PikaKiraKuzu

Should I buy it? That’s the age old question every collector has asked themselves. In fact, I would wager that everyone including their mother has probably inquired on that as well. “Should I buy this?” maybe your aunt would ask, holding up an antique lamp made of pastel cracked porcelain and missing a lampshade. I am not a financial advisor by any means, nor do I intend to seem like one, but I do think it is important that as collectors we pose ourselves questions in regards to whether we should buy something or not. It is very easy to get caught up in the adrenaline and in the hype of a item or a franchise that we feel admiration for that we might not be getting the full reality of what we are purchasing.

Here is my list of things to look for when asking yourself “should I buy it?”

General:

1. Why do you want this item? Does it fit in with your current collection(s), assuming you have any? It is important to understand exactly why you are wanting something in the first place before you can truly decide if you should buy it. If you are buying it for its rarity, you might want to focus more on the value/budget related questions on this list. Of course, if you are buying it because it’s just something you enjoy, that’s also completely valid as well.

2. Is it within your overall spending budget? If it is over your budget, are you likely to find it again when you have enough money? Do not spend over budget unless you can afford that.

3. Is this item a good deal? You can check Ebay and places to see what items have recently sold for. It is also important to note that all item values fluctuate, you may check every few months and it might range.
   • If your item is a currently retailed item but for whatever reason you can’t find it in your area or it is sold out, prices are likely higher online than they are offline. If you still are wanting to purchase said item online, you have to ask yourself: How soon will a restock take place and how long am I willing to wait? How well will that restock go? As in will it likely sell out again etc. In general, I suggest calculating the difference between the retail item and the one you are interested in and keep that in your notes.

4. We all have things that we either buy and end up regretting later or that we were heavily interested in but our excitement fizzled out soon after purchasing. Thats why its important to ask yourself, How are your feelings about this item likely to change over time?

5. If you are buying something due to its monetary value, ask yourself, How likely is the items value to change? As previously mentioned in 4. Market value’s fluctuate all of the time, day to day and hour to hour. But how likely is this item going to stay at its value or increase in value? Can you think of any similar items, perhaps from the same or even similar companies and what the market trend for that item was? Was it a fad that was worth big money but now its next to nothing? (Example: Beanie Babies)

6. What is the condition of the item? Mint – Near Mint is always what the average collector strives for. Is it actually functional for its purpose?

Internet safety

1. How many reviews does the seller have? If this isn’t on a selling website, does this person have any references? (it’s perfectly acceptable to ask.) 

2. Is the seller a scalper? A scalper is someone who buys items and resells them at large profit. Scalpers will often use illegal or immoral ways to maximize profit such as using online bots to buy max amount of items before they are sold out, buying over item limits, etc. Because of their sketchy behavior and over priced goods it’s highly recommended you don’t buy from them. It is important to note that not everyone who is selling something at its current market value is a scalper. They are just taking advantage of the items worth.

3. Does the item have real photos attached to its listing instead of its stock photos? You can ask for photos with the person’s name written by the product if you want proof it’s in hand.

At the end of the day, only you can answer the question of whether you should buy something. Its about understanding yourself, the market and the unique risks that come along with a particular purchase. I hope my article was able to help you make that decision or maybe even help you further understand the collecting world.

Thank you so much for reading – PikaKiraKuzu.com