Rant: Scalpers and Resellers

Let’s be real: scalpers and resellers are everywhere, and designer vinyl toys are no exception. The second a new POP MART drop happens, it feels like a race—scratch that, an impossible battle—to get our hands on a figurine without paying a fortune. You think you've won the lottery with that cute collectible in your cart? Poof! Gone before you can even check out. Moments later, there it is, sitting on some resale site at three times the price. Ugh.

Collecting used to be fun, but now it's a headache. It’s not just online drops, either. Even if you muster up the energy to hit a physical POP MART store, the line-ups are next-level. And honestly, some of us have, you know, lives, jobs, and maybe even social plans? We can't just drop everything to line up for hours every time there's a new release.

So, how about we look at some ways POP MART could make things better? Maybe even care a little about us loyal fans?

1. Lottery System for Rare Drops: Instead of the usual free-for-all, why not a lottery for those super-limited releases? Give us a fair shot without making it a contest of who clicks fastest (or, more likely, whose bot does).
2. Keep That Cart Locked: Seriously, once something is in my cart, it should be mine for a few precious minutes. No more disappearing acts when I’m halfway through checkout, thank you very much!
3. Better Anti-Bot Tech: Come on, it’s 2024! Surely there's some tech out there to spot these pesky bots and shut them down. Give us regular humans a chance, will ya?
4. Purchase Limits on Hot Releases: How about a cap on how many of each exclusive item people can buy? That way, those of us who genuinely want just one don’t get totally bulldozed by someone buying 20 to resell.
5. Reward Loyal Collectors: Hey, maybe a reward system? Give those of us who’ve been loyal collectors for a while some early access perks. Show a little love to the ones who aren’t just here to cash in.

Look, there are lots of ways POP MART could make this better. But it’s hard not to feel like they’re fine with things as long as the cash keeps rolling in. So, POP MART, listen up! Give us back the fun of collecting, and let’s keep these scalpers and resellers out of it. Or at least give us a fighting chance!