Rare or popular: discuss your preference

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular? I would say rare. Though I like who I like, I have dolls that are both rare and common. The sculpt and the doll have to suit my character first. But a doll might have more appeal for me if everyone and their mother don't have one. Maybe rare isn't the right term... I like dolls who aren't super popular, no matter what the edition size is. SD13 Link, my first BJD, is a regular edition, and still very available for sale, but you see very few of them.

- 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? I don't buy a doll for gallery views or because my best friend has one. I buy a doll because I love it and it's right for me. And I've never been a follower in my BJD hobby.

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company. I do click on Volks links a lot in the galleries... but it's because I like their sculpts the most. I also really love SoulDoll, Custom House, and Luts, and would be likely to click on their links as well. Plus, I have favorite individual dolls who belong to friends and acquaintances, and I always enjoy seeing them, no matter what the doll's make is.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
I pretty much did. I had a hard time finding owner pics of SD13 Link when I bought mine. There were a few, but none of the pics showed him clearly face front, and some were even modded and were no longer an accurate representation of the regular edition Link. He's still my favorite BJD that I own... but only because he's HIRO, not because he's a Link.

Thank you for this topic! It made me think carefully about what makes me buy the dolls I buy.

Linda S.
galatia9

 

Well, speaking as the only person in my entire country who has Nobility and Angel Fantasy dolls... I think both my dolls are relatively rare on DoA too, and that's purely by accident.

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?
Neither of these apply to me, actually. Its aesthetics - particularly the face sculpt - always come first.

- 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 to the first...(would people actually buy a doll just to get more gallery views? really? ) the second... hmmm. That is a VERY good question. I can't say that I deliberately avoid "popular dolls", but I think that's mainly because I generally don't favor the sculpts that seem to be more popular... but you make me wonder... do I not favor them because I don't like their aesthetics, or because they're too, well, commonplace?

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.
Nope! ...well OK, I'm more likely to click on threads with Pipos dolls because they're so goshdarned cute.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
Probably not. I'm more interested in things like poseability and clothing fit, which you can't find a lot of info on in the makers' sites. Although I barely saw Lie on the forums (Ryoma seems much more popular) I did seek him out when I was looking for Ichigo, just to get a feel for him as a whole rather than just his gorgeous face. And Lily has a whole thread to herself, so that greatly helped along my decision to get her...but I don't see much of her outside of her thread (going back to the popular/rare topic for a moment).

I don't really pay attention to a doll's makers. Just like I don't consider brand names when I'm buying clothes for myself, I don't think I've ever considered buying a doll just because of who made it. For me, aesthetics comes first, poseability second, size third. and maker... uh... somewhere down near #119, I'd wager. I've never wanted a Volks because none of the sculpts appeal to me. I did consider a CP Dark Human Soo for Rukia at one point, only because her face appealed to me (and I think that even if I had got her, she doesn't seem terribly popular here, too. )

 

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?
For me its rarity is more appealing to me, usually the mold comes first for me but I always look around if it could be replaced by a not as popular doll.

- 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?
hahahah no and yes.No, I wouldnt buy a doll for gallery posts and Yes, its one of the main reasons why I dont buy a el/lishe/shiwoo- I dont want to see as another grape on the vine, just like all the other grapes ._.;

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favorite company.
I'm actually more unlikelyto open a gallery post because it has a CP doll, usually if its a el/shiwoo, though. I usually don't look in the gallery, though. I only do so if I am searching for a certain mold and its usually through the search engine. Usually I watch peoples LJ's and look at their pictures there since looking through the gallery seems like a waste of time to me.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
Did and done that! My Rosen Lied Ravie I think I am the only one on the forum with one! and when I got my Sleepy mini fee chiwoo, I hadn't seen anyone with one since the mini fees were still pretty new, both purchases where real chancy things for me as I had no reference pictures to look at.

 

does "limited" equals to "rare"?

i just happened to have the habit of buying limited dolls only, although it is definitely NOT the only criteria for choosing dolls.

as i don't usually post pic (i think i've never post any pics of my boys), the gallery view issue doesn't matter to me.

one of my doll, Legolas, is pretty common here but rather rare in another forum i used to go. i don't feel any special when seeing someone else's Heath here but feel rather excited if i see Heath in forums which he belongs to the "rare" group.

i've the tendency to click on gallery threads with the exact same dolls i have, my dream dolls, or my friends' post. Volks and Dollshe are in particular more attractive to me then other dolls.

kinda think i am weird in terms of choosing dolls for myself..........

 

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

The more I see something, the less I want to know about it. It worked that way with very popular works like Harry Potter and Lost and I guess I will never read or watch any of them. It's the same with BJD. I don't necessarily wants a rare doll but I don't want a popular one.

- 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?

I don't really care about the number of views, and I don't even post that many pictures on forums :/ From this point, I wouldn't buy a doll just to get more hits. Actually I'm more sensitive to comments on dolls that are original and not so popular. I wouldn't buy a doll either if it's just not to be seen as a follower. But it's more because I wouldn't stand it (see my first answer) than because I'd fear to be a 'sheep'.

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

I avoid CP dolls. But I look at Volks dolls. Not all Volks dolls, only those I'm interested in, but Volks dolls nevertheless.

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

Yes, I guess. Though I like to see owners' pictures before deciding on a doll ^^

 

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?
I never like something just because it is popular. More often than not I become bored of popular things because I see them so often. If you think of limiteds as similar or the same as rare, then I guess that is what propels me more to buy a doll, because I like it, and have to get it while it is still available.

- 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, for the same reason that I don't buy dolls just because they are popular. Other people's opinions don't sway my doll purchases and what I do with them.

- 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 tend to go by scuplt instead of company. Though I do avoid Volks dolls almost completely, but thats because I'm not interested in them.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
My first doll was a doll I'd never seen on the forums.

 

I buy whatever doll catches my eye, and of course if it's a doll that isn't very common on this forum that is in my eyes a big plus. Because this way you can create something unique or different.

Of course Kaoru my SA Bermann is one of the most wanted dolltypes on this forum atm, but I bought him when almost nobody liked them, but I fell in love right then and there when I saw him.
So yeah I like dolls that aren't very wanted or that not a lot of people have ^_^

Sabriell

 

- 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?
It's a tricky question. I do own a Soony wich is a very popular doll, but that wasn't the reason as to why I got her. I loved her from the start, from the first time I saw her on Luts website in 2004. I hate to follow the stream but then, i wouldn't ever let the opinion of others sway my descition when it comes to dolls. I buy wichever doll I like.

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.
I have certain favourite DOLLS, not companies. I do click the gallery threads that include the dolls I like. SOme of them are CP dolls but definitly not all of them and there are some CP dolls that I really dislike.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
That is a question of how reliable the company is. I probably wouldn't but that would be because I would be too scared to buy from a company I hadn't heard much of. If I found a perfect doll that I had never seen here and I liked the company then ofcourse I would buy it!

 

Personally I could care less if a doll is popular or rare.
I think it all depends on the mold. If you like the mold, then buy it no matter what anyone says.

The MnF Shiwoo has become much more popular, but I happened to fall in love with him because I think he's adorable. Now I have two of them. XP

 

Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?
Neither I like what I like.

- 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?
Nope. Again I like what I like so...

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.
Nope. I click them all. Though, I don't tend to stick around if it's a girl. Just not a fan of the girls for some reason.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
Of course. If I like it enough I'll buy it.

 

Neither. I don't give a crap about who has what. I get dolls that I fall in love with.

See above about not giving a crap. I don't even post many pictures of my dolls here so gallery views are meaningless to me.

No more so than anything else.

Maybe. I do like to see owner photos simply because most manufacturer pix blow, but sometimes the siren call is too much

 

I dont pay attention at all as to whats popular or not.....if I like it, I either buy it or stick it on the list. (Body sculpt though is my most important though...maybe more important then the face for me)

 

I tend not to worry about what other moulds people have , I just care about what I wanna do with them. I have two Lishes, not because Lishe is popular, because she's beautiful and I loved her right away. I didn't even know she was a popular mould when I picked her out coz I was a newb lol.

 

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

Neither really. Something either catches my eye or it doesn't. I have an El, he was perfect for the look I wanted for a character, then I have more obscure dolls, like an Il, a Azurite, and a Mizu. They just caught my eye. (In fact my dream doll isn't one of the OMG!limited dolls, it's a Rasdenou Aria...just very, very obscure.)


- 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?

I think the last time I even went into the Gallery was when someone said there was a story with Daleks in there. I post my dolls on my LJ or just look at them. (IRL the doll that gets the most comments is my Azurite, but that's because he falls on me alot so I grump at him all the time. )


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

Well, if they're someone that I know has good CP dolls, I might. Otherwise I'm more like "O.o What is that?" and click on some doll I've never heard of...or if it has Daleks.

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

Probably. I fell in love with Aria by looking at Gigglegeek. I really like to look at the unpainted heads in people's "Option Part" section. Pretty paint can change a head alot, I like to see the potential in a head.

 

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

I wouldn't buy, say, a CP El, because there are so many that I can get my fix by clicking on any of the gallery threads featuring them. ^^ None of my boys are particularly popular, either, though Shou-Ryu is getting more popular especially with the re-release. ^^

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?

XD I hardly even post in the gallery! But like I said, I wouldn't get a doll that's exceptionally popular because I can see them anytime I like.

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 more likely to click gallery threads featuring sculpts or dolls I like, or by owners whose photos/stories I like, or by my friends. XD

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

Usually no, because I want to know what the other options are [instead of just the company default], but my Cherry boy was bought within a week of his release on the Luts site, so there definitely weren't any pics on the forums before I ordered. XD

 

This is quite interesting this

- Which is more appealing when buying a doll: that it's rare or that it's popular?
I'm not about deciding what I buy because of how common or how rare it is, if I like it I like it. Theres is that slight niggling feeling though when you looking at a popular mold that you genuinely like personally and you feel as though yo might be perceived as a copycat. With a rare doll you know that you wont get those feelings but I wouldn't allow those to get to me and push me away from a doll I actually want.

- 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? I would get a doll I like no matter what people think even if it could be a little uncomfortable. And I would never buy a doll solely for the purpose of it being popular on the boards. I didn't even know my Kiriil was so popular when I bought him O_O.

- Are you more likely to click gallery threads because they feature a CP doll? Be honest! Nothing wrong with having a favourite company.
CPs are unmistakably very pretty dolls and I do have my favourite molds within that company. I would be likely to click on a thread featuring a CP doll I like not just any CP doll, I personaly love CP shine ^^. I wouldn't skip other threads just for CP's however I'd click on dolls I'm interested in personaly.

- Would you buy a doll that you had not seen on the forums?
Yes! Why not? If you like it you like it ^^. I bought my Kaede.S.D.V after I spotted her on the Volks web and I kinda instantly clicked add to cart and then pay I had never seen one before but I knew I wanted her ^^.

 

I think that if your just buying a doll because it's popular you're making a mistake. People's opinions change. As Sabriel said, at first the Bermann wasn't popular at all, now people are willing to pay thousands of dollars just to own one. And I can remember that not too long ago Dollkot Kiss was very popular, but that seems to be over now.
Your completely unique snowflake could end up on everybodies wishlist in the near future.

I own a doll that is very popular (Lishe) one that not too many own, although more and more tend to like him (K) and one that is very rare, there is only one other owner on this board from what I know (Iru).

It's not the sculpt that makes your doll unique. If you create a character by using a very popular theme (like.. emo-boys for instance) it doesn't matter that you're the only one that has that particular doll, it just looks like all the others, I think.
And still I can remember some Shiwoos that really stand out, because of the original approach of the owner.

Just my two cents.

Oh, and I tend to click on the threads in the gallery of sculpts that I like, I do not really have a favorite company. Most of the dolls that I want to see in the gallery are sculpts that I have on my 'maybe'-list.

 

Interesting questions, but personally for me, coming into this hobby when there
weren't many people on this forum, I really don't take any of these questions
into consideration.

I go for a doll that I see possibilities with, it doesn't matter to me how many people
have the doll, if it 'calls' to me in a creative sense, I go for it. It could be completely
blank, it doesn't matter, cos I can visualize pretty well. In fact I was just joking
with someone the other day about a show I saw on HGTV about staging a house so it
sells better. I was thinking, I don't need all that pretty frill and fluff when I look at
something to help me decide if I want it or not. I can look at the space and totally
visualize for myself the possibilities of it. And I compare that with dolls. It's the same
thing. I don't really keep up with what's popular and what isn't. I mean, some are
pretty obvious (bermann for example) but that's never forefront to me when thinking
of a doll to buy.

I still want to get a CP doll in fact - but I'm always indecisive on twhich one. I *really*
like Moon....and the new Seniors are cool...but it's never been a doll that has called
to me *you* must * have* where I think about it all night and press the 'buy' button
the next morning . Those incidents I've usually made up my mind 10 seconds
from first seeing the doll!