Tips on decision making

First is always the question how likely is this doll to not be available? you don't want to lose the opportunity to buy the doll. Next for me is how hard is this doll to dress? the easier to dress the more fun I will have with the doll.

 

Phew, that's tough!
I would probably write a list for each doll with all the reasons it would make sense for me to get this specific doll. What I like about it's sculpt, what I'm planing on doing with it, what I like about the company, wait times, price, etc. Then I would compare lists. But that might be a lot of work and I don't think that's the right way for everyone.

 

Anything limited- for me- gets priority. So if it's a limited pre-order or limited edition I'm more likely to put my funds there.

Weirdly enough- or nor- is layaway available! LOL! And can I afford the payments? Are they flexible or not?

I totally get what Treelore is saying about clothes, I have SO MANY ridiculously hard to fit dolls, BUT that has yet to stop me. For me the question is- is the body interesting enough? And is the doll a size I like? I have passed on plenty of dolls I liked because they were too small (that's my peeve, anything under 25cm is tough sell)

 

When I buy dolls, I am usually buying them to shell my roleplay characters, so my first thought is: How important is this character to the story? Do I have a bond with them yet? If they're an important character that I love, then I want to shell them sooner. If they're still a side character or not important, I should probably wait and work on the character more first to see if I'm going to bond.

Availability is important too. I'm currently kind of stuck on deciding to buy the boy or girl on my wishlist next. The boy's head isn't released yet and will be very limited if it is, so I think I should get him next--if I spend the money I've been saving on the girl first, I might not have enough for the boy's head when the preorder opens, and I could miss out on him. Also, I want the boy's body from the same company as the girl, so if I wait, maybe I can buy the full girl and the boy body during a Christmas event and get a good discount or free event item! That's something else to consider--when will you be ordering, and will any of the companies you want to buy from have an event at that time? Even if you aren't interested in an event head or doll, you could always sell it and use that money towards the next doll.

 

If there's one that is limited or hard to find and it's currently available, I would go for that first! Don't want to miss out and curse myself for it later.

Otherwise I just go for the doll I can't stop thinking about. There is usually one doll on my wishlist I consistently think about more than the others, if I'm honest with myself.

If I'm choosing between, say, buying a body for a floating head vs buying a whole new doll, I would nearly always choose to complete the doll I already have. I find it more satisfying in the long run even if it seems like the boring option.

If you still don't know what to go for, you could always ask someone else to decide for you. And if you don't like their decision you'll know to go for whatever the other option is! (I find this to be a good way of tricking my brain into telling me what I really want)

 

Usually, I would pick on a basis of who is limited and who isn't. Am I able to get the limited? Is it hard to come by? If so I'd prioritize.

That being said.. at this point in time my wishlist is pretty... well... TINY and I'm knocking two dolls out of it soon in the order they are released rather than anything (recycling funds from a recent huge clearout). The third one will be a while because I need to do two separate splits to get it together (for some reason the company doesn't offer the body and head together).

If the dolls in the wishlist were non-limited I'd opt for bodies to complete my floaters first, which is likely to happen in the near future as, as mentioned before, that third wishlist doll is a bit of... well... a hassle. It's not limited, although it can only be ordered on event periods, so I'm much more likely to do that...

 

I have many wishlist and i always end up buying dolls not in the list! lol But right now wat i do is have their pictures everywhere so i wont stray too far! I categorize them from really want to maybe want and have at least 2 in 1 category so i have a choice who to get 1st. So far i oledi got 3 of my wishes so its works!

 

I try to spend as much time as possible thinking it over. Months, ideally years. Another major factor is whether I have the money available now. If not, I don't buy. I also consider whether or not the doll can fit into clothes I already have, or if I have to tailor things in a size just for them.

 

If I can't decide what to buy, I sit on my money like a broody hen and don't buy anything. I'm in this situation now, actually. I started a doll fund late last year with the idea that I would buy myself a new doll for my birthday. Well, I reached my saving goal, and my birthday is Tuesday, but nothing on my wishlist is really calling out to me right now. Eventually, I know one will, but for now--barring the release of some limited I feel is perfect for me--I'll wait.

 

#1 - Opportunity! As many have said, if you're looking at a limited doll vs. a non-limited one, go for the limited first. Buying secondhand can be very rewarding, but also frustrating if the one you're looking for seems to be elusive.

#2 - Finances! If money isn't currently an inhibitor, I would honestly go for the pricier option. Your situation could change and put the more expensive doll out of your range later on. (This is coming from someone who started the hobby living at home, so thirteen years later my financial situation is a very different story!)

#3 - Coin Toss! If you're stuck between two flip a coin. If you are thrilled at the answer, go for it! If you're sad or uncertain, don't rush to make a decision.

There's already quite a few more variants mentioned here, but these are the methods/reasonings I personally use when I'm ready to buy a doll.