Collection Perfection: 5 Tips To Keeping Your Toy & Collectible Shelf Up To Date

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Article Title: Collection Perfection: 5 Tips To Keeping Your Toy & Collectible Shelf Up To Date
Author: Ian Lurie
Category: Collecting
Word Count: 460
Keywords: collectibles
Author's Email Address: ian@portent.com
Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com
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As collectors, we live for getting our sweaty hands on the First Ever or Last Ever of one item or another. The retailer, though, has the final say in whether you attain collection nirvana. Here are a few tips that will help you work with your friendly online retailer:

1) Pre-order and pre-order early.

Many retailers base their purchase orders on their client orders. The sooner you order, the more likely you'll be to get in on that first purchase order placed with the manufacturer.

You can also find online retailers who don't bill you for items until they have them in stock. You can order them, have them delivered once they arrive, save yourself the hassle of scouring retail stores and keep your money in your pocket until delivery.

2) Set up email reminders for the types of items you're most interested in.

If you know you want to be kept up to date on every new available Star Trek or Star Wars item, set yourself up for retailer email reminders so you know when new collectibles become available. If you have the option to stay up to date on image or assortment changes, then take advantage of those as well so you always know what's available from the retailers you frequent most.

3) Don't cancel and re-order the same items repeatedly.

Going back to my earlier point about pre-ordering, you may also jeopardize your place in a retailer's ordering queue by canceling an order and then placing it later if you change your mind or if you're trying to get a deal on shipping or using a coupon.

Savings from a coupon are worth little if you miss out on a limited edition because you lost your place in line or missed the ordering window entirely.

4) Stay informed.

Collecting takes time and effort. Keeping up on the latest news will afford you premium chances to catch exclusive items. Join forums and read message boards for the little known secrets that fill out your collection. If you're not keeping up on the latest news, you may find yourself paying a premium on eBay or missing out entirely.

5) Be patient.

In the end, collecting is about patience and perseverance. Know your dealer's cancellation policy in case you luck into that one of a kind piece before your pre-order comes in.

But really, if you can store an item for ten years in your garage hoping for its value to triple, then you likely have the patience to wait an extra week or two for a collectable to ship from the retailer.

If your retailer offers a reasonable return policy and promises you a mint item, then the short bit of time spent waiting is more than worth the time and worry you save.

Hope it helps and happy hunting!

Ian Lurie and his team write articles for Entertainment Earth (http://www.entertainmentearth.com), a action figures, bobble heads and collectibles retailer online.
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