What to answer when people ask about the cost of your doll...?

Since I'm okay with not talking about dolls all the time (outside of with my family memebers), this problem doesn't really come up that often. But with people like my friends, who I do occasionally talk about dolls with, askI just tell them how much my doll was. When I first tell them, they get a bit shocked. But, as for what people think about me, I usually don't care. Collecting dolls is just a part of me, it's not the only thing about me. So I just say, if people want to judge me on how much I spend on a doll, then that's they're problem. I'm sure that their not all that perfect either.

 

I had to worry about this when I did a speech for a college class on BJDs (it was a free topic), and I brought one of my girls with me (my Souldoll Gisele, who cost ~$625). Someone asked how much she cost, and after a momentary panic, I replied, "I don't really like to talk about the cost, but suffice to say it was a lot."

I would have been honest -- I don't care if they think I'm crazy for spending so much -- but I was afraid that if I told everyone in my class (I don't know most of the students) how much she was actually worth, she would have been stolen. :\

 

I think maybe I worry too much about not telling people the cost because I'm afraid it will turn them off to the hobby. I hope that makes sense.
I don't have a lot of people I know who are into the hobby, and I'm always trying to recruit someone I know so I we can talk about dolls together.

 

I tell them that it was a lot because the doll is imported and there are shipping fees and customs to pay also. I live in South Africa, so the exchange rate for us is bad news - works out expensive. My RS Dai - grey skin - plus one pair of eyes cost about R2300 excl customs. Its a lot for one doll, but I am very happy with all my dolls so far; so I don't consider it a waste of money. They give me hours of pleasure.

 

I don't tell them the exact value of my doll if someone asks me when I'm carrying around one, but I tell them an approximate value like "those dolls are expensive and start around $100 up more than $1000"

 

I tell them something like "it was a good bit" or something vague. If they were to persist because they wanted to buy one for themselves, I would give them the website where they could get one of their own and tell them that the price was listed there.

 

A friend used to say "More than a toaster and less than a car" which always made me laugh. I usually tell them that it can depend on the type of doll, and (since usually its my littlefees) I tell them they start about 300$ but it depends on whos asking.

 

I find it's important to play up how it's a building hobby- you don't usually spend the full amount in one go. I usually tell them the base cost of the doll and use that to segue into talking about the real process of outfitting him.
Anyhow, there's plenty of expensive hobbies. If you collected paintings or rare books or stained glass or something, it'd be a pricey hobby too. Just remind the person you're talking to that it's not (just) a toy: it's a piece of art, and that's harder to assign a dollar value to.

 

I don't like to lie, but I know I don't have to tell someone the dollar amount of something if I don't want to. Just because someone asks a question, you do not have to answer. And you can do this without lying.

If it's another hobbyist or collector who I feel understands that hobbies are expensive, I usually tell if asked directly.
If not it can go something like this;
person: how much did you spend on this?
me: more than I should have *laugh*

I don't tell them a dollar amount, I like someone else idea of "a pretty penny". I think that sounds better than what I say! Because I don't really feel like I spend too much.

 

I got stopped on the street once while I had my boys out. The lady, who didn't look that poor, judging by her some-thousand dollar fur coat (pretty sure it was real, too), pulled me over and started interrogating me about my dolls. And I mean INTERROGATING. I'm fine with curious people, but she was a bit... overbearing.

Anywho, I politely (albeit impatiently) answered her questions. Until, of course, the price question came up. Her exact words were, "How much?"

I stared at her for a moment before deciding to tell her the truth. With that coat and attitude, she could handle it. Or so I thought. I said, "Well, Eirian's some $600, and Rumi's about $700, total."

And cue the blank stare. That lasted forever. After who knows how long, she just pushed her bag back up on her shoulder and pranced off. I didn't even get a good response. >.<

Anyway, I usually keep with 'pretty damn expensive' until they're genuinely interested and I think knowing the price wouldn't set them off the hobby. Then I'll go into detail, and they're generally fine.

I mean, I'm proud of my boys, and I like, for lack of a better term, showing them off. That's a pretty hefty chunk of the fun, right? I like feeling like I could, possibly, be getting someone else into the hobby. Also, who doesn't secretly love all those little 'what are those?!' looks everywhere you go?

 

I don`t like to lie and I say about doll cost to my relatives, but other people or some friends I say nothing or say cost of doll more less than actually.(:

 

I told them the true and all of them got a shock on their face. Many pplz think i'm crazy and threw away money over the window for this hobby but who care. I worked so hard to earn money so i have the right to use it for myself, for what i'll feel good and this hobby is not against any morals.

 

"Why? ~ Are you planning to buy my next one for me?"

OR, how much did your underwear cost? Haaa... I'm TOTALLY KIDDING!!! And I don't mean to make fun of the thread topic. I know it is a common question and sometimes a touchy one to answer because they are surprisingly expensive in the eyes of anyone unfamiliar with them...er, and in the eyes of us paying them off or saving for them. But they are special and the joy they bring is worth it. Worth/value is measured in so many different ways, and to some extent, for every one of us that measurement is unique.

 

"This one was $146, I got that one in a trade, the one over there was $750, the rest were around $400-$600 and none of that includes shipping/eyes/wigs/clothes." I have no problem telling people the truth if they ask. Of course I keep my dolls on a shelf in my room, for someone who is randomly carrying all their dolls around in public I could see it as encouraging theft maybe...but then again I'm extremely confident in my ability to protect the things I am holding from being taken.

 

I don't have a BJD yet, but I'll probably just say that they were really expensive and not go into the details. I want people to know that these dolls are expensive because that will help people be more careful with them, but I don't think that telling the specific price is necessary. People would probably give me a 'You spent that much money on a doll at your age?!?!? What where you thinking?' kind of look.

 

How about "Worth every penny I spent" ?

 

Your grammar is not bad at all, and is actually very good!

I find it really awkward when people ask the prices of my dolls, too. Most of the people I've told (which hasn't been too many...) at least appear fairly supportive, or at least not outright disapproving. However, I once made the grave mistake of showed my 93-year-old grandmother my doll. She proceeded to indignantly ask where I got it and how much it cost. I felt so angry at her rudeness and blatant disapproval >:-( I lied and said that it was a gift (she has dementia and could probably not have grasped the concept of recent inflation and would have thought it more ridiculously expensive than it was!). She then asked who gave it to me, probably so she could tell off whoever it was.

With other people, I've been more honest. It's been nicer with others because they don't always ask how much mine cost but will instead ask how much these dolls cost in general. I usually say anywhere between $250 and $1000, or a few hundred dollars; although I fully realise that many are more expensive than that!

I think it's difficult for those who aren't 'doll people' to understand our fascination with them. Some random children's doll just won't do the trick for us (although that's not to say that some of us aren't attached to other kinds of dolls, too!). I used to be obsessed with other types of dolls (Barbie, American Girl, My Twinn, Disney Limited Edition), but I've now been spoiled by all that Asian BJDs offer -- namely the customisation, quality, variety, and beautiful clothing. Plus, it's great to be part of a community of fellow doll-lovers, which is something fairly unique to BJDs.

I suppose if you're getting negative reactions from friends asking the price, you could give a generic answer if you are not comfortable with disapproval (e.g. 'Quite a bit, but I really enjoy the hobby' or 'They range in price from $X to $X' or 'More than I probably should have'). They will hopefully not be bold enough to inquire further, but it's a risk); or you could just tell them roughly the price, and when they disapprove and say what else you could have bought with the money, you could say, 'Yes, but I'd rather have this than a laptop/other item; I really enjoy this doll hobby, and they're different and more special to me than other types of dolls.' You could then try to explain what makes them so rewarding to you.

...Best of luck in dealing with this with all the rest of us!

 

I just say the truth.
When people say i'm crazy and that's too expensive for a doll, i answer them :
"it's let's expensive than your tabacco & you alcohool for every week-end "
Then, they didn't say anything more.

 

I have that happen to me often too. I got a fairly cheap doll for her size so I always tell people that she could have been 300 dollars and sorta shrug it off. I make sure they know that she's a very special thing in my life and that it could've been worse. ^.^

 

My parents think it's ridiculous how much I plan to spend on a BJD, but they don't mind since they know it makes me happy.

I don't have many people to talk to, but when I first showed my parents I was open about the price because at that moment I hadn't set my heart on buying one before the year is done. Even I know it's a lot of money, but it's totally worth it. I figure it's not a biggie, after all, there are a lot worse things I could be spending large amounts of money (that I don't really have Dx) on.

My ex's reaction was priceless, I showed him one of the dolls I'm looking at and at first he came out with the typical "that's mildly creepy" response then saw the price (which I decided not to cover up) did a double take and made a strange choking sound xD

So yeah TL;DR:
I don't bother hiding the price, I'm not worried, and the people that matter only really care that it makes me happy and that's about it.