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Dolpa Kyoto3 : after event !

Mar 29, 2005

    1. Yeah - I was so depressed when I saw the suit was sold out. :cry: I've been looking for one just like it for AGES for my boys.
       
    2. I think the posts have indicated that this first come-first serve method is not the best, between technical problems and timing etc. I hope Volks hears this and take a different approach for the May after event. Although I agree with Aimee on some points, Volks did go out and put ads in all the major doll magazines advertising dolls. This has created alot of interest in their dolls and with people who have not 'grown up' in the hobby - who are unaware of how things have changed and grown and are getting a bad feeling from their interaction with Volks.
       
    3. well basically what a lot of people are just saying is "well they should just have enough stock for everyone". and while this would be great,... it's my impression that these items soldout completely at the dolpa. So that means that Volks specifically withheld stock from the dolpa, and didn't allow people who wanted to buy it THERE, just so that some of the international people could get some. Now, your arguement may be that they should have withheld more.... but dont you think that Volks would have made as much as the stock as they could have?

      I asked them "why dont you have optional parts in snow skin or suntan skin...?" and they said that they would like to, but that with all the new dolls they are working on, and trying to improve FCS after that, that it takes them a while to do everything. They go through like 40 heads before approving one for production. I'm just trying to impress upon you that Volks is not Mattel. They don't just spit stuff out. I think if they could have had more, they would have.
      Does it make me really frustrated that I couldnt get the things I wanted? Yeah. I mean out of 4 wigs, and 5 color combinations for those wigs for SDC, that I really really wanted (there are almost NO wigs for SDC till now!)... out of all those, only the one that I dont lik ethe style of was still in stock. That's a lot of wigs to sell out in ONE MINUTE. So they really either must not have had many to sell, underanticipated how many people would hit the site (I find that hard to believe actually since LAST time they sold out too within seconds... so I think that they now KNOW how much people are going to be there...), or just way more people than anyone could expect hit the site. Remember that over the past few months since the last Dolpa... Volks has been advertising in most of the major international and USA doll magazines with like 2 page spreads, and often articles in the magazine. So that's probably causing an influx of new people (peole we dont even see on DoA!)
      So believe me, I'm just as frustrated as you guys. I'm just trying to ease the frustration by showing you, what I think, is the other side of the coin.
       
    4. Its not a matter of: 'grown up' in the hobby - who are unaware of how things have changed and grown and are getting a bad feeling from their interaction with Volks."

      I agree they are doing better, but its not enough. Or are you going to say that everyone is please now with the way things were done at the after event?

      Most people got noting, a lot of people are frustrated , and there are never enough items .....and they don't seem to care, they advertise in all the american magazines now, but what difference does it make??
      The dolls in the pics were sold out long time ago, like Kun, Link etc. before peole even got the magazines, same thing with the "who's that girl doll" they display outfits on the pics that are not avaliable for sale. Honestly I believe is a waist of money on advertsing.

      I feel bad for the people that look at the magazines like haute doll and thing of buying the dolls , maybe its their first time with a super dollfie and they go on their site to see that everything is sold out.

      Also I don't thing anyone should make assumtions like " who are unaware of how things have changed" because you honestly don't know how long people been collecting., or how many dollfies do they have. Maybe they been around longer than you.

      Pony Gery
       
    5. I think the key thing to remember is this : Volks is not Mattel .
      never has been, never will be .... :daisy

      and Thank Goodness! :D :daisy

      Iam frustrated too, however, it will take sometime for everything to work out-- they've really come a long way !!! believe it or not!
      I have not had the luxury or fortune to find something that I liked in the site
      in stock for me to order, but one of these days....I hope to order directly from Volks! :wink:

      there's always Y!J ...! and ebay ! sigh....
       
    6. Well, I have to say that I am glad they are not like Matell, because I totally hate MATELL, I go every year to their convention just to buy other stuff (non barbie), and to meet with other people I know, but I don't like then.

      Pony Gery
       
    7. If it boils down to an issue of supply and demand, I think that if a company begins to boost the advertising of their products, domestically or internationally, they should at least anticipate a boost in product interest. A boost in product interest affects demand, which affects supply in turn. So, if you attempt to adjust demand, you should at least attempt to adjust supply.

      I'm glad Volks isn't Mattel, and I hope they never *become* like Mattel. I just hope they can consider a different marketing and sales strategy now that they're advertising more and generating more customers overall.

      Lia
       
    8. I don't understand why you are regularly getting so pissed off about this, we're just having a discussion here! Maybe I'm misunderstanding your wording, and you're not angry, this is a text medium, so its often easy to misunderstand someone's meaning.

      I've been in this hobby since 2001. How long have you been in it then?
      And they aren't dollfies. Dollfies are Volks 1/6 dolls,..

      As to the rest of it, I didn't say I was HAPPY with it. I clearly said that I was frustrated just like everyone else. I'm just trying to ease the frustration by putting perspective on the matter. And as to the issue of advertising, things like that must be sent to the publisher WAY in advance of the publishing date. (like months in advance) by the time it hits the stores, much of the data is out of date. Do I think it's "OK" or "GREAT" that Kun is constantly sold out on the online site? No. But I know for a fact that a friend recently visited Japan and went to several volks stores, and Kun was sold out THERE too. I'm not saying that Volks online website is great. It's often having 404 errors, and often things are sold out WAY TOO MUCH.
      What I am saying though is that they are improving. Obviously not fast enough for any of our tastes, but they ARE improving. So I'm simply saying that getting all pissed off about it, when they are moving towards what you want them to be doing, really isn't helping any one is it? They are trying to do what you want. Just aren't fast enough for you. Unless you are a Volks employee, and specifically know that volks is intentionally shafting international Volks, and it's NOT a factor of simply "not having enough staff to keep up"....?

      also you say "Most everyone got NOTHING". Well, all we know about is the people on this forum. While this forum IS large, I hazard to wager that this forum is NOT ENOUGH people to shut down volks server with traffic. Meaning,t hat there are probably thousands of people who know of volks, and hit that site, that we don't even see. And a lot of them were probably faster than us, and got the items that some of us wanted. Supply and demand.

      And you say that Volks doesn't care about us. I really strongly dissagree with this assertion. If Volks doesn't care about us, why when we go to Japan, does Volks take time to make extra allowances for international people, people they don't even know? We're just another "buck" to get, aren't we? Why should they care? They do care. I can't even say how great Volks made my visit to them to be.

      On top of that, if they don't care, why do they even OFFER international sales? As I said, they very easily could have sold out AT the dolpa and not sold any internationally. It's the same money isn't it?

      Also, Volks' president keeps talking about international fans at events lately... but that must be because he doesn't care about us.
      Oh... and... what about that store they're going to open in the USA soon?

      masses and masses of dolls thrown at us does not in my book equal caring. What if they couldnt make more than they made? Again, from talking to them, I get the feeling that they are struggling just to make what they currently make. So... if there is finite stock, what are you saying that they should do? Just magically have more stock, so that all of us can have what we want? It's not possible unless Volks hires more staff (which they may not want to do because of their high standards... They don't just sen dthe dolls off to china to be made you know. everyone is hand cast in Volks Japan factory)

       
    9. Relax aimee, I just don't understand the way they do business.

      I been collecting dolls for over 10 years now,I started when I was 18 and collecting super dollfie for about 3 years. I also collect fashion royalty, I have over 800 vintage my little pony, about 2500 barbies (but I don't really collect barbies, I stop a while ago), a couple hundred takara jenny, every who's that girl doll, about 300 kelly dolls, lot s of the sylvanian familias,some pullip and blythes, about 26 super dollfies, 15 mini sd , 2 pocket fairiies one kaede and waiting for kurenai.

      I am also a big exotic animal lover with about 13 animals in my house that keep me very busy.

      Pony Gery
       
    10. I had dolls when I was a little girl, so I guess that means that I've been collecting dolls for 20 years! This is really silly. Apparently having 2500 barbies and 26 + super dollfies doesn't really mean that you understand Volks? Somehow having more dolls makes you a better collector? Who has the most dolls wins?

      you say you dont understand how they do business, well, I'm trying to explain it to you. but your answer is only "they shouldn't sell out".
       
    11. Look aimee I agree with you that this is totally silly.
      you have your point of view and I respect it and I have mine.
      So just enjoy your dolls and have fun ITS A WEEKEND!!!
       
    12. I would first like to say that I love Volks as a company, I love their products, and I love the special attention they pay to their dolls and their customers. I love Volks so much that I have no plans on ever buying a BJD from another company. Despite how amazing Volks and its workers are (and I’ve personally witnessed this while picking up Lawrence in Japan), it does not exclude them from criticism, especially if they are working things inefficiently. Every time there is a problem we can't gloss it over with "well they're doing their best" or "Volks is wonderful, don't give them a hard time." They are a company selling extremely expensive items and no matter how amazing they are, or how much personal attention they give to their customers, we still should be able to give them constructive feedback AND more importantly, discuss it on the message board without being made to feel like we are doing something bad for criticizing Volks.
       
    13. I'm not saying not to criticize volks, please don't misunderstand me. As I've said many times on this thread, I really wish that they would move faster, and I wish that I could have gotten the items I wanted, and that I'm frustrated too by them selling out so fast.

      I'm just showing the other side of the situation, since there were at least like 10 posts in this thread posting about how aweful the situation is. I figured some perspective on it would be helpful. I'm not saying that Volks is perfect, or is above criticism.
       
    14. Volks is a small company and I think alot of people forget that. Aimee's right in that they don't really even need international sales at all. SD are super popular in Japan and that market alone is enough to keep them going. But they do care and are quite surprised at all the interest in SD overseas and so they are slowly but surely starting to offer more and more. You must be patient and give them time. Sure they make mistakes (everyone does), but they'll learn more as time goes on. Maybe for the next Dolpa they'll do the lottery instead. Who knows...

      How about changing the subject and getting back on topic. :)

      I really can't wait to see everyone's lovely dolls when they finally get here.
       
    15. I also believe their products are highly overprice. Lets go be realistic.....how much do you thing the resin cost, because its really a matter of having the mold,.........plus if they are a small company they probably don't have a lot of overhead.


      I love their dolls, but I get tired of this non sense sometimes. I don't really mind buying then regarding of their prices, but I still thing they are making a HUGE profit.


      Pony Gery
       
    16. I also thing its very silly said that you been collecting since you were a kid, because that is playing not "collecting" .

      Pony Gery
       
    17. Actually considering the shops they own in japan and the high rents they probably pay and the fact that each doll is hand casted, and they use very high quality resin...I'm not surprised at the prices at all. Ask any of the people on this board who are casting their own dolls with resin...it's not an easy process. I think the price fits considering all these things.

      But again I ask that we get back onto the topic of Kyoto Dolpa...talking about Volks' expenses and overhead is rather OT.
       
    18. Holy crap, we need to stop this.

      The cost of the dolls is fine-- People forget, these dolls are hand-produced, not made by machines. The people at Volks who make them do so because they love them, and they are extending the courtesy of selling their dolls to people outside Japan who also love their dolls because they are not in it for the money. I think that is a VERY nice gesture of them, when they in fact do not have to do so at all for us. (And there was a time when they didn't.)
      If you don't like the way they do business or appreciate the value of their dolls, how bout stop supporing them?

      I know when I look at their dolls, I can see the care that goes into EVERYTHING. I recieved Evangelian (Sakaki) the other day, and he is absolutely impressive. The work that went into his faceup, the quality of his eyes, the new body system-- so amazing! I love the new S-hook slot system they came up with so that the S-hooks are held in place for you while you put on their head or change hands. The one-touch head system that the new dolls have is also so nice, and the new joint-locking system is also really helpful!
      I love just looking at my boys and making them look comfortable and happy^^ Evan's little teeth are so adorable! I didn't actually know he had teeth until after I had already won him^^
      When I look at their dolls, I don't think about the price at all! I think, I just find ones that strike me in a deep way, and then I go out of my way to get them if I truely think they're worth it.
      Not to go too far off-topic; I just don't think anyone should insult the value and work that goes into Volks' Super Dollfies because there are many who completely appreciate everything that goes into them, and they mean a lot to us.
      I mean, why keep buying them or keep the ones you have if you don't like or appreciate them?

      I can't wait to see all the new Dolpa LEs around here-- Congrats to all the people who got a new child^^ They all look really wonderful, so I hope you love them.
      I'm especially excited to see the YouSDs Suzuna and Rengemaru. (Let us know if you got one!)
      Take care.
       
    19. I have to say and just quickly as OT these resin dolls do take along time... and have to say are not over priced, the time from thorts to drawings to artwork, to sculp, to molds, to prototype.. final mold to the stunning heads we buy, takes a long time and is expensive.. all done by hand.. the prices we all pay is very very reasonable... and if a 1 of or a very LE the slightly higher price is correct... and not over the top...

      and have to agree Volks have stunning high quality dolls that we all love... and I thank Volks for letting us have the privilage of bring able to buy them.... and congrats to all who have been lucky with the latest LE and show us lots of pics... :grin:

      ok will stop now lol.... :daisy
       
    20. Noooo... collecting and playing are very different, and don't depend on age. My friend has collected Barbies since she was 10-years-old, and went about it like a serious collector. She kept them in mint condition and displayed them and sold and traded to get the ones she wanted. I, however, played with Barbies, throwing out the ones I didn't want, buying whichever one was most popular, only buying the ones that seemed the most fun. A collector appreciates the dolls worth, whereas a child who only plays with dolls is just looking for some fun.

      And anyone who thinks they're overpriced doesn't really appreciate them the way they should be. My mother was a little annoyed that I'd spent $107 on a little doll head, but when she finally got to hold it and take a good look at it, she realized it was worth it.