It’s no secret to us that the “Items” feature in Gowalla is a bit half-baked. While our next update release will address this, I figure I’d better go over some broad details concerning items so you’re not utterly confused. So here goes:

At any given time you can hold 10 items on your phone. Each item is serialized and they are limited in issue. As to how limited, time will tell.

If you are one of the first people to check-in at a new spot, you can opt to drop one of your items to become a founder. This helps us determine which spots are highly trafficked, and ultimately, which spots we should feature. Spot founders will receive recognition for their sacrifice in the future.

When you arrive at a spot where items have been dropped before and you see something you like — you can pick it up. However, you must leave an item you are carrying in its place. It’s a bit like karma — gotta give something to get something.

If you decide there is an item that you would like to keep forever, you can vault it. Unfortunately you cannot vault items from the phone yet. You have to sign in to Gowalla from the web, visit your items page, and click the vault button. The item will be added to your permanent collection. Vaulting from the phone is coming soon.

Biggest Question: How do I get new items?

Answer: By checking in! New items are randomly awarded when you check in on your phone, even if you’ve already been to a spot before. The odds of receiving a new item are based on a few things: a) how many items you’re currently carrying; b) the category of spot you’re checking in at; and c) the overall rarity of the item itself.

Alrighty then, this concludes our crash course on items for the time being. We have lots of plans for this feature, and it will receive a nice upgrade on the phone soon. Let us know if we can answer any questions for ya.

Time to go out!