Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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Quote:
Originally posted by tangledweb
I own and operate a store that sells Comics, Games and Anime to retail customers. Many, if not most, of the customers that I sell to have bought into the same type of mind control that we have previously discussed.
Despite our suggestions to the contrary, we still have people who buy multiple copies of comics for 'investment' purposes. We have explained to them (and on occasion put up signs) declaring that the real value of the comics is in the reading and entertainment that they provide. Despite our protestations, we still have people who are CONVINCED that they will put their kids through college with their comics collection.
The perceived value in their efforts to collect a series has been skewed by the inflection of their enjoyment of the entertainment. In other words, they get enjoyment out of their purchases, therefore, their purchases must be valuable. It slips by most folks that the type of 'value' that something holds is truly in the eye of the beholder.
The collectors mentality has become more and more prevalent in advertising in recent years. The focus on "Collect them all" and "Series THREE" type phrases shows the collector/buyer that they are missing out on something and are 'incomplete' because of it.
And who wants to be 'incomplete'... right?
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that's correct. there is a whole market segment known as completists. They need to have each and everything to the fanatical minutae.
It happens with lots of things, from fine art to comics.
you are right, there is too much focus on the collecting as opposed to the enjoying.
I just bought some fine art the other weekend, and the thought process was that it's supposed to be something we enjoy, but one cannot help but think that if I'm spending a lot of coin on some art, it had better hold it's value if not increase in value. Ultimately, my rule of thumb with art is if you like it you buy it no matter what the cost is. The point is that you like it.
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