This.

I don't even limit myself to specific lines - I collect based on nostalgia for characters I loved as a kid, and if I think a particular figure is really awesome. I don't have even close to all of a single line, but by not obsessing over completeness I almost always have money to get what I really want.

I wasn't always so selective, and now I have a small box of figures I find I really don't like (mostly Movie 1 figs). The only thing worse than buyer's remorse is a broken favorite.

 

As I've never had the pleasure of enjoying a convention, the "deoderant for conventions, kind of eludes me. Is that some sort of inside collectors joke or is there really that many unbathed, stinky losers at those things?

 

There are that many unbathed, stinky losers at conventions. Really of any fandom.

Thanks for reminding me about the one thing I hate about conventions. I'll be at SakuraCon in two weeks. Need to buy nose plugs.

 

Where do you suggest getting them? Ebay? Online toy stores?

 

I've collected a lot of animated in the past 6 months due to the cheap prices. I'd check out TFW's own buy/sell/trade threads in the junkion exchange. Lots of good sellers and deals to be had there with some very good prices on things you can't buy in the stores anymore.

 

concentrate on one thing at a time, Animated is cheap at the moment, so go for it, the botcon set is the only thing that went up in value for it

 

get everything that you want before marry.  

 

If you are interested in current releases then pick them up asap - especially if you're into g1/classics - it WILL be more expensive to get those a few months later.

Be extremely careful when criticizing something - TF fans have extremely thin skin and will jump at the opportunity of being offended.

 

Sigh. I think we've all gone down that road. I started intially collecting g1, and after the awesomeness of classics and MP's, I found myself not caring for any of the g1 stuff anymore. Luckily that stuff keeps it's value, so it was no problem selling it off   Now I just collect Classics, MP's, Alternators, and whatever 3rd party item falls into any of those 3 catergories.

 

It seems your interests aren't that narrowed down, which let me warn you, can be very very bad for your wallet   That said, being a new collector, I suggest you try and think about what you really like, and try to concentrate on that first. It doesn't sound like you're a specific character collector. Do you think you're a completist? Or are you more of a group/ensemble collector? Like a lot of people here have mentioned, Animated is pretty affordable to acquire right now, and if you really like the aesthetic, that would be a pretty good place to start. Generations would involve you having to get some older figure from the Classics/Universe series which can be pretty hard for a new collector.

 

Like others have said: Be a collector and not a rampant consumer. It's quite alright to buy a lot of different stuff and see how you like it, but if you're focused more on the hunt for new figures and buying as much as you can as fast as possible, you'll get burnt out. It happens to a lot of people and they either decide to focus their collecting habits or they leave the hobby altogether. It will take some time and you might buy a lot before you really figure out what you want to collect, but keep that in mind when the acquisition fever hits. If Hasbro is in between lines, there's nothing new at retail, and you find yourself eager or annoyed because you want to buy something, it's time to think about what you're really doing.

Do your research. There's a great resources section here and other places, every site has good galleries and reviews. There's always stuff that you might want to have preordered and/or bought on first sight, but for most stuff, you might get a lot of info ahead of time that would make you think you might not want it after all.

Be patient. Collecting is a lifetime hobby, not seasons that come and go. Just about every collector I have talked to over the years has a story about the one that got away, and more stories about great finds that came about because they were diligent and patient.

Be critical. Don't be afraid to sell something after careful thought. I buy a lot of stuff that I like, and maybe 30% of them will get sold off after awhile because it either doesn't fit the main focus of my collection, or it may have been fun to have for awhile but I could live without it. Sometimes it's hard to make that first sale.

Stay here and read. I learned a lot when I first joined here, and after a few lines have come and gone I learned to spot trends, got better at guessing what would be easy or hard to find, and the constant news from all regions of the world is very helpful.

Stay here and get involved. If there are meetups or toy shows in your area, go. Look at what other collectors here or in person are doing.

 

Think hard if it is a figure you really want. I have made that mistake with several figures and now I am trying to get rid of them.

 

Just because it's on clearance for 50% off doesn't mean you should buy it. Especially as an extra MISB to your loose one. Sure, there's a chance that $20 clearance item will be worth $150 in two years (I'm looking at you ROTF Leader Megatron!) but more likely it'll be worth exactly what to paid for it and be a pain to get rid off.

 

Don't freak out if you can't find something that should be on shelves. It'll show up eventually. Or not.

I tend to preorder things on BigBadToyStore if it's something I really want or if I'm worried about finding it in person. You can always cancel the preorder if you end up finding it. Worst case: if you get duplicates you can always sell the spare on ebay or somewhere.

Sometimes you have to decide if it's worth the online store markup prices to secure your figure. Just remember: if it's a high demand figure, aftermarket prices will be at least twice retail.

P.S. Have fun and don't stress out. Sometimes the hunt's the most fun part. And remember: it's a hobby, it should be enjoyable  

 

Don't collect just to collect. Only buy what you like. That's what I do.

 

-don't restrict yourself to only one line. If you only collect CHUG, you'll be missing tons of cool movie figs.

-buy only what you like. Don't fell like you "have" to buy Shrapnel just b/c you have the other insecticons.

-Be patient and don't feed the scalpers. It took me a good long time before I found a well priced Energon Skorponok.

-Bot Shots. nuff' said

 

One thing is always try and find a review of the figure you want to get as it might look good in pictures be incredibly bad in person.

Also look a figures you think look bad in pictures as they can look really good in person (for personal experance)