[thechris]

Where is the line drawn here, though? What if I'm not hording retail items and I'm selling items out of my personal collection like I have several Jetfires and Shockwaves from the 80s as far as TFs go, original run Heroclix and Pokemon cards? Or even newer out of print items like the original X-Force Warpath and original Vision.

Am I supposed to sell these for what I originally paid for them? What's fair market value and who defines it? If you're my friend, I may even GIVE you a rare toy for nothing in return or at most, I'd have an IOU where you might pick something up for me that I needed, but if I don't know you (like at all), why would I sell you a rare item that I won't be able to buy again for retail? I've been offered $8 + shipping for rare MUs before and I won't say by who, because I don't want to embarrass anyone. When I wouldn't sell, I was called a thief. I have to pay $10 to $12 at retail and our money is worth more. I'd already be losing money on the exchange rate alone. And I don't mean ones that just came out, I mean ones that came out ages ago that I couldn't rebuy if I wanted to or would cost me 5 to 10 times their original purchase cost.

And how the heck would I know that they won't just turn around and sell it for 10 times the price later anyway? I mean some people are just cheap and some people are worse, they take advantage of someone's good nature and then stab them in the back. I have no problems paying a little more for an item that's around 10 years old and kept in good condition. I do, however, have an issue paying double for something that just came out just because I can't buy it here in Canada. Am I a hypocrite?

I send a lot of Americans stuff that is common in Canada that's still in retail circulation at cost plus shipping or fair trades. Rare for rare, MOC for MOC, MOC rare for 2 MOC commons, MOC rare for 1 loose rare and 1 loose common, etc. Whatever works out to a fair trade. Sometimes I budge or will lose a little on trades for Arkers who are nice.