Only allowing yourself to buy "cheaper" dolls?

From personal experience, I must agree. While most of my dolls are fairly expensive, one day just cruising the net I fell head over heels in love with a DollZone boy. Then a few weeks later I saw the Bobobie Sprite & instantaneous love! I honestly think the Chinese companies are getting better with their sculpts.

 

I just had an instantaeous love moment with the new limited edition Dollzone boy, Xi-Aleister...he is beyond gorgeous and I have no funds with which to buy, more's the pity.

 

Having just read the first post, this is all i have to say.
A] if someone is a cheapskate and decides to buy a 'cheaper' doll specifically for the price tag, then doesn't fall in love with the doll, and therefore leaves the fandom, It's there own prerogative and it keeps them from spamming here about how the hobby is to expensive.

B] if someone falls in love with a 'cheaper' doll, buys it, and is very happy with it, Then who is to say that is a bad thing? honestly, tis just another person to befriend and share your obsession with. Really.

kaye, stepping down from the soapbox.

 

This is a good question...
I think it's a bit silly if they're only buying "cheap" dolls just so they can have alot of dolls to show off. People should go for the dolls that they really truly love. I think it's wrong that some doll owners think of the hobby as a competitive sport and flaunt how many they own.
Theres nothing wrong in owning many dolls, just they shouldn't be bought for the sole reason of showing off~

It's true that there is alot of peer pressure to owning multiple dolls but if they like the sculpt then theres more meaning to the purchase.

I'm more one to want a doll before I even notice the price tag.
And I admit B&G doll Sky has captured my heart lately ♥

 

I just noticed this post and my 2 cents on that matter is that I don't really think this happens often. Or at all. For one thing, this isn't exactly a cool hobby. It's not like a cool sports car where people envy you when you take it out for a ride. Most of the time, people either think you're crazy for carrying a doll around, or that it's cute. When they know the price tag of the dolls, the likelihood that they think you're crazy goes up.

As for buying lots of cheap dolls to be cool...again, I don't see this happening. Quite the opposite in fact. In this hobby, the rarer and more expensive are the ones that are more likely to be admired because if it's something you don't see often, of course you take time out to admire if it appears on the gallery or at meets. So I would say people are more likely to buy a very expensive doll as an attempt to be 'cool' than many 'cheaper' ones. Anyhow, owning a 'cheaper' doll can sometimes be a stigma around certain groups of people so I doubt anyone would have the perception that owning many cheap dolls would make them cooler.

I had a friend who bought a cheaper doll out of the blue. I never heard about it after the first few posts. Quite honestly, I could tell it had nothing to do with being cool. It was an impulse buy. I think it's easier to impulsively buy cheaper dolls since it's affordable by more people (though USD200? Not always considered spare change either). So perhaps people are more likely to impulsively buy cheaper dolls, but I'm doubtful about buying the dolls to be cool theory.

 

For me, it really depends on the reason. If they're doing it for budgeting purposes, then I do think it's reasonable. Not everyone can spend the equivalent of 300-500 dollars for you usual 'high-end' doll. I think its sad though, if you settle for 'second-best' because you may end up pining more for the doll you love and neglect the one you have. However, if it was a Woosoo or a Breakaway or an FCS, I would understand (I'm on the same boat ) If its an easily obtainable one, then I would say go for the one you really love! I was at a loss over what to do with this, because as much as I loved the DoC Kirill, at that point back then, 350USD (15,000Php!!) was just too much for a girl about to leave high school with no steady income and still living under roof and say of her parents. DZ Mo was my second option because he was much cheaper and from China. Great! My dad goes there regularly. Easier right?
...I got the DoC, and he's lying on my lap as I type. It took much longer, and a lot more bargaining pains were involved, but in the end, he's really worth it. I am paying him off (hi mom... ) and painful as it is to the pocket, I think it makes him all the more valuable to me, monetary and sentimental-value-wise because he IS the doll I waited for for almost two years. If the 'dream doll' is relatively easy to obtain (like him being a standard edition of a company), I think they should go for it. I think restricting yourself to only the 'lower-end' dolls is a pity, because you really do lose so much. Now that I'm working under the government radar (no 'official' work till 18--i get paid cash, not listed to pay tax, no government benefits, no social security, health benefits, etc) I do understand that it's difficult because situations and cicumstances vary from person to person. I wouldn't judge them based on the molds they buy (there are some really beautiful ones that don't hurt the pocket as much), but if they treat the doll like its nothing... then that's a different story altogether.

...I apoplogize excessive ramblings. I'm sleepy.

 

My very first non 1/6 doll was a "cheap" vinal not only because of the attainable $200 price tag but in the beginning I wasn't sure I could have a resin and not break it. Three Dollzones later I would rather have them than one more exspensive doll. When I take them out most people never ask how much they cost. I could tell people I paid $1000 but what's the point? I already have these lovely things that declare I have disposable income, no debt, and no kids.

Cash wise my most expensive is a 70cm Dollzone, price per inch it's the Orientdoll Il. I have a bit of a self imposed price limit on everything I buy. If you can buy two dolls you like for the price of one I'd say go with two, they get lonely.

 

People who get worked up about this sort of thing are, in my mind, people who for some reason don't feel comfortable with the decision they've made. If you feel the need to defend your cheaper dolls all the time, then maybe it's really you who deep down feels they aren't as good as more expensive ones. If you feel the need to denigrate those who buy cheaper dolls, maybe its because you aren't really comfortable with the amount that you spent, and you have to validate your decision by telling people who spent less that they are wrong.

If you are happy with your dolls, great. If you aren't, then you should examine why it is that you aren't, and stop looking to other people to make you feel better about it.

 

I rather people get the doll they want. Back when I first thought about getting these dolls, the price tag threw me, so I got the Barbie sized one. I still have him, but his wig was MORE than a regular BJD wig. Eventually I decided that was too much and went on, saving for that year's DragonCon. Around June of the same year, I got back into the dolls, looking at CP's El. I fell in love, and figured I would be spending the money anyway at the con, so why not? I got him.

Yes, some of my dolls are on the cheaper end of the scale, but I still love them.

 

Mm, I feel that it's entirely up to the person with the cash what dolls they buy. I'm not going to criticize them. As long as they're happy with the outcome, that's fine and dandy. If they're not happy... well, that's something they need to think about, not me. Personally I would always choose to get an expensive doll I love rather than a cheap one I like simply because, heck, I'm going to be shelling out a lot of money anyway - why not shell out a bit extra for a perfect doll as opposed to a nice one? If I loved a cheap one and an expensive one equally... I'd probably flip a coin, then do the opposite of what it told me to do.

 

I only can buy for now a cheap doll. I would like to buy a resin one like bobobie which I love to see. I think that people should buy what they like and they can afford. The resin ones worth what they cost because the effort to create the mold and create them but I can live with vinyl also. My first one will be an obitsu 60 cm and I'm so glad that I will buy her... she is going to be my first baby LOL

 

The concept of "cheap" in this hobby is just so interesting. I recently bought an Elysium Hugo head as a wedding gift. When looking at a constant parade of $500 + price tags, $200 seems a measly sum. But when you really consider it...that's still quite a bit.

It's been reinforced here that while most collectors would see a $180 doll as "cheap," that amount could still buy a large amount of other things. Dolls are far from necessities, and being willing to spend even more than $100 on dolls is already rather extreme. This condescension of "cheaper" dolls really isn't necessary. We're in this hobby to love dolls. What does a price tag have anything to do with it, besides apparently breed elitism?

 

Well said methinks.

 

as long as someone really love the doll it's not important is it cheap or expensive. that's my opinion. if the doll is everything for the owner then what's the problem.
i only do not understand two kinds of people 1st - they buy cheap doll because it's so cool to have a dollfie.they don't care just want to have a dollfie and show others - i got you don't. and 2nd when someone want to show off and buy very expensive doll not because she/he likes the doll but because it's expensive. these two examples are something i will never accept. i buy a doll because i love them, and no matter will i save 2 months or 2 years. if it's my dream doll i will buy it. just work hard to make my dream come true

 

I'm the sort who only buys dolls in the low end of the price spectrum. I got into BJD's before companies like Dollzone or AOD though. I always look for deals on dolls i love. I spent $320 on my Unoa, $400ish on my Namu, and $350 on my Volks FCS. (and the FCS actually IS my ultimate dream doll head sculpt)
I only buy more inexpensive dolls for several reasons.
1. I don't have a ton of money. I have a bit extra if i save, but i have to draw the line somewhere. I really can't afford more than $500 in any one purchase, let alone something that's just for fun like a doll.
2. I like other things. I like Gothic Lolita clothes, comics, anime, beer... etc. If i spend ALL my money on dolls i wouldn't have enough left over for other things i like.
3. I play with my dolls, i don't really collect. As long as i LIKE the sculpt, i'll be just as fufilled owning the doll because he/she is mine to interact with. (this being said, i can't thing of any three sculpts i'd choose over the ones i've got even if every doll cost exactly the same ammount of money)
4. I'm actually slightly more interested in doll clothes and styling my dolls than the actual sculpts of the dolls. So, less money spent on the doll = more $$ to dress them up!

 

That's really a personal choice. I for example prefer to have a very small number of dolls because the ones I really really love are expensive, than to have a lot of dolls that I just like. I know that if I settled for a cheaper doll instead of the one I really want I'd just be unhappy with the purchased doll, I'd find all sorts of flaws in it just because it wouldn't be exactly like the one I really wanted. So I prefer to spend months or years without having a new doll if in the end I can have something that I consider perfect. But that's just me, if someone else feels the opposite way that's great, as long as that makes them happy

 

Get what you like, and if your aren't going broke from it, thats great. Its not a bad thing to be wise with money.

I have not got any mega expensive ones myself, Lilis Liv is my most expensive, not cheap for sure, but I end up playing with the minis (who cost less) the most and now I got my Fdoll Kemi I am really enjoying her, shes inexpensive but not cheap in quality, I am glad I bought her, even though shes not a high dollar ABJD.

 

I think if someone has a cheaper doll on their wish list and they choose to purchase that one before a more expensive doll it is fine. All of the parts for my first doll are odered but not here yet(he's gonna be a hybrid). When he is complete he will cost about $800 or maybe a bit more(his body was a gift so I do not have to pay as much as I originally thought thank goodness..actually my parents should be thanked). But after I have him I want a fdoll tobias which whith shipping I do not think will be more than $230. I do not want him because he is cheap, I like him. If a person likes a less expensive mold and they don't mind waiting on a pricier one they should buy it. I do not think, however, that it is a good idea to buy a doll just because it is cheap; but if you like the doll than there is nothing wrong with that.

 

I fell in love with Angell-Studio's Gus (I want a girl Gus :3) and I'm happy it's less expensive then some other pretty dolls. It's always nice to have a lower price. But you have to buy, what steals your heart. If the price steals your heart, I don't think it's good. But if you really like the doll, JUST BUY IT!

 

Yes, I told to my best friend about the obitsu I have on layaway and when she saw the price she said " that much she costs!" . Well... I think that any of this dolls is cheap after see that barbie cost $5.00 in some places LOL

BTW, I love dollmore model Kyle. I fell in love with him but the price is what makes me suffer... I need to work a lot to get him but I know when I see him I will not regret it... Well...I need to get a piggy bank