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

If they were restocked, then they'd no longer be limited. Then they're standard. So there would be no such thing as limited.

So.. what would be the point of that?

 

Well, not really because that would defeat the object of limited. I do think that if a particular limited is ever so popular such as the Sard Odyssey then they should do more dolls in a similar vein, but not re-release exactly the same doll. I think that is unfair on the buyers and also could also hold the companies legally liable for selling something that they said would only have, say, 50 editions...and then doing more.

edit: I have to eat my words for the above thing because they just did that for Akando and as a purcharser of the original 50- I am glad they restocked an extra 20 so it can spread the love

 

In all honesty, I would be irritated if my limited was released again. Yes, I would love him even if he wasn't LE, but part of what justified his exorbitant price tag was his limited nature. I allowed myself to spend 1K+ on a doll because I told myself that if I was out of a job and feeling desperate at least I could recoup some of my investment.

 

Yes, they would still be limited.... Just because there are more of something doesn't mean it's going to be manufactured regularly.

If you make a second limited-release run of 50 (or 5000, or whatever), it's more dolls, but it's STILL a limited number. Both runs are limited. It's only when a doll goes into regular production that it's not considered limited anymore.

 

I hate that they are, It makes the money you paid for a version so useless after it gets re-released. At least they're not identical, but they still decrease in value. And a general release of breakaway/woosoo would really irritate me. It's known for being limited, volks doesn't re-release it's limited/one-offs, why should luts/feeple?

 

Sure, Volks does do re-releases. They rereleased a Sasha-clone as Masha, by popular demand. They released Shiro v1 and Shiro v2, both limited. They released Isao v1 and Isao v2, also both limited. They have done a couple different limited releases of Chris & Lucas too. (I know there's others, this is just off top-of-head.)

Also, re-releases and original-releases often do NOT decrease in value, merely because of the existence of each other. They're still both limited, so they're still desirable; you often see people paying pretty much the same price for secondhand, long after the release. In fact, sometimes the release of a v.2 may make v.1 increase in value-- v.2 gets the attention of new collectors, who are now suddenly interested in finding a v.1. So calling it "useless" is a bit harsh! (Speak nicely to your money; it's doing the best it can for you. ;D)

LUTS vs Fairyland's issue right now, I think that may be a little special-- there's disputes over the acutal rights to the sculpts, no? So it sounds like they're about to temporarily rewrite the rules re limited releases. It's all very confusing to a non-CP customer. ^^ But even as a lay observer, I'll bet you a sixpack & a box of donuts that no release of new, non-identical sculpts could affect the value of the old Woosoos/Breakaways-- at least for the present time-- because they are still so highly prized.

 

No, it doesn't, or at least not as much as you seem to be insinuating. I don't think breakaways were $1k when they were first released. (I wasn't around for that, but I really doubt that they were.) I could see anyone being upset if their limited edition became a standard release, especially if you pay bookoo money for it on the second hand, but if it's just another limited release, say: increasing the number of dolls from 20 to 100, it can't be all that bad.

Half of those dolls won't even appear on the marketplace/ebay/wherever else. Ever. We in the UK, America, and Canada are not the only people on Luts/Soom/Volk's sites, and those of us on DoA are most certainly not the only BJD owners in the world. Those dolls go everywhere to places we'll never see in our lifetime.

Only a few could actually make it to somewhere where it might effect your investment in your doll. The only true way to harm your investment in the way you describe would be if the limited sculpt became standard release. But 200 extra dolls in the world that most people probably wouldn't sell anyway isn't going to hurt much.

Besides, it's not necessarily the wisest thing to put a lot of money into a doll if its resale value matters that much. I mean, a re-release is the least of your worries there, suppose you scratch or damage it somehow? Your resale value gets screwed anyway. (Even if you take care of it, accidents happen. No one's perfect.)

Because they're not the same company, and they technically can do whatever they want regardless of what we think they should do. That's been said a few times -.-"

We bought products from them, not shares in their company. If their tactics displease you, take your business elsewhere. They did not sign a legal binding contract with you saying that you have one of THE ONLY dolls of this type in the world and that they'd never make more.

I think changing the sculpt a bit is doing original buyers a huge service, so that their original versions are still known as "The Original Release" so that you can tell the originals apart from the remakes.

 

I have quite a mixed opinion on this that seems to go along with a lot of the other views shown in this thread, and having recently recieved my first limited doll almost two weeks ago I feel I should throw in my two cents x3

There is a difference between re-releasing a limited as a standard, and re-releasing it as a limited; take Breakaway '05 and '08 for starters. Similarly it depends what is limited about a doll. Like majority of the CP limiteds come as a complete set of the faceup, outfit, wig, eyes etc while others such as soom monthlies (and in my case the new AS 71.5's) it is available that the mold itself is sold just as the naked doll and no wig/eyes/outfit. In the first case, as is seen by FL and the fact they are hoping to release the feeple breakaway as standard after the full set's were released I don't see anything wrong with that; especially as there is obvious differences between the luts and fairyland breakaway heads. However, if they had released just the option of the nude feeple breakaway (i.e option to have or not have outfit etc) and then a month later released it as standard; that would be frustrating.

Tackling the soom and AS case, I would hate to see these dolls re-released as standard despite how much I would kill for a full-set Sard and Beryl. However if say; AS were to re-release Gavin with exactly the same options as I had to choose from, at the same price and once again had it limited to 50 then I wouldn't be annoyed at all (heck I'd probably get another one as they are just that beautiful) but if they made the exact same options I'd got standard I'd feel the need to choke a bitch as I went through so much hassle to ensure I had the money for its limited release. If they changed it; like made a human version of the gavin head (aka got rid of the fangs, and gave it human ears) for a standard release that also wouldn't bother me; as they are obvious changes and it is no longer the same sculpt.

Wow that was a long rant x3

tl;dr = it is all objective really...

 

Definatly not.

 

I'm with Bunnydots and Somnambulist and Hime Nao on this one.

Companies should never re-release a fullset or special parts with the sculpt, but go ahead and release basic versions of the sculpt. And always give the buyers options... you shouldnt be stuck with an ugly $200.00 suit just to get the doll of your dreams.

That said, I got my Sard as a fullset. I did not originally intend to; that is simply how he is coming to me from the secondary market. And no, I do NOT think its better for me to 'give him back' so a 'deserving collector' can have him who wants the fullset as is. I went through hell to come to this guy... and he's my dream doll. It wasn't my plan, but now I am glad to be getting him as a fullset. I will be wiping his paint, and wont be using his wings, for instance, but I will be keeping everything I dont use, because as a collector, it is wonderful to have the complete set. But his being a limited with all the bells and whistles does absolutely nothing to enhance or take away my absolute OBSESSION with him. He'd be the doll of my dreams, whether he was limited or not.

 

Well, limited edition are what they are, limited edition. They wouldn't be limited if anyone can get it at any time. As a collector of random stuff (video games, figures, etc) it bothers me when a company re-releases something they themselves said it was going to be 'limited'. Now when it comes to collectors value, what eveh. If you own a doll, own it, love it and make it yours!
(altho i do keep my figures in the box....poor cloud...)

 

I think doll body parts like heads, bodies, hands, etc. could be restocked in order for people to make their own dolls. However full dolls with wig, face-up, clothing, etc. should not be made again. It brings down the value of the doll. I also think its ok for the doll company to use the same doll again to make another limited doll that is completely different in clothing, hair, wig, and face-up.

Mouse

 

The thing about that is, it's the sculpt that is limited, not really the full set.
If that were the case, then anyone could simply collect the pieces, buy a similar wig and style it, make the clothing (it's not that hard), and do they're best with the face-up.
And what's worse, they could try to sell it as an authentic issue.
O.o you know those people who make the fake Rolexes?? yeah. like that.

 

The whole point is that they are limited. If you take away that limited nature it feels too much like a cash grab for my liking. If I bought a limited doll, I wouldlike to guarantee that it was a rare doll.

Please forgive my spelling. It is far too early in the morning.

 

Somnambulist ~ It's more of the fact that people pay so much for a limited, then they general release it and you hit yourself for buying an old, damaged (yellowed/greened or scratched) for a high price, and they release them new. That's what I did. Afew months after I bought Haru they released breakaway again, Yes. I love mine. But at the same time I hated how much I paid for him, he was quite green, and is damaged. I could have bought him brand new for less then I paid.


JennyNemesis ~ I'm not a volks fan >,>; so I didn't quite know that. It just seems to be discussed less with them (besides, I want yukinojo re-released. Isn't gonna happen is it? And i can't crank out the $2500 current market place value for him) Luts vs Feeple is weird... I just wish they wouldn't keep re-releasing things. and as you said too, that if it was a general release his price would be less. Well they are doing a general release. So his value would decrease. I don't plan to resell my dolls, but I don't like the idea of loosing value after you put restoration work into them.

Edited to add:

EALC ~ I totally agree with that

 

I think company's should specify what they mean when they state a doll as "limited". limited by what, time, quantity, or "this full set limited". The price tag is high for limited dolls, if you love them or not that's usually what sets them apart.
I would be very unhappy to see a "limited" doll re- released with all the same things as the first release, but when a similar doll is released with a different looking sculpt ( ie= v.1- then v.2- ) , different clothing, face-up, etc, so it's not the same as the first release that's fine. It's better that a company change the sculpt a bit so the difference can be seen, instead of just giving the same sculpt new clothes and face-up, because it's easy for some people to duplicate clothing and face-up to achieve the same look, but it's a bit harder to make modification go unnoticed.

 

I think it's dishonest for companies to release more copies of a limited. It's like the time Barbara Streisand sold tickets for her *final* tour at a horrendously high price and people bought them thinking it was their last chance to see her live and then a few years later she had another tour. The people who had shelled out lots of money to see the *last* tour felt ripped off and rightly so in my opinion.

I also think it is the doll sculpt which is limited, not just the full set of outfit and accessories. If it's just the full set which is limited it should be plainly advertised at the time. If I paid $1K for a special limited doll which came as standard with an outfit I couldn't optionally choose not to buy, and then it was released a few months later as just the basic sculpt without the outfit at a far reduced price I would be very upset.

My last point is that even a run of 50 dolls being suplimented by a release of another 50 dolls can and probably will affect the price. It could make a limited doll's secondhand price drop, in some cases it might even make the secondhand market price rise, the effects will be unpredicatble. But really if you paid $2000 on the secondhand market for a very rare doll and then it was rereleased and you could buy it new for far less wouldn't you be upset? Having said all that I will be honest and say that I really hope that Volks SDC Renee is rereleased during the 10th Anniversary event. I still think it's wrong for companies to rerelease limited dolls but that doesn't stop it happening.

 

I guess it would be nice, but isn't that why they are limited....

 

I don't think something people enjoy as a nonanimate personal companion/hobby should be mixed up with monetary value and investment. It's fake value-- we can't eat them, drink them, employ them, etc. so making people yearn for a thing they could own if the company just poured a little more resin in the mold makes no sense to me.

And how is it good for the doll companies? I just saw Soom's Taurus doll and a quick google search indicates they could sell dozens, maybe hundreds, more.

 

I think it's a matter of what the company said at the first release. I guess if they leave the possibility of having a further run that's okay.
But if I had to spend like 800 or 1000$ on a doll that was guaranteed limited and then re-released, I would be pissed.