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

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?
It depends on what I've ordered and what the usual wait times are. I'll linger in the waiting rooms and see if others who ordered at the same time are getting their dolls at the same time also. If my doll is taking longer I'll want to know why. Also I expect a shorter wait for a blank head or plain doll body, longer for a doll with faceup or a tan doll. If the usual time for a faceupped doll from Suchandsuch company is 2 months and that's what I've ordered, then that's how long I'll wait.

Does it make a difference if you know the manufacturer is an individual artist, as opposed to a firm like Luts or SOOM for example?
Not really. An average wait is different for each company/artist and I'll base it on what results others who ordered from them are getting and what the manufacturer tells me, not whether it came from an artist or company.

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.)
It depends on the nature of the delay, if the delay is expected and if I'm notified of the delay. I'm more annoyed about not being told of a delay than the delay itself. See below for the rest of my thoughts on this.

Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?
I spend a lot of time on the road and make an effort to be at home when I know a doll should be arriving, so I really need to know ASAP when there is a delay so I can adjust my schedule accordingly. Knowing how much of a delay there will be is more important than the delay itself.

When I ordered my Shiwoo I asked Luts to please let me know the approximate shipping date, as I was often traveling and wanted to be home when he came. They gave me a date, I went home and the doll didn't ship. Other people who ordered when I had were getting their dolls. I asked what the problem was, they said "We'll ship next week". For 3 weeks I waited and it was "next week" until I was way overdue for leaving and actually called them in exasperation. It turned out my Shiwoo's head had had an accident (dropped and broken probably) after his faceup was done so he had to be recast and repainted. Ok, accidents happen and I understand that, however I needed to be told instead of being given excuses for 3 weeks. Had I been informed of the problem I would have shrugged and (depending on when I was notified), rescheduled my home time or gone back out and come back home later. Perhaps they were afraid I'd flip out on them or they wanted to save face, but to me the lack of truthful communication was a larger problem than the delay itself.

 

My first doll was nearly a three month wait. Honestly, I wasn't worried. Neither was my grandmother. (She ordered him for me.) My mother on the other hand thought the company just took our money and ran. I don't mind the waiting because it makes getting them just so much more rewarding. I've got two MSD's and an SD.

For me though my most recent wait I was a little more impaitent. My mom ordered me my first SD boy. I think it varies for each person. I guess it's because it's the first one in that size range. That's why I was antsy. I think it's the newness of the doll. Expecially for a person getting their first doll. I honestly was relieved to get my first boy. It's a newness factor in my mind.

 

I don't want a barbie (not that there's anything wrong with them), barbies are facotry made and shipped out to stores and it's just to walk in to the store pay for the doll and walk out. Bjds are works of art... they take time and lots of labour and commitment to make. Do I appriciate it if the companies stick to the time limits they've set? Ofcourse I do, if the company says that it'll take a month for them to make a doll ready for shipping and it takes 2 months I think it's a tad annoying but I'd still wait. But if there's delays I'd like to be informed of them rather than being left wondering.

 

I agree with most people thoughts on this, if the company your buying off states a certain time period and they exceed it then some communication needs to happen. My B&G elf just about doubled the stated time period, but I was fine with it because I was kept informed. (though im sure the first doll wait is the worst)

 

I'm waiting on my first doll and the first week hasn't even gone by yet. I've got 8 weeks until he comes unless they get busy and all that.

I'm pretty impatient, but I just spent all this money on a doll and for me the wait it worth it. They take a lot of time to make and all that and I don't mind waiting at all because I want him to look nice and all that.

Does the wait time suck, yeah. But it's just something I have to live with. Maybe this doll will show me some patience.

Although my boss seems to think that it's a scam and I won't get my money, but what does he know. Rofl.

 

Years ago, I didn't really have any problem with wait times... and once I even waited 7 months for a doll (Liebchen) without worrying.

Nowadays I'm a lot more nervous about money. When Olleaf (a new company) kept giving me temporizing responses I told them that I'd have to file with Paypal if I didn't receive the doll in time.

I didn't want to be a jerk, but I'm not about to give away 300 bucks, and no one else had yet received a doll from that company, so I wasn't sure about the situation. There are a lot more scams nowadays it seems. Luckily my doll was shipped in time, and all ended well.

Raven

 

ive only recently ordered my first doll and I am expecting to be waiting for a while to get him, but in the meantime i am learning what i can by reading this forum, and what styles of clothes to buy from certain makers that I have ordered to fit him, im having fun on different websites looking at eyes and wigs and imagining how they will look in him - already I have 2 pairs of eyes and two whole outfits and shoes awaiting his arrival and im still not done! all in all its keeping me occupied whilst I wait and when i hit the 4 week mark ill ask DOD for an update and hopefully the answer will be good. In the meatime patience is a virtue and i dont think if i badger dod it will get ducan made any quicker. still theres plenty to be done awaiting his arrival ^-^

 

If it's an individual artist, I tend to have more patience for them. But if it's a big company that promises arrival within X amount of time, I wait until that time runs out and then send an e-mail asking what's up.

I don't think I could wait 8 months though x.o;

 

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?
I just want them to do it in the time they say they will.

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?
I base my expectations on what they say the wait time should be. I like punctuality no matter who's doing it.

Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?
I would prefer to be notified. I don't like being left in the dark. Waiting is hard enough as is without wondering what on earth might have happened to x, y, and z without being told something has happened to y. And if I'm dropping that much for a doll, I'd expect people to have the decency to tell me what's going on if something is delayed. Bad customer service is about the easiest way to make me never want to even glance at a compan ever again.

 

How long is an acceptable wait to you after you pre-order a doll from a retailer or manufacturer?
I have no problem waiting the time period stated on the pre-order page, maybe even a week or so past that. Informed patience is not an issue for me--I'll wait however long I know it's going to take, be it one week or nine months. I waited almost 3 months for my second doll (an AR mini), because that was what it was taking back then. I knew it when I signed up, so I was prepared. Likewise with my Unoa...I knew historically that the kits can take half a year to arrive, so it wasn't a big deal. It's when either the wait time significantly exceeds the quote (especially with no communication), that's when I get annoyed.

Does it make a difference if you know the manufacturer is an individual artist, as opposed to a firm like Luts or SOOM for example?
Nope. I would think if they're selling a doll, they should know the amount of time it will take to complete it, and either tailor their wait time quote or the amount of orders they take to be within the stated period.

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.)
It would depend on the delay. If it's something that is unexpected, like an injury, unusual natural events (like an earthquake), I'll completely understand and be willing to be patient. My LSG BC girl was delayed because there were unexpected issues with the resin, and that was acceptable to me because I'd rather something like that get fixed before my doll got made. However, delays that should have been forseen (such as an upcoming "event" at the company, or the rainy season) should be factored in the quote already. I think delaying an existing order because a company becomes deluged with orders from an event that takes place in the following week or so is unacceptable. I had that experience with an order that was made a week before a "free gift" event. My order wasn't sent out until ALL the event orders were filled, so I didn't see my order until others who ordered way after me had received theirs. Over three months for a standard, in-stock doll that was quoted a 21 day ship time, with no apologies or explanations. Needless to say, I never ordered from that company again. I saw it happen to a couple of people with the recent BC colored elf promotion. That type of thing will turn me off to a company completely.

Do you expect to be notified of a delay, or do you see this as part of the nature of the industry?
I guess it depends on the length of the delay...if it's only a small delay, then it's probably not a big deal. Beyond a few days, then yes, you should notify the customer. I think it is bad customer service not to. The company should also give the reason for the delay, and if the delay will be an extended one, give the customer the opportunity to cancel the order.

Look at it this way...if we delayed our end of the contract, the payment, you bet there would be contact at a minimum. We certainly can't delay payment for a month with no communication and expect them to keep our contract. That wouldn't be acceptable. Just as we have a responsibility to pay within the stated time period, they have a responsibility to deliver within the stated time frame, and if that can't be done, there should be communication. It's all part of being a business.

 

This summer I found out the limit of my patience is about seven months; I placed a preorder in November through a dealer, and a few weeks ago with no sight nor word of the doll or clothes/wigs I'd ordered, I gave up and asked the dealer to switch the doll part of my order to something he had in stock.

I could have handled waiting longer if the company had given a reason, news, or at least clearly remained busy trying to catch up with their orders - but since they had time to come out with two new 60cm dolls, new 70cm sculpts, and a line of petdolls, it didn't seem likely they were too concerned with that particular set of orders. I haven't given up hope on the clothes yet, though. XD

 

If they post the wait times, I don't have that much of a problem but if I am still waiting weeks afterwards, then I think I would get quite impatient and would email the company.

I think if I knew it would take 8 months, I could wait that amount of time.

 

I am so incredibly impatient. I wouldn't be able to wait more than a month for a doll, which is why I get mine used or from USA dealers who have the dolls ready to go. I love stores like Denver Doll, Dolls and Friends, and Junky Spot who get the dolls in stock with their faceups done so you can pay and get the doll within a week or so without all the crazy waiting. (Not to mention you save a ton on shipping.)

I understand why there is the wait though. Some companies don't even cast the dolls until they are ordered, then there is the wait for faceups, shipping, etc. DOD has a long wait (something like 45-50 days before shipping) but I'd probably be able to wait for one because they are so beautiful and worth the wait IMO.

Some people who are new to the dolls seem to get really shocked when they find out the doll won't get to them in a week but that's because it's unusual to us Westerners I guess. We're used to mass-produced things and having them NOW.

I had to wait a little while for my AOD body to get here. I paid on the 11th of July and he wasn't shipped for about 2 weeks. But once he was shipped, he got here in 3 days. The wait wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though. I was able to get through it pretty well.

 

For me, how long I'm willing to wait is dependent on the expected wait time/usual wait time of the company. I expect it to be delivered in around that amount of time, and I want to be informed ASAP if something happens to cause a delay.

Er, it also depends on the payment method. If I'm putting down hundreds of dollars for a doll, I want to know that it will definitely arrive, and if it doesn't, I want to make sure that I don't just lose that money. Since I usually pay through Paypal, I won't commit to buying a doll that won't ship until after the period for filing a claim is over. I would love to be able to wait six months for a doll, but after some Very Bad Experiences, I'm not willing to risk losing the money.

 

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

Ideally no more than two months. However as long as I know the company is reputable and has not forgotten my order, I am pretty patient. Waiting for many, many art commissions over the years has taught me patience.

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

Not really. I would likely get more anxious if it is an individual artist without a track record... or with too many excuses. I really don't think SOOM is going to pack up and dissappear without sending me the dolls I paid for. I have had that happen with art commissions, though.

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.)

Well there is nothing that can be done about it except wait more.

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

I would like to be notified, or for the company to put a message up on their website about it, at least. Just so I know what to expect.

 

Even though I seriously hate waiting.. I understand that companies need to take their time to do their work. I usually expect that they will ship the doll within the time they mentioned on the site. I am very paranoid and always worrying about things. Did they lose my order? did they ship my order to a wrong adress? did they send the right stuff etc. I tend to panic if it takes too long.

though I also panic if its shipped sooner than its supposed to ;; when I ordered my miyu she was sent within 2 days while it was supposed to take.. 3 weeks? I got worried that they didnt send the right order.. and they kind of didnt X_X she came the wrong skin tone..

so as long as it takes as long as the company said it would, and they send the right order, I'll survive the wait

 

I have just paid for my FL Puki Cupid and this will be my first experience with ordering a brand-spanking new doll direct from the company. All my other dolls have been pre-loved, so the waiting time between buying and arriving was almost nothing. I have been anxious with my first two dolls because they were coming from America and I didn't know what to expect with shipping times, customs etc etc With Zee, I bought him off a DoA member in the UK, so the transaction was over in 3 days and he just turned up on my doorstep. It was great

I expect that if I fulfil all the requirements of the deal, I pay my layaway on time, I provide detailed shipping information, I don't ask anything unreasonable of the company, the company should behave in the same manner. If the doll is going to be late, tell me. If your face-up artist has eloped, tell me. If you're resin is bubbly, tell me. I won't be angry if I can account for the lateness. If I can't, and the company repeatedly fobs me off, I will be angry and won't be a repeat customer. After all, this isn't pocket money, we're talking about. I just sent off £100 for a Puki, I expect the 30 day processing time to be accurate, rather than a ball park guess.

 

It hasn't been a week since my payment was confirmed and i'm already itching :_:
I really am theee most horrible impatient person EVER
(sit there refreshing the page too much, anyone?)
but I know it'll be worth it because the moment he actually gets here will be such a special moment

I wouldn't be able to wait more than 3 months I think though :-;
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I am lucky as although i am new to bjds my daughter is not, so she has prepared me for the wait i can expect before i recieve my dolls, 8 weeks total for my Petite ais and 6 weeks left to go!!!!!!!!! Eeek seems like years already lol! But i think for newbies with no one in the know to advise them won\'t be aware that each doll is hand crafted and hand painted, or know about the rainy season or anything at all really, all they see is a product on a site, they pay their money and want it there and then, think it comes as quite a shock to them when they actually find out you have to wait. Its no biggee to me really the wait, i collect other artist dolls and you regularly have to preorder, paying in advance or at least a deposit and could wait up to a year for the doll to be produced! But i do think the companys should tell you if there is going to be a delay with your doll and the reason why, we expect it in all our transactions and purchases on forums or ebay, why shouldnt we expect it from the bjd companies too?