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Doll Companies' Selling Tactics: Does it influence your buying decision?

Mar 8, 2008

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    1. Recently, several doll companies have discontinued, on quite short notice, dolls that I was planning to buy at a later time. These weren't limited dolls so there was no real reason to expect they might disappear, especially en masse - i.e. many dolls removed from the market all at once, rather than just a sculpt here and a sculpt there being removed from the line.

      In all these cases there was either a very short time window where you could buy the discontinued dolls, or none at all.

      I feel very disheartened by this because I like to plan my buying decisions. When a company suddenly decides to discontinue its regular line, or gives out cryptic messages leaving you not knowing what will be continued elsewhere and what is going away for good, it makes it hard to plan, and causes me to have to decide between spending more money than I nornally would versus not getting the dolls I want, or having to pay even more for them later on the secondary market (if I can find one there at all).

      Since multiple companies are involved it seems like the whole "doll industry" is moving towards a "buy buy buy right now because it might not be there tomorrow" mentality. Again, for limiteds you expect this, but it's even carrying over to stock dolls. I am not happy with the way this is going.

      I understand the business decisions involved - for example, if you want to launch a new project then you might not have the money to do that and carry on the old project, plus discontinuing something may boost short-term sales (as everyone rushes to get one of whatever it is) and bring in a nice pile of profit that you can use to fund the startup of the new project. And there are concerns about information leaking out and being used by competitors, that makes it hard for a doll company to come right out and tell us exactly what is going on before it happens (plus there is a language barrier in some cases).

      But, though I understand these decisions, I'm still pretty disheartened. And it's definitely going to have an effect on my buying behavior. In the future, I may buy occasionally from these companies, but I will be less likely to do so and will definitely try to find whatever it is on the secondary market first so I don't have to give the companies my money. I feel that withholding my purchase is pretty much the only way I have to express my unhappiness with these business tactics and decisions, as well as the best way. I don't like feeling manipulated as a customer and lately that's just how I feel.

      There are also a number of smaller artists to patronize who seem to be more forthcoming and accommodating, and easier to work with, than the larger doll companies. I'm thinking I'd just as soon buy from more of the small artists and fewer of the big doll companies.

      I'd be interested in hearing other people's thoughts on this. Please note, this topic refers to the business tactics only - it's not really about "such-and-such company was rude to me in the Q&A, or shipped me a defective doll and wouldn't refund my money, so i won't buy anymore", but instead about general business practices of when and how things are discontinued and the kind of notice customers receive.
       
      #1 bunnydots, Mar 8, 2008
    2. It probably will not affect my buying decisions. I understand that companies sometimes make decisions that they have been planning for a while, but suddenly decide to implement, perhaps for reasons they choose not to reveal to the public. One example would be Lovelyhouse. This was a one woman operation and the artist had some life-changing events and abruptly stopped making dolls. I was disappointed not to be able to get one, but I have no animosity toward the dollmaker. Dollshe seems to be another example. It would have been great to have information months in advance, but these people have a perfect right to make business decisions without my input. If I like the new products I will buy them; if not, I will watch for them in the secondary market.
       
      #2 linakauno, Mar 8, 2008
    3. Well, everything that they do will affect our so-called "buying plan". Many times the timing may not be good.

      Besides the reasons already you have stated, another point I think people need to consider is that the actual sales history of molds may influence their decision to discontinue that stock item or not. If the mold is not popular and not selling on a regular basis, it is very difficult for them to keep the item available all the time; while they need to add new molds to keep repeating customers. Since our dolls are made when we ordered, the actual cast is what they are keeping. The cast can last for only a certain period. Thus, it may not be profitable to keep an item they are just not selling enough on the line all the time.

      As we all know, as this hobby becomes more popular; each company is swamped with orders. They are already having a hard time keeping up the production to fulfill the demands. They have less time to go over the administrative aspects of their business- meaning that they may not be able to review on what is selling and what is not selling and the cast is now too old to use, etc, for a few weeks at a time. Hence, when they get a chance to review their own inventory, sales records etc, they make their decisions and post the final results. Whenever they do so, it may seem sudden. But that is part of business. How many times have you heard "subject to change without further notices" in US advertising and business promotion documents.
       
      #3 anavel, Mar 8, 2008
    4. I dont think it would influence my BUYING decision, as much my opinion on the company... I think that they should give more notice if they're going to discontinue a doll. I understand they do have their reasons, but to just drop a line of dolls out of the blue is... I dunno, the best word I can think of is... inconsiderate to buyers? I just hope MNF Shushu's, DoD Lahoos, and Pukis don't go out anytime soon... @_@
       
      #4 hrtsforluv, Mar 8, 2008
    5. If I had more of a disposable income I could see it possibly influencing my buying patterns, but overall the practice of discontinuing certain molds has not directly affected or moved me to act on anything. I guess even when I see one that I had considered being up for discontinuation I pretty much have a "if its meant to be" mentality and just plan on looking for it later in the marketplace. Then again, being the secondhand (or more) recipient of the doll does not bother me, but I imagine that might be something that comes into play for others (as in wanting to be the original owner etc)?
       
      #5 Nice N Spicy, Mar 8, 2008
    6. So far it hasn't influenced my doll buying--none of the ones being discontinued where dolls I was definitely planning to buy. As for other dolls I want in the future, I just have to hope they'll stick around for awhile (it's either that or go broke). If you're talking about non LE's that had been around for awhile, then there's also the secondary market to consider. I'm not going to live in fear of dolls being discontinued.

      I don't blame companies for deciding to discontinue dolls. They may not have been selling as well, or the company may have been wanting to move in a different direction sculpt wise. These things happen.
       
      #6 Taco, Mar 8, 2008
    7. It does affect my buying behaviors in a huge part, because I don't know what might be going out the window unexpectedly next. DollShe is the biggest example I can think of. I, like you, definitely like to plan my purchases. When DollShe suddenly announced closing up shop, I had a huge decision to make. Buy a doll that I was not ready for, or miss out on something I was gearing up to send out for.

      Like linakauno said, it is their business and they have every right to stop doing something on a whim with or without my input, but it does bother me a lot when I'm forced into that super fast big decision mode.

      For me, buying the doll that I was not ready for would have made me not enjoy her as much as I would have if I had the chance to take my time with her.

      Having it known that I'll never know when a doll may be discontinued definitely does make me less inclined to settle on a sculpt from a larger company and more inclined to settle on a sculpt from a more stable and less commercial artist. Mostly because they can do whatever they want and do not necessarily need to care about what's good for me.
       
      #7 Somnambulist, Mar 8, 2008
    8. Just to clarify: I'm not saying that companies don't have every right to what they want in their own business, only that when they do so, sometimes they lose the faith/goodwill of customers. An example outside the doll world would be the recent eBay situation. Clearly there were good reasons for what eBay was doing, businesswise, but a lot of the users were still very unhappy and goodwill was lost.

      Also, the one-person operation having a life-changing event is a little different situation than a larger operation with what appears to be a definite business plan to compete on the mass market and change the whole line. If, say, Bishonen House, Migidoll, or K-dolls decided to go out of business suddenly, or stop selling my preferred type of dolls due to a personal reason, I could understand better than when it's Dollshe, Luts or other businesses that appear to be presenting themselves more as "companies" (regardless of the fact that they too may be run primarily by a couple of people or a very small group).

      I can also understand the point that people are making that they miss out on a lot of things because they usually don't have the disposable income to buy anyway. I do have a reasonable amount of money to spend regularly in the market. I'm not saying companies should do what I want just because I have money, but I would have liked a little more notice, a little more planning ability. Perhaps this is a problem unique to a fairly regular buyer, but then again, regular buyers provide the steady income for the companies.
       
      #8 bunnydots, Mar 8, 2008
    9. Yes, it's kind of sad when they go out of production, but I don't dwell on it too much! My philosophy these days is that if it's meant to be it will come to me somehow, someday. All one has to do is be patient (and, ideally, have some money put aside).

      Raven
       
      #9 ravendolls, Mar 8, 2008
    10. Dolls being suddenly discontinued may have an effect on my buying plans (I lay them out way in advance) but it doesn't really bother me. My plans are just as disturbed when a new unanticipated doll is released as when a doll is discontinued. I cross my fingers that dolls I'm planning for the end of the year aren't suddenly discontinued but I always have to keep in mind that nothing is available forever. Gotta keep some flex in the plan. ;)
       
      #10 idrisfynn, Mar 8, 2008
    11. Hmmm.. Well, I never really thought about it too much to be honest.

      I suppose I understand business practice well enough to not take anything personally. If I knew LUTS was going to close shop in a few weeks, yeah, I'd probably get a few that I was looking for and move on to another company that I could trust.

      So I guess it wouldn't affect my decisions too much. If I like a doll, I'm going to save for it for a few weeks then buy it... if something happens in those few weeks, then I guess I just got an unlucky break.

      So a one word answer: No.
       
      #11 TrevviesBaby, Mar 9, 2008
    12. It seems a little damned if you do, damned if you don't. I remember a thread where collectors were concerned with companies flooding the market as they did with fashion dolls. People do value the artistic vision and creativity of these companies and the company might want to create new dolls, like a musician who is tired of singing the original hit song.

      I admit, though, that I would be disappointed if I saved for a doll and it was suddenly discontinued. Just like I have been disappointed buying a fairly expensive doll, after doing much research and saving, only to learn the face up artist I paid for left, or they changed the color of the resin. Unfortunately, these things are the risks of this obsession.

      Is this a buy it now or it will be gone ploy? It seems that is part of collecting almost anything.
       
      #12 patricia1748, Mar 9, 2008
    13. In my case, it probably won't change my buying habits. I have a fairly regular disposable income to spend on dolls, but I tend to be a bit of an impulse buyer. I usually know in the first few seconds if I've fallen for a doll sculpt, and I tend to buy when the first opportunity becomes available. I will sometimes stagger purchases if more than one doll I love is being released in a short period of time. I guess if one of those dolls was discontinued abruptly, I'd be disappointed, but it wouldn't affect my future purchases from the company. Honestly, I have a harder time accepting companies that force the buyer's hand by calling dolls "limited" or "retiring" dolls only to release them again later. (But, I still end up buying from them, too.)
       
      #13 kittyaz, Mar 9, 2008
    14. On the one hand, I know this is strategic market practice -and it works. On the other hand, while I hear a lot of people complain about it, I feel like if you're in love with a doll, why should you care if it comes back on the market (ie, you bought it then because you loved it; wouldn't you have bought a non-limited doll for the same reason)? If you're NOT in love with the doll, you probably shouldn't buy it for the status.
       
      #14 wildefae, Mar 9, 2008
    15. I understand what you mean , for me in the last month it was a big shock to see dollshe's boys be stopped by almost all shops around, there is word of them comming back but nothing solid.

      does this kind of thing affect me, well yeah sure It surely affects the amount of trust I have in the company, and makes me feel very sad, if the doll I want comes back I might quickly dig into my savings to still get him in time , but I will think twice now..... I hope company's will start announcing disappearing dolls a lot more in advance (say 3-4 months) so people will have time to save/make up their mind.
       
      #15 Elaisa, Mar 9, 2008
    16. It only influences my buying decision if the doll in question was one I had wanted and was going to buy at some point anyway.

      I think the recent sell-offs of non limited dolls were started to clear out existing stock, and in other situations/other markets this might be done by lowering prices, rather than by creating a panic-frenzy of the "now or never" tactic.
       
      #16 twigling, Mar 9, 2008
    17. I was just referring to how "limiteds" force people to think they must buy quickly or lose the chance to buy--because in theory, "limited" implies they are not coming back, but then urgency was moot because they do come back. I don't recommend buying a doll unless you love it. Status means nothing to me.

      I should add the kinds of limited I do like are the limited full sets, where the company is up front about coming out with a basic edition in the near future, like SOOM did with Spinel, or Elfdoll does with some of their dolls. Then I have the option of jumping on the doll if I cannot wait another minute (as I did with Emma), or biding my time as I did with Spinel.
       
      #17 kittyaz, Mar 10, 2008
    18. Soemtimes it's just the timing you know? I also hate when they do a special doll... don't announce it at all then give you just 2 weeks to get it. Err I need a little bit more planning to get a doll unfortunatly...

      so I have t either think fast or just let it go...most of the time I have just let it go. thinking well it wasn't meant to be...and if it was well iÈll get another opportunity.
       
      #18 acexkeikai, Mar 10, 2008
    19. Selling tactics have great impact on my buying decision.
      It's the limited dolls always mess up my buying planning, I always have to delay my planned fund for a favourite doll but a regular release, to hurry and buy the limited doll that suddenly released.
      The most recent example: Volks going to release SD Rose/Bianka in Kyoto DP5 only, and I stop to think of buying another regular release girl of other company, to save the doll fund for AE.
      Of course I will buy the wanted girl someday later, but the limiteds really make me crazy on planning.
       
      #19 funghi, Mar 10, 2008
    20. I always say that I'm not participating in the rereleased limited dolls discussion again (which I know this thread is not about, but this comment will be about) but I always get drawn in to clarify this point. The matter is more complicated than just 'wahwah, my limited doll is no longer limited, oh no I'm not unique anymore!' Well, I'm sure it's that way for some but not for everyone.

      Firstly, limited usually means you have to spend the money right now. I can understand why people get annoyed when they rearrange their spending plans (because these dolls are not cheap, especially limiteds) and then suddenly you find a month later that 'lolz, we release again okays?' Or you want this limited doll that comes with clothes and is so expensive because it's a fullset but you splurge anyway and hey, next week you could have actually bought the rereleased doll for a lower price without the outfit but the company didn't tell you that the limited doll was actually going to be rereleased again without outfit, haha.

      Personally, I haven't actually been in the position of tearing my hair out due to such things. But I can absolutely understand why it frustrates a buyer so much. Plus, I can never understand the happy acceptance that a company can tell the buyer one thing and do something else completely. *shrugs*
       
      #20 LKJ, Mar 10, 2008
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