

m19

I love how all the collecting worlds problems can aparrently be blamed on the nameless hordes of ebay, complete with insults. They couldn't possibly have simple gone through them. No, that's not even a possibility. It absolutely had to be an "ebay obsessed nimrod". it couldn't ever be that people are waiting until late in the week for an apparently pretty limited promo. Don't misunderstand, I know people have lives beyond this. However, it's not like these couldn't have been bought online a while ago. People are upset that they can't get them for $2.99 (or free with another purchase). These were available through S@H. My sympathy is fairly limited in this case.

I went to a TRU last Sunday in the evening and they were already gone. I never once felt the need to go online and uselessly complain about what may or may not have been someone I will never meet cleaning them out before I got there. Instead I called another TRU, found out they had tons of them, and went there instead. In the interest of full disclosure, I did get 4 of them. I could've bought them out completely but I saw no real reason to do so. Had I thought they would be worth buying to resell, I would've bought more of them without a second thought. As it is, it's not worth me driving back to that particular TRU (assuming they even have any more at this point, they didn't exactly have a huge pile to begin with) to get more because I would have to buy 3 or 4 and sell them for a 200% profit cover the trip. If I didn't want a few of them for myself and one to give to my nephew, I wouldn't have bothered getting any in the first place.

To everyone who missed these, there are two lessons here. The first is that if you want something and it's available, buy it. Sure, there is the small chance it will be available at a cheaper price in another venue (or the same venue) later. But it's a very small chance. Don't wait if you really want it. The second is that promos tend to be limited and draw resellers like moths to a flame. Stay on top of ads (the internet really comes in handy for this) and the moment they become available, make your move. It's entirely up to you to decide how badly you want it and what you are willing to do to get it. If they run out, blame the distrbutor for making them limited in the first place. They know what happens when something is limited and desirable. They are counting on them going fast. The resellers are taking advantage of an obvious winning combination. Hate them all you want, but it's pointless. They didn't create the imbalance. If it's a huge hassle to get out there on day 1, bite the bullet and buy one online. if you want lots of them for some reason, again, blame the distributor for making them rare. I understand the reseller hate, but it's completely pointless and makes people look immature for lashing out at people who they will never meet and who truly don't care. Like every market, when there is an imbalance someone will be smart enough to take advantage of it. That's natrual. They aren't the ones who created the imbalance though (in this case anyway, can't say the same for all markets) and if you want to blame the people who are actually doing this to you, blame the distributor. If you want to waste time blaming "ebay nimrods" go ahead, just know it's one of the most pointless thing you can do.

[Tar]

The lego stores here in MD still have lots of the magnets, I've heard about the quality differences, but you can still just buy em. Had my son been more adamant about getting one, I would have made the trip to TRU last sunday, but he wasnt all that interested, and neither was I.

[Solo]

Tyrant, I agree with you on a few points, and I can't help but laugh at others. But we're not taking ANOTHER thread in this direction. Try to refrain from ranting every time you see someone express their displeasure about resellers/scalpers/"eBay-obsessed nimrods". This is a forum for fans and hobbyists - not the people trying to make a profit off them. This is a standard complaint and you're wasting your time trying to defend everyone's favorite scapegoat.

[Tyrant]

Tyrant, I agree with you on a few points, and I can't help but laugh at others. But we're not taking ANOTHER thread in this direction. Try to refrain from ranting every time you see someone express their displeasure about resellers/scalpers/"eBay-obsessed nimrods". This is a forum for fans and hobbyists - not the people trying to make a profit off them. This is a standard complaint and you're wasting your time trying to defend everyone's favorite scapegoat.

So, to be clear, I should write it off as insulting that is okayed by an ambassador? I'm fully aware this is a forum for fans, it's the whole reason I signed up. However, rules against insulting are fairly common across forums. Or at least they are on forums where others can "suggest" where threads are guided. This is sanctioned insulting. It's pretty easy to disagree with people without insulting them. More importantly, insulting prevents any real discussion, which is the usual point of a message board to the best of my understanding. This is up there with the occasional, casual US bashing on Eurobricks. But please, do tell. Which of my points do you laugh at? Tell me via PM if you think discusssing the fact that resellers aren't the ones who made these hard to find at this price point isn't something worth talking about in this thread when numerous other posters have brought it up.

I also fail to see how I am wasting my time combating casually insulting people. I know my opinion is unpopular. Or does that mean I shouldn't voice it and just let insults fly? As for making money off of people, I know this may be news but every person/company/entity out there selling something is trying to make money (maybe not a profit, but if you are paying for it then they are in fact making money). If you don't like the system, convince TLG to stop making limited runs. Problem solved.

And for crystal clarity, I'm not trying to defend resellers. I've lost out to what I believe to be resellers in the past so I understand the anger. Then again, I took a little time to figure out the system and beat them at their own game instead of throwing around insults online at a group that may or may not be responsible that I will likely never meet. I happen to resell on occasion so I take offense to what I believe is a pretty clear insult. I also know I am not the only person on here who resells. I'm trying to explain that in this particular case (because I'm sure there's all kinds of casual insults tossed around that I don't respond to by what you are saying) there is no reason to blame them when these were available online and the people who waited were taking a risk. Not all risks pay off. That's an undebatable fact. People still complain though and then they through out insults. Like most people, I don't enjoy seeing what I take as an insult. I assume if I were to paint all ambassadors (for instance) in a fairly negative light with an all encompassing insult, one or more of them would respond with varying levels of civility. That's kind of what tends to happen when you insult people and it's why most people tend to avoid it if they have any hopes of civil conversation. So, if that isn't the rule here, I'll keep that in mind and I'll try to be more colorful in future posts. Or maybe I should just keep a list of accepted insult targets? I hope it's obvious why that's a terrible idea.

[onions]

Tyrant, why are you taking it so personally? If someone cuts me off while driving, I'll probably call that person an idiot. Would you take offense to that too, assuming you yourself are a driver of a vehicle on a road? Again, why take it so personally?

[Solo]

You're welcome to interpret it any way you want Tyrant, but no one has insulted you. I'm not going into the pros and cons of reselling again because we've been over this in the past and I know you disagree with me - and that's fine. I don't have any problem with what you do outside this forum. However, since I was a little too subtle with my last post, let me be clearer: I'm officially warning you about derailing threads. If you think someone has insulted you use the report feature or PM the staff.

[Tyrant]

Tyrant, why are you taking it so personally? If someone cuts me off while driving, I'll probably call that person an idiot. Would you take offense to that too, assuming you yourself are a driver of a vehicle on a road? Again, why take it so personally?

Well, you're example is different in that you are calling one specific person, that you know did what you are accusing them of, an idiot. As opposed to labeling say, everyone that drives a Honda, as an idiot when you see a crash but don't see what kind of cars were involved and instead just blindly blame people that drive Hondas because you don't like them. It's not the same and the second of those is likely to upset anyone who drives a Honda who happens to read it. The comment I responded to is an insult to people who are resellers. I happen to resell, therefore it was insulting to me. More importantly, along with being insulting it is assuming with no basis that every TRU that is out of these is out because they were bought by a reseller. Most of my post was either trying to illustrate how that is a ridiculous assumption and that anyone who waited until now was taking a risk anyway. As I said, this is similar to the casual insults towards Americans that seem to be allowed on Eurobricks. As an American, it upsets me. More to the point, I know that if I were to do the same using another country it wouldn't slide. That double standard is what really irritates me. Without getting horribly off track, I have to put up with that crap being an American white male all the time in real life and I think it's pretty sad that mentality of it being okay to insult certain groups (but apparently it's not okay to point out that someone is insulting them) is endorsed online, by an ambassador no less. I honestly had my fill of that with my miniature hobby where it got to the point that certain people were equated with people who committed certain felonies. it's an utterly insulting and toxic mentality that will always repulse a number of people and turn them away. I figured the ambassadors aren't supposed to actively endorse an obviously hostile mentality towards people that whether Don likes it or not are paying customers. It's your site though, so if that's the accepted ideal you are well within your rights to make it so. I just assumed that it wasn't.

As for Don's post, it's hard to not take that personally. I have an ambassador clearly telling me that it's okay to bash a whole group and it's pointless to try to stop it. I may be sorely mistaken, but I have serious doubts that TLG is cool with that mentality. He makes a statement saying that he agrees with some of my points and laughs at others, without saying which he is referring to. So, apparently some of my points are worth laughing at but not discussing? Most people find those types of comments offensive because they don't enjoy being casually dismissed. On top of that, without elaboritng it's a worthless comment that adds nothing and only serves to potentially upset the person on the other end (me, in this case). Telling me to "try to refrain from ranting every time I see someone express their displeasure about resellers" is a nice way of saying "shut up, we don't like your opinion." I could be way off on this, but I believe the last time I said anything was during the actual debate on this topic and that was several months ago. I don't believe that constitues "ranting every time I see it" so that's a blatantly false characterisation. People tend to take it personally when you say things like that to them because they don't like it when people talk down to them or portray them as something they aren't and then expecting them to not react.

That's why I took it personally. I thought I was in the right pointing out how absurd it is to blame every last problem on one group, especially in a situation where there's really no way to know if they are at fault and passing on the worthwhile advice of "if you want it, buy it. If you wait, you're taking a risk." Don felt the need to "correct" me without any serious attempt at debate and a statement that amounts to telling me to shut up and I tend to take that personally. I honestly think most people would.

I really do like the site. I wouldn't bother posting or visiting if I didn't. I thought the real debate on this topic a while ago was mostly civil. However, it seems to be looked down upon by some and I have no idea why other than the fact they have a different opinion and don't want any real debate while they are fine with one side insulting the other. Mods, ambassadors, etc are supposed to have a neutral position or at the very least not try to kill debate while supporting one side insulting the other. Again, it's your site so that's a call for you to make and maybe I am mistaken in my assumptions. If it's cool to insult people or make broad generalizations safe in the knowledge any attempt to correct it will be killed, let me know so I can more appropriately react down the road.

[csiquet]

Back on topic, people?

[Solo]

Well, you're example is different in that you are calling one specific person...

Fair point, how's this instead: "If someone cuts me off while driving, I'll probably say anyone who drives like that is a nimrod". Now it's the same. Just being a driver doesn't lump you in with the nimrod drivers, and just because you resell sets from time to time doesn't lump you in with the "ebay-obsessed nimrods" that M19 took a jab at. You took a very specific group and broadened it up to include yourself. And frankly... as a forum member, staffer, and Ambassador, I'm all for insulting the guys who buy tons of limited exclusives and sell them on eBay for jacked up prices. Those guys are leeches and they suck. Some people deserve being insulted.

I agree that complaining about scalpers is pointless, I was simply pointing out that complaining about complainers is just as if not more pointless. Get my point?

Without getting horribly off track

Gotta say, that gave me a giggle.

So how 'bout them chrome Stormtrooper Polybags? Got any for yourself? I think I missed out... and silly me, I shelled out for one of the magnet versions, imported fresh from Legolang CA. [/desperate attempt to re-rail this thread]

[Tyrant]

So how 'bout them chrome Stormtrooper Polybags? Got any for yourself? I think I missed out... and silly me, I shelled out for one of the magnet versions, imported fresh from Legolang CA. [/desperate attempt to re-rail this thread]

I like them myself. I do wish they were completely painted though.

[J30spiff]

No chrome troopers in my area. Happy hunting to everyone else.

[Alpha 40]

No chrome troopers in my area. Happy hunting to everyone else.

J30spiff and to everyone else: Sorry every who couldn't get one (and it will be even harder now that the promo is over). There is always the magnets. I am happy that I got the last one in the state(that I know of) at Milford, CT.

[The Brain]

Nope. It would appear that my prediction about Lucas employees swooping in to nab some chromies was actually correct. My local store was picked clean.

Granted, they at least bought other LEGO sets to obtain them (mostly), so I don't feel quite as bad. Still disappointed I could only get 2. Sorry to anyone who missed out in this deal--this is actually the first one I've ever been able to get in on, so I feel your pain.

[onions]

after taking my chrome trooper out of the bag, i have to say, it's kind of an ugly figure.

[Puddleglum]

I managed to snag two. I got one on Wednesday and went back Thursday for another. And I won't feel bad about selling one of them a year or two from now!

[etcknight]

Managed to snag two also. Would have liked to have gotten four - but honestly, I got tired of driving 1 hr round trip (w/o traffic) each time just to buy one. Would've brought my wife to help out, but she was tired and a little angry at me at the time. Oh well, just happy I managed to get two!

[deco_droid]

And frankly... as a forum member, staffer, and Ambassador, I'm all for insulting the guys who buy tons of limited exclusives and sell them on eBay for jacked up prices. Those guys are leeches and they suck. Some people deserve being insulted.

cough---cough---see signature----cough--cough

[natespizer]

I managed to get 2 one by purchasing the swamp speeder and one they let me buy separately.

I already had the battle packs and if I want them I would rather save the $1 and purchase them else where so I figured the swamp speeder wasn't going to go on sale might as well buy it.