A decline in the doll hobby?

I do exactly the same thing. As soon as I've posted it's "Omg no one has posted after me, what did I do wrong?! why do they hate me?!", I'm slowly learning to get over it


I haven't been here long enough to judge if it's in decline, but I really hope the hobby isn't. I also wish DOA wasn't so restrictive with new members, I understand why they do it, especially with the marketplace. I got in when it was open membership, I didn't even realize how lucky I was, that I just happen to find bjds at the same time that they were open, I don't know if I would have stuck with it otherwise.

 

I have been so preoccupied this summer that I completely missed DoA changing over to invitation-only!

I like to visit here every day, to see what's coming out, to look at photos and box-openings, and to check out the marketplace. But I have to admit, I'm much more active on the forum when I've got a doll on the way.

 

Mm... I think it may be just a perception. I was curious so I checked the stats; we're still having the same approximate number of new threads created daily and the same approximate number of new posts. It may be that traffic patterns have changed to areas where you spend time, but it's hard to tell. We consistently have 500+ concurrent users in the evening, which is more than we ever used to have.

We would love to go back to open registration, but we get an amazing number of spambots... and scammers trying to rejoin. If we didn't have the Marketplaces, we could probably be a lot more lax... but we really do our best to keep everyone as safe as possible. We just had a week of open registration in August and added around 800 new members. We may do this every few months, who knows?

I think a lot of people feel surprised when people drift away from the hobby... but not everyone is into the mentality that a particular hobby must be a life-long interest. Some people are into dolls for a bit, then move on to other things. Some people can't afford to participate as much now because of the recession, and have developed interests in other hobby. Still other people are just more active in local groups. Still others (like me!) still love their dolls, but just don't have any time anymore!

 

I think -- and actually I consider this a good thing -- that a lot of the reduced traffic I've noticed is a number of the same questions asked repeatedly in general discussion and elsewhere that now fall under the newbie questions section, which is pretty active from what I can tell. Considering that most of those threads garnered one or two actual replies, and plenty of 'this has already been asked here' or 'this is a personal question that isn't suited to general discussion' or basic rules questions, I don't consider that a bad thing in any form. I don't have any problem with such threads, but I think the fact that these things now have 'homes' on the forum may reduce the commonly visible new thread count.

I know that, at least in my case, this is my extra-special-psychotic busy period in terms of work and generic life stuff. I normally wouldn't have five minutes to call a friend at this time of year. The only reason I'm posting a little more this past week is, well, hey, SOOM! You're causing drool factor! And, well, I have periods of downtime that last about 3 minutes... repeatedly. About every five minutes. All week. Not long enough to do something remotely productive on the to-do list, far too long to engage in a staring contest with the cats.

 

Lulu, as always you succinctly say what I want to Thanks for always saving me time

 

I have to admit, the invite-only status on DoA may have something to do with it. That is not to say that the rule is a bad one, because it isn't. All forums have had to, recently, make some sort change to members joining. But, I was lucky to join when it was open membership and I wasn't the only one. There was a large influx, it seemed, and that caused a lot of posting and whatnot to happen all over for awhile there. I think that now that people have been on the board for awhile, things have calmed simply because that's the nature of things. Everyone is so excited at first and look at everything and post everywhere but, then, once they've looked through so much at once, they come here for just want they want and that's it, unless something interesting is happening. I know that, for a few months recently, I would come past here every day still but I wasn't active at all. I was too busy at work and sometimes I just couldn't think of anything to say. Only recently, now that my work schedule is back to normal and I'm feeling mentally better, have I been trying to be active again. I love this forum and I love posting on it but sometimes a break is needed.

That being said, there could be other factors. It seemed winter was busy last year because people didn't want to go outside and there were holidays to dress your dolls up for and doll company events going on, etc. I'm sure it'll pick back up soon but, even if it doesn't, this place still stays pretty active for me.

 

I guess I haven't noticed anything. And I'm on here ALL THE TIME. For me a lot of dolls I want to talk about are either OT or not popular! (I've been trying to revive the Pupapa Quino thread but only like 4 people seem to own one!)

And honestly, I've run out of things to talk about EXCEPT the new releases! So I love all the new dolls to talk about

Otherwise there is still a lot more going on here than on the writing forum I joined! No one wants to discuss in-depth Modelland by Tyra Banks with me!!!!

 

I think that's basically what's happened It also depends on where you frequent, and what time. I mean, I notice lots of people post when I'm asleep, and that's just due to different time zones. I tend to not go into the Galleries, so I miss all the posts there (I wish I had the courage to post there too!)

Also, I know the 'invite only' registration has contributed; but you can't really say it's impossible to sign up without a friend sending you the invite code. In the Announcement (which, admittedly is hard to find), it says that

So it's not impossible, nor "DoA doesn't want new people joining". Just requires a little effort and luck finding the announcement

 

I think for myself, I've been more of a lurker, and a reader. And have just been enjoying looking at pictures, and photostories, and the marketplace. But I've also been really busy lately so my dolls have been taking the back burner.

I almost have my collection to where I'd like it to be, then I have to get a decent camera, before I dare to spam pics of any of my own dolls. I'm also pretty shy, so that doesn't help. But I am more active in my local doll community, so there have been other places to put a lot of my doll time.

If there is a decline in the hobby, it's probably due to a rise in lurkers, sign up restrictions, and other places to spam doll stuff. I see way more pictures in my friends flickr's than I do on DoA lately.

 

No, there's no decline. Newbies still ask flurries of the same questions... old debates still resurface & get lively over and over and over again.... new debates are still started.... new dolls, with their associated discussion-threads & waiting-rooms, come out all the time... new companies keep cropping up like mushrooms overnight... the gallery & photostories-gallery are still stuffed full & turning over like a steam engine... conventions & meetups are still happening, and their photo-threads still being posted to memorialize them... where is this "downturn" of which you speak? Frankly I ain't seein' it.

It might just have to do with where/when you're looking at DOA. You know how even the busiest traffic-intersection in your town can be totally empty in the middle of the night? Or, how a back-alley can be totally deserted during morning rush-hour? Like that. Doesn't mean everyone else in town doesn't exist, or has lost interest in you. It just means they're not there at the moment.

 

Decline?!?! Wow, if anything I would think there's been an explosion!

Certainly, one's perspective of a thing can change for their own individual experience.

 

I think it's kind of crazy to worry about a decline when there are so many posts that a thread can easily get knocked pages and pages back without a ton of replies!

I don't think there's a decline... yet. The economy can't be helping anyone. Really, it's surprising to me how so many of us manage to keep pouring so much money into dolls during times like these. But I'm still doing it, and companies are still making dolls--so things have got to be pretty good in BJD-land or we'd see something more than some perceived slowing of the activity on DoA.

I don't like the membership restrictions... I just think how much trouble I'd have learning enough about BJDs if I were not allowed into DoA unless I knew someone. It's cruel to people seeking information. But I understand about spam and internet scams and the marketplace and all that. It's just sad.

Anyway, I don't long for the old days (believe me--they weren't that great!), but I'm not worried about the activity on DoA. It's plenty busy enough for me. I check it all the time and it a total time-sink as it is. And I don't think it's a huge indicator of the decline of the hobby, anyway. And... really, I'm more worried about trying to pay off my dolls than all this other stuff, anyway!

 

Thank you Mods for putting this in perspective. For older members, they're may seem like a lull, but I remember when I was a newbie, DOA was this big giant hub of information and I wanted to suck it all in. My oldest doll will be two in January and I've come a very long way. The actual dicussions may not be original anymore, but there's still people posting on threads 3+ years old. I think the first part of the DOA 'experience' is information gathering and after that you either start to make your own stamp or just being less active.

 

I hear ya, Zagzagael! I've been very active on the forum since I first joined, and while I've noticed the routine inevitable ebb and flow of activity in specific threads, there's always been plenty of activity and excitement hopping around here somewhere to continuously keep me entertained and impressed. I've never even considered the notion of going elsewhere...it's enough just to try to keep up with what goes on here on DoA. I subscribe to roughly 30 threads at any given time and do my best to keep up with the news, the marketplace and the galleries. There's no way I possibly can of course, given my very busy and active life, but I sure have fun trying! If one place goes quiet for whatever reason (which can be anything from younger members returning to school and needing to focus on settling into that, to a company suddenly having ridiculous wait times and turning people off to that company's dolls, to simple holiday hustle and bustle or a downturn in financial trends) then I just go elsewhere on the forum. There's always something exciting going on around here somewhere. So no, I stay so active on here, I really haven't noticed anything more than the regular routine cyclical downturns on occassion that follow the normal seasons and cycles of ordinary life.

 

This ^

With so many new people coming into the hobby you tend to see some of the same questions over and over. I tend not to comment when the question is a repeat of one I've commented on previously. That may also be the case for others who only comment now and again yet they used to be a lot more active even just a year or so ago.

Also, with the amount of members on DOA, unless I catch a thread when it's new, what I want to say has already been covered by others so I don't see the point in saying it again.

I also agree with Lulu that waning interest in the hobby doesn't bother me. When I came into the hobby back in 2006, there were a lot fewer doll companies or collectors around but the hobby was very active. I certainly don't fear it dying out altogether.

 

I have not been a member on DoA super long but I know when I join it was so exciting and I see I was very lucky to join so quickly. I am a lurker to at time and don't post as much than when I first started. I think the hobby is increasing. I am seeing so many bjds being made and finding more amazing outfits!!! Still bjds are not popular where I live but who knows I might find a group here. I think it is so fun that meet-ups are growing larger and how almost ALL bjd sites have ENGLISH!!! I think that is a huge indication of how big bjds are growing here. I do understand the feeling of decline when I hear that a person has left the bjd hobby or beginning to dislike it. It makes me a bit sad but glad when I hear they've returned and found their dream doll! =D I hope that the bjd hobby stays strong. =3 Also another good indication of how the bjd hobby is going strong is when I see SOLD OUT sign on bjds I want and their outfits..... These are all the reactions I feel when I see those signs. LOL X3

 

Decline? I drop by daily and get spammed by my subcription list. XD Some threads are really racing along that I can find half to one page in a single day. Gallery posts rarely stay on the first page for long, and the box-opening subforum is always full of new stuff. The marketplace is still steaming along. I'm not seeing any decline at all. XD

 

Ha, I thought I was the only one who could stop a thread dead in its tracks!

 

Honestly, this. And thank you, PenguinCheese, for saying it. Also, pretty much everything Lulu said.

It seems like I am seeing so many more of these kinds of threads nowadays, and everything has to do with what is "right" and "wrong" and "allowed" about how to do whatever with a doll. I...can't...answer...these....anymore. And, honestly, I can't even see the thread title without having to resist the urge to shake people who are asking total strangers what they are and are not allowed to do with their multi-hundred-dollar purchase. It's frustrating. And so many of the question threads have already been answered about 20 times already, but everyone is too lazy to search...so they keep popping up.

If this makes me sound grumpy, so be it. I'm just no longer willing to answer something that has been answered 15 times before, or join a chat thread for a new doll just to post some version of "OMG SQUEEEEE SO KAWAII," which is pretty much all the thread says anyway...for 12 pages straight. These have lost their appeal to me personally.

Since the redundancy is getting to me, I'm more inclined to just browse whatever I need to search for, check a few subscribed threads, browse the MP, bump my threads and move on.

I've also *gasp* Finally! gotten over the Must Own All the Dolls acquisition stage, so I'm not really *looking* for as much, whether it be info, owner galleries or whatnot. I realized the other day I am perfectly content with what I have and, while there are definitely still dolls I wouldn't mind owning, I am ok with NOT owning them. I really never thought I would get to this point. I feel relief and am determined not to temp fate by inviting temptation.

 

Bwahaha!! Oh man, I hear you there! Maybe there's as much activity, statistically, as ever. . . but it really does seem that the quality has gone down. I pretty much stopped subscribing to threads, other than my own (so I can answer them), because of the complete lack of content in most posts. Or people asking a question that has been answered just one page previously on a thread that isn't all that long to start with. Oy.