Company Loyalty

@MaleficentMrsofEvil Don't you trash on my pretty little toothbrush
Nah but Volks prices for most of their dolls are pretty competitive with most other brands, besides those known as "budget" dolls. Only the tinies and special releases are like luxury status Most DD, SD and SDM are like a median price compared to similar sized dolls whether you get them direct or secondhand Japanese markets. Don't pay scalper prices.

 

Tenshi-no-toothbrush is a precious commodity!
Honestly though, I get it. There's just a special feeling I get from Volks dolls, and I love a lot of the services they offer Japan-side like Omukae ceremonies and the like. It really makes each doll seem special.
I feel like, with the prices, you also have to remember standard models come with eyes, wigs, underwear (and if you add up the individual prices of those...) while a lot of non-fullset dolls don't even have that as an option nowadays. And for FCS, the way they've kept wait times to 1-3 months depending on makeup options so steadily... (or 3 months period if you're Volks USA, rip) on top of having a very wide reach for collaborations, even those that are just the clothes (some of the Galerie outfits, Baby the Stars Shine Bright/Alice and the Pirates) and generally having very solid quality all around (we'll ignore several DD wigs.... we do not speak of those....) It's hard to get that experience elsewhere. I don't think Volks is /better/ per-se, than other companies.. But I feel that they're the best for what I personally search for in dolls.

 

I don't really feel loyalty to any particular company. I care about the qualities of the specific doll far more.

That said, I am loyal to individual doll-makers in the sense that I support them on social media by liking posts, commenting, etc. These makers include the artists behind Bimong Dolls, Merry Doll Round, Do Dolls Dream, Black Cherry, HaruCasting, Maskcatdoll, and other similar artists. Even if I didn't have plans to order from them in the future (and for several I do), I love their work and want to encourage them to keep it up.

One thing that complicates company loyalty for me is that I very often like heads or bodies but not both together (alas!). For example, I love Dollmore's Mio, Zaoll, and Zihu sculpts (and would be delighted with mini versions of Eugenia and Lumie) but I don't care for the bodies they're made for - thus dooming me to the hybrid journey haha.

Currently my collection (which is mostly floating heads) represents five different companies. But who knows how it will develop in the future!

 

My loyalty favorite in terms of volume of dolls and option parts has always been Alchemic Labo regardless of how easy or difficult it has been to obtain them at different times. I never minded and always just set my sights on ‘the next one’ slowly but surely over the years since 2009. I love the hands and feet, and also the expression faceplates and glancing eye mechanisms of almost all of Mr Araki’s female dolls. For me that’s always so much fun and it makes the dolls feel so lively & dynamic. I hope to end up with one full female doll and all the faceplates in most all of his sizes eventually and I am about 1/2 way there and have also made a few hybrids besides my full dolls. With the exception of my Fluorite kit, I’m working hard to get everyone in this crew dressed in some version of ‘white work’ and display ready by the end of this year for a ‘winter white’ theme. I know there are several Unoa Freaks here on DoA with really large and much more complete collections and I have always been so glad to see that Unoa love over the years!

But also being a very minor member of the Tenshi-no-Toothbrush Club, I really love ordering clothing and accessories from Volks for my Kun, UNOSS and hybrid DWC 04/05 boy - and that has become a very nice (and somewhat addictive) experience and no plans to stop soon with the outfit collecting…and it really does make me want to complete my DWC boy in full and then to have the FCS ordering experience at least once for an SD16 and/or SDGr girl. Waiting to see if DWC 06 head will be available easily from Volks outside of the Tenshi No Sato workshop before I decide anything Volks-wise this year…and to see if there may be a dreaming head in addition?

Other companies make lovely dolls that I enjoy a lot - I have a trio of Souldoll Zenith girls that will be so lovely together when they are (finally) completely styled, for instance… and I may want 1-2 dolls from a few other companies over the years and decades ahead - but I don’t really see myself ‘collecting’ in resin with any company loyalty numbers past 1-2 dolls except for adding more Alchemic Labo and Volks dolls.

 

Companies I am loyal to (meaning I buy frequently from them) and the reasons are:

1. SARTORIAJ
● They have amazing outfits and the custom face ups they do are nice. They have lots of concepts and face sculpts. They maintain a good quality for the amount of concepts, head sculpts, and outfits they produce. I like I can go on thier site and buy everything all on one site. I think the price is good for what they offer. One con is they can't always do your custom face up ideas because they don't do anything too detailed or anything that is heavily fantastical. If you give them a custom face up that is not too detailed, not too intricate, and it leans towards more of a realistic face up they will do it.

2. LUTS
●The price is good, the selection of sculpts, resin colors, outfits, etc is nice. I like how I can buy all in one site. The quality of outfits isn't amazing, but affordable. They offer free gifts, and I heard you can make minor changes to the face up or ask for a custom face up. I've seen the default face ups, and it's not really to my liking. I probably won't get a face up added on next time. They have an even larger selection of items compared to SartoriaJ.

3. Peakswoods
● Their face ups are amazing, their resin colors are beautiful, they have amazing concepts, and when they do offer limited outfits they are so beautiful. I love peakswoods. They are also very kind from when I interacted with them and communicative. This is my most favorite company. There isn't as much face sculpts I like from them though because it's too stylized and youthful. I do like stylized faces, but so far i seem to lean towards liking more of a realistic face that portrays an idealized beauty sort of sculpt. I consider them to be more pricey compared to SartoriaJ and Luts. I can buy more from these two brands compare to Peakswoods which is hard because I want as many colors and face ups when they release their dolls. Also they don't allow you to buy more dolls until you pay off your layaway. I don't know about Luts layaway because i don't use their layaway. I tend to go overboard with Peakswoods when they release something I like.

4. Idealian
● they have handsome male face sculpts, muscular bodies, they don't look like teens, and I love their limited collab dolls. I haven't been able to get a limited collab doll because the competition was fierce. The price is good for the size. The face ups are nice.

5. VOLKS
● The outfits are so cute and they offer cute themed dolls such as Disney, so I can't resist recently. Their face sculpts aren't really to my liking, but I still buy from them.

6. RAMCUBE
● Their face sculpts aren't exactly what I like, but they are willing to do your custom face ups. I had at least 3 custom face ups that were super detailed, intricate, and leaning towards fantasy and they did the face up. It wasn't exactly how I wanted because I wasn't always as clear as I could have been, but very close to what i wanted. The face ups looked amazing still. They offer very long layaways. Don't be afraid to ask for a long layaway if they think it's okay they will agree. Even when I didn't need to I asked for a really long layaway just don't abuse their system by abandoning your order because you don't want the doll anymore. I heard some people abandoned their layaways from other companies when they offer long layaways.

I buy from many companies, but I buy often from these companies. My collection is heavily Korean company dolls and items focused. I only buy from Japanese company from Volks only. I might buy from Dolks one day. I only have one Chinese company doll. I like dolls that offer full sets that look balanced. I do like fairyland, but only own one doll because sometimes the full set looks mismatched which means I will have to sell some items. I haven't bought from a split, but maybe for Fairyland I will. I like when the concept looks balanced then I'm more likely to buy it.

Edit:
I forgot i do own some dodollsdream, but I'm not that bonded to the dolls for some reason I can't bring myself to keep them. I love the look, details, colors, sculpts, and chubbiness. However, i just can't bond with them. I enjoy looking at them, but it seems owning them isn't for me. I sold off one, and need to sell the rest of them.

 

I like to keep all of my dolls together, so I suppose I have not so much loyalty as wanting to keep a similar look and scale to them.
That said, my collection is currently 4/5 Volks with one Dollmore girl, all SD or MSD, with a SD Dollmore boy on the way.
Something about Volks's sculpts just captivates me. They're a long-standing company with consistent good quality dolls and I love the solid feel of the resin.
My first doll was from Dollmore and I was happy to order another, even after ten years. She's aged very well and Dollmore's quality and customer service are very good.
I am looking to branch out a bit in terms of dolls. I saw Loongsoul's Cang Jue and fell in love, but I know a pretty sculpt does not necessarily mean a good experience as a customer (I think we all know what artist this refers to), so I read the Loongsoul waiting room, thread, feedback and looked at comparison videos of the bodies before I felt I could safely order from them.

In short, a doll has to fit in with my current collection and the company/dealer has to have good, consistent customer service. Treat me well and I will order again!

 

I couldn't never have loyalty because I love so many dolls. I really love the 70cm Ring Doll/Loong Souls/Charm Doll/T&D style boys. But I also love Volks girls and boys. (And by extension dolls that fit the Volks aesthetic and such) There are a few outliers I love. But honestly, mad respect to people who have brand loyalty. Especially with Volks. (They are like a rabbit hole so I get it.)

 

Im not necessarily brand loyal. But right now both of my boys are from Volks. And that is because they are my favorite company sculpt wise and have always been. I have had other dolls from different companies in the past (notably Dollzone, Souldoll, Customhouse) and I do plan to get a few from other companies in the future. The two I have just happened to be some of my grails that appeared on the marketplace here at the right time and I was in the right place financially to pick them up and bring them home.

 

I buy what inspires me. Sometimes that means I have a cluster of dolls from a company that I really like at the moment, but I don’t go out of my way to only have one type of doll.