Was a collector happy with Star wars, Turtles, Batman, even to POP then got distracted to Statues....which was a mistake as you can't continue action figures once u go into statues..fell into a marketing trap...but now wiser after one month...very useful video and I totally it should be about what makes you happy....awaiting eight Black series figures.....😁
The big mistake I make a lot of times is settling. I go out looking for a certain figure that I really want, don't find it, and settle for a figure that I'm not as passionate about.
I did that too,I was looking for the Jungle Hunter Neca predator,didn't find it,but wound up finding an exclusive city hunter predator with the cloak paint job,and then I wound up returning after having it for a few days
On the flip side, I have also made the opposite mistake. I was so dead set on trying to find that one figure at the top of the list, and passed on opportunities to get other figures that were on my list. By the time they reached the top, they had become insanely hard to find and extremely expensive.
save your receipts and dont be afraid to return that toy man!so many people are so afraid to use those return policys! your not happy with it or havent looked at it in 3 months? take it back. It sucks but not everything companies make is gold, we know that the hard way. or just resell it online.
My biggest regret was religiously using Ebay to get my collection, especially these days where I can just buy whatever from other, more reputable, websites.
I have to say I am so glad content like this exists now, everyone wanting to start a collection should watch this. Thank you so much for putting it into a neat, clear and understandable package. Amazing video!
My biggest regrets are: 1. selling my original Transformers G1 collection. 2. selling a large chunk of my Transformers collection when my father died. If I could go back I would never sell any of my Transformers.
I hear ya. I still bring this up to my parents who said it would be a good idea to get rid of my G1, GI-Joes, and He-Man collections! My mom even regrets now doing that.
I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. I actually had the reverse happen. I left all my G1 Transformers, G.I.Joe, and MOTU figures at home when I went off to college. My mom passed away last year, and to my surprise, she'd labeled, boxed up and saved all of my stuff. It's a sweet reminder of her every time I look at them and they are pretty much priceless to me at this point 😇👍
My mom did this twice with my super Nintendo it literally kept me up nights after that like damn I literally had one in a box around 2007 box was in closet she threw it out then sold set later at yard sale 😢
Congrats and welcome to a new addiction (collecting)! Beware it's a slippery slope and also brings so much happiness. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. Thank you for watching my channel.
How's it going for you so far Justin? I started collecting at the beginning of this year and started getting a little frustrated with it (prices, availability, windowless boxes,no accessories or head swaps just to name a few ) but then I discovered customizing and dioramas for my figures. Hope your well Justin
I’m all here in this…. Been doing it for 30 years…I’m freelance and the wife hates it… but it really makes me happy. I hate that hobby shops run in and buy whole cases just to mark them up… I only grab MOTU, some of the marvel legends… some hot wheels…. That’s it. I did all you mentioned in this video…yes, you’re right. When the thrill is gone, it’s time to rethink. At least your wife gets it. My better half told me “this is sick…. It’s a sickness…” I just told her…”to you maybe… it makes me happy..” love this channel…it removes the self hate and guilt surrounding this hobby. I’m an illustrator so I tell her and people that it’s inspiration and reference… but I really just love it! Thanks for this video and channel….❤
In all honesty I've had no regrets because when I started collecting there has been channels like this that has helped me from making any major mistakes
My regrets are selling some things and then buying back...for more lol. I have learned from a lot of my mistakes and I tend to try and not stress now. The big one was telling myself I needed to buy everything and I would stress that things would sell out, so would panic buy for the sake of it (rather than wait until pay day!). I like your questions that you ask yourself, I will put those to use! Great Video...
I remember when I first had the financial freedom to start my collection, I almost instantly did the whole “buy every single thing that comes out” (particularly ML), and I’d always end up selling most of it a few months later because I just bought it for the dopamine hit. Lol This year I’ve purged and settled into a nice groove of only doing one single toy line with a pinch of another here or there. It’s kept me from a lot of stress of “how do I pay for all this stuff?!”, and I’m happier that my collect is just a 99% solo focus at this point.
I mainly collect horror / cult physical media and merchandise, and can relate to at least some of the issues you are pointing out, especially "completion-ism" and "feeding the scalpers".
Oh man! I get this all to well. I'm doing it right now. I also bought a house about 5 years ago. Once I did this I made a nerd office where I can work on UA-cam, do writing, play games, and whatever else I want. I filled the office and put up shelves finding myself with room to collect big time. However, in the last year I have been going over the entire collection and finding that if the thing I collected doesn't mean anything to me then it really needs to go and that's the focus of my entire channel now. Fandom With ReploidBill is my personal journey through fandom. What I love. What I hate. What I think. What has changed for me over the years. This isn't an add for my UA-cam I'm just saying that when you brought this part up I felt it. I'm literally living it right now. Love the channel man.
Awesome video! I collected years ago and broke every single one of these rules and ended up hating/resenting collection 1.0. I got rid of it all. About 2 years ago I decided to pick up a couple of Iron Man Legends and have been collecting ever since. I limit myself to certain franchises/teams in the MCU/MU and out of the 145 figures I have so far I am happy to say that my shelf of shame consists of only 8 figures that don't bring me joy. Definitely going to continue on this happy road but will be using your questions on future purchases and wish I could go back in time with what I've learned and what you have shared. But time travel is not yet possible so for now Collection 2.0 is shaping up nicely. Great content.
Thank you David. That's fantastic you're down to 8 figures that lack joy. It's so easy to lose focus and start down a rabbit hole and often times we've accumulated stuff that's just stuff and wonder why the heck did I do that? Thanks for commenting.
This hits spot on. About 6 years ago, I started focusing on micro collections (the Dark Crystal line, Rock Lords, Robo Force, etc) which were less to collect, and also just favorite characters out of lines (so focusing on like only Stinkor/Stormtroopers/Marshal Bravestarr) which made a MASSIVE difference, and considering I do comic conventions for work, this took the stress out for me.
My personal mantra is it’s only worth something to me. Buying something to be worth cash isn’t fun. People always ask what my collections worth and I say only has value to me cause I buy what I want, open and display, and have no intention of selling.
My dad always tried to tell me "why do you open your transformers, they'll be worth more sealed" and I would always tell him "I don't care what they're worth. I don't plan on selling them."
Im not your typical collector, I buy what I like, what I can afford and what I can get. I wont go crazy for not being able to get a particular figure, although in some cases I do wish I could have, but I move on. I prefer to collect figures of characters, games and movies that mean a lot to me so I skip things that do not.
Thank you for sharing, to give testimony that collecting always has to bring fun and joy. No the anguish to have everything. Thank you for your words and big hi from Mexico city
I'm a very new collector of the star wars black series so these videos that you make really help me keep my focus on what mean something to me. Keep me up it!! Thanks big nerdy!!
Matt, you're wonderful. Thanks for making this video. I wish I'd seen this when you first put it out. Last month I found myself in a similar place and had a similar come-to-nerdy moment. I was getting toys in the mail that I'd preordered that I realized I didn't even want. I was spending money I should've been saving and not getting the joy from this hobby that started me in it to begin with. I went through all my pre-orders and cancelled anything that I didn't REEEEALLY want-even those things I wanted but that I knew were overpriced for the happiness they'd bring me. It's a constant battle, but I'm feeling happier as a toy collector than I have in years.
What a great video! I certainly went thru this also in my 30years collecting. Just want to share my guideline that helps keep me sane: 1. theme- I narrow my collection down to a small subset of things I collect now: Star Wars, 1:12 scale, clone troopers, some other trooper types, some Jedi, some sith, Mandalorian, bounty hunter, boba Fett, some bad batch. For other IPs, I am extremely selective- it has to be something with a nostalgic value attached to it. 2. Reduced need to complete- aside from black series clone troopers I don’t feel the need to complete anything else. It’s like gambling- the house will always win. Toy companies will often come out with unlimited variations that will fuel the need for next purchase. I think by really narrowing things down for what needs to complete, it is very achievable. And great thing with clone troopers is, if I stumble upon one with great price but I already have it, I can still buy it because it’s good to army build. I still get a sense of satisfaction. 3. Space- If I need a warehouse to store some of my collection, I think it’s a good sign I have lost the plot. If I have a collection that can be enjoyed by opening up just a couple of cupboards without the need to dig into every nook and crannies in the house, that’s good enough for me. I also made a conscious decision to abandon 1:6th scale figures because they take up too much space. Anyways, thanks so much for giving the platform to air out this issue.
Tons of regrets! I am an 80's kid so I loved collecting. I think I hit a lot of things on your list and had to learn from my mistakes. Now, I am selling off a lot of things that don't make sense and sparking a lot of joy! Keeping it small and simple is the way to go, don't break the bank, and don't let your collection own you. Life is way to short!
Biggest regret is buying all the Black Series figures when I should have just bought one or two Figuarts. Felt so good selling almost 100 Black Seires figures and picking a few favorite characters from Figuarts. And just buying stuff that was there because it was there
The amount of merchandise released it was ridiculous, it got out of hand. So I decided to pick a character which was Vader and that’s wha5 I collected. But once my daughter came I sold it all.
Dude!!!! I can totally relate to all of this. At this point I’m finally starting to sort/sell all the random excess in my Toy Tomb. Trying to downsize/fine tune/ curate my collection. Love all your content bro! I’m slowly working on launching my own channel, to document the process.
Excellent advice. More collectors should talk/share this. Gem Mint (who is into comics and statues) talks about using the hobby to fund itself. Don’t want something anymore? Can always sell it to use the cash to help the hobby budget. Another good thought to help keep the pocketbook safe.
I applaud you for this video and the message behind you. Thankfully I learnt this lesson very early on (with comics) but had a relapse with POTF and Phantom Menace after which point I pretty much stopped.
You have helped more than you can know. I have made these mistakes and don’t feel as bad now. I think I can use this to make better choices. Subbed and have fun with future collecting.
Hey MJ. You are DEF not alone and I felt that was why I needed to make a video on it. We're human and all make choices that can lead to regret. Thank you for subscribing!
Having severe OCD and trying to buy figures is so overwhelming. There's always a lingering doubt on needing all of them. One just doesn't suffice. It's hard to appreciate what you have when you just keep wanting more. I hope eventually I'll be able to just enjoy what I have and get what I want not what I feel I need. Sounds a bit over the top but you know haha
Another great video. 3 years ago i hit that phase in collecting where it stopped being fun. I decided to take a break, and to get rid of a lot of the things that I had bought without really knowing why I bought them. I got to see the joy it brought other people to find things they had been looking for, and the thrill it gave them at finding a great deal. I realized I had been approaching collecting completely wrong (just buying everything that caught my eye, or that was valuable). I decided to use a good portion of my old collection to fund my collection 2.0, which is Lazer-focused on only things that make me happy, regardless of potential resale value.
Good video! I’ve collected for a long time too and it is difficult these days. Hard to determine if something will hang around or be rare very quickly and shopping in store is rare in itself these days. Even online preorders can go quickly. I try not to impulse buy but with preorders you can usually cancel with little to no consequence with many retailers and have time to wait and see if it’s something you really are excited about. I also leave items in box after getting for awhile before opening. If I decide it was an impulse, being boxed allows easier return, trade, or sale to another collector. Being a part of a collecting community can allow for trading and selling, to get rid of things you don’t want anymore or acquire things you never found or missed out on.
You are so spot on. I'm almost thankful my parents were hoarders because I've always been very aware of my buying habits for collecting. I have a massive tolkien collection, but I am extremely choosy and i decided to focus my collection on vintage and book focused goods, preventing me from blowing my budget on figurines and instead spending on specific figures that complement my books for display. For star wars figures I never buy characters that are not in my top ten or so favorite characters, and I never buy anything that isn't Aestetic and will look good displayed. Which prevents me from buying most things really. And most importantly, I remember that this is a hobby for me to enjoy, not a scheme to make money. So I never regret opening boxes and actually moving them around and stuff. If it don't make me happy there's no point!
This video was in my recommended feed and is the first video I watched from you and I got to say I really enjoyed this video! As a collector myself I felt like I’m going through some of the stuff you’ve mentioned and this video will help me realize the things that I need to prioritize when I want to feed my collection. Thank you for the great video.
Great content mate! Long time collector and I regularly step back, asses and reset. Our collections aren't linear - they evolve over time with us, and the focus can change - its good to let things go that you don't feel that connection with, and refocus. Collections with a focus always look better than pure quantity.
My biggest collecting regrets were first, not having the money to buy the ones I really wanted and when I did have the money I was dumb enough to think oh I will get that one later. I passed up a lot of really good stuff. Stuff I look back and think, gee I had that one in my hand and let it go.
Yeah, this vid is SUPER helpful. When I got back into Pokémon in the first quarter of 2017, I started going to Pre-Releases. I pulled a Tapu-Lele at that first Pre-Release and the people there offered me $80 for it as it was one of the MOST popular cards in the set. I refused thinking I would be rich with it... now it's worth less than $10. I didn't read the market and I wasn't fond of the card, but in my mind, ("It HAS to go up in price") boy was I wrong. Now I read more into the hobby of action figures and comics. I read the market, sell here and buy there. Buy figures I want instead of "if I get one, I should get this one to match..." Thanks, Big Nerdy, for saving some people some trouble! Keep it up, my man!!!!!
So I'm like a year late to this post. Great point @Nerdzoic about collecting. I only collect what I like, what's in my budget, and whatever makes me happy.
Thank you for the video! A lot of those apply to me. Right now I am trying to display my collection so that it looks classy and neat besides a jumbled mess on the shelves.
I made hella mistakes when I first started toy collecting as an adult, just the excitement when u first get into it makes u kinda feelike a kid again, so it's kinda easy to get carried away. Besides still getting anxious sometimes about certain pre-ordered figures, as a collector I'm definitely a lot more patient these days
dude!!! I fn loved this video! THANK YOU FOR THIS! I have done every single mistake and regret you talked about. And I will literally ask myself all this questions from now on! Thanks my man!
This is actually really helpful. I've bought Legends and Multiverse figures even though they don't really fit my theme, but I don't want to miss out because it's exclusive. Windowless packaging almost killed my joy of collecting. Plus, I've started getting Thundercats, Gargoyles, and now Star Wars when Legends and DC Multiverse was already expensive and I'm running out of space. I should have learned my lesson when I bought MCU figures when I said I wouldn't.
Thank you for this - i recently reignited my Star Wars collecting hobby and have limited myself to Wedge/Rebel Pilots with the odd Boba Fett or something I really like. I think this “theme” based collecting will help me stay within a budget and also keep me focused. And help me ditch the FOMO aspect. I really appreciate your vids a lot. Thank you.
I'm much more selective these days. I've definitely made some mistakes, but can't bring myself to part with any of it. It's all on display, and is pure nostalgia for me. So, best approach is to never expect to "make money" from my collection, and buy only what I really want. The biggest question I'm dealing with is where does it all go after I leave this earth one day. Anyone in my family would see it as a burden. Has anyone else thought about what to do with it all when your gone?
This advice is so true and to be honest even at 45 and have been collecting for years I still am guilty of a couple of these from time to time! Awesome list! Plastic finds a way folks👍😁
Great video, for a while fell into the peril of completionism... also another mistake that is related to your "does it fit in your plan" is, keep a cap on the number of plans you have... I have I think too many separate plans for display collections that I ad to, but never actually get up on display. So I am slowly going through and trying to priune down not just what I have, but to try to shrink down the number of collection sets I have... BTW I still have no regrets over those cereal box purchases, I love those things!
I could not agree more with these haha now I try to be more picky about what figs to get and to be patient about finding a wave or a certain and not give into scalpers .
I do not collect toys, I'm more into painting miniatures/assembling model kits, but I would say, that these tips are universal for collecting anything. I've made similar mistakes and i have similar regrets in my hobby. Now I have a lot of unpainted/unassembled stuff that I can't even put on the shelf and not so interested in now and I've missed a lot of stuff that I would like to have
Greetings from Honduras, thank you for this video, I have made some of those mistakes. My main lines are Star Wars and GI Joe, but in my country, most of these toy don't even come here. About 90% of my collection has been bought online, other have been bought in local retail or have been gifts. I have been trying to limit my collection habits to one online purchase a month, but it has been difficult with all the new releases.
Hey Nerdzoic. I can definitely relate to what you said. I've been collecting some older Marvel Legends I feel just for the sake of having them. It can get addicting.
Thanks Matt for making this video. I can honestly identify with all 8 regrets. One thing I did back 20 years ago was decide that I was only going to collect OT stuff, but occasionally only buy the figs from PT, Clone Wars and Rebels that I really liked. The main thing is to collect what I can afford and what I truly like.
I used to enjoy the hunt, and still do somewhat, but I've grown tired of trying to find the things I want and none of my stores ever having stock, and having to pay scalper prices. So in recent times, I have begun to lean heavier and heavier into pre-ordering. That way I know for sure I will be getting all of my high priority targets. I missed most of the Bro-Thor wave of Marvel Legends so I POd the entire Disney+ wave. No way in hell I was taking the risk on those!
I'm getting tired of waiting one pre order day by my computer. The time the pre-order opens is never exact so I have to keep checking and even when I do manage to pre-order all of the figures I want Target and Walmart end up canceling my "pre-orders."
@@cobracommander9138 I use BigBadToyStore. Except for Hot Toys, I've never seen them sell out as fast as the other stores. Also, I have NEVER had a pre-order canceled by them. They are very reliable, flat shipping rate of $5 or less, and everything arrives in excellent condition. The drawbacks are that they usually get their stock later than everyone else and they tend to run a few dollars more. But to me it's a small price to pay for a reliable service.
@@imjango1052 I like Big Bad Toy Store and I especially like their "Pile of Loot" so I can add figures without paying for shipping separately or meeting the free shipping amount. But many of my pre-orders with BBTS have not materialized months after their expected shipping date. They are basically canceled. I don't think they are ever going to fulfill them.
@@cobracommander9138 Usually if that happens I think it is because the items themselves were delayed or canceled. Also because of the pandemic the production of some figures were slowed down. I had Mezco Two-Face on preorder and he had been scheduled for an August release, but I didn't get him until late January. That wasn't BBTS' fault though, that was Mezco being slowed down.
I collect vintage Barbie dolls, and what I learnt over time is to set specific goals , like a priority list. So it gets easier to focus on that only. I also have an accessories list, I write down everything I need for completing some fashion, and I write an update date on it, so I know if it starts to be less actual. And if I buy something pricey I play survivor. I go infront of my dolls cabinet and and I choose who or what need to go. Usually I put these items away just to see how I feel about the changes, if I miss the items or if it changes nothing to me. And over time if I see an item for sell at a good price, I can feel inside of me if I will regret to pass or not. I also always follow the market prices, so I know what can be worthy to sell, sometimes that can be easier to let some items go.
And I forget the important moto : quality over quantity. Having high standards is very good! It helps to know what to look for. Sometimes I find cheap items but the quality is bad, So I pass. If it takes months or years to find something specific that's alright.
What are *YOUR* biggest regrets??
I traded a ML Colossus and Juggernaut 2 pack for a Luke and Yoda black series 2 pack and a retro card Daredevil.....trade aged like shit.
Not buying enough every time I go toy hunting 😂
Was a collector happy with Star wars, Turtles, Batman, even to POP then got distracted to Statues....which was a mistake as you can't continue action figures once u go into statues..fell into a marketing trap...but now wiser after one month...very useful video and I totally it should be about what makes you happy....awaiting eight Black series figures.....😁
Buying Moloch at MSRP 😭
Black seris
The big mistake I make a lot of times is settling. I go out looking for a certain figure that I really want, don't find it, and settle for a figure that I'm not as passionate about.
Samee
I did that too,I was looking for the Jungle Hunter Neca predator,didn't find it,but wound up finding an exclusive city hunter predator with the cloak paint job,and then I wound up returning after having it for a few days
On the flip side, I have also made the opposite mistake. I was so dead set on trying to find that one figure at the top of the list, and passed on opportunities to get other figures that were on my list. By the time they reached the top, they had become insanely hard to find and extremely expensive.
save your receipts and dont be afraid to return that toy man!so many people are so afraid to use those return policys! your not happy with it or havent looked at it in 3 months? take it back. It sucks but not everything companies make is gold, we know that the hard way. or just resell it online.
Never settle
I'm surprised you're dressed so formally today! I mean, you're wearing a tie!
Hahaha took me a minute
Winner
Good one
My biggest regret was religiously using Ebay to get my collection, especially these days where I can just buy whatever from other, more reputable, websites.
I have to say I am so glad content like this exists now, everyone wanting to start a collection should watch this. Thank you so much for putting it into a neat, clear and understandable package. Amazing video!
Thank you so much!
My biggest regrets are:
1. selling my original Transformers G1 collection.
2. selling a large chunk of my Transformers collection when my father died.
If I could go back I would never sell any of my Transformers.
I hear ya. I still bring this up to my parents who said it would be a good idea to get rid of my G1, GI-Joes, and He-Man collections! My mom even regrets now doing that.
I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. I actually had the reverse happen. I left all my G1 Transformers, G.I.Joe, and MOTU figures at home when I went off to college. My mom passed away last year, and to my surprise, she'd labeled, boxed up and saved all of my stuff. It's a sweet reminder of her every time I look at them and they are pretty much priceless to me at this point 😇👍
@@exoticcarfactsofficialchan7050 what an angel.
My mom did this twice with my super Nintendo it literally kept me up nights after that like damn I literally had one in a box around 2007 box was in closet she threw it out then sold set later at yard sale 😢
“Don’t Buy things just to have them”
Me : (looks at all my clearance funko pops)
Admiral Ackbar: Its a trap!
Your video brought us happiness :)
Thanks Rina for watching it.
couldn't have said it better myself!
From 00:01-10:47 I enjoyed EVERY SECOND!!! Such an amazing video man thanks for taking the time to make this for the collectors community 😁
Wow thank you so much, that really means a lot!
What about 00:00 bro
I’m a new collector and I got to say it’s easy and nice to follow your accountant thank you
Congrats and welcome to a new addiction (collecting)! Beware it's a slippery slope and also brings so much happiness. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. Thank you for watching my channel.
How's it going for you so far Justin? I started collecting at the beginning of this year and started getting a little frustrated with it (prices, availability, windowless boxes,no accessories or head swaps just to name a few ) but then I discovered customizing and dioramas for my figures. Hope your well Justin
I’m all here in this…. Been doing it for 30 years…I’m freelance and the wife hates it… but it really makes me happy. I hate that hobby shops run in and buy whole cases just to mark them up… I only grab MOTU, some of the marvel legends… some hot wheels…. That’s it. I did all you mentioned in this video…yes, you’re right. When the thrill is gone, it’s time to rethink. At least your wife gets it. My better half told me “this is sick…. It’s a sickness…” I just told her…”to you maybe… it makes me happy..” love this channel…it removes the self hate and guilt surrounding this hobby. I’m an illustrator so I tell her and people that it’s inspiration and reference… but I really just love it! Thanks for this video and channel….❤
In all honesty I've had no regrets because when I started collecting there has been channels like this that has helped me from making any major mistakes
My regrets are selling some things and then buying back...for more lol. I have learned from a lot of my mistakes and I tend to try and not stress now. The big one was telling myself I needed to buy everything and I would stress that things would sell out, so would panic buy for the sake of it (rather than wait until pay day!). I like your questions that you ask yourself, I will put those to use! Great Video...
I told myself I would never buy anything I sell and that’s cause what I sale are things I don’t like so why would I buy them back lol
I remember when I first had the financial freedom to start my collection, I almost instantly did the whole “buy every single thing that comes out” (particularly ML), and I’d always end up selling most of it a few months later because I just bought it for the dopamine hit. Lol
This year I’ve purged and settled into a nice groove of only doing one single toy line with a pinch of another here or there. It’s kept me from a lot of stress of “how do I pay for all this stuff?!”, and I’m happier that my collect is just a 99% solo focus at this point.
Thanks for this video man. Very informative. Sometimes we get caught in buying everything, we don’t sit back and look at it from your perspective.
It really is so easy to feel the stress and to lose focus. Glad you like it. 😄
Thanks Big Nerdy for sharing the same struggles I have. This video was helpful.
We’re all in this together lol.
I mainly collect horror / cult physical media and merchandise, and can relate to at least some of the issues you are pointing out, especially "completion-ism" and "feeding the scalpers".
Oh man! I get this all to well. I'm doing it right now. I also bought a house about 5 years ago. Once I did this I made a nerd office where I can work on UA-cam, do writing, play games, and whatever else I want. I filled the office and put up shelves finding myself with room to collect big time. However, in the last year I have been going over the entire collection and finding that if the thing I collected doesn't mean anything to me then it really needs to go and that's the focus of my entire channel now. Fandom With ReploidBill is my personal journey through fandom. What I love. What I hate. What I think. What has changed for me over the years. This isn't an add for my UA-cam I'm just saying that when you brought this part up I felt it. I'm literally living it right now. Love the channel man.
Becoming OCD about certain toy lines and also passing on things in store when available in a short window.
I have no regrets, other than not buying that Black Series Dengar when I saw it at Gamestop.
Great advice. I recently had to pull back and ask myself which figs I really wanted and which ones I was only getting to get all of them.
That’s awesome that you caught yourself. It’s such a slippery slope.
Awesome video! I collected years ago and broke every single one of these rules and ended up hating/resenting collection 1.0. I got rid of it all. About 2 years ago I decided to pick up a couple of Iron Man Legends and have been collecting ever since. I limit myself to certain franchises/teams in the MCU/MU and out of the 145 figures I have so far I am happy to say that my shelf of shame consists of only 8 figures that don't bring me joy. Definitely going to continue on this happy road but will be using your questions on future purchases and wish I could go back in time with what I've learned and what you have shared. But time travel is not yet possible so for now Collection 2.0 is shaping up nicely. Great content.
Thank you David. That's fantastic you're down to 8 figures that lack joy. It's so easy to lose focus and start down a rabbit hole and often times we've accumulated stuff that's just stuff and wonder why the heck did I do that? Thanks for commenting.
This hits spot on. About 6 years ago, I started focusing on micro collections (the Dark Crystal line, Rock Lords, Robo Force, etc) which were less to collect, and also just favorite characters out of lines (so focusing on like only Stinkor/Stormtroopers/Marshal Bravestarr) which made a MASSIVE difference, and considering I do comic conventions for work, this took the stress out for me.
smart idea focusing on your favorite characters and not feeling the need to collect the whole series.
@@Nerdzoic Thanks, it seems to be the only way I can logically/responsibly collect nowadays. :D
I go back to this vid often.....keeps me sharp and disciplined.... all the points you made were 1000% correct. Thx for the info BN!
My personal mantra is it’s only worth something to me. Buying something to be worth cash isn’t fun. People always ask what my collections worth and I say only has value to me cause I buy what I want, open and display, and have no intention of selling.
great way to look at it!
My dad always tried to tell me "why do you open your transformers, they'll be worth more sealed" and I would always tell him "I don't care what they're worth. I don't plan on selling them."
@@SSJ4LBVegito 100 percent. Have fun. I used to keep everything in the box. Booorrriing lol
If it doesn't have a place in my fanfiction, it doesn't have a place on my shelf.
Im not your typical collector, I buy what I like, what I can afford and what I can get.
I wont go crazy for not being able to get a particular figure, although in some cases I do wish I could have, but I move on.
I prefer to collect figures of characters, games and movies that mean a lot to me so I skip things that do not.
that is a healthy way of doing it!
That's how I do it too.
Very good Tips........ liked it very muc
Thanks Tobias for watching
If you buy a figure solely on the premise that it will go up in value, then you're not buying for happiness.
Unless money makes you happy.
Thank you for sharing, to give testimony that collecting always has to bring fun and joy. No the anguish to have everything. Thank you for your words and big hi from Mexico city
I'm a very new collector of the star wars black series so these videos that you make really help me keep my focus on what mean something to me. Keep me up it!! Thanks big nerdy!!
Hey Royce-welcome! It’s great the videos are helping to focus you and brings you happiness.
Matt, you're wonderful. Thanks for making this video. I wish I'd seen this when you first put it out. Last month I found myself in a similar place and had a similar come-to-nerdy moment. I was getting toys in the mail that I'd preordered that I realized I didn't even want. I was spending money I should've been saving and not getting the joy from this hobby that started me in it to begin with. I went through all my pre-orders and cancelled anything that I didn't REEEEALLY want-even those things I wanted but that I knew were overpriced for the happiness they'd bring me. It's a constant battle, but I'm feeling happier as a toy collector than I have in years.
Says "Don't feed the scalpers", then wishes he'd scalped his 6 Jorg Sacul figures 🤣🤣🤣
What a great video! I certainly went thru this also in my 30years collecting. Just want to share my guideline that helps keep me sane:
1. theme- I narrow my collection down to a small subset of things I collect now: Star Wars, 1:12 scale, clone troopers, some other trooper types, some Jedi, some sith, Mandalorian, bounty hunter, boba Fett, some bad batch. For other IPs, I am extremely selective- it has to be something with a nostalgic value attached to it.
2. Reduced need to complete- aside from black series clone troopers I don’t feel the need to complete anything else. It’s like gambling- the house will always win. Toy companies will often come out with unlimited variations that will fuel the need for next purchase. I think by really narrowing things down for what needs to complete, it is very achievable. And great thing with clone troopers is, if I stumble upon one with great price but I already have it, I can still buy it because it’s good to army build. I still get a sense of satisfaction.
3. Space- If I need a warehouse to store some of my collection, I think it’s a good sign I have lost the plot. If I have a collection that can be enjoyed by opening up just a couple of cupboards without the need to dig into every nook and crannies in the house, that’s good enough for me. I also made a conscious decision to abandon 1:6th scale figures because they take up too much space.
Anyways, thanks so much for giving the platform to air out this issue.
If it’s not on sale, don’t buy it. Buy what you really want, not hype. You don’t have a lot of space, be selective.
Tons of regrets! I am an 80's kid so I loved collecting. I think I hit a lot of things on your list and had to learn from my mistakes. Now, I am selling off a lot of things that don't make sense and sparking a lot of joy! Keeping it small and simple is the way to go, don't break the bank, and don't let your collection own you. Life is way to short!
That is awesome! You are so right!
6:50 admits he was trying to scalp. But fails. Lesson don’t scalp.
Admits he ShOULD have scalped but says "dont feed the scalpers" Lesson everybody scalps
One of my fav channels on yt keep up the great work!
That means a lot. Thank you Dehe.
Biggest regret is buying all the Black Series figures when I should have just bought one or two Figuarts. Felt so good selling almost 100 Black Seires figures and picking a few favorite characters from Figuarts. And just buying stuff that was there because it was there
Exactly do what makes YOU happy.
Very good advice here! You are definitely helping others with this video. Thanks.
The amount of merchandise released it was ridiculous, it got out of hand.
So I decided to pick a character which was Vader and that’s wha5 I collected.
But once my daughter came I sold it all.
I like the idea of just collecting a favorite character. Congrats man. Daughters are awesome.
Dude!!!! I can totally relate to all of this.
At this point I’m finally starting to sort/sell all the random excess in my Toy Tomb. Trying to downsize/fine tune/ curate my collection. Love all your content bro! I’m slowly working on launching my own channel, to document the process.
I don't know what you're talking about.....(hides eBay purchase history of last 30 days)
Lol 😂
Waaahahaha!
What items are on that list?!
Excellent advice. More collectors should talk/share this. Gem Mint (who is into comics and statues) talks about using the hobby to fund itself. Don’t want something anymore? Can always sell it to use the cash to help the hobby budget. Another good thought to help keep the pocketbook safe.
Gem Mint is the MAN, i have learned a ton from him in terms of collecting in the 3 years he has been on UA-cam. Seems like a great guy too.
This is teaching me a lesson because I have a hard time not to be a pack rat
It’s easy to get sucked into that hole
Cool video. Some really good advice about how to avoid some common mistakes with collecting. Nice job!
I found that Jar-Jar at Target on clearance for $8.
I applaud you for this video and the message behind you. Thankfully I learnt this lesson very early on (with comics) but had a relapse with POTF and Phantom Menace after which point I pretty much stopped.
Man, I almost forgot how badly comics taught me this lesson. $50 a week man
What an awesome video. Thank you for taking the time to make this!
You have helped more than you can know. I have made these mistakes and don’t feel as bad now. I think I can use this to make better choices. Subbed and have fun with future collecting.
Hey MJ. You are DEF not alone and I felt that was why I needed to make a video on it. We're human and all make choices that can lead to regret. Thank you for subscribing!
Having severe OCD and trying to buy figures is so overwhelming. There's always a lingering doubt on needing all of them. One just doesn't suffice. It's hard to appreciate what you have when you just keep wanting more. I hope eventually I'll be able to just enjoy what I have and get what I want not what I feel I need. Sounds a bit over the top but you know haha
Yea I’m starting to enjoy the thought of when ima find or buy a new figure more than actually opening them and putting them on display
@jaedenwilson199 I don't believe you have ocd. I don't believe you even understand what ocd is.
@@anthonybernero9720 I don't believe what you believe, you're wrong. Keep judging people on the Internet based on a small snippet of information.
Thank you for these videos. It’s very easy to go down the wormhole of collecting. I’ve narrowed down what I’m collecting.
Glad you like them! Good lick!
Another great video. 3 years ago i hit that phase in collecting where it stopped being fun. I decided to take a break, and to get rid of a lot of the things that I had bought without really knowing why I bought them.
I got to see the joy it brought other people to find things they had been looking for, and the thrill it gave them at finding a great deal.
I realized I had been approaching collecting completely wrong (just buying everything that caught my eye, or that was valuable). I decided to use a good portion of my old collection to fund my collection 2.0, which is Lazer-focused on only things that make me happy, regardless of potential resale value.
Sometimes breaks can be the best thing. And thank you for the compliment!
Good video! I’ve collected for a long time too and it is difficult these days. Hard to determine if something will hang around or be rare very quickly and shopping in store is rare in itself these days. Even online preorders can go quickly.
I try not to impulse buy but with preorders you can usually cancel with little to no consequence with many retailers and have time to wait and see if it’s something you really are excited about. I also leave items in box after getting for awhile before opening. If I decide it was an impulse, being boxed allows easier return, trade, or sale to another collector. Being a part of a collecting community can allow for trading and selling, to get rid of things you don’t want anymore or acquire things you never found or missed out on.
Thanks this will help me out
You’re welcome Eddie
You are so spot on. I'm almost thankful my parents were hoarders because I've always been very aware of my buying habits for collecting. I have a massive tolkien collection, but I am extremely choosy and i decided to focus my collection on vintage and book focused goods, preventing me from blowing my budget on figurines and instead spending on specific figures that complement my books for display. For star wars figures I never buy characters that are not in my top ten or so favorite characters, and I never buy anything that isn't Aestetic and will look good displayed. Which prevents me from buying most things really. And most importantly, I remember that this is a hobby for me to enjoy, not a scheme to make money. So I never regret opening boxes and actually moving them around and stuff. If it don't make me happy there's no point!
That makes it easier for sure!
This video was in my recommended feed and is the first video I watched from you and I got to say I really enjoyed this video! As a collector myself I felt like I’m going through some of the stuff you’ve mentioned and this video will help me realize the things that I need to prioritize when I want to feed my collection. Thank you for the great video.
awesome man, welcome to the channel!
This is a great video. I've been experiencing similar feelings right now, and will definitely apply these questions to my collection! Thanks Nerdzoic!
Great content mate! Long time collector and I regularly step back, asses and reset. Our collections aren't linear - they evolve over time with us, and the focus can change - its good to let things go that you don't feel that connection with, and refocus. Collections with a focus always look better than pure quantity.
Thanks KVLR. Well said...
"I felt like Forrest Gump after he went to both oceans" LOL That made this video for me when you said that. Great Video MATT
Haha, thank you Usualmike. I love some pop culture metaphors.
So much of this is familiar to me personally. Great video!
Thanks. Glad I’m not alone.
Thank you so much for helping me understand this stuff! As a young starter collector, this really helps me out with figuring out stuff!
Glad to help!
I just regret buying everything I see instead of buying what I really really want. Took space and money.
My biggest collecting regrets were first, not having the money to buy the ones I really wanted and when I did have the money I was dumb enough to think oh I will get that one later. I passed up a lot of really good stuff. Stuff I look back and think, gee I had that one in my hand and let it go.
Yeah, this vid is SUPER helpful. When I got back into Pokémon in the first quarter of 2017, I started going to Pre-Releases. I pulled a Tapu-Lele at that first Pre-Release and the people there offered me $80 for it as it was one of the MOST popular cards in the set. I refused thinking I would be rich with it... now it's worth less than $10. I didn't read the market and I wasn't fond of the card, but in my mind, ("It HAS to go up in price") boy was I wrong. Now I read more into the hobby of action figures and comics. I read the market, sell here and buy there. Buy figures I want instead of "if I get one, I should get this one to match..."
Thanks, Big Nerdy, for saving some people some trouble! Keep it up, my man!!!!!
Thank you, happy to help!
Thank's. A healthy dose of realistic expectations is appreciated.
Thank you man. I get anxiety sometimes
Trying to keep my collection toward my childhood favorites and hobbies
This advise is golden. I've certainly made quite a few mistakes and have my share of regrets!
Thanks for making this video. It definitely helps for first time collectors such as myself. More power to you sir :)
I’m glad it helped!
So I'm like a year late to this post. Great point @Nerdzoic about collecting. I only collect what I like, what's in my budget, and whatever makes me happy.
Thank you for the video! A lot of those apply to me. Right now I am trying to display my collection so that it looks classy and neat besides a jumbled mess on the shelves.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this bud. You’ve actually just helped me work out how you greatly reduce my Marvel Legends collection
Glad to help!
Great advice. Im a football (soccer) card collector. The regret that resonated in me was the buying shit you dont need.
I made hella mistakes when I first started toy collecting as an adult, just the excitement when u first get into it makes u kinda feelike a kid again, so it's kinda easy to get carried away. Besides still getting anxious sometimes about certain pre-ordered figures, as a collector I'm definitely a lot more patient these days
thank you for this video, i just started getting more figures and been stressing out but after thus video its going to change my ways.
That’s awesome. It’s so easy to start stressing. Don’t let it take the joy out of collecting for you.
dude!!! I fn loved this video! THANK YOU FOR THIS! I have done every single mistake and regret you talked about. And I will literally ask myself all this questions from now on! Thanks my man!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was a great and informative video,I'm glad you're around nerdy,to share your insights into a hobby to should not be stressful.
Hey thank you Louis-It feels good to share my experiences and love of collecting along with reading everyone’s comments.
This is actually really helpful. I've bought Legends and Multiverse figures even though they don't really fit my theme, but I don't want to miss out because it's exclusive. Windowless packaging almost killed my joy of collecting.
Plus, I've started getting Thundercats, Gargoyles, and now Star Wars when Legends and DC Multiverse was already expensive and I'm running out of space. I should have learned my lesson when I bought MCU figures when I said I wouldn't.
Thank you for this - i recently reignited my Star Wars collecting hobby and have limited myself to Wedge/Rebel Pilots with the odd Boba Fett or something I really like. I think this “theme” based collecting will help me stay within a budget and also keep me focused. And help me ditch the FOMO aspect.
I really appreciate your vids a lot. Thank you.
Glad I could help!
I'm much more selective these days. I've definitely made some mistakes, but can't bring myself to part with any of it. It's all on display, and is pure nostalgia for me. So, best approach is to never expect to "make money" from my collection, and buy only what I really want. The biggest question I'm dealing with is where does it all go after I leave this earth one day. Anyone in my family would see it as a burden. Has anyone else thought about what to do with it all when your gone?
This advice is so true and to be honest even at 45 and have been collecting for years I still am guilty of a couple of these from time to time! Awesome list! Plastic finds a way folks👍😁
Plastic crack man, it works in mysterious ways
Great video, for a while fell into the peril of completionism... also another mistake that is related to your "does it fit in your plan" is, keep a cap on the number of plans you have... I have I think too many separate plans for display collections that I ad to, but never actually get up on display. So I am slowly going through and trying to priune down not just what I have, but to try to shrink down the number of collection sets I have... BTW I still have no regrets over those cereal box purchases, I love those things!
Haha that’s awesome you still have the cereal. I like your ah ha moment with a cap on plans. That’s a good one!
I could not agree more with these haha now I try to be more picky about what figs to get and to be patient about finding a wave or a certain and not give into scalpers .
Awesome vid! Great advice. Definitely a double edged sword on many of the tips!
Excellent tips!
A wise video about the joy of this hobby. I will share it with my friends, who will benefit from this video. Thanks!
Thank you Toe Knee!
I do not collect toys, I'm more into painting miniatures/assembling model kits, but I would say, that these tips are universal for collecting anything. I've made similar mistakes and i have similar regrets in my hobby. Now I have a lot of unpainted/unassembled stuff that I can't even put on the shelf and not so interested in now and I've missed a lot of stuff that I would like to have
I'll find myself falling into the "completionist" mentality. But thankfully I don't have these problems. This is good advice
This video is so important. Great advice.
Thank you so much!
Great advice.
Greetings from Honduras, thank you for this video, I have made some of those mistakes. My main lines are Star Wars and GI Joe, but in my country, most of these toy don't even come here. About 90% of my collection has been bought online, other have been bought in local retail or have been gifts. I have been trying to limit my collection habits to one online purchase a month, but it has been difficult with all the new releases.
Hey Nerdzoic. I can definitely relate to what you said. I've been collecting some older Marvel Legends I feel just for the sake of having them. It can get addicting.
It can be incredibly addicting and you don't always realize you've started down that path. until you accumulate figures.
I always come to your channel for advice or any tips on collecting action figures.
"happiness" is really the overarching criterion to collecting, thank you for the vid.
Glad you liked it
Keeping it real, that’s why i follow your vids Matt, keep it up 😊😌👍
Thank you
Thanks Matt for making this video. I can honestly identify with all 8 regrets. One thing I did back 20 years ago was decide that I was only going to collect OT stuff, but occasionally only buy the figs from PT, Clone Wars and Rebels that I really liked. The main thing is to collect what I can afford and what I truly like.
Nice!
I used to enjoy the hunt, and still do somewhat, but I've grown tired of trying to find the things I want and none of my stores ever having stock, and having to pay scalper prices. So in recent times, I have begun to lean heavier and heavier into pre-ordering. That way I know for sure I will be getting all of my high priority targets. I missed most of the Bro-Thor wave of Marvel Legends so I POd the entire Disney+ wave. No way in hell I was taking the risk on those!
I'm getting tired of waiting one pre order day by my computer. The time the pre-order opens is never exact so I have to keep checking and even when I do manage to pre-order all of the figures I want Target and Walmart end up canceling my "pre-orders."
@@cobracommander9138 I use BigBadToyStore. Except for Hot Toys, I've never seen them sell out as fast as the other stores. Also, I have NEVER had a pre-order canceled by them. They are very reliable, flat shipping rate of $5 or less, and everything arrives in excellent condition. The drawbacks are that they usually get their stock later than everyone else and they tend to run a few dollars more. But to me it's a small price to pay for a reliable service.
@@imjango1052 I like Big Bad Toy Store and I especially like their "Pile of Loot" so I can add figures without paying for shipping separately or meeting the free shipping amount. But many of my pre-orders with BBTS have not materialized months after their expected shipping date. They are basically canceled. I don't think they are ever going to fulfill them.
@@cobracommander9138 Usually if that happens I think it is because the items themselves were delayed or canceled. Also because of the pandemic the production of some figures were slowed down. I had Mezco Two-Face on preorder and he had been scheduled for an August release, but I didn't get him until late January. That wasn't BBTS' fault though, that was Mezco being slowed down.
I collect vintage Barbie dolls, and what I learnt over time is to set specific goals , like a priority list. So it gets easier to focus on that only. I also have an accessories list, I write down everything I need for completing some fashion, and I write an update date on it, so I know if it starts to be less actual. And if I buy something pricey I play survivor. I go infront of my dolls cabinet and and I choose who or what need to go. Usually I put these items away just to see how I feel about the changes, if I miss the items or if it changes nothing to me. And over time if I see an item for sell at a good price, I can feel inside of me if I will regret to pass or not. I also always follow the market prices, so I know what can be worthy to sell, sometimes that can be easier to let some items go.
And I forget the important moto : quality over quantity. Having high standards is very good! It helps to know what to look for. Sometimes I find cheap items but the quality is bad, So I pass. If it takes months or years to find something specific that's alright.
I love you for this. I totally relate!