Getting dolls before they sell out

Keep an eye on the news forum! New dolls and companies are usually made note of there.

 

If you're on tumblr there's a blog called 'dolls to wish for' that updates regularly with new dolls when they become available.
http://dollstowishfor.tumblr.com/

 

http://bjdcollectasy.com/

This is the perfect place for that. Normally I just stalk the news forum, but sometimes I forget. BJD collectasy pretty much lists every news about BJD's. And they are quick to update, too.

 

With so very many new companies, and artists dolls out, I can only imagine how hard it must be to find the one that speaks to you most.

Maybe if you have a size range, or price range that may help narrow down your search.

Just a thought. Plus, I think the marketplace on DOA is a terrific place to look for what you like.. So many many options there too

 

The only advice I can add to what others have already posted here is to say don't just buy a doll to have one. Take your time to find the one, or ones, that really speak to you. If you settle for less than what abolutely thrills you, you'll most likely regret it later. Don't be in a huge rush, research the current offerings out there, and you'll probably start to notice a trend in what you like. You may find that one company's dolls really appeal to you more than the others, and that'll help you keep track of their upcoming releases so you can buy before what you want is sold out. Good luck to you, and happy 'window shopping".

 

When they sell out, you may have to wait a while but you can sometimes find them on the mp, took me four years to get my grail boy. I got him second hand and am only missing a couple pieces :3
Also try trolling ebay (the official doll company reps on there, like lemonday for dollmore) if you download ebay mobile you can save your searches and get notifications when new items are posted by that seller. Thats how i look and see if there's anything new limited wise that i may want

 

Don't give up, and keep checking the MP! You could even post a WTB thread. My grail was only available for about 2 weeks from the company, and there was NO way I could get him at the time. I thought it was hopeless, but two years later, I managed to get him secondhand without settling!

 

Also plugging the News thread to keep from missing releases, and the Marketplace to get the ones you missed out on.

I missed out on a doll that I wanted (Soom was releasing "tiny versions of the larger Monthly Dolls" and I knew I wanted "tiny Amber"). Our computer took a poo and I was without one for a few months and I missed the release of the doll. It took a while, but I eventually found off of the bits for great prices in the Marketplace and ended up paying LESS for her than I would have from the company! Pretty amazing since the whole doll has nearly doubled in value.

 

Zayne I definitely feel you there! All my grail dolls suffered a similar fate but right now they are all home! Keep checking the marketplace and never give up! It doesn't matter if a doll is sold out! In addition some companies may even re-release certain sculpts in the future even if they were initially limited!

 

So is there a way to catch dolls when they are first offered (besides trolling the company threads here and occassionally checking in on individual doll sites) so you don't miss the one you want?

Check the Company News section of the forum often!!! Also try BJDCollectasy... they are a good news site. If you like dolls from certain companies, you will also have to check threads and sites.

I check a LOT and I can still miss things... BUT I am more aware of what's coming up and when sales periods are than not. I usually can get the dolls I want.

You also have to be prepared, financially. You need to keep saving money and keep it ready so you can at least make a layaway payment if I doll suddenly comes up for sale. This is true when looking for dolls on the marketplace. Usually those don't have layaways--so it is even MORE important to save up money.

For buying second-hand... You need to CONSTANTLY check the Marketplace, ebay, and maybe other doll sites. And you need to put out Want-To-Buys. Buying second-hand is often harder than buying during limited sales periods, so it's best to make sure you have the money saved and find out about the sales periods!!!

BJDs is not an EASY hobby. You need to know a lot of things, research well, and make a big effort to keep up with the news and with sales! That's just how it is. If you don't want to put in the effort, then that is fine. But if you are particular in what dolls you want, it takes effort.

 

April's response pretty much sums up what needs to be done - keeping up with news and sales constantly is key to getting that dream doll, whether before or after s/he officially sells out. A lot of doll companies are on social networking platforms now like Facebook which make it easier to keep up to date without having to necessarily 'troll' their site. For buying that sold out doll via the marketplace, I think the hardest part of the hunt is actually staying focused on the target and not spending your funds on another just to satisfy that desire to adopt a doll, as the search may take very very long depending on how limited the doll was and from how long ago it was offered for sale by the company.

 

Also-- browse the Galleries, the Games, the Photo Request threads, just LOOK AT LOTS OF DOLLS. Sometimes you'll see a doll that you'd never have thought of as "your doll" before, and be drawn to it by seeing it in a different setting than company photos. You might see a faceup/modification/style on a doll that you'd written off before, and see the whole doll in a new light, and realize that's the kind of thing you've been wanting. Oftentimes, it turns out not to be a newly released doll or an out-of-stock limited, either.

I call it the Zen method, i.e. browsing aimlessly until the moment of "I know it when I see it." ^^ Whether it turns out to be a basic model that's easy to buy, or whether I need to put up WTBs and stalk every marketplace on the internet. If you can't have it right now, it'll come later. If you lose interest in it, it wasn't meant to be. But the Universe will never let Your Doll pass you by forever!

 

If you don't mind handing your email address to companies, you can subscribe to doll company news letters. It's quite handy to read about new doll releases when you open your inbox. That way I usually find out about new dolls before I even start on my morning coffee.

 

Seconding Stabbington with Dollstowishfor! I always miss the sales period of my wishlist dolls because I don't have the funds and/or by the time I find them, they're already sold out. I have no qualms looking for secondhands tho. Willing to go through reasonable lengths for my grails!

 

You have to keep an eye out. A lot of times sculpts themselves aren't a one time limited deal -- a company will often release versions of the same sculpt, so there will be opportunities to get that sculpt down the road. The second hand market is great, but it takes some patience and it's best to look when you already have the money ready -- I got my Ninodoll heads that way since I would always miss the Ninodoll order periods. Some companies and dealers also offer layaway options which are a great way to snag an LE that you really want, but aren't able to pay in full upfront.

 

I had this issue. I really want a Minifee tan Celine and the event was almost over, so I found a site that allowed long layaway so I could still get her and just pay so much a month

 

Doll companies put 'out of stock' or, 'coming soon' (Iplehouse does this!) on items that are never coming back I sorta wish they would take the dolls that are gone off their websites, or at least in a separate place from the available dolls. Then I would never know about the dolls I will never own T_T
*sob* fairyland chicline lishe*sob*