From your point of view, is any BJD worth thousands of dollars?

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?
For me personally, no. Over $4000? I can't even fathom it. I'm personally a bit horrified when a computer I want is anywhere near $1000. I gawk at fancy TVs that cost upwards of $5000. I cannot even IMAGINE spending that much money on a doll. I think I would feel so guilty that I spent that money on a doll and not on something more practical that I wouldn't even be able to get any enjoyment out of it.

There have been some limited dolls that I have really loved over the years. I've considered checking out the second hand market for them, but no matter how much I love a doll, there is no way that I could justify spending that much money. If there was a doll that I thought was perfect in every way, a doll that completely stole my heart, and I found one for sale for $4000? I would find another doll to love. There are so many out there. In the end, it's just an object, and I won't die if I don't have it.

I guess everyone collects in their own way, but for me... $1000 is definitely the maximum. I think even that is borderline "too much" for me.

-If you have ever bought a limited doll from a second hand market for a minimum of a few thousand dollars, what are the pros and cons of this? And do you worry that it may lose value due to popularity (or lack of) or from typical wear over time? What makes that doll worth it to you?
Not applicable.

However, if it were me... I think the thing that makes the doll worth it is just loving it. I have never looked at this hobby and viewed dolls as something to purchase, keep for a while, and sell. If I decide to buy a doll, I am making a commitment. I would never buy a doll I didn't love and intend to keep around for a long, long time.

-To those who would not pay this amount, even if you did have the money: Let's just pretend that your dream dolly is a limited going for a few thousand, why wouldn't you be willing to pay this amount?
Put simply, I find it appalling. Okay, so the doll was limited. How much did the owner buy it for? I imagine it was a fraction of the price they are selling it for. I understand factoring in rarity, but in a lot of ways, I feel like selling a doll for exhorbitant amounts of money is offensive. I have negative feelings about people who buy dolls with the sole intention of selling them to make a profit. For me, the dolls are meant to make me happy, to give me a way to express my creativity, and connect with other people. "Flipping" dolls is cold, commercial, and an affront to everything I feel about the hobby.

(For the record, I'm not talking about people who buy a doll and find they can't bond with it. Making your money back on a doll that didn't make you feel the way you thought it would, or didn't turn out to be what you expected is one thing. Buying a doll with the sole intention of making a profit on it is another thing entirely.)

 

Hard to say. I may cough up around a thousand for a limited doll I wanted if he or she is still pretty new, no mods, skin colour, gender, mobility joints are the ones I wanted. If she is tan or in French resin, no thanks. But I sometimes ask myself is it worth it. I saw on the marketplace a limited yo ad three times the price of the original at about 600 dollars. It is not the gender I want. And high resale prices hurts. I didn't buy that doll as the price seemed hiked up on purpose. I cannot justify I as at 600 I would've bought a senior carina.

 

Well, I personally can't say that I've ever seen a doll I think is worth four grand (or even two grand). I can't say I would never pay that sort of price either. It would depend on:
a) how much I actually fall in love with the sculpt and
b) whether or not the price has been artificially inflated.

If I saw a doll that was an "OMG MUST HAVE" at that price and had that sort of disposable income....yeah I might. Not before checking the average listing price of that particular doll and making sure I wasn't getting ripped off though. Wanting a doll is no excuse for terrible decision making.

 

That's really hard to say. I never came across a doll I liked, that's worth that much.
But as I started the hobby, I thought that 450$ for the doll I loved was very much. Too much, I often though. I also have a doll that's worth almost twice as much, now.
But those have all been new. I don't know if I would pay that much for a doll I liked, just because it's rare.

 

Maybe if I had endless dollie $$$$ I would feel differently about spending thousands on dolls and/or outfits but since I have worked hard all my life it is difficult for me to say that it is OK for me to spend thousands on one doll. - that is not to say that the doll is not worth that much - just that I could not justify myself spending that much.

 

I buy what makes me happy. So if a doll that I loved cost $$$$, and made me happy to look at every day, then yes, I would (and have) spent that kind of money. I don't collect for an investment; I collect for what speaks to my heart. But that being said, I could not afford to buy many dolls at $$$$ price--it would have to be for that ONE doll. I have had to sacrafice other dolls to be able to do/afford it. But in the end, it's about what makes YOU happy.

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?

Theoretically, if the doll is original (and not a recast), if it is in pristine condition, not damaged, not modded, and either with a default or an even more beautiful face-up and blushing, and the average market value of this doll is about that amount - then yes. But can you really tell that it is not a recast till you hold it in your hands and look at it more closely? Can you be sure than there is no glued breakage somewhere unseen on the owner-proof pictures of the seller? And, last but not least, how can you be sure that the seller will really send you the doll after you paid for it? So, practically - no.

-To those who would not pay this amount, even if you did have the money: Let's just pretend that your dream dolly is a limited going for a few thousand, why wouldn't you be willing to pay this amount?

Because she is not from the company. When so much money is involved, I don't trust anybody enough anymore. I have heard too many horror stories about recasts, scammers running away with the money, damaged goods etc. Seriously, if there was a way to ensure that I will get the doll, it would be original and in the condition as described, I would probably be willing to pay more than one thousand dollars for one particular doll on my wishlist. But I am much too afraid of being scammed, so I prefer not to pay more than a few hundreds for a doll secondhand.

 

Sorry to be singling you out, but if this was how I would generally feel about internet purchases "you can never know for sure!!1!", I wouldn't even buy a hundred dollar doll.
If I always expect people to #@^% me over, then my life will be miserable and - congratulations - one day someone actually will.

 

Is a doll worth $1000+?

Sure. Especially limited full sets and most def. 1 of-a-kinds

Do I have one?

Yes.

Worried about him decreasing in value?

No...didnt but him to sell him.

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?

Not for me. No. Absolutely no. But then again, I am the type that can make a lot of things myself, so I'm to dependant on much but the doll itself and perhaps the eyes.


-If you have ever bought a limited doll from a second hand market for a minimum of a few thousand dollars, what are the pros and cons of this? And do you worry that it may lose value due to popularity (or lack of) or from typical wear over time? What makes that doll worth it to you?

-To those who would not pay this amount, even if you did have the money: Let's just pretend that your dream dolly is a limited going for a few thousand, why wouldn't you be willing to pay this amount?

Because much as I love BJD, there are so many other things I'd rather do with that money. Take a journey, buy new furniture, visit friends in other countries... Just to name a few.
Also, in the end it is still but a doll / toy to me. Before I would pay a few thousand to buy ONE doll... I'd be more likely to buy furniture or have face-ups and cloths made if I really had that much money to spend.
There are simply limits to what I'm willing to spend on a hobby.

Also, I just have gotten a doll I loved that was/is limited. I got it for about the price it cost back then. I regreted a little getting him without the outfit that he could be ordered, but then again it was not what I paid for, so...
That's also something I'll be strict to myself about. If something is second hand, no matter how limited and whatnot... I MIGHT be willing to pay a LITTLE more than it cost originally. But certainly a lot. Thougth I am aware that there are dolls that seem to gain value over time, I can't make myself to be willing spending a lot more money just because I happened to have not been in the hobby back then. It would also partly kill my joy, so definitly nothing for me :3

 

I don't feel singled out. If you feel like answering me, why not? Discussing is the purpose of discussion, I suppose

I don't quite understand how your words are meant to be an argument against what I said though. Comparing a secondhand doll for several thousands of dollars to any doll, new or secondhand, that goes for a hundred in terms of risk is quite pointless in my opinion.

Unless you earn more than hundred thousands dollar a year and have very low everyday expenses at the same time, there is a very big difference in loosing several thousands and a hundred.

For me, it has nothing to do with general trust issues, thank you very much, it has to do with rationality. As I worded it, with so much money involved, I don't trust anybody enough anymore. There is a gradient - I like buying online, but I am not a gambler, and there is only so much risk I am willing to take.

Try to see it this way - if you are buying a used car, would you buy it online, from a private seller, and without having seen it before?

 

Dear admins, I am sorry for the double posts please delete if possible, my computer had a lag issue.

 

Dear admins, I am sorry for the double posts please delete if possible, my computer had a lag issue.

 

Dear admins, I am sorry for the double posts please delete if possible, my computer had a lag issue.

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?
Well... honestly technically as a OOAK original, I can see something being "appraised" at that much but when you say is it worth the money to buy it, then no. Seeing as even if there is only one of it in the whole world, it probably wasn't any harder to create than any other doll... what's SUPPOSED to raise the value of a doll is supply and demand. That's what AUCTIONS are for. I really don't understand how dolls like UNOA can be worth 1k and up... but that's personal opinion.

-If you have ever bought a limited doll from a second hand market for a minimum of a few thousand dollars, what are the pros and cons of this? And do you worry that it may lose value due to popularity (or lack of) or from typical wear over time? What makes that doll worth it to you?
N/A but if you're worried about it losing value over time, I think you lost right there. After all, did you buy it just cause it's worth a lot or did you buy it because you really wanted it and therefore was willing to spend that much money on it. See, supply and demand. No reason for a doll to be worth that much .___.

-To those who would pay this amount but haven't/can't: What makes a doll worth this amount to you?
I wouldn't so I can't really answer....

-To those who would not pay this amount, even if you did have the money: Let's just pretend that your dream dolly is a limited going for a few thousand, why wouldn't you be willing to pay this amount?
Because I don't believe that price should increase solely on it's availability. Something along the lines of... it wasn't any harder to create and it certainly doesn't mean a LE is going to be any better quality. They're called LIMITED EDITIONS meaning the quantity is limited, not PRICE INFLATED EDITION. :<

PS: To anyone I offend by accident again (I'm really sorry about this, my tone is getting increasingly sharp due to school stress mostly midterms which I am using DOA to escape) this is all personal opinion. I am not saying your opinion is any more wrong than mine. Hehehe...

 

It depends how amazing all the aspects of the doll are I think. Right now I couldn't even think about buying a doll thats so expensive.

 

Your post sounded like you were both scared and sure someone is going to rip you off. I guess that, if you (general) feel so... vulnerable, for lack of a better word, it doesn't really matter if you loose a hundred or a thousand dollars: it's the broken trust that really gets to you.

I'm thinking rational as well, I'm not living inside a pink bubble. People are just as likely to rip you off for a hundred bucks as for a thousand; easy money is easy money. (actually, I believe it's easier to get away with stealing small amounts of money). But it doesn't mean that online shopping is a gamble. There are many ways for a customer to make sure you're dealing with an honest seller and in a community this small where all depends on reputation, only one negative fact can get someone in a whole lot of trouble.

Anyway, you shouldn't make a purchase you're feeling uncomfortable about.

 

I doubt I would pay that much for a doll unless I was REALLY in love with the sculpt and faceup. I could see it happening if I were to lose my first doll in some way (Selling, getting stolen, or simply vanishing) and I wanted one just like her since shed mean so much to me. Even then I doubt the price would really be that high. If I had money like that, I would. Especially since Rozen Maiden is my favorite anime :3

 

To be honest? No. I find that half the dolls/etc sold in this hobby arent worth nearly the price they're sold for. For example most (SD+ sized) Volks dolls sell for $1,000+ straight from the company. Now I love Volks, but lets be frank; their faceups are terrible and they're slow to pick up clothing trends. So do I think that doll is worth $1,000+? Absolutely not.

That being said, will I buy it? Probably. However I would be hard pressed to spend too terribly much more than that on a single doll (sans clothing/faceup/etc). For example I would love to own a Williams someday, but I simply do not feel comfortable at this time in my life tossing around the amount of money needed for one secondhand, nor do I see myself feeling differently a few years down the line, no matter how much the term "art" and the ever present "it makes me happy" is tossed around.

 

To my understanding...as the doll is one of a kind...the facial sculpt is made for sale...for one doll. Also the outfits.

Limiteds & one of a kinds cost more, because its still a business and they have to cover expenses. The time for the design, sculpt, clothing...is only covered through the sale of one or a few doll versus a thousand or more dolls.

You are correct that supply and demand INCREASE the value of the doll. The increase of value versus the overall cost of making the doll are two different things.