The Psychology Behind New Releases and Why You Keep Chasing

The Psychology Behind New Releases and Why You Keep Chasing

From Stacking Slabs by Brett McGrath

April 22, 2026 · 29 min · Episode 936

About this episode

Brett McGrath explores the psychological factors driving collectors to chase new releases in the hobby.

New releases drive the hobby. They grab your attention. They push you to act. In this episode, Brett breaks down the psychology behind new product cycles. From chasing Shaquille O'Neal rookies to the nonstop hype around Topps Chrome, the playbook is the same. The volume is not. FOMO. Anchoring. Narratives. If you collect, you need to understand what is influencing your decisions. Because the collectors who slow down and think build better collections over time. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [ Distributed on Sunday ] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

People in this episode

Host: Brett McGrath

Topics covered

  • psychology of collecting
  • new product cycles
  • FOMO
  • hobby decisions
  • collecting strategies

Keywords

  • new releases
  • collecting
  • psychology
  • FOMO
  • Shaquille O'Neal
  • Topps Chrome
  • hobby decisions

Sponsors

InfernoRed Technology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hobby Jobs, The Weekly Rip, Stacking Slabs

Books & works: Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype

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