Hot Wheels 101: What Is A Scalper? A Collector's Perspective...... 

I don't even bother looking for TH or STH. I haven't found one in the wild in almost 10 years. I just collect what I like. Scaplers have taken the fun out of the hobby

"collect what you enjoy ...", simple yet most satisfying word of advice that most of us collectors needed ..🤗

A scalper is someone who artificially drives up rarity of an in-demand item by buying up all the stock in an area and turns around to flip the items for profit, usually at a much greater price than retail.

A scalper to me is someone who buys more then what's needed to satisfy their own collection to sell or flip for financial benefit.

Funny enough you always hear everyone say get what you like and dont worry about value, but most dont follow that advice. A scalper according to the FB groups is anyone that beats you to the pegs, cases, etc.

People like to hate on "ebay prices", when in actuality that is how the secondary market is determined. People hate ebay prices when they're trying to GET something they want, but they love ebay prices when determining value of their own stuff. Insurance companies use current ebay values when appraising a collectible or when paying out on a specialty policy loss, so why shouldn't everyone else ?. Same concept goes for people that trade. It's always the person wanting a high dollar item and trying to trade a low dollar item for it that uses the phrase "they both cost a dollar at the store". They don't understand why nobody will give them a 55 Gasser super for their Twin Mill super. They get mad about it. You'll never see anyone offering a 55 Gasser super for a Twin Mill though, will you ? Not all supers are created equal, some will always be worth more than others.

There was a time when collecting and going out there to hunt was fun. The age of internet selling has taken the greed out of people. Pallet raiders, insiders, store employees, you name it. It's all in the game to make a few bucks. I was at Target a while back when they had the 2 packs red premium Skyline GTR. I was just a minute late and there was a guy who had 4 of them in his basket. I asked just to have one and he told me no. If I want one, he can meet me outside for $30 a piece. Just this Sunday, Walmart had 2 huge Dump bins ( the special mail in promo bins ). I estimated at least 20 Q case dump into it. I was there around 6:30am before heading to work. These two guys I believe were partners hauled every single Datsun 510 wagons, treasure hunts and all other goodies. Luckily 1 of them gave me 2 of the 510 wagon which was what I really wanted since I'm a big Datsun guy. One of the guy gave me one of his business card and told me they have a booth at a local flea market if I wanted to check out.

Asking scalpers what a scalper is. They ruin it for people who can’t find cars they like and want.

A scalper is someone who goes to a store and destroys the shelf And then leaves it.

Great video. Asking them what’s a scalper?😂😂 classic. Just subscribed 🤙🏽

I was there at that show,..awesome event!!. The Scrub Brothers are the Coolest!! I've bought from these guys in their garage,..Javier had nailed it spot on with his last comments..👏👏👏👏

Before I even watch this. I am a scalper/reseller. I no longer scalp but I do resell. A scalper knows when and where all the hot items are being distributed and shelved and has a team who is deployed to buy all such items to be stocked and resold on eBay and other media platforms. They also have tables at toy show 🤷‍♂️

Dude I’m loving the new videos, because not many diecast RU-vidrs make videos about going to diecast conventions. They’re super fun to watch! Do you think next time you could make a video about bringing a little box of cars to trade? Then at the end of the video we could see what you got just from trades! I think that could be interesting.

We are all resellers/scalpers. Every single one of us. Unless you just deny it. Anybody, I mean anybody, who buys something at retail and attempts to sell it for more or trade up is a scalper. Some people do it right away and some people wait a few months or years to do it. Everybody wants returns on what they collect, no matter the hobby. Everybody should thank scalpers and the people who buy from them for creating a market for whatever hobby the person is taking part in. Otherwise the hobby is a waste of money and the most important thing of all, time. Time is a currency we cannot get back. So, no matter who you are and what you claim, you are a scalper/reseller. If any person walked into a store and found four supers or chases, you’d buy them all. You’d probably share it on social media or through pictures with your friends. Why do you need four? A deep addiction, loneliness and hopes of reselling or trading up for something that has a set market value made by the wonderful resellers before you. Stop blaming other people and start taking accountability for the things that you do or would do yourself. Haha!

Awesome video that mustang sth was my first ever sth I found

Awesome toy show finds congrats.👍 I have been super lucky this year I have been finding regular treasure hunts, super treasure hunts, and chase cars.👍 I got real super lucky Friday at Macy's/toys r us there were 2 brand new N cases there and both of them had tooned Volkswagen golf MK1'S regular treasure hunts and one of them had the Porsche 935 super treasure hunt.👍

Collect what you like value only matters mostly to people who flip them ✌️❤️

😂 Almost all collectors are scalpers/flippers. If you are buying for your table...that is a scalper. If you are hoarding most of your toys in box...just a future flipper. Buying what you intend to open and enjoy is about the least scapler-ish thing collectors do.

In my experience, and this angered a lot of folks on the Reddit Hot Wheels forum, but there's too many crusty old guys with long, but balding heads, big bellies, leathery hands, and body odor that really ruins it for people who are new to the hobby or are trying to relive their childhood now they we've finally got a good paying job. And the snobbery towards fantasy cars is like...disgusting. If it's licensed those old boomers go after them like crazy and they stalk the Targets and Walmart wee early in the morning and go after hot wheels like it's their last meal and they haven't ate in a while. I know I sound like I'm stereotyping...but it's been my experience just shopping for Hot Wheels. It's nothing but old single dudes...I've rarely seen guys shopping with their kids or even a girlfriend or wife. I'm like, "you're way past 30 and still in the toy section?" Even for me I feel odd being in a toy section at 23 so that kind of scares me away from staying in the toy section for too long. But a couple months into the hobby I like what I like...never had a preference for fantasy or licensed. Some of the fantasy stuff is really cool though. I don't plan to doing this forever since maybe in a year I'll ditch the hobby (just like I ditched buying shoes a year ago).

Best thing about my current job at retail store I can help fellow collectors to get the item they need and I set some rules like cant buy 2 or 3 same car at once..just one car only and leave some for the rest to hunt on pegs

I'm a collector in New Zealand and the scalpers over here are a huge pain in the arse for us collectors that just want one or two for ourselves. I've seen fights and scalpers stealing off each other while still in the shop, seen them threaten shop staff when they don't have TH's or premium sets, even seen some buy heaps then post it on marketplace before they have even left the store. It's gotten to the point now where some retailers have the premiums locked away and with a limit per customer. Here's an example, the boulevard Holden Torana sells for $10 NZD in the shops then they post them on Facebook marketplace or trademe for $50+.

neat video, i actually collect as well, favorites are mustang of course. but like they say i only collect what i like.

In my town I will never find super or or the fancy hot wheels.. because the workers steal them to then sell them for super crazy prices online.. its insane.. and I will never pay those crazy prices on ebay..

My town scalper, is ridiculous! Dude, goes into Walmart before opening, hides stuff, calls his clients, goes back, resells..... He's been kicked out of several venues. Goes into the back of grocery stores! He's so phony, lies right to your face, no etiquette. It's all about him...... 😡🤬

Great video!

I live in Italy, and here scalpers aren't a problem. There are only a few collectors, and they are always really polite and friendly. But because of that, they don't sell many diecast car, you can only find Hot Wheels mainlines (no premiums) and Matchbox if you are lucky. But you can really enjoy this hobby here!! 😊

It doesn't matter if you're a collector or not. a scalper somebody who takes a currently available retail item and tries to sell it for a profit

My town has the worst hunting im 100% certain. My local stores always turns down everyone besides that “one guy” to open sealed cases to claim all the TH & STH. To me the hunt starts at the pegs not the case!

A scalper is someone who buys a large quantity of a product and then artificially inflates the price to make a larger than normal profit.

One thing I do know. Is that most scalpers are not even collectors and just in it for the $$$$,. If I buy anything from resellers it will almost always be older 90's -2000s mainlines I know are no longer in the stores or that hard to find regular T.H. and that's only after I've hit every store in my town and have failed in hunting it down. I'll always try to trade before I buy. especially if I have extras of the popular cars. I traded 5 Chevy Silverados for one Rodger Dodger STH that I wanted from a few years back. It worked out for both of us.

Great question!!!

I stopped collecting Hotwheels. Now I just pick up good Matchbox or Majorette models.

Good info!

A scalper is the guy that beats all the other guys to the stores and buys all the good stuff before the other guys can. So the first guy is a scalper and the rest are collectors. Lol..

I got into collecting HW around 2017. A few cars here and there @Krogers during late grocery shopping. I never ever heard of STH and RTH until 2018 when a collector found an extra Snoopy Doghouse on wheels. My very 1st STH was around late Dec 2019. I was @Target one morning and saw one sitting on return cart. It was a green Pagani Convertible roadster. I was a little shocked finding one but was very happy. I haven’t found another STH until late 2020 @same Target store at checkout isle. Porsche old model and crustier RTH. Since HW is so popular and competitive when it comes to STH I don’t hunt for them. I’m more of a playset and Mystery models. But even those can be hard to find. I have been successful finding the top 3 cars. But when i always leave extras to be fair. I rather get the whole mainline set along w/all STH and RTH. But of course they always sell out due to limited quantities.

Dude awesome go kart. I dont have that one!!!

Going through the bin at my local Kroger, find a cockney cab packaged with no front wheels/axle. Now I find myself looking for errors as well.

Lol, don't assume all of us looking at phones while we're hunting are in it for profit. I just keep a list of everything I have to avoid duplicates. I don't bother with treasure hunts; like the first guy said, I just get the cars I'm honestly interested in... I just don't want to waste money on multiples of the same casting unless a new livery is worth owning.

San Antonio is my home town! Sub'd!

Javi my man! 🔥

A scalper by definition is some who buys something and sells mostly for higher price. And today anyone would be lucky to find a super or a hot wheels they would like since a scalper will buy the most popular models and resell living nothing for the average collector. I just collect what I like and I will leave any extra of the same popular models for someone else to buy and enjoy

Is there a list for Hot Wheels and Matchbox somewhere that i can look at and to mark the cars i already have off with? I just like to collect and like to have a list to look to so that i don't rebuy what i already have

Fully agree with the first guy. It is unfair market, but this is how it works - the first one usually grabs all goodies, sometimes prior it gets to the shelves. The demand and supply is also part of the game. Imagine, if box will have 20 STHs ..... who would need them?

"Collect what you like." But the one that I like is nowhere to be seen. lol I thought it was just in my country, and the reason I'm looking for this videos, is because I want to know how Hotwheels scene in other country looks like? Well, I got my answers. 😂😂😅

In my opinion, a scalper is somebody who usually goes to retail stores…usually more than one in a day and buys all of the most popular or hard to find castings..more than likely, chase pieces such as HW Super Treasure Hunts or Zamacs, AW Ultra Reds, JL White Lightnings, and/or GL Green Machines to resell at trade shows and/or online…for 2 or 3 times what they paid at the store…the worst offenders are the ones who have connections to employees at stores who get access to the boxes before the castings hit the pegs…my 1st $TH was given to me by a collector who was on his lunch break from work..I was just looking for cars I like to put on my desktop and I became a collector who has gifted regular or $TH’s..as well as Green Machines to subscribers on my channel!

A SCALPER is ANYONE who purchases ANYTHING with the SOLE INTENTION of reselling it at a price ABOVE that what they paid for said product. That's the end of it. Shades of gray, as with everything, but that's what a scalper does. It's more a verb than a noun.

Those dang scalpers back it again

Nice work new here. I only collect what I like I’ve been collecting for years and if I like it I grab it big thumbs up My favorite casting would have to say the bat mobile I have a lot and maybe twin mill I show off my finds on my RU-vid channel

I believe the term is "reseller". Happy holidays

If you something for a dollar and sell for 10 your a scalper. But I think people forget these are collectibles. Meaning the price you pay today is not the value of the item tomorrow!! I never heard of anybody buy collectible for X amount of dollars, and then resell that collectible for the same amount of he bought it, for that is just unheard of….

Sad to see it’s the same all over the world. We’ve got plenty of those here in the Philippines too.

To me whoever sells you can call your self a scalper but you buy it cheap and sell it more but that’s how the hobby goes to get bigger cars to move up your collection

is it in my country or in other country that most of hotwheels were went to reseller (in cardboard box in brown cardboard not 50 pack) the then they were selling those stuff online with resell price (they were streaming in online shopping) , also most of my local supermarket and toystore didnt have any premium hotwheel except the disney premium. sad that i need to pay more for decent looking hw car. sorry for my grammar im bad at english

I don't "hunt" anymore just because of scalpers. Nothing is really there much anymore, alot of fantasy and such. I generally go to shows and will find what I'm wanting for my collection there. Some pieces have taken at least 3 yrs to find, but I finally find them.

Are these guys calling other people sclapers as they themselves are trying to resell?

As long as there's an idiot paying those high prices, there will always be a reseller. That goes for everything in this world.

Where was that place located in San Antonio? I go to San Anto all the time.😁

🔥💙🔥

Not everyone who buys multiples of the same casting is a scalper. If I find a fast casting I like, I’ll buy as many as I can find and modify them to race. Or, I might find a fast set of wheels and buy as many mainlines as I can find with those wheels. A lot of the common fantasy castings have good wheels on them, so they aren’t that hard to find.

if you cannot find the item on the peg at retail price.. you will find plenty in event at double price.. yeah that scalper when they get all the stock in shop.... i dont mind to pay more for old item that wont be on peg anymore...

I'm about to stop collecting hot wheels altogether, thanks to scalpers. It would be nice if I could go to all my stores every day. It would be nice to pretend to make friends with retailers so I could gain access to case after case of hot wheels. And then buy it ALL before I head home. On the way home I'd stop to kick puppies and steal children's candy. It kinda goes with buying every fkn rare hot wheel I can find. " I found seven Chase cars...and bought em all!" How bout you get a fkn job?! Between scalpers and Batmobile's I'm just about done. Thanks for ruining the hobby. Dirtball.

What is a scalper?...Me! I get up really early, before anybody else. Standing in the cold at 6am. Doing my research online, watching videos, being respectful when talking to store employees and other fellow "SCALPERS". I go home fill my shelves with cool shit. The other stuff gets sold to eager collectors at our local HW club event. What do I do with the money I make? Well...I make my car payment, helped put my kids through University (Go Huskies!!), fund my Harley chopper or my Yamaha RD350 track bike, by my wife nice things. What's not to love? All said, this is just a side hustle. A BIG side hustle. God I love AMERICA!!

This past year little to nothing has been available and a couple wack jobs hit the local stores EVERY morning and go through the boxes before they even hit the pegs. When you have to make it a fight simply to get all five cars from a Car Culture set, forget it! I'm not even including chase cars in that. Done with collecting Hot Wheels.

As someone who creates a checklist in my head of cars i want I hate scalpers fr scum pf the earth i want to someday repay my mom by buying her a midnight blue 78 Chevelle SS wagon or a red 55 or 57 bel air because i remember my mom had a massive collection of hw cars and she had a bunch of Chevy's and mercury's and one day my dumb 9 year old self thought it would be a good idea to open her entire collection and the sad part is that all the cars she had including a first edition beetle's yellow submarine wier about hundreds if not thousands of dollars and all that crap went to waste 😢 and now I'm 17 my mother is turning 40 this year and i hope to someday buy her 1/64 scale of her dream cars but sadly do to men with no life commiting the sin of greed i feel that me going to Walmart or family dollar and finding her any of those 2 cars is a golden goose i must find on my own and it is a cry and shame that i can't complete my mission 😓

I like the first guy. He put it like it is. I buy cars because I enjoy. Don't get me wrong I look through it all in case the good are available if not either way I buy what I like.

Bro did you go into a show filled with scalpers asking them what they think about scalpers?? Because 90% of the people in the shows are scalpers how do you think they get those rare cars from scalping them at stores they don't need them they buy them to resell them! That makes no sense! It's like asking a criminal to hang your wallet to your friend and expect that all your money is still in the wallet when it gets to your friend....😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂. Everybody's a scalper at one point or another when you go into the store and you see six treasure hunts and or six Super Hunts you're going to buy all of them if it's for friends or not you're still scalping....

I will not pay high prices on common Hot Wheels or any limited edition cars

Everyone has Some " Scalper" in Them

Hot Wheels youtube yeah... i think i like it here haha! brand new to TH and STH i know its a tough thing to get into but its not that much of a big deal when your already going into the stores anyways and can check! i been checking alot the past month and i havent found anything yet! and my area is dead with like no scalpers and i gotta hit more dollar trees and dollar generals

Great video! I collect those go-karts (7), also the peddle cars, and Dune-buggies as they aren't regularly seen in the mainline lineups.

If you are buying to resale you are a scalper whether you collect or not, because you are still clearing out the store. If you are buying multiples of one casting you are a scalper because you are clearing out the store. It is a selfish act and is killing the hobby for people who are just trying to complete sets. I can’t tell you how many times I have found the same premium peg warmers in every store. Someone is buying up all the more desirable premium castings and leaving every set incomplete. Car Culture is next to impossible to complete sets these days.

i get what i think is cool. thats it!

To me, a scalper is someone who sells, period, they get enjoyment out of the money, not the hobby itself :/

Something sure isn't right with these stores where I live when it comes to the hot wheels and matchbox they are always are either empty or they have nothing but the same cars. They sure took the fun out of hunting for cars they open the box or have the employee hold on to it for them

There was a lady pulling a trailer in this video. Did you spot it?

I just don’t understand why everyone is going crazy for kids toys but that’s just me 🤣🤣🤣

asking all the scalpers what a scalper is lol

LOL, You can't go around asking scalpers what a scalper is, like they will honestly tell you what they think of themselves.

I hear scalper i think sports tickets. Like we used to wait until the wrestling matches started at Madison Square Garden back in the 80s and then get tickets from scalpers CHEAP. 😂😂😂😂 First couple of matches sucked anyway😂😉😉😉

Where was this event?

What part of SA are you?

Been in the hobby over 30yrs now...last 5yrs local scalpers has ruined the hobby completely....There's a guy here in Cape Town that has several scalpers working for him...they scalp all shops & even pay employees under the table to keep new stock out till they get there....This guy even has a shop where he resells...& tells everyone he imports the stock...& he sells at crazy prices

An old fart that goes to 15 stores on his day off and tells you he only takes the treasure cars and has people in stores waiting for him with cases.

A scalper is someone who doesn’t play by the rules. While some may be out looking for the cars the scalper already has them because of back room deals. A true collector will collect what they like and help other collectors with their collection. Unfortunately this hobby has turned to garbage recently with the scalpers…

Anybody selling on the internet.

Since the question was asked, here is my answer... a scalper is someone who takes advantage of people for personal gain. To me, they are unscrupulous and I will not have anything to do with them. A scalper once told me that he was doing collectors a favor by doing what he was doing. To that I say BULLCRAP. I collect diecast, but scalpers have almost ruined it for me. I am doing different things today, like customizing various diecast vehicles. I find that to be more enjoyable than going around hunting for cars that scalpers have already got their hands on. Scalpers suck in my opinion.

In your last video you were taking cases off the pallet and running to another area of store to open! Pallet raider is just as bad as scalpers!

Scalper is synonymous with scumbag.

All those foos are scalpers

The fact that all of these guys are sitting and selling cars for more than what they go for at retail and giving their opinion on what a scalper, is to them is hilarious what a bunch of hypocrites

Scalpers are necessary. They teach folks who are too comfortable and entitled that the early bird gets the worm. They also have learned that people are willing to exchange money for time they don't have to spend looking for something. Keep strong scalpers/resellers. I respect the hustle.

There's no such thing as a scalper only supply and demand these crybabies always upset because some people get the mass quantity of rare items and corner the market because you have the majority of that particular item. Yet Noone says a word to sneaker guys or Walmart for selling milk or other items at inflated pricing.

It's a sickness!

A scalper is not a true collector they are not in this hobby for the fun of collecting they are only after the money and they buy more of the same casting and they do not leave any on the shelfs of that casting

Just got boxed out of the hotwheels when target opened by 2 grown men who swaped boxes of cars in the parking lot, I just started collecting and that kinda left a sour taste in my mouth, if its gonna be like that then to the douchebags that do it be prepared to get ur wig rocked with brass knuckles, not gonna have losers whos dad didn't love them enough to give them a good childhood ruin something I enjoy, we gonna find out who wants it more

Don't blame the player it's the game... still don't get it.

a scalper is someone that knows something as a high interest and takes advantage by price gouging. A reseller buys items and resells at the going price

Damn!! Im a scalper!! I tried to flip a few cars that i had 😂😂😂Only been buying for a few months LOL

Shawn Nicklaus is a scalper, he takes everything lol

Always making resellers out to be bad people. If you can buy something for retail and make money that called smart.