How long do you wait before hitting the 'Buy' button...?

If it's unlimited, I can waffle for months. If it's limited or secondhand, usually only days. The time limit really puts the pressure on.

 

It varies for me, because I want to have an outfit, wig, faceup and general character in mind before I buy them. I have a habit of buying things without thinking it through first and then they just sit around for months. If I can't come up with a character for the doll at all (after about a month) I usually won't buy it.
So I guess it takes me anywhere from a couple hours to a month. Sometimes a doll is already a perfect fit for a look I had in mind and if they're a good deal, especially second hand, I'll buy them instantly.

 

I have really bad impulse control, and thankfully it takes a while for me to find a sculpt and REALLY love it. I'm finishing up my collection for the time being, so we'll see if I have anything in the future, but the last doll that I hit immediate buy on was my Uyoo. Her price was amazing (and she's a full set, still with all original items + paperwork + box), and I just couldn't get her off my mind. Others, like the Erda I finished paying off, took me a few months to acquire. Partially because of layaway, and partially because I scope out prices and find the best deals that work with my budget.

I'd say it takes me a good month or two before I decide on buying a new sculpt. But I'm also picky and ridiculously patient? So it works out in my favor.

 

Usually the choice of a doll or body in my case lasts for 3-4 months, during this time I manage to find all the advantages and disadvantages of this doll and order it or change my mind, also during this time I can save up the necessary amount for purchase

 

Lots of factors here...

1) is it available? If yes, the next question is
2) do I have money? if yes then the next question is
3) is it limited? if yes, then I'm willing to buy straight away, be it from company or secondhand

if the doll is not available, I will check secondhand availability, if it's still not available I am willing to basically stake it out.

if I don't have money, I will save up, if I don't have money but the doll is limited I will see if I can sell something to make enough to buy it and/or if a layaway is possible and within my means

if the doll is not limited i might wait until the right time to get it. That might mean a month I don't have too many things going on, or a time I will be able to work on them best, or if I want them to arrive for a special event (ie Christmas or birthday). It can also mean waiting for an event to happen.

That all considering that I am in irreversible love with the sculpt and need it for one of my characters as I'm past the point of buying dolls -just- because I like them.

 

Never been longer than a week. Somehow it turns out that way, I have nothing to do with it. =)

 

I only hit the proverbial buy-button when I have saved up all the funds for that particular doll. So, no impulse-buys for me.
Since most of my dolls - aside from my Aileendoll dragon - were bought second hand, and they were hard to find, this sometimes meant that the sculpt I was looking for turned up on the wrong time. It's nervewracking to let them go! What if you'll never find one again? But I have a very low income and this is an expensive hobby. I'd rather not get into trouble over a piece of resin.

The good thing about this method - aside from playing it safe - is that it gives me plenty of time to think about if I really want that doll, or if it was a spur of the moment thing. First, I need to save up, which takes forever. And then I need to find one within the budget I've allowed myself. If I don't want to go through all that hassle, that's a sure sign it's not the doll for me.

 

For me it depends as well! If it's listed second hand, especially if it's something kinda hard to find, I tend to act a bit impulsively. Limited is also a huge motivator, though sometimes I can talk myself down from that ledge - usually because of the second hand market. And in that case, it gives me time to think!

I'm not going to even pretend I have stellar self control, though, haha. I have too many dolls to make that case anymore.

 

My first two dolls were secondhand so I bought them as soon as I had the funds for them. My third doll was a floating head and for me it was love at first sight, but I didn't buy him until maybe a month or two after I fell in love with him. Lastly, I bought my newest floating head as soon as I knew he was available because he was a discontinued sculpt that the company decided to bring back for only a limited time. If he wasn't limited I would have waited a few months to complete my other floating head.

 

i was on the Denver Doll website on my lunch break at work and i honestly have never hit a "buy" button so fast! I ordered their only one in stock DC Agatha. i normally contemplate it for a week or two and then run it over bill wise. I did not this time due to her discontinued status. Im glad i bought her, my monthly fees however, not so much! But yay for over time!

 

I wait until I can save up the money for the doll in change. Unless I already have the amount needed just lying around (haha so very rare that it..). If I can't afford it then I just don't get it.

 

This is really a struggle for me and is the worst part of the hobby for me. I don't fall for a doll easily either and I do have certain artists I like (I mostly like the russian doll artists). When I bought my first doll it was sort of on a whim but I was waiting for the preorder so it was very weird. I had made up my mind I wanted to buy her however I had to wait almost a month for the preorder. The second one was very thought trough but the doll did not meet my expectations so I'm still working on her, as I do love her a lot. That gave me a little bit of grief because although I didn't regret buying her I felt I could have saved for a better doll. No regrets here though! My third girl, which is still on her way, was though through but I hadn't planned on getting her. I ordered and then cancelled and then ordered again, I was very torn. This took maybe a full month, from the point of the pre order start to me deciding to buy. My fourth doll was on a complete whim... I got her from Ebay and took maybe 3 days to a week to decide, but she has a funny story with me, I guess she was meant to come to me =P I am currently thinking about my fifth doll purchase and having anxiety already but I'm waiting for preorders period again haha. I guess in general I wait at least a couple weeks anyway! =P

 

it really depends, i have a thing for limited dolls almost all my dolls are limited so i see them the moment they come out and buy them pretty much with in the day out of fear they might sell out or the new release sale will end, since most times i buy the full set that are usually limited to 200 world wide sometimes 100 or even 20 i cant sit on it and wait i just order and my boyfriend cries later. if it's a regular doll i know will be around for a bit then i tend to wait a few months to pay off my credit card before dropping in to buy it

 

It depends. If it's a limited doll, naturally I can't take months to make a decision. Generally, I hit the buy button if one of several things is true:
1) the sculpt perfectly matches an OC of mine. Even if the resin doesn't match, that can be fixed with dyeing
2) I have a general idea of what clothes I want the doll to have. Wigs and eyes can be figured out later, but my interest is clothing design, so knowing what clothes I want is necessary
3) I've been wanting a <insert body or company> doll for ages, for assorted clothing related purposes (wanting to see if I can do something different with it) and this particular sculpt is one I like more than others.
4) I've been wanting a <insert body or company> doll for ages, and this fullset is awesome
5) it's a volks vocaloid dollfie and I have money for another vocaloid

There are a lot of limited dolls that I like the face, but not enough to buy. At this point, I have enough dolls that I don't feel the urge to buy anything unless it's really special.

 

Ideally? At least a month for unlimited dolls and end of ordering period for limited
Unfortunately I have incredibly low self control and if I have money to cover the full doll available & can't stop thinking about them, I struggle to keep to this (I've already ordered Fairyland Klaus but no regrets)

For secondhand dolls, I have a very short list of sculpts that I'll buy on sight if they're a reasonable price due to their discontinued nature lol

 

My first doll took me a few weeks, I decided on her then had to look around to make sure there wasn't a doll a liked better. The doll i want to buy now has taken me about 6 months for me to decide to buy. I loved him from the moment I first saw him.

 

I'm very picky about the dolls I like enough to own--i dont ever want to have to sell a doll or deal with passing interests if I can help it (although I will probably end up selling my only SD eventually, since I bought him like ten years ago and he just doesnt do it for me any more... we'll see after he gets a new faceup lol).

The other, probably more important factor is that I cant afford impulse buys. Even though I really mostly want just msds (and I'm not buying expensive minifees lol) the cost always adds up. Throw in eyes, wigs, shoes, and clothes and the calculated expense for my next doll is about $800. I dont have that lying around ^^' I'd rather buy slowly and keep rebuilding my savings. Having money doesnt exactly burn a hole in my pocket.

In all, it takes .... a long time. Granted my latest msd was pretty quick but I knew what I was looking for and was able to make the extra cash quickly but future purchases will not be so fast. It admittedly doesnt help that my friend can buy things much faster than me lol... it makes me want to have more dolls too!! But self control is more important in my situation and that's okay.

 

I have a very detailed wishlist, so basically it's about money and availability.
Right now it's about the money. As soon as I have enough money, I'll hit that buy button!!!

 

If it's a doll on my wish list, at a reasonable price, probably seconds...
Otherwise, I wait for days, or even weeks if it's a doll on the MP or eBay, or a limited doll.

If it's a company doll that is not limited, it can take months, or even years.

 

I generally dont wait at all.
Once i know thats the doll i want i'll probbaly used all the effort i had to just go get one.

but this is a really bad idea too cause sometimes i'd strech on my money to get the doll i want, but i just cant help.

luckily im pretty picky on dolls, only very sepcific sculpt are really apprealling to me.