Are Doll Companies Biased?

I was just looking at the differences in Korean prices and US prices. The doll I want is almost 100 dollars cheaper, if translated to Won!

I don't think it's bias, but the value of all currency is changing so rapidly, it has to be hard for them to keep track of it all. Still, I kinda wish I could pay in won and save the money.

To answer the questions (other than the third because I didn't know that was happening) :

~Do doll companies show favoritism towards people of their own country?
I don't think so. I think it's just the value of the currency changing too quickly.

~Are they trying to get more money out of English-speaking customers, and why?
No, I don't think so. Obviously we're smart enough to look and see the difference in Won and USD. I think it's just one of those things that happens. -shrug- Not too much of a big deal, in my opinion.

 

Ella I'm with you on wishing to pay in Won instead of USD. I have been planning out my finances for Souldoll's human Chiron and out of curiosity I went onto their Korean site and did the currency exchange. The fullset of the doll is $230USD less when put into Won.

Normally I do not have a problem with the slight raise in prices, but Souldoll has consistently refused to lower their prices even when other companies have. I think I have a little right here to be irritated.

Besides that company, others have the right to charge a little more for having to deal with customs and other international fees and processing. It's not a matter of favoratism, but of practicality. They just have to be mindful to not take it so far in some cases.

 

Well, I agree that sometimes I want Asian only dolls, but they do need to mske a profit.

 

I really can't complain.

I became interested in BJDs a few months after I started my interest in lolita fashion. To date, I have two BJDs (one of them on the way) and no Lolita items.

This is because I like being able to order from a site that is in my own language and that actually ships to my country. It seems that most BJD stores sell them internationally now. I really have yet to find one that doesn't.

With lolita fashion, there are only a few stores that sell internationally and even then, I usually have to use Google translate. I tend to prefer classic lolita styles, and none of the major brand name stores that sell that style ship to the USA and it's really too much of a hassle to hire a shopping service and worry about language barriers.

Also, it's much easier for a country to keep up with the sales page of their own country. That they even sell internationally is lucky.

 

~Do doll companies show favoritism towards people of their own country?
I would say yes, to an extent. People natural favorite people that understand their mother-tongue and act similar to them. And considering a lot of BJD are Asian (Particularly on-topic dolls here) you need to remember that the Asian culture is different then ours. They are very prideful, very manner-orientated. They don't know you or I on a one-to-one basis, and because of this they are going to be naturally defensive.
~Are they trying to get more money out of English-speaking customers, and why?
ABJD are a monopoly held in Asia. Of course they are going to ring us for our money. If you had a limited object only produced where you are wouldn't you get as much money as possible from foreigners?
~What are other reasons that their prices are different between the different-language stores/certain dolls and doll events are limited to their own country?
Prices: you need to remember import tax. Nothing is free from import fees.
LE: They need to keep it personal to their own people, and I don't see an issue with that.

 

~Do doll companies show favoritism towards people of their own country?
**i don't think so...because whether you're from Korea, USA or Canada..we still get the same doll..no other difference whatsoever.
~Are they trying to get more money out of English-speaking customers, and why?
**i don't think so either...price varies depending on how far a country is.
~What are other reasons that their prices are different between the different-language stores/certain dolls and doll events are limited to their own country?
**maybe it's the exchange rate ... and think about it...DoD doll production and delivery is quite faster when ordered in Korea cause' it's nearer compared to USA, with all the shipping & handling process from country to country plus the insurance...as i said earlier, price varies depending on how far the country is.

 

I personally put price differences down to the costs of their multinational trading as well as how much people in certain countries are willing to pay. As for favouritism, my guess is that it comes down to how much of their money is made in those countries.

 

~Do doll companies show favoritism towards people of their own country?
Yes they do, why to avoid it ? I don't know if that's because of the level of life or something ( money speaking) but they do. I maybe say something stupid then, don't pay much attention lol

~Are they trying to get more money out of English-speaking customers, and why?
At first view I would say yes, but, I'm not them, I don't know what they have to do, papers, and all, but when the difference is around 200$, hard not to think the contrary.

~What are other reasons that their prices are different between the different-language stores/certain dolls and doll events are limited to their own country?
Not the english website obviously ! And not a translator, all the mails I received were full of basic english mistakes ( I don't say I never do mistakes ^w^ ). I wouldn't mind if their translator would be correct but there ....

But I won't complain, it can be ebay or others website ( yesasia, CD japan, Thirdstage ) I've never got problem with asian seller. But US ... damn, they are banned from me ! I bought to a music store, no prob, I bought from an ebay US seller no prob, but the others ebay seller .... there are maybe two, three years that I still wait replies to my questions lol , and this from a good amount of US seller ! If they don't want to sell to my country then state it damn it : No France, that's not hard !!! And some are ok to sell for me but the shipping cost are nothing sane ! Sorry but I don't have a board on my forehead with the word : DUMB written in bold. I know they try to rob in some cases!

Then I prefer to deal with asian seller, the best, I'm sorry but I got too bad experience, this doesn't mean I wouldn't buy from a US seller from the forum's Marketplace, but eBay, no way !

 

~Do doll companies show favoritism towards people of their own country?

Nope.. This thing has been going round since ages ago with other countries. It's a little like how things are cheaper on the home front/manufacturing countries. Like how Japanese goods for the Japanese are cheaper in Japan.

~Are they trying to get more money out of English-speaking customers, and why?

Hmmm.. Perhaps it's like for the economy? Or like the "tourist" prices you sometimes pay when you are not local... I think it runs along the same logic.

~What are other reasons that their prices are different between the different-language stores/certain dolls and doll events are limited to their own country?

For the sake of ease and simplicity. It's easier to plan an event near you than one further. Think of all the logistics involved.

 

I have to say I think it has a lot to do with the extra hassle it take to send things over seas and communicating with customers. My Dad is a ebay seller and i know he charges extra for over seas stuff b/c of the extra hassle it takes to ship and the customs paper work that has to be done. on top of that having to hire bi-lingual workers and for another site to be made. I get it really.

 

This is all my option, so take it as you will.
If there is favoritism it's the kind that is accidental. When I sell my pretend stock I may try to sell in other countries, but what if I don't know any language other than English? Add this: If I have over 200 products, I'd have to re-write all the prompts and descriptions in the new language then rerelease it. Even then one product may sell better overseas than another in my mind, so I'll avoid the unneeded work. (So that I may sell only 150 products on the foreign language site.)

As for money I recently bought a corset form the UK (for a wedding costume) it was $70 base price, but what I got to the billing page it was $100. Why? The euro to dollar rate and over seas shipping.( I had to send it back for a better size to, that shipping was $60 ) What I'm trying to say is this, converting from one currency to another can really add to the price, as can shipping the product a long way over oceans.

This is my interpretation of why at least, and is purely opinion.

 

I definitely think it is justified though. It costs more to do overseas business. It costs more to pay their english translators. These companies have the right to do country-specific exclusive releases. They have to adjust for the fluctuating currency, so they constantly don't change their prices. And everything else mentioned in this thread.

 

I agree with the original thought and disagree with making excuses for these companies. The average Asian person living in Japan or China does not usually own BJDs. The average person on the street there would not even know what an ABJD is for less for owning one. I know this because I have worked in Asia for several months at a time. These are high priced luxury items which are purchased mainly by the rich since the middle class all but does not exist in many of these countries.

With that said I dare say that the majority of these companies make the bulk of their money OUTSIDE of their own boarders. The have to cater tr the international market because, in many instances, the local economies are not robust enough to support and match the prices at which westerners will buy these dolls.

As for having English speaking staff, most of the higher education curriculum in Indo-China, Japan and the rest of Asia is absolutely conducted in English. Walking down the street in Tokyo, Beijing, or most of the other financial centers in Asia, English is the main language spoken, hence finding employees who speak very good English is no longer a rarity or difficult for these companies.

I am well aware of what it takes to make one of these dolls and based on labor and material costs in Asia, these companies make sometimes up to five and six hundred percent profit on these dolls. I wouldn't sit there and be all 'grateful' that these companies are making such a great sacrifice to make these dolls available to us. They count on us buying them at the prices we do which in turn allows them to go laughing all the way to the bank.

 

The average person living anywhere in the world doesn't usually own BJDs. This is a very small, niche hobby. DoA has over 10,000 active members and some of those members don't have one doll of their own yet. Considering the world just reached 7 billion inhabitants, 10,000 members of an internet forum is a teardrop in the ocean.

A company like Volks does make the bulk of their profit from home sales. They have more events at home in Japan than anywhere else in the world and they know their market really well.

It depends on how well you want your business to be conducted through English though, doesn't it? Employing someone with business-standard English costs a decent amount of money because, rightly, a person wants to be paid for their skills. We've all had light-hearted funny stories where we've had communication from companies where their English has come out in an unexpected way, there are also the stories of bad customer service through the English translator doing a very bad job of translating. So...what should a company do? Pay a higher price for a business-English speaker or put their existing translator through a business English course? This still costs money and hassle considering if you just sell to your home market you don't need to worry about a language barrier or different customs and can just get on with making and selling dolls.

Don't buy the dolls then. If they're making that much of a profit, I doubt the companies would miss your custom.

 

This is an open discussion board and everyone is free to contribute their opinion according to the rules stipulated. You are also free to agree or diagree. Have a great day, life goes on.

 

I'm sorry, where did I miss the part of her post in which she said you weren't free to contribute or unwelcome to your opinion? Doing a good job of refuting a weak and unsubstantiated argument does not in any way rob you of the right or ability to make that argument in the first place.

 

The funny thing about opinions is that everyone has them, and as this is an opinion thread everyone has the chance to state what they're opinion is, even if it's just to say they disagree with someone elses opinion.

And I agree, if someone feels that the companies are over charging then they can surely take their business elsewhere. No one is forcing us to buy these dolls, and we certainly don't need these dolls to live. I also feel that for anyone who thinks that these companies are over charging us that they try making one themselves, it is not cheap and it is not easy.

 

I second that! We always defend these companies about everything. They're only goal is making money, so of course they will ask more from outside people, it's obvious since we have more resources. And since they know they have the monopol and that there'll always be people that buy their dolls no matter how high the prices are and never complain, they will set the prices as they like.

This is my opinion though, don't take it personally

 

Man, I would love to see this mythical Japan you speak of where everyone speaks English fluently and where even schooling is conducted in English. Because having been there, and knowing many people who live there, I can assure you that is not the way it is in reality.

 

I could totally be wrong here, but i think that Volks actually has a few things at the LA store that can only be purchased there. As a sort of limited/reward thing for the US based customers. I don't think it's favoritism. If someone wants that limited thing badly enough, they will lay down the money and find a way to get it. I think it's just the nature of the collectibles industry.