hontou ni
16May/0815

Curbing that otaku impulse – My 8 principles/practices

Contrary to fellow esteemed spenders, I'm of the belief that the monster that is impulsive otaku buying can be subdued. While the beast still roars ever so often, this tanuki believes he's got it on a short leash. (My holding out to the Tinkle artbook for months must count for something?) Of course, the beast was tamed at a great cost (looks at the small pile of regretted purchases) but I see it as an essential path to attaining otaku nirvana (of which I'm still trudging along).

Here's sharing some personal principles and practices that has allowed me to make more focused purchases, splurging only the most worthy.

1. Define clearly your collection criteria

Zyl only collects anime figures he adores from series he has seen. I buy only 1/8 PVCs which are moelicious/lolicious/babelicious from the big 4 figure companies etc. I have bought only 2 (standing) 1/7 PVC in my entire history of figure collecting and beautiful as they were, I had to release them to more loving collectors since they were sticking out like a sore thumb on my display shelves. Laying such boundaries/framework allows one to focus/consolidate resources for the truly worthy/suitable buys.

2. Buy it because you like the product not the process of purchase

Too often, I realised otakus buy simply because something is popular or just to make a statement on the otaku scene. Note that if you're getting it because fellow otakus will envy you or everyone seems to be getting it, chances are you'll never truly enjoy the purchase for what it is. Don't buy it if the happiest moment is when you are marching the purchase to the checkout counter.

3. Never buy something because it's cheap

This point is tied to point #1. When you chance upon a bargain, check against your collection criteria. Acquire it only if it fares well against your list. Learn from my Sister Princess Fiasco. Feel my pain.

4. Know what you buy - research adequately

For almost all my artbooks, I have already seen or am in possession of their digital copies. In other words, I know what I'm getting myself into when I lay down that S$50 for that Cielo artbook. Of course other merchandises like figures are a little trickier. But I have shared that it is possible to minimise figure duds by keeping a keen eye on Wonderfest reportings when prototype figures are covered by amateur photographers. Never trust the studio's promo pics especially when it's not from the big 4 figure makers. I cannot overemphasize the importance of merchandise research.

5. Get a panel of approvers

And by this I don't mean fad chasers who would cajole you into buying that Naruto headband because all the kids in class have it. The panel needs to know you and your collection criteria very well and offer objective/alternative assessment on your target acquisitions. My wife and Zyl are currently on my panel and I have regretted on sooo many occasions for not heeding their advice.

6. Sleep on your potential purchases

My wife and I follow a general purchasing guideline - we never buy something the day we first lay eyes on it. Although it applies mostly to our pricier purchases, it is a good practice too for otaku goods given how we may be momentarily blinded by our passions.

7. Set your quota/budget and chart your expenditure

I keep a spreadsheet of my expenditure by merchandise type and allocate a projected budget/quota for each category. Updating the spreadsheet after every purchases or publishing quarterly reports forces me to reassess my financial health and sharpen my future spending.

8. Sell the stuff you regret getting

Or at least try selling and you'll realise 1) how much a loss you are making 2) how difficult it is to sell 2nd hand otaku items. This would forever etch onto your psyche the importance of getting stuff that you'd not regret buying later.

Here's to less otaku expenditure but greater satisfaction.

Related posts:

  1. Impulse buy – Sister Princess R3s
  2. Nogizaka Haruka – A sweet romance, otaku styled
  3. The otaku gift economy

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Filed under: Anime Vices, Fun Lists Leave a comment
Comments (15) Trackbacks (2)
  1. Nosgoroth
    May 16th, 2008 - 12:32

    Good list, thanks. Not that I’d be able to make good use of it, considering my critical lack of income. Or perhaps it’s even more important because of it?

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  2. Hinano
    May 16th, 2008 - 12:46

    Or you can follow my mentality of “can I download/read/watch it online? If yes do not buy”. For figures I use the “this will be another dust collector that will be annoying to clean” mentality. And finally (while this unfortunately doesn’t apply to all) “Book Off is right next door to work, what books shall I drop off today?” :)

    This has worked well in helping make my apartment more anime free LOL

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  3. Asrialys
    May 16th, 2008 - 14:50

    I should get my own set of principles as well. Impulse always gets the better of me. lol My only excuse for not having bought anything for several months is that I’m broke :/

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  4. Adun
    May 16th, 2008 - 15:16

    It’s rather funny seeing this kind of guideline as when I first stepped into the world of merchandise spending, I followed these to the line. But the urges to buy more got the better of me and now most of those rules don’t even apply anymore.

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  5. Caitlin
    May 16th, 2008 - 16:22

    Is it really that difficult to sell otaku items? I’ve never had to do this because I don’t really buy much but there seem to be active auctions on ebay and many listings on Amazon. I suppose this is more for the DVDs, manga, video games, and posters than figures and that there is a huge loss in reselling but I think it can be done.

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  6. moyism
    May 16th, 2008 - 21:15

    psst.. guidelines for spending, what is that!?

    LOL in all honesty, minus my 1-3x yearly big insane purchases I usually keep myself somewhat restricted within a ballpark spending range… sorta… yea… ^^;;

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  7. vexx
    May 16th, 2008 - 22:24

    Except in a rare few cases, I’ve never gotten back what it cost me to *get* a figure when selling it. At best I usually get what I paid for it and I’ve eaten most of the shipping penalty from Japan.

    Biggest impending loss are my Shuffle! figures (At-Sai)…. they’re still sitting on online shelves so there’s little chance of making more because “they’re out of print”.

    I was hoping that the R1 release would improve things — but it seems most Shuffle! “fans” are fansub leechers rather than buyers of the DVDs or the merchandise.

    On the other hand, I’ve made a small killing in gachapon.. :)

    And in those few rare cases I’ve done so well it made up for the other losses.

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  8. muhootsaver
    May 17th, 2008 - 04:34

    lol, great guidelines. These are the stuff that I gradually learned over the time. However, following this guidelines can sometimes backfire when demand >>> supply. Happens once in awhile.

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  9. Conflagration Upon The Ceiling
    May 17th, 2008 - 06:04

    @ Hinano: I agree completely with you!

    P.S. Someone plz upload Hinano doujin to TT so that I can download free FTW LOL!!

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  10. ron~
    May 17th, 2008 - 20:14

    great advice :D

    I also buy the thing that I want now, instead of impulse buy :) (problem is that I have more that I want now….)

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  11. usagijen
    May 17th, 2008 - 22:46

    great tips, Stripey. I really research (and think twice++) whenever I plan to spend my monies on something now, but I still fail… occasionally. I failed HARD when I went to Japan though, coz the mangas and artbooks were so freakin cheap in Mandarakeee! orz.

    when it comes to mangas, I usually get the soft copy first… then if I reallyyy love it (and deem it to be “for keeps”), then I’ll go and buy the actual copy. Good thing I’m not into figurines~ gashapons and plushies on the other hand… x__x;;;

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  12. Zeroblade
    May 18th, 2008 - 09:35

    Unfortunately, price and quality often blind judgment for me.

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  13. Stripey
    May 18th, 2008 - 10:59

    Nosgoroth: You are exactly right! With greater buying power comes greater financial responsibility :P These guidelines grew exactly because I was spending more on anime items and I wanted to be sure I were buying the more worthy merchandise. :)

    Hinano: Heh, I had the strange quirk of wanting to be possess the physical/original product of my loves :P

    Asrialys: Indeed. I have regretted too many of my impulse buys and this list is the distillation of those regrets XD

    Adun: Hehe, it’s interesting that the reverse is true for me. The longer and more I spend on anime merchandise, the more rules/guidelines I apply to ensure I stay focused :P

    Caitlin: I’ve tried yahoo auctions and ebay but visibility on these portals are low. I don’t get many hits on auction pages. Maybe I just don’t know how to go about promoting my warez :P

    moyism: All the hail our great inspiration! You are the benchmark for all of us and you have just set a new bar with your 50″ Plasma :)

    vexx: I’m a little more fortunate in that I haven’t made any losses from sales I’m made. The real losses come from not being able to sell the items I am trying to let go XD Looks like gashapon has greater resale value!

    muhootsaver:Heh indeed. Which is why it’s important to set up good channels of acquisition (for example, great relationship with your suppliers) who’d hold our your preorders while you get your approval/research/sleep on it etc :)

    Conflagration Upon The Ceiling: Hehe, careful, you might just find yourself in her next doujin :P

    ron~: Thanks! Say no to impulse buys! XD Setting boundaries also help streamline and priortise our legimate wants :)

    usagijen: Japan trips are exceptions! :) Limiters need to be unlocked for special occasions. Zyl always says I’d literally go berserk in K-books or melonbooks XD

    Zeroblade: Which is why panels are great help since it’s another 2 pairs of eyes to help assess our products :)

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  14. Di Gi Kazune
    September 13th, 2011 - 20:24

    That is why Di Gi Charat is on top of the list.

    DI GI CHARAT!
    DI GI CHARAT!

    That said, I think I have one of the more comprehensive collection of Di Gi Charat merchandise outside of Japan.

    But yes, your 8 principles are good. Do not buy on impulse, buy what you love… Hence why I have Kamichama DVDs.

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  15. Stripey
    September 14th, 2011 - 00:10

    Wow you’re digging really deep into the archives. :)

    I really need to revisit my purchasing principles again. This is the 3rd straight year I’ve busted my 2D budget by like a mile… XD

    ( REPLY )

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