Minimalism in the BJD Hobby

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 usually just order directly from the company or through a distributor. I mostly collect mature tinies, and they tend to be limited time order periods. I've managed to get a few that were in stock from a distributor, though.

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've only ordered a sleeping face once, for a Real Puki, and extra hands once for a Puki Puki.

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 like how the extra plate gives my Kali (an RP Aki) a second expression. I sold the one that came with my other Real Puki when I realized I'd never use it. I don't use the extra hands that much, but they're cute, and didn't cost too much.

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?
The only time I've participated in an event like that, just the basic doll I was ordering was enough to qualify for the free calendar and resin hat.

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 cant justify paying BJD prices for something smaller that a Real Puki. Dream High Studio dolls are not for me, though I do like seeing other's photos of them. I'm not sure if I had the money at the time, but some artist dolls have also just seemed too expensive to be worth it to me.

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 I could not! I could downsize if I had to, but I really love many of my dolls pretty equally.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
No. I like having multiple dolls because they are all different. I sew for my dolls and they have different colors they look good in and different styles that suit their characters.

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?
Most of my dolls are limited or discontinued, but that's mostly because they're mature tinies, and less common. I've got a couple of Fairyland Puki Puki, who are popular, so I'm not against owning popular dolls, but the aesthetic that a lot of people seem to like doesn't always appeal to me. I'm not intentionally elitist but what I like seems to often be less popular.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Two of Atelier Momoni's Kitty M dolls in two different colors. Depending on the currency conversion rate, they're each about $400, which is pretty pricey for a tiny doll. And several Dollshe Fashion Mini dolls in Honey resin tones, which would probably come out to nearlypurchaseaaa the same price. And there's a Mewiefish doll I rather like, too.

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 a list of my current dolls and the price of each not counting shipping, eyes, wigs, ect. I avoid talking about it with non-BJD people, since I've gotten a few shocked expressions mentioning how much the less expensive ones cost.

 

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 only ever bought secondhand (after verifying legitimacy) or in-stock, I suppose because I am impatient and love the idea of giving an existing doll a home.

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?

So far, that hasn't been an option for any 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?

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 really have this experience with dolls and events, but I usually wait until I have enough items that I want to qualify for free shipping if that's an option or add something that I can use as a gift for someone if there's nothing else that I want.

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 browse secondhand, more than $200 inspires a pause, and more than $500 is a look but don't fall in love. Conversely, I am highly susceptible to considering dolls I am not really in love with just because they trigger my "what a deal" instinct.

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'd never want to get rid of my first doll Walt (Resinsoul Ming) because he is a physical representation of my favorite tree/childhood friend of sorts, but since he is very closely tied to Baz (Dollzone Yi, another childhood imaginary friend of sorts), keeping him but getting rid of Baz would be extremely difficult. I also love all of my fantasy tinies, but if I could only keep one, I'd have to choose my Cuarto Darkhorn because I find the tactile sensation of handling him extremely pleasing (plus I adore dragons). I'd also have a hard time getting rid of my newest doll and first SD because I am already enamored with him.

I have been able to rehome dolls in the past by gifting them to a friend, but the ones I'm left with now are the ones I'd currently struggle to part with unless circumstances were extreme.

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

Hmm, perhaps one or two dolls in each size. I like being able to reach for different dolls depending on inspiration, and each size has its own perks and drawbacks.

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 honestly don't know what's popular or not. I guess part of me is drawn to the "unique" factor, but purchasing something that is a unique size does make finding clothing and accessories difficult and limits the joy of connecting with other owners of that same sculpt.

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

I love looking at artist dolls, and if I were in a better place financially (and space-wise), I would love to support them because I love the diversity they bring to the hobby (more skin tones, more body types, more cool fantasy creatures).

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 just know the answer is probably "too much but never enough." So far, I haven't had any comments.

 

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’ll go straight for the company, if the doll is still available there. I’m too paranoid about the possibility of recasts, however… I do sometimes get sentimental and think about giving poor dolls a second chance :c So I do occasionally check the secondhand market.

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?

Sleeping faces not often, but I do order extra parts like hands and especially, high heel feet/legs! I’m always scared of a finger getting broken off, and I don’t know if I could glue it back in a way that wouldn’t be visible, so I like the thought of spare parts. Also, if I want the doll to have different colored nails, I don’t have to send them to repaint, I can just switch their hands. I also like to buy hands in different positions, like for example a hand that points somewhere, or heart shaped 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?

Well, as a person who fell out of the hobby for a while, I definitely didn’t justify the purchase, yet I don’t regret it. Most of my dolls’ extra parts can no longer be ordered, and it’s better to have them now that trying to hunt them down on the secondhand 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?
I’m kind of obsessed with shopping so yeah. But at the same time, I live pretty far away from most doll companies, and with pandemic making shipping even slower, I don’t really regret buying most of what I need instead of buying them separately in smaller orders.
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 try to stay below 700-800$ for my sanity’s sake. I’m not saying a limited doll with lots of extra wouldn’t possibly broke this imaginary boundary but I’d need a lot of layaway and I’m always worried about layaway (what if I forgot? What if I don’t have the money by then?) so I try to stick to dolls I can immediately pay for. However I’m not here to judge anybody for this, you can spend on dolls as much as you want, as long as you take care of yourself!

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 is also a tricky question. My grail doll is currently on a body I really dislike (long story) so I might pass her, and keep one of my Peakswoods Yeru dolls (probably Lavender, I can’t resist her pastel goth style), but it would break my heart to sell my SQLab dolls, after all, one of them (Shiori) was my first BJD

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

I don’t think so. I think collecting different dolls is part of the fun! I also like to collect as much sizes and types as possible, because I like the difference!

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 to say I don’t really care. If I have sculpt that I immediately see as one of my characters, or who immediately charms me and make me think of a new character, I’ll try to purchase them, if I can afford them. I don’t care how others think about this, as long as they don’t try to force it upon others or shame others who think differently.

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

Huh… I try not to look at too expensive dolls, as to not to get my hopes up to a doll I cannot afford. However if I had unlimited resources, I’d soon be buried in 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?

My parents always comment on it, and I don’t plan on telling anyone about the financial side, because I know I’d get negative comments about it. And no I don’t keep track of it it’d just make me feel bad. It’s an expensive, but harmless hobby, let me enjoy my dolls in this dark world in peace

 

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 started out looking on the second hand market (generally on ebay which can be so frustrating weeding out the recasts :v) so I generally go secondhand first! Sometimes I just like browsing and seeing dolls I might be into. With limited release dolls I have gone straight to the company because I'm pretty sure there's going to be little to no second hand market TvT (looking at you Dragon Po/Chuan and Ji-Zero mech ver) and generally with second hand I stumble across things I never knew about that I fall in love with!

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 don't/haven't yet. I probably will if I find a face sculpt i really like, or i want to have 2 different face ups for a doll. Hands I haven't thought about tbh

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'm generally pretty good about getting what I want and then jumping away from any more purchases, but I love some event dolls that I have literally considered getting a doll I dont really want to get them >:0

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's actually what made it so hard for me to get into the hobby in the first place. I found out about it because of a popovy sisters video and nearly cried at the price. Otherwise I'm pretty lucky with family being supportive and helping to finance me (for immediate buys on sh market) but otherwise I'll put stuff on layaway so it's less daunting

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 super hard even though I currently only have 2 dolls physically at home with me. It would probably be my first doll the DZ scorpio event doll (2015 I think?) He's the light of my life and I own my interest to him. I would be super unhappy though because I'm so attached to my DC charon and my layaway dolls :c I dont foresee this needing to become reality though and honestly as long as I have storage room I'll be happy and can rotate out my dolls if I have more than I can display at 1 time (although idk how likely that it to happy )

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I dont think so. I love seeing all the weird fantasy dolls and just one would be so limiting! I want to explore different avenues and sculpts, look at their differences and just have individual styles that make me happy all around me. Maybe at first when I just started, but definitely not now

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?
Sort of, but only because I'm not interested in them generally. I've seen mostly human sculpts be very popular and I am only focused/interested in nonhumans/human hybrids/anthros. I have no problem being interested in what is popular though, it just generally not where my tastes fall and as long as someone loves that doll I dont see why it matters if it's a popular sculpt

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Hhhh I would definitely get a fullset Popovy doll! I would get a Yoland¥ RAT head with a Body II body. They got me into the hobby and I would absolutely only get one in a fullset simply because I want a completed piece of theirs, otherwise it isn't really worth it to me :c Although I would also super consider most of DC and DZs fantasy 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 sort of do? I know how much my dolls cost and the average for supplies, but in general I don't think about it unless I'm actively trying to buy a doll. I also know that it makes some people feel really uncomfortable that hobbies like this are so expensive, so I generally try to keep it away from people I don't know very well because they may try to guilt me for what I have. I've had some friends offhandedly comment, but never in a negative way. Generally they are super supportive and interested, plus when I show them the sculpts that I'm talking about and their price they understand why it can get so expensive. I don't talk to family outside of my parents and grandfather about it though, again b/c I'm aware it would make them uncomfy.

 

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 seem to have an unfortunate love for dolls that're long discontinued, lol. For a doll that's currently in production, I'd generally rather go through the company directly. (Unless they have a reputation for unreliable quality or something, then I'd rather buy secondhand so I know exactly what I'm getting.)

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?

Well, because of that whole "long discontinued" problem, I really haven't had a chance to do this...But if I were buying new and could afford it, I probably would spring for extra hands and heel feet, if nothing else. Sleeping faces/alternate expressions would be a very case-by-case basis. But alternate hands? Oh yes. Hands are the second most expressive part of the body (behind faces), and unlike with faceplates, you can't really change their expression with paint and camera angles. Various hand options are an instant buy for me, as long as they're available. (I don't like jointed hands, though. Too fussy and delicate...)

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.

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'm pretty sure everyone knows that's a marketing trick.

This mostly applies to doll STUFF, since I've never actually bought a doll straight from a company yet. But I'm an obsessive planner and a total miser about shipping costs, so I tend to save up money and hoard orders until I get to a point where ordering everything at once will get me over the free shipping limit, lol.

As for event stuff, it would depend on the item. If it's something I'm not really interested in, then no, I wouldn't bother. But if I DID want it, I'd make sure to get it during the event. Stuff like that is hard to track down after the fact...

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".

More than once, yeah. There comes a point where I feel like I wouldn't be comfortable actually playing with the doll if it cost TOO much...It's not really a specific number, though. More like, if a doll is way out of the "usual" price range for its size, etc, I feel weird about it. There are some gorgeous Volks sculpts that I absolutely love, but I know I'd be scared to touch them if I got them because they're two or three times the $500-$600 price range I expect a 60cm doll to be in.

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 god, this is a terrible thought. I mean, obviously if I HAD to sell my collection, I'd figure out how to get by.

As for which one I would keep...I'm not sure. I love them all very much. I think I would keep my Rosenlied Holiday's Child Ribbon. She was difficult as hell to find, and she's one of my favorite sculpts of all time. Plus, she's a very good size for me, and I love sewing for her.

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

I mean...I'd be happier with one doll than no dolls. But I don't think I would ever intentionally downscale my collection to just one. I really like cute little girl sculpts But Also mature adult male sculpts. There really isn't a single doll that would encapsulate all my tastes, lol. So bare minimum, I think I'd have one 70cm boy and then my Rosenlied Ribbon.

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 anything, I'm the opposite. I'm a lot more likely to fall for a popular sculpt than a rare one. In large part, it's because I love looking at owner pictures! Seeing what other people do with their dolls and all the myriad ways they style them inspires me way more than just the company photos!

As for people who only collect rare or unusual dolls...I don't really have a feeling about them one way or the other. Of course, there's the occasional elitist jerk, but that's hardly limited to rare sculpts or artist dolls. And the reason I dislike that kind of person is because of their jerk behavior, not because of their dolls. I enjoy seeing unusual and rare sculpts, so overall I'd say I feel positively towards the people who collect them. After all, I wouldn't get to enjoy their beauty otherwise!

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

Oh lord. It would be a custom sculpt and cast from Grenado, I think. There is a doll I've had in mind since I came into the hobby, but sadly my mind is the only place he exists. I think Grenado would do him justice.

But if "unlimited resources" also includes unlimited luck? I would want the...Hmmm...I've forgotten what it's called. But there is a special version of the Volks FCS that is very, very expensive and only available by rare lottery, wherein you can choose literally ANY sculpt in ANY skintone and with ANY makeup/eyes/wig/body/etc that you want. The ultimate Volks dream, right there. There are a couple of "otherwise unobtainable" dolls I dream about...Picking which one to get would be difficult, and I honestly can't say which one I would choose in the end.

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?

In a very general sense, I know how much I've spent on the hobby, but I don't keep close accounts. Just like I don't keep close accounts on how much money I've spent on video games either. It doesn't really matter in the end, as long as you're staying within your own budget.

As for anyone else commenting on the expense...I keep it to myself. My spouse knows, obviously, but that's the only person. And as far as my spouse is concerned, what I want to spend my "fun money" on is my 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 check the company first to see if it is available and for how much, plus all the details of the doll to make sure it is something that will fit with what I really want. From there I check the secondhand market to see if I can find one that is available now. I like getting new, but I also like secondhand because you know what the doll looks like already (as opposed to a doll who hasn't been made yet and will come with random eyes etc) I like knowing EXACTLY what I am going to get. So basically I don't have a preference per se, I will buy from whichever is available, and most convenient.

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. If they come with them, that is fine, but I have found I won't use the sleeping face. As far as the hands go, it depends if I like the options and what they cost.

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 not regretted not 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?
I do this all the time, but that is usually because there are many items I want and I figure why not add them in to get the free shipping. The problem is deciding which of the things I want to add in and picking and choosing which I want more. If there wasn't anything I wanted I would be fine paying the shipping, it actually works out cheaper that way. I do realize it is a trick and it does bother me that I give in to 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. I have realized over the years that I can't depend on stock photos, and even owner pics to really know if I will like a doll or not. I have lost my shirt on several dolls over the years, and I am not really willing to do it again. There are some prices I am not willing to pay even if I have the money sitting there free and clear.

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, because I have done it a few times. Right now I only have one doll, and two on preorder so it would be easy for me to choose the one I already have

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I do, because the times I have had just one my focus was on that one doll and I enjoy them more. Once I start adding more I tend to not bother with any of them as much at all. It is a constant struggle for me because there are so many dolls I want, so having a revolving door so I can enjoy each one at a point in time, them sell to buy another I would like is working ok for right now. I would love to break this and find THE ONE, but I don't know that that will ever happen.

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, if it is popular or rare that can make it more difficult, but I don't really follow trends so I probably wouldn't know what is popular or not in any case. People can collect how they want as long as they aren't rude to me about my own collecting habits, everyone can do their own thing.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I would have a LOT of dolls if I have unlimited resources, the price would be endless lol I don't really have one particular doll that I feel I just have to have 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 have written lists of what things I have collected over the years, as well as how much I spent vs what I made back when I sold things. It is a very ugly ugly number, and makes me kind of ashamed of myself. However, if I had not spent it on things I enjoyed at the time I would have wasted it elsewhere, at least most of what I spent I was able to resell, even at a lower resale value I got SOMETHING back, which can't be said for how some others spend their money that like to judge what my things cost me. Everyone has something they "waste" money on, I choose dolls. I can resell dolls, maybe I lose money when I do, but I know people that spend their money on things that are a one time deal that cost more than my dolls. Most don't like when you point that out though...but if they had their eyes on their own plate instead of making comments about what was on mine it would never be an issue

 

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 could, I'd only buy from the company because I like having a new doll and not worrying about providence or the chance of ending up with a fake. Though I have bought from the secondhand market before when it was a good deal on a doll I wanted.

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 like to get the sleeping faces though I haven't gotten any extra hands yet. I don't do this for every doll, just the ones that I know will end up using 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 somewhat regret one of the sleeping faces I got simply because I did the faceup on the OE head and don't think I can replicate it on the sleeping face. Granted, it was a Resinsoul head so I wasn't out too much and I'll probably give it a shot one of these days.

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?
The only time I looked for extra items was when it was to reach a 6 month layaway limit from DDE. Even then, I only spent an extra $20. Normally, I don't though.

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 did once and am so glad I did because I later realized that the size was not something I enjoyed. Even then, my tastes in dolls tend to run on the less expensive side (aside from my three a la carte Fairyland 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?
I don't think I could sell them all. I have less than 10 dolls already and while I could see myself selling one or two, the rest I couldn't.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I don't think I could be happy with just one doll because I like them to have a companion of sorts and I like have a few different characters. Each doll has their own clothing style that I, personally, would like to explore but don't feel confident enough to try.

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?
Oh stars no, I don't mind popular sculpts. But I will say that I'm bothered by people with that attitude if it's only because they're popular. If they just don't like the way they look etc. then I can understand. But just to dislike something because it's popular seems silly to me.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
At the moment, if I had unlimited resources I'd buy five dolls to suit the characters of my Magical Girl OCs. Two of them I've already decided to be Souldoll's Juno and Annamari. Total, the two cost over $650 so it's not astronomical in this hobby but definitely not a price I'd feel comfortable spending right now even with a layaway.

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 not because it would make me annoyed with myself I think. I know the dolls make me happy, but I'd feel guilty every time my parents bring up anything to do with money. My mom comments on the financial side but I try and downplay the cost of things so she doesn't judge me too hard. She's starting to come around to it though, understanding that this is my only hobby and that I really don't do anything else.

 

1. Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
Depends on what doll it is. I tend to look for dolls to fit certain characters, and sometimes I don't know who that will be until I see them up for sale somewhere. Other times I have to go secondhand because they're hard to get or too expensive otherwise. But I try to get from the company if possible (or a dealer so I can get layaway), because then I know I can get the skin color and faceup I want instead of having to hope the perfect combo magically appears somewhere.

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 don't think I've ever ordered a doll that even came with those options; the closest I have is my Dollfie Dream/Icon.

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 at the moment; I have been thinking about getting some extra handparts for my Volks dolls, but it's not an urgent issue for me. I'd be more likely to get hands than a sleeping face though.

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 what the event is, where it would be shipping from, and how much I actually want the stuff. Also the amount - I'm more likely to splurge on $100 in accessories than $700 in 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".
Bold of you to assume I have money...lol
Real answer: I try very hard to talk myself out of buying expensive limited dolls, or expensive dolls in a certain size and style I could find at another company I like for cheaper. The only company that can make me break that rule is Volks - I ended up getting a Dollfie Icon over the summer, and there's a very good chance I'll be trying to get Elsa as well.

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?
NOPE. I am that b*tch who gets overly attached to inanimate objects. I have not sold a doll yet, and I would have a very hard time doing so unless I knew the person I was selling it to.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Nope again. I like my dolls to have friends/storymates to interact with.

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 am at the age where popular is irrelevant, I buy what I want. And sometimes it's good to be interested in popular sculpts, because there'll be lots of fan pics around to help you decide if you really like them or not.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Both Elsa and Anna, I have no idea because they haven't been properly announced yet...Also a bunch of Dream Choice 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 vaguely try to...my parents comment on it sometime, but right now they're just happy I have a job and can spend my own money on the silly things.

 

Looks fun, thought Id join in

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 mainly shop from the secondhand market, usually because the waittimes are much more up to me and how quick I pay lol. Also feels a little more sustainable to get them secondhand. A lot of my grails are also either discontinued, events or hard to buy new, so waiting on the secondhand market is my only option. Does make the "hunt" nicer and then having that doll or part I wanted for so long suddenly in my hands is just great
But I do buy dolls new occasionally.

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?
Sleeping face plates never, I personally find them quite useless for my collection. I used to want to get all the extra hands and feet and bust parts when I first started the hobby, but then quickly realized that most just dont make sense for me, so now I buy only what Od want on the doll. Mainly flat feet and somehow I like the flat chests always so much more haha

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?
When I had them, I did regret it when I realized I wasnt using them and just sold 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?
I wish I did, but sadly I dont have that much money. Plus most event dolls dont speak much to me and my very specific doll taste 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".
Yes. A while ago someone was selling a grail for double the price the company sold it for and I thought nah, Ill wait for the company to rerelease

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 would mean crying a lot of tears and secretly keeping another head, but yes I know who Id leave. My very first doll (now reshelled though) who got me into this hobby fr and had me knee deep in developing story, characters and world. That really saved my sanity back when I started and still does to this day.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Umm. Honestly, I could do it, but I know when I had only one doll, while the relationship with this doll was very intense for me, I was looking at others and now I have more and I am NOT mad about it xD. Does water down the intensity of the bond for me though.

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 used to be "arrogant" like that, thinking I was a more special or edgy collector with "taste". Apart from the very obvious personal problems with such an attitude, that Ive been luckily able to shake, I quickly realized a more practical problem: these dolls are expensive and hard to sell if you decide to pass em on. I had a head, beautiful sculpt that just didnt fit and it took me a year (!!!!!) a whol mf YEAR to get rid of it. I hated every bit of it, because I felt like I was stuck forever with that doll. Also looking for rare dolls online to see what other people did with them is much harder. Now I am somewhere in between. All of my dolls are more or less popular sculpts, I love them and I think if I had to, Id be able to sell them rather easily. Personally many of the very popular sculpts out there dont really intrigue me much, but thats just personal preference.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
In the scenario that all dolls Id ever wanted are suddenly available, a DC SD Lillian!! (honestly dk how much shed be)! And a Unoa Xyle (450 ish). And then the rest Id spend on my other dolls from my wishlist, and throw some money at cool companies I like, just for the sake of it. But so far I have to say Im so happy with my collection and where its headed. The wait, the anticipation, thats what is the most fun about collecting in terms of buying dolls (crafting ofc and fotos too but thats another topic) that I wouldnt want to cut my happiness short by just getting everything at once

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 s ide of your hobby?
Yes, Im a nerd, I have an excel spread sheet that tracks ALL of the dolls I own and have ever owned, where when from whom I bought them for how much, tracks shipping and fees aswell plus if I pass em on to whom for how much. Plus there's a calculation for how much my collection is worth in total. When I first set it up that number shocked me, because I was expecting it to be maybe 1,5k or something but then it was over 2! Ouff. But yeah, 8 years can amass quite a number of dolls. I have 6 and dont think thats the biggest collection out there.

 

1. Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
Straight from the company. I don't like buying second hand, although I would in case I were looking for something discontinued.

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?
Yes! I always get all the possible extras and having lots of extras available is definitely a point I consider. So far I have not had the option to order a sleeping face, but I most certainly would.

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 a lot. I love to pose my dolls and extra hands add a lot of expression.

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?
Not really so far. I wouldn't mind it either because there's always something I actually want to buy that I'd throw in the cart in case I needed 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".
I approach this hobby as "I'll have only a few dolls but I'll allow myself to spend as much as I want on those few".
However yes I did have a couple occasions where I thought something was not worth the asking price, and the excessive costs made me realize I didn't want the doll enough to justify it. Just because I'm setting a high bar for what I'm willing to spend doesn't mean I will spend it lightly.

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?


7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I think I could have been happy with just my first doll, she is perfect. But I did want a few more. I'll eventually make a nice roombox and I want to have dollies interact in their own little vignettes. It's a big draw of the hobby to 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 care at all about it. I tend to like not so popular sculpts and I have trouble finding owner pictures online which is a bummer.
I think it's convenient if a sculpt I want is not limited because this way I have more room for planning. I frankly dislike the "collector" side of hobbies where people own things for the sake of owning them and keep them mint in the box for the "value", I think it does inevitably ruin the hobbies, because companies will cater to this kind of collector as they're the biggest spenders but at the same time rarely care about anything except exclusivity and value. Similarly I don't understand seeking a doll just because it's limited/rare unless you're a scalper, but I obviously understand it feels good if a doll you own is also something rare that few other people have. The fact that BJDs are not mass-produced industrial goods is part of their appeal to begin with.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I'm getting that doll now! I think I wouldn't ever get a doll larger than 70cm, and I do not like the aesthetics of the most expensive dolls (Popovy, etc.) so I would very likely stay under $1500 even in the wildest scenario.

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 don't keep track outside of budgeting. I don't really talk about the hobby with other people so I never received comments.

 

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’m shelling one of my characters I look absolutely everywhere, and I don’t care if it’s brand new or secondhand as long as it’s in good condition.

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?

Absolutely not. I’ve only wound up with a few of these things that came as a special deal from the company or were included along with a secondhand purchase.

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 seldom use them, but they were essentially free anyway so…

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 it saved me substantially in the long run, and then only for things like extra wigs or eyes I’d be needing anyway.

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. I always buy on layaway so even an expensive doll can be made affordable by being broken down into smaller payments over many months. My most expensive doll (my Dollzone mermaid Sawarieda…over 100cm) took me an entire year to pay off, but she was so worth it because nothing else would have fit that character as well.

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! Absolutely not.

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

I began my foray into this hobby with this hairbrained idea…and it was a dismal failure! I immediately fell in love with creating unique characters, and it’s all been downhill on the slippery slope from there.

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 will purchase whatever sculpt best fits the character I’m trying to shell, so this kind of thing never even crosses my mind. My collection has been based on diversity from the very beginning, so while some of my sculpts are limited or rare, others are as ordinary and popular as apple pie. It truly makes no difference to me.


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

Like I already said, because I only buy on layaway I have always managed to get exactly what I want…it just took longer to pay it off. So there really isn’t anything I’ve missed.

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?

Absolutely not. I’m of the same mindset as @CloakedSchemer, who said they’d prefer to just have fun while staying within budget and not keep track of what it costs to enjoy the hobby. Well said, indeed! I budget very carefully, so no one dares say a word.

 

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 dolls second-hand mostly, pre-ordering directly is a bit of a last straw situation for me. I find the months of wait in relation to the amount of money paid quite difficult (it is justified, don't get me wrong, but it is not enjoyable in ways I'd like the hobby to be for me). I also tend to like older sculpts and am happy to pay less in exchange of having to do tlc.

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 wish I had (ordered extra hands and heel feet)! I had a recent body come with extras and now I'm kicking myself for not doing that with some others because the wait for small parts is long, too, and might not guarantee a resin match. It's not relevant for every doll I have, of course, and I don't really want every available extra part either.

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 sold faceplates and parts I found no use for in the end. I don't regret getting them, I guess one finds out through experience whether or not they are of good use or no. I do have a few parts I wish I had gotten sooner, though!

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?

Hahahaha yes. I calculate long and hard if it actually makes more sense to just pay shipping and decide based on that, but sometimes it's also nice to throw in some items and accessories I would not get separately. Dolls are a business, so of course there are marketing tricks here and there - it's how dealers survive after all.


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".

Yeah! I'd feel bad going over a certain amount because if a doll feels too expensive, I know I'd feel too precious about it. I'd rather have something I can enjoy without worries like 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?

Can I pls pick 2? I think I'd be able to do it - I'd probably keep Michi (and Acorn, if 2 are allowed!) as they are special in non-monetary ways and also quite irreplaceable as they are no longer made. They always bring me to a good mood, too! While I really like the rest of my current dolls as well, I would be willing to part with them if that's the option I have to take, as they don't have an emotional impact of that extent.

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

When I just had one doll, I really wanted them to have a friend so I guess not Maybe if I was less involved with the hobby I could make this decision, but I really enjoy the little variety I have.

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 most popular dolls and I'm hardly ever tempted by limiteds. I will customise my dolls myself anyway so it makes no difference to me. I think everyone is allowed to collect however they want, and as long as they don't judge other collections, all is well.


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

If I had unlimited resources I would spoil the dolls I have


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 keep track vaguely but I keep working hard at not impulse-spending and also sell the stuff I have every once and a while so tallying it all up doesn't make sense to me. I feel like it would make me feel a bit weird towards the hobby as well - I don't spend tons on it and I just want to relax and have fun to my best abilities. I don't give anyone a chance to comment on the financial side of the hobby as tbh every hobby costs something to keep up with it and bjds are not comparatively in a very different price category than most other hobbies people enjoy.

 

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 browse the marketplace fairly frequently (and have even bought a few dolls/heads from there) but I usually buy from the company. Somehow it always lines up that I’m buying a doll that’s either new (so not on the marketplace) or rare and re-released from the company when I’m looking/waiting for it (more than half of the dolls I’ve owned have been first-time releases). Plus unlike most people I seem to be the rare person who enjoys the wait, as long as the company is honest with me about how long it will take (if they’re dishonest I begin to worry that they’re trying to scam me and that gets stressful, but if they’re like “oh yeah btw it’s gonna take 11 months” I’m usually like “cool, see you in the new year”). I like taking the time to search for the perfect items for the doll and gather it all before it arrives (I’m usually never done by the time that happens).

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?
Unless I’m looking to do something very specific with a doll, then yes. All of the extra heads/faces/hands are all part of the same doll to me, they live in the doll box (so that they experience the same conditions as the doll), get painted at the same time, and get used whenever necessary.

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?
Whether it’s often enough to justify the purchase - I don’t know, but I don’t see it as clutter/extra parts, I see it as all parts of one big doll blob. The one time I didn’t get extra parts because I was trying to be “pure minimalist” with this tiny travel doll, I’ve regretted it. There’s already been one or two times when I needed fist hands, for example, which I did not get.


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 I generally don’t force it if it doesn’t make financial sense/if I didn’t already need this item and just put off ordering it in the past. Like if I need $10 and I knew I needed a wig or an accessory for someone, I will comb through the seller’s other offerings. Like other people said it makes no difference to me whether I spend $25 on a wig or on postage, so I don’t really find that those scenarios really exploit my wallet that much. If the difference is more than $25 (or the cost of the shipping) then I don’t bother.

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 times. I instinctively compare the cost of a doll to my paycheck. Being disabled, I can only work 3-4 days a week. If it’s more than what I can make in a couple of days, I feel like I can’t afford it. Like, I have money, I have savings and investments etc. So I can swing a high-cost doll financially. I’ve done it before when I was younger and healthier. But I just don’t want to spend my money that way, it makes me feel gross and regret my decision. If it’s something REALLY special, then I think I’m comfortable with the idea of saving up for it for a while/foregoing other nice things to maintain my savings the same, but I honestly don’t find myself feeling that way about almost all of the dolls out of my price range.

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’ve actually done whole stretches where I only owned one doll. I had my first doll for a while, then I sold him because I realized he wasn’t what I wanted and bought a second doll, who was my only one for a few years. When I was in college my doll ownership exploded a bit (scholarships and some family windfall). I bought Anka in 2016, after selling all of my previous dolls, and for 4 years she was my only doll. As to who I picked, I think it would depend on the circumstances. If it was for purely financial reasons, but my family was okay, I’d probably pick the iMda Angie because she’s is my cheapest and would net the smallest return. She’s also tiny and easy to transport through moves. She’s not my favourite doll of my 3, but it would just be the most practical. If there was bad stuff going on in my life… That’s tougher. I have a grail doll I’ve been saving up money for 2 years for that I don’t yet have (not because she’s expensive, I just keep missing the darn preorder windows). So, if I do pull it off, probably her. Otherwise Anka and Leonie are both equally-sentimental for me.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
I think I could be happy with the grail doll. Like I said, I’ve had stretches in my collecting life where I did only own one for years at a time. I found out the key to being happy with the doll is having a bunch of nice clothes and accessories that match, so it feels like you own more than one doll. I’m not really interested in completely stripped-down minimalism for my collection anymore though, so I don’t think I’ll be going back to just one for the foreseeable future.

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’ve owned some trendier dolls in the past (Iplehouse in their heyday, a couple of fantasy Sooms) and I just found I didn’t really bond with them. I don’t think it’s the popularity, but I do think that everyone else’s excitement made me feel more excited for the sculpt than I actually was. These days I’m usually falling for the ones that aren’t super obscure, but also not that well known.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
Unlimited resources = unlimited space, so I’d probably have the entire cast to every one of my novels in 70 cm form (aka the size that’s easy to find high-quality clothes for). I’d probably want a Volks girl in suntan that I can dress in Desers dresses. I actually have a “win the lottery” wishlist that’s just there to dream a little.

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 keep popping in and out of the hobby and every time I return, I start a new spreadsheet (and lose track of the old one). I find it fun, it helps me budget, and maybe if I die unexpectedly my family can evaluate the cost of the dolls and act accordingly. I don’t feel like I outspend my means so I don’t really feel guilty looking at it. I spent about 4k in the last 8 years, given my income and where I live, that’s not that much in the grand scheme of things, and I don’t really have many other expensive hobbies. I spend more getting my car serviced every year.
And no, no one really does. I don’t have an excessive collection and even though my family doesn’t get it, they do see that I’m spending within a reasonable budget and just chalk it up as fun money. My husband even pitched in for a layaway payment and a face-up as a pair of gifts, I think. He gets input when I want to buy a doll, but he’s never said anything besides “if it makes you happy, let’s get it.”

 

First of all I have to say I'm not a minimalist in any sense of the term , also I think of "minimalism" as a choise think like one has all the money in the world to have a big house and everything inside it and consiously decides to get less than can afford or smaller space than can afford ... people of my social status usually are just practical live in a house they can afford have the stuff they can afford sometimes a bit more , sometimes a bit less , sometimes buy an expensive doll and others sell it etc it's more of a practical thing than a belief system thing.
Even so I am as maximalistic I can be inside my room , the rest of the house is fairly much more "minimal" because my son has autism and things /toys / stuff must be organised etc but my room is like a bazaar when it's tidy and sadly like a storage container when it's 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?
when I used to buy dolls I sometimes did that and others don't it really depended of the doll , the price , the company if p.e. it was an event sale in the company site I would go there etc , also many of the dolls I liked were not the most popular ones or if they were they weren't often for sale in the marketplace cause they were fairly new releases back in 2009-2013
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 never I was ordering only what I wanted back then
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 of those now but I have extra fantasy parts and floating heads I got and regret every one of them while I still can see the beauty in them they are absolutely useless for me and have been for a decade
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?
not in bjd's but yes I have done it with other things and stores . It is a trick but one that someone can get advantage off sometimes it pays off cause you find something similar to what you wanted anyway and pay less , sometimes it just creates clutter *guh guh craft materials for 2 lifetimes guh guh*
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 have the money at hand , I cannot dream the time I'll just have the money for a bjd at hand just like that but have the ability to put it on layaway and pay it yes I did I passed in many like 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'm selling my collection and yes I'm able to do it but slowly , I couldn't stay with just one doll to me if I continue with the hobby which is something very hard for me timewise I will keep about 5-8 dolls from what I have if I decide to not do anything with bjd there is no point to keep any so it's either a small group or zero . The ones that would stay in such an occation are the ones who I like most and pose better just that.
7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
No because one is not a collection and I am a collector and I like variety so if I want to not get bored with my doll hobby I need the variety and a few dolls , my current circumstances space wise time wise and money wise make the more than a few more of a problem than pleasure so many is not possible but one doll to me is as useless as none I'd better sell it and get my money back.
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 bought always what I liked no matter how popular or rare it was , I'm not bothered by what other people collect each has their own taste
9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
If I had space time and money I would get a spiritdoll catalina , but I have neither she costs 2700$ with face up and I think the shipping/customs will also be a small fortune as it is a 125cm tall lady. But I don't have the money , I don't have the space and time neither the strength to handle such a size in resin form.
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?
plenty of people did comment , I kept a track and happily for those others my buying days are no more and now I'm selling off so they should be pleased and shut their mouths . Back in the day were I was spending my general spending in entertainment was less than everyone of them it just happened for me to be on dolls which I can now (and do) sell and get a pecentage of my money back while in the meantime I enjoyed the dolls/hobby. so who's laughing last?

 

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 tend to buy dolls new because I don't have much stamina or patience to wait/watch for something to pop up secondhand, while not knowing how long the search will last. If the doll isn't available from the maker -- like a preorder that ended long ago -- I will look secondhand for a while (maybe 2-3 months?). But as more time passes, I'm more likely to lose interest and go for a different doll that's easier to buy.


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 really like option hands and feet for posing, so if that's available I'll either buy them right away or soon after the doll comes home. If the company releases option parts later on, I will also pick them up. I'm less interested in alternate faces.


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 option hands and feet quite routinely, and I've gone out of my way to hybrid hands to my dolls to give them more diverse poses. Generally I don't regret owning more option parts.
I just got the sleepy version of one of my dolls, and I don't think I'll swap alternate faces as often as I swap hands/feet.


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?
Sure, I've taken advantage of events before if I could make it work to my favour. But generally I try not to get sucked into a deal. Doll stuff is too expensive to use as padding for a shopping cart, and I tend to want specific things for my crew anyway.


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 can and have bought expensive dolls, but I've also passed on other dolls because as much as I liked them and had the funds, I couldn't convince myself to part with my funds.


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, my dolls are a single cast of characters. They're too important to me as a collective, I can't break one from the others like this. I'd rather sell all of them and have no dolls at all. (If this happened I would probably leave the hobby for a pretty long time, possibly for good.)


7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Maybe, it means I'd have to completely change the way I engage with the hobby. Currently, my doll collection is a single cast and I tell stories through them. I could not tell those stories with just one doll; I'd have to create a different kind of story.
This is probably the way I can endure question 6 without leaving the hobby - I'd sell all of my current collection, start afresh with one new doll, and enjoy it in a completely different way.


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 can't deny that popularity/rarity does influence my tastes. I generally don't pay attention to big companies and gravitate towards indie/small-release dollmakers instead. When a doll seems (by my judgment) quite popular, I find myself distancing from it, whereas if I'm drawn to an uncommon sculpt, the uncommon-ness makes it more attractive. I have a few popular sculpts/companies represented in my crew, but by and large, I like owning uncommon dolls.

I guess it's a mixture of being a contrarian (but probably not as edgy as I think I am, lol) and arbitrarily constraining my choices. There are SO many tempting dolls out there now, the more dolls I ignore the more I can focus my tastes and avoid temptation. So I've decided to mostly ignore bigger companies and focus on indepedent dollmakers. It's all arbitrary, but that's how I'm going about it.


9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
No doll - I've had the funds to afford all the dolls I want and I'm pretty satisfied with my crew.
Instead, with unlimited funds I'd buy a second pair of articulated 1/3 resin wings from the Chinese crafter Whimstudio. These wings cost about as much as a 1/3 doll body, I bought one pair, and though I really wanted 2 pairs I couldn't justify the cost. Now if I had unlimited resources ... or if Whimstudio re-released the wings later...


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'm ... kind of obsessive about tracking my spending in this hobby I used to track every dollar of my expenses when I was younger and learning how to manage money; I don't do it anymore for anything, except for BJDs. I track doll expenses in Excel spreadsheets and the Notion app. I don't feel any guilt knowing how much I spend -- in fact, I would feel guilty if I did NOT know or didn't keep a paper trail. I think the hobby is too expensive for me to not stay accountable to myself, and I actually feel more secure being able to track where my funds were going.
People haven't really commented on my spending. If they ask, I say that my dolls are expensive and leave it there.

 

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 will nearly always go secondhand first, unless it's a new doll/head from a smaller artist, but I won't pay above retail price for a secondhand doll that's still available. I like having dolls that have a bit of a backstory before I encounter them

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 don't have any sleeping heads, but yes on the hands. Generally if I get a new doll from Volks, I use the hand sheet links to get some extras.

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 them a lot! I'm not a fan of jointed hands, so I like having lots of different static hands for various scenarios/poses. Because the vast majority of my dolls are Volks, there's usually 2 or 3 dolls that can share each pair of hands, depending on size and colour. I do wish some of my other dolls had more static hands available, especially the 65cm and above boys.

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?
Volks never offers free shipping, and most of the time if I order a new doll through a dollmaker or ACBJD, my order will automatically qualify for free shipping. I don't go looking for it, but the cost of shipping does make me wait to order doll parts/clothes until I need enough to justify the cost; for example, I'm not going to buy two pairs of shoes by themselves.

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 have this feeling more with outfits. I love Black Saturn's work, but I feel like if I did have an outfit that costly, I'd be too scared to even put it on a doll. I do tend to wait for sales periods if I'm looking for bodies or parts both new and secondhand.

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 so. I've already been in tough financial situations recently and I didn't consider selling my dolls. There are other things I'd sell first. Plus, it's a buyer's market right now, and the Australian dollar is pretty weak. I've only sold dolls/heads that haven't worked out for me: one took months to sell, and only the body sold, and the other I sold when a WTB popped up. The cost of shipping from Australia would also probably deter most buyers.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
No, I like having my dolls interact with each other. I did take one doll with me on holiday to Japan but she came home with several new friends, 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?
I don't care about how popular a sculpt is, though I may grumble to myself if it affects how easy it is to obtain secondhand. The usefulness of a popular sculpt is you can see how lots of different people have styled a particular doll. Sometimes I do find myself wanting more obscure sculpts just to get more pictures of them out there!

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I'd probably get a custom sculpted 1/3 grandma. I just want a funky grandma doll to sew for sometimes!

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?
My layaways and any potential purchases fit into my budgeting, so I'm aware of the costs. I try not to talk to non-doll collectors about the financial side of the hobby because when people know how much the dolls are worth, their eyes usually turn to dollar signs and I get told to sell my whole collection. Explaining the market and economy as I've said above does not compute for most people.
When people find out the monetary cost of the dolls, they often don't understand the value the hobby brings for me as a person: having a creative outlet for writing/sewing/etc, meeting new friends, going outdoors for photos, etc.

 

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

Almost always - not only are second hand dolls cheaper, I love the process of repairing and customizing old dolls. The wear and tear is a plus for me!

There are companies whose work I like but they have limited order periods, so it's much easier to find their dolls second hand.

I'm also put off by the long wait and uncertainty of a preorder; there are horror stories like Dollshe out there, as well as tales of the occasional defective/miscast 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?

I wait before purchasing any extras. Default hands are usually enough for me, and I've never purchased a sleeping face for any doll I own.

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 regret extra hands because they're usually cheap - compared to the doll itself, at least. I view them like a change of clothes for the 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?

The angel on my shoulder says, "this is a just marketing trick!", and the devil on my other shoulder whispers, "...but you might save money this way..."

Then I fill up my cart for the promo and spend more than I intended to. I don't like it but I can't stop falling for it, haha.

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".

A lot of limited SD-size dolls are out of my budget currently, including many cute Volks FCS dolls.

I'm trying to build up savings right now, but in the past I would spend money as soon as it was in my hands. I would get ideas about some custom doll or another and purchase all the parts on a whim.

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

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

Yes. Finding new eyes and hairstyles which suit her, expanding her shoe collection, making/buying new clothes, and refreshing her face up. There's so much to do for just one 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 don't dislike sculpts because they are popular or limited. I simply don't purchase them because they tend to be more expensive than what I feel they're worth. For example, I think Dollfie Dream Sasara is super cute, but she's incredibly expensive due to the hype surrounding her, commanding close to $1500 second hand. That's too much for me.

I haven't been in the hobby for long. My impression of attitudes in the vinyl doll world, is that purchasing and customising a limited DD is seen as a greater commitment to the hobby than "just" owning a standard model.
I've never seen any snobbery towards people who choose not to buy limiteds though, so I don't think it's a real problem.

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

Volks MSD F-48 - $300
Luts KDF Aru - $300
An SD-sized doll, probably Volks - up to $1000

Plus accessories... So many accessories! Including a fully furnished doll room box for them.

I don't have space or money for many dolls so I intentionally lower my dolly ambitions, 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?

No, it would make me sick. It gives me a headache just thinking about it sometimes. My boyfriend knows about my spending habits and encourages me to spend less. No one else knows about the real cost of my dolls.

That being said, I feel better about spending money on dolls than other collectibles - like figures - because I can interact with my dolls and create artwork with 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?

Having been out of the hobby a while, most of the dolls I'm currently looking for are no longer sold by the maker and have to be acquired second hand. I typically buy heads and bodies separately because I'm nitpicky so I prefer buying from the companies if I can because it's easier to color match fresh resin.

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 only dolls I'd ever buy optional faces for are my u-noas, and even then I never buy the sleeping fave. I just don't think it's worth the cost of a second head and having the face-up done.

I do enjoy optional hands, I think they make a doll more expressive.

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 and love all my u-noa optional parts and I love having extra hands. I love the jointed hands companies are doing for the larger dolls and will absolutely buy a pair for each of my boys when I choose their bodies.

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 but I have skipped on ordering a piece of clothing I liked from a dealer because there wasn't enough other things I wanted to justify the shipping cost.

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".

When dolls only come as full sets, looking at you Volks, I almost never want the outfit/wig/shoes and lately I don't want to deal with the hassle of splitting the doll so I just pass as they're too expensive.

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'd have to keep my oldest girl because the guilt would eat me up but she's not currently my favorite and I'd probably be a bit bitter about it tbh

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

Nope. I regularly go through phases of who is my favorite, who I'm inspired to sew/create for, etc and I would not be happy otherwise.

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 wouldn't say I dislike purchasing popular sculpts outright, I find that I am subconsciously influenced outside of what I know is true to my taste the more I see something so in that sense I avoid specifically looking at popular stuff.

Rarity has no influence on whether I want something, only how much to budget for that doll.

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

The only dolls I really want at the moment all must be acquired second hand, there's really no price guidelines to follow. There's one head I'm looking for currently available that's out of my budget so theoretically, $500 for the head alone to buy it up today.

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?

Absolutely not as long as I pay my bills, don't create debts, and enjoy what I'm doing then there's no need. My family is aware of the costs. They're also art appreciators in general and understand, while they might not be bjd collectors, it is buying into someone's art and creating art myself so they don't criticize the cost. As for strangers, if they comment I'm polite as long as they are.

 

1. Do you bother to look for the doll you want on the secondhand market or do you go straight to the company? Why?
These days I'm more likely to look only at the secondhand market if I'm looking for discontinued dolls, bodies/heads separately that the company doesn't offer in that way or standard dolls that I think might be easier to find. Other than that I tend to get them directly from the company, and in most cases they are directly from a preorder period, reason why also I don't have the option to check secondhand before if it's the first or only time they're released.

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 I don't, I only got a sleeping face once but recently I've been getting more extra hands if they're 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 had one doll with a sleeping face that I got as an extra thinking that I would use it a lot. In the 10+ years I had the doll I used it maybe three times and I've never gotten a sleeping face ever again, it's not worth it to me and I regretted buying that one. When it comes to hands I've been getting some when they have been offered (mostly for smaller dolls they seem to be offered more often) and I do use them quite a lot so they're justified to me. But I'll always check that it's worth it. For example, recently I got a body and there were optional hands, you could get around 4 pairs in a single set price or pick individual pairs. The set together came to less than buying individual technically, but I saw that of the sets offered I would only use consistently two of the pairs, so even though it was a bit more per pair individually I only purchased the two pairs. I don't like to buy what I'm not going to use and I still technically saved money even if I paid a bit more for the individual pairs than the whole set.

I also do regret not getting some of the extra hands for my Dollshe 6F size doll because she is in the honey resin and we know how it has gone with the company so I have absolutely no chance to find them or buy them ever what is a shame and I regret not buying them at 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?
Unless I absolutely happen to want something they have I never do. I know it's a merchandising trick and a lot of times when you do the numbers you realise that either you end up spending more or the money you save is not much at all. If it's a very good deal I won't miss it, but I read and calculate everything to make sure it's worth it and an advantage for me. It rarely is, so I rarely 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".
Sure, very often.

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 would be able to do it but it would be difficult to pick only one, I think two would be a lot more manageable. The first one that always comes to my mind in this type of questions is my Narsha Zihu, she's so versatile, love the 35cm size, one of my best posers even though she's single jointed (even with her limitations) and she can easily be transported.

7. Do you think you could be happy with just one doll? Why?
Maybe. It would be annoying for a while until I got used to it. So I wouldn't do it voluntarily but I could do it if necessary. As to why I wouldn't do it voluntarily, I enjoy different sizes and faces and the creativity that their different styling and customising brings to my life, as well as the entertainment they give me to use them as models in my photos. Bjds are my only escapism and as a frugal person they're literally the only thing I spend money on (the dolls themselves, eyes, some shoes, I do the rest myself), so considering how much I don't spend on other things it would be quite silly of me to limit myself to only one doll specifically.

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 to like the doll, I don't care if it's popular or not. I've had some sculpts that were considered very popular at the time I had them and now they would probably be rare. Trends come and go so who cares, get what you like. Generally I do gravitate towards dolls that maybe are not as popular as others (but I don't consider them very rare either) but for no reason in particular other than my taste in looks and poseability I guess? I don't personally like limited dolls even if I've bought into it because of wanting a doll and feeling the pressure, but I'm not bothered by people that wants to buy only limited or rare dolls, it's up to them.

9. If you had unlimited resources which doll would you purchase? How much does he/she/it cost?
I wouldn't purchase anything different than now because even with unlimited resources I still wouldn't be able to justify myself certain dolls at certain prices. With time my limit of how much I spend for a single doll is going down, mostly because I find myself getting more anxious owning and using dolls that have a very high value, I enjoy them less and I find they limit my creativity.

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 and no. I don't keep a written record nor I do since the beginning of the hobby but I remember how much I've spent or sold in the last few years. My boyfriend is the only one that knows about my hobby in depth and he doesn't comment since I restrain myself a lot more than him, he usually enables me to buy dolls more than myself