Are you tired of new companies every week?

I've stopped paying attention to new companies. Its too hard to keep up.

Its not that I mind, I mean more dolls = more options. But most of the time I can't be bothered to look because it just takes too long.

 

The more companies, the more competition. The more competition, the better and more competitive the offerings and the pricing. I'm expecting more than a few of the newer companies to fold and disappear as the global economy continues to sink, and more established ones start a price war.

Personally, I find Luts and Volks just as stiff-looking and bland as some "cheap" Chinese companies. Has Volks ever done something as innovative as some of Soom's monthly dolls or Souldoll's Chiron (centaur version)? Volks has a mystique (or an aura of hype as some may see it), and is as classic of a brandname as Cadillac, but I don't necessarily find them groundbreaking at this current time.

 

I agree with those who have pointed out that there is a lack of innovation in some of the more "established" companies as well. For example, I really do like Fairyland's products (sculpted by the venerable CP), but lately it feels like some of the new dolls are just subtle tweaks on the old sculpts. Compare that to the difference between dolls in the same size range across a couple of companies, and I find that even if you can see a similar style, there's a much bigger aesthetic difference.

However, I also agree with the people who feel overwhelmed by the number of new companies gaining exposure in the news forum and in the galleries. I deal with it by ignoring them until the name sinks in from seeing it many times--the same way I decide which words to look up in a dictionary when reading in a foreign language, heh. Because there are just too many companies, and too many dolls, to keep current with all of them! But as s0yuz points out, some of the new companies will fold and others will emerge as competitors, and I don't mind waiting for companies to establish themselves before I look into them...!

 

Doesn't bother me I like finding new doll companies with products that appeal to me. If I don't like the look of it, I move along.

 

It doesn't bother me too much, I only follow news about the companies I'm interested in and I tend to ignore the newer companies because there are usually few owner pictures to go from. I know what I like and so far my like buttons haven't been pushed by any of the newer companies. Competition is a healthy thing in business, but so far nothing I've seen from the newer companies is actually competition-worthy. I doubt they will hurt any of the bigger companies' sales even in this recession period.

I really like to see 'independants made good' too, I like it when someone off the boards gets their original dolls produced well and sold. I'd be more likely to follow a new company if they were originally an artist here and have a vested interest in the community already, rather than looking at the community with $$ in their eyes from the outside.

I agree with OpheliaB that a lot of hideous anthros are coming out now most likely in a bid to try to make more money out of us since there is such a big perception that people in this hobby have money to burn. There are some bodies being produced and sold with pretty much no refinement at all. I'm not into 'pipe' limbs or wrists and ankles with limited movement, thanks. I also agree with bunnydots that it would be great to see more bodies being refined and produced to go with all the lovely heads being produced. It seems like people are turning to either cheap bodies to complete a doll quickly, or having to settle for the same old companies styles, even though they may not really fit the look they want for their doll...but I haven't seen any of the newer companies come out with a ground-breaking body. They're pretty much bog-standard pipe-limbs again.

Yes, actually The engineering and sculpting of the SD16 girls and SD17 boys is to be applauded, they look and move brilliantly and their balance and poise is excellent...as well as Volks' other consistently excellent products. Just because a company doesn't come out with part-human dolls like Souldoll and SOOM doesn't mean they aren't innovative or worth the money, which is what you seem to suggest.

And as for Fairyland, they've added even more options to their previously well-stocked MNF active-line range. In my opinion, there aren't many companies producing 45cm dolls that can top the MNF a-line body, the engineering is wonderful and I can't think of a single newer company that can top that or has even tried to top that.

 

I find it a little hard to keep up with all the companies coming out, although I can't think of examples of the new companies since... I can't remember most of them. And I think this might be exactly what everyone here is talking about. So many companies that they all blend in, and you can't pick some of them out from others. The only new one I can think of that really struck me (and this may be because it's 6 in the morning now, or not) is Dream Realm, mostly because of Rad Coreco and that new guy they just came out with, Crow. I think they have really different and beautiful faces for 70cm dudes.

Unfortunately, if a new company comes out with typical bland anime sculpts, I probably won't remember them. If I see them pop up once in awhile in the news thread with a new doll, I would probably vaguely remember. The problem with some of the companies is that they announce that they are a new company, that they have a couple dolls for sale, but then they go for months without any updates or new dolls. For me atleast, they need to remind me that they are here, because I completely forget otherwise.

 

Oh hell no.
This just gives more variety and I don't think they're copying eachother. Only downside I see to it is that if you order something for the first time, you just have to wait to see if it's a decent company and they don't sell you bad things and such.

 

no way, i love seeing new companies! i love investigating the news section to see if there are any new people making dolls, any new things to see. i click expectantly, hoping to see something different and exciting. admitted, that's not very often, but then i consider that the companies only make what they think we want to buy, and, judging by the overall hobby, they're usually right.

 

I can't keep up with all the new companies and names. I just stop bothering to look at some company I just keep track of only Leeke, Volks, Lati etc the older companies.

I am not attracted to any new companies bec. I am worried that the quality can't match up to Volks etc. and will end up selling them.

 

I'm not a big Volks fan, but I think that's part of the company's appeal: They're plain, pretty dolls. Nothing is initially complex about them, and they are mostly blank slates for the owner to make into their own. With the exception of their fullsets, they're much more of a garagekit type doll.

I think they're popular because they don't go trying to do immensely groundbreaking things, and stick to their roots while trying to make a good doll experience. It'd be weird to me if they did something like Soom's MDs XD

 

agreed.

however, last night i was discussing soom with my partner and we came to the conclusion that, despite doing new things with their products, once you strip away the fancy clothes and face-up, besides the animal limbs and horns etc. their faces aren't really that appealing to either of us. they seem to re-use the same face for their new limiteds. i might be wrong but isn't beryl's face also vesuvia's?

 

I find it slightly strange for people to be annoyed at something like that, simply because whereever there are people willing to pay money there will be companies wanting to earn that money. That applies to pretty much all products really. ^^;
If I don't like the sculpts by the company I will pass by, but it really doesn't bother me.

 

I don't mind seeing what dolls are out there, and what sort of things companies can come up with. The Soom monthly dolls are always interesting to see, for example.

But, my doll list is fixed for the most part, so after I get the characters that I need, I'll only be looking for clothes.

 

I would not be 'into' BJD if it weren't for the 'newer' companies. I knew about ABJD practically since they first came out, but until I saw Pipos' Baha, they were merely a curiosity. While Pipos is still a newer company, I don't find anything 'cheap' about their molds, quality, or customer service!

I find the 'established' companies molds kind of dull and while I can respect the craft that goes into them, they are not for me; I prefer a less-expensive doll I can mod without fear.

I think it's fun that there is such a diversity of companies, and it ultimately benefits the hobby to have a broad selection of dolls from which to choose. Sometimes, I try to imagine an 'Antiques Roadshow' of the future, and which ABJD will make the curatorial experts swoon with delight at its rarity, and which they will identify as a 'good example, nice, but very common'.

 

Having variety is always a good thing (though I find as more companies come out, I just can't keep up with all the sculpt names...particularly when new companies seem to consistently use sculpt names already in use by other companies), however, I am definitely sick of seeing new companies pop up whose artists have not yet honed and perfected the dolls they're selling. I want to see more professionally finished dolls coming out of professional companies; sometimes the very first sculpt isn't worth selling, and I think new companies need to learn that when trying to break into the market, rather than concentrating on having low prices. Just my two cents' worth.

 

Actually, i couldn't disagree more. I currently have an SD17 in my possession, that i'm working on for a customer, and let me just say, that originally, it seemed worth it to shell out 1200 dollars for one of these babies...now that i actually hold one in my hands, i'm SO very glad that i did not. The jointing is absolutely atrocious. The arm 'double joints' are near unfunctional at best, and the way that the knee mechanisms are put together, is far too confusing and unattractive. THe 'high-heeled leg' options is just flat out silly.

And as far as people making these new companies out like monsters who just want to suck all the money out of your pockets, i highly doubt that is their goal. Yes, they are businesses, and want money, however, I tend to see that this has happened in a time when people are SELLING their expensive dolls, and no longer buying the expensive ones. These companies have seen this, and are smart enough to know that there is a larger demand for GOOD quality, at a lower price tag.

And as for people calling dolls "Ugly anthros", I think this is a very harsh, and inappropriate thing to say. There are still people on this board who WANT those very dolls that you are calling names. Voice your opinion, but keep respectful of those who DO like these 'ugly anthros' you keep mentioning. There are some on this board who feel that NO anthro doll is for them, but you don't see them calling the dolls ugly. There are some who like these newer, less expensive dolls. I think we should keep the same respect for those who like these. Calling a doll 'ugly' is really never appropriate, or respectful, and usually will only result in hurt feelings.

I also do think that you will see companies folding. But i don't think it's going to be the companies with dolls that cost 200 dollars. I think that at the finish line, many of the doll companies that refuse to drop prices to a more affordable tag, are going to be the ones who stumble and fall before reaching the finish line. Luts has dropped MUCH of it's stock, as have many other companies, and it's not all just doll clothes. Many dolls are just not being restocked. If i have the option to buy from a less expensive company where everything is in stock, and the quality is equal to that of luts, or, i can go to Luts, and order from them, where 50 percent of everything you want is out of stock and hasn't been restocked in nearly YEARS, i think i'll go with the newer, less expensive company. And i don't think i'm the only one who feels that way.

As far as Volks, well, 80 percent of their dolls are based on limiteds, or going to Dolpa. They really don't have a ton of dolls that are in the 'order-from-a-picture' websites, and have not added to that pool in quite a while.

I cannot speak for people who live in other countries....and i cannot even speak for 99 percent of Americans, but i can see the evidence in our economy. People are NOT spending like they used to. That is evident even in our community. Go take a look in the marketplace, at how many dolls are for sale. Look at how many dolls were over 1000 dollars originally, and that have plummeted in value and price, and STILL sit there, unpurchased. It's the expensive doll companies that are going to have the real issues. THe inexpensive ones are going to start doing much better i think. Alot of people are not abandoning the hobby altogether, but instead are looking for cheaper alternatives, that offer equal quality.

 

Quite the opposite, the News-section is the first that I look up on every time I log in on DoA.

New dolls and moulds are the stuff that keep me in the hobby. It wouldn't be as exciting if there weren't many creative and wonderful companies coming up with new dolls all the time. I'm always looking forward to seeing new dolls with different looks !

 

It doesn't bother me, no. I enjoy checking out the News section of the forum, and I almost always check out new companies... I find it really interesting to see any developing trends in ABJDs as a whole, and I like to see new artists' works

I think, myself, I would love to collect and own a variety of companies' works, I enjoy the idea of having very different dolls to play with and find out things that I like and don't like so much from each product. So, I'd like to keep an eye on the new companies as well as the old ones too! ^^

comicbookartistboi are you talking about SD17 or SD16...? Because SD17 girls don't exist yet, it's the SD16 girls that have the high-heeled legs...? I think they're quite different bodies, and they probably move very differently. ^^

 

I love looking at the new companies. It's fun because you get to see the fresh dolls come in. And I don't really think they're copying each other, I think they might just be influenced by other doll molds. But I guess I can't say I haven't seen some likeness in the nose, eyes, or lips between some companies.

I just hate that it drains my bank account. T-T