Minimalism in the BJD hobby?

For myself, I think it's hard to not want to get things for my dolls, although I am at a point where I have sufficient clothes etc to share between them that I don't really need new stuff. But well...sometimes I do like to buy. Haha.

That aside, I thought I'll point out something that maybe you've not brought up, which is about doll accessories (by this I mean eyes, wigs etc. Not accessories in the conventional sense but things secondary to the dolls itself which are still needed). I personally dislike having extra eyes and wigs. I've kept to the no extra eyes since I hardly change their eyes anyway, but I started hoarding wigs that they don't really wear... times like this, I do wish to be a bit more free of clutter/minimalist (though I won't really use the word minimalist).

Anyway, on to the questions~

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. I like to browse the secondhand market to begin with, and if I can get the doll for a lower price or with extras, or a lower wait time, sure, why not? I don't feel a need to order from the company itself, unless I'm getting a full doll (I usually end up with hybrids, haha).


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. I usually end up selling extra hands that came free if I don't think I'll use them. Half because they take up space, and half because at some point, I usually want to sell things to get a bit more funds for other purchases. If I do get sleeping heads, they will probably be another doll. But I'm not a fan of optional heads...mostly because I don't think I'll use them. Oh. But jointed hands are another question. I do order those if I feel like the character would benefit from jointed hands And I do get heeled feet for my girls.


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?
No, usually. So I don't get the extra options, haha.


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?
Only if I already want the item. If I don't, then probably not, unless the extra item costs less than the shipping I have to pay (rarely happens). Yea, I know it's a merchandising trick. And I don't let it "trick" me if I don't already want items, haha. (Well, I try not 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".
Hmm. Had to pause to think. I don't think I've really had enough money to buy dolls I want from the get-go. Usually it'll take me a while to save (or wait for a paycheck, if I'm working). That aside, I think I passed up quite a few heads when I do have funds, partly because the funds were halfway being saved for another doll (not the one for sale), or because the head was too expensive and I would rather my funds go to the doll I was originally saving for anyway. I try not to impulse purchase things where I can. I have given up on buying certain dolls because they are too expensive to justify, but not while I have funds for them, so that's a different thing.


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?
Ahh, that would be hard. But I think I probably can. I would keep Dennis, because for some reason he's the doll I don't get sick of looking at. The rest of my dolls are a bit more on-off, like I don't really need them around as much as I like having Dennis sit around. He's not the best photo buddy, however.


7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Probably not. I like redoing their faceups once in a while, but not always of the same doll. And I like that different dolls have different styles, which some of the others don't wear. I like them for variety. But if I don't have the means to, I can settle for just one. But I would probably be trying to buy more, haha.


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, except maybe for the fact that wait times would be long if I ordered from the company. Haha. I usually try to avoid limited dolls because I rarely have enough money to buy them except maybe from the secondhand market, but to be honest, that hasn't stopped me. I buy what I like and there is a tendency for them to be somewhat popular because I like seeing owner photos before I buy.

I'm not bothered by people with that attitude,. What they like is what they like. So long as no one tries to force their views onto others, I don't really care what they like.


9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Hmm, A Shiro T. Tan, probably (2k plus). Or a white Breakaway girl (600plus?). But I should probably get my Zaoll dreaming Luv (500plus) first, haha.


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 try to record what I can onto an excel file. But I don't keep track of art/customisation supplies. Mostly for the convenience of knowing how much I've spent (I use excel to calculate the totals) on different items (e.g. clothes, eyes, dolls themselves). My parents do comment, but I try to keep my spending reasonable, and I don't spend much in other areas like my own clothes so they try to understand.

 

1. I love to buy from the mp since I hate waiting for months on end for my precious dolly , and also , who doesn't like a good deal? If I can find someone selling within the EU that is even better because the shipping time is shorter , safer and cheaper , and also no taxes to pay . Plus sometimes you can make a friend that way , so I think there are many advantages . Not to say I never got a BJD straight from the company.
2. I never did order extras of that sort , usually because I can't afford it. I would've loved to get a sleeping face for my delf soony .
3. A little, but I don't dwell on the negative.
4. Yes , I've done that especially when ordering clothes, but it's really feasible in my opinion . Why pay $35 for shipping when I could get an extra wig or shirt for that money and free shipping?
5. Never , because when I really want something I'll save for it . Unless it's Volks Limiteds , I love some of them but am not willing to pay that kind of money.
6. I have 13 dolls and a floating head . At most I would probably be abel to slim it down to 4 or 5 but that wouldn't really feel good.
7. I don't think so , because I like diversity and having options when it comes to who I should photograph.
8. I have some pretty popular sculpts like delf soony or dollzone mo , but I also have some more obscure/unpopular ones like boy&girl Sky2 , ssdf cane ,crobidoll nia etc. so I really don't care either way. People can have whatever opinions they like towards their own collection , as long as they aren't rude it doesn't bother me.
9. I would get some Volks sculpts that I love but can't afford(600-2500 for the heads), 3 minifees and a soom chrom.
10. I keep approximate track of what I've spent , but so far I am sure it is not more than $10.000 including shipping, taxes , clothes and accessories.

 

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 for the doll I want on the secondhand market, but if the price difference isn't drastic enough for me I go to the company just so I can have documentation to prove the doll is real if I need to.

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 never ordered or owned a sleeping faceplate, but I do sometimes order extra hands. All my dolls are the same size and company, so I don't need to purchase extra hands with every doll. The extra hands I ordered with the earlier ones can be used for all of 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 use the extra hands pretty often, yes! I think they were worth the money, even the pairs I spent $100+ to buy. I think they add a whole new level of expression to the poses when you change their hands out.

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 actually never done that. I have a set budget when I go to buy a doll or doll items, and I never go over that amount or add extra things, specially not to reach any sales minimum.

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".
Nope! If I love a doll enough to put it on my wishlist even knowing its price, I buy it when I have the money.

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 only have one doll currently, so this question doesn't really apply to me. :P

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I have only one doll now and I'm happy, but I would honestly be happier with two because I enjoy the interaction between 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?
I like what I like, which often times are popular sculpts. I don't like them because they're popular, I like them because they visibly appeal to my aesthetic. I'm not bothered with the dolls other people chose to collect or their reasons for doing so, it really has nothing to do with me.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Even with the limited resources I have, the doll I would purchase is the same. A Volks SD F-60 (Coco) with a specific FCS body combo in Normal Skin. She costs about $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?
Yes, I certainly do! I keep a spreadsheet of everything I have bought and sold to see how much money I dump into the hobby and how much I get back when I chose to sell some of the items later on. It keeps me level-headed about expenses, as well as lets me easily inventory the items I have and how much money I have tied up in doll items should I need to liquidate things for some reason or another.

 

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 would prefer to look at the secondhand market for dolls just because they tend to be less expensive, and most people who own dolls really care for 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 haven't actually thought about sleeping faces for dolls (I am very new to the hobby), but I don't think I would do too much concerning sleeping faces unless I had a specific photoshoot/idea I wanted to do with 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?
N/A

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 don't usually fall for it, mostly because the amount of money I am already spending on the doll is a lot, and spending more all at the same time probably would freak me out.

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".
No so far.


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?
Probably my first doll, my first of anything I tend to be the closest to!

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

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 to order sculpts/dolls that I like, irregardless of their popularity/rarity.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I don't know! So many options!

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 on a two month basis or so, just so I can lay out plans that will cost me money in the future.

 

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 I just go straight to the dealer/company. If the doll isn't available anymore then I keep an eye out for it on the market.
The reason I do this is because it would be a stretch to find the exact doll I want on the secondhand market, when I could save time and buy it directly from the company.

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?
No, so far I haven't ordered any sleeping faces or extra hands for my doll. I don't necessarily need them, but if I do then I can always buy them later.

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 no use for a sleeping face, so no I have never regretted not purchasing one.

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 do this if I'm close enough to the free shipping. For dolls I don't mind it, for sites like Amazon I do.

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".
If I had the necessary amount of money then I would of known beforehand how expensive the doll is.

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?
Sometimes I think about doing that, but when it comes down to it I wouldn't be able to part with them.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I was happy with my first doll, and then I began to discover more dolls and my collection grew.

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?
If I like a sculpt I'm going to buy it, regardless if it's popular or not. I don't pay attention to people with that attitude because it's not like I can control how they think?

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
This is a hard choice and I really don't have an answer.

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 my paypal records and bank statements. I don't tell people outside of the hobby about how much I spend on my dolls, it's really none of their 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 always check the marketplace as well as lots of sites found on the web, etc to see what's happening. I've bought dolls directly from the company, from a retailer like Mint on Card, and from the MP. Before I buy a doll I always do a search for images because I like to see different visions for the doll.

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 bought a sleeping face but I do buy hands and high heel feet. And I do change them out enough to to justify the cost. It seems to give me a new, fresh outlook on the doll.

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?
No regrets!

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, I do add on now and then. Sometimes it's just so I can justify the high international shipping costs. In fact the high shipping costs and the long waits are making it much more desirable for me to buy from the MP. But I avoid dolls that have been marked up way above the current price new. The huge markups just don't sit well with me.

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. More times than I would like.

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 could do it if I could keep one body and about ten heads that fit it. It'd be pretty hard for me to keep just one.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
No. I like to have at least two or, even better, a small group of around five. I like to make collections of clothes and then pose the dolls in interesting groups.

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 go for what I like and don't care about its popularity or how rare it is - until it comes time to let one go. Then I wish I had considered the resale market. To be honest I do consider resale more now than I did in the beginning. I don't care about the attitudes people have about their dolls but I absolutely prefer people who are ultra creative.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Popovoy Sisters and BJ Tales for sure. Both are at least $800 and then some.

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?[/B]
No, but I'm starting to make most of my accessories. Like mohair wigs, leather shoes, props, etc. I can't afford to buy the things I like but Then I enjoy the creative process a lot so I receive a lot of satisfaction from making things myself. My husband is wonderful and hardly ever says anything. My kids think the hobby is scary but they don't make comments about costs.

 

I admire minimalism in its many forms, but am too much of a magpie to actually live that way.

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'm a sale shopper in most things, dolls and hobbies are no exception. Plus, I'm more comfortable with secondhand--kinda like when you buy a new car, until that first scratch or ding happens it's a fragile thing; once the bloom is off the rose, so to speak, you can actually get comfortable with the car. Possibly dolls are like that, 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?
I like the options of extra hands (no experience with extra faces) but since I don't use them as often as I thought I would, it's not an automatic purchase. But it's a nice perk!


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?
See above I don't regret having them, but so far I haven't spent extra to get them, either.

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?
Fully aware of it (just like POP displays at the store) and usually buy into it when something like a gift, additional discount, or free shipping is on the line. But I try to consider whether I really was going to buy the other items anyway and whether it's a good enough deal now versus just buying to top off the cart. I've been known to delete an entire cart after too much of that reflection!

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".
Yup! But it's not a set threshhold, just a feeling of 'wait, no, that's too much'.

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?
Probably. And it'd be the first one that stays--there's just a special bond with my first doll that I wouldn't be able to give her up over all the others.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Maybe? I like stuff, though, so I don't think it'd last long. Either I'd throw myself into accumulating more stuff for the one doll, or succumb to more dolls to keep her company.

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?
Doesn't matter so much whether the sculpt is popular, it's whether or not the sculpt appeals to me. If someone really loves a sculpt but refuses to buy it because of it's popularity or commonality, the phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face" comes to mind.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Not a clue!

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?
Not really... I know in general terms for the dolls themselves and can do the quick math. The other bits and bobs that go with them, though? That gets a bit trickier. As to others throwing shade? As long as my bills are paid, it's really none of their business what my hobbies cost me or don't! So far no one has said anything and my husband doesn't mind--he's the only one I'd be remotely concerned with, but he has expensive hobbies, too. We get each other.

 

It occured to me, that once long ago I had a very low salary and though there ware debts to pay and dolls taken on layaway I was pretty much content with choises I make.
Now I have more free funds and I can afford a doll almost every month. And I noticed that I first buy and then think whether I need this new doll or not.

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
Nope. In my country it doesn't make any sence to do so. Because aftermarket sellers make the price the same as official seller. The doll is not new, but you get it fast. And most of people see it as an advantage.

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?
Only if I need them. Which I rarely do...

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?
Sometimes I purchase sleeping face to modify it and make it romantic. In that case - yes, because the doll uses this face all the time.

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?
Nope) Normally I reach event amount as it is (which isn't a good thing anyway ^__^))) Or I find a split partner.

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, but I purchased theese dolls later if I really wanted them anyway.

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 would choose my first doll, who still is the most beloved one. However he has a family and I would need to keep them too.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Nooo... Because I'm crazy)

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?
Yes. From time to time I stop myself from buying some molds because I see them everywhere and that's annoying.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I think the problem isn't the money. The problem is, the doll I realy want and can't get is a rare limited edition out of stock. So...even if I had unlimited money there's no seller willing to sell one.

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?
Not really. Because the amount is realy enormous Why scare my self, if I can be happy not knowing 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 do check the DoA marketplace for nearly everything but I buy from the company if I can't find it in the marketplace/from a seller in my country.

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?
If given the opportunity, then yes. It gives the doll more expressiveness for photos, in my opinion. I'm not sure if I would do it for every doll but I would certainly want to do so for a few.

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 extra hands for my doll and I switch them out often enough that I do not think it is a waste. I kind of regret not buying more extra hands, they're so convenient and I love having the option to change them.
A sleeping head would be nice too but that's a big purchase and I'm not sure I'll ever get one.

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 but if I can't find enough things that I really really want I don't actually purchase anything. I do realize that it is a marketing trick and that's part of what makes me not want to buy anything in the end.

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".
Just once that I can remember, it was for a first-edition fullset Yo-SD Megu in the marketplace a few years ago (the seller was asking nearly $1000).

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 only have one doll right now but if I had all the dolls on my wishlist I don't think that I would be able to do it. If I had to pick one though, I'd stay with my current/first doll because she was my first one and will always be the favorite.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I'm pretty happy with my current, one doll and if I could never get another doll I guess that would be fine because then I would have more space/money to spoil her with, but I do want to get her sisters someday.

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 look at/think about the popularity of a sculpt when thinking about whether or not I'm going to buy it, so no I don't dislike buying popular sculpts. I do not prefer limited or rare dolls above other dolls but if given the opportunity to purchase a limited/rare doll that I've been searching and saving for then I would purchase it over a standard doll that I also want because I could just save up again and buy the standard doll later. I'm not bothered by people who like limited/rare dolls more than standards for the most part but it does bother me when people say that standards are "not good dolls" simply because they are not limited.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Probably a first edition VOLKS Megu or a Taisho Roman Megu, I'm not sure how much she would cost as I haven't seen any for sale.

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 did for a while, and I certainly think about it before every big purchase but right now I'm not entirely sure about the total spent since I started this hobby though, I'm not quite sure why I don't keep track of every purchase somewhere (probably because you don't always get a receipt with stuff). Yes, EVERYONE comments on the financial side of this hobby, even friends to random people on the street and it gets annoying after a while considering those same people have much more expensive hobbies.

 

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! I buy second hand a lot, actually. If I can't find what I want there, then I'll buy it from the company.

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?
I have one doll with a sleeping head.I bought it as a spare because I knew I was modding him. I think of it as a backup head. I have lots of dolls 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?
I use the extra hands for photo shoots so I do find them useful. I haven't needed the sleeping face (because I managed not to screw up the mod). I'll probably modify it as well and use it for photos.

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?
You know, I never seem to catch those free shipping promos! I just buy what I want and check out.

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".
No. If I want it, I want 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?
Buh. That would be really hard. I think I'd pick my Twigling Eloy because he's not really connected to any of the other dolls and he is beautiful. I would miss the rest of them terribly though.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I guess that one doll would have a lot of stuff! But I don't think I'd 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?
Not at all! I just like whatever dolls I like and that's it.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
None of the dolls on my wishlist are that pricey. I'd probably just buy a whole lot of clothes!

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 don't want to know!

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
Half and half for me. I have a lot of hybrids, and Volks is my favorite company, so second-hand is often necessary.

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?
Hands: yes. I buy extra hands whenever possible.

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?
Yep! I change out hands constantly to suit the pose/shoot I'm working with at the time. I've laways kicked myself when I passed on option hands.

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?
Nope. I only buy things I wanted anyway. I do keep shopping lists and wait for events to make the purchase more worthwhile. The convenient scheduling of holiday events makes this pretty simple if you've been in the hobby a while.

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".
Yep, absolutely. I recently realized that I just can't fathom spending more than 1k on a doll, even though I desperately want a couple of rare dolls valued around 2k.

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've actually done this before. I keep the doll I cannot reasonably replace at a later date.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Yep. I prefer having a little gang, but I'm picky enough about my collection, that I love working on/with each doll enough to be content with just one. Also: they're basically toys. I don't get too emotional about them.

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 do not care at all. I have both popular and rare dolls in my little gang (even though I have a really obvious 'type' imo). I don't really care what other people do either. I briefly entertained the whole popular vs. rare thing when I first entered the hobby, but it just ceased to matter once I started working on a lot of sculpts.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Guh, see, this is the #5 question. Even if I had unlimited resources, I might not be able to make the leap... But the most expensive doll/s I fancy are Volks Lieselotte and Hikaru Genji. I tend to like girls better, so probably lieselotte (usually around $2k).

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?
Yup. I'm hyper-attentive to money management and super pragmatic in general so... No-one who actually knows me ever comments on the cost since they know I've basically made the hobby pay for itself through customizing, and I kind of have a reputation for being good with money anyway.

 

These were very interesting questions to think about~ Although I have a number of hobbies and interests that are "stuff based" nor do I consider myself a minimalist, I am always looking for a balance between having the right things for the stage in my life that I am currently in. This changes constantly, but I feel generally happier and less stressed if I am not overwhelmed by "stuff."

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 opt for a doll on the secondhand market if I have the opportunity to purchase the doll new from the company. I like the security of being the first owner and being able to deal directly with the company if there are any issues. I typically buy dolls that I am interested in when they are first released, and most of the time I have paid less buying directly than I would have buying on the secondhand market. For those reasons, waiting for the doll to appear on the secondhand market would involve more time and more money.

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?
The dolls that I own have not had sleeping faces. (There are separate sleeping heads, but they are not for sale through the company.) I do not typically order extra hands immediately. I do like optional hands--I think it adds interest to photographs and swapping hands can add a bit of "newness" to an older doll, as it changes the look. I do not have optional hands for every doll I have purchased. I do not buy all of the optional hands available.

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 no sleeping faces. I don't believe I would use them enough to make it feel worthwhile, and considering that so far I have not bemoaned a lack of sleeping faces this appears to be true. I do use the optional hands (and feet...) that I have bought on a frequent enough basis to feel satisfied with the purchase. In my opinion, hands are very expressive. I like having options to alter the expressions of my dolls via hand choice.

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 do not do this when shopping for doll items or non-doll items. The only time I take advantage of an "offer" like this is if I was originally going to buy the necessary dollar value of items even without the free shipping/event item. In general, I am a very planned shopper, not an impulsive one. I don't like buying things I didn't have time to ponder and analyze.

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 am willing to save up high amounts of money if I want an expensive doll. For me, the cost of the doll always has to feel "worth it." This is completely subjective and personal to me. If $2000+ feels "worth it" for the doll in question, I'll start saving and wait and plan. However, if I like a doll, but the doll has a higher price than the "value" I assign to it... Then I don't like it enough to own it, and I will pass.

I felt this way about a doll that is now in my collection. I adored that doll, but when I saw the price I did not want that doll for that price. Years later, the same doll was available at a lower price--a price that was now in alignment with my own assessment of the doll. As a result, I bought the doll. I do not like the doll any more or less than I originally did. I like it just the same. The price matched my valuation, and thus the purchase was a good one for me to make.

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 this were necessary, I would be able to do it and I would immediately know which doll to keep. There is one doll in my collection that I enjoy and appreciate above all the others. I know exactly which doll my "favourite doll" is, and I would avoid selling that doll at all costs. I get the most satisfaction from owning that specific doll, and thus I know I would be most upset to no longer own it. Some of the others are more hard to find or expensive, but I know I would be least-impacted by their sale.

On a more mercenary note, they would also be more profitable dolls to sell. My favourite doll is the least valuable on the secondhand market.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I could be happy with only one doll. I have had multiple years in this hobby where I only owned one doll, happily, without plans to purchase other dolls. My dolls are not characters or projects, so I don't have a drive to acquire sets of dolls or check off some kind of list. The dolls I currently own are dolls I have purchased because I saw them, liked them, and could justify the cost to my budget and personal valuation.

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 pay attention to the popularity of sculpts and companies. I have a few dolls that are limited or rare. I didn't buy them for those reasons. The reasons that other people have for the dolls that they buy don't interest me. If someone only wants limited or rare dolls, okay. If someone only wants low-cost or easy-to-acquire dolls, okay. I purchase the dolls that I do because I want to have them. I don't seek out other people's purchase habits or reasoning, and I don't care enough for any differences to bother me.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I actually have no idea what I would buy. I don't have a list, so nothing jumps out to me as "oh! this doll! right away!". If someone were to hand me a blank check and command that I buy another doll, I'm sure I could do some research and pick something. At this point, however, I don't have a doll that I wanted, but have avoided because of the high price.

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?
For several years, I did keep track of how much I spent on the hobby. I stopped doing this about a year and a half ago, because I wasn't using those records in any way. I don't have a running total for any of my other hobbies or expenses. I keep a general budget and track cash flows, but totals have no use to me.

Every once in a while, someone will make a comment about the cost of my dolls. I'm already used to these kinds of questions or statements about other hobbies. I don't expect other people to understand why I spend my money in the way that I do, and I don't seek their approval. I am an independent adult with my own income. To some degree, I expect people to be nosy or think that I need their opinion on how I conduct my own finances... but I don't. So I let them know.

 

Yeah, that overwhelming thing... Nowadays I try to buy only what I love and what I see a purpose for. Anyway, I've always liked keeping this simple. I regularly check e.g. my own wardrobe and give away my own clothes to charities, when I see that there's no place in my wardrobe and when I realise I haven't worn something within last two years etc. Same with bjds and their accessories If I see no use for some shoes/wigs - I sell them. I keep eyes though, bc they're small and pretty :3

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
it depends - if I see a doll priced same or more then I definitely prefer to buy a new one. i'd rather give the money to an artist than a scalper I try to be *very* careful when buying 2nd hand

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 from a company who provides the buyer with such options When I receive extra hands though, I keep them in case the first pair gets damaged etc

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?
haven't yet broken the primary, and i only have one extra set

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?

Uhm, I just did that recently :3 But just bought a thing that i've been planning to buy since ages ago

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, when i realised I can't afford a 70cm+ body for my head, I decided to sell it. I do not allow myself to have dolls more expensive than 500usd per doll Personal, self-imposed limit

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 just went through a big frikkin storm in my collection recently (a month ago?) so, yeah... I consulted my mum asking for advice and we made the decision together: half of my bjd crew went to new homes No regrets since then (just one new doll lol xD)

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I think i'd need two. A boy and a girl. One doll is too lonely. Two is perfection I prefer to sew for flat-chested dolls, but I also love dresses and high-heels, so I need a cute girl as well

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 admit, I used to have this silli special snowflake attitude... But nowadays I say: there's a reason why this doll's so popular. Plus, I like to know if the doll's versatile and how much can be done with it I love cute, popular, generic and 'normal' sculpts, with features that appeal to many people Atm I have two limiteds and I don't treat them anyhow better than the remaining two - they all get the same amoung of love and care

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
crobi lance full doll with faceup from the shop. yes *o*

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 try not to think about it xD it'd be too depressing. Having the dolls i have now, though, completely eradicates any regrets

 

I'm so ashamed to admit this but I'm a hoarder, that kind of hoarder who finds every single thing sentimental and refuses to let them go. Though there are some cases where I don't mind losing things, especially if they're spare items, or if they really just don't click with me anymore.

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 a massive ego for wanting to be the first owner of a doll, but I still would love to welcome secondhand dollies into my home! It's just a matter of how reasonable someone is selling it for.

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?
Because I'm a hoarder, I would, but the dolls that I bought don't have these extra options so it's a bummer, haha. I have thought about buying heeled feet, but from a diff. company though.

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?
See answer above.

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?
Even if there's a event going on, my total would still be more than the what it needs... I don't really buy a lot of accessories like, religiously or anything, but chances like these are good every once in a while.

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 thought of that, even with the cheapest doll I've bought. But when it comes down to it, they're pieces of art. There's a whole lengthy process to making one single doll, from sculpting it, making molds, choosing the right mixture for resin. It's tough work, and I admire the people behind the dolls that we have. This got really mushy LOL. Although I only draw as a hobby, there's nothing more satisfying than supporting fellow artists 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?
I would end up selling all of them if it came to this point. I love my dolls as a pair because they're (supposed to be) inseparable siblings T T; If someone has to go, then the other one might as well go, too.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I would. If it's my grail doll LMAO.

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'm not bothered by it at all. Even though I've seen enough MNF Chloes to last me a lifetime, I still think she's a lovely sculpt. It's all about what you can do with the doll to make them one of its own.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
My favorite doll makers are Luts, Ring Doll, Little Monica, and Asleep Eidolon... so maybe a limited full set of something? I've never really given this much thought now that I'm thinking about it... but literally any SD dollies from those companies and that'll seal the deal for me.

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?
As horrifying as it sounds, I actually do take notes on how much I've spent. I set a goal for myself, like if I spend $500+ I won't be buying anything 'til my birthday or Christmas comes (which is what I'm doing right now orz). I know my mom is seriously concerned about my spending habits since I have other hobbies besides this, but she's starting to stop caring since it is my money that I'm spending.

 

ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I will never miss an opportunity to be all philosophical.

1. I always go straight to the company first, mostly because my experiences with places like ebay and finding actual company sculpts has not been good. I can't even find a legit minifee body anywhere except fairyland. I also like going straight to the company, as I know I can trust them and I know the thing im buying wont secretly be a recast of some sort.

2. I personally don't see the point of buying sleeping heads, as its too much money for something I would think of using lots but then actually hardly use at all. Hands on the other hand (XD) I do see the point of. I don't think I would immediately buy some more, unless I had had my eye on them specifically. Though if I didn't have my eye on them I would probably wait and see if I really needed them.

3. Unfortunately, I don't have any bjd's to buy extra hands and faces for at the mo , but I hopefully will soon YAY! When I do, I don't think ill regret not getting a sleeping head, as I said before I don't really see the point. Though I probably will get some extra hands eventually.

4. OH YES. I've never done it myself, but if I had the money I would totally do it. I do know its a marketing trick, to make you spend more money. Though if shipping was £14.99 for any amount of items under the price of say £299 and then free over £300, that's a lot of money to pay so you avoid paying shipping. I don't think I would spend that much, you would really have to hate shipping to spend that much. Though to be honest if you didn't have to spend that much more, then I don't really mind falling into the trap.

5. As I said earlier, I have yet to actually buy a bjd. Though, the ones I have on my wish list at the moment, I have deemed 'capable' for my future wallet to accommodate. Though at different points, not all at the same time even though I would want to.

6. As I don't have any bjd's at the mo, I cant answer this question for them. Though I do have two pullips, a taeyang and an isul. I couldn't sell any of them, partly because they were gifts, but mostly because I have grown too fond of them. I really don't know which one I would pick, though my pullip Alice springs to mind as she was the first one I ever got. So maybe, if i'm asked this question when I own all 7 of the bjd's on my wish list. I'll probably say Ayano. As she's going to be my first bjd.

7. I think I could, well I'll have to as if I do get Ayano this Christmas, I wont be getting another bjd for quite some time. Also I've put so much into Ayano's OC, I think I can cope with just her for a while, well I hope anyway. No, ill be able to cope and anyway I have my other peeps as well.

8. I do have a thing against popular sculpts, I don't know why. I just think I don't like owning the exact same thing as loads of other people. Though, if I like the sculpt then I like it. I don't really care if its popular or not. For people who don't like popular sculpts, I do get where they're coming from as I share a slightly similar mindset.

9. Dollfie dream Kiss on my deity Mito Mashiro, full doll. Priced at a steep £1,364.99 on Amazon. Urgh, who am I kidding if I won the lottery I would buy nearly all the DD dolls. As I'm particularly fond of Mito, Miku, the shining heart models, the new shinon model and loads more. Also, a full soom the gem 'the crow' doll would be quite nice. .

10. NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooopppppppppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee as finding out how much i've spent and how much i'm inevitably going to spend would probably terrify me. No one comments on the financial side because I haven't made any substancial payments yet, though the people that bought me the 'dolls' I have at the moment. When I tell them how expensive the bjd's I like are they are quite surprised.

That was fun! I like getting all philosophical from time to time. YAY!

 

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! Most of the dolls I hunt for are/were limited so a good portion of my doll family is secondhand. Otherwise, if someone is selling a doll I want and that company in particular has a long wait time or sporadic ordering periods, then I'll buy 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?

Never, haha. Extra hands maybe if I'm not into the default ones, but I feel like even with easy to change faces like Pukifees I wouldn't have the patience or necessity to warrant getting extra faces. I'd rather just have it be a different doll entirely.

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 a bunch of extra hands, horns, human shins, and even an extra pair of feet that are not currently in use, so getting extra hands to replace a default pair doesn't bother me. I won't generally switch them out though. I don't do too many photoshoots, but putting new hands on might be fun!

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 no. I will only do this if I wanted the event item to begin with. Otherwise, I'll either just order what I wanted originally or ask a friend if there's anything they want to add in. I don't mind, because in those cases, I would be willing to spend money on the "free" item, and that money is just going to something else in order to qualify. It's like I'm paying for the event item, but I'm getting something else too.

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".

Many limited Soom dolls. Soom releases so frequently that you kind of have to buy them on impulse with the knowledge that in two weeks something you want even more may come out. I mainly stick to secondhand for Soom because of that.

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 could never, haha.

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

No. I value the aesthetics of so many dolls and have so many characters that I could never limit myself to just one. I forsee myself having over one hundred dolls in my "real" adult life.

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 both! Sculpts become popular for a reason. I like a lot of limited sculpts because many companies only release fantasy parts or interesting resin colors with limited dolls. In that vein, limited dolls usually have a more "quirky" or "special" air about them. That being said, I have 10 non-limited dolls and 19 limited. I usually prioritize buying limited sculpts over non-limited because non-limiteds will always be around. The only exception is when companies discontinue sculpts, which would take precedent for me over some limited dolls depending on how much time I have to get it.

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

Definitely a Dust of Dolls Zouh Spun (probably around $1000 secondhand), Kinoko Juice Kiki (over $1500), or one of Enaibi's dolls (virtually priceless seeing as she typically only gifts dolls to other artists and friends)

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?

Vaguely. I know what I paid for each doll and the value of the items they wear, but the whole doesn't bother me because when you're collecting expensive things, of course it's going to add up very quickly. The important thing is budgeting and enjoying the hobby while still being able to afford necessities. My parents and my boyfriend think I spend far too much on dolls. I've explained why they are how much they are to my mom, because she knows that hobbies are important to me. My dad usually helps me pay for a doll around the holidays, which says a lot for him. My boyfriend spends money in his own ways and respects my hobbies, but I haven't told him why they're so expensive. Maybe he just doesn't "get it", but as long as he doesn't condemn me for it I'm okay, haha.

 

1° Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
It depends of what doll I want, I think. It took me about 6 years to buy my first and it was straight from the company, but it was because it was a event doll that would never be released, at least not in this size. But I think I would look at the second hand market before I bought a doll from a company. If it's not a speciall doll.

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 wanted to buy the sleeping head and other thinks but I had to think of the cost/shipping and custom.

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 regret that I didn't buy the high heeled foot because the normal foot is so small that it's hard to find shoes...Now I have to find the part on the second hand market.

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, it's almost the same merchandising trick that use buy three things get one free. It depends of what items I get and if its free shipping maybe I can ask a friend so it will be cheaper for us both.

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. A lots of times. This was the factor that took me years before I bought my first 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?
I only got one doll for now so I can't really answer the question.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Maybe. I think it depends of how much you like the doll or if it's something that makes it special.

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?

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?

 

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 always try the secondhand market first; naturally if they are limited, but also because I don't mind getting a doll that isn't 'brand new'. They can be more affordable there too, or come with face-ups that I like. The marketplace can be filled with surprises.

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 don't. The default doll is usually enough for me. Though I might consider the idea if they're especially appealing.


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?
Not a moment.


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, I have! Yes, I do. I'm all right with it if I already had these things in mind, or consider getting a certain item in the future. But yes, I am very aware. Whether I mind, well...


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 have. I realise also that the doll wishlist I have starts accumulating most rapidly when I have no money for them yet, but once I obtain the necessary cash, my criteria becomes more strict and most of them drop off the list soon enough or when I've lost interest in them as time passes. I don't consider myself a particularly indulgent doll hobbyist.


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?
Only one complete doll at the moment so I'd definitely not be putting Luca up for sale! However I'm willing to part with the heads.


7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I think I could, since my custom house hani is a great joy to come home to. I'm considering the idea. I have other plans in mind as of now but I wonder whether my love for a sculpt I have my eye on will soon fade.


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?
These things don't bother me. Popular sculpts are fun to look at because their looks could vary so much depending on the face up and other modifications.


9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I have my eyes set on a Switch 1/3 body (for my heads), or a Bambicrony Vanilla. The prices are modest, relative to LEs, thankfully.


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 have a spreadsheet and records of purchases. Not unless anyone asks; my family is largely ignorant of how much that little sprite seated calmly on my shelves dressed in his adorable attire did cost me.

 

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 have a bit of a look, but if I can't find one that looks in good enough condition, or if I can't tell the legitimacy of the doll, I tend to avoid them. I think in the long run, I'd rather just buy a doll new, cause it feels good to have something brand 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?
Sleeping faces, I'd hesitate on, but extra hands I'd love! I don't have any dolls at the moment, I previously sold my bobobie, and want to start fresh in the hobby. What I really want is a minifee, with all those mag-on 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 dolls currently, but when I did, I did wish I had a little more room to customize things like the dolls own features, rather than just poses, so I think I would use the items enough to justify the purchase.

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?
Depends on the event. As I said, I've only owned one doll, and she was just a bobobie, but I've seen a lot of fairyland's event stuff, and I really wish I hadn't have missed 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".
All the time! It seems like enough money at the time, but I know I'll need it later. I won't be buying anymore dolls until I'm way over in terms of the cost.

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 did sell my whole collection! I just lost my interest in her. I re-homed her to a friend of mine who loves her just as much as when I first got her, and she's taking great care of her! (admittedly better than I did... aheh..)

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Yes! I only plan to have one doll. Though not everything goes according to plan... I may just succumb to the seduction of a new event.

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'm absolutely fine with purchasing popular sculpts! (I mean... I'm aiming for a minifee body with a unoa head, haha) and if people don't like popular sculpts, that's their choice, their money and they can do whatever they want so long as it isn't hurting anybody.

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Just the doll I'm aiming for. She's going to be around $1,000 for me - probably more, with the conversion rates.

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 used to! But I've started fresh, so once I've got my next doll, I'll be recording all my transactions.

 

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 go for the source rather than second hand. Only because Im a huge germaphobe and some of the confessions that have been forwarded to my group has really gotten me paranoid about ever buying second hand, also the possibility of spending my money on a recast has turned me off, I wouldn't ever get over the paranoia of the legitimacy of the doll purchase, even if it came with the box and papers. If Im buying secondhand, it would only be if I can see the background of the house for how kept it is, and the person Im buying from (I know, this is so shallow and horrible) or if its someone I completely trust and have great experiences with or friends that have dealt with them previously. I never question people Ive purchased from previously because I keep a list of stellar transaction members on the side, on my stickies app lol.

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?
I always get extra hands - only so that the resin match would be good, and not have to get a hand from a different resin batch. I get the sleeping or dreaming faces if that isn't an option on its own, because I prefer them to the "awake" heads. I think they are prettier, so yes, I get those too. I dont do this for every doll - only dolls I know will be using them. Eg - I always order Hummingdolly with the heel legs, because flat feet, and high heel feet, I have no use for. The heels I have would only fit the heel leg with the higher arch. I then have extra flat feet that are never used and only stay in the box (this is true to every SD16/SDGR/Humming Dolly)

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. I prefer the sleeping/dreaming faces way more than the "awake" faces. The extra hands though - not really. Only if its a hand pose I assosciate with the character I have in mind, and it wasn't offered as a default - all extra parts have sat in their box, which is wasteful.

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 only if it is doll I wanted in the past, and this was the perfect opportunity. Ill only add the things if I really like the event item, like the fairyland halloween wings that were so pretty. Things like Soony or an elf version of a doll head doesnt matter to me much since I dont care for those items, so I dont add things to the cart. Its basic marketing, so it does not bother me - its not like they will release the event items as basic items available later - that would make me feel like an idiot.

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 - especially since you cant regain what you originally spent, and if it does happen, its very rare. Its come to a point where I would keep or gift since the value has gone too down and I dont want to bother with a potential problem buyer. Ill come up with a value in my mind before looking at the details of the doll, if its exceeds the value I had in mind, then I would pass. There will always be more, and the potential of that doll being rereleased as a head, a mini version or a new limited with a great event item/special.

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 think I could, but I hope not. Ill probably sell them all and then have to face the difficult choice of keeping my first doll or my ultimate grail, Cyndy. I think I would keep my first doll truthfully - for the memories and the excitement and what we "went through". My first doll will never be replaced to me she's the one that makes me the happiest when I see her, even though she is a "basic" doll and Ive got really impressive and expensive grails too.

7° Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I originally only wanted one doll.. a year later I had to get her a friend. I then sold her and kept my original doll for about 6 years before I gave in and got others as well. I was pretty happy with one doll, but then I had these limited beautiful dresses that weren't displayed and sat in boxes - it made me feel sad that I wasn't displaying them.

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 dont really care about popularity of a sculpt, since Ill add my twist or personality in them. I will admit, it feels good to know that there isn't too many of your doll sculpts around - it makes them more interesting to me since they feel more "special". With years, I started liking limited and timed release sculpts since I started to appreciate the sculpts you dont see around frequently - that they can still produce some surprising look because it hasn't been attempted on that particular sculpt yet, whereas popular sculpts I usually am less surprised and just mentally think "seen that". Its also nice that people associate that sculpt with "you" since its so rarely seen. I wish I had better english to express what I mean more -_-

9° If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
A Koitsukihime doll. This is my grail and I really want to get her. She was what introduced me to the BJD world and I still want one, and a small figurine included with a book is not cutting it. I have no idea how much she costs, but Im pretty sure she's atleast $10k +. Another is Volks Kasumi - she's as gorgeous in photos as she is in person. I love her rounded face with full lips.

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 dont really like to keep track of how much I spend, However, I never go into debt and hopefully will never allow myself to. I get a lot of comments from my brother and law, and sometimes the people in customs when collecting packages. Most never comment though, because I keep this hobby a secret :P