Things that annoy you... *Rant Thread* - pt.2

So with you there (particularly Facebook).

What is wrong with having a webage that you don't have to register for to view?
If someone then wants to buy, they can then decide if registering to place an oorder is worth their while.

Why hide behind something that makes it necessary for all potential customers to register before viewing the content?

They're trying to sell these things, for goodness sake, why put barriers in the way?

Teddy

 

Creating and maintaining a webpage costs money whereas posting to instagram/facebook is free. The platforms are also very easy to use, much easier than designing a website. Insta also gives much more potential exposure to new people thanks to smart hashtag use. It makes sense to use a free and simple app that already has your target audience plus the ability to speak with them directly.

 

@ShuriTigerH this drives me insane and even Volks only posts their one off photos on their Instagram. I've ended up googling "Instagram photo viewer" and picking a site that used IG's api to show me the photo. I haven't figured out a Facebook workaround but there's less and less things I want to see on Facebook every year.

Social media is a plague.

Most likely the users really don't have any problem with someone without an account views their post. It's the social media network that wants so desperately for you to make an account and become addicted.

 

Except it only has SOME of the target audience (i.e. potential customers) You're preventing your products from being seen/bought by people who don't happen to use those social media sites.

Yes, but those sellers are making the decision to restrict their sales to only the other people who are on that form of social media.

Teddy

 

Whole heartedly agree with this.
I think those who say "well, just make an account. I'ts free" have probably never realy understood why some people don't want to do that.
Not that the reason should matter, realy, but I think some people don't even think as far as to the fact that there may actually be a reason in the first place. Nor do I think they realize that to ask someone to change the decision thay have allready made is not just rude, but also shows a sever lack of understanding of how internet works.

And no, a good web host does not have to be expensive. The one I use costs the equivilent of under 2 dollars a month.

 

This. Absolutely this. The whole assumption that EVERYBODY is on Facebook, and that anybody who isn't would be happy to register to be on it..... Aaaargh!

Absolutely!

Teddy

 

I also had to make an Instagram exclusively for doll things, for the exact same reason! I was irritated at first, but it was worth it.

The thing that really annoys me is that there are no small sized (4-5, or even lots of 5-6) wigs that aren't childish! I have some teeny headed fashion bjds! They're mature and stylish adults, not 5 years old! And they're all so poofy. I've made many wigs myself, but I'm still just awful at it. Truly terrible, but there's no other alternative. Maybe in 20 wigs I'll get the hang of it.

 

They'll also have to accept the consequence of losing all customers without an account. I accept that I will miss out on a lot of dolls, but it's worth it to me. The number of people who refuse social media seems to be relatively low so the sellers probably don't think it's worth it to start a site or make a public blog and take orders over email. You wouldn't even have to pay for hosting or learn html for a lot of blogging sites.

@Thymeseer I had doll only accounts and found that the misery of social media still seeped into my hobbies.

Also practice makes perfect! I'm sure you'll get the hang of it if you keep trying! If they're too poofy perhaps using thinner or less wefts would help.

 

I too am annoyed by doll artists who only share images and sell through Instagram. I joined Facebook for social reasons, so I'm willing to use it, and do my best to avoid the drama. But many newer doll artists exclusively use Instagram, which I refuse to join. I'm not dealing with more social media drama and info overload just for the possibility of buying dolls.

 

Facebook owns Instagram. If you have a Facebook account, you can also sign in to Instagram using that, without having to make a separate Instagram account.

And to stay on topic here, having to join Facebook to view Volks USA news annoyed me too! I had a tech friend help me make as anonymous an account as possible, and that's pretty much all I get around to looking at. Getting to look at Instagram was a nice bonus, as I like following Volks on it, but I don't post anything, neither comments nor personal info.

 

I have an IG account, but I feel this in my soul. (Digression - is this showing a generational or age split in collectors? )

I hate IG. I use it (barely), but I hate it. Too much scrolling, too many things moving and making noise, too many ads, too hard to search due to people spamming tags to get more views. I understand that it's free, which is a huge perk for a brand new artist. But ugh, do I hate it. Every time I see a doll maker website that says, "Follow us on IG/Twitter/[insert social media here] for updates!" I scream internally. No. I don't want to. I don't like it.

I also have Flickr and Tumblr accounts, and they both have massive drawbacks in their own ways - notifications are difficult for me. I either get nothing, or my phone vomits out a tidal wave of beeps and boops that overwhelms me. Getting through notifications and posts can take an hour per platform.

Which leads to my biggest social-media-related BJD pet peeve - which social media does a doll artist use? What are the options now? There's Reddit and Flickr and Tumblr and Instagram and Facebook and Twitter and Tiktok and Discord and...

You want me, customer, to check all of these platforms multiple times a day for your pre-orders? I am old. I am exhausted by social media. At this point, I regularly check this forum for doll releases. If it ain't here - ain't buying it. Call me lazy, but I have only so much time in a day. #sorrynotsorry

 

It feels like a lot of companies have stopped posting their new items/sales/etc in the BJD news subforum. It used to be the best place to find anything new on BJDs and almost everything was posted there, either by the company or a user. I don't see every company/artist posting in there anymore, but it's a great place to attract attention. There's no obtrusive ads, no clickbait (usually), no account needed. I can't think of a better place to look to be honest! I wish it was utilized as well as it used to be.

Back when I still thought Twitter was enjoyable, I wrote a script to repost the new threads in the news subforum which I was able to view in my feed without having to come to DoA every day. The bot was banned a few years later (for who knows what reason) but the RSS feed still works for anyone who may have forgotten that option.

 

It's not that I've forgotten, it's that I have very little idea what any of this means.

(Please don't explain, I won't retain it, and it's likely that your explanation would bneed explaining to me)

Teddy

 

1) When you're paying hundreds for a doll, I wish they would throw in a basic clothing set or something.

2) Dolls that are only available through a lottery, or the seller makes the buying process cumbersome and confusing.

3) I wish there was a COHESIVENESS with bodies across doll companies. You can look at two 1/4 dolls, and their body shapes/measurements will be completely different. If you find a shirt labeled as 1/4 on Etsy, you can't trust that it will fit YOUR doll. If your doll is an obscure or less popular "model," it's frustratingly hard to find clothes (you may even be forced to try to make their clothes, which, in my case, doesn't turn out well ). Please sellers, at least give measurements in your listings.

 

I don't know if this is exactly relevant to the discussion above me, but I have been selling quite a few dolls lately due to needing to pare down my collection for financial and space reasons. I have listed dolls on DOA Marketplace several times through the years, and only ever sold one doll, and that was about 8 years ago. But I have listed on various facebook sites and in the past 6 months have sold 8 dolls and numerous items of clothing, wigs, etc. Its so much easier than listing on the Marketplace here on DOA, because there is not the long complicated form to fill out. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE DOA and the Marketplace here, but for selling have had much greater success on Facebook.

 

Interesting discussion re: social media. I have an Instagram account (and I do really like Instagram, but only for computer browsing - on the phone it is annoying). On the other hand, I strongly dislike Facebook and although I have a personal profile (to keep in touch with family) I never post anything there.

I use Flickr for work (I have an album for art commission purposes) and some doll research (there are some great comparison photos of resin, etc.).

Everything else - Twitter, Tumblr, whatever is too much for me. I can't handle all those accounts! And I'm in my 30s, so it isn't because I'm not part of the youthful generation (although I feel old haha).

I'm guilty of linking to Instagram a lot. I never thought it might cause problems for people without accounts! I'll try to look for alternatives if they exist in the future, although many artists don't seem to have any other source of viewing their work.

 

That's one of the things I like - I can have a range of dolls of the "same" size or scale and they don't look like cookie-cutter bodies that are all the same build, shape, and proportions.

I agree that measurements provided by clothing sellers would be good though.

Teddy

 

I totally get it. I love unique too Mostly, it's the people not giving measurements part. I was in a frustrated mood when I wrote the post.

 

Probably not I can see how it's frustrating - and the clothing thing is a common issue (although it's the same for humans - so many people are one size from one brand, but a different size from another brand or clothing manufacturer)

Teddy

 

You fall in love with the face… then you look at the side profile and you’re not that in love lmao