Minimalism in the BJD hobby?

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?

I have bought all of my current dolls straight from the company as i like being the first person to have owned my dolls, though i often find myself looking on the marketplace as it
has introduced me to a few company's that i would not have known otherwise, but a lot of the time i don't think the price is worth it for a second hand doll.

2° Do you immediately order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?

none of the dolls i have bought have sleeping faces but even if they did i would not buy them, nor have i bought any of them extra hands

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?

i don't have any but i do feel like it would be a waist of money for something that would only get used once in a blue moon.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?

i haven't done this though i might for free shipping depending on how much i would have to add to my basket.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".

hmm this is a hard question for me to answer i quite often when i see a doll i like and have money for it will put it in the basket (plus any other items i might buy if i got the doll) and then check out the shipping only to go
"you know what this doll can wait" and so i don't buy it at that moment.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?

if i really had no other choice i could sell them and i would keep my Soom R.Amber and Dollzone Finggo, because unlike them all the other dolls are basic sculpts and not limited so i could one day buy them again
it would pain me greatly but i could do it.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?

i thought at first that yes i could be happy with only one or two dolls but now i realize that i like have a selection of dolls as each has their own quirks and personality's and allow me to visualize my characters and
ideas

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?

i like what i like and i don't like what i don't like, a sculpt being popular or limited has little to no impact on whether i would buy it or not. i don't really care about how other view doll sculpts unless
their being rude to those that either have limited/popular sculpts or not.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?

i would buy Soom Amber she usually sell's on the second hand market for around about $1200

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?

i have rough estimate on how much i have spent but that had little to do with keeping track of my spending on the hobby and more to do with me liking to know how much money i have at
all time, i have a little sticky note on my desktop with how much i have in the bank and what came out or went in that month, just so i can make sure i don't over spend.

 

Interesting topic, and it's been fun reading the replies so here's mine:

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?

I look at the company first. I'm doing okay fnancially so it it's something I can buy directly from the artist or company responsible for it I prefer that. I will definitely look at second hand for anything out of production, rare, or custom.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?

I have a variety of hands and if available I buy them at the same time that I get the doll. No sleeping faces yet but I would probably have bought it if one had been available for my dolls at the time.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?

I only have hands and I change them quite a bit. Not daily but a couple of times a week at least, or for specific photo's. The sleeping face I have definitely wished I had for a few pictures but I don't like to pull my dolls heads off unnecessarily so I probably would hardly use them.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?

Yes, and yes I know it's a merchandizing trick but I'm not buying things I don't want just to top off my order. I don't feel seduced by it or taken advantage of. I won't add something I am iffy about just for the free shipping.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".

Not so far but price and value do matter, I'm not going to spend more than I think something is worth. And by worth I don't mean just material value and labor, if I want something badly enough that's part of it's value too.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?

Yeah, I could, and I would keep my Dollfie Dream Aoi (named Kiriko). She was my first doll, and for a few months my only doll, and still the one I feel most bonded to.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?

Yes, see above. I could but don't need to right now. I like my Aoi best but my three girls all have unique characters, dress differently, and that's part of the fun for me.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?

I don't dislike popular sculpts but I prefer rare or unpopular things in all my hobbies. I'm not bothered at all with other people's preferences, even the ones who hate what I love.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?

So far I have no idea, I am pretty happy with what I have. I guess I would probably buy a Dollfie Dreams Yoko Littner if I had money to burn but it's not something I am yearning for.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?

No, I'm thrifty enough that so far I don't really feel the need to tally up my spending on this particular hobby. And I have a very long way to go before I come anywhere near what I've spent on motorcycle gear in the last 20 years. As for comments I am lucky in that the people I know understand that it's none of their business how I spend money. Aside from my wife of course, but she has a severe yarn addiction and her own massive hobby budget.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I usually stroll through the secondhand marked first, I might get it a bit cheaper or faster....or maybe with some extras (clothing/eye's/face up)

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
If the company has that option, then yes. I like the possibility's it brings.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
Yes, and no. I have several extra hands and feet, but only one sleeping face. The feet and hands are usually changed depending on a pose, or clothing I want them to wear. But I have yet to use the sleeping face, but I might one day....never know. But I have never regretted getting them

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
Yes, and yes. I know it's a trick to get me to spend just a little more, so I weigh it against the event/free shipping. It simply depend on what it is, if it is a item I want then Il put a few more items in the basket, items I usually give away as gifts to friends. Sometimes Il host a group order if the get item X cost a little more (Il still specify that I'm doing the order to get item X/free shipping)

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Yes, I prefer to weigh in on what the doll cost and how much I want it. Sometimes the doll is nice to have, but it does not call out to me and I let it pass.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
If I really needed the money, then yes. I have one that I would never sell no matter what

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I would be happy with one, but probably a bit bored. I like the diversity of my collection, the different body's, styles and head molds. They allow me more divarication in my story's. So instead of several different dolls to dress up, I would have one single (and spoiled rotten) doll

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I simply cannot bring my self to care if the doll is popular, rare, limited, off the shelf available.....what matters to me is if I like it. If some people simply wants a doll because it's rare or limited then it is their choice, what ever makes them happy....

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Good question....right now, none. I have all the dolls I want right now....almost, there is always room for a few more, but there is no one I want right now. But I do have friends with a tougher economy then me, so I would probably ask what I could get for them (somewhere around 700-1000$ I would guess)

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
Nope....It's a hobby, and I really do not want to know. My economy is not suffering from it and I am able to save money each month so I'm good. The only comment I get is that I cannot complain about the cost of other people's hobby's, as I spend a lot on mine (bjd, cosplay, books)

 

1° I've found a doll on the secondary market

2° I only save up to ball-jointed hands for my doll, it's more profitably to me

5° Yeah

6° I don't have many dolls so I won't sell them

7° I am happy with one doll now :3

9° I would purchase a lot of Custom House dolls ** Rare and expensive.

10° Yes. I have to limit myself. People think I'm freaky due to finansial side of my hobby.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I do both, for different reasons. If I am really keen on a doll that has just come out, or if it is limited, then I buy straight from the company. But if I am in no hurry, I look at the MP. I am always on the look-out for sellers within Europe, because I could have bought several not-so-cheap dolls with all the money I have been forced to give to customs :p. Another thing I like about the MP is - well, you get to adopt a doll that needs a new home. There is something extra nice about giving a new home to someone else's dollie.

2° Do you immediately order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
Guilty as charged. Thing is, most of the dolls that take my fancy don't have sleeping faces. I always regret that. So when I buy a doll for which a sleeping face is on offer, I get it, because I know I'll regret not buying it when I had the chance.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
Ah. Well. Let's say that if they are not faceplates, they sometimes end up asking for their own bodies... I, uh, like having extra heads? I became paranoid after I dropped one of my darlings' heads while spraying MSC. And I'm not a careless sort of person! So I thought, if this happens so easily, I'd better make sure I have replacement heads for some of my less-easily-obtainable dolls. And no, I don't regret buying them at all, even if I have never head to use one because I broke the other version. I like being able to vary the face-ups, too. As for "using them enough to justify the purchase" - I'd say it is the stress-relief function that justifies the purchase for me :p.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
Did that once, yes. I bought extra hands . I try to pay attention to this sort of thing, but I don't regret that one time I gave in. I'm happy to have those hands.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Oh, all the time. I have a lot of dolls, but there are even more dolls that I haven't bought because I thought they were really too expensive. Somehow I feel I won't be able to enjoy them as much if they came with a price tag that I think 'too much'. (My limit price tag without shipping is $500.)

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
I don't think I'd be able to do it, honestly. Maybe there are one or two I could part with without too much pain, but I couldn't even downsize to ten, I don't think.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I suppose so, if I'd never bought a second one... He'd just be super spoiled. (Yes, it would be a he.) It's just really difficult for me to part with a doll once I have owned it.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I don't really care about how popular a sculpt is - I have a Supia Rosy! I didn't buy her because she was popular; I bought her because I fell in love with her. That goes in both directions: I wouldn't buy a doll that was rare just because it was rare, I'd buy it because I really loved it or because it would be perfect for one of my characters.
As for other people's attitudes, those are entirely their own business.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Hah! I think I'd buy anything between Yo-SD and SD size made by Gu Mi-Jeong/MyDolling. My first purchase would be her Jeanne ($580 without shipping, not to mention customs).

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
I, uh, made a list once of the total price tag for each of my dolls (just the dolls - head and body [+customs], none of the clothes and eyes and wigs and stuff), back when I had fifteen or so, and it was so frightening that I decided I really didn't want to know. So I stopped. I would never go into debt over a doll, and I've never had to eat less because I'd spent my money for food on dolls, so I tell myself that as long as I don't do anything stupid, it's okay. I don't keep track of how much I spend on comics, or DVDs, or painting material either, so...
But yes, I do hate it when people comment on how much I decide to spend on dolls. I met another BJD owner at a bear and doll fair once who basically said, in a rather rude way, that I must be ridiculously rich to have that many BJDs (I had three at the time; I don't want to think what names she'd call me if she knew I have twenty now). Well, I'm not ridiculously rich. But I don't have a car, an iPhone or a game console, and no children to put through school. All that I've spent on dolls I have earned through honest work, and it's really nobody's business what I do with my own funds. -Urgh. I still get angry when I think of that woman.

 

I'll do my best ~

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why? I first look on the secondhand market when I want a doll. I search if there are lowest prices, artist makeup, and quick sending. And if I don't find any of those elements, I buy to the company.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase? Mmmh ... No I don't, but for dolls with faceplates systems (like Unoa or Narae), I have to admit that I'm tempted !! I might buy a sleeping face, just because it looks so sweet.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them? I don't really use them but I don't regret my purchase... Because it's not really expensive and it's like a second face of a same doll.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this? I never did that because the most of the time, I never order during event (it could be longer to produce the doll...). But I was on Group Order for event, it's good opportunities to get free shipping fees >w<

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass". Oh yes sure ! Some mold are really expensive, even if I like them. This hobby is kind of hard sometimes, but I deal with it !

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one? Yes, I would be able to do it, and I did by the past... Because BJD is an hobby, and life is really hard and need to make sacrifices about hobbies...

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why? Oh yes I could be happy, and I'm actually happy at this day, with my only doll I don't know if I'll get an other one day.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude? I don't mind about popular or not, it's just about my tastes. And I'm not bothered neither by this attitude.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost? My dream doll : dollshe Bermann, about ... 1500$ I guess ? Or Volks Yugiri, same price ahah;;

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby? Yes, as it's an expensive hobby, people is mostly against that. But they just don't realise that any hobby is expensive and some kind of 'useless' ! Everybody waste a lot of time for their passions, BJD is just one of them, like golf, painting, anything...

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I actually prefer to buy dolls secondhand, because I know already beforehand, what I will get.
Buying dolls from companies (especially when they are new releases) means you have to trust only the few pictures the company put up on their sites, which look (sadly) not ever exactly the same, as the doll you will get.
Companies sometimes like to photoshop their own dolls/skintowns/eyes etc. to make them more appealing to the customer and that's why I don't have that much trust in those photos.
But, if a doll is still available from the company and I get the chance to see the doll beforehand in 'real', I also would buy from the company directly. ^^

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
Sleeping heads not, even though I get tempted by the 'romatic versions' sometimes.
Though that is something that I maybe would purchase later on, when the opportunity arrives.
Hands are a different matter.
I love jointed hands alot, because they make dolls more expressive and if I have the chance of ordering them together I surely would.
I hope one day, I can get jointed hands for most of my dolls.
It also is great, because I won't really need extra handparts.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I won't miss the sleeping/romatic faces. Though it is a nice 'extra', but not necessary.
But if I decided to buy them, I would use them for sure too, otherwise I would avoid the purchase.
I totally would regret not getting jointed hands, if I would have the opportunity. xD

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
I was thinking it a few times, yes.
But I only would do that, if the event items actually appeal to me.
Otherwise I wouldn't buy anything extra, just so I could reach the amount.
Actually I would join a group order then, so someone else, who really wanted the event items, could reach the amount needed.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Yes, my grail doll actually.
(Volks is all I have to say to this matter )
Its hard to justify that amount of money, though I really would like to own her one day.
I think I would make a saving account just for her instead then and after I reach the amount there, I know it is for this doll only and nothing else.
So no bad feelings about it. ^^

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
I thought about it: If I could sell all my dolls, to buy my grail doll...and I figured, I couldn't.
They are all too special for me, I could never part with them for any reason.
If it couldn't be avoided, I would stay with my first doll.
He really would deserve that special place, as my only doll, because he helps me alot through the tough days.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
If I only bought this one doll, my first doll and never thought about getting the others (which are part of a story, I write), then yes.
Without any problem even.
I would be really happy with just this one.
The little smile he has and his cuteness cheers me up every day already.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
It doesn't bother me that much, if a doll/sculpt is rare or popular.
Though its funny, that I own like 1 half unpopular sculpts and the rest are more popular.
But they have one thing in common, because they are all limiteds.
I really don't know what's with me and limiteds...I just fall in love with them.
I surely don't think that I buy any sculpt, because its popular/limited or not.
But because I really love it.
I realized in the beginning already, that choosing cheaper and easier available sculpts over the ones that I really want,
won't make me happy.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
That would surely be my grail. ^^
But the prices on the second hand market vary alot.
Lets say its a $1500+ doll.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
Yes. I have a book, where I keep track of the amounts I spend on the hobby, so I won't overdo.
It also helps me to focus on the things I really need/want, over those I just feel a short passion over.
Though my family don't like to see me spending my money on dolls. <<"
(But I think its still better then buying alcohol/cigarettes or thousand of clothes/shoes I never would use anyway.)

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
Both, depending on availability. I have quite a few sculpts that are no longer available straight from the company, so in those cases second hand really was my only option. I've had a few pretty good deals too with artist's faceups, free shipping or just buying within the EU and thus avoiding the dreaded customs. However, I much prefer buying straight from the company because a. I like brand new dolls that were made just for me and b. I like to send my funds directly to the creators.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
Sleeping faces not so much, only for certain characters or certain sculpts where I happen to really like the sleeping version. Hands, yes. Especially in the case of my Fairyland crew, because they're so easy to exchange and add a lot of versatility to photoshoots. I don't order them every time though, the guys can share!

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
This is why I don't often get the SP, I can't justify the cost since I use them so little. Hands, definitely yes. As stated above I love the versatility. I'm also rather big on hybrids and I tend to use extra pairs of hands for bodies I don't like the default hands on.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
Definitely, but only if I really want the event item (getting one to sell on has seriously bitten me in the behind once and so I don't do that anymore) or if I can get more stuff instead of having to pay about the same in shipping. For instance, if the shipping fee is $42 and I only need $44 more for free shipping, then I think it only makes sense to get more items. And yes, of course it's a trick, but I don't look at it that way if spending an extra sum will get me a doll for free that is six times that value and that I would have eventually purchased otherwise (hello, Luts MyChoice event )

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Oh yes, several times. This is why it took me so long to get my first Megu, I could never find her (head) for a price I was willing to pay. It's also why I don't have a Saki head yet.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
This would be ridiculously hard, but if for some reason I had to, then there would be nothing else for it I suppose. I would fight like a maniac to keep at least Bailey (Megu-Feeple60 hybrid) and one other, though. Which doll that would be I don't know, my fave after Bailey tends to vary a lot.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Sometimes I think about what it would be like to only have one doll and spoil the hell out of it. But I would buy more dolls within moments, because I just love the variety and all the endless possibilities. And I'm interested to see what dolls from all sorts of companies are like, so then I'd forever be buying and selling. Not to mention the fact that all my characters are part of families, couples etc. etc. and so I would feel bad that their friends and family aren't here.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I have anything between very rare (GUUdoll Nao-Naixu) and extremely popular (Minifee Chloe), because I get dolls solely based on how much I like them. If I think it's beautiful or perfect for a character or both, it's coming home. I'm not necessarily bothered by people with this attitude, as long as they don't judge others on their choices. Whatever floats your boat, you know

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Unlimited? So dangerous! Bodies for a few girls and boys aside; a tan Minifee Karsh, a Volks Saki head and body of choice (undecided) and most likely Lillycat Ellana.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
I'd rather not freak myself out, lol. I know it's a lot and I don't care because it's what I love to spend that money on the most right now. I pay my bills and everything else, then I have a doll fund and some recycled doll money from sales. People have commented on it in the past, usually the same people who don't understand the appeal (and then they do spend the same amount on a gadget or something) or those that think I have too many dolls, but it's really none of their business. My husband is the only one who gets a say, quite obviously

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I usually do look secondhand for good deals, but unless I can get the doll significantly cheaper, faster or on a better layaway plan than the company or dealer would offer, then I'll buy new.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
Nope. Most of the dolls I own don't have a sleeping version, and I wouldn't use it much anyway. I usually only buy extra hands if the originals are damaged, a pose I don't like or feel too small for the body. The only thing I regularly add to an order is high heel feet if it's a girl who will use them.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I think it would be cute to have a sleeping face, and Jack has an extra set of hands that came with him, but I don't think I'd use it enough to justify the extra cost.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
I worked retail for 7 years and was management for 6 of that, so yeah, I know it's merchandising, but I'm okay with that. If shipping is $60 and I need to spend an extra $30 to get it, it's definitely worth it. Or if spending a little more qualifies me for an event item I can either use or sell for more than I need to spend, totally worth it.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Yes. All of my dolls are shelling my roleplay OCs, and while I'm totally okay spending $600 on the perfect doll for a favorite OC, I usually want to stay under $400 for the less important characters. There's a character I'd love to shell right now, but the only sculpt I've found for him runs $650+, and I just can't justify that on a minor (yet gorgeous) character.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
I couldn't pick. But I could probably narrow it down to 5. It would be extremely hard, but if I HAD to, say, to save my husband or dog, I'd do it. In that case, I'd probably put them all up and just keep whoever was the last one left.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
No. They shell my characters, and I would feel empty without others for them to interact with in photos.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I prefer buying whatever sculpt is best for my character, whether it's the only one from an unpopular company, or the most popular sculpt in the hobby. I think everybody should buy what they want. I like unpopular sculpts because they feel more 'special' to me since you rarely see them, but I also like popular because it's easier to find owner pix and be sure you really want them before buying.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Most of the dolls I'm even considering are under $300. At this point, the collection is mostly done and I'm just looking at babies and kids for existing dolls.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
I know roughly how much I've spent on my current dolls. I've been in the hobby for over 7 years, and keeping track of every single doll related purchase, sale and trade would be impossible! People have commented, but I'm using my own money and not borrowing anything from anybody else, so it's no one's business.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I better like to buy second hand. Best example is my Ringdoll Norman. I was not quite sure if she is the one as I only knew the company face ups - for me its hard to imagine. I could have had him sitting here already but I have not as I did order him after I saw owner pics. And Ringdoll got a delay
so- yes I prefer to buy used cause there you see what you get

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
I don't care about sleeping heads as if I wish to take a pic with a sleeping doll in a bed i kinf of photoshop it. Extrahands? the only Extrahands beside jointed hands I wished to have were camera-holding hands

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I don't have sleeping heads and extra hands. I don't regret I don't have it

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
If I get a discount on a doll I really wish to have and could have clothes for example for $100 and get a discount of $50 and get the doll then ok

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Yes. As I live in a country I have to add 20% custom on top. My Iple Grail for example wasnt $800 it was over $1000 then and my mind thinks "for a doll? are you totally insane?" somehow even if I had the money I could regret it to think how long I have to work for it

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
My heart would break with putting the dolls into the box and bring them to post office. If I had to make this heartbreaking choice I would keep the first guy I received cause he is somebody... yes I say somebody and not something... special to me

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
when I was new in the hobby I thought I could but.. lady needed a guy. the coulple needed friends... and so on. So: NO

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
Even if I have an "everybody has it" doll - mine is special to me as it is mine. I just don't like if people copy my style of tattos or something liket hat. Limited? there is one limited i am longing for but usually I don't care about them if there is not the "click" in the head that thells me I really wish to get it. I just buy dolls I like and don't see limiteds as a kind of "I got a lot of money sitting here and could sell it for more when its sold out". Some people that profile with their full set dolls... I better like dolls with personality than "come out of your box and sit into my shelf to be exensive deko"

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Iplehouse EID Jessica with the Pierrot face up. There was somebody on ebay that had about 40 dolls for sale- she was one of them and I did not get her. cries
I lover he special soft attitide I never found in other Jessicas

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
I got my "Playbook" lol. I write down all i buy and sell for my dolls. Kind of self-control to think "hell I need to write it down- do I really wish to buy it" I fool myself and control myself with this

 

Yes, I like to consider all my options. I've bought both used and directly from the company depending on the situation.

No, these generally don't interest me.

As above.

No. Buying things I don't need to "save" money is a waste. For an event I would look into splitting an order rather than purchasing things I don't want.

My spending pattern is a little different than this, because I choose a doll and then save for it rather than having money lying around and looking for a doll to spend it on. But yes, there are some dolls I think are nice but are more than I'd be willing to spend.

If I truly had to, then sure. It would be disappointing but I'd live. I'm not sure who I'd pick and would have to think about it.

Sure. I was happy when I had no dolls, so why not with one?

That's not my ideal collecting style, though, because I design elaborate characters for my dolls and use them as avatars for stories, and stories are more fun if there's some interaction.

No, I don't feel that way. It doesn't bother me if other people do, because we all have different tastes. It only bothers me if they put down my taste in the process, because that's rude.

Having unlimited resources wouldn't change my plans, just make them happen a bit faster.

No, it doesn't make sense to me to do that. I budget monthly and yearly, and give myself a certain amount of "fun money" as my entertainment budget. Sometimes I choose to spend it on doll stuff, sometimes on other things.

It wouldn't make any more sense to me to try to figure out how much I've spent on dolls in total than to figure out, say, how much I've spent on going to the movies in the past ten years. It wouldn't help me budget or tell me about my financial health.

As long as I don't overspend my budget, fun money is fun money and I don't think doll collecting is different than any other recreation activity.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I generally do not go looking for a specific sculpt. I usually see a face that intrigues me and am seduced by that cute smile or that shy look. I have bought both second hand and from the company. Occasionally I go looking for a doll that I have seen online and like, but it is the exception rather than the rule for me.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
No, I have ordered extra hands for only one doll although I have later gone back to buy a mechanical arm and jointed hands for another. Otherwise my dolls have the hands they come with unless purchased second hand with extra hands.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them? The extra hands I bought with the doll I have not used because the stringing is very tight and I am concerned about damaging the doll. The mechanical arm and jointed hands for the others I have used repeatedly. The extra hands were a minimal cost, and I don't regret it. With the mechanical arm and jointed hands I like them both and don't mind the price.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this? I know this is a merchandising trick and only do that if I am purchasing a complete doll or making a large purchase. I won't do it unless the difference between my purchase and the qualifying amount is fairly small. For individual clothes or smaller purchases, I do not.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass". Yes. I looked at a beautiful doll last summer and really wanted her. I could see a lot of things I could do with her. But the cost was high for my tastes (alm0st $2,000) and didn't even include shipping. Although I may have that amount available from time to time, I have a hard time paying that kind of mone for a doll.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one? That would be difficult. I have dolls that I like for different reasons. Right now my favorite doll is my familiar by demiurge that I received last winter. He is the simplest doll I have but has a wonderful cheery face and I do something with him every day. I have other dolls I plan to sell because I liked them when I saw them but either can't figure out what to do with them or didn't like them as well when they arrived.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why? Even when I was little, I had multiple dolls. They were my doll family. I could do with many less than I have right now, but I'm not sure I would be happy with only one.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude? I buy what I like. I have no problems purchasing a popular sculpt and usually enjoy them as much as the limited dolls I have. I don't have a lot that I would consider rare, but I would rather have something that I love and enjoy than to have a doll considered rare and not enjoy it.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost? The doll I mentioned above was Newkiri (spelling?) and I would buy her and a few of the Kaye Wiggs handpainted dolls.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby? Fortunately, I am single and live alone. I haven't kept track of what I have spent although it was certainly more than I intended, but I rarely have visitors to make comments. I have a couple of dolly friends who have made remarks about my dolls, but I think they are jealous and disregard them.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
first look at marketplace and hope I like an offer (lower price, special or hard to find), 2. company (the waiting time does not matter for me)

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
No, I would not use it.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I have nothing but a few hands in a box, I have not paid this and never use.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
no, only if I wanted it to.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Yes, I can't invest all my money in a doll...
6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
No, never, i love my dolls and this hobby. There are much other things to sell first...

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
No, because I not only have one doll. If only I have one doll and never bought more dolls, then yes but its to late ^-^

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
No, I buy what I like. What other people buy, I do not care, they will have reasons, i think. It's their own business.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Luts Joe, Breakaway, Shiwoo OE, Cian, Lishe Boy, Woosoo, Crobi Lance, Dante, Volks F40, Okita Souji (the older, younger version), F28, Tsunenaga Hasekura and much more I think...
But then I also need more space and time, so I would not buy so many more.
Realistic: maybe I buy Joe and Lance, they cost normal dollprices.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
Yes, because I like to know. No (And If anyone comment this: Its my hobby and my thing what I do with MY MONEY.)

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I absolutely check the secondhand market, import fees in Belgium can run up to 30% op the price of the doll (including shipping) so if I can find the doll I want in mint condition on the secondhand market within the EU, I will prefer that one, and no x weeks waiting time helps too!
2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
Nope, see question below...
3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands, I probably used them once... some I actually never used, so unless they are included for free, I don't bother as I know I do not use them enough.
4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
Guilty! But I do this when buying anything online really... I will gladly spend another 50$ to avoid 10$ shipping costs. And yes I realise this is a trick.
5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Absolutely... 2500$ for a doll? No thanks...
6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
I hope I never come across that situation! I have thought about it theoretically but I can't pick "the one".
7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
If life would force me down that path, I will have to be happy with just one.
8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I have really no idea which sculpts are popular, I just go for sculpts that appeal to me. I have limited dolls, but I purchased them because I liked them. I would still have done it if they were not limited at all... I guess I just have a knack for picking out limited sculpts.
9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I probably would add some porcelain artist BJDs... I saw one go for plus 8000$ ... Not sure if I would dare touch it. LOL
10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
PayPal keeps track for me, so I could probably find out how much I spent in total, but I prefer to be in denial. Yes, all non-dolly people comment about it.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
If I can, I always check the secondhand market first. Italian custom taxes are quite high and also items tends to pass a lot of time stuck in their offices, so when I can I prefer to buy from other European users. Also, some of my dolls were unavailable from the company and I had to find them secondhand.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?

No. I have extra hands only for my Withdoll ones (because they are included by default) but I regret not having ordered extra flat feet for my Dollmore Catish Reaa (that came only with heel ones).

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?

Actually, I still haven't used my Withdoll extra hands, but they were included, so no problem...

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?

No. I tend to buy in a really surgical way, when it comes to dolls.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".

It happened to me a couple of months ago. I saved a good amount of money for an upcoming doll I supposed was going to be priced a certain sum, but when I discovered it was going to cost the 60% more I passed, even if I had enough money at the time.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?

It will be a real pain for me, but if the reason is really important and pressing I think I'll manage to keep only one doll. I'll keep the first one, the most spoiled and the one that made me into MSDs, Dahlia, my Catish Reaa.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?

Maybe not. I really like to have both girl and boy dolls...

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
A Simply Divine Harlequin. Only the head is around 200$.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?

Only in a ball-park misure, to remind me to think and think again before making impulse buys. My husband is quite puzzled by the amount of money this hobby requires...

 

Ahh this is something that's been on my mind a lot lately as I've been trying to trim down my collection a bit and reorganize/move on stuff I don't use XD

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I do browse the marketplace quite frequently, however I find that with Fairyland dolls (which I mostly collect) the second hand prices are rarely a deal with non-standard, currently available dolls still going for brand new prices or more! In those cases I'll just order direct... I also like the new dolly high I get from opening a big shiny box after months of waiting! It seems so much more gratifying somehow.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
I have ordered sleeping heads in the past but I never use them so I've sold them all. Option hands (and heeled feet) however I do use, as long as they're easy to change.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I guess I kinda answered that one already, but I will elaborate that only having sleeping heads for some dolls and not all, either because I didn't want to spend the money or they just weren't available, drove my OCD tendencies nuts. I'm better off having none than some.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
I have a love/hate relationship with events. I realize it's a merchandizing trick but at the same time I do appreciate getting a bit more for my money. I don't order things during an event that I don't actually want, it's more like I'll wait to order what I want when there's an event I'd like to participate in. In the case that there's an event item I want but nothing else from the company that I want I'll stalk the second hand market.
Free shipping though.... That I will always strive to get if it's available. I'd rather spend $100 on stuff to avoid spending $50 on shipping XD

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Quite frequently actually. I've currently been lusting after a certain limited (OT) doll so hard it hurts and even though I have enough money in my PayPal account to buy the one that's on eBay three times over, she's listed for twice what I think she's worth. So I'll wait and bide my time.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
Oh dear, that I'm not sure about. I usually try to keep my collection strictly to non-limiteds but of course there are exceptions. I think I could maybe let go of all but 2 of my BJDs; one SD and one MSD. They're my favourites of the sizes but coincidentally they're also the exceptions to my no limited rule XD. So I could sell the rest if I had to because I know I could replace them eventually

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I want to be that person. I want to be happy with just one doll and spoil them rotten. But unfortunately there are too many things I want to do with them and not all wigs and clothes and eyes look good on the same doll with the same faceup. Original limit was less than 20, trying to get myself below 15 now, and maybe down to 10...

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I really couldn't care less about purchasing dolls based on what other people's preferences are. I have sculpts that are very popular and a few that most people wouldn't recognize. I love them because I love - them not based on how limited or rare they are. I do know people who seem to collect only limiteds/rares and I can't help but think that's unnecessarily expensive and wonder if they don't just get caught up in the hype of scoring that doll before it's gone. But it's not my collection and as long as they're happy that's all that matters, I certainly don't judge them for it

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Ohh I would buy a Soom Beryl to turn into my Draenei shaman from World of Warcraft. I can't justify the cost of that doll for something that would essentially be a really cool project while I was working on it but then turn into a display item I wouldn't do much with XD

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
Nope I sure don't! That's a figure I don't want to know because I might start feeling guilty about a hobby that brings me so much enjoyment. I do keep track of all the dolls I order - when I order them, what options I ordered them with, when they shipped, when they arrived and when I sold them if applicable. I just like seeing how the doll family changes over time.

 

What an intriguing topic.

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
Usually after pricing them new, I head to the Marketplace. If it is a regular release doll, there is a chance I will purchase it new. However the majority of my wishlist is discontinued/limited/artisan, so secondhand is almost always the only way to go. Sometimes I get a good deal. And I like a doll with a history.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
While I've sadly never owned such a doll, I've gone through the motions a number of times. Usually I place those items in my cart, estimate the total cost, and evaluate their practicality from there.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
I presume I would get more use out of extra hands than faces. The one doll with interchangeable hands I owned usually got his swapped out a few times year. If we're talking magnetic hands like Fairyland's, they would probably be switched more frequently, due to ease.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
I am not rich, nor, at the moment, employed. Therefore I am quite frugal with money. I add up the total cost of all chosen items and evaluate what to spend accordingly. Sometimes I hit the 'free shipping' mark. But it is unlikely I shall spend extra when I could save money overall by purchasing only what is needed.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
All of the time. It hurts to watch grails slip through your fingers, or save up only to change your mind once you get there. But when your income is highly limited, you have to make it stretch.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
I doubt I could sell down to one. I think the bare minimum would be two, due to aesthetic versatility. Interaction can be key to an intriguing photoshoot; owning just one would be inadequate. I would likely find something else to sell before I parted with those two.

I know which they would be. One was a sculpt I loved the instant I saw it. The other shells a character near to my soul. The former was not my first, but ended up being the only doll from my 'original' number I kept. That doll has been through it all. The latter fits the role perfectly.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Unlikely. BJDs are quite visually unique; finding an adequate companion with the same level of articulation would be difficult. Sooner or later I would want to tell stories with similar subjects.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
The only thing which bothers me about popular sculpts is the rate at which you see them. I remember a time when a sculpt from a well-known company swallowed every online gallery. I don't begrudge anyone, including myself, for liking the dolls that they like for the sake of the sculpt. My wishlist and collection are a mixture of fairly well-known and completely obscured sculpts. I judge them purely on posability and aesthetic.

However, I do take dislike to people who buy popular sculpts exclusively for the bragging rights/secondhand market overcharge/snobbery. Really? Where else do you waste your time and money? Grow up.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Oh no. Only one? I'd have to think very hard about that. I'd possibly custom commission something from an artist; have a unique doll made. There is little doubt it would have elf ears and inhuman skin.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
Outside of keeping immediate finances in check, or being able to pull up some good reasons to buy secondhand legit instead of recasted? I go back over rough estimates every now and then, but I don't remain too precise. I think it would scare me. I know I have spent over $5000 at this point on resin alone, and even though that amount is spread over six years, and never in my house at once, it's hard to believe.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
I usually do check for a doll on the MP first, unless it's brand new :3
I mainly do it a) for financial reason and b) because of no waiting times.
Also some dolls were limited or discontinued and hence MP is the only option to get to them.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?
I rarely purchase things like these if they aren't included in the price, as I have no to little use for them.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?
If I HAD a sleeping face it would most likely turn out to get it's own body and be it's own character or an alternate form or shape of that character.
As for hands, I think I only have one doll with a second set of hands and I actually do switch them sometimes if I want him to hold items, because while I can make his 'standart' set of hands work, why not use what I have - especially if it looks better.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?
Yes, but usually I ask friends if they need anything if I myself do not find enough stuff that I actually WANT. Also if I'm going to spend the money anyway (either on shipping or to get an event item that I want from the MP later on), I might as well spend it get something I or my friends can actually use. I'm rather critical when it comes to thinks like this thought :3

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".
Yes, it has happened. Mainly when it came to SD size. Only to realize years later 'thank gods I did not purchase that doll, because apparently I didn't REALLY want it'. I draw this conclusion as I've invested in some dolls by now that were actually slightly more expensive than those dolls back then and so far I've not yet felt any regrets :3

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?
O.O Omg. No. I think I would have massive problems with that. Some dolls I've spent years stalking the MP for and are out of production and super-hard to get. :\

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Mm... No. I enjoy taking pics with 'live' and that's way easier when you have two dolls who can 'interact' with each other.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?
I like what I like and I get what I like. Popularity has nothing to do with it. Also to each their own. Thought I do find it weird if someone claims to only like limited or rare sculpts and think they are tricking themselves into believing it if they are serious about it, but as I said. To each their own. If they are happy with that, they are happy with that :3

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Uh... Right now I'd create a hybrid to built my MSD Gryffin with parts form Luts and some bodies for floating heads and another Souldoll Vito.
The gryffin would probaby be around 500 $ + shipping costs, bodies around 300-400 $ And the Vito slightly over 400 $. That's it. Don't currently have other plans or wishes.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?
Yes, I do. So I sometimes get a reality check and might re-think if I REALLY want and need that new doll that's currently hit my fancy.
Also my parents and some friends to comment on it. But they spent money on other things or save up for things even more expensive and again while they do comment, they also understand that it makes me happy.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?

Yes, I always check the second hand market first. Often I will find better deals or at least lower shipping costs plus I can get the doll much faster. I recently ordered a Lati Yellow off Ebay and she's perfect.


2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase?

I've never ordered a sleeping face and I most likely never would. I like seeing my dolls awake.


3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them?

I've never regretted not getting sleeping faces and I have used the extra hands I've ordered.


4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this?

Oh yes. Just did that recently with Doll Leaves. I wanted the event doll and ordered two other dolls to get the necessary amount. I don't care that it's a merchandising trick. I'll have 3 new dolls.


5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass".

Yes. There are many dolls I'd love to have but can't seem to bring myself to spend that much money. I might go ahead in the future, but for now I'll go with the less expensive dolls.


6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one?

That's a tough one. I could do it if I had to but I'm glad that I don't have to for the present. It would be extremely hard to just pick out one to keep, too.


7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?

I'm glad I don't have to be happy with just one doll, but sometimes I wish I didn't have so many. I suppose I could be happy with just one if I didn't have a choice in the matter.


8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude?

No, I just like to purchase the sculpts that I like. It's fun to have rare dolls if I love them, but if I don't have any, I don't really care. And no, I'm not the least bit bothered by people who like the rare sculpts. Different strokes for different folks.


9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?

Right now I'd like Iplehouse Oscar with the Imperial Guard set. With the doll, wig, outfit, shoes and sword it would be close to $1,000


10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby?

I do keep a data base of all the dolls I buy, including cost, but I haven't kept track of accessories like wigs, shoes, etc. I keep track of them so that if I decide to sell a doll, I'll know how much I paid for it and I'll have all the info at hand. I don't tell people how much I spend on my dolls.


Thanks for these questions. They were fun to answer.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why? Yes, I prefer secondhand to new. That way, I'm giving that doll a new home instead of having a new one be made, it's usually cheaper, and used dolls can sometimes be pretty unique in terms of faceups and such.

2° Do you immediatly order sleeping faces and extra hands for your doll through the company? If so, do you do this for every doll you purchase? I am not too big a fan of sleeping faces for my own collection in particular, though they are very beautiful. Extra hands, I'd rather buy jointed hands for my dolls.

3° If you have dolls with sleeping faces and extra hands: do you actually use them enough to justify the purchase? If not, do you regret getting them? If you don't have the above, do you regret not getting them? I had a doll come with heeled feet and I wished there were a way to not get them, because I new they would never be used. Other than that, I've never gotten extra parts like hands or sleeping faces.

4° Have you ever found yourself looking for extra items to throw in your shopping cart just so you could reach the necessary minimum amount to qualify for an event or free shipping? Do you realize this is a merchandising trick? If so, do you mind being seduced by this? Yes, yes, and yes.

5° Did the cost of a doll ever stop you from actually purchasing it when you had the necessary amount of money? Have you ever thought, "This doll is too expensive, I'll pass". I've never really had enough money at one time and/or wanted an overly expensive doll, really.

6° If for some reason you had to sell your whole collection except for one doll, would you be able to do it? Would you know who to pick? Why choose that one? No, but if I had to chose, it would be my DC hybrid, lewen. Of course she's my only doll at home and, but I love her ridiculously and I've put a lot of effort into her body pushing, customizing, etc.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why? Not really. It's nice to have multiple dolls so they can 'interact' in photo stories and such.

8° Do you dislike purchasing popular sculpts? Do you prefer limited and rare dolls above others? If so, why? If not, are you bothered by people with this attitude? Actually, I'm not a huge fan of most popular sculpts, but if I like it, and want it, I'll get it. Same thing with limited/rare dolls. I don't care what other people think about popular sculpts, as they're buying their own doll and not me.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost? I really want a Merrydollround Mousse. She's only $315 but I don't have that right now.

10° Do you keep track of how much you spent on the hobby so far? Why (not)? Does anyone else ever comment on the financial side of your hobby? Sort of. I have a rough idea in my head but it's probably way off. People tell me it's an expensive hobby and I know that.