Only allowing yourself to buy "cheaper" dolls?

Personally I think so long as you love that doll, the pricing is not really that matters whether if it's cheap or expensive I mean cheaper dolls won't make you have lesser love for them or more love for more expensive ones To me, if it's more expensive, it's just a matter of time that I'll take to save up to get them

 

I'm on the shady side of middle age, and have come to realise that I fell out of love with my expensive stuff very often, if not always. Every single time in the past where I bought something I loved for twice as much money as something similar I merely liked, I ended up regretting it.
So I am no longer inclined to save up for what I 'really love and 'must' have' rather than buy something I 'merely' like. I just know that it will not work for me in the long run.

When I look at my collection of non-BJD dolls, it's not the most expensive dolls that I love most - I have some dolls that I found by accident at a rummage sale for the price of a cup of coffee that are more dear to me than dolls I saved up for for months and felt at that time I 'had to have'. These last ones were very often the first to be sold on again, because somehow once I had them they were suddenly a lot less desirable. Or just disappointing after months of 'building them up' in my mind.

I am totally in love with some of the Iplehouse EID and SID dolls, but I don't want them. For one thing, there are website pictures. The better/more elaborate they are, the less likely I am to buy the doll, because under my own harsh lights it will probably not look half as good... And then there are a dozen things I would rather do for that money. I would probably end up resenting a doll that costs as much as a new washing machine. Not to mention feeling guilty if I didn't get the maximum enjoyment out of it, after spending all that money and making the kids eat Brussels Sprouts for a month...
(Well, if you're younger, just think about how you would feel if you had to eat BS for a month so your mother could buy this stack of quilting material or a new sewing machine that she then would stuff into a cabinet without using it...)

So for me at my age, it's a matter of balancing priorities and responsibilities as well as past personal experience of what makes me tick that will make me only buy 'cheaper'. I know from experience that I will only enjoy 'cheaper'. And feel more free to fiddle with face-ups and clothing and wigs for a cheaper doll, too.

But I think it's different for everyone. I know that 25 or 30 years ago I would have answered very differently... (Yes, that's how old I am... LOL!!!)

 

As I look for my first doll, I don't want to box myself into only buying cheaper dolls, or only expensive ones. I'd rather pick out other criteria (face, size, body shape), see what's out there, and then make the decision. Cheap or expensive doesn't necessarily mean value.

 

Price is not the main barrier for me to have feeling with any dolls. Either cheap or expensive ones could be my in-love dolls. However the high price will postpone my purchasing plan and make me have more consideration for how to arrange my money. Normally, I only purchase one expensive doll like Soom MD full set and less than 4 US400- dolls in one year. I am trying to control my aspiration of purchasing for finding my true-loved dolls~

 

I only get (or are going to get dolls) if I Love the mould and how they look and if they would suit my characters. My first doll (who is on her way) is a ResinSoul Li. So I guess she is counted as one of the "cheaper" dolls in this hobby. But i didnt get her for her price. I got her because I loved her mould and I felt a connection with it. Sure I liked the FairyLand ShuShu's but I didnt feel a connection. I didnt LOVE them. If I had rreally loved her, I would have her now. But I love Li.

I am currently saving for 2 dolls. 1 - A Bobobie Apollo (once again, not due to price, but because I love the mould and how veritile he can be. Also he looks like he could be Shiloh (my Li) 's brother.) and 2- A DIM Edmon. Sure he is pricey but I love him and he is my dream doll. So I will save up every penny I have for him.

Its persional prefrence. I know people who think just because you got a Bobobie or a Resinsoul worth £120 your not counted as a true collector. Not true. Its if you love the mould. I believe if you like a doll that much dont settle with a cheaper one. Save up. I didnt settle with Li or like I am going to do for my Apollo because I couldnt or didnt think i could ever get e.g. a Soom Monthly Doll. I genuanly LOVE the moulds. Im proud to say I am gonna be a ResinSoul and *hopefully soon* an Bobobie owner. ^-^

 

I've just bought my second doll, a Resinsoul Li. I honestly love her, and I think it's clear that it was not her price which convinced me, considering my first doll, Neykon, is a Souldoll, and they are certainly not considered in the cheap range. I try to not look at the prices of dolls but to look for my characters in the mould and then worry about the money AFTER I've fallen in love!

 

I don't have a problem with people who buy cheaper dolls, it's when people buy cheaper dolls BECAUSE they're cheap, I get a little annoyed. I mean, it seems like people who are buying cheaper dolls for that reason have to convince themselves to love that x>120 dollar doll. It seems like they're forcing the hobby-- buying dolls just cause they're dolls, and BJD hobby isn't a hobby that's really supposed to be about that.

 

What really bugs me is the opposite of this situation, when people try to "restrict" themselves to buy only /expensive/ dolls because they don't want to be seen purchasing a "cheap" doll! Personally, I think it's totally fine to buy less expensive dolls! There are a lot of "cheaper" brands that I really like too! And I'm all for the sculpt. As long as I love the sculpt itself, I'm willing to dish as little (or as much) money for it, regardless of what others think.

As long as the buyer truly loves the doll, then I don't see why it would be a "wrong" thing to do. x)

 

I... might be blind, but I don't think I've actually seen this before. Perhaps the community I'm part of is too level-headed for such nonsense?

 

I know a lot of people who set budgets for themselves. Which isn't really a bad thing because it's good to be smart with money. But sometimes it's best just to put a little more money than you normally would into something you really want.

I would guess the everyday non doll owner would hear the price of dolls and be shocked!
$400 for a doll? Haha.
It might seem unreasonable but a lot of work is put into making these dolls and they are literately art.

As far as a price range is concerned, I don't feel you should really have one. I mean of course you don't want to go into debt over a doll, but what I mean is that you should buy a doll you know you're going to love rather than settling for one in your price range. Unless the doll is limited they really aren't going anywhere, even then though they tend to show up on the marketplace not too long after. But what I mean to say is that if you fall for a doll that is very expensive, just save up even if it takes a year or more. Because it's so worth it to have a doll you love!

As for the whole 'cheap dolls' thing. I never liked that term. Because it kinda makes people feel bad about their dolls when they hear stuff like that. I know there are a lot of companies that make 'inexpensive' dolls and they have die hard fans. And no doll owner should have to feel bad because they can't afford a $800 doll. And those 'cheaper' brands tend to be some of my favorites to see at meetups.

So I guess to sum things up, don't limit yourself in this hobby. If you like a doll that is more affordable that's great, but if a more expensive one has stolen your heart just wait and save up and you'll be so glad you did.

 

Ditto on that. I've seen some people who bought affordable dolls and only affordable dolls and goes "OMMMMG. I love her/him even though she/he's cheap." EVERY. SINGLE. TIME if someone mentioned something about their dolls.

They keep saying "I love him, I love her." But it seems kinda forced to me. I feel like that they are trying too hard in loving their ''affordable" dolls. Well, I dont doubt that some of them do really like their more affordable dolls, but most of the time, I get a very weird vibe from some collectors.

Aside from that, I have both cheap and expensive dolls, cheapest being my Resinsoul Song but he's my favourite doll[not kidding] and I really couldnt let go him anytime soon. And I have some MNFs. I arent that attached to my MNF compared with my RS Song though.

CONCLUSION:
It doesnt matter how much a doll costs, but what matter is what you do with it and how you make it beautiful to you.

 

I don't really have a doll budget, or focus on the prices of dolls. I prefer to believe that things are worth what I'm willing to pay...so the most gorgeous doll in the world could appeal to me, but if I think the doll is overpriced for what it is, I won't buy.

I don't price police others and I don't campaign for lower priced dolls (I have some 'expensive' dolls in my collection, I am aware), but I don't have a set price limit. I probably would spend $1000+ on a doll if I felt that the doll was worth it - I haven't got there yet though - but I would prefer to save up the money, rather than begin a very long layaway if I was spending that much on one doll. Of course I'm over the moon if there's a doll I love and it's priced at $300 or under, but I don't deliberately cruise around looking for those dolls. I go by the dolls I find attractive first and then consider their price and their worth to me.

This gives the impression that I'm rich or irresponsible with my money, but I'm really not. I have a job, I work hard...dolls are my reward to myself for working hard at my job and working hard at my degree. I don't have many dolls because I prioritise one company over others, which is actually a blessing for me - focusing on one company means I don't overspend on dolls because even if I like Volks' new releases it still takes time for me to save up for them and also, I may find that the set price is not compatible with my feelings about the doll.

I've never seen this happen, ever. Any examples you'd like to cite?

My biggest wish for people just coming in to the hobby is just to enjoy themselves with their dolls, no matter how much the doll actually cost. A $100 doll isn't cheap in this financial climate, not a lot of people have disposable income. As long as you love your doll, that's all that matters. It drives me crazy how many people are worried about what other people think of them just based on the dolls that they have. No one is judging you but yourself.

 

I've never even heard of that, either. I've seen pretty much all collectors have an upper price-limit (even people with high budgets still have ceilings)... but I've never heard of anybody having a bottom price-limit, where they won't buy a doll they love because it costs LESS than they want to pay. Is that a real thing? In this universe?

 

^ I have never heard of this either.....I wish all the dolls I wanted were "cheaper"!!!!!

 

It certainly does exist, but what's the point in singling folks out for examples? It'll only lend further to the stereotype of 'elitists' that run rampant around here when really, some people simply prefer to steer clear of cheaper dolls as they wish not to run the risk of what they deem as 'less than quality' work. If collector's choose not to purchase dolls over a specific price range for whatever reason, why is it so wrong for other collectors to avoid inexpensive dolls where many of them have a cheap and unfinished look to them or for whatever reasons that individual decides upon?

Anyway, not to single out your post, it was just the first one questioning her statement. I certainly know folks who prefer more expensive dolls just as I know those who adore their cheapies. They both have their reason for liking what they do and I simply keep to my own preferences as well.

 

It's not so much a request to single people out as a clarifier. "I personally know around 5 people who would deliberately avoid buying cheaper dolls" would indicate to me that the person had a grounding to believe what they believe about others' buying habits. Considering that the membership of DoA is quite large and that being able to find local doll collectors can be tricky, I would have thought that personally knowing at least 5 people with those beliefs would have qualified the statement as something other than an off the cuff remark and identified a trend.

It wasn't actually Silk got there first and JennyNemesis commented after me.

 

I've seen people shy away from 'curiously low' prices on account of fears it may be a recast or have hidden damage in terms of items sold on ebay and such, but never 'this company has low prices, I can't buy from them'.

 

I agree, I see people not buying certain very low priced dolls out of either fear of a scam/recast/toxic resin/etc...or just general dislike of the doll itself, but not someone wanting a cheap doll and then discovering the price and being all "oh it's less than $300? What will people think if I buy that? Scandal!"

 

Usually, I don't care how cheap or expensive a doll is - if I like it enough to still want it months after I first saw it, I'll save up money to get it. So far, as it happens, the dolls I got were all more in the "expensive" range than the "cheap". Now, I'm saving up for a body for my Minimee head. I chose a DD Uncle - and the price was definitely an important factor here. But not the only one. I simply didn't want to buy another 400-dollar-body. I'm not poor but I don't have money to "waste", either. So why buy an expensive body just for the sake of it if

a) the "cheap" Uncle-body will do just as well (it looks just as great, imho, as the Souldoll Zenith body which - if you're lucky enough to find one on the Marketplace - will cost considerably more)
b) the resin match with Minimee resin is perfect (or so I'm told)

I would never buy a doll I don't really like instead of a more expensive one that I do like just for the sake of buying a doll. that would be - kinda silly, wouldn't it?

 

I agree with NoirOnigiri.