Do you think limited dolls should be rereleased/restocked by their companies?

To put it simply: yes, because I want them; no, because then they'd lose some of their appeal/value.

 

Rereleasing a limited doll kind of defeats the purpose in my eyes. And it, in my experience, it makes enemies of customers who bought the doll under the precedence that it was limited. Though I am not one of them, some people do collect things just because it is rare and/or "more special".

 

Defeats the purpose. I am an artist and if I issue numbered prints, it would be dishonest, VERY, for me to later make more.

The solution with dolls, would be like many said, brief spurts on anniversary or such...BUT, there should be a change so that the first addition dolls, and on if there are more [which I still don't think I would like very much at all if I had a limited doll]. The mold, tiny size difference, or something about them should be changed.

just my opinion.

 

YES, I'd love re-releasing just so I'd have the chance to buy one.

But overall, NO because then they wouldn't be limited anymore. It defeats the purpose, why call them limited at all?

 

On one hand, it completely defeats the purpose of owning a limited item. On the other hand, I really love when companies like Iplehouse release other versions of their limited molds because I love to see the different takes on them. Limited sets are great, but other options are great too.

 

Hmm. Well, I'm pretty divided on the issue as it stands. I don't feel like it's fair to those who paid extra money, or scrambled to get the limited editions if they turn out not to actually be....limited. On the other hand, it's very disappointing to want something that you can NEVER have. Hahah, really, it'd be great if there were no limited editions! But such is not the case.

 

It's limited for a reason so I don't think it should be re-released; it defeats the point. It's terrible if you miss buying it when it's released but that's part of the point. Not everyone can get one.

 

I'm sorry but I think a mould of a doll should be available to all. Fullsets are fine to limit, but the sculpt of a doll being limited is really stupid in my opinion. For those who say it should be limited and not available to those who didn't have money at the time or who were unaware comes off as rather selfish sounding. You obviously don't know the agony of finding a doll that is perfect in every way and then finding there is zero chance of obtaining it, either by it's extreme price tag or not being able to find it second hand. I think sculpts, once made, should always be an option, and if they have to be a little more expensive than a basic doll so be it, but don't take the option away.

I don't mean to sound like I'm telling the owners of limited dolls what to think, because in the end it doesn't matter, but it feels terrible knowing you missed out on a doll you adore. It's great that you have one, but wouldn't you like others to be able to enjoy such a wonderful doll? I don't get the sense of satisfaction behind thinking a doll should never be available to those who don't already own one.

 

I suppose it really boils down to two things for me. How the company is re-releasing a limited (i.e. is it for a special purpose, or slightly different from the original?), and how straight they are with their customers about it. (And of course, I'd LOVE a certain limited *coughFrankensteincough* to be available a little longer, but that's wishful thinking. I am not expecting it in the least. One must be realistic in this hobby.)

As long as they aren't doing it for no reason, I'm cool with it.

 

I answered yes, despite the fact I own LE doll by myself, because in my life sometimes I can't order dolls when they appear to be sold from the company. I can't buy them later second hand either. I believe all BJD-lovers found themselves in this situation too later or earlier. That's why this brings me a lot of pain when I am looking at desirable doll and can't buy it. It would be cool in this situation to know what sometimes in the future I will have a chance to buy this doll. I am not suggesting to put LEs in stock, I am only suggesting to make not only one order period and if in second or third order period doll will be without LE outfit or extras, it would not dissapoint me so much.

 

Yes,definitely! Stops those awful people reselling the dolls at three to five times it's value. : )

 

I just got my first one a centaur and I see so many I want but there only made for a certain time then gone . For me I think once a year they should bring back for like a few weeks or making so many .I would think they make more money if they are selling the dolls then not . For so many are so cute ^^

 

No, limited dolls are limited for a reason. After all, this hobby is largely based on collecting, and every collecting hobby has it's limiteds. Even Barbie. Even cars get limited editions.
I think it adds to the excitement if you can get a limited you want, either when it comes out or after working for it very hard and finally finding it second hand. For me it's part of the fun.
Most of my collection is second hand, and while at the moment I have no second hand limited dolls, I always enjoy the hunt.
Yes, it stinks that some people drive up the price way too high. But as long people keep spending that amount, people will offer it for that amount. It's a matter of supply and demand.
I just see it as part of the hobby. And it may sound selfish, but this is a very selfish hobby. I'm not going to skip out on a doll I want just because someone else wants it too. I'm in this hobby for me, and me alone.
What I do like tho, is the way Iplehouse and Soom do it. They re-release but in a different skintone and in Soom's case, 'human' forms and without their special parts. That way you can still have the mold you love (most people fall for the face and not specifically ears or such). I do like how these are limited as well. You get a second chance but they're not making it too easy.

 

Hmm... I'd say 'Yes' on one hand and 'No' on the other.

If it were to be re-released, it would no longer be limited.

Seeing how I myself am new to the hobby, I've stalked various doll pages or saw pics of stuff that I actually liked and then found it out was a limited iteam from year xxxx and was really disappointed, because it felt like punishment for getting into it later.

Still, I think you can sometimes gain that limited stuff on the marketplace or something. If you are lucky that is.

I also do however think, that if the demand is high and 10-year-old dolls or stuff is sold for 150 % the price or even more than it originally cost, then yes, I think the companies should reconsider a re-release. Not only for those new to the hobby, but also simply for the fact that they can sell them and thus earn money.

 

I'll be the owner of a limited soon. I vote no. Limited is just that for a reason. It's disappointing yes but I don't think reissue is the way to go.

Some people have said reissue the mold but even that seems wrong. For example the MD Soom molds are really unique and that's part of owning that particular doll. It takes away its appeal and value. I really wanted some of those dolls but I couldn't get them... Oh well for me. Now I can and I'm kinda glad I waited. It sucks but like any collection hobby limiteds are the nature of the hobby.

 

Some have mentioned that re-releasing a doll will enable the producing company to earn money for the sales instead of those who sell on the secondary market. While this may be true, in the world of collectibles, companies actually want the secondary market prices for their products to be high. Why? Because it gives the company's customer base faith and in their product. For example, if a collector likes a doll from company X and a doll from company Y equally, but can only buy one, chances are that the said collector will pick a doll from a company that consistently commands high secondary-market prices. Even if the collector does not intend to resell the doll - it's all in the psychology and mentality of collecting: the high secondary market mark-up means that dolls from this company are of high quality, are very sought-after and are highly desirable.

For those who got into the hobby too late to purchase a desirable limited, I can assure you that there will be plenty of limiteds released in the future that you will love just as much, if not more. And, if that long sold-out limited is really what you want, then you'll find a way to get one - everything pops up on the secondary market sooner or later! And, it may not seem like it right now, but there's actually an advantage to being new to this hobby - you have not yet accumulated a lot of dolls, and have room to add more much easier than more seasoned collectors. I've been in the hobby for many years and have quite a bit of dolls, with which, of course, I'm very happy. However, when a doll that I like comes out, I have to seriously think about space limitations - the dolls, boxes and their accessories take up a lot of room! - even if I do have the funds.

 

There are pros and cons to this.

Pros:
- People who haven't gotten the limited doll get to have it.
- More money for the companies.

Cons:
- People who have bought a limited doll feel ripped off or upset because they probably felt so rushed and they could've bought a doll on sale at the time or another doll that they may have wanted.

(Please don't take offense to this, it's just my theory, and no one has to agree)

 

Bear in mind, I'm one of those people that would rather dolls be available at any time to make budgeting easier myself... but I don't this particular statement you're making is any less selfish than the ones you're criticizing. 'That can't be limited any more because I didn't get the chance to get one at retail' isn't any less selfish than 'I got something that says it is limited, I paid for a limited item, I expect it to remain limited'. You have to remember that for some folks, part of what they are paying for is that 'exclusivity factor.' (I don't personally care, but some do.)

There's nothing particularly selfish about expecting a purchase to be honored as described; for some, that means that if something says 'limited edition of 25', they better not make a #26, no matter what the circumstances, and it's just a matter of ethics -- they may not own or even want to own one of those 25 dolls. Similarly, there's nothing wrong with wishing a company wouldn't make limited editions at all, and would have the dolls in their lines standard for ordering at any time (everything is eventually limited when discontinued, but that's not exactly the same as a small edition number or a short ordering period).

I know I'm going to miss two dolls I absolutely adore -- possibly three of them, actually, over the next month. I may be able to pick up a basic edition of one of them at a later time, but it won't be the same as the limited version that I am swooning over like crazy. The other two will not be available again. Does it suck? Absolutely. But that's not anyone's issue but mine, when it comes right down to it.

 

I'm not a big fan of the limited edition concept, and am not really interested in purchasing limited dolls.

That said, I think that a doll that was advertised as limited should remain limited. I think it would be an unfair bait-and-switch to the buyer to sell them something and then change the terms later.

I think that it could be a good compromise for the company to release a somewhat similar but not identical doll later. That way people who missed out originally for whatever reason wouldn't be totally left out, and good designs wouldn't go entirely unused, but no one gets the rug pulled out from under them in terms of dolls they already have.

If a company feels limited edition dolls aren't working for them, I think the way to change their policies is for future releases, not retroactively. What people bought should remain what they bought - including being limited if that was promised.

 

Personally I feel discouraged from buying a doll that's limited.
I hear a lot of people wishing for specific limited dolls that didn't get them and I know I'd feel guilty if I got one and they didn't (completely ridiculous I know) plus I am the kind of person who needs time to plan what to buy and if you need at least a week of planning before buying a doll limiteds might not be the way to go.

That means that many times I have wished a specific limited doll wasn't limited and personally I wouldn't mind that all limiteds became standards (or whatever it's called) but on the other hand I can also understand that some people don't want the limiteds to be re-released.