newbie from the bay

[alyo0ps]

hello everyone! new in from the bay and LOVE the community already. went to my first trade event and pin and pop arcade within 3 weeks and i am ADDICTED. i have already deleted whatsnot and unjoined fb groups multiple times. (but not ebay or mercari yet) 😂😂😂

 

[Sithathoriunet]

Whatnot is DANGEROUS. For my wallet. 😆

 

[firechief18]

Welcome to DPF

 

[Pidge]

Welcome! The entire internet and DLR are dangerous for my budget! I need more willpower. But I am getting better at recognizing FOMO and putting that NEED for pins in perspective.

 

[ViciousLady]

My only saving grace is having a tightly focused collection!
Welcome to the pinsanity!

 

[lancekristi]

FOMO is the hard part for me too, and the point about a tightly focused collection seems like the real defense. When the scope is narrow, it's easier to tell a genuine addition from a passing urge. I'm curious how you decide what stays in focus versus what you let pass by. Do you keep a short want list, or just rely on recognizing the pattern after a while?

 

[alyo0ps]

FOMO is the hard part for me too, and the point about a tightly focused collection seems like the real defense. When the scope is narrow, it's easier to tell a genuine addition from a passing urge. I'm curious how you decide what stays in focus versus what you let pass by. Do you keep a short want list, or just rely on recognizing the pattern after a while?

i used to have a list but whatnot made me panic buy things only to realize they are over priced. i don’t focus … yet lol. i ended up collecting marie bc i knew she was a good trader and then i had fomo. 😎

i really should narrow 👀. i’m general: little mermaid, toy story and specifically marie.

 

[Pidge]

Good luck @alyo0ps There are a LOT of Marie pins!

I’m starting to focus on specific characters (MMRR is now just Chuuby inclusive) and unique pins. I really don’t need every Lucifer with the same expression.

 

[momin.ator]

Hi. Welcome!

 

[Ajk]

Welcome to the forum and collecting! Focusing collections definitely helps. And eBay isn't so bad since you can take your time, confirm it's a good price, etc. And find some things that don't often show up for sale or trade.

 

[nicholasparker]

Narrowing to specific characters sounds like the right call — chasing every variation of one expression gets exhausting fast. I'm still working out where to draw that line myself, so the advice about sticking to what actually stands out is useful. On the eBay point, taking time to check prices before committing makes sense, especially for pieces that rarely surface for trade. Curious how you decide when something is unique enough to justify adding it.

 

[tiggermickey]

Welcome to Dpf

 

[jenniferjones]

I'm in a similar spot of figuring out where to draw that line. For me, unique enough usually means it shows something the standard release doesn't — a different pose or finish rather than just a numeric variation. If it rarely turns up for trade, I'll usually wait a while and see whether I still want it after the initial excitement fades. Wyoming doesn't have many local shows, so most of my browsing happens online. How do you weigh rarity against how much you actually like the piece?