How to purchase your first ever NFT
First-time Buyer? Here’s Your guide to purchasing an NFT with zero crypto and blockchain experience
I was inspired to write this story by talking with my friends while discussing with them my first ever NFT collection which I have created before. I realised that many of them have never had any relevant experience neither with blockchain wallets nor with NFTs purchases.
This step-by-step guide is gonna help people like them to take the first steps to dive into the NFT world, from nothing to holding the first ever NFT in the personal collection.
in this article I am not gonna explain nor NFT neither reasons to purchase one. You can search it in the Web if you want to get an appropriate answer. This is the practical guide. Within this experiment we will install MetaMask plugin to your browser to use it as a place where we keep crypto-keys. Then we will receive some coins in our wallet. Finally we will purchase one NFT from the OpenSea marketplace.
Create your wallet
First of all, to be able to keep your NFTs in safe place and to buy them you have to have a wallet in Ethereum or in Polygon network. You can access your wallet in different ways. However, to begin with I would recommend to use MetaMask browser-plugin which is the most popular. You can use it in Opera, Firefox, Chrome and even in Edge.
For purposes of this experiment I use Opera browser.
In your browser, go to the MetaMask web-page and set up the plugin.
When the MetaMask is added you will be prompted to continue on the MetaMask web-page.
On the first page you will have to read the agreement and agree that your personal key will be placed just only on your computer and newer in the Internet. You have to read that carefully and accept that page.
On the next page you will be asked to create the password. Type the password twice and click ‘Create a new wallet’ button to complete. On the next page, called ‘Secure your wallet’ I would kindly recommend to click the button ‘Secure my wallet (recommended)’ and follow the instructions.
Now you are asked to write down your secret phrase on paper like shown on the picture. You will need this phrase if you forget your password. This is a recovery phrase. Don’t reveal it to anyone.
Write it down on paper and keep in secret place.
Click the button ‘Next’ to continue.
Here you have to put the words from your secret paper and click ‘Confirm’ to finally create your Secret Phrase. In my case, 3. victory 4.sure and 8. resemble. After that, you will receive a notification about Successful wallet creation. Then click on button ‘Got it’ and ‘Done’.
On the next page, just click ‘Enable NFT autodetection’.
That’s it. You wallet is created. On the next step we have to add Polygon network to the MetaMask. The most popular NFT collections on OpenSea use this network because of the smallest commissions and fees.
On the tab ‘Networks’ click the button ‘Add a network’ to add the Polygon network. On the next page, at the bottom, select the ‘Polygon Mainnet’ and add them. Click ‘Approve’ button and ‘Switch to Polygon Mainnet’ in the next dialog window.
As you can see on the picture above, your initial balance is 0 MATIC. We will need to top up this balance.
Before we go to the next step I would kindly recommend you to save on paper the Private Key. In order to do that, you will need to go to … then ‘Account details’, then ‘Export private key’. You will need this key to use it in case something goes wrong with your computer and you need to recover the access to the wallet. I would write down the Public Key, which is your Wallet address. You will need to give it to some person to Top up your Wallet with initial tokens. It is like an Account number in the bank . And the ‘Private Key’ is the password to your Wallet. If you know the Private Key, you can access the Wallet from any device, from any part of the world.
Never publish your Secret private key, because it gives the access to your wallet. Keep it SECRET. Another thing is your Address. You have to proliferate this address among your friends to ask them to send some money to your account.
CHALLENGE: I will keep this address and private key for attentive reader. If you are the first one who reads this, you can try to get one NFT which I leave here as a gift for your curiosity.
and again:
Address — is your public address where other people can send you some coins;
Private Key — is your personal SECRET. Never do like I did above, if you don’t want to LOSE your NFTs and tokens.
I also would recommend to change your blockchain nickname related to your address. You can do that on the same page which you used to save the Private Key. For the purposes of this article I changed this to m_user.
Good luck with the gift :)
Receive some crypto in your wallet
There are a lot of ways to top up your wallet with money. In our case we have to receive some MATIC in Polygon network. I gave my public address (Address on the picture above) to my friend and ask him to send me $10 in MATIC.
That’s it. Now I have my first $9.9 in MATIC as you can see on the picture above. Probably my friend sent me 10 USD but there is a small fee in the network. So, I have received just $9.90. But it is enough for our experiment.
Purchase your first ever NFT
Now, we are all set to proceed with purchasing. Usually to make a purchase you have to look into different projects, analyse their strategy and concept, discuss it with others in the community, select from different options with different prices. But I already know what I want to buy and which collection.
If you are my constant reader, you probably know about the experiment with NFT which I did in February 2023. You can read about it in here.
We are setting our sight on purchasing an NFT from the collection that has come through significant evolution. This collection has not only got its own unique concept over time but also fostered a Discord channel and welcomed its first proud Owners.
You can read more about its concept in the Description section of the collection ‘Girl in headphones’ here.
As you may see on the picture above, we are on the main page of the collection. Here are a few important parameters before you purchase something. Look, if the collection has a unique concept. Go to the link ‘Show more’ to expand and read the detailed description. Then the important thing is if there is anyone who has already had any NFTs from the collection. Section ‘Owners’ should consist of at least 2 people. And of course, the Total value should be not Zero. It means that other people have already made their purchases. This is not the final list of the rules to choose the right collection.
The second step you need to take after you decided what you are gonna buy is to sign up on OpenSea. Just click on the button ‘Buy’ on the NFT that you have selected and follow the instructions. There are different options but we choose ‘MetaMask’.
In the dialogue-window of MetaMask we have to confirm authentication as shown on the picture below.
Click the button ‘Next’ and then the button ‘Connect’ to connect the MetaMask with OpenSea marketplace. In feather pages we will have to confirm the agreement and click the button ‘Sign’.
At the right top corner of the page we can see our balance. It is now 9.90 MATIC. We will use this money to buy our first ever NFT.
When you selected and clicked on the button ‘Buy’ on NFT you will be prompted to confirm the purchase in MetaMask. As you may see on the picture above, we have received the confirmation dialogue to confirm our purchase. Here we just click ‘Confirm’ to buy an NFT.
To review what you have on your account you can go to the ‘Profile’ page clicking on the picture of your profile at the right top corner of the page. Here you will see everything you have at the moment.
If you have just bought your first ever NFT it’s time to show it up to your friends. You may do that by publishing the link to your NFT on the OpenSea in your social networks. The more people will see your NFT the more popular it becomes and the more chances that some collector will notice your NFT and you will be asked to sell it out. If it’s your goal of course :)
Communicate with others in Discord
Almost all NFT projects maintain active Discord channels for lively discussions about their collections, upcoming events and related topics. Don’t hesitate to dive in and make your voice heard. Engage in dialogue, ask questions, chat with fellow enthusiasts and collectors.
If you’re aiming to expand your own collection, these discussions could spark the perfect idea. Of course, participation is completely up to you, but remember — a lively conversation is just a message away.
While there are several channels within the NFT space that have large communities, the ‘Girl in Headphones’ collection’s Discord server is still growing. With its engaging content and passionate members, I’m confident that it won’t be long before we earn our place among the best.
Make grateful experience
Taking your first step into the world of NFTs might seem daunting, but the journey can be rewarding. With the right guides and understanding, anyone can become a part of this digital revolution.
While this guide provides the basics for your first NFT purchase, remember that communication is a key in the rapidly evolving world of blockchain technology.
Stay curious, keep exploring, speak with others in Discord, discuss the ideas and you might find yourself not just participating in, but also contributing to this exciting new landscape of Digital Art.
While the world of NFTs offers great opportunities, it’s crucial not to overlook the RISKS. Like any investment, NFT purchases should be approached with full understanding. The value of NFTs can fluctuate, and there’s no guarantee of profitability. The digital nature of these tokens presents potential security concerns such as scams or digital theft. Always ensure to secure your digital wallet, verify the legitimacy of the NFTs you’re purchasing, and consider diversifying your investment portfolio. And in this way, I believe, You will succeed.
In fact, within the 'Girl in Headphones' NFT collection's Discord community, we've set up a dedicated channel, #art-corner, specifically for members to share their creative ideas for new token generations. This is an exciting opportunity for you to bring your dreams to life, transforming your unique vision into Digital Art.
Links
Girl in headphones — Collection | OpenSea
Discord: https://discord.gg/xFM6tqTp9h
Twitter: more challenges in Twitter