I haven't started customizing yet, but I approach figure collecting the same way I approach comic collecting. "low grade is better than no grade."
Basically, if the best I can find for a given figure at a reasonable price is a loose incomplete figure, well then that will have to do. If the difference between a decent open/used figure, with some or all of the accessories and a MOC/MIP figure is $10 for the loose, and $150 for the carded/boxed, I am taking the loose all day long. I would rather have 15 fun loose figures than one "mint" figure for the same money.
I do the same thing with comics. I would rather have a whole run of mid grade readers (because I actually like to read them) than a handful of very high grade books for the same money.
With that being said, I have many MOC/MIP figures, but many of those I acquired for a very reasonable price (MSRP or often lower), like some of my older series of Marvel Legends (back when they were cool and ToyBiz made them) I picked up for $10 ea MIP.
Some figures, if the price is right, I buy two. One to keep in the package (because I find them easier to display in the package personally, YMMV), and one to open.
As to your original post, I think you will find a mix of people here, collectors and customizers, and some who do a bit of both.
I think it is important to remember that collecting is a hobby first, those that approach it as an investment, and are always worried about maximizing value later down the road, are missing a lot of the fun along the way.
Yep, this is a site geared towards action figure customizers and customization. You might also be shocked to know most of us have collections of random disassembled figures to use for parts.
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Basically, if the best I can find for a given figure at a reasonable price is a loose incomplete figure, well then that will have to do. If the difference between a decent open/used figure, with some or all of the accessories and a MOC/MIP figure is $10 for the loose, and $150 for the carded/boxed, I am taking the loose all day long. I would rather have 15 fun loose figures than one "mint" figure for the same money.
I do the same thing with comics. I would rather have a whole run of mid grade readers (because I actually like to read them) than a handful of very high grade books for the same money.
With that being said, I have many MOC/MIP figures, but many of those I acquired for a very reasonable price (MSRP or often lower), like some of my older series of Marvel Legends (back when they were cool and ToyBiz made them) I picked up for $10 ea MIP.
Some figures, if the price is right, I buy two. One to keep in the package (because I find them easier to display in the package personally, YMMV), and one to open.
As to your original post, I think you will find a mix of people here, collectors and customizers, and some who do a bit of both.
I think it is important to remember that collecting is a hobby first, those that approach it as an investment, and are always worried about maximizing value later down the road, are missing a lot of the fun along the way.