When is the price just too much?

My very first bjd clocked in at just below $500, so I could see myself paying $1k down the line if it were a very special doll I knew I would admire forever. I WISH I could say, 'oh no, I plan on being very reasonable about this new hobby', but I have to be honest with myself...I used to swear I would never pay above $40 for a vintage My Little Pony, and now I don't even blink unless the price is above $350.

I really need to find less expensive hobbies!

 

I know these dolls are amazing, and beautiful, but is paying over $1000 for a bjd too much in your opinion?
Yes, I would never spend that much on a bjd. I wouldn't even spend that much in my main hobby which is collecting figures, I've already spent more than I ever had there by purchasing my doll.


Or do you feel this is a reasonable cost?
I'm sure that it is because this all depends on quality. I understand that the people that make the dolls also need to spend quite a bit on materials and they are probably priced based on the labor that goes into them. It's just way too much for my blood. (Sorry, but I have bills, other hobbies, units and course textbooks to worry about as well!)


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, of course this is the case. I would spend as much as $500 if it was a must have for me. I just can't allow myself more than that because I know I have other priorities. And I would need to be absolutely sure that I absolutely needed that doll before making the purchase.

 

I don't think it's ever for me to decide whether a company is charging to much for a doll or not. I know there are a lot of factors that play in, and I certainly don't understand them all fully. My personal doll budget is about $400, but I don't think I really ever see a doll and think that it's simply to expensive for anyone at all.

 

I got a Ryomo so I guess that answers the question....as I'm fond of telling people, it cost me the same as my first new car (I'm old, OK?) If I've got the $$, it's the going price & something I dearly want, plus good quality, then I've no problem. I usually don't HAVE the money of course LOL

 

I have two grails that sell for over $1500 secondhand, and someday I will get them. I'm willing to "overpay" on a grail doll because I feel a connection to that sculpt or set or what have you; my first grail cost 50% more than when she was released, and while I look back on that thinking "wow that was a lot of money", I wouldn't have it any other way

If it's a really limited sculpt, there also comes the special feeling of finally getting that doll.

 

It all depends on the size as well. Buying a YOSD or tiny as a fullset for $1000 is definitely way too much. But getting a Soom Idealian or Iplehouse EID fullset, $1000 or over is acceptable. Some of them have a lot of gadgets and resin parts, and if you want blushing for them, that'll pile on the costs.

Luts TDF Alice limited (tiny)
doll 180
faceup 32
outfit (5 pieces) 53
wig 23
shoes 26
total: 314

Peakswoods FOF Lady Alice in Wonderland (YOSD)
doll 252
faceup 80
outfit 99
wig 27
total: 458

Soom Mercenary Hyperon
Doll 690
tawny resin 48.30
faceup 50
arm parts + blushing 134
eyes 25
wig 28
outfit (3 pieces) 165
total: 1140.30

Iplehouse Lawrence - Carved Heritage
Doll 720
real skin resin 100
mobility body 20
faceup (+beard) 100
outfit (12 pieces) 269
rapier + blushing 115
matchlock + blushing 120
wig 25
shoes 50
total: 1519

 

I agree with others. It really depends. I generally like 1/6 sized dolls so I feel $1000 would be too much.
Although rarity can matter, for instance Kinoko Juice dolls are tiny and sell for $1000~2000.

But whatever the person feels it is worth they should go for it. It's their money I just personally don't have that much to spare!

 

I definitely would have to agree with that! No matter how much I like a particular doll, $1,000 is just too much for me. Like you, I would be terrified of damaging something I spent that much for and that would really suck the fun out of it...not to mention the buyer's guilt that would happen afterwards.

For me, $400 is the limit, and that's for a doll I really REALLY want.

 

For me, $1000 on a single doll is currently just to expensive! I mean, that's half of my tuition right there! My current limit on a basic doll is $400, but once I get a new job, that will most likely change to $500 or even $600. I'd have to absolutely love the sculpt though to spend that kind of money. (I have my eyes on an iplehouse doll sooo~)

all the accessories and faceups are a different story though, as I love to spoil my dolls as much as I spoil my friends!

 

The price is too much when I don't want a doll badly enough that I'm willing to shell out the money for it. XD

For example, I was always like "Oh no, I'd never EVER pay more than 200 USD for a doll-head!" - and then, along came that Ryoma head on Mandarake and I happily bought him for twice that price. Just the head, mind you. Or I was always like "Why would I ever buy a doll-body - without head or anything else - for more than 400 USD at the most?" - and then, I really, really wanted this one specific SD16 body for my Volks girl and out the window went the 400-bucks-limit for bodies.

On the other hand, I'd really love to have a Volks Williams - but not so much that I'd be willing to pay 2000 USD or even more for one. If I really, REALLY wanted him, though - I'd probably either save up the money or try to negotiate for a really, really loooong layaway with the seller.

 

When a seller wants 400$ for orchid from ans. Notice that an all new ans head costs around $100.

 

Personally I might go over $1000.00 if thats gonna be 3 fashion dolls at dollmore ( 16 inches ones )
because I did it ones for an sd doll and at first its ok i dont regret it but then the price sink in my nead for just one doll is wayy too much.

 

Unfortunately, yes, $1,000 is too much for me since I have too many other things that take priority in my real world. Plus, before BJDs I bought way too many modern collectibles like Kish and Tonner. Now I'm stuck with trying to move them out since I lost complete interest in them after I discovered BJDs. So I want to keep my numbers down and limit myself to a few sculpts because I like to sew for them. I'd be afraid to poke an expensive doll with a pin and scratch the resin and I find it too time consuming to sew what I want if I have to continually make new patterns for different dolls.

 

For me it would depend on the doll, only if I instantly fell in love with it and it was hard to find. Still, I can't see myself ever paying more than $500 for a doll, and even that is too much. But that may just be like the newbie in me speaking. Who's to say how I would feel in another year.

 

As long as you love the doll, you will find a way to save up money for it!

 

[MENTION=16933]Khell[/MENTION]: neither did I, so I waited for a good deal. My Williams turned out a little more than half of that price.

 

[MENTION=4828]Silk[/MENTION] - Well, I'm kinda constantly keeping my eyes open. I'll also be going to Japan in 2017, so let's just wait and see ... Not ready to completely give up on that Williams, yet. I've seen some kinda reasonably-priced ones up for auction on Noppin but right now, all the money I've saved up is for LLT's Ludwig. And THAT doll can't possibly cost too much! I WILL get him, no matter how much he'll be.

 

I have no opinion on what other people choose to spend, since it's all completely subjective and relative to each person's individual situations and finances and those things are not my concern.
For myself, I'm not interested in spending over $700 on a doll. I have one doll that was around that much and one planned purchase in that range. My other planned purchase is in the $500 range. And after those, my intention is to just enjoy my doll collection without any more buying. If I do decide to expand my wishlist/collection plans, it won't be with anything more expensive than that $700 mark--- but I honestly don't see that happening, since rather than growing, my wishlist tends to keep shrinking--- the longer I am in the hobby, the LESS dolls I want to have in my finished collection.

 

well this is an expensive hobby, it's not just about the dolls, but the accessories are expensive too, since I'm kinda new, the most expensive doll I've bought is 330 usd *just the doll, no faceup or accessories* I don´t plan to buy super expensive dolls but you never know

 

BJDs are already expensive. If I think that I can break even on resell if I ever need to, then I sort of justify it. So when I see the prices on Iplehouse and some Souldoll outfits, I just can't justify it with myself.

I see those souldoll outfits and Iplehouse items, and I really really want them. I have the money and the desire. But the sole reason I don't buy them is because of sticker shock. I mean $350 + $40 shipping for an outfit >_< Or $760 + $84 shipping for a basic doll. Ouch.

I don't bat an eye at Soom because you get so many items and quality included in that $1000+ package, and I can sometimes go with fairyland because of the extras. I am having a tough time with Iplehouse only because the price is too much even with limited edition pieces.