I know you are saying “what the f*ck,” when you are reading this title. We all give f*cks about the things we collect. Some of us are completionists, some only collect exclusives, and others just get the single items they want. However, we all stress over limited or rare items released at conventions, Funko Shop, or other collectible sites we love. I’m here to tell you the secret to carefree collecting, and it begins with NOT GIVING A F*CK. Apologize for the language, but it gets the point across.
“I can’t believe I missed it.” “This site is terrible!” “It’s the ONLY one I wanted!” “I never get these limited Releases.” “I GIVE UP!” We see these posts on Facebook groups, Instagram, and Twitter Posts everywhere. The best thing you can do is stop and tell yourself STOP GIVING A F*CK! We all miss releases and if you haven’t, one day you will. If you’ve been collecting for as long as I have you know it comes with the territory. Stop complaining and whining. This will not change the outcome of your situation (unless you have someone who is willing to pay after-market prices for you).
Giving a f*ck about all these releases will only drive you insane. Especially if you buy multiple collectible lines. Funko, Abominable Toys, Bimtoy, Quiccs, etc. are releasing collectibles every day and you WILL NOT get everything. Getting things online is hard enough, but your wallet will run out of funds just trying to keep up. Here are a couple of reasons to help in your quest to not giving a f*ck.
Step 1: It Happens to Everyone – You are not Alone in this Quest
We’ve all missed something we wanted. Whether it was forgetting about a release, a meeting at work, or your fingers were not quick enough. There will always be an item you’ll have to find in the reselling marketplace. We all can agree this is not fun, but again we are not alone and it will more than likely happen in the future. Accepting we will all miss out on something is the first step to not giving a f*ck.
Step 2: Patience – JUST BE PATIENT DAMNIT!
This is our number one piece of advice at the PCA. This option isn’t always easy but in the long run, it will pay off. I know not every item will decrease in value, but in most cases, there is a dip in value from when an item initially releases and if you can remain patient for a month or two the resellers will get tired, competition will increase and typically prices fall. He-Man Art Series released and the initial resell price hovered around $75 – $80 and has fallen to $35 – $45 since. SO, BE PATIENT AND STOP GIVING F*CK!
Step 3: Build a Network or Join a Group. Hell, Just Join the PCA Patreon Community
Shameless plug here…. But it’s really not bad to find some collecting network and plan for releases. If you have collecting friends, use them to help achieve your goals and help them as well. Not everyone collects the same lines, but most collectors have a phone or the internet and are willing to help. I’ve been on a plane, in a scheduled meeting, or just busy and have asked friends to assist. I’ve also assisted friends in getting items they are unable to wait for. Helping each other always ends with positive results and helps everyone collectively not give a f*ck.
Step 4: If you are Unable to get What you Want…. Buy Something you Don’t Need
The greatest thing about the collectible industry is there are plenty of releases for everyone. Knowing how to utilize these releases to your advantage will help you acquire “the only one you wanted.” As we say on the podcast, buying something you may not need will certainly help you obtain the items you want.
Try buying a release you care nothing about for the sole purpose of reselling to purchase the item you missed. Let say Funko is releasing an Ad Icon you don’t give a damn about but you missed the latest Parks and Rec release the previous week. Buy the Ad Icon and sell it to purchase your Parks and Rec Pop! at retail. Yes, this is possible and many people do it. In most cases, there are other collectibles out there that sell for significant markups. Just set up a WhatNot, Mercari, or eBay account and you’ve now taken the next step to not giving a f*ck.
Trading is also a great option as well. Just as I’ve told you to purchase an item you don’t want there were others that purchased your item for the same reason. In past scenarios, I’ve purchased an entire convention lineup to trade/sell in order to get other items I needed. In most cases, it works every time.
Step 5: Search for Deals in the Reselling Marketplace
This is the hardest option and may require you to give a small amount of f*cks because deals aren’t easy to find. In most cases, you need to buy in bulk or search the darkest areas of society to find incredible deals. However, if you have the cash to spend, you can buy more valuable items in bulk to drive the price down. I typically utilize this when I want to purchase rarer older vaulted items.
The goal here is to get the best deal possible and trade/sell items that support your targeted purchases. I’ve bought a collection of small grails/vaulted items valued at $3,000 for $1,800 and ended my sales with a $1,000 profit to purchase Funko the protos I was targeting. A great benefit of this option is profiting even though you may not have enough to purchase the item you want. I know not everyone has tons of money to spare but if you do, I would seriously consider this option.
Step 6: Downsize Your Collection and Search for Hidden Gems
If you’ve been collecting for a while, your tastes have most likely changed and you now collect different things. This is the best time to take a deeper look into your collection and search for items that have secretly exploded in value. There’s always a common that’s vaulted or an exclusive you’ve been holding on to that could be worth hundreds of dollars! This all could be used to buy items you’ve missed and make room for other items you’d love to have.
Step 7: Realizing These Releases Shouldn’t Dictate Why You Collect
If you think hard about why you collect, you’ll realize that it’s not always getting every release or purchasing hard-to-find items at retail prices. It’s about the friends you meet, the online communities you are part of, the conventions you attend, and just collecting things you love. The sooner you discover releases do not dictate how you collect, the happier you will be. Giving a f*ck about one missed release is not worth the stress or effort and sucks the joy out of collecting.
Wrapping it up!
Next time you know a release is coming read this article again. Put these seven steps into practice and STOP COMPLAINING. No one wants to hear how pissed you are about missing a release and if you stop giving too many f*cks you’ll have less stress too!
