What is the worst part about being a BJD collector/owner?

Being overlooked cause they don't stand out! My crew is mostly normal people, save for some fantasy creatures. I love my dolls, don't get me wrong, but it's annoying!

 

The worst part:

1. Not being rich! And if I were, I wouldn't be for long!

2. Seeing companies go out of business. Wanting a doll for so long and then it's not there any more to have. Maybe it will turn up on second hand sale somewhere, but still, that's painful.

3. Very few mature and yet pretty male and female sculpts, (I admit it, I'm a manga/anime fan!) and then suddenly the company that does fantastic guy faces goes baby faced again, and the one company that was doing good mature faces seems determined to go totally foul tempered and mean looking for their mature male sculpts and their girls look bad tempered, too (my own opinion, I'm just saying, it's not appealing to me. I'd avoid a human being with those looks, too. Angry bitter people.)

 

The worst part for me has to be the cost because of my poorness... lol and i always find another one that i want! O.o There isnt anywhere or much of anyone around me that has the same hobby. So im pretty much alone in this hobby other than the internet

 

Cost and criticism, for sure.

I catch a lot of flack from my parents about the hobby and how it's apparently some measure of 'wrong' for me to be spending that kind of money on something they figure I'm going to just wind up discarding in a few years, regardless of how often they're reminded that I am an adult, that these are the life choices I've decided to make, that this is my money and that I am not about to discard any of my boys.

I suppose, to a lesser extent, there's fear of something happening to one of my dolls, like irreparable damage or theft also. But, honestly, just the amount of nagging I get is enough to make that my number one sore spot.

 

1. I don't like getting weird looks from people not in the hobby whether I'm walking around with my dolls or just telling someone about them.

2. I hate the long wait! I'm currently waiting for a Kid Delf Darae and it's near unbareable !

3. The price can be a problem and it's really difficult for me to save up(I'm not old enough to have a job.). I usually get my dolls as presents for Christmas or for my birthday.

4. Like another person said, the constant feeling of never knowing when you're done. I said I would stop getting more dolls...2 dolls ago...... I really want to stop with Darae though. I've always wanted an MSD sized doll, she'll be the biggest doll I've ever had!

 

ADDICTION! (but I wont say worst hehehe)

MILLIONS of choices!

the WAIT

 

Hmm... the cost I've accepted, though I do wish it was maybe even half the cost than it is

Actually the worst part for me is reselling.

First I go through the doubt, "should I? shouldn't I?". Then when I've decided to let them go I go through the guilt "Oh, I should've researched more, I shouldn't have been so hasty". Once I've gone through that, it comes to putting it up for sale and I start to worry if it'll be a difficult sale. Then when the sale goes through and it comes to shipping, I have to awkwardly take these massive boxes to my post office. I'm an extremely shy person and I get embarressed easily, so all the weird looks I get make me want to run screaming, and then my jaw hits the floor when the postage is quoted at a minimum of $80+ so I end up asking maybe half that because it's a ridiculous amount to pay and I don't expect anyone to pay it. I also end up selling them for up to $200 less than they are worth, so I'm out of pocket quite a bit.

Then once it's gone and I've realised how much I've lost, I start feeling guilty all over again. Then when I see a doll I like, all I can think is "am I going to sell this too? I thought I liked the others..."

 

The ABSOLUTE worse thing for me is the connotations of the would be name of doll collectors.
When you look up in any book. People who have a fear of dolls are called peadophobes.
So what does that make us doll collectors?

 

Cost of their clothes, wigs and difficulty in finding places in the US to get all those things. I hate hate hate waiting for their clothes and stuff and won't buy more than a wig until they get here so I can get an idea of what I want for them. Also mostly no one but my husband understands me collecting them and my grown kids say why do you waste your money on them mom. I'm not at all into designer clothes, shoes, purses none of that stuff so dolls are really all I spend money on. They make me happy. I get tired of the creepy comments and personally think that's just what people say because it's the cool thing to say like clowns are scary lol I think if most people took the time they'd see how great these dolls really are. Oh and when I say I collect dolls I always have to say not the kind you're thinking.

 

restringing. Seriously, I hate it with a passion. It's why one of my boys' legs are dangling sadly a few inches below his body, because I just can't bring myself to pick up the tools and help him out.

I'm a bad owner.

 

Not playing with them often...I've been too busy to do anything with them.

 

The worst part for me is the limited edition dolls. I always discover a doll just in time to be TOO LATE to order or ba apart of the lottery. *sigh*

 

I'm pretty much just echoing other people here, but the absolute worst part about this hobby for me is the wait time. For -everything-. My friends and family have surprised me and have chilled quite a bit when it comes to the dolls and the cost (though they really don't know how expensive clothes, wigs, and eyes do get). But it's difficult for me to explain, "I bought a dollie! But I have to wait four months for her." Or, "I bought this -amazing- hoodie, you'll love it too! but it's not made yet."

And while i'm waiting, it takes a lot not to look at in-stock dolls, the marketplace, or clothes and accessories. Oy.

 

yipi first post

well worst part me are:
1. being in a country that doesn't have shops/stores of ball jointed dolls :C (so... sad)
2. cost of shipping (expensive) because of #1 :C (sadder than sad..)

well.. these are the main things.. hehehe

 

ive come to accept alot of the listed things as just part of the hobby (like cost, wait times, never knowing when your collection is done, and falling for limiteds) so even though these are "hard" parts of the hobby. none of them scream worst part of the hobby, not to me

we get what we pay for, so ive come to accept the prices

wait times are when i focus on alot of the planning and preparing. it isnt until i have proper wig eyes and clothing already home that the waiting starts to get really tough. but the longer i wait the more time i have to prep so i usually do ok.

never knowing when im done, i have to admit, i kind of like! i think if i wasnt getting new dolls or accessories or something i would get bored, new dolls and things keeps me interested and excited. and the thought that maybe someday i will be able to look at my collection and say "wow.... its complete" is exciting but if it never happens im sure dolls will flow in and out and ill enjoy it.

the worst part of the hobby for me, is how everyone else around me thinks its such a waste of money. our extra money is going to be spent one way or another. just because i hold on to mine a little longer and spend more of it at once does not mean its a waste! it means i skipped going out to eat and stayed home, or didnt buy another t shirt to sit in the back of my closet, or decided to wait for the movie to be released on redbox instead of going to the theaters or whatever it was i did to save that extra money instead of spend it

i sometimes wish people would look at their own spending habits enough to realize it can be pretty hypocritical to say ive wasted all the money ive spent on my hobby, especially for those who have their own hobbies.

 

For me the worst is being isolated physically in my hobby, so I am very thankfully to forums and Flickr where one can meet like minded people and share the hobby.

 

cost and how it adds up sooooo fast, difficulty of finding certain items, wait time, all the cute clothes (and dolls of course) being released when the exchange rate is terrible
oh and how everyone has some nasty comment about how high the price is (especially when they have a $600 cell phone/purse/shoes)

 

The worst thing is that I can't tell my mom and my brothers about the real price of my dolls and their items .

 

The cost and then.. OMG the waiting time, that's the killer!
Why oh why can't Amazon do them on next day delivery

 

for me
-not being able to afford to buy a lot of dolls & doll clothes
-hiding my dolls from my parents and friends