"Why are BJDs so expensive?"

I think bjd so expensive is because

1. They are hand make.
2. The raw materials is much expensive, so the finished product also expensive.^^|||
3. They are art. They are collection. Not are toys.

 

I think it's because of the resin, licenses, quality, uniqueness and because the market is slim.

 

I think they're like little works of art: some people will pay thousands for a special painting- some people will pay thousands for a special doll.

 

There are a lot of expensive hobbies out there. Car restoration, collecting antiques, movie or sports memorabilia- but dolls shouldn't be that expensive should they? It's understandable that limited edition dolls, whether it be Barbie or Dollfies, would cost a lot more, being available only for a short time, or produced in only certain numbers.

But our dolls, WHY are they so expensive? Is it because they're unique? Hand made instead of factory produced? Imported from overseas?

What is your idea of why our dolls cost so much?

 

There are actually several reasons for the expensive cost of buying a doll. One thing, resin is a dangerous material to work with so not many people are willing to work with it. Also the fact that it's hand crafted, so it's expensive. Not only that, the location of where they make it is another factor. Living in Korea and Japan is fairly expensive. So you have to take that into account too. That's how I see it at least. xD

 

This question has been asked many times. You should check out this thread.

 

The costs for good quality resin and all the materials to go with it is expensive.
The mold making and casting is a relatively difficult and long costly process
The sculpting which took place would have been very time consuming in the first place (most hand sculpted pieces like the head for example takes 6-12 months for some artists)
People would need to be hired to manage the website, pack, cast, (assuming the person who started it sculpts), making clothes or at least hiring a factory to do these things all cost money and have to be included in the price.
Most dolls come with the standard pillows boxes, packaging, bubble wrap and although its all part and parcel still costs money.
I think its important to remember that some sculpters will do this as a living and therefore high prices are generally to be expected. Most certainly not on the same price level as that of a barbie doll.

 

Yup. Resin is ex. and the time to design a new sculpt? The reason that my friend gave me was : They are expensive because they are unique, if they were to be priced at prices like 20-50, anybody could buy them...and they will not be as unique as they are now.

 

No. Not even close. Yes, they're hard to make, they're pretty etc. But you can buy a decent used car for $2000-$3000. That's what, 4 SD plus some clothes? I don't care if they're mass produced, cars are a work of art as well. Just think about how complicated a car is, how you can customize it and how it's pretty much an essential. A doll is a fourth of that price. Maybe one would be worth $600 if it was one of a kind, only one in existence omgomg.
Right now I'm having to decide on buying a $600 doll with no warranty OR a memory foam mattress with a warranty of 15 years. These dolls are nice, but it only takes one or two artists to design a not so detailed doll. Then someone else fills in a mold and sands them when they're done. And no offense, but theres not much artistic talent in face ups. Some are well worth the price, but the vast majority aren't. I'm sure everyone who bought one will immediately say it's worth the price and more, but speaking as an "outsider" who can afford one, it's not worth it.

Edit: whoops forgot the main part.

The only thing that makes them worth it is the "person" the owner sees in them. I sit here and read about dolls' made up pasts and find it fascinating. Owners dolls always say so much about them. It's not about resin quality or rarity, it's the idea behind the dolls that give them such worth.

 

Soliloquy, if you are so scandalized by the price, why not just get a cheaper doll? There are bjds of every size for less than $300.

I agree with what others have said, especially about resin being dangerous to work with. If I was a doll maker, I would not want to cast the dolls myself. And also I think price is relative. I don't find $500 to be expensive for a bjd, and would gladly spend that, or much more on one I love. However things like designer shoes and handbags can cost the same as a bjd, and to me it's not worth it at all. Yet to others they'd gladly fork over 1000 for that new purse.

 

this is usually how I answered them. BJDs are collectors' item. You paid that much for the quality and how it's uniquely molded. Even other collectors' item like antiques are expensive as well. Plastic dolls are cheaper because they are MASS produced therefore they lack quality control. Lets not talk about how BJD's are molded nicely everything and stuff.

 

BJDs to me are just like art....like artwork,their price and worth is in the eyes of the beholder.

Iam a collector,somehow i think they are worth their value,because im interested in them...nothing much.

i also own gold coins and antique collections....that were given to me by a rich previous collector,they are worth many many times comparing to BJDs value.....but to me they are just junks...that take up space.
...even now im selling all those gold collections for cash....at a discounted price.(imagine...princess Diana marriage gold coins collection...how much its worth,to others....)

 

That's actually what I'm doing lol. I'm trying to find an inexpensive body that will match a Leeke Luke head.

As for the purse, it's the exact same thing. The price is so exorbitant not because of the rarity, materials used, or difficulty in making. The designer purse is a status symbol. It's value is purely made up in our minds. It's the same for the dolls. The owners I've seen here attach a huge amount of value to the dolls by giving them a personality, and really loving them. I haven't experienced this yet, because I haven't had my first doll. Perhaps after I've owned one for a while will I be willing to buy a doll for the price of a PS3 + games.

 

in the end you are paying for the licensing, the sculpting royalties, and the labor intensive creation. The actual resin material is pretty worthless and no doll contians more than maybe $10 worth of resin if that. So you're paying for it as you would pay for a piece of art.

 

Actually, contrary to the designer purses, the materials used to make these dolls áre that expensive. Not so much the resin (only $50 a doll), but the silicon used to make molds. These molds have to be renewed every 10-15 casts and to make things a bit more difficult, casting these dolls can't be done automatically, because of the characteristics of the resin. Besides, it takes months to finish the master sculpt, so really, these companies aren't making half as much profit as many people think. Try making your own doll and you'll see how much work is involved.

 

So true, and if you talk to startup doll artists, it's common for the prototype (body+1 head) to take several months or even a year to perfect before they can start molding and casting.

 

Wow, whatever company you're talking about must be buying some really really bad silicone. That stuff lasts way longer than that, especially since it doesn't need to be baked. Plus, the stuff isn't too expensive at around $100 a gallon. But even still, 10-15 $700 dolls per $300-$400 of silicone is still a huge profit. If they're not making such a huge profit, I wonder why you can even buy a $250 doll from a small company that it as detailed and well made and rarer as $700 more common doll from a large company? It doesn't add up.

 

When you buy a piece of art, like a Picasso or Monet, do you go "Hm, Oil paints $20, Canvas $10, Frame $50, Price of Labor $100... so it must be worth about $180."

Uh, no?

For art, the total is greater than the sum of the parts. It's difficult to explain to people who have a very practical frame of mind.

 

While this is true... Painting from Picasso or Monet costs alot.
But their paintings are one of a kind so of course their painting will cost alot.
But I don't see Picasso or Monet repainting their famous painting day in and out, selling them day in day out all year.

I know these dolls are work of art but they are pretty much mass-produced all year around day in day out. Maybe not to the extent of let's say a purse or a barbie. It's pretty much recasting.
But blank dolls are available all year around, I don't see picasso or monet paintings being redrawn again and if there were duplicates they would cost way less than the original.

Perhaps it's like your being charged for the brand, dollmore would be like say a prada brand, soom would also be like another highpriced brand, but if it's a company you don't know then it would cost less.

So perhaps that's why they are expensive.

 

Yes, they are quite "Useless" to a practical person, but if I had to money I would gladly spend it on just BJDs, it's something that you really have to have passion for to understand it.

If you think that the price of your Doll isn't worth it, then sell it, the poor thing would be happier with an owner who will love it. (Not to mention the new owner.)