Rare or popular: discuss your preference

I don't like dolls based on whether they are rare/common/popular/unpopular... but I've noticed that a lot of the dolls I tend to like are ones that are less commonly seen on DoA, and a lot of the dolls that seem to be highly desired by forum members don't appeal to me much- I just have different taste I suppose. For one thing, I don't really like boy dolls all that much, and sexy boy dolls (often SD13s or CP boys) seem to be very very popular around here.

I wouldn't choose a doll based on others' opinions of that doll, though. I understand that if I buy an unpopular doll and post photos in the gallery I may not get many views... but I'd rather have a doll I lreally like than one I like okay but know will be more well-liked by others. *shrug*

In terms of looking at photos... I tend to look at molds I like best (for example if I see a thread for any of Peaks Woods' dolls I tend to click it XD), and/or threads with interesting titles... but I don't spend that much time looking through the galleries to be honest, I'd rather spend my limited daily forum time reading informative threads or even chatting about favourite molds and such than looking theough the gallery... I know I can never keep up with the number of threads, and we have dialup at home so it gets a bit frustrating to try to look at more than one gallery thread at a time (or even one post with a bunch of pictures!).

That said, I do prefer to see at least SOME owner pics (preferably with different style faceups, different types of wigs, clothing style, etc) if I'm considering a doll. It's kind of a hefty purchase, money-wise, and since I tend to like somewhat unpopular dolls I know they might be hard to resell if I don't like the actual doll as much as the webshop photos. It's also good to be able to find out how the body is, what other companies' resin will match, whether the shop ships quickly, etc etc etc.

 

it just so happens that my favorite dolls are also the popular & rare-ish ones, like Unoa Lusis and CP Woosoo. I mean, there's a reason they're popular, right? it's because a lot of people like them, and I just happen to be one of the many. xP however, I try to make my dolls unique. :]

 

I buy the BJD's I am attracted to. I also consider whether they will fit well with my others. They usually aren't too rare because in general I will not buy a doll based only on the store's stock photos. I've seen many stock photos that just don't show everything, and some shops don't even provide a photo of the doll full-face or a full body length standing dressed photo. I prefer to see the doll from all angles and in lots of poses and different faceups and clothing before I buy it. By then, any very limited sale would be over, and I won't pay scalped aftermarket prices.

That said, I do own a couple of somewhat rare ones but I didn't buy them because they were limited or discontinued. It does feel nice having a couple of less common but desirable dolls, but it's not a prerequisite for my purchases.

re the Debate questions specifically:

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?

Neither really - I fall in love with the sculpt. However, if I am already smitten with a doll and it is limited (Bambicrony Elf Pepe) or if I thought it might be discontinued soon (Catsy, and she was) it adds an urgency to my need to buy now.

- Would you ever buy a more popular doll knowing that it could get you more gallery views? Conversely, would you ever choose not to buy a doll because you believe it is too popular and you are afraid to be seen as a follower?

No, and no.

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.

Yes - I am more likely to click threads of doll types I own, have thought about buying, or am planning to buy.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?

It depends on how many views the dollmaker provides - I want to see full length front and nude, front/side/angle views of the head and pictures of the basic faceup (not the optional $100 faceup). I also want full meaurements.

Carolyn

 

Hehe, I'm not afraid to admit it: I love rarely seen dolls!

The reason is because when I see an unpopular doll, I look at the hidden potential in it to be beautiful. I want to take that doll and bring out that beauty that I know it has!

 

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?

I don't care whether it's popular or rare; it depends on the doll.

It just so happens that almost all of the dolls I fall in love with are rare and/or limited. I guess I am a sucker. ;; At current count, 13 of my 15 are limiteds (three of LE20 or less); 1 is an artisanal O.O.A.K.; 1 is regular stock. This makes life rough on my bank account, but it is so satisfying to have the rare ones. You gaze at him, and you love him for his own beauty & special mojo, but in the back of your head, you're thinking about how few others of him there are in the world. Just a little cherry on top of the joy of owning him.

But when I see a regular-stock mold that I really love-- and he fits a character I need in my collection-- sure, I'll buy it in a heartbeat! In fact, I'm always hoping to fall in love again with a non-limited face... they're so much cheaper and easier to find, and you can customize them until they look as special & limited as anything. (I adore my lone off-the-rack Namu! He may be regular stock, but I could still pick mine out of a crowd of thousands because he is mine. ^^)


- Would you ever buy a more popular doll knowing that it could get you more gallery views? Conversely, would you ever choose not to buy a doll because you believe it is too popular and you are afraid to be seen as a follower?

No, the gallery & any perceived popularity rating doesn't affect my buying decisions.


- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.

No, I'm less likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll. (Unless it's somebody I know who has an exceptional one.) I am sick to death of the legions of generic CP dolls. The word is "OVERKILL".


- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?

Sure, anytime! I had my first 6 dolls collected before I was ever a DOA member.... if I can shop for that long without the forums' input, I think I have a handle on things for myself.

Edit for a caveat: But DOA *is* an indispensable tool sometimes, when you're not really sure about a doll, or want to know more about what it looks like IRL, or are wondering about its quality/poseability/etc. Other people's owner-photos & product reviews can make all the difference in a buying decision.

 

I just buy what I like, whether or not they're rare or popular. But it's an interesting coincidence that the ones I gravitate towards are pretty obscure(right now I'm saving up for Jollyplus Arbor and a Gise head, for instance.)

I don't think the rarity or popularity of a doll should affect your purchases - you should buy the one that genuinely appeals to you.

 

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?

Neither. I have popular "standards" that I love just as much as my "rare" One-Off.
I buy what I like, if I don't like it, it's looking for a new home pronto.


- Would you ever buy a more popular doll knowing that it could get you more gallery views? Conversely, would you ever choose not to buy a doll because you believe it is too popular and you are afraid to be seen as a follower?

No. I hardly ever post in the gallery and I can't even guess how many views my last post had because I don't keep track. As for being a "follower", I guess it could seem like some people here were followers of certain trends, but honestly, truly unique dolls are few and far between, there only being so many "original" ideas to go around.

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.

NO.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?

Yes, and I have done so before. I try and use the forum/Gallery to see "IRL" pics of dolls that I have admired in the company photos, but sometimes I just can't wait that long.

Michelle

 

I don't really base my doll choices on how many are here on the DOA. I go after the dolls that I personaly like. And I happen to like CPs (and DODs) based simply on the style of the dolls. ::waits for bricks to come flying::

 

Well I'm going to play devils advocate in a round about way. I buy dolls I'm attracted to and I seem to end up with unpopular/rare ones. Like my Cossette (DM Catish Persian Nocturne White) There's only 1 other one on the board and only 1 other person I know of buying the standard Vnu edition of her. So that'll be 3 total. It is frustrating when no one replies to your gallery posts because your pics DON'T feature an El or Shiwoo (at least thats what it feels like!). This is the same for my Heath Alexei as well.

And I will say when a doll gets too popular I won't buy it. I have a Lishe (my first doll) but I got her a little over 2 years ago and I only joined DoA late last year. So for years I was ignorant of the entire community even though I was a doll owner. I'm not not sure I'd buy her if I were shopping for a first doll today. The same goes for El. I thought I'd buy one eventually but now since everyone else seems to own one I don't really want one anymore. So I do fall into the 'if it's popular I won't do it' camp. This is also why I've never seen Titanic.

 

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?
I pick a doll because I like the doll, pure and simple. If I based my decisions on whether or not I see a lot of a doll in the Gallery or not, I would not like my dolls as much as I do!

- Would you ever buy a more popular doll knowing that it could get you more gallery views? Conversely, would you ever choose not to buy a doll because you believe it is too popular and you are afraid to be seen as a follower?
There are a few dolls that are so common on DoA that I would never buy, because I've seen the sculpt so much that it's no longer interesting to me.

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.
I'm probably in the minority, but I'm not a CP fan ^^;;. I tend to click on threads with Rainy dolls or SD Kun. I'm a sucker for them!

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
Yes, I purchased my Hana when the doll first came out from Elfdoll. Papi is a limited Volks and I refuse to pay secondhand Yo prices, so I bought her before seeing owner pictures as well. But owner pictures are what made me decide on Kun, so it can go both ways!

 

I personnally buy a BJD because I find the head mold appealing to me, I don't mind if it's popular or not. I do prefer when I get a rare doll, but I won't buy it just because it's rare (and I would buy a very popular doll if I really like it).

It's not that important for me if everyone else has the same head mold because these dolls are all different and since I never go to meet-ups or conventions, I don't have the occasion to see other owners dolls in real, so I can't really compare my own dolls with others of the same mold.

I think this hobby costs too much money to only follow the popularity of some companies or head molds. I would never buy a BJD just to have more people visiting or commenting my galleries, I would buy it because I really love something in it.

 

Well I would love to have a million volks but my budget doesnt let that happen lol. Personally i like to get rarer brands if i can, but i think getting the popular ones are okay if you completely customize it. I only will get a default faceup if, it has something all the other ones dont, or its a limited edition. ^^

 

I honestly just get the sculpts I like, and so far, all the dolls I down belong in both categories. ^^; At least, there weren't many Kyle Reeses on board before I had gotten mine, now there's a good number at least... and there are a greater number of Camines and H. Ducans... xD Whatever though, they're just sculpts I love. So long as I can make them my own, I'm happy.

I look at whatever gallery thread appeals to me, not just CP. xD

I would maybe buy a doll I've never seen on the forums, if there are enough company pictures to satisfy me. xD I usually like to see all the other kinds of examples there are of that doll too, it's really interesting stuff. If I REALLY loved the sculpt though... I'd probably go for it. I believe I've done it, considering no one owns in their hands this particular head I'm waiting for yet... C':

 

I buy dolls based on how they look. I need to like the face to buy them. I'm not one to go "Oh, I'm not going to buy this doll because everyone has it," especially if I like the mold. (I *love* CP dolls, and I really want a lot of the popular ones like El, Chiwoo, Shiwoo. And just because everyone and their mom has one won't stop me from getting one too. XD)

I do love some of the limiteds though, and am paying for a Shiro Tachibana head, which (obviously) not everyone has. But I'm not buying him because I want to be one of the few who has him - I just love the mold.

I also have two dolls (DZ Freilian and a DZ Fenyo) that are both on boy bodies. Enough people have the molds, I just haven't seen them as males. ^^; So, even if its not a rare doll, its still uncommon.

 

I tend to be turned off by anything that's too popular, so while I generally buy dolls based on what I like, if a particular doll or something is, or becomes, popular, I'll suddenly find myself not liking it so much.

 

Well...It's always been scuplts for me. Now, some of the rarer sculpts, I really do enjoy, but I know that I will not be getting them xD

I had always loved the CP sculpts, but then came along Harang, and I just fell in love with him. He will be my first doll once I get the money raised up.

 

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?

I'll be buying a doll that I LIKE regardless of it being popular or rare. Period.
Sometimes it just happens that the doll we like it's limited, and that's nothing wrong with that.
Seriously, why would u buy a doll that you yourself don't like just to be popular? (And I doubt it too many people will do this).
That's stupid and a waste of money considering a BJD is a very expensive thing....come on...even a kindergarden understands.

- Would you ever buy a more popular doll knowing that it could get you more gallery views?

No, never. Period. As long as that's not a doll that I like, why would I buy it?

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.

No not CP dolls. I'm not a big fan of CP dolls actually, except a Woosoo and a Abadon. I'm more intersted to see unpopular or rare dolls in the gallery for example like Migidoll Ryu, the Demian heads, Kdolls, Koodolls/MSdolls, Phantomdolls, and the Dollti boys.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
Again, I will buy a doll if he calls out to me if not then I won't buy a new doll

 

I would prefer to own a rarer doll. I have a MAJOR issue with buying a popular sculpt. El used to be my favorite sculpt, but now I don't know if I can bring myself to buy him, except for that he'd make a nice cosplay for a person I'm wanting. Shiwoo and Chiwoo are adorable, but I can't stand the thought of owning something so common. I would have to get major customization on it, but it just seems like the faceup rarely sets it far enough apart. It's not so much the fear of being a follower, but the fear of my boy being nothing special. If I love the sculpt that much though, I might still buy the doll. I am actually loving MNF Shiwoo, but that love may turn to sorrow just as my love for El did.

Of course, when a doll is popular, you get to see its full potential. Sometimes the shown faceup on the website just doesn't do the doll justice or show the different personalities the doll is capable of. Of course, that's what Photoshop is for~

Dealing with the galleries, I will click the username of an owner that is prone to getting faceups that I admire. I will also visit the gallery of dolls I'm researching my love of.

I would love to buy a doll I have not seen on the forums, assuming that the seller seems trustworthy. For one, it would make me feel special~ Two, if people are like me, new dollies make them more curious. It is a lot funner to explore new molds (until you want to buy it but are too poor!~ D=<)

 

i go with what brightfires said about choosing the doll for it own.

I really like El, god there are hundreds of them all over ^^ But i still like him. I kind of know for definate i want an El. I don't really care if he is 'another El' he'll be my only El as far as i'm concerned.

As for limited dolls. I do like them. I want a nice list of Volks, Tony, Reisner and School A. More School A and least of the two on the forum. But me knowing, i want a volks for sake of having a different doll. I love those molds but sadly to me they're not the ones i can afford right now. Especially with the new payment of university and my parent mortgage so we're a bit better off (short mortgage, parents wanted it repaid asap) So all the money i earn, i'm hoping to use so i wouldn't need money from them as much.

Choosing a doll is for your like of the doll. My El will be named Cain like other dolls on the site. But he's the only Cain Eden-Tenjou and is mine only (well maybe my brother's if he wants to help out ^^)