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Do you like the idea of "limited" dolls?

Jul 2, 2009

    1. I really like limiteds. Not limited sets, but limited sculpts. My second and third dolls were both limiteds, a DOD Kalix and a Soom Heliot. I'm planning for at least two more Soom monthlies, and parts of others. Why do I like them? Because they're different. I consider myself an artist, and with the flood of creativity in this particular hobby it can be hard to distinguish myself as an individual with an individual doll. Sure, it might be snobbish, but when only a few hundred of a particular sculpt have been produced I do feel like my doll will stand out more since there could be literally thousands of basic sculpts out there (speaking worldwide obviously). I don't care as much for full set limiteds but I will buy them, especially since buying the limited outfit, wig, and sometimes eyes will cost just as much buying an outfit and wig I like later on. For me, it's not the fancy painting or the fancy outfits. It's a sculpt or a unique idea I love that happens to be a limited. I usually only get limiteds I'm super stunned by in the very first images I see. Both Kalix and Heliot did that. Have I missed out on limiteds I would very happily bring home? Of course. But I've found the 'hunt' to be an interesting experience that teaches you alot about budgeting and biding your time, as well as learning the patience to not throw a fit when that hunk of resin slips right out of your fingers. The hunt makes them feel more special, knowing 'It took me four years to find and save for this doll.' To me, that is more special than just saving and buying from a company. It's a matter of the effort put into the hunting.

      If you're gong to buy a basic doll from the company, and then buy quality wigs, eyes, and clothes, as well as get a company faceup or pay an artist to do it, really it ends up about the same as buying the limited. People seem to balk at fullset limiteds that already include all of that because it's all of those expenditures all at once, wrapped in a convient cardboard box, instead of spreading it out over time.

      I don't see it as fair or unfair. It just is.
       
    2. What I have seen is that the company I want my Special/Limited Edition from also has the option of the doll itself. I am opting for the Special Edition because I want to sort of ease myself into everything...beginning with stringing and cleaning and clothes-making. After I get those up to proficiency, then I will get my other doll to begin with from scratch.
       
    3. as unhappy a thing as it is for the unfortunate one who doesn't have the money (cough cough me) it's the companies choice to make limited dolls. no one can tell them that they can't have limited dolls. I was Soooooo lucky to have found that canceled order on ebay or I never would have had my perfect doll. unfortunately for a lot of people it doesn't work out like that.
       
    4. I like the idea of the limited dolls in the sense that most of the companies put a lot of love and effort into creating them, and owning such a doll might feel wonderful.
      But I don't think I'd ever need one, unless the sculpt really catches my eye - for me, making a "standard" doll unique is a lot more fun ) I'd say that each of us who sew something for the doll, do face-ups, look for wigs / customize those wigs, are creating a sort of personal LE. Especially if modding the sculpt is also mentioned :sweat
       
    5. I love it when companies have limited dolls. Granted that on more than 1 occasion I've found a doll that I seriously like a lot, but either due to the price tag or that I've missed the dateline, the doll is sold out. During that time, I'll feel that it's not fair that the dolls are limited.

      But we must think of it in a business way. No matter what, the companies will make a loss at least somewhere and sometime. Like broken doll body parts that are replaced for free or events with huge discounts due to celebration. So the limited comes into play to help balance out their losses. And maybe even help them get the raw materials needed for doll-making.

      As a doll owner, I love limited dolls because the thought of owning a limited doll is very satisfying. It's like there's only 50(or less or more) of that particular sculpt in the whole world and it won't be a common sculpt. Because sometimes it gets rather boring to see so many of the same sculpt dolls. For example, Luts El is rather popular. So when you see 1 in a thread, within the next few threads, there's bound to be an El somewhere.

      Although I do not own a limited doll yet...I would still love the idea of getting one...:sweat
       
    6. I dont like the idea. As you know. :P I think maybe they should sell the doll at some points. then stop. then sell again. like how soom dose monthly things, they should bring back the dolls next year too. D: but I dont think they will (or) they do that.
       
    7. Yesss~!
      I love the fact that doll sites are offering limited dolls but I feel so bad that I am not able to afford them right away. It takes me awhile to save up money since I'm only 14 and I don't have a job yet... Limited dolls are unique and one day I would love to own a limited doll. :aheartbea
       
    8. Yukiya: I completely agree with you. For limited dolls they should sell them for a month then take a break and then come back and start selling them again like what MrPez13 said.
       
    9. This.

      (I went on to write a very long post here, but it just rehashed what Jescissa said a few pages back in a more brief fashion.) This is a hobby, and like any hobby from baseball cards to Beanie Babies, there are going to be some items that are harder to find than others, and they are going to be available / priced accordingly.

      If you want one, fine a way to save up (and save some more and some more after that, if necessary), let your desire to own the limited be known, stalk the places it is known to appear for sale (Marketplace, eBay, Y!J, wherever) and be patient. With the exception of 2, all of my limited have been 2nd-hand purchases at 2nd-hand prices. I have obtained them through luck, good timing and perseverence but I have never, for a second, thought the doll companies owed me anything like a basic edition or a re-release. It was my desire to own that particular doll, therefore it was up to me to find a way to make that goal happen.
       
    10. When I first decided to enter the world of BJDs I asked a lot of people what/who to collect. The best advice I received was "Buy with your heart". When I look at the dolls I yearned for even a couple months ago when I started my quest for an SD, all I can think is "Boring!".
      The first time I saw RuRu 21, I fell hard. When I saw her again she was sold out so I moved on. But then I read a post that other stores still had stock and my heart raced.... I'm quite new to this world so spending over $600 for a doll is quite an investment. Basically she's costing me a couple Lorifinas, a bunch of OOAK outfits, some Tonner Re-imagination girls and a couple super-heroines, an antique baby doll and whatever else I can sell.... but she'll be worth it....
      Other than the antique doll, all the dolls are common, easy to find but RuRu is different.....only a few in the world or at least North America. She's special, she's unique and she will be mine...:)
       
    11. It's the company's choice and a good business move on their part. I personally dislike it, but hey, what are you going to do about it? I've never cared about being one of only a few to have something. Just not that important to me. If I get a limited doll, it's just because I like it.
       
    12. This is a good point, and I don't think you're snobbish at all.
       
    13. I like the idea of LEs, because of the amount of work that goes into them (and sometimes all their extras all pretty cool). Yes it sucks sometimes when you see one for sale and realize (especially now with the economy) that you can't buy it. But, like so many others have said, if there is a will, there's a way. It may not be today, or tomorrow, but down the road you'll find that doll and one day own it. And again with the life isn't fair thing, just something you gotta learn. (I know its been said over and over but its true..)

      I have 2 LEs with one more on the way, however, with each of them I really only wanted them for the their sculpt. I got the two I have with their faceups, only to realize when they arrived that the faceup wasn't really suiting them, and will eventually change it. I thought the sculpts were just beautiful, and the both cost LESS than my Volks F01 (a slightly more standard doll). Even the one on the way cost less... because I didn't get all the fancy extras. Just wanted the doll itself. However, the are so many standard dolls that I want, LEs just come along and I fall in love with them to easily.
       
    14. Life's not that fair. If it were I'd have my Topaz right now XD

      But seriously, you can't get mad at companies for releasing limited editions just because you missed out. That's silly. The whole point of limited editions is fast cash for the company and for the owners to have a highly desired item in their possession. Something unique to those that were right there at the right time.

      If you miss out and wind up having to pay X amount for the doll then that's just part of the hobby. Prices may not be retail, but that's the price you pay for not being there at the release, you know? As someone said before the companies don't know you and won't wait for you to be ready with the money to buy from them.

      I like hunting for "unobtainables". I missed out on one of my holy grail dolls, but found her and I was hella excited to bring her home because she was incredibly hard to find.

      I own a few limiteds, and by no means am i one of those people that eat their wheaties to get theirs all the time with cash in hand, but I did learn how to budget and plan for when those dolls make their appearances.

      Currently I'm saving enough for a down payment on Soom's next big monthly, in the event that I like her. I don't wait til she's out already to have to scramble, stuff like that.

      I like limited dolls because they look different than the normal sculpts and I like the limited sets because sometimes you can get really awesome special edition clothes for your other dolls.

      I suppose my overall sentiment behind this is that if there were no limiteds, if everything was standard issue there'd be nothing special, nothing valuable or rare to admire or chase after and that would make the hobby pretty boring, imo.

      Think of it this way, no doll would be any more/less valuable than the next. There wouldn't be anything to make you say "OOOH!!!" because you'd always be able to get it later.

      As a company if I sold 50 dolls at $1000 each in a 2 week time frame vs 50 at $1000 each over a 2 year time frame, I think I'd prefer limiting them to the 2 weeks. You don't think about it, but the urgency of limiteds is profitable, very profitable. If its available later, people will put it off and find something else/forget to buy. Simple as that. A Fairyland - Cali has been on my list since she was released, but she keeps being put on the back burner when a new limited comes out that I know I want, because I can get her later.

      No, not everyone enjoys hunting but it's a lot of fun for those of us that do like it. Just because you don't like that you missed out and don't want to hunt for it doesn't mean that others don't want to.

      You can't say that those that follow Soom's releases every month don't enjoy waiting to see if they're "safe" or "Soom'd" this month or not. We've even got our own terms XD
       
    15. I like the idea of limited dolls, because i like to be different from other people, not better, just different.:) And because they usually pretty and have more features.:D
       
    16. Sure I like the idea of limited dolls, I have one myself. Though it's pretty disappointing if your doll of dreams is limited and very expensive and when you manage to get all the money for him/her, the doll is sold out. *_*
       
    17. The only thing that truely annoys me is when companys release the limiteds as standards later on (Bambicrony is exceptionally bad at this, my Elf Shy lost all limited value) but i like it when companies release them but modified, so people can still get their hands on them. But they're noticably not the same.

      It's lovely to own a limited, you feel kind of special about it~ And then when you see a limited doll in person that you couldnt afford at the time, it strangely makes you happy. But owning a limited doesnt make you any better than anyone else. I hate that elitism that comes with it.

      I agree with JennyNemesis though, chasing limiteds is fun and when you finally get your hands on it the worthwhile effort feels incredibly satisfying!
       
    18. I buy what I love (or think I love), and most of those turn out to be limiteds. Yes, it's sad when I miss one I like, but if I really fall head over heels for some sculpt I'll find a way. And even though it's somewhat scary to base your decision on only company pics when you're paying so much money, you can always sell them if you don't bond without worrying about it losing value.
      Bringing me to the next thing, I'm echoing multiple people when I say the only thing that bothers me about limiteds is when the company releases them again later on as a basic that's nearly identical; it's completely understandable if they state somewhere that they'll be doing so, but it irks me when I think something is limited and then they re-release it however much later. Or when they change the prices on limiteds (number wise ones, not time wise) because then I'm just like 'I could have waited and saved xxx dollars...'
       
    19. my first two dolls (still incoming) will be limited dolls. i did not get them because they are limited dolls though (but it did make me get them faster than i would have had they been basic dolls) and im sure in the future another soom limited will catch my eye.

      but other than that i plan on getting more basic sculpts. unpopular maybe but not limited. and im sure i will love them just as much (if not more) than the limited dolls

      i know how you feel about the whole situation though, i would love to have a sard beryl onyx or topaz (all sold out soom limiteds) and i often wish i could still buy one from soom. but just imagine how many people would own a sard! his face would be everywhere and maybe he wouldnt seem so special anymore.