The Buying Experience: In-Person vs Internet

Fellow Japan resident here. I ordered my first doll in person from one of the Tokyo Sumika stores, and I've just ordered my second doll online, so although I haven't been collecting for long I've had partial experiences of both types.

If you had a choice, would you prefer to buy dolls in-person or over the internet? Which type of buying experience do you feel is better and why?
They both have their advantages and disadvantages. In person is good because you can actually see things up close. The customer service in a physical shop also has the potential to be far superior. When I was ordering my FCS doll, although it was a bit of a challenge linguistically, the shop assistant was very careful to make sure I was certain about everything and helped me through the purchase. Of course, there's also more pressure buying in person - when I've been in Volks shops there have usually only been one or two other people in the shop, so the shop assistant can give more attention to each customer and this can be a little uncomfortable if you're just browsing or considering options. Buying online is a lot faster providing there are no hiccups in the process, and it's more relaxing to do it from your own home.
Given a choice I would probably buy in person, although it might depend on the company, or other factors like my mood.

Which is most important to you: accessibility, quality buying experience or the product? In your opinion, can you have one without the other? Is the buying experience a part of the product or should it be?
The product is the most important part to me. Yes, having a particularly good or bad buying experience can colour the whole thing positively or negatively, but at the end of the day if you're happy with the doll/clothes/whatever that's the most important thing. I think a pleasant buying experience and good customer service is very important, though - it can be very stressful if you're not sure whether you're getting what you want or if there's a problem. I would be reluctant to buy from a company I felt had bad service even if I really wanted the doll.

Which company-type (NOT company) do you think is best: internet only, internet and in-person or in-person only? Why?
Both is obviously the most ideal situation - it gives options for those living further away, but provides the in-person experience for those who want it. If it had to be one or the other then I'd say internet-only would be best simply for the convenience, especially for overseas customers.

 

Due to wonderful circumstances (3 little kids) I cannot go to any Dolpas or conventions of any kind right now, so all of the 25 BJDs I have have been bought on the internet. I hope that one day I will have the pleasure of buying a doll in person--it would be a enjoyable change. I love the dolls I have now even without the in person experience.

 

If you had a choice, would you prefer to buy dolls in-person or over the internet? Which type of buying experience do you feel is better and why?

In person. I have bought the majority of my dolls over the internet, but I truly enjoyed buying in person at the Volks store more. It was so personal and I was able to hold my doll right away.

Which is most important to you: accessibility, quality buying experience or the product? In your opinion, can you have one without the other? Is the buying experience a part of the product or should it be?

Quality of the product is the most important thing to me. A quality buying experience is second. Accessibility not so much ( I love limiteds and hard to find dolls). While I prefer buying in person, I have had wonderful internet buying experiences on the internet. While waiting to know if I won a doll or not can be frustrating, the customer service and shipping as well as communication has always be wonderful. However, a bad buying experience can turn me off to a company right away regardless of how awesome their product is.

Which company-type (NOT company) do you think is best: internet only, internet and in-person or in-person only? Why?

Internet and in-person. I loved going to the Volks store and I am really looking forward to going to a dolpa. However, it is hard for me to make it there to purchase a doll in person every time I would like to buy a doll, so I like being able to purchase over the internet due to the convenience factor.

 

I would love to buy dolls in person, from the actual artist, but location prevents me. I don't mind buying on the internet but would love companies to have online introductions of the people who make the dolls. I've seen a couple of companies do this and it's so nice to see the faces behind the creativity.

 

Answer 1- I would MUCH rather buy in person. It is difficult to purchase on line because you cannot inspect the doll and see first hand the pros and cons. This has been a big barrier for me because I don't want to take any risks when it comes to dolls. I just don't trust a lot of company photos and sometimes the owner pictures are too few or not good enough to convince me.

Answer 2- Quality buying experience. But honestly that is not worth much if the product is TOTALLY inaccessible.

Answer 3- Internet and in person would be best.

 

Hell, if that's what buying a doll in person is like, then count me out! That seems both mind numbing and pointless. However, I'm wondering if it's just Volks that does this. I've heard of people buying/receiving their Soom dolls in person without any problems.

 

Ugh, if only I could buy a BJD in person! That would certainly be the ideal experience, because there's nothing like seeing a doll in person that really makes me love it. Seeing a Suiseiseki at a doll meet make a formerly "eh" doll one of my favourites. In turn there are other dolls I've loved and haven't liked as much after seeing them in person.

However, internet buying is great too, because then I can look for as many pictures as possible to really get a feel for all the different things that can be done with a sculpt. Buying online can still contribute to a good buying experience, just not as personal of course. If I really want something, a good transaction makes it so much better, so really the two go hand in hand. Ideally of course, going to a BJD store is unrealistic anytime soon unless one opens somewhere nearby (Philly? NYC? Please? Haha) and I already feel lucky enough that we live in a situations where we can buy these dolls that come from so far away.

I like businesses that have both regular stores and online stores, and this goes for anything, not just dolls. If it can't be obtained locally, which is sometimes ideal, then online is a really really nice second option that I really can't complain about.

 

Honestly, I think the chance to buy dolls in person would make me get dolls I didn't really want, just cause they're there. Having to shop and buy online means I really have to consider the purchase since I'm not seeing it in person before I buy it.

 

I thought that the Soom store only had display dolls and does not actually offer direct sales of dolls. And as they don't have limiteds limited by number, it's a bit like comparing apples to oranges. You don't have to kill someone over getting an FCS or standard from Volks. Just the Dolpa and special event LE's.

I'm sure if there were more Japanese companies, they would handle their events in the same way that Volks does because it is a very Japanese way of handling things and they are nuts about limiteds and standing in lines for limiteds.

I'm lazy, so I love not having to get my lazy butt up to make the effort to buy my dolls, so I am fine with being able to order most of what I want on the internet. The online Volks lotteries are a godsend, as is Y!J. I would like to place my own FCS order someday just to try it out, but I am not interested in some of the other in person things like omukae ceremonies.

rkold and JennyNemesis, how can you not mention Tonight I Celebrate My Love as the pinnacle of inappropriate Volks musical selections?

 

That's what certain companies do. At a previous wonderfest I had to stand in a line to get a ticket. They drew. And people who got their numbers picked got to get to pay for the toy and bring it home. The only difference was the price.

 

Oh Kim, I would NEVER forget "Tonight I Celebrate My Love"-- which is half of my grievance in the first place. I think I'll be hearing that song in my head-radio while on my deathbed. If there's one fast way to get a deathbed conversion, that would be it. "Father, Father, I'll convert to ANYthing, just make Peabo & Roberta shutthehellUP!!! O come sweet death's last caress!!"

Pfffft! That's not what "buying dolls in person" is like-- it's what a Japanese Dolpa in Japan is like. Huge freaking events. Stadium-sized events attended by throngs of thousands, with only a lottery system to curb the chaos. The American Volks events are nowhere near that crazy! That is just 1 specific (and very special) event where you can buy dolls.

A Dolpa is utterly nothing like shopping at a store. When you walk into a Volks store, if you + the salesperson have even half-a-dozen words in the same language between you, buying a doll goes pretty much like any other kind of sales transaction (St. James managed this while I watched). Even if you both only share the language of bowing-and-smiling-politely, you can still make over-the-counter item purchases without having to exchange a word (I managed this myself ^^).

 

If you had a choice, would you prefer to buy dolls in-person or over the internet?

A little of both. I prefer not to go out much; I work from home, and don't even own a car. That could make things a bit problematic, but I would appreciate being to handle or see a doll in person before buying if it was possible or convenient to do so.

Which type of buying experience do you feel is better and why?

Both have their distinct advantages, but I don't really feel strongly one way or the other. It would be nice to have the option of a local, physical store -- but it is also convenient to order at 3am if that is when I happen to be awake and available.


Which is most important to you: accessibility, quality buying experience or the product?

The product, hands-down. Of course accessibility is a factor -- if I can't get the product, I don't have the product to enjoy one way or the other. Quality buying experience is a distant third here. Someone can be absolutely wonderful as a vendor, but if their product is garbage or I can't get it in the first place, their wonderfulness or lack thereof is not going to do me any good or give me warm fuzzies about how 'well, at least they're charming people!' because their charm or lack thereof will not make a poor quality product a good quality product, or make something I can't access something that is suddenly available.

In your opinion, can you have one without the other?

Absolutely. As an artist, I know many people who make beautiful, high-quality items but have no sales skills, and thus sell only on consignment. That they aren't up on their people skills doesn't make the craftsmanship any less remarkable.

Is the buying experience a part of the product or should it be?

It can be, but I am very, very reluctant to say it should be. "It should be" leads to a lot of overhead for a company that benefits only some customers, but costs all customers in the long term to account for it. All the little bits of extras and fluff are being paid for, and those expenses are being farmed out among all customers. Those flashy giveaways at the one store location in NYC? People in Paris are helping to pay for, for instance, if the store also does international sales.

This is not to say that a positive experience isn't valuable. There are just ways of going about it that are more or less exclusionary than others. Polite, clear, and punctual customer service is really all I ask for.

Which company-type (NOT company) do you think is best: internet only, internet and in-person or in-person only? Why?

Internet and in-person. It has the benefits of both, does not exclude in the same way in-person only does, and allows the option of seeing items in person if there are stores in one's area.

 

If you had a choice, would you prefer to buy dolls in-person or over the internet? Which type of buying experience do you feel is better and why?
I prefer in-person generally for a few reasons, not the least of which being I don't like waiting and leaving the store with doll in hand is much nicer. You also get to see exactly what you're getting right then. Not that I haven't done FCS and had to wait anyways . . .

However, none of the Sumikas are THAT close (don't throw rocks, but I don't consider hour-long train rides close), and I do buy outside of Volks. I like buying online quite a lot, especially being a nightowl. Convenience is a big thing for me, so I want the online option, too.

Which is most important to you: accessibility, quality buying experience or the product? In your opinion, can you have one without the other? Is the buying experience a part of the product or should it be?
The product is most important. A quality buying experience, though, is important to me. I'm more likely to look at a company's products if I feel I can trust them and have felt comfortable dealing with them in the past. Also, buying dolls can be a more emotional thing than other products. A good Volks buying experience really adds something special.

Which company-type (NOT company) do you think is best: internet only, internet and in-person or in-person only? Why? __________________
The ones with both. Options are good.

 

You're right. The Soom store will have dolls on display but you can not buy them there. You can't even buy jointed hands there-I asked when I went. The only thing you can buy are wigs, eyes, and clothes.

Lol-I have to laugh at the Japanese obsession over limited edition anything. I mean they go crazy for limited edition Kit Kats in different flavors. But this is where limited edition dolls do come from.

Even with lolita, it is considered rude to wear another brands clothing to an event. I make sure for Baby The Stars Shine Bright events I wear Baby The Stars Shine Bright. And for Angelic Pretty events, I make sure I'm wearing Angelic Pretty. After all they do not have to come to the US, so I show my appreciation by wearing their clothing!


rkold, JennyNemesis and Kim I'm sure that Volks is aware of the inappropriate song played at the end of Omukae with all of the Shigeta kids having attended university in the US. But I guess its all tradition now. But still-its hilarious! Having done Omukae at Sato I was most grateful I was too nervous trying to be the polite foreigner to laugh.

I do enjoy going to the Volks store in Torrance though. The staff there is very friendly and knowledgeable, they have a photo space that they change frequently, and sometimes they will have a few special leftovers from Dolpas-dolls and outfits and limited wigs (last Sunday they had a yoSD Sweet Dreams Picollo a yoSD Rangemaru-if anyone is interested they should email VolksUSA). I love the long table at the cash register-its so relaxing to sit and learn about the little quirks of our dolls or just talk while waiting to pay!

On Limited Item release days, it can get crazy. People will start to line up at 9am (two hours before the store opens!) When BTSSB had a release 2 years ago, there was a frenzy in the store in which people were sort of pushing each other to get the the items but that frenzy is rare. Usually the line ups are more orderly. But standing in line at Volks is how I met my core group of doll friends.

When buying a doll in person, one of the doll advisors will open the box, prop up the doll on a pillow and let you inspect it-all while wearing white cotton gloves. I love the experience. I was in the store when anavel picked up her one off Williams. There was a crowd around the the table at the cash register watching as she took the doll out of the box-everyone was so excited to see the doll!

 

I am the same way, for awhile I figured I was the only one! I buy everything online. Clothes, food, drinks (like tea, I order lots of different tea flavors from online shops), notebooks, computer parts, just about everything really.

I consider it the new-age version of the women who used to sit at home watching the shopping network all day pretty much just looking for things to buy (though I've done that too, admittedly ). It's kind of like windowshopping but without the sore feet. This way I can look at things for a long time, compare side-by-side and save up money before placing a purchase.

While I prefer buying online, I do have to say I wouldn't mind seeing dolls in person before buying them for these reasons; 1. It's a big purchase. 2. You never know what's 'marketing photography magic' and what's the real product. All too often I've seen dolls played up in company photos to make them seem more amazing than they are in person. That could be eliminated by buying in person.

I have to sometimes wonder if that's why some companies don't sell in person. Because they want people to jump into a decision based on the pictures they see of the doll.

In a nutshell:

I prefer online shopping and I really like waiting for things to arrive in the mail more than the instant gratification of picking things up in the store. And the excitement of seeing that item for the first time in person after you've unwrapped it is truly delightful.

 

If you had a choice, would you prefer to buy dolls in-person or over the internet? Which type of buying experience do you feel is better and why?
I tend to look in the shop then buy online for most things, I'd probably do the same with Dolls. Bricks and mortar shops tend to be out of stock and online I can look around for a good deal on the second hand market or through differet dealers. I've been looking for a particular doll recently and I'm surprised about the varied prices from different dealers. The only thing I don't like about buying online is the wait for my stuff to arrive. I'm seldome disappointed having not seen itin person.

Which is most important to you: accessibility, quality buying experience or the product? In your opinion, can you have one without the other? Is the buying experience a part of the product or should it be?
Accessability! I want to shop in the middle of the night, from my house, compare prices etc. A bad buying experience wouldnt make me love a doll any less.

Which company-type (NOT company) do you think is best: internet only, internet and in-person or in-person only? Why?
Both. It's nice to know the brand has a presence in the real world and it's reassuring they want to display their merchandise IRL but since I don't live near any it's not really a consideration for me.

 

If you had a choice, would you prefer to buy dolls in-person or over the internet? Which type of buying experience do you feel is better and why?
As I'm living in New Zealand with no bricks and mortar bjd stores anywhere, I will always be buying online. I'm so used to buying over the internet that I can't possibly imagine what it would be like to see the dolls in a store.

Which is most important to you: accessibility, quality buying experience or the product? In your opinion, can you have one without the other? Is the buying experience a part of the product or should it be?
Personally, I find the best buying experience is a combination of all 3. As a solely internet buyer, I can access an online store anytime day or night, take my time researching and thinking before buying (which isn't always possible in a store environment where sometimes I may feel pressured to buy) about the doll I want to buy and also the company I'll be dealing with. The downside of course is not being able to see the products in person so I rely alot on the opinion of fellow collectors to help me make my mind up.

Which company-type (NOT company) do you think is best: internet only, internet and in-person or in-person only? Why?
For me, it has to be an internet based company with an in-person base. This business setup appeals to me as even though I will buy from the internet store, I'll have a certain amount of confidence in knowing something about the personalities behind the company.