Action Figure Fraud: Is this a problem at your local stores???

[ARROW]

Swappers are very difficult to prosecute because their crime is so small in the scheme of things.
Most of the folks doing it are fellow collectors, seeking to expand their collections via a zero-sum strategy--buying one item swapping a figure or part, and returning the sealed item for a refund which they use to buy yet another item and so on.
The stores treat it indifferently because the loss is only about $10 on average, AND they have a return item in a "sell-able condition"--never minds that its not as packaged. It appears to have the contents intact and that is all the concern themselves with.
Tracing the items with computerized returns is impractical, because the costs of implementing such security far outweigh the losses.
Realize that this kind of fraud is happening in EVERY store department. Yes, people attempt to shamelessly return damaged or older goods ( like TVs or appliances) swapped for newer ones and not all of them are prosecuted. The less the cost of the item is, the less likely ANYTHING will be done, and toys are right at the bottom of the list.
In Fact, many retailers still consider toys to be loss-leaders--because they actually expect items on the shelves to be opened on the spot by children, and thus considered unsellable if not bought by the parents. Note that the products that they consider to actually be valuable are locked up in cabinets--like video games--so the rest of the stuff on the shelves is literally "sacrificial".

Yes, it sucks, yes its frustrating, but there's nothing you or I can do about it. Making the staff aware of the item is making them aware of a loss.......and if they can sell the tampered item as is unbeknownst to a consumer, then they do not have to take a loss. That is all they care about--which is why the stuff is returned to the shelves. That is why the classic consumer axiom; caveat emptor-let the buyer beware- always applies.

[Hantei]

It's Star Wars again, this time at different Wal-Mart (but not too far from the usual spot). I wonder if this is the same guy that doing this. The clean repacking is certainly his modus operandi.

[Supertofu]

Saw this at a Wal-Mart in Richmond Hill:



Saw this at the TRU in Markham:



I'm really surprised that they let this one slip by them.

[Hantei]

Clone Wars stuff at a Toys "R" Us. This is kinda of surprising, I thought they were more strict about opened product. You'd think the employees would at least check the back of the packaging to see if the figures matched.

[Napseeker]

Check the back of the product? Heck, check the image right there on the top-right corner :P

[Robimus]

I've seen this problem at TRU in the past as well.

[vujonny]

I just saw a spiderman head on a deluxe captain america figure at TRU.

[vujonny]

Dont know why you would only want a cap head...

RED SKULL!!!

[Wing Leader]

The pattern I see here is alot of people finding these issues at Walmart. That's because Walmart is the most laxed retail store on the planet when it comes to return policies. The employees don't care because they know a company that big will never notice. I used to work for an EB Games, and often times we wouldn't return a video game because it had either been opened or the customer had no receipt. I don't know how many times I had to refuse a return to a customer, only to have them come back later on and tell me that Walmart let them return it opened and without a receipt. They really just don't care.

[vujonny]

I've seen to many X force 3 pack recently at wal mart.
Damn if your gonna do this just steal the whole thing.
I would be so nervous in line trying to do this.