Does anyone have a method to the madness they call - TF collecting?

[SilverDragon]

Here's a hint I picked up recently.

If you're on a toy hunt and see something which you feel an urge to buy, leave it on the shelf and wait three days. After that period of time, ask yourself, do you really want it? If you find you now have doubts about whether you actually want it, then don't buy it.

Also try to read toy reviews in the three days. You'll get a better idea of what the toy is like from them than from looking at the box.

[Paulbot]

I'm working on a few methods at the moment but my methodology is still not fully thought through.

1. Aim to have one of each toy mould and few duplicates
2. Wait for sales to purchase figures
3. Avoid any straight repaints when it's not a new character (Defender Optimus Prime, NEST Bumblebee for instance)
4. Only buy new character repaints when there's a good reason and consider selling on the original version (eg Buy ROTF Thrust and sell Breakaway)
5. If I've purchased something and several months later it is still MISB sell it on.

[SofaMan]

I'm working on a few methods at the moment but my methodology is still not fully thought through.

1. Aim to have one of each toy mould and few duplicates
2. Wait for sales to purchase figures
3. Avoid any straight repaints when it's not a new character (Defender Optimus Prime, NEST Bumblebee for instance)
4. Only buy new character repaints when there's a good reason and consider selling on the original version (eg Buy ROTF Thrust and sell Breakaway)
5. If I've purchased something and several months later it is still MISB sell it on.

Y'know, this is pretty close to my rules as well. I haven't done #5 in a decade or so, since I haven't bought multiples for resale.

And I only do the first half of #4 - once I've bought it, it stays mine.

[Mr Ed]

i just buy whatever i like.

nothing scientific about it

what hooked me back into TF was when the TF movie was released and I felt like I was 9 years old again!

[kristofferrer]

Hey I like this:

I'm working on a few methods at the moment but my methodology is still not fully thought through.

1. Aim to have one of each toy mould and few duplicates
2. Wait for sales to purchase figures

3. Avoid any straight repaints when it's not a new character (Defender Optimus Prime, NEST Bumblebee for instance)
4. Only buy new character repaints when there's a good reason and consider selling on the original version (eg Buy ROTF Thrust and sell Breakaway)

I like some repaints ... ill get them but i think i might start reducing doubles. and i did want to go ahead with collecting doubles, i'd probably wait for a sale. (it's equally as fun hunting toys and looking for bargains as owning them) kudos...

5. If I've purchased something and several months later it is still MISB sell it on.

i don't know what this means?

[Paulbot]

5. If I've purchased something and several months later it is still MISB sell it on.

i don't know what this means?

I have some toys sitting around my room that I've not opened and played with (still is their sealed packaging). I look at toys like that and think if I've not opened after several months I probably don't really need it. And since it's still sealed and in unused condition I'm better off to sell it and spend the money on something I want to open and play with.

[kup]

Recently I have bought a toy which I have no intention of opening just yet. It's Universe Hard Head.

The reason that he will remain unopened is because I don't really care for it in its 'out of factory' state and I am only buying it just in case the 'Hot Head' upgrade gets released. In that case I would open it and make it an official part of my collection after acquiring the upgrade.

If the Hot Head upgrade never happens then I will just sell it MISB and it will never enter my collection.

[loophole]

i mainly just get cast characters for example with beast wars i only get the toys that appeared in the show because thats what i like.

there are of course exceptions to this like with the classics line i just get what i think looks cool and dont worry about the rest with G1 its just the characters from the first 3 seasons thats it, i may get others but they arent a necessity to obtain like the rest of the characters are

[d*r*j*]

If you're on a toy hunt and see something which you feel an urge to buy, leave it on the shelf and wait three days.

Worst advice ever! If it's a good toy you probably will never see it again at retail. Just put it in a trolley and walk around the store for a while if you are so unsure.

I haven't really had a strong compulsion to buy a transformer for quite a while, maybe since the second movie came out with waves of Cybertron re-paints. I still buy toys all the time, got some nice GI Joes when they clearance and have picked up quite a bit of Masters of the Universe stuff, vintage and classics. I also collect certain music items when I am in the mood and like to collect a couple of authors' works.

I collect things, I pretty much always have. I'm lucky that my attention span is rather short so I don't get hung up on one thing most of the time.

[GoktimusPrime]

It depends on what the toy is. If you know it's going to be a popular toy that will sell quickly, then you probably shouldn't delay. But there's no need to say quickly buy a Combiner Class Devastator or Ultimate Bumblebee right now in fear if it selling out any time soon.

But there is some truth to "you snooze you lose." If you really desperately want a toy then you might want to buy it now or accept the chance that it may be really hard to find later (and you may have to pay expensive aftermarket prices on places like eBay because the toy has become rare). I'm glad I bought Monstructor from Kmart in 1989!