Introduction:
My name is Kevin and I have been collecting sofubi for about two years. Like many here, I started off on the KR boards and have found this place to be a breath of fresh air. Whenever someone there mentioned the “SB” forums, I always thought they were referring to some Nike SB forum and never looked into it. Eventually, I figured it out after I became really interested in t9g’s Rangeas and L’amour Supreme’s Mongolion. I think PK’s Boss Carrion got me to stay here as a long-term board member

I wanted to make a post about some things I’ve learned or realized over the two years collecting and posting here. I know I’m still relatively new, and I’ve whined and moaned and made stupid decisions, but I’m trying to be a smarter and “true” collector. Face it, everyone has paid way too much for a piece of plastic before, but some people learn from the experience and become wiser over time. Feel free to correct my errors and add your thoughts and experiences. Shoot me a pm if you’d rather keep things private; it’s always fun to see that red box at the top


My thoughts...

1. Stop complaining about the ways toys are sold!
There will never be a “perfect” way to sell toys - there will always be someone who gets left out. Brick and mortar stores, webstores, conventions, lotteries, lists, etc. - all of these have benefits and problems. If you haven’t produced a toy before, you haven’t been in toy makers’ shoes and you don’t know their thought process or what they have to deal with. Not everyone can make made-to-order runs; just look at how exhausted Rich got from the InvisaOllie release!

Sure, the Anraku “list” is disappointing to know about when you’re not included, but new people like me don’t really have a right to complain when people who have been collecting for decades aren’t even on the “list.” If the toy maker is alive and well and still making toys, you always have another shot. Anraku, HxS, and other highly sought after toys pop up in the sale forum more often than you think!

2. We are collecting in great times!
We’re lucky to have the internet to find whatever we want and international shipping in lotteries and other sales. Collectors just ten or twenty years ago had it much harder. American toy makers are making a huge leap forward, and there are collaborations everywhere, all the time. You can find cheap toys all the time in the sale forums and other places. Support some of the smaller artists out there, and help the toy scene grow even more

3. Toys aren’t investments
Don’t expect to get what you paid back when you try to sell a toy. Selling toys shouldn’t be your emergency fund or your full-time job (unless you run an actual store). I recently read Brian Flynn’s interview in the Mook, where he talked about how he bought kaiju when no one wanted it, and then suddenly the kaiju scene took off and it’s become impossible to buy some toys now. Toy prices fluctuate pretty wildly - invest in something else if you want to make money.

4. Not everyone can sculpt and paint…
A lot of people see the sold out runs and pricey customs and think, Hmm…I could do that and make boatloads of money! Well, chances are you can’t (at least not yet). First of all, you should by sculpting and painting more for the fun of it when you are beginning. If you decide to show off your work, be ready to listen to criticism. Be patient and work hard – try to improve! Take some art lessons if you can. Be respectful of existing toy makers – don’t just copy them!

If you decide you want to start selling your work, don’t expect to make a profit from your first custom or sculpt. Also, don’t charge Gargamel prices for your first custom. You’re lucky if you break even in the first year, just like any business venture. Be prepared to start small and grow over time.

5. Stop buying into the hype!!!
Buy something because YOU want it, not because you know twenty other people do.

This is a bad analogy because toys aren’t investments, but think of the stock market. Good brokers don’t buy when the stocks are at their highest price; they buy when others undervalue the stock. If you can score some MVH from Rich’s release at retail, good for you! But don’t miss out and then rush to buy at an overinflated price from someone else. Wait a bit, and you will almost always be able to find it again for a decent price. Don’t let the flippers win!
Note: There is a difference between flippers and people who are just selling on ebay. You can usually tell if they try to hide their identity.

6. Miracles happen – always have money ready!
I didn’t think I’d ever own an HP Rangeas or the PK Bemon I recently got, but it happened - give it time, and anything can happen. Don’t be the guy who sees one of his grails pop up for sale, and then feels disappointed because the seller put “no holds.” You also don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling off a bunch of toys to afford something. Have money ready for the unexpected surprises

7. Learn some toy history; branch out to new things
Browse old threads and toy blogs and books to learn as much as you can about the toys we collect. You may stumble across a beautiful toy you may have never learned about otherwise.

Everyone collects differently and sets different “rules” for themselves. For example, some people decide on one shelf/detolf, never buying customs, only buying one toy per sculpt, etc. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone of only buying neo kaiju or vintage). Explore the toy world – rules were made to be broken! Some of the best collectibles can be found by accident at a flea market

8. Toy collecting shouldn’t be painful
Don’t let toys ruin your life and/or run all of your emotions. It’s normal for people to get excited about a release and then get bummed about losing a lottery, but it’s REALLY not the end of the world! Be patient, and you will eventually find what you want. Also, be happy with what you have!

Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Buy in moderation or according to your budget. I’ve seen lots of people on KR just buy everything in sight (3A preorders anyone?), only to have to sell most of it the next week/month when the bills come.

9. Most importantly, have fun!
Get to know the community! Try to make it to a toy convention whenever you can, or stop by a toy store. Set up local meet-ups - it’s a lot more fun to nerd out about toys with others, especially in public places Try not to leave everything bagged up; take your toys outside or to the bar with you. You aren’t going to live forever; sell/trade some toys once in a while and make someone’s day.

If you made it all the way here, thanks for reading! I feel a bit like Jerry Maguire right now - hopefully I don’t get banned!

My addition:
Sofubi = Beanie Babies (but way cooler)

that's what everyone keeps telling me! "why are you buying all this crap? it's not going to be worth anything in a couple of years!" it's worth something to me....

what you wrote is way too long. what does it say in a nutshell?

In a nutshell. Stop bitching about toys. Buy what you like and don't be a sheep to hype. Don't buy toys as an investment.

i see. that some crazy talk!!

jeff, you can save yourself time by just reading the bold lines. cliff notes:

1. Stop complaining about the ways toys are sold!
2. We are collecting in great times!
3. Toys aren’t investments
4. Not everyone can sculpt and paint…
5. Stop buying into the hype!!!
6. Miracles happen – always have money ready!
7. Learn some toy history; branch out to new things
8. Toy collecting shouldn’t be painful
9. Most importantly, have fun!

I'm sure this was tongue in cheek, but...

People have been collecting toys for as long as they've been made. Beanie babies were a fad. Dummies are a fad within the toy collecting spectrum, but I guarantee there will always be someone trying to find a Marusan 1964 Godzilla.

Try telling Mark Nagata that his Ultraman collection is just a fad, or tell Nigo that his Star Wars collection is just a fad.

Otaku will always be out there collecting weird and crazy, vinyl toys, and I'd say people are a fad, and toys are here to stay.

Everything is a fad.
People need to get over themselves and that what they collect is better than what someone else does.

But what if the stuff I collect REALLY IS better than everyone else's!

Sure. But can you guarantee that there'll always be someone trying to find a Nag, Bemon, Gorilla-ju, Ollie, Boss, Skullbrain, Chaos, etc?
Maybe SOME of the stuff we collect will continue to be sought-after, but I suspect most of it will go the way of the Beanie Baby. Heck - a lot of the stuff that was sought-after a few years ago you can barely give away today!

Purely a question of scope. A hundred years from now, I doubt only a handful of people will collect anything. (Actually, in a hundred years, what with the singularity and all, I doubt anyone will be collecting anything)

I've been using this advice ever since reading it on SB, and my Sofunoobian pleasure centres are all the more pleasurable for it.

I realize you're being pigpiled here but I just wanted to point out that Goji and Ultraman are licensed. Licensed properties attract way more collectors than non-licensed stuff.

I'm sure when the day comes, there will be people collecting the memories of past collectors.

Licensed...it's the way to go!

I learned this the hard way when selling off a vast amount of my previous collection over the last several months. I think it has a lot to do with a) old collectors already having it (or weren't interested in it to begin with and still aren't) and b) new collectors simply not knowing what it is because they've got blinders on when it comes to anything else besides the hype toys. Dig a bit deeper and I guarantee you'll find something that knocks your balls off.

I think Nags are boring. I love the crudeness of them as that's one main thing I look for in toys, but the hype surrounding them actually killed my desire to ever find one, when it seems to have an inverse effect on most (Wow, everyone wants this! I should want this too! Even if I don't want it I can trade flip it or throw it up on eBay!). I'm curious if anyone else feels that way as well.

Collect what you like -- Whether it's sofubi, Beanie Babies or fossilized dog turds and fuck the rest.

Yes.

Nigo, if youre reading this, your Star Wars collection is just a fad. Sorry dude, star wars is lame.

Sorry, Nigo is lame.

yeah that too, i just didnt want to tell him right after I told him star wars was lame... might crush his swagger and ruin his next collab with pharrel

I'm too old to know what swag is.

Me too but I read about the young folks lingo on the innernet

I kind of feel in a similar way. I like Shig's work, I particulary like some BG and some of the one off Nag Balls but I can't but help feeling that in terms of pure enjoyment they are not for me on the same level as Gargamel, Bemon or more recently Frenzy. This by no means is a hint to the fact that I'm trading/selling what I have, I'm keeping them (so please don't PM me with offers), although I have traded a few in the past, when I realized that another boardie was probably more into them than me and I would've enjoyed what was being offered.
Having said all this I think Russblue's points are good ones. They may be all known by the older members but I think it's good to post thoughts that some younger member may read and consider.