Worst time to order?

Apart from longer waiting times, do prices generally tend to go up just before the Christmas period (including those from privates as far as the second hand market is concerned) and then go back down after Christmas?

 

Well, I would say that the opposite happens - The companies do not change their prices and a lot of them have special winter events where you can get free stuff (eventheads and such) or there's a price reduction (Luts has a 10% event right now I think). For the secondary market, I haven't noticed a difference. Some people need to sell dolls quickly in order to raise christmas funds so you might even be able to get a good deal for a doll. I don't know about ebay...I guess there are sellers who increase their prices during the holidays.....But I don't buy from there anyway.

 

Definitely christmas, waiting times are longer. Ugh

 

Thanks tinydancingdoll,

that's useful to know....which means I'm even more tempted to get my first BJD before Christmas....must resist temptation...

 

The worst time to order I've noticed is generally during an event because it can affect wait times before, during and after the event whilst the company struggles to keep up. >.>

I also don't like ordering in the late winter because last year, the mail wasn't delivered for about a month because of the snow. So November tends to be the last month I'll buy something because the weather from December to about February is the most annoying when trying to get high value items like dolls in. XD

I just got a Grit from the Soom Lottery and he's been shipped out, but if I'd been ordering from Luts or elsewhere, I'd be waiting until next year now.

In the end, you have to balance out the waiting times and delivery times. Spring to Autumn is generally the best time to order one. :3 The winter just tends to make it difficult shipping-wise and events make the wait times longer.

So a winter event seems to be the slowest time for me and the one I'd personally avoid. >.>

 

When do you think is the worst time to order a doll?
Events and limited editions, which mean many people ordering on a same period, and holidays, which mean a break during the shopping process.

Do you think Seasons make a difference?
Yes, if we talk of Seasons which include events, limited editions and/or holidays.

How do you feel during holidays?
I take it with patience, like I always do. I ordered my second and third BJD on Christmas in 2005, for instance.

Ever plan for a doll to arrive during a certain time?
Not in fact, but about the last BJD I got I hesitated if he would also arrive in the same year the two previous ones did. It was on December and when I knew he got quickly on the way to his new home I thought he could arrive for my birthday.

Did the time work out?
He arrived home a day after it, but still in the same year the other two did.

 

When do you think is the worst time to order a doll?
I think it's Christmas. Being that Christmas is a very commonly celebrated around the world, there's got to be a ton of people shopping for BJD stuff. I'd worry that a lot of stuff isn't going to be available, or that things will take longer to get to me.

Do you think Seasons make a difference?
Seasons, in general? No. Holidays where it involves gift-giving are probably the most prone to issues.

How do you feel during holidays?
I love the Holiday Season! It's not about getting presents - it's about everything. Traditions make the holiday so much more special than what companies make it out to be. Companies tend to think in terms of buying stuff, but traditions are probably what we remember most of the time.

Ever plan for a doll to arrive during a certain time?
I have.

Did the time work out?
It didn't work out... Being that I was a first-time buyer, I had originally hoped she'd get here in a few days, when I bought her over the summer. I had wanted to have her before summer was officially out, so I had time to play with her, and sew stuff for her. Little did I know that it would take around 3 weeks for her to get here - and I got her while school was in session.

 

What is the difference between ordering a doll in what may be a busier time and waiting three months for it, and ordering it two months later during a slower time and having it come in a month? Either way, it's taken three months before you've gotten the doll! Plus, if you wait, you may miss out on special events or on the doll itself.

As for holiday delivery, I find that it is actually more efficient during the Christmas season, as the P.O. and other delivery services are geared up to meet the rush.

In any case, once I've decided to buy a doll, there's no way I'm going to wait and play a guessing game as to when to order. And the delivery times are so variable, I wouldn't attempt to order for a special date. I think a more pressing concern is the current reputation of the company. That's one of the advantages of DoA, you'll discover pretty quickly if a company's quality is slipping or if they can't keep up with the demand or are actually going under.

 

I think the very worst time would be a holiday event. Epically long wait times. D:

 

I ordered during an event in early Sept hoping to have my 1st bjd here by Xmas. Still crossing my fingers it works out that way since I wasn't aware of the holidays that slowed down everything right after or that event orders would be so unbelievably huge.

I would still order during an event but not try to plan on my items arriving for a special occasion like I did this first time.

 

No, I haven't had any problems with one season/time versus another... If it's an LE release, then you order that doll when it's ready, not when you're ready! And let's face it, if you're waiting 1-3 months for a doll to arrive anyway, what's the big deal over waiting 1-3 extra days for a holiday?

Holiday events are a good thing, besides. Anytime you get free shipping if your order goes over a certain $$ amount, or if you get a free gift for ordering a certain doll during a certain time period-- that's just nice. :> I can't think of anything not-nice about that.


I expect that if you're new & not used to the caliber of waiting-times involved here, that extra day on a 3-day weekend can seem like an eternity... and, if you're really young, there's probably a lot of relativity involved too. I was less patient when I was 19 than I am at 40, because 3 months is a lot smaller chunk of my whole life than it used to be. :P

 

Yes. And I'm older than you so, for me, time just whizzes by.
This is the first time I've ordered during an event (Souldoll) so I'm pretty excited.

On a related note, I'm getting a tad annoyed with group orders where the organizer waits for-bleeping-ever to order while waiting to get into that free shipping zone, when just splitting the postage among several orderers would bring it down to a reasonable cost. Because, in the meantime, while you're waiting, that special item can so easily get sold out! Just saying.

 

I have heard of Lati having problems, extremely slow to get event items to customers, but no other companies specifically. I just ordered my first MSD, and although I'm going crazy with anticipation I'm trying to convince myself she will probably get here end of January. (that way I'll be pleasantly surprised if she's early). I'm lucky, living in Seoul where Fairyland is, shipping delays should not be an issue

 

When do you think is the worst time to order a doll?

During the holidays and big events ...

Do you think Seasons make a difference?

Not really it all depends on what they're selling ... and your personal schedule ...

How do you feel during holidays?

Excited but nauseous, I know that a company will have a fantastic creation but at the same time I'm not sure if I will be able to get it ...

Ever plan for a doll to arrive during a certain time?

Yes planning is important especially if you have to go away from home

Did the time work out?

It always works if you order after you come back from a vacation otherwise you won't know if your doll arrives or not ..

 

Well, this was the first time I ordered during a holiday special event, plus I asked for custom face-ups, and my dolls are already on their way! Quickest response on a custom face-up ever!!
This is from Souldoll, and I think any company with experience and smarts will tend to gear up for an expected rush. But not all companies might.

 

I heard people that ordered from DoD during Christmas event... and they waited for HALF YEAR until the doll arrived ... but i'm sure that was just some unusual cases &#65306... I ordered from LUTS three years ago, in the beginning of Nov. and my order came in about 20ish days... it was pretty fast!

 

I'd reckon that New Year would be the worst time to order - Some (Non-doll) companies in Japan shut for almost two weeks, and there's generally chaos and merriment. And, of course, if you live in the UK, you'll have to deal with postal stoppages due to inclement weather and beaureaucratic inefficiency.

 

When do you think is the worst time to order a doll?
During an event or Holiday! D:
Do you think Seasons make a difference?
Sometimes. I mean, Winter=Christmas.
How do you feel during holidays?
Doll related or just me related? XD I don't like to order around this time of year. I feel kinda bad because last night my mominlaw and I bought some stuff from Dollmore, MintOnCard, and DD-Anne. ^^;;
Ever plan for a doll to arrive during a certain time?
I only have one doll, but yeah!
Did the time work out?
It worked out just fine. She got here in a month and I wasn't worried about her not getting to me. But if I ordered her in October/November, I would be dreading the wait. So many people buy at this time of year!

 

Yea, I'd probably agree with events. And not just during events, but after events, because the company will often be backed up because of the event and need to catch up on orders.

 

When do you think is the worst time to order a doll?
Probably early summer, if I had to guess; it's leading right into the season when the weather's going to be the most humid, rainy and unpredictable, which is most likely going to slow down production (resin cure times, sealant cure times for faceups, etc).

Do you think Seasons make a difference?
Absolutely! Just as they affect those of us who do aesthetics work ourselves, they can affect the companies as well.

How do you feel during holidays?
I don't see what this question has to do with anything.

Ever plan for a doll to arrive during a certain time?
No. I tend to order during events more than attempting delivery times. Shipping dates aren't very predictable, anyway. (I had two orders placed within minutes of each other from two separate Korean companies that arrived nearly three months apart; one well under the estimated processing time, and the other well over.)

Did the time work out?
I've never done this, so N/A