It just came to me that Thomas Train & Friends Series is actually similar to the Disney Series because they are all character-based, though I have come across collectors who would collect one but not the others 

TT-Tomica Bertie

TT-Tomica Toby

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Added on October 19, 2008, 1:11 amThis Emergency Set is out in Japan! 

新発売トミカギフト　ハイパースキュー救急車両セット

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Added on October 19, 2008, 1:19 amBlast.. there are Tomica Trading Cards to collect too!  Very interesting but how to obtain any..

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Added on October 19, 2008, 1:56 pmQuestion: Should one watermark or copyright the photographs of his/her collection???   

I had always taken the approach that it's a compliment from others of our work when they make use of them in reference and so long they are not using them for a commercial purpose I am okay with it.  However, even a casual collector like myself,  I wonder if I should adopt this measure early given the ever-increasing no. of photos in my collection.  Besides, these labels can be post-processed and removed.

It's gonna look something like below.

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Added on October 19, 2008, 4:28 pmpic spam!

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Added on October 19, 2008, 6:59 pm whats this?
hoa... i can see the whole neighbourhood!

 

PLAkids to choose from..


and more PLAkids! 

Okay I understand where you are coming from. In Msia the travelling distance is much greater and stock distribution is most uneven.  Which brings me to discuss the definition of "scalping".  I'm sure most of us have come across a scalper before but it bears different meaning to different people.

From the DICTIONARY:
1. To engage in the reselling of something, such as tickets, at a price higher than the established value.
2. To buy and sell securities or commodities for small quick profits.

IMHO: Therefore, to me the "intention" is key to defining a scalping act or not.

Buying many of the same items, one each for your car club members is not scalping (even if it deprives others). Buying many of the same items not because you like them but because it is cheap and you are likely to resell them later on for a profit is scalping.

Buying a few of the same models because you are a collector and you want one mint, one for display and one for investment for the future (no immediate plans for sale) even when there is only five items remaining on the shelf is not scalping.  Buying up what's left to restrict Market Supply so that prices maintain or increase is scalping.

Buying with the intention for keeps but changed your mind within days and to put it for sale/trade is fine but buying it with a running "Power Seller" ebay account waiting for new stocks/inventory is not.  A business entity should buy from the supplier or distributor, not compete with down-to-earth collectors at the customer stores.

If all else fails using common sense will do cause it's plain to see actually..

.. and there is no way to exclude them from ghosting and shadowing forums for the best deals in town which is why I have recommended someone take lead and form a group with trusted personnel only to help look out for each other.  Scalpers do exists and there are here to stay, they form another group of people in society in which dealing with them is part and parcel of a collector's life.

PEACE