What's your cel collecting pet peeve?

Post by **sensei** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:59 am

Heh. On the snipe front I guess I've been both the peever as well as the peeved-on. It's tricky, but the alternative would be even more irritating. Suppose your DS would not let you bid on something you really wanted because it would accept only one bid at a time, and then some jerk saw it before you did and put down the blocking bid, and then won it for some outrageously low closing price. That would be worth registering for a second DS just so you could bid. (Actually, I have registered for two DS's, and once bid on the same auction using both, thereby confusing the heck out of a bunch of stubborn Japanside competitors.)

Bottom line: the reality of collecting any kind of art is that each cel or sketch is unique, and your acquisition of it means you hold absolute power over it. No one else can have, hold, or even see a scan of it except by your permission. That's what makes collecting any kind of art much more elitist (and, IMHO, much more compelling) than collecting, say, special edition baseball cards or limited edition lithographs by Thomas Kinkade (and don't get me off on Thomas Kinkade, who's in a special category of personal peeve for me).

So obtaining "that" cel or sketch is an ultimate pleasure for the lucky winner, and equally an enduring frustration for the unlucky underbidder, and that's intrinsic to the chase.

My personal peeve is something different: when people bid items up outrageously over their fair value not because they really want them but because they know it's something you collect and they want to block you from having it.

At one time I had a pesky collector who wanted me to trade him a cel he coveted, and to try to prod me he would bid substantial reserve bids against me for other lots he knew (or figured he knew) I would be trying to win on YJ. This led to some very odd auction results, as apparently other Japanside bidders saw what was happening and helpfully shill-bid Mr. Peevish up to his max, sometimes even tying the high bid but not bothering to go over, which means that the first bidder has to eat the whole reserve.

And that's another legitimate peeve: shill bidding. If another collector wants the lot, that's painful but part of life. But if another bidder is simply playing with you and has no intentions of winning the cel, but simply putting up the price, that's mean.

If you want the cel, try to win it, and may the most determined bidder win. If you don't want it, get the aitch out of the game.

Dang my peeve-inducing soul, I never did let Mr. Peevish have that rackin-snackin' coveted cel either.

crackpot27 · Post by **crackpot27** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:47 am

Gonzai wrote: 3. When a dealer updates, and the minute the update shows
up, things are already reserved. You know that they have
shown it to someone else first, but still have to list it for some
reason or another. I know that there are certain buyers that
dealers offer things to in advance, as much as it bothers me,
I can live with it if I don't see it. Its when I get the email that
the dealer has updated right as they send it, and I go there
immediately and 5 things are already reserved - now that
pisses me off.

That one drives me slightly bonkers too :hitting:

No matter how fast I am I won't every beat these people so please just hide the goodies from me

I think my worst pet peeve is really falling in love with a series, then finding out later that there's no shot at artwork from the series for one reason or another (price, availability, the studio tossing them ect...)

Another one that's been mentioned is bidding a large amount on an item they seeing a similar one come up and go for nothing. Makes you think if I was just a little more patient I wouldn't be so poor

toonybabe · Post by **toonybabe** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:14 pm

Everyone has pretty much mentioned my pet peeves....espcecially bidders who bid in 1,000 yen increments and sellers that sell cels and their sketches apart or break up douga sequences.

Sellers who won't combine shipping for items won a couple of days or a week apart. Most sellers will combine shipping but I've bought from a some who absolutely won't unless you win the auctions on the same day. Its such a waste of money.

Cels with an autograph that are being offered/sold for 10 times the amount the cel is worth without the autograph. I could care less about the autograph, i want the damn cel. This happens with Scooby cels all of the time. I don't care about Hanna Barbera's autograph.

When I forget to bid, get outbid or loose an auction because of computer problems.

When I don't bid on a cel and then regret it later or overpay for a cel and regret it later.

When there is a dry spell for months at a time and then all of a sudden a bunch of awesome cells pop up on dealer and auction sites all at once. I'm thankful that these cels are seeing the light of day but its so hard to choose.

Others have mentioned this. When sellers sell me damaged cels. I don't even count this as pet peeve - its actually criminal.

But my number one pet peeve is not having enough money to buy all the cels I want!!!

Caroline · Post by **Caroline** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:32 pm

my biggest pet peeve is cel hoarding. i've heard about other collectors bidding on cels for sake of competition, or because they don't want it to go to someone they don't like. i think this is a sad idea.

miz ducky · Post by **miz ducky** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:44 pm

I think I only really have 2 peeves.

1. When I buy a SET (for me that means that its the entire set - forgive me if I'm mistaken) from a seller but the seller keeps the A1 or which ever sheet they like the best.

2. When a seller isn't forth coming with the details of something that I'm interested in buying. I might totally agree with your asking price if I know more about the item that is up for sale.

Experience has taught me that unless you know exactly what it is you're buying you shouldn't put down the money. You might regret it later.

Belldandy16 · Post by **Belldandy16** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:11 pm

Mine are

A) when a seller ships my cel very flimsily. >_<
one of my beautiful cels has a crease in the middle of it because the stupid seller sent it without any extra cardboard to stiffen the envelope (so it wont be so easy to bend in transit).

and

B) When i find something i like, buy it, then something even cooler comes along and i spent all my money on the first item.

just drives me nuts!

duotrouble · Post by **duotrouble** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:44 pm

sensei wrote:My personal peeve is something different: when people bid items up outrageously over their fair value not because they really want them but because they know it's something you collect and they want to block you from having it.

This is the exact reason that turned me into a sniper.

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 4:23 pm

I admit to being slightly bothered when collectors post their updates in a new thread, but then never reply to what anyone says in the thread afterward. They start about eight to ten new threads, but never reply to anything ever.

Oh well. Some people have different ways of interacting with others.

Maiko · Post by **Maiko** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:00 am

Keropi wrote:I admit to being slightly bothered when collectors post their updates in a new thread, but then never reply to what anyone says in the thread afterward. They start about eight to ten new threads, but never reply to anything ever.

Oh well. Some people have different ways of interacting with others.

I'd respond, but no one posted a single word in my update thread ^_~x

beatrush · Post by **beatrush** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:41 pm

Keropi wrote:I admit to being slightly bothered when collectors post their updates in a new thread, but then never reply to what anyone says in the thread afterward. They start about eight to ten new threads, but never reply to anything ever.

Oh well. Some people have different ways of interacting with others.

I don't do it because I feel like I am being arrogant in doing so (not saying people are, just myself). Kinda the same reason I stopped announcing my updates.

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:44 pm

When I said that I was talking about the people who post updates and the following posters ask meaningful questions about the piece. I don't mean "Where did you get that?", "Wow that's nice!" or "How much did that cost?". People ask a number of meaningful questions, but no replies ever come.

In fact, they don't post anywhere else on the board either.

teggacat · Post by **teggacat** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:52 pm

beatrush wrote:
Keropi wrote:I admit to being slightly bothered when collectors post their updates in a new thread, but then never reply to what anyone says in the thread afterward. They start about eight to ten new threads, but never reply to anything ever.

Oh well. Some people have different ways of interacting with others.
I don't do it because I feel like I am being arrogant in doing so (not saying people are, just myself). Kinda the same reason I stopped announcing my updates.

well, I never have posted any of my new updates here, its just not my style, but cel collecting is, IMHO, quite a passionate collecting experience. I guess I can see why people get excited about new finds and want to share, so that's cool

i guess that's what it's really all about anyhow, sharing with people who understand this addiction.....

Post by **sensei** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:50 pm

I do (usually) have a thread announcing updates, mostly because I really work hard on my presentation, finding just the right background for the new cels, researching and designing commentary, getting (when I can) screencaps and uploading them to Photobucket and then adding import language to my comments, then uploading, debugging, proofing, and making all the last little corrections. It's a job similar to that of writing and publishing a short professional article, and so I like to encourage people to have a look.

And, yes, I really do take seriously the obligation to respond to people's posts, especially substantive comments and questions. That again is normal if I were doing a serious publication. So I do check in and make a comment; though sometimes if a post comes long after the update I might miss it or forget.

Maybe I should do more to visit and comment on others' updates. Maiko, I'm sorry I missed yours.

I used to be a little miffed when an update post of mine got only a few comments, or none at all. Yet, as uchiha615 and beatrush point out, maybe that expectation signifies a bit of arrogance and what I like to call the "Smaug-Wallow" tendency in collecting. "See my mighty collection, vermin, bow and worship!" Nah, I know that there are collections that make mine look like a cigar box full of gum wrappers. Overall, I don't think it's what one has that signifies a good collection, it's what one does with it. And if I've done right by my new items, then I'd like people to see the new features, but not getting pages of comments doesn't peeve me any more.

Mostly.

Nene · Post by **Nene** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:16 pm

Keropi wrote:I admit to being slightly bothered when collectors post their updates in a new thread, but then never reply to what anyone says in the thread afterward. They start about eight to ten new threads, but never reply to anything ever.

Oh well. Some people have different ways of interacting with others.

Interesting subject.. I always found that announcing updates and expecting lots of comments to be quite arrogant in that sense, which is why I've only done it a few times before I realised I wasn't comfortable doing so. But I understand that some people like to fish for compliments and I guess I've never been one of those kinds of people. Collecting means different things to different people. Collecting to me is purely for my own personal enjoyment and when I update my gallery, I put the effort in in order to meet my own personal standards. ^_^

However, when I have made a few such update threads in the past, I have replied to comments because I think it's only polite. If I'm making a thread to announce an update, I think that getting any positive comments are a privilege, and so I'd rather let those people know I appreciate their comments by responding.

Nene · Post by **Nene** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:26 pm

Just thought of my own minor gripe which I don't think has been mentioned in this thread. The over-use of the term "hoarder". It's as though a select few people have coined what they believe to be the maximum number of cels someone can own before they own too many and fall into the "hoarder" category. That behaviour more puzzled me than annoyed me though. It makes you understand why "black hole collectors" remain hidden if they have a substantial collection.