Bjd frustrations

I've harped about this before, but The most frustrating thing for me is that so many bad business practices are excused and accepted in this hobby. It's just sort of accepted and understood that certain companies (and a LOT of them) will regularly give you meaningless production time estimates, take twice as long as they say they will, or may just never deliver the product at all. And some of the companies that have done this (no naming names but you probably know at least 1 of them) are still respected and popular.

Also just hair. I can never seem to get doll hair to stay the way I like, it all just flies all over the place... plus finding new and interesting styles is near impossible.

 

Sudden discontinuations of any but mostly unpopular head sculpts. I wasn't able to purchase a few sculpts while I was actively shopping for BJD, due to being extra-poor/broke at the time. If the BJD makers that discontinued those sculpts didn't just suddenly discontinue them out of nowhere, I could have probably afford at least one, but it was so sudden and short notice for some. Later in life I wasn't actively looking for BJD news, so even though I could have afforded the head sculpt right then and there, I didn't know and lost the only chance I had to get the sculpt (unmodified) for my collection.

Also old age; I suck at being energetic from birth, but now that I am much older than when I first began actually customizing my own dolls, I can't be bothered to actually do it (with all the actual "free-time" I have now). (:

 

Finding a variety of child bodies in SD/1/3 size The majority seem to be mature girl bodies with boobs and hips, and male bodies bursting with mustles and six-packs, despite so many of the heads having little-girl or little-boy features.

Another frustration is favourite companies going out of business or discontinuing sculpts. so those scultps are only available (if they come up) on the secondary market.

Teddy

 

Companies coming out with limited dolls you really want when you've already got several layaways going and reeeeeally shouldn't add another one...

Also companies that don't work with dealers and/or don't offer decent layaway plans in general, because dolls are expensive.

 

Waiting and the inability to see/try anything in person. Bonus points when you spend a long time waiting for something that doesn't end up working for what you want.

 

I genuinely feel this on a spiritual level. I'm trying to find jointed hands for my Envy doll and no hand seems to fit thats sold from a company. And I can't just simply go on a gamble and buy the best pair I think will fit, wait 4-5 months and then it doesnt fit. It'd be a waste of money and time so i definitely feel this.

I feel like one major issue is a lot of sculpts have different sizes they are endless. So it might be a bit difficult if such a thing existed to go to a BJD store to try and fit your doll into something. But still having the option linger would be nice.

 

Deciding you have enough dolls and you’d like to focus on getting the ones you have all fitted out. A harsh decision, but finally accepted.

However, the doll universe hears you and starts a campaign of new releases, secondhand grails, and wishlist dolls that you must have! Why fight it, I’m in too deep!

 

I hear you there. I decided this ath the start of last year... then remmebred the unpainted floating heads and headless bodies I had squirrelled away - and all of a sudden four more dolls are in the works.

Teddy

 

@Teddy oh, no! At least the planning and searching phase is fun. The actual putting together part, that takes time, and that’s where I get stuck. I hope you can finally ‘be finished collecting’ this year.

 

{laugh!} So do I. I reallly need to concetrate on amassing all the bits and pieces for the doll I alreayd have rather than being sidetracked into getting more of them.

Teddy

 

Wait times, especially the wait times I have been experiencing recently. I recently waited about 10 months for an order and it wasn't fun. Another frustrating aspect is dealing with wigs. It's so annoying trying to get a wig to look just right and properly styled

 

Restringing. I restrung a doll for the first time ever the other day and I had to have help it was so rough! I’m not in any hurry to do it again, but as I’m slowly sending all my dolls out for new faces and body blushing... it’s inevitable.

Also shipping times from Asia can be ROUGH. I have a wig that’s been on it’s way to me over a month now. Ugh

 

I can't pick only one, here are mine in no particular order:
1. The wait! I think this is a given, from preorders to slow shipping. I am getting a little better at being patient, but I am still not patient enough.
2. Shoes that fit the way I want them to. I have a really hard time finding shoes that I like to begin with, but when I do it is super frustrating to get them only to realize they don't fit, or are too big/wide. Most of the shoes I buy come from overseas so waiting for them on top them not fitting right just drives me nuts. I would rather just keep my dolls barefoot at this point than waste more money on shoes
3. Lack of communication. I could go on about the different ways this is a problem but one of the ways it bugs me is having to message a seller for status only to be made to feel like you are being a pest when they fail to ship/make your items in the time frame THEY gave and that time frame has come and gone.
4. Excuses. This is another one I could go on and on about. I wish people would be honest and not make excuses for things. There are a few sellers I will never buy from again no matter how nice their stuff is because every single time they drag it out, give lame excuses, then give new dates only to repeat the cycle several more times until finally they get your stuff out.
I am sick of paying money for things and having money tied up for a long time with nothing to show for it because people have poor time management skills or take on more than they can handle and just throw excuses at you, or even worse act like YOU are the bad guy for expecting them to keep their word and get the items out to you that you paid for.

 

Not being able to touch or see most things in-person before purchasing is my top frustration and also the top cause of like spending money that I wouldn't've.

If I could buy in-person, shipping costs wouldn't matter, sizing of shoes and eyes wouldn't be so hard to navigate if I could try it on before I buy, and I wouldn't buy dolls that in-person don't do anything for me.

 

For me, buying clothes is the number one. Inconsistent sizing, inconsistent labeling of the sizing, getting things that on paper should fit perfectly but are ever so slightly off in person... that, and all the outfits I’d die for are for sizes I’ll never get. This one I’ve decided to try and turn into a positive of going back to sewing more, though, which also saves me money in the long run. A win-win?

I’m lucky I haven’t run into much trouble in regard to service or communication. It probably helps that I don’t buy dolls often, and none of the ones I’ve had now or previously ran into any delays. If they had, this might be a very different post.

 

Being too broke to buy all the things I want.

also, hybrids. I try not to have any because resin matching and proportions are kind of a gamble and don’t always work, but sometimes a character just needs a specific head and body and no full doll works. It’s a pain in the butt.

 

Shipping!
The doll I want is currently only available on Legenddoll, but they want over 50 dollar for EMS. Ehhh...Really, everything coming from overseas somewhere is the hardest part of this hobby.

 

Pretty unbelievable outfits, wigs, and accessories take months when my iplehouse doll shipped in 5 days.

 

I know!!!! My poor girl is so bald!

 

Trying to find legit dolls on the second hand market. I rarely feel safe.

Hunting for a discontinued doll from a company that is heavily copied... It's just a nightmare. And when you finally find it, it's almost double the price it was released at. Ouch!