It's 2022, and scalping is still unfortunately a thing online shoppers have to deal with. It's not just video game consoles they are trying to make a profit on, it's also items like LEGO. In fact, worlds have now collided with the 'Luke Skywalker with Blue Milk' Minifigure skyrocketing in price online.
Blue milk Luke, in case you missed it, is the exclusive minifigure included with the Deluxe Edition of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. In other words, if you haven't been able to secure this particular version of the game in physical form, the only option to get this figure (at least right now), is to pay top dollar on the net.
It's got so bad that blue milk Luke is now going for higher prices than a copy of the game (thanks to the LEGO fan YouTube channel MandRproductions for highlighting this). If you head over to websites like eBay, you'll see this minifig is being listed for hundreds of dollars. It's being bid on for lower prices but is still going for a reasonable sum, which is not what you really want to see with a brand new product like this.
As you can see below, some of the higher listings are around $200, and the ones being bid on start at around $40 to $50. In the UK, Amazon sellers are currently shifting new copies for around £100.
Fingers crossed LEGO does something or this particular version of the game gets a restock. Rumour has it that this particular minifigure will be given away as a May 4th promotional item (via r/Legoleak).
Else stay strong and try your best not to give in to the temptations of the dark side. Did you manage to secure your own blue milk Luke Minifigure? Leave a comment down below.
Comments 43
sighs and facepalms
Great, they're going after legos now. -.-
It should be noted they're only actually selling for around $50, which is still ridiculous, but nowhere near as ridiculous as the article makes it out to be. It would be nice if the article specified this since a lot of people will likely see this and assume they have a minifigure worth over $200, which just makes the situation even worse than it already is.
Read on r/legoleak that these were overproduced and will be a gift with purchase of some kind on or starting on May 4th.
@ReaperMelia As noted in the story:
"If you head over to websites like eBay, you'll see this minifig is being listed for hundreds of dollars. It's being bid on for lower prices but is still going for a reasonable sum, which is not what you really want to see with a brand new product like this."
Update: I've added in an extra line to clarify this.
@topher6490 Thanks, I'll update the story with this.
@Liam_Doolan I meant with a more specific amount, just saying "lower prices" is really vague. They're selling for a fraction of the prices in the image. Still an absurd price for a single figure, but just specifying listed prices as opposed to the prices of actual sold listings can mislead people into thinking these are way more valuable than they really are.
People should scam these scumbags by ringing them up, setting up a time and place to meet and not being there so the only thing they get is wasted fuel by driving miles for nothing.
@ReaperMelia I've updated the story.
Stop scalping stuff
Jeez...LEGO OF ALL THINGS. AND JUST THIS FIGURE???
This kind of thing wasn't a problem when Bionicle (OG) sets & models were still being sold. They only got more pricey when the last sets were discontinued. The older sets then followed. Both on Amazon & Ebay.
But this totally takes the cake...Hoo boy.
Scalpers when they see a regular farm Luke with a slightly different face:
sniff "I smell profit!"
Can someone please send Yagami to these guys places and go Yakuza on their butts?
Begun, the Scalping War has
It's almost a good story about scalpers, as I was able to find the game in a used games store DAY ONE. There were multiple copies so I'm sure the person who sold them did exactly that.
"It's 2022, and scalping is still unfortunately a thing online shoppers have to deal with"
Unfortunately it isn't just online shopping. Their are scalpers who have their own stores out there where you can just walk into (for example their is a local trading card store nearby my place and they would have newer items at retail price or close to retail price, and if any other older stock rise up in prices online, they would then put the prices up drastically...) Their are also some scalpers out there who rent out a spot in a market.
ALMOST as expensive as the blue milk at Disneyland!
“It's got so bad that blue milk Luke is now going for higher prices than a copy of the game”
Sadly this isn’t that uncommon with these collectors edition extras. Plenty of people buy them and sell the models and other bits for large profits due to scarcity
Good thing I care nothing about littering my abode with little pieces of plastic to say "look, this is my property!".
This is almost as bad as NFTs.
All i want is the game with the character packs, I really hope they re-stock the Deluxe edition as both of my pre-orders have been cancelled.
But that much just for the Lego mini-figure? Come on...
Also isn't this article kind of going to push the price up? Any publicity is good publicity.
It's lego and star wars, why am I not surprised
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People might be asking for $200 but if you look at what it is actually selling for, these are going for £40 - £50. Also, is it scalping if people bought the game to play and are only selling the minifig they don't want? Scalping would be selling the game and the minifig for high prices.
Scalping of items causes it's availability to those who really want it the most. The fact that it's selling for a high price only reflects the fact that most people just throw it in a drawer and forget about it. The alternative is mostly that the price is infinite, i.e. it's just not available at all. For some reason, that is ok, but the moment someone dares provide a service for the price they are willing to do it, it's something to complain about.
This is not scalping hahaha.
People have bought the special edition and have no need for the mini fingure. They just want game and season pass. Other people just want the mini figure. You cannot get this mini figure elsewhere.
So people are selling on something they don’t need to someone that needs it.
The price people pay for lego is more the issue here.
Scalping is buying something you don’t need or want and selling for a profit….. buying the special edition and selling it for more is scalping.
I really don’t see the issue here.
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@TanukiTrooper indeed. Not sure how selling a collectable that came with a game is now considered scalping. Most people on here have game related merchandise and special editions. If you ever sell any of it you are not a scalper. If you buy 10 copies to sell on at a profit you are a scalper
Removed - unconstructive feedback; user is banned
@PBandSmelly ....Yeah, but the line is much shorter!
@DynamoDouglas It's not only Lego and Star Wars; it's also Disneyland/world too.
I used to collect Lego and some minifigs would sell ridiculous. Out of print lego will send prices wild!
The Deluxe edition sold out but I got one on a quick restock.
Word to the wise: Go towards Digital Purchases, instead! Or better yet, blow your coin on Elemental Metals for Mega Man X DiVE! I had gotten a SuperMag Gun from the latest Banner, involving Rogue from Mega Man Star Force.
@Joeynator3000 Scalper will scalp anything that people claim is limited time or special offer etc. Just the nature of the beast.
I have one...I got that edition for the included season pass and forgot a minifig was even in the box until I opened it. I sure wouldn't pay much for it.
I wonder, if ebay wasn't a thing how rife this would be. I honestly think online auctions should have much more responsibility / accountability for this sort of shennanigans. They really make this sort of thing easier.
@GrailUK what people selling something they don’t want?
I’m not sure the issue here, I’m against scalping. 100%.
This isn’t that. People that bought the special edition got a Lego figure with it. Most that want this game won’t have Lego. Have no need for the figure. If you look at the sold items. Many started at 99p auctions and went for £30-50 - would you rather they throw the plastic toy in the bin?
I am genuinely confused by the uproar….
Idiots listing things at £200 mean nothing/ no one has paid that. I see people list standard blurays you can get on eBay itself for a £5 for £60…..
These figures are in demand by people that collect figures but don’t play games. I’m not sure why they don’t buy the game keep the figure and sell the game as they would likely Payless but whatever floats their boat.
I fail to see what anyone needs to clamp down on.
Should all Lego be banned from eBay?
@Stocksy I'm just thinking out aloud. It's clear neither of us are smart enough to develop this if banning lego is the best we can come up with hahah But I get your point, mate.
Overpricing is intentional; the sellers likely don't expect to sell for this price. Buyers are more likely to perceive $ 50 as fair, if they believe the product has a market value of $ 200+. Look up “decoy effect“.
@Joeynator3000 They are the very reason I quit buying Lego. So many cool sets I wanted from just a few years ago are now hundreds above retail. Lego has a not-so-secret huge investment community, and it sucks.
@sanderev honestly i still cant beleve that people actully buy nft's
@legend1065blox true, but they do. Just like people who buy from scalpers. If nobody did they would stop upselling this stuff.
@sanderev That's really true
@legend1065blox For example, I've been trying to get myself a PS5. But I won't support scalpers by buying from them, so I joined some stock notification groups. But I still haven't been lucky to actually be able to order one. I had one in a digital shopping cart twice, but was sold out before I could complete the purchase.
(I want to play Horizon Forbidden West, but I'd be luckier just to wait for it to come to PC in 2-3 years)
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