BJDs in amongst the Walmart Generation

People in the the modern day are so used to getting things faster and cheaper, it's a very quick commodity that people become adapted to fast. I know I have: you can get food fast and cheap-- clothes and tools, almost everything. So when something takes skill and time and costs a lot of money, people tend to balk at the price tag. "How much for a DOLL?" I don't think that's something that will ever change.

 

The owner of the doll in this picture has a lifetime ban from DoA if you go on to read the comments on the pic.

Ah well, it's funny how this pic on PoWM reminded me of Brightfires' dolls which got me over to Resinality and DoA which in turn got me to order my Bobobie 1/4 girl Mei which in turn probably means I will never have any spare cash for other hobbies as long as I live... :p

I have kinda gone full circle here...

Phil.

 

Faerie_Speak, that is full of win (I removed the link because of the "lifetime ban" thing but it seems like the comment is OK)

Regarding the question asked by the thread poster, this is really no different from the 1,000,000 threads mentioning how people think X amount is "too much to pay for just a doll." It's a matter of priorities, and we all have them. I don't think you can make broad generalizations like "The Walmart Generation" because most people have things that they will very definitely blow a large amount of money on, and things that they won't.

I know people who are really into designer fashions and will spend several hundred dollars for some dress that looks to me like someone could have cut up a T-shirt, sold it on Etsy and achieved the same "look" for maybe 40 bucks. But obviously the designer aficionado thinks the "real deal" item looks better, has more style, is more original, is better "quality" in some way. So it's her preference to spend 300 dollars on an item when I think she could have gotten essentially the same thing way cheaper.

Similarly, we think our dolls are better quality or provide a better experience than buying an inexpensive doll, even something like an Obitsu, to customize. I'm sure a lot of people will chime and say "but a resin BJD really IS better quality than a cheap doll!" but, as other posters have stated, it's all in what people want. If you want a very unique sculpt, posability, or are very into resin as a material then maybe the BJD is better quality to you. If you can be just as happy doing a custom repaint and hair job on a Barbie (and there are some beautiful repaints out there) then the BJD doesn't add anything to your experience and might even be a minus.

Bottom line is we need to stop expecting everybody else to appreciate our dolls as something special the way we do, and maybe just stop discussing them with folks if we don't want comments like "but why couldn't you just get a cheap doll at the discount store?"

 

People often don't get other people's hobbies. They can't fathom why anyone would want to spend that kind of money on a doll, because they themselves aren't interested in dolls. This is often despite the fact that they may just as easily fritter away money on all kinds of stuff. Sometimes I think that's maybe more often the case than just wanting everything cheap. It's easy to fathom spending the money when it's something that sounds cool, and to a lot of folks, dolls don't have that connotation--they're thought of as children's toys. Also, for people unfamiliar with bjds, they aren't going to know why bjds are more expensive or how they differ from other less expensive dolls--especially if they've never been into collectible items before.

 

Some people simply have no concept of worth. There's not much you can do but shrug and avoid those people.

 

QFT (Quoted For Truth)

I think this says it all.

Phil.

 

This is pretty my view on this subject, just worded way better

 

Aww, I don't really blame anyone for saying something like that though. Many people don't realize the materials and quality that go into Abjd's, and to them, a doll is just a doll.

 

I've got nothing against cheaper dolls (believe me! I'm broke! lol), but I just don't think a barbie compares to our precious bjds, lol. Barbies and cheaper dolls are great in their own right, don't get me wrong, but there is just something special about resin dolls that can only come so cheap.

 

One might point out to those who make noises about the price what people will pay for Jimmy Choos or a designer hand bag or dress. Exclusive and beautiful these dolls need to be looked at as art work.

Also I can think of about half a dozen doll makers (Wendy Froud comes to mind first since I own about three of her original works) that the original doll goes for anywhere fro $500 to $5000 dollars. They are called Art Dolls and I see these BDJs as art as well.

 

I did not see all of the comments to this picture, but I went ahead and edited my post to avoid any... issues, especially if she's banned for life.

 

I doubt very much anyone would care, other than that the comments will link to threads on here and resinality where she is exposed for her practices and give out all her known alts so that people know not to deal with her.

I am of the opinion that one shoulda kept the link in so that anyone who reads the comments would know not to buy from her or sell to her...

Ah well, never mind.

Phil.

 

Maybe, but it's off-topic anyway, and I'd rather not deal with any resulting conflict from it. My spidey-sense tells me this is a can of worms I don't want to be in.

 

I know people who drink more in a WEEK what I paid for my Souldoll Boy. And they can't get why I'll spend that money on a doll instead of booze.

 

The owner ban thing has me confused.

 

Ha ha, it made me think of this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjOQ2wJ39ck
But Jusco Walmart sells everything!

Some people just don't understand.

 

The walmart mentality doesn't only come from people outside the hobby. Today I was browsing the critique section and there was someone who posted pictures of her dresses asking how much she should sell them for. They were gorgeous, detailed, perfectly fitted and sewn, and in a fairly complex design. There were several answers along the line of "I love that, I would totally pay up to $20 for it! " The kind of attitude that a gorgeous artist item should sell for the same as ill-fiting poorly made sweatshop junk just boggles my mind.

 

;A; !!!
But how can people say that after shelling out so much for the doll?

 

Well I do think it is important to recognize quality and support the people who produce it because frankly...our mass production society has little room for craftsmen and that is sad.

Your friends can't see the difference because they are not looking with as sharp an eye as you are. I am not saying they have bad taste or anything. Just that they are not really looking, thus they don't see the worth. Recognizing quality is something to be proud of - it is knowledge. But everyone outside the hobby can't understand our doll thing. Just like we might not understand their obsessions.

This brings to mind shopping for meat with my husband. He loves loves to cook and he is so damn picky when choosing meat. He looks at everything and reviews each chicken, pork loin, or steak out loud. He is proud that he knows exactly what he is picking. I see many people just briefly glance over the meat selection and grab one that looks ok. God knows I barely know what I am doing when I buy meats and I marvel at his ability to notice every detail. Sometimes he changes the whole evening menu because this and that meat lacks enough marbling etc... We are not talking about bad meat either (best butcher in the city) it is just that he will not settle at all and I will. So what I am saying is that if you love something you will very likely have higher standards and a keener eye for quality. However, you might not be able to convince your friends that your high standards are worth the trouble or cost

I don't think the Walmart mentality is effecting the community very much. None of the BJD companies are in the easy to throw away category. If I saw some of the more expensive companies going out of business I would be more concerned that serious undercutting could potentially lower the quality of our hobby in the future. But I do think that some people are forgetting how much it really costs to have an talented craftsman create something special for you. When people stop caring or paying for quality we end up in a cycle of heartless mass production and I don't ever want to get to that place with dolls. Luckily BJDs are so difficult to make that we have some protection from the MASS assembly line mentality.

 

I do find it a bit sad and frustrating that so many people seem to be unable to recognize quality and craftsmanship anymore. It's also sad because of the means taken in order to provide those cheap products (workers being paid cents an hour, working with few rights, working in dangerous conditions, being threatened or abused by their employers, etc). Of course, these products are so common in our everyday life that it's hard to realize that sometimes and hard to completely avoid them as well.

As for price versus quality... it really does vary. I agree with what's been said before- price doesn't guarantee quality but quality often costs. I think what's most important is to be able to tell the difference between quality and hype. However, I do think that what some people may chalk up to pure hype in a hobby like BJDs really comes down to people wanting to support and appreciate the sculptors and the beautiful dolls as works of customizable, enjoyable art.