When is the price just too much?

For me, it's not really a matter of cost. As long as it's not limited, I could always save to buy a doll that I really wanted. I mean, if I fell in love with a doll and it was just absolutely The One, I would be willing to pay over $1000 for it. But I guess it does get to a point where I just can't realistically afford it. I think that point for me would depend on what point in my life I'm at. Right now, I don't think I would be willing to spend more than $1000-2000, and that's for a doll I LOVE. And for that, I'd have to save up for a year, at the very least.

 

For me it depends how much I love the doll and how hard it is to find. Also, the condition it's in, whether it has it's papers and box, etc. If the doll is in the condition I want, I would pay $1000+ for a grail doll.

 

You might be interested in this thread:

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?346252-BJD-worth-5000-have-you-seen-one

Not exactly the same, but I hope this helps you.

For me, the amount I'm willing to pay for a doll is influenced by a variety of factors. In 99.9% of cases I would not pay $1,000 for a blank, standard doll... but I won't say "never", because I've learned to "never say never" in this hobby.

 

* I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?

It really depends on the doll, but it's not necessarily too much to pay. Outside of my price range right now, but not unreasonable if the doll is a hard to find sculpt. I never found abjd prices shocking having dealt with other collectibles prior to this. Popular hard to get dolls will increase in price -- it's all supply and demand. It's an expensive hobby anyway, though I feel fine about spending the money on abjds, since what I'm getting in return is beautiful, well made, and something I know I'm going to get a lot of enjoyment from.

* Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?

Depends on whether or not it's in line with what the market can take.

* Does it depend on how much you truly love the doll? (that saying, the more the love, the more money you are willing to pay?)

Yes and no. Even if it's not a doll I want, I can understand why certain dolls cost a lot. However, when it comes to whether or not I'm personally willing to shell out the money, then really loving the doll has a lot to do with it.

 

For me it depends on the quality and rarity of the doll. For some I'd say $200 is too much, while others $2000 seems more than fair.

 

While dolls and BJDs are beautiful in their own right, I don't think I'd feel comfortable spending more than $500-$600 on them. That's just me, personally, and how my finances are right now. Of course, if I had money to spare, and made enough money to cover bills and life expenses - I wouldn't shy away from the idea of owning a doll that cost between $1k-$1.5k...then again, I must really love that doll and want it badly enough to make the investment. I'm still young, so my stance on that might change once my life and it's finances stabilize. Right now, I just made the investment into my first BJD and while it's a big "self gift" I wanted it enough to make the sacrifice. I'm sure it would be the same if I were to find a doll that cost more than that.

 

* I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?

in general, that is too much for me. i feel like it might lessen my enjoyment of the doll knowing that i paid so much for it. it would take me over a year to save for a doll that expensive. however, i have come close to spending that much. my most expensive doll was $700 about, but she is very rare, and i was incredibly determined to have her. i just totally fell in love with her sculpt, and they were discontinued long ago. important~ what helps me ALOT in spending this kind of money is that bjds are highly re-sellable. if they are good quality especially, but i have never had trouble selling ANY doll that i wanted to sell. they usually go quicker than you think. this helps me spend the money in the first place, because i know if i was ever desperate enough for money, i could sell them.

* Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?

i'm not sure if it's reasonable. when i buy from very small companies, and i know there is only one sculptor, and a few casters, then it seems very fair price, for all that work they put into the beautiful creation. however, some larger companies, i never know who the money goes to, or what kind of work is behind it, so i wonder if it really is reasonable.

* Does it depend on how much you truly love the doll? (that saying, the more the love, the more money you are willing to pay?)

yes, definitely. i don't have the willpower to save that much, unless i really loved the doll.

 

I'm curious to see all the replies to this, because I think there will be a lot of variety.

For me personally, I don't really have a too much, because even though I might love a doll that costs, let's say $800, I would never buy it. Why? Because I would always think yeah but that $800 could buy me THREE other dolls that I also really adore lol. That's just me, I would never buy a $900 pair of shoes either, because I would just be thinking of all the other shoes I could buy. I have a lot of dolls in mind, characters I suppose, and I would rather be able to realize all of them than just have one or two. Again, that's just me

 

I find it is too much for me. If I happen to end up owning a doll that costs that much or is worth that much, I usually end up selling them ie Beryl and Sard. I owned both and sold them because I have children and don't like owning dolls that I would get really upset if they got broken. My main exception is a Volks Olivia who was a dream doll for a long time and then I happened to get her for $830 and haven't seen her at that price since. I also bought her from someone I knew and who sold her to me on layaway in spite of the fact that they usually don't deal with overseas people so she's pretty special to me. I prefer 'cheaper' dolls but very few BJDs are truly cheap. I stay under $1000 for purchasing although I would like a Dollmore Dahlia but I'm also waiting to see if Dollmore release other sculpts that I may like better. She would be the only exception and even then, I'd have to think about it.

There have been some really expensive dolls I've fallen in love with ie Unoa Zero but I find I'm always willing to substitute ie Aria Narvy who looks similar. I plan to buy one of the Tiny girls instead of a Unoa 1.5 as well. Given a choice, I'd take a cheaper option every time. Luckily there is so much variety in the marketplace that it's fairly easy to do.

 

• I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?

It really depends on the availability of the doll, and the rarity. For something like an old discontinued perfect condition Tanned Chalco from soom then yes; because they are both highly desired and an expensive doll to begin with. If it was a common sculpt then no.

• Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?

It is a reasonable price for certain dolls, even more so if it was an one of the kind rare mold; or something like an original volks.

• Does it depend on how much you truly love the doll? (that saying, the more the love, the more money you are willing to pay?)

In a way yes, but it also depends on if it is reasonable to spend the amount of money at that time. But with the idea that you can sell them back for almost the same amount, if not more; the money doesn't really become an issue if you save.

 

• I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?

Nope. I've got more than one I paid around that or more for. I do seem to top out around the $1500 level for my comfort with the price, although I'd have gone to $1800 if I'd actually gotten a change at Kobe SD17 Williams .

• Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?

As reasonable as the cost for any of these dolls, really. There's no such thing as a cheap BJD. If it's truly one you want, then finding a way to bring that particular doll home makes sense.

• Does it depend on how much you truly love the doll? (that saying, the more the love, the more money you are willing to pay?)

A little. I'm more likely to take a chance on a lower priced doll if I'm less sure that it's a one-true-must-have.

 

Not if it's a sculpt I truly love and am willing to spend the time, effort, and money to get my hands on it! These dolls are going to be expensive simply because of the craftsmanship that's gone into them. If one I love ends up costing $1000+, so be it.

 

My limit is currently about $400 for a doll, not really counting faceup materials and the cloth that I buy to make (or plan to make) clothing. Right now the most I've ever spent on a doll is around $350 for my SD boy, who I bought (in pieces, over the course of a whole year) secondhand. I really can't justify spending more than that!

I also try to spread out my large purchases so I don't totally drain my finances all in one go. For example, I got Alicia in December 2008, then purchased Mel's head in 2009, and finally got him a body in 2010. I downright refused to get any other dolls until he was completed, which helped to lessen expenses overall. I'm doing the same thing with tattoos--I got my first this year (SO AWESOME) and though I have a lot more planned, I'm going to wait a year until I get another one. It gives me time to save up, really THINK about the purchase, and decide if I'm absolutely certain about it.

Perhaps when I have a steady job my price limit/time limit will change, but for the most part I'm patient enough and enough of a spendthrift to stalk the marketplace for secondhand dolls instead of buying them new, then paying crazy shipping and handling to get them to me. That doesn't mean I don't dream big though... XD

 

I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?

From a personal standpoint, yes. $1,000+ is just too steep for me. Even if I could afford that, I doubt I'd actually pay it. Honestly? I would be terrified to handle/play with a doll that cost that much. I'd likely just let it sit somewhere and not touch it, and then eventually sell it. I'd rather enjoy my dolls, not be scared of handling them because of how costly they were.

Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?

It may be for some people. For me, no.

Does it depend on how much you truly love the doll? (that saying, the more the love, the more money you are willing to pay?)

I can't see myself loving a particular sculpt that much. Sure, there have been a few that I've instantly thought "WANT", but the super high prices put me off. It's just not worth it, to me.

 

Price on the tag. Value in the heart.

Yes. Most of my dolls cost over the thousand dollar mark. And I wouldn't take twice that for them....and not three times the amount either.

Having said that, I have owned cheaper dolls that gave a good deal of joy.

The wonderful thing is, whatever your taste and price range there are lovely dolls waiting for you.

 

• I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?

I've paid about that much, but it was for a Volks One-off SD-13 full-set, so that includes doll, faceup by known artist, zoukimura eyes that are expensive, wig, one-off outfit, shoes... so, really, the doll itself wasn't as much as that (and it was limited). And I paid no shipping cost.. almost a bargain, if you think about it! And he was a sort of Grail Doll for me.

I wonder what the upper limit of the OP is? Everyone is different. There are people out there who may spend thousands... I wouldn't. I think maybe $1,500 is around my upper limit, but then, perhaps that is just because I haven't seen a doll that's more expensive that I really, really, REALLY have to have???

• Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?

Reasonable??? There's nothing remotely reasonable about ANYTHING to do with BJDs. It's all just that we are crazy for these dolls and if we want certain ones, we have to pay crazy money. OK... for a BJD, is it reasonable? It depends, doesn't it? I mean, what does it come with? How rare is it? What is the market price and retail price of it? If you find a doll that you want at $1,000 when all the other dolls you've seen before have been sold at twice the price, then $1,000 is half-price and pretty reasonable. It's all relative, isn't it?

I think $100 is about too much when it comes to a doll, but I'm not going to be able to get the BJDs that I want at that price, so I have to pay what I have to pay, right? It doesn't matter what I think is reasonable or fair or whatever. It's all about how much I want it and how much I can afford to pay and about how much it costs to get it...

• Does it depend on how much you truly love the doll? (that saying, the more the love, the more money you are willing to pay?)

It might depend on how rich I was. I'd have to love a doll a lot less if I was positively rolling in money.

But, yes, for me it depends on how much I truly love the doll. If I loved it that much, I would just save up the money. When even $100 is expensive enough, then why would I get something I don't want as much and pay $600, when I could save the extra $400 up and get the one I really want??? $600 is a lot to drop on a doll that I don't want as much, I think!!!

Fortunately for me, I haven't fallen for an outrageously expensive doll so far. (Outrageously expensive for me being several thousand or more.)

Of course, as I said, if I suddenly won the lottery or inherited a fortune, my ideas of what is expensive will shift around a little. But most of the dolls I fall for are under $1000... I might just buy more dolls, or more clothes, in that case! (ah, if wishes were horses...)

 

I'm a lucky one as none of the dolls I really like costs more than $700 including all the stuff. I think this is the biggest price I will to pay for a doll. In fact, I rarely really like limiteds - usually the difference is in an outfit or extra parts as hooves or hornes etc. I'm not a keen fan of these items and prefer to create an image of a doll myself. And if it is not a limited doll, tell me the reason why the doll costs more than $700. If someone's good appetite is the main problem, I don't want to support that, I'd better support Dollmore, which really cares about its customers, reducing prices of shipping, or LUTS, organising events providing 20% discount etc.

 

Hee hee, my first doll was $1350 or something. No one has ever cost that much since and I regret nothing. Beats a closet full of DVDs I don't watch... XD

I guess, for me, the "too much" point is still Volks' dream FCS system which, if you are lucky enough to win the opportunity, is like 5K. I still can't stomach that for a doll, but only because that is a decent chunk of my yearly income. If I had a job that WASN'T a joke, yeah, I'd do it. Bills and stuff come first. I have my retirement set up. After all the grown-up stuff is accounted for, hey, money is meant to be spent. I'd hate to die with extra cash in the bank.

Well said, Merangel, well said.