Wait times. . .the sands of time. . .

For me, it's all about their usual wait time. If a company advertises that they have a doll ready to go in 3-4 weeks, then when the 4th week rolls around, I will definitely send them an e-mail to ask about it. However, if it was an individual that told me "Hey, just so you know, it could be 2 months before I send this doll out", that's also fine. If I spent that much money on something, you can bet it's something I care enough about to wait on.

Of course there are other things that figure in which are just common sense. I ordered a Soom Sard, in fact I was one of the first people to order him right when he came out, and originally they were saying they would ship him mid to end of June. But obviously they are backed up from the doll before him and he himself, both which were ridiculously popular. And that's fine, I have no problem waiting some more time for him.

The wait that was really hard was for Blisdon, and that is of course since he was my first doll. But I waited the given amount of time before I badgered the company about him.

 

normally a month-2 is the longest i'm willing to wait for a order doll before i get worry. But a commission, there's no time limit, since i keep in touch nearly everyday and see it process.

 

Though I haven't ordered any dolls yet, I think that I'll wait as long as it takes, but that may not stop me from complaining about it. It also depends on whether or not I want the doll before a certain period in time--for example, I'd like to have my first doll before Sugoicon, though I don't know if that'll happen or not T.T
I'd like having the dolls as soon as possible though--with my shall, for example, I'd like to have her ASAP after ordering because I'll already have worked my butt off for her.

 

When a company tells me roughly how long it takes them to ship a doll, that's what I typically go by. I don't understand how complaining all over their Q and A board is going to make them work any faster, ESPECIALLY before the 4 week mark [or whatever it may be for another company] If they go over the time alotted, I will ask the status of my order to make sure there hasn't been a mistake. If they are working on it at that time...even if it is over the time limit, I don't mind waiting at all. I think I waited about 2 months for one of my dolls, and it wasn't all that hard. Sometimes I think people standards are set REALLY high...because they hear that sometimes 'such and such' company can ship within 'X' amount of days. Then when it doesn't happen..because they are behind..you get all those naggy posts all over their board. I think people need to understand that since making our dolls is very labor intensive...it is very easy for them to get behind sometimes; especially during some time periods. I mean...can you imagine all the dolls being made during Christmas time, or during their event periods?

I do think some companies get more grief than others, such as LUTS [probably being the most common offender]. I don't think individuals get as much grief because then buyers realize there is only one person...or a few people doing all the work. It doesn't seem really fair, because I think people forget how much business big companies like LUTS gets every month [yea...they don't have the greatest track record with customer service...but I do think they have made some positive changes.] While there is no harm done asking about your order after it has reached its time limit, I do find the ten thousand messages on their QandA titled "STAUS ON ORDER 3849837" "Dear LUTS, I ordered my doll without a faceup and it has been a week, what is the status?" ...to be very annoying. Wait the time alotted then ask. I know its grueling...but go find something else to do, rather than drive yourself crazy.

As for unforseen circumstances..such as resin shortages and bad weather...that cannot be controlled by the companies themselves. I would like some sort of notification of the delay, but after that it's just a 'too bad, so sad' situation. Bite the bullet and deal. Your doll will still come home...just not as soon as you'd like them to.

 

That's why I'd much prefer buying secondhand. Because I understand that companies do their best to get the dolls to us, but I'm unwilling to wait months for a doll. However, if I'm going to decide to buy from the company, I- and everyone else who does this- should know what they're getting into and just wait the specified time. There's no use in crying to the company when they already told you their usual time length. If they go over the time, inquiry on your product's status is expected.

 

When I ordered my first pair, thirty seconds felt like too long, but when it crept to almost 2 months, I somehow survived. It wasn't too far off from the estimate given of one month for custom orders (and all dolls are cast to order, so they'd count as custom orders in my book) plus a week for faceup. I ordered body brushing and sanding, too, so I expected that to add time also.

I have to say, first was the worst. The absolute worst -- because there wasn't another one I could work with in the interim. I am much more laid back about the ones currently incoming than I was for that first pair, because even they aren't fully and properly outfitted yet -- I have plenty to do and the third arrived this week.

Yes and no. Individuals may have extra people pitch in to help or take on jobs part time, and some of these companies are remarkably small, so there's a bit of a balance going on there. There's still usually one person doing casting, one person doing mold-making, one person doing faceups... it's just a matter of whether that's all the same person or not. I expect it to take time.

These things happen. As angsty as they may be for any of us, they have to be much worse for the company to deal with by comparison.

I know that whenever I end up dealing with backordered supplies in the jewelry business, it means a lot of wasted time for me if there is no alternate supplier, or substitute of equal quality; it's worse when it involves a commission or custom order. I also know how unpleasant it is when people scream about this as though I could do something about it, when I absolutely can't. It really just makes things worse and even more frustrating. It is part of doing business, there's no way around it. Delays will happen. In a larger business they may not necessarily be as pronounced, but they'll happen.

Knowing the reason for a delay would probably be very helpful. It might not matter to some people, but I suspect it would make a world of difference to others, especially in the case of the examples listed. I further suspect people might be more forgiving of an accident than they are of a five day holiday period, but quite frankly, every country has holidays that affect work in some fashion for many businesses. Personally, I am just as likely to have something hung up in customs for a long holiday weekend here in the US as I am to have a doll delayed at the source for a holiday there, so I don't really worry about those, either.

 

I was very lucky with my first doll. I ordered him directly from junkyspot who already had him in stock and he arrived within the week. That was kind of unexpected since I had read all about the dreaded waiting time. Not to say I am complaining, since I was climbing the walls with excitement.

The third took perhaps three weeks, at the most? Until now I have been extremely lucky with my choices and the fact that they have all already been in stock and I didn't want a face up. But now... well I have ordered my first doll which will take over two months to get here and I am agonizing. I think it helps that I am waiting for my other dolls to return from face up artists too.

Anyway, strictly on to the topic, I'll wait however long it takes. I am not entirely sure I'd willingly sign up on a wait that lasted more than half a year, since by the end of that I could have changed my mind completely or lost interest. If I am not continiously occupied by something I put it away and never look back. Though the price tag and time invested in these dolls would force me into taking an interest, I know myself well enough to know that half a year of waiting is a bit too much. Not that I would start pestering the company, they know best how long they want to use on a piece of work to make it perfect.

Also, I forget time easily, if someone said nine weeks and suddenly twleve had passed I wouldn't notice the difference. I suppose I am a nice customer that way.

 

well in waiting rooms I have visited and hung out in in the last few months a waiting periode of 60 days is pretty normal and to be expected.

with my first doll I was lucky, he was in stock, and without face up he made it to me in almost pricisely one month.

but I would just wait the time needed, whats the use in rushing the company, I'd rather get my doll slow but perfect. I think you just have to expect it to take time, usualy dolls still have to be made and are not in stock, that takes around 30 days already for the company's.

then there are delays: resin shortage just can't be helped, the injury of a doll face up artist in a car accident is just very sad and I hope we should in this case worrie about the artists well being instead of our doll being late, the annual rainy season is just not something a company can controll so just wait it out.

I guess I am one of those sands of time people.

 

I waited almost three months for Amondil (DZ Floy) when the advertised delivery was 30 days from auction end time. But then I am used to long waits ... I have a few Kotobukiya figures from Forbidden Planet (some have taken a year to arrive) and a made to order OOAK fae from The Widow Bryant - very well worth the wait. But Cappy (Souldoll IZE) has landed in the UK and only has customs to clear and natural/other disasters to avoid and he is bang on schedule - well done Souldoll!

So long as I know the goods haven't been stolen or lost in transit, then I'll pretty much put up with the waits while I have one nostril is clear of the sands of time.

 

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?
I've waited up to two months for an anime figure and ended up not getting it after all due to not enough stock. Yes that 2 months was hell but i probably could've dealt with a longer wait too. Plus for a doll it's different. I'd probably be willing to wait up to half a year(possibly more if the preorder wait occured during the school year cause i'd be focused on school not 'omgggg my dolllllll!'). It also depends on the company. I'd be willing to wait quite awhile for an unoa just because I know it'll be a long wait anyway and there's not a thing I can do to change that!

Does it make a difference if you know the manufacturer is an inidividual artist, as opposed to a firm like Luts or SOOM for example?
Of course. I'm a writer so I know how incredibly stressful working on something(though something as expensive as dolls is kinda different) can be(not that I've actually been published but it IS still hard work to think things up etc) and if I know that it's ONE PERSON who's working on my doll I'll be more lenient with time-with a single artist there's no one to pick up the slack in the case of an unexpected crisis. But I know the bigger companies work hard too so as long as they're not an boogerhead about things I'm fine with waiting. There is the chance that I will decide that hey, i don't want this doll after all because it took too long but that's not their fault, it's mine for being so dang fickle!

What is your reaction to delays in the process? Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?
Honestly, if someone is seriously injured who am I to tell them to get off their arse and start working? Some things just can't be controlled and you gotta roll with them and if you can't then cancel your order. That being said I do expect to be notified of the delay. Even if it's just "I'm very sorry but due to _______ reason there will be a delay. We estimate it will be around 2 weeks but it could be longer" that's fine. I just want to know so that I can resume my zen-like state and say "you can't do a thing about it katelynn. resin shortage means resin shortage. not like you can go over there and get any because there isn't any so suck it up. your doll will get here soon" XD

 

Kittyaz said
"How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer? Does it make a difference if you know the manufacturer is an inidividual artist, as opposed to a firm like Luts or SOOM for example? What is your reaction to delays in the process? (Recent examples of delays include the French resin shortage, the injury of a doll face up artist in a car accident, the annual rainy season.) Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry? That's as far as I'd like to define the question, but feel free to comment on things I didn't address in relation to wait times."

Timely discussion thanks for starting it!

Every company has wait times, some more and some less. I expect that. However, if a company states an expected delivery time/date, I expect them to honor that time frame OR keep me regularly updated as to changes in that delivery time.

In other words, if your website says the wait is 4 to 6 weeks, but in actuality it's upward of 6 months, then for gosh sakes, say so. If wait times used to be 4 to 6 weeks, and change, then for gosh sakes update your website to reflect that.

It makes no difference to me if it's a big company, or a single artist, I still expect to be kept in the loop with accurate information. It's about honesty and good customer service, period.

If I want a doll bad enough, I'll put up with a long wait, but these dealers and companies need to be really honest with buyers as to what they can expect. To not provide accurate information is not only poor customer service, it is disrespectful to buyers who have forked over their hard-earned cash on promises that can't be met.

For me it's all about good communication and honesty. And I don't mean individual letters everytime some minor thing in scheduling changes. An update to a webpage every couple weeks, providing information regarding delays and or projected delivery times would be fine. It is essential to do this if the company is to maintain good will and a strong customer base.

 

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?

My first doll was part of a preorder from the company--he was an LE that they took orders on only over a certain span of time and that was it. I only had to wait a month for him, but it's going to vary depending on the number of orders, the individual company, etc. When Unoa does a preorder, I believe it's the only time that year you can order and then he makes all the dolls--it's going to take awhile in an instance like that. As long as I have some idea of a time frame from the get go, I'm ok with waiting. These dolls aren't mass produced and it takes time.

Does it make a difference if you know the manufacturer is an inidividual artist, as opposed to a firm like Luts or SOOM for example?

A lot of doll companies are really just a couple of people--most of them are very small, so it really doesn't make a difference to me. Companies like Soom, Unidoll, Bobobie, Souldoll etc. are making the doll for you, so naturally it's going to take a little time. As long as I know what's going on with my order, I'm ok.

What is your reaction to delays in the process? (Recent examples of delays include the French resin shortage, the injury of a doll face up artist in a car accident, the annual rainy season.) Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?

If it's going to be a lengthy delay I would want an update. Things like you mentioned are part of the nature of the industry, but as a customer I need to know what's going on and whether or not I need to be worried about getting my doll. Sometimes a company has contacted me about delays, other times they've posted on their site, sometimes I have to ask for an update (but they've always gotten back to me). I have a special appreciation for those that take the initiative to contact me first.

Waiting is one of the harder parts , but it's also just the nature of the beast: small companies+made to order+difficult weather sensitive materials=waiting. I personally would rather a company take their time and make my doll to the best of their ability than to have them rush through and possibly make mistakes to get it to me faster.

 

I came into this hobby and read everything I could get my hands on. I still read everything and try absorb it all. So I knew that long waiting times was part and parcel with the ABJDs. Of course, it did help that my first doll was a unoa.

Unoas are famous for their long waiting times. I knew I would have to wait, with almost no contact for months. And I was fine with that, because I knew it would be like that. But what is not okay are companies not fulfilling their end of the bargain, and shipping things MONTHS after they were supposed to.

And then, on the other hand, I can't stand people who whine on and on after waiting a few weeks for their doll, when there is still a lot of time before the waiting period is due to finish. These are small companies, and while they shouldn't take forever to ship your product, have some patience, just a little.

It's a give-give thing. Know what you are getting into, and what ou should expect from a company.

 

I'm a busy person and don't have much trouble waiting for dolls. I'm usually waiting for several at once anyway so some show up "on time", some don't, it's OK. However, I can understand the frustration of someone who saved for months to buy a special doll, put in the order and then found themselves waiting for weeks beyond the scheduled time.

I do have two major beefs. One is that when an item is shown as being "in stock", I expect it to be there sitting on the shelf and ready to go out to me. My experience with companies has been that sometimes it's there and sometimes "in stock" just means they can order me up one but it will obviously take longer. Luts is somewhat notorious for this double meaning of "in stock". Another is that I expect some communication if a shipment is delayed. I don't need an e-mail every week, but some contact would be nice, and when I go on the Q&A board to ask, I expect to get a polite reply and not something like *eye rolls* "Oh, not another impatient person bothering us about her doll! Be quiet and go away! You'll get it when it's ready!"

My greatest fear in being patient is that the company actually lost my order or shipped it to the wrong address, so I do usually inquire after some time has passed and no shipping notice has been forthcoming.

 

The longest I have had to wait is eight months. I realize that these dolls are made by hand to order and that it takes time to make them, but communication is important to me. I am prepared to wait however long it takes, but I like to know up front about how long it will be and if it takes longer than that, I appreciate getting a progress message from the maker, or at least an update message on their website. I know that if someone buys something from me and shipping will be delayed for any reason, I let them know right away because it's important for me to keep my reputation intact. I think that some companies are not very good at estimating how long their process will take and it causes their customers to become anxious and upset, especially if there is little effort at followup communication. I have often thought when this happened to me is that people in their country must be accustomed to waiting patiently and so they have so idea that US customers get upset when deadlines are missed.

 

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?
I would wait as long as the company stated it would take, especially since I wanted to doll enough to save for it; waiting a few weeks/ months isn't too bad. My first doll was a bit stressfull, since after I ordered her, I wanted her right away. But it took her a little over a month to come (from Souldoll).
I am currently waiting for a Pukipuki Pipi, and the wait is supposed to be just under a month, and I'm okay with that.
I ordered SOOMs Sard in June, and from the information on the website, I have to wait until August (at the earliest) to get him. Unlike Loagaeth I was near the end of the ordering period for him, and it sounds like SOOM may be behind their estimation, so it could be even longer. For a doll like Sard, I will wait, if I have to, because he's so perfect. Waiting for a Pukipuki that long though would be a bit of a stretch. I probably wouldn't order a Pukipuki (or like) that took 4 months to ship O_O

What is your reaction to delays in the process? (Recent examples of delays include the French resin shortage, the injury of a doll face up artist in a car accident, the annual rainy season.) Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?
If shortages, accidents or weather stop the process, then that's fine. I mean, it would suck that I would have to wait longer, but most of the time, the company can't help the delay, so there's no point taking it out on them.
But I would be very disappointed in the company didn't let me know, and that would would influence whether or not I bought from them again, not that delay.

Oh! If it was a problem that I already knew about when I ordered, then I wouldn't expect them to let me know again, just if it was something that happened after I ordered

 

For myself, the actual wait is irrelivant depending on wait time predicted by the company. If I know when I order that two months or two weeks is reserved to get me what I paid for, that is that. It's a facet of purchase, no different to me than paying for the doll itself. Would I pay X for this doll? Yes. Would I wait X time? Sure.

If I knew I'd have an 8 month wait on a particular preorder, I'd have no trouble keeping occupied. By the same token, if I was told, "three weeks" and the fifth week comes, I'd become irritated (though I would check for general news post of any delays or backorder issues before I would contact the company).

 

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?

I too am a very patient person; is this the wisdom that's supposed to come with age? I always ignore company estimates of delivery time (they almost never update them to accord with reality) and go straight to the Waiting threads to see what the timeframes are really like, then adjust my expectations accordingly. When I ordered my first doll from Luts, it was in the middle of the Nanuri event, monsoon season, a Korean national holiday and the release of (I think) 3 new dolls. As it was, I waited 2 months, inquired POLITELY how things were going in case my order had gotten mislaid or something, and got him in about a week after my Q&A post. The second time I ordered from them, during the Juri event, I gave them a month, until a friend noticed other people were getting their face-upped dolls (mine were coming blank), then inquired POLITELY and got my order in less than 1 1/2 weeks. I'm prepared to wait up to 3 months for Sard before poking the company, given what I know about Soom's backlog and the time of year. I'd also rather wait for a company to do a good job of casting and painting than to nag them to send my doll out sooner and get a doll with seams you could cut yourself on or a faceup that slides off in humid weather!

Does it make a difference if you know the manufacturer is an inidividual artist, as opposed to a firm like Luts or SOOM for example?

Actually, no. Each time I've ordered from a larger company there's been a promotional event or they've been overwhelmed with response to a limited, so I expect more rather than less delay in those cases.

What is your reaction to delays in the process? (Recent examples of delays include the French resin shortage, the injury of a doll face up artist in a car accident, the annual rainy season.)

I sigh deeply and continue to act like an adult. If there are delays, that's life and there's nothing for me to do about it. My yapping at the company like a rabid Shi Tzu isn't going to do anything but add to their stress and either delay things more or start them rushing through their work too quickly for quality. If there's nothing to cast, there's nothing to cast. If they're down an artist, I don't expect the remaining artists to work 14-hour days just to get me a toy a little faster. I live in Minnesota; I know from weather, and there are just some things you can't do at certain times of the year, like expect MSC to dry properly when the humidity is 100%.

Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?

The companies I've dealt with have all made announcements on their websites concerning delays or changes. I know some companies have kept their difficulties to themselves, and though I understand the desire to save face, it would be much better for them to be upfront with western customers--our first assumption is always that we're being cheated or jerked around, and a simple explanation "these things, which are obviously beyond our control, have delayed our process, thank you for your understanding" would go a long way. Much better than having your inbox deluged with increasingly frustrated customers, I'd think!