A decline in the doll hobby?

I feel the opposite, there are a lot more new members these days. It's just a shame when you're living in the UK you miss chatting with most of the active Americans, maybe that's why you feel people aren't chatting as much, there might not be anyone on when you are.

 

I honestly feel there's been neither a decline or explosion; it's seemed pretty steady to me, which is how I like it. I like that there's always lots of new members taking an interest in this fascinating hobby, but I also like that it's not so enormous that it becomes overwhelming. I don't mean that in some sort of hipster way like I want my hobby to be a special snowflake that's oh so very niche and unique, because that's not what I want at all. I just think we have the right balance now; it's mainstream enough that we can generally find clothes, props and accessories that we're looking for quite easily, while still making the dolls an interesting conversation starter for the uninitiated (and that customs doesn't yet know how much they're worth!).

If there is a lack of new members, I believe it's due to money issues and the forum being invitation-only, as others have mentioned. Neither of these things can be changed: dolls will always be pricey, and the forum needs to be reasonably select because of the MP and spambots. But I can understand it putting off new members. I joined back when registration was open, and if I'd come along a bit later and needed an invitation - well, I couldn't have joined. And what's more, I would probably have assumed the forum and the hobby generally was elitist, and lost interest. Just as well I didn't!

 

I think there are still plenty of posters...but I have seen a difference in the majority of WR threads I've been in the past year, which is where I spend a lot of my time. Don't get me wrong, I feel that some of them have been great, but not the romps that I've experienced in past years. Aaah, the WRs of years past...but I think that's more a me thing. I'm honestly not buying less dolls (I could dream) or things, but I haven't done a box opening in ages, and I don't post up pics anymore at all, I just love dressing them and getting eyes and props and doing my own thing entirely. So it's not a decline, just a drift.

I think having several of the people in my 'crowd' drift away from the hobby or, in a couple of cases, get turfed out (eep) also has made it feel different on DOA. But that 'quiet' feeling is distinctly there, to the point that I will 'do the rounds' in the evening and start thinking of checking out other forums.

And there is definitely an attitude out there on the part of some non-DOAers, I was at Sakuracon and ran into a girl who was ga-ga over dolls, just insane...and I asked her if she wanted to join DOA and that I would invite her, and she was fairly hesitant about this! She wasn't the only one, but it made me sad because it's like 'this is a lovely, safe place' is how I felt about it. So I think there is an exclusivity perception and I think people who may have been 'with' us are moving onto other things perhaps, and if you spend less time here overall it's harder to replace said folks.

.hlp

 

I've been here since 2005 and I can see a huge difference!!!

Before, there were not many people or many BJD companies, for that matter. The forum seemed more familiar and friendly. But as soon as more BJD companies started to come out, more people started to arrive - I feel like the forum has become colder. I don't come here anymore to befriend someone, I see it more like a resource forum, business forum. A wonderful BJD forum, nonetheless.

 

I haven't been active on this form long enough to really be able to say if there is a difference, but I agree with some of the guesses that have been thrown around in this topic!

The economy makes it harder for people, and I think the restrictive membership probably contributes a bit. I'd be more active if I actually could see all of the forum.

 

It's not a decline in the hobby that I see -- actually, I know more and more people who are entering the BJD hobby, and other doll related hobbies, than I did a few years ago. (And these are friends of mine that I've known for 5+ years.) I do see a decline of community in the forums.
I feel it's because we don't have a lot of variety here in terms of what is on-topic and what is off-topic, and I'm not just talking about dolls. In the end, there are only so many questions and approved discussion topics before we run out of stuff to ask. Then a few months go by, these discussions and questions are buried, newcomers (and veterans) can't find these threads anymore, and the question gets asked again.
And yeah: as a member of DOA for 4+years, I can say that things have changed a lot. interesting threads are shut down because they're deemed off-topic, while threads that have the potential to insult the way a person collects, or a person in general, remain unlocked. I'm not saying this to start any arguments, I'm just stating that this is my general feeling as of late, so I tend to shy away from the general discussion and debate threads. (Don't get me wrong, I love a good debate, and we used to have great debates here.) I find I prefer my gaggle of friends and our random meets moreso than online communities for this reason. And I'm finding more and more collectors in my area as the hobby blossoms in my art community.
Personally, I love that the hobby is gaining in popularity in my area. It's wonderful meeting new people randomly who have a doll on them, or someone on my Facebook sharing their newest addition to their resin and vinyl family. My roommate and I have a secret wish that our local Japantown will open up a BJD boutique (we have a lolita boutique, so why not dolls, too?) and to be honest, I can see it happening in a few years.
As for individuals, I think many of us have reached that state of calm in our hobby. Some have drifted away, sure, but they haven't left; some have simply reached a point where they've asked all the need to and they've answered all they've felt they had to, and can now enjoy their dolls without others. I know I go through phases: I love my dolls always, but I don't always pay attention to them; I go through community spurts where I go on DOA every day for a few weeks and mingle, then I disappear for months.
It isn't that the hobby has gotten old, or that there is a decline. I think each individual grows with their hobby as they do in life, and many of us have entered a quiet appreciation stage, as opposed to an OMG DOLLS stage. (Though my roommate and I often greet each other with OMG, Dolls. Heheh.)

EDIT: I know I might sound a little negative here, but I really do like coming to DOA. I meet awesome people here, find the answers to my questions here, and learn a bunch. I think, since the hobby has grown, it's easier for me to make friends in other ways now so I don't rely on DOA so much for community, but DOA is a great source of information and the mods work hard to make sure it remains this way. ^_^

 

I agree with yumi, the forum has definately become colder during my four years here. Earlier there were more people you actually were interested in your photos and dolls, nowadays it seems that many people just want to show their own dolls and aren't interested in anything else.

One reason for this might be that there are a lot more people who don't have English as their first language and thus aren't so easily willing to participate in discussion.

Or maybe we have just become lazier and just lurk or we just don't have anything to say.

I have to admit that there a still plenty of great people around and several threads which I atleast read actively.

 

I feel somewhat the same way. I come here now mainly to read, and find myself engaging less and less in conversation. I rarely start a thread anymore because what I have to say is very often deemed off topic, or no longer allowed, like my Ruby re-release petition.

Oh well, I've made some great friends here, some of which are no longer here, either by their choice, or because they've been banned for various reasons that I'm not privy to. I've gotten some lovely dolls. fabulous outfits, and fantastic accessories, which I enjoy very much. With the arrival last week of my two of the Volks dolls I've spent years dreaming of, and an Iplehouse BID on the way, my wishlist is really complete...GASP! Shocking I know...and some of you that know me are saying, "Yeahhhh, riiiiight Juli...ROTFLOL...tell us another fairytale!" But I'm serious, unless and until Volks, or some other maker I love, releases some reeeeeally amazing doll, I'm done. Not with this hobby, not with DoA, but let's just say I'm content with my collection.

Juli DC

 

Activity on DoA comes and goes... and an individual's interest comes and goes... but this thread was first posted a year ago and it doesn't seem like things are dying out here or with dolls and bjds in general...

 

LOL! Yes, this is an old thread! My goodness!

I have never made a real life friend off of a forum so I can't say I ever viewed it as a social site.

I think some of the problems are as Koka said. I am often frustrated when an exciting new doll comes out, only to have it deemed off topic. And more and more of my collection is getting to be Off Topic as I am buying more art dolls and French dolls. In fact I joined Material Celeste 1- so I can stalk French artists and 2- they still have a very active doll creation thread.

Most of the most unique dolls aren't being made by Korean and Japanese companies anymore, they're coming out of Europe. But again, anything with too unique a design is a no-no here.

I still come to check in on doll specific threads for companies I like and I used to check the news religiously (and still do) but I'm realizing there are better places to get news because I want to be informed of the off topic dolls. In which case BJDcollectasy is a far better resource.

 

I have been here 4 years. The discussion topics are always almost the same. So, after sometime, I don't post as much. I collect different types of dolls and this year, only 1 out of my 4 new dolls is a resin doll. Like what april said, interests comes and goes. There are many new BDJ companies, so the hobby must be growing with people coming in and out.

 

I think BJD industry had its peek during 2003~2006. But so does the Anime Industry and Music Industry in my opinion. It seems like every culture has lost its charm and everything seems so dull these days...

 

I only joined earlier this year but i think DoA is great. I get heaps of info here and love looking at other peoples dolls. I like looking in the galleries, some of the pics are amazing. Also got to go to meetup and met some really nice people and got to compare dolls etc... Maybe less collecting going on because of the poor economy. Also as others pointed out trends come and go. I'm kinda happy that BJDs are not a trendy hobby. It means the people that are into it are there because they really want to be and not just followers of what is fashionable.

 

I think I'd just like to see more variety in discussion. I get really tired of people posting the same "is it okay to.." threads all the time. I'm most interested in the 'creating' side of the hobby, and I stick to places in the forum where that's going on. I don't post that much anymore though as I have a hard time with 'tone' in posts, and I get sick of the "well if you don't like it go make your own" type responses to some of these things. I wish people would understand that that's *not* an answer, nor does it provide a solution to anything more complex. People aren't exactly "friendly" with newcomers, but I think that's a life thing in general. It's really hard to find people you can just chat with. That's okay though, because as an Information site, DoA is far surpassing anything else around.

 

I've been around basically since the start of DoA and during this time many things have changed both with the board and my own collecting. I'm still collecting, although less than previously. There has been an /explosion/ of companies making dolls (which I think is great) but at the same time my own tastes have expanded beyond dolls considered 'on topic' for here (which is not a criticism, there are other places to discuss those dolls).

I still use the site to find user-pics of non-limited dolls I might want to buy, and of course I use the marketplace, but I don't do nearly as much posting or even reading of discussions as I used to. I guess it's just what happens when you're in a hobby 10+ years. You've got a pretty good idea of what you like and don't tend to 'wander' as much. I still buy dolls, but not as many as I once did (I say as I am about to go place an order for two new Iples). I am less likely to 'try' a new head because gosh, I've just got so many floating around that live in boxes and never see the light of day. I spend a lot more time making sure the dolls I get look good together, since they will be joining an already extended family.

I don't think the hobby is in decline, perhaps it's just maturing.

 

I don't think the hobby has slowed down. True it is a very expensive one. I think people are perhaps being more cautious in adding new dolls to their collections, perhaps buying more on layaway, or focusing on creating costumes, changing faceups, learning photography or making up personas. This hobby has many ways that it can be explored. I think the economy forces us to be more creative, maybe not so quick to reach for our wallets. I don't know how this forum has changed over time, since I am still a newcomer here, but I have been active on deviantArt for two years and the BJD thing is thriving there. I think the fact that it is not restricted the way it is here helps. No one slaps your hand and says "Hey, that's off topic." I find that annoying myself. I guess there must be a reason for the tight control, though I don't really see it myself. But I think the hobby is alive and well and will be for years to come. These dolls won't go away, and even if the manufacturers all went out of business tomorrow, the wonderful dolls already out there would go on and just be reborn again and again, as each new owner found new ways to envision the original doll.

 

The reason for control is that DoA isn't meant to be an all-accepting hub for every type of doll. The forum is kept alive by people who volunteer their own time and resources. Obviously there are limits to the capacity, and it is, I believe, a wise choice to work within established limits.

I've been here for many years and don't see a slow down at all, really. What likely is happening is a saturation of the markets [both first and second hand] from the overwhelming explosion of new companies and products surfacing in recent years. In addition, global economic downturns make it difficult for people to constantly be expanding their collections as readily as they did before. If anything, I've only seen rapid increases in membership at least, to DoA, and the appearance of BJD related things outside of what was an originally very obscure hobby.

 

I feel like this is such a good point!

I absolutely adore BJDs and posting about them, but I know that as an adult, often other things take precedence. I also know that many of my BJD friends feel the same way. Some of us have schooling to finish first, while others are working hard to keep jobs, etc. As an example, I have a friend in this hobby who is having a baby soon, and I'm pretty sure she's more involved with that right now than her dolls. Though this might offend some people, BJDs aren't living beings...you can put them on a shelf and come back to them when time allows it.

I have seen a decline in the market (I'm sure due to the world's economies and other personal issues), but I have not seen a decline of people in this hobby. I still meet new people in the forums and at meet-ups, and I do not see that changing just yet. Maybe over the next few years if our economies don't improve, but only time will tell.