Do you ever just miss the chance to purchase a doll?

Oh yeah, for sure. I've had this happen with some dolls and a lot of other little things I enjoy.
I think it becomes a more typical experience the more "niche" your hobbies become.

The one thing I've noticed by browsing and chatting with people, reading the forums, visiting marketplaces, is that I'm starting to get a sense of what kinds of things stay in stock, what kind of things I may have a few days to decide on, and what I have to be ready to just click on if I want it. It's just especially rough with dolls, because usually there's no cancellations or returns! But yeah, patterns start to show, and a lot of people are very knowledgable as well.

I actually asked around about whether special Myou dolls ever get re-released to make my decision about purchasing my Snow Delia. The consensus seemed to be "probably not" and when I purchased her, she was the last one! Gee.

I try to keep mental notes of what kinds of specific items I would click on in a moment these days (and associated pricing/extras criteria would need to be true), so that if I see them, I've already "made the decision to purchase." It's hard because I reeeeeally prefer to hum and haw and think through what I buy.

But yeah, missing stuff is no fun.

Like right now, I really hadn't had my eyes on any minifees in particular, but knowing a lot are being discontinued is really pushing me to consider whether I want some. I probably wouldn't have bought any in the near future, but knowing they're going away makes me think twice for sure.

 

I have, more times than I like.
I have also had a ton of situations where I fell in love with a doll but couldn't afford the doll, do to a sudden unexpected expense.
It kinda hurts when that happens

 

To many times I have missed out on a body I wanted and there it was for less and in USA. I keep looking at least a couple of times a day, but that one day.

 

I find it frustrating when I see a doll that I just have to own, but the doll was released years ago and you can't get a copy now. You hope they will get re-released but it's probably not going to happen. Also they never seem to end up on the second hand market either. That's always my luck. Sigh,,,,,,,

 

Oh yeah. Several times I've missed a doll, sometimes by minutes. I try not to let it bother me because I've gotten incredibly lucky several times as well.

 

Two of the three very, very uncommon Lati guys that I still want to add to my collection came up for sale on Mandarake one morning a few years ago.

On a day I happened to be stuck flying cross-country.

By the time I checked the site that evening? They'd both already been sold. <_<

 

I've really only missed by a lot (whoops, that sculpt I really like was released while I was on a long hobby break, oh well), or just barely not missed (wait what that doll on my wish list is being discontinued in 3 days? quick do what I need to get it in my collection). With how much I've kicked myself over those wide misses, I can't imagine how hard I'd kick myself if I had a narrow miss.

 

It's definitely hard because I tend to like to mull over a purchase before committing, researching the sculpt on this site and elsewhere, trying to determine if it would be a good fit for the character I have in mind (and how much that character really needs to be shelled), and if there are any extra problems/additional expenses that I can foresee (how hard will this doll be to wig and clothe, are there any repairs or mods that need to be done, etc.). I'm horrible about catching dolls when they are released, so thus far all of my dolls have been either secondhand or in-stock. (Then again, I don't have a list of sculpts I have to own; I'm just on the lookout for dolls that catch my eye or have certain specifications that fit a character.)

I've learned the hard way that if I really love a doll I see, I shouldn't dither too long because it will likely be gone by the time I decide to click the "buy" button on a store's site or message the seller on Den of Angels. Sometimes I've lucked out and the listing I've dreamed about and revisited many times is still there, but other times...the doll has sold. Thankfully there are always more dolls, but there's also a fine line between buyer's remorse and pining over a doll you missed, and sometimes I don't know which side I'll fall on until after the doll is no longer available.

 

This actually just happened to me. Argonautica Dolls opened up preorders for their plus size girls only from November 27-29, and I couldn't come up with the $580 to get one in time. They don't seem to do preorders very often, so I'm not sure when the next will be or if I'll have the money then. I've also had times when I messaged someone about buying secondhand and someone else had already beat me to it. It can definitely be frustrating and upsetting, especially if it's something limited or long discontinued. All you can really do then is wait for another preorder, or search the secondhand market, maybe even post some "want to buy" posts in various places (Instagram, FaceBook, DoA MP, etc).

 

If I can make a suggestion, I have an account through SmartyPig for my "fun funds." It's a savings-only bank account (so you do have to go through similar steps for setup as you do for any other bank account) where you can set a bunch of separate goals with different totals for them. One of mine (which I named "Dammit Fairyland" because they're the usual culprit) is basically my fund for "I have short notice to order this doll, tap this account to pull it off;" others are specifically designated for specific dolls on my list to hit either when they're full or when the opportunity is right (I've been waiting on an event for one whose goal has been full for a while). It's a way I can make sure I have the funds there when the opportunity arises, and might be a way you can be prepared for the next Argonautica preorder.

 

Oh yeah...I missed buying a doll on a preorder, in part because I didn’t know how she would look in reality (fantasy color) and I was unsure. But she turned out to be amazing and I really regretted it. Also 2 of the dolls I wanted most were from a lottery and I didn’t get any of them...I know this was not my fault but I’m still super sad and upset about it.

 

I'll definitely be experiencing this soon - I've decided that I straight up can't afford the limited Romance version of Raven from Luts's winter event, so I'm going to have to wait and hope he pops up on the used market sometime in 2021. But I guess I've gotten used to the sting of disappointment from being a lolita into old school items; you might look for a specific dress for two or three years, only for it to pop up then promptly sell while you're making lunch. But there will always been another beautiful doll to capture your heart while you wait (and/or another beautiful dress)...

 

I hate that feeling, and for some reason the dolls I tend to fall in love with often happen to be limited ones. A lot of hoping to see them on the second hand market but sadly that doesn't always happen.

 

I missed an Atelier Momoni preorder for Kitty M that I'd been waiting about a year for by less than a week. That was pretty frustrating.

 

*raises hand* Me too.
This is not the first time I've missed an Argo preorder for their plus size girl body. Literally every time they open up I've just bought a doll (this time it was Iplehouse). Their timing and mine are not even on the same timeline lol
I want one of their girls in brown so bad, someday it will happen.

 

How do people feel this discussion relates as well to the "temporary" discontinuation of a bunch of MiniFee heads?
I always liked them but hadn't felt that emotional "grab" probably due to the way a lot of the heads are just shown blank on their website. And now I feel like I'm going to miss out if I don't snap up a couple I like before they're gone.

For further understanding, I spent some time browsing the secondhand market for MiniFees (to answer the question: if I browsed secondhand for any of the particular heads later, would I feel comfortable making the purchase?) and already found multiple listings that don't list COA, and when asked, the sellers response is almost exactly: "no paperwork, but I promise it's legit." Hmm.. no thanks.

I know this isn't exactly "missing" a doll.. yet.. but it sure feels like I'm setting myself up for it as we speak.

 

This is a really smart idea! I'm horrible at saving "fun money", as soon as I have a good chunk, I end up giving it all to Tata's Paradise, Tree Design or Etsy shops. If I had better self control, I could actually have enough when the time comes!

Ugh, I don't even have a solid character idea for her, but she's such a beauty and it's so hard to find plus size 1/3 dolls! Maybe by the time the next preorder rolls around, I'll have money and a character for her! Their brown skin is gorgeous, I'd love to see your girl if you manage to bring her home. I was planning on pink skin to make a rocker/goth/pin up style girl, but the other colors are so pretty too, since no character is set in stone, I'll have to really think this over to choose a color.

 

Your concept sounds perfect to me already! I have their boy body in the pink skin (It matches all my other resins from everywhere lol), and it's a really nice body, it poses great. Which makes everything worse because I'm sure the girl body will be just as nice.

I do have a set character I want her for - every time I say I might want one more girl, this is the girl I want - the body type and height and color are all perfect, and either of two of their sculpts would work out great...so I'm stuck waiting on them to do a sale when I can justify an expensive purchase (which is not usually around the holidays anyway lol), and haven't recently bought another expensive doll. SOMEDAY!!