[TK Solver]

Local hobby stores can sell them for $14.99 plus tax and still compete with auctions selling them for $12.99 plus $5 shipping. And hobby stores could sell White Thunders for $39.99 and make a nice profit on those.

 

[TK Solver]

Are people really so foolish that they will repeatedly let someone else buy a car directly from a web site and then buy it from them through an auction a week later for over twice the price? How many fools are there like that? We aren't some secret club here. Anyone can find out about these deals. It's weird to me that a goofy side market like this can exist without involving a dealer/distribution channel. I can understand to some extent how the silly market on Tomy set cars persists. People want extra track pieces and it's clearly cheaper to buy a set and auction off the cars. People still seem willing to spend $20 on those SG+ set cars. But in this case, the chrome chevys are simply trading hands. I don't understand why Tom Lowe sold ANY of them on his web site when he could have auctioned them himself with almost no extra effort. What benefit did he get out of leaving that money on the table? Maybe he didn't realize what they might actually go for? Stirring up publicity? I'll be very surprised if slot car money grows on web trees like this again.