Hi there Mike
Just to help you out a bit....
I would suggest spending a good amount of time learning about bats before purchasing and starting a collection. As you stated, you don't know much about bats yet, and with limited knowledge you'll probably end up buying a number of bats that as your collection and knowledge progresses, you really don't want or need.
The fact that you reached out to research and learn about bats is a perfect start!
All the best, and enjoy your day collecting!
....just please stay away from the 19th century ring bats I covet