Buyer‘s regret

I personally haven't really regretted getting any of my dolls, but I did realize over time that perhaps bigger dolls weren't something I would play with/work on that often. I have 3 SDs (2 Iplehouse EIDS and a Doll Leaves SD) and while I love them, I don't have a place to display them and they've remained in their boxes basically since I bought them. I think its mainly been because I dont have my own space for art or dolls and haven't really had the means to do anything with them this entire time.

However, through all of that, I realized that I like MSDs because they are a bit easier to handle and get out to play with and work on than an SD. I also have joint issues, scoliosis, carpal tunnel/tennis elbow issues etc... so the smaller dolls aren't as heavy for me. But the bigger dolls are easier for me to restring in some ways since I'm able to grip the thicker/bigger resin parts easier.

Honestly, it's okay to realize preferences over time and change your mind. I would definitely agree though that perhaps you not wanting to "spoil" yourself has probably been the big reason why you've gone for the cheaper dolls. When I got my first doll, my Doll Leaves Vanesa, she was inexpensive compared to other dolls on the market. I'm pretty sure I already knew about Fairyland and Iplehouse at the time, but I couldn't really justify the splurge on them. I also had never handled a BJD or seen one in person, so I went for a doll that wasn't aesthetically what I preferred at the time (realism). I had even avoided fairyland for the longest time due to its popularity and lack of realism compared to Iplehouse. But now I own a minifee, and I absolutely adore her.

Will I get more SDs later? I want to say yes, since I have a Doll Zone head I'll be getting a Doll Chateau body for at some point, but after that I don't really have plans for any more.

Also, to answer your question about how I picked my dolls... I feel like most of them were love at first sight and the fact they fit into an aesthetic that I enjoy. Something about their sculpts called to me. I think the overall theme and outfits draw me in at first. But if I don't like the sculpt itself, I tend to not go for a particular doll. I also don't impulse buy usually, even when I want to do so. For instance, my minifee Ingrid I immediately adored, but couldn't afford at the time of her release. She sat at Denver doll for nearly two years I think before I was finally in a position to put her on layaway. I felt like she was totally meant to be after sitting at DDE for so long without being purchased!

My Iplehouse Douglas was probably the closest to an impulse buy because he was discontinued shortly after I discovered his sculpt. But I think I had a few months to fall in love with him and think about the purchase before I actually bought him.

 

I had a bit of buyer's regret over my first two dolls. I bought MSDs at first, because I thought bigger would be too much - even though I knew I preferred the look of dolls in the 70+ range. Eventually, the combination of my regret & their childish look bothered me so much, that they sat in their boxes pretty much permanently while I finally allowed myself to buy the dolls I really wanted.

It took me a lot to work up to selling those two. However, once I did, the relief was amazing. It felt really good to send them away home with people who were more interested.

I guess I learned the hard way that I'd rather save up or wait for the sculpts that really speak to me, rather than settle for ones that seem more acceptable or practical, personally. I had to learn to be honest with myself about it.

(I hope that actually connects to your question, I may have misunderstood. )

 

I think this hobby is a lot of (expensive) trial and error It is of course very different if purchases have been tied to mental health issues, and that perhaps needs a different approach, but often enough collectors only end up realising what they like or not after having the doll at hand. For most it means buying things half-blind as meetups or friends with dolls are rare to come by and physical bjd stores are limited/only in very few locations so there is no real chance to handle before buying. I wouldn't say that buying a doll, receiving it, and realising it's not for you is really a mistake made if there is no way of knowing otherwise. Tastes change over time as well, and not everyone collects to keep certain dolls "forever".

As for me, I mostly buy second hand so dolls are not "the one" but more like... "Hmm I'm curious if we would vibe together?". Everything that didn't stick, I've sold on with very little regret. Some things I enjoyed for a period and then passed them on. Some money is lost? Technically. Even so, I don't think I would have known what I like or not before getting to play around with the dolls.

 

I feel less mostly bc I'm more confident in my ability to sell dolls if they aren't working out for me

 

I think i have less buyer's regret and more just realize my tastes change? Like i know I'm impulsive, so i got the ground rule of only buying dolls on the last week of the order period to make me really think about it.

But there are some dolls i keep shuffling between selling and modification to make them something i might loke more? Its mostly just expensive learning curve of some companies i like the faces but hate the joint system, or like a while ago i was more into anime faces, but now i like them less.

Tho i do have a few dolls that i think i could call it sorta regret, but mostly just cause i didn't enjoy them as much once seeing them in person. They just looked nicer in the company photos. Ive learned how to spot those the longer ive been in the hobby tho

 

I think people's tastes change over time, even in collecting, and that's fine! We're human - change is part of being human!
For me, I started off with one second-hand Soom Min Gem. I swore I would never get anything bigger than a fashion doll because I had "out grown" my American Girl dolls and really only had collector Barbies. Then Soom came out with an SD I was enamored with and I had a local friend who had a variety of BJD sizes that I could actually handle and experience. So I brought him home.

10 years later, I've got dolls of all sizes from different companies. Are a lot of them impulse buys? Well, when I used to be able to go to a local dealer who had a physical location, yes. The dolls were right there - I could pick them up and decide right then. Otherwise, no. I can spend an entire order period hemming and hawwing over a doll before committing.

Do I regret any of them? Not really. Sure, they're expensive. No, I won't get all my money back on them when/if they are ever sold (probably after I die - or if I need money for a terminal illness/unexpected surgery.) I enjoy looking at them (and yes I need to handle them more) and that's all that matters.

Someday, I might try to downsize because I keep adding dolls but I am not increasing their display space so I need to sort that out at some point. Other collectibles might have to go.

 

I don't regret any of my dolls, but I started with MSD's because the larger dolls seemed way to big to me. I wish I would have just started with the larger dolls, because I prefer them to the smaller dolls. The MSD's just sit on a shelf in my room looking adorable. It is the SD and Uncles that I use for my photostory, take pictures of.

I am so used to handling the larger dolls that when I pick up the smaller ones they feel almost awkward to me. I don't regret having them. I had a lot of fun sewing them outfits. Just for me, larger dolls are the way to go. I really love sewing for the larger dolls and taking their pictures, and centering my story around them.

I buy the dolls that fit into my story. I have an idea of what I want for a character when I start looking. Price is a bit of a factor, I don't really want to go much over $600 for an SD doll, unless I really want the doll and have wanted it for awhile. When I search for the right doll I try to stick with what I consider the more affordable companies. I will look at those companies first to see if I can find a doll that will fit the character in my price range. I usually know it's the right doll, becuase I can picture it in the photo story and feel inspired to write it into the story.

 

I don't have buyers regret in the typical sense and have grown to be okay with changing my collection around, however I do get buyers regret/sellers anxiety when I choose to part with a doll and no one is interested in buying it. So I get regret it in the sense that I can't get that money back that I maybe shouldn't have spent in the first place, until someone buys the doll that is

 

“expensive trial and error” is absolutely true i haven’t had a doll i REGRETTED per say, and since actually selling the doll doesn’t bother me much i don’t have much worry about letting it sit around. not many dolls actually leave my grasp once i have them. i do buy specific dolls with specific things in mind, but there are a few that i bought purely for aesthetics. my first doll was actually a feeple Rendia, so i went straight to the SD size, and sort of moved down from there, but i collect all sizes, i just have a lot of MSD thrown in atm haha. but I bought her because i knew i wanted a feeple, and rendia’s sculpt captured me. i didn’t have a character in mind because she was my first doll, and I don’t regret her at all! After that, my next few dolls were project dolls. I put out a WTB with just “project dolls of any size and condition” and bought a few from that. An ancient volks nono on an ancient … i think souldoll? body, an HZBJD boy with shattered thighs and insane yellowing. these two called to me for individual reasons from their pictures. My only regret is for the HZBJD boy, and that’s because I wasn’t able to repair his legs well enough (i need to go back and retry now that i know more lol). He’s super cute otherwise, I’ve really fallen in love with his face after i gave him a faceup.

Another doll I bought as a project doll on ebay after vetting it. I’d seen him in a couple of legit groups over a few months and he was in ROUGH shape, it was kind of a personal joke where i’d see him and roll my eyes and go Oof. (i try not to be like that about anyones dolls but he was… Oof.) once almost a year went by and i guess the seller gave up with groups and put him on ebay for much cheaper, i ended up seeing him again and was like “ok i think this is a sign or something” and bought him because i was sick of seeing him for sale. This was the ONLY doll i was actually worried about while waiting for him to arrive because… well, it WAS an impulse buy, of a brand i didn’t particularly care for, no papers or box, a project doll that needed a LOT of work, and no vision. when he arrived I opened him and he smelled terrible, and I immediately thought “god what have i done? i guess i’ll… clean him…” but through cleaning him up i actually really fell in love with him, and thankfully he was legit too. I don’t regret him at all, because I bonded by fixing him up. Admittedly I ended up just swapping his body - He’s an Iplehouse JID and he had a bunch of chipping at the joints, and i don’t like the engineering of the iplehouse dolls. But i still have his old body. I can’t bring myself to sell it as another project body or something because i’m attached lol

anyway the rest of my dolls are usually bought with a character in mind so there’s a lot of planning, but i have bought a few full sets where i’m undecided on one aspect or another and resolve to sell it if i don’t like it in person. The only regret i really have is that i wasn’t able to give them proper attention, but i know their new owner most likely will, so usually i’m happy for the doll

 

I agree with previous posts that this hobby has some trial-and-error in figuring out your taste/preferences in BJDs. Dolls are physical objects, so sometimes you don't know what you do/don't like or what your tastes are, until you handle the doll itself.

I don't regret any of my "figuring out my taste" doll purchases, because I was a newbie who didn't really know what I wanted, so I ended up buying and selling a bunch of dolls in order to figure that out. (Of the 8 dolls I bought in my first 4-ish years of the hobby, I sold 6 of them - some sooner, others later.) But I also reflected on the experience, tried to put my finger on what exactly it was that I did or didn't like about the dolls I bought. That way, I don't continually buy dolls not to my taste, which I will come to regret!

The only time I regretted a purchase was for a doll body, for a head I wanted to hybrid. I fell for a sale, and actually bought the body before I bought the head secondhand. The hybriding was a failure, and I also disliked the body intensely. It wasn't a complete waste of money because I got a hands-on lesson of what joint engineering that I don't want at all, and this knowledge is now seared into my bones. But I do regret getting suckered into a sale and I won't make the same mistake again.

As for how I know the doll is "the one"... I have a few criteria. Some of it is taste-based, eg. only getting 1/3 dolls in 57-68cm height range (since I learned from experience that smaller dolls just aren't to my taste). Others are more "I know it when I see it", eg. a doll has to inspire a character in my imagination, or fulfill a role in my doll cast. But something that helps me a lot, is to have a default mindset that for every doll I buy, I also have to invest money/time/energy into completing their appearance, and then play with them -- and I'm not allowed to put it off for later. (So I'm not allowed to buy floating heads "just in case I like it" "ehh buy it now and sort things out later".) If I think about all that investment and I already feel lukewarm, overwhelmed, turned off, before I've bought the doll at all... I don't buy it.

So far, this combo of buy-for-keeps mindset plus knowing my own taste has worked pretty well for me. But honestly, I don't know if a doll is "the one". I feel like I create that for myself, by investing into whatever doll I buy, completing their appearance, playing with them, dreaming up stories. I have my tastes and preferences, and if the doll already fits all that, and I'm keen to start working on them... I'm already making it "the one" for me.

 

Well, I'm one who "shells OCs/original characters" with their dolls... A pretty face is not enough for me (because let's be real, they're ALL pretty). The pretty face has to become personally significant, and that usually happens when I look at the doll and I'm inspired to make a character for it. Sometime inspiration comes immediately, aka love at first sight! I have bought dolls because of love at first sight -- but I will give myself a few days to cool off, let my brain catch up with the feelings and think over it, before buying.

But not everyone creates characters for their dolls, and that's fine. In that case, I suppose there are other criteria for deciding which doll to buy.

 

I agree with the others about the trial-and-error beginnings in this hobby. Of my first two years of collecting, not a single BJD remains with me. At the time I could afford it, part of my salary went into it. And resales were much easier. (That was 15 years ago)
Fortunately, there comes a time when you get to know yourself, and you know better if a doll is going to please you for a long time to come. Or at least it was the case for me!
I also agree with you about how you might feel when buying when things aren't going well. I've made quite a few purchases at times when I wasn't in high spirits. Some have stayed, others absolutely not. Some brought back bad memories. I sold them.

 

I've had my fair share of buyer's regret. Back when I was starting to make my own money for the first time, I had a bad case of collection turned to obsession (my life was a mess and I found comfort in collecting) in another hobby and regret a few of the purchases I made, so I became more wary about it and I've always kept myself from impulse purchases when I started buying dolls.

My collection being character-driven helps me with that. I have very strict rules (sizing, sculpt style, fit in the current story...), to help me keep my collection cured and not buying dolls I'm going to regret. I still keep some pictures of dolls I like but I don't as much as think about buying them if they don't fit one or more of my rules.

That said, even if I had not make any impulse purchases, I still have some amount of buyer's regret. For example, my first doll I did not bond with at all (company face-up kind of deceive me and when I ordered the doll without face-up, the features wasn't what I expected). Also, my tastes have changed quite a bit over the 11 or so years I've been in the hobby, but I don't like having to sell a doll, I get very attached to the things I buy and kind of feel like I've let them down or something (yes, I'm that crazy).

 

Sometimes I have to see a doll in person to truly realize whether I like it or not. I have one doll that I completely fell in love with the moment I first saw her online. She was simply perfect, so I bought her. And guess what? She's now my least favorite doll and I even thought of selling her. I've had her for a few months now and just can't bond with her. I can't even tell you why.

So do I feel "Buyer's regret"? Not really. Owning the doll was a necessary step for me to realize that she isn't "the one". If I hadn't bought her, I'd still think about her and wonder, whether I should've gotten her.

As others have already mentioned, finding the "right" doll is unfortunately a process of trial and error but I wouldn't beat myself up over buying the "wrong" doll. Yes, it means that you'll probably lose some money but at the same time you might get to understand your own tastes and preferances better and things like this will most likely happen less and less :3

 

I can confirm that everyone have some buyer's regrets at some point of the hobbies

Btw, here are my way of purchasing now.
I set the spec first to rule out any doll that will not fit in my crew, anything that not follow with these specs, even It's a very beautiful doll is a NO. I can admire them from afar but not at my home

here are example of my spec
- 1/4 scale, height around 40-45cm
- can wear 7" wigs and 14mm eyes (except for the fully closed eyes sculpt)

These 2 conditions already rule out thousand dolls out there, and I just added up the 3rd special condition which is :
- able to spend at least 1 quality weekend photo trip with said doll per year. (Out door, in my case)

This will restrict me from having too many, or it's mean too many photo trips too, which is impossible

I'm currently having 6 doll slots with 5 members already solid, everyone also following the size rules. So they can share clothes, wigs, and eyes to some extent. And it's mean at least 1 weekend doll trip every 2 months, which is alright for me.

However, this is just an example, and everyone have their way to collect dolls. The key is, just find the spec that suit your style and try to obey your own rule will help keeping your collection in a good manageable size.

 

I've learned that 'Love at First Sight' is a great indicator for me! I've had dolls I admired a lot, but there were a few things I didn't love about them, and I then proceeded to talk myself into getting the doll. I always later sold those dolls! If I keep going back to look at the doll over and over, that's a pretty good indicator as well. I never buy a doll just because of one feature I like, even if its the head. I have to love the whole package!

 

There is one doll I regret buying and have since moved (half of) on, but he did teach me a valuable lesson: dolls don't always want to be the characters I want to shell.
I now approach dolls with a rough set of character ideas, but let the doll guide me with who they want to be.

 

I think Mu Yanzi is so adorable! I’ve been tempted, but like you, didn’t know if her perpetual happiness would be annoying. It’s good to know you adore her.

 

This is how I am most of the time. I enjoy the variety more than the collecting. I buy a doll, enjoy it for awhile, then sell/trade it for something new and exciting. I get bored with the same thing for too long. I don't really have much guilt over selling dolls. I also swing wildly between "want it all" and "gotta get rid of clutter". It's a never ending cycle.

That being said, I do have a tendency to impulse buy sometimes, and I do sometimes regret it, especially if I didn't do proper research or ask questions first and the doll turns out to not be what I expected. I've tried to train myself to not be so erratic with purchases, to plan better and think ahead....but then my brain just decides "you gotta buy this thing NOW" and I lose control completely...those are the ones I regret.

 

I love that sculpt as well. I'm sure the perma-grin gets annoying sometimes but that's the point, isn't it? It's amusing.

 

I have regretted buying dolls I really love. This is an expensive hobby, and even though I know this, spending such a large chunk of change on something can really make me feel bad. I love all my dolls but Jesus the price tags will kill you. I mostly try to stay in a specific price range if I can help it. I also try to stick with stuff that's easiest for me to store and display, because my apartment is quite small so practicality is so important.

 

I've seen quite a few dolls over the past uhh... year. I'll know the doll is the one because it will stand out well above the rest of the dolls I've seen in my life. I'll stop scrolling and save every photo of it I can find. It doesn't happen with newer releases too much anymore, but many of the dolls I loved in the past and couldn't afford are still iconic and special to me. A lot of the newer ones are beautiful but just kinda blend together to me. I need to be enamored before hitting buy.

The price no longer matters to a certain extent now. I still refuse to pay scalper prices, but I will pay the company price happily to get the dolls I love. Nothing else matters but the doll being the doll you want the most. Never ever buy a doll because it's cheap or good enough. It needs to be the best.

 

There are a few specific instances of regret, where a doll and I didn't bond after meeting in person. Or I tried to settle for a different sculpt than the one I wanted. But after being in this hobby for fifteen years come September, there are two things I'm regretting overall. Parting with a few specific dolls, especially my Feeple Elf Soony. And buying so many dolls while I had good income, then dragging my feet on listing things I haven't used, because now the hobby is bloated with choice, the secondhand market is slow, and we have this stupid online income tax in the US. (Technically it was already there, but they lowered the limit from thousands of dollars to just $600. Very easy to get burned by big charges.) Reselling things used to be easy. Not so much anymore unless you have the latest, greatest thing everybody wants in the moment.

Not to mention the recasts. I've bought a lot of loose parts secondhand through DoA and the extended community over the years that didn't come with CoAs, because the makers either didn't produce them at the time, or it wasn't as big a deal that they'd gone with a different part of the doll because there weren't that many recasts out there, and certainly not of what I was buying. Or the seller was a good name in the community. RIP early/mid 2000s BJDs. Quite a few of those sculpts have since been recasted. Of course they sit and sit and sit secondhand now because people don't want to buy them without, and for good reason. I have tons more to list, but I'm afraid to. Between the PayPal fiasco and the CoAs, I have to ask for more trust than ever before... and that's incredibly frustrating both as a buyer and as a seller. It makes everything about the release / acquisition side of the hobby infinitely more stressful. Then pile on all the scams and waffly buyers and sellers... It adds a negative layer to everything one does transaction-wise, and there's no longer as good a chance that you'll be able to resell something once you've bought it, even if it's brand new.

...Which is actually why I'm trying to move 'out'. Not out of the hobby itself- not enjoying my elves- but the buying / selling aspect of constantly bringing in / sending out dolls. Finally slowing down. Maybe not stopping yet, but cutting back. I bought two dolls last year, three so far this year, all YoSD / Tiny that had been on my wishlist for ages.

The good thing about experience is figuring out what works and doesn't for you. And letting your tastes change. For a long time I felt locked into the need to shell characters- buy a doll just to be a certain OC, give it the right eyes / wig / wardrobe - but I was also torn by the desire to have dolls I liked. And I've realized that this is precisely what I need to let the hobby be. Buy the dolls for the dolls, but with careful consideration to all the cons, not just the pros. Like 'does it pose enough for your taste?' Or 'If it's a weird size, will you actually do anything with it once it's here?' 'How hard will it be to resell if you don't like it?' 'Is this a long-term commitment or a short-term inspiration?' 'Do you want this because it's unique, or because it's similar to something you already have, and you're drawn to those features?' I don't need to shell every character. I don't need five of a similar face when I can have one or two 'optimal' ones. But I do need to feel allowed to touch and photograph and play with my dolls so they're used and meaningful. And I need to make use of the dolls I have instead of always buying the next shiny thing. Otherwise it's just hording. And that's not something I want to allow any hobby to be.

Having these dolls is a privilege. Especially coming from a low-income household. I never thought when I was scraping together every penny from those odd jobs to buy my first Bobobie that I would own so many Sooms and Fairyland and artist sculpts. Or that my family would one day be mid-income. I couldn't have expected it. For many years I would sell off almost my entire collection to pay bills between jobs, then build it back up again in different ways. I have never owned anything so fancy or expensive as a ball-jointed doll.

 

I have issues with shopping online when I feel like not enough is going on in my life (eg. waiting to hear back on a job application) so I can Make Something Happen. In everyday, normal life, this isn't as much of a problem; I can distract myself by going out and doing things. During lockdown/quarantine, however...it became a problem. Not in terms of paying bills or anything, but of the seven dolls I bought in 2020-21 (four BJDs, three OT dolls), only one is still with me. Because I didn't really WANT them; I just wanted the feeling. I'm good at curtailing the impulse now, but it's not fully gone.

 

I think impulse buys are easy to regret especially if they end up having issues you did not research or expect, but what about something that you went through a lot of thinking about? I mean barring situations like a grail doll coming with major issues or postal horror stories, did anyone spend a lot of time thinking about, researching and and coveting something, until it's finally home and it's just meh?

 

This was my Iplehouse vampire Chris. I saved and saved, planned and waited, ordered and waited again. He was gorgeous. Perfect. Transcendent!.... and I hated the YID body. The shoulders were too wide for me, he was SO HEAVY for his size, the way the legs clicked when I moved them, how he didn't match the overall look or sizing of all my other dolls...

His face could launch a thousand ships, and still does in my heart, but the body broke my enjoyment of him to the point I had to sell. It continues to make me wish Iplehouse only sold heads. I would get a vampire Chris head in a hot second if that were true.

 

If a doll is an impulse buy I almost always end up having to sell them.
I found that the best way for me to know If i truly love a doll is to let them sit in my mind for a while and see how many times I go back to them. Does it fit in my collection? Can I visualize a character for them? If it's outside of those things it's probably not gonna work out for me..

 

I only bought 1 doll head I regretted but I was able to trade it for another head here in the marketplace ,so I was very happy after that

 

YES. Multiple times. But Leekworld Ariana is still my record-holder for 'fastest from-received-to-marketplace' at an astonishing pace of two days. I'd fallen in love with her at a meetup, ordered my own, waited for what felt like forever, then immediately held her in person and... eeeuuugh. Not for me. She's a unique doll, and I'm sad that you don't see more of Leekeworld's sculpts around much anymore, but I'm much happier with my Mikhaila.

Honestly, this has been my relationship with the shelling OCs approach. Researching, finding the best head and the perfect body, hunting, saving, finally catching... then disappointment. My OCs aren't that unique, but they're very 'real' in my mind, and not only should their dolls look like them, they should also be fun. Either I am never happy with how close a doll can get... or the doll looks more or less perfect, but they're not easy to pose and play with. Lots of tall, bulky dolls because they tend to be mature sculpts that only fit a certain neck / shoulder ratio. Lots of fiddly smaller dolls, because they need to be this body type or that height, etc. etc. Oh look, this one's head is way out of scale with the others because he's a fashion MSD...

I was always the 'Anything goes! My collection has no primary aesthetic!' collector, but in the end I've discovered that isn't entirely true. Proportions do have to make some sense or I go crazy. Resin anime dolls and I don't get along- I always end up neglecting them. Yet I'm very happy with my vinyls. The older I get, the more I realize that I would like more dolls from my early years in the hobby rather than the latest, greatest thing. I had already wanted them before, but with a collection the size of mine, it was telling when the only dolls I felt compelled to go back to again and again were the Delfs and the Teenie Gems, while my newer dolls sat neglected. If I had a time machine and could be self-indulgent, I would give my past self money to be able to afford some of the things I wanted but couldn't have, encourage trying layaway, and advise to skip some purchases in favor of different ones.

Everyone is different, but it sounds like you and I are similar. And I will tell you: even though I have a long way to go in this latest reinvention of my collection, I am already enjoying it more than I have in years now that I've stopped letting the OCs be my guide to buying dolls. It also has helped me cut down my wishlist to a third of what it was, because now I know exactly what I want. And I want it for what it is, not what I hope it might work for. I still have some dolls and floating heads who represent OCs, but they are sculpts I like enough on their own to keep. The dolls can definitely tell you what they want to be... but it's easier to listen when you don't have too many of them talking at once. One or three projects at a time. (Or lots of little projects for dolls you already have)

It truly has, for better and worse simultaneously. Having lots of choice is both a pro and a con, but it feels like there was a sweet spot, before it really took off on Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter, where it was growing and new artists and companies were popping up all the time, and there was lots of choice... but not endless choice. Like, you only had to worry about a certain amount of events competing for your money three or four times a year, and companies tended to try and not overlap as much. There were fewer artist preorders (And they didn't all cost $600- $1000+ a pop!), Dollshes and Sooms were at least half of what they cost now, you could commission a company like DIM or Nobility Doll to make you a custom sculpt if you ordered enough units...

Oh, and there were less recasts. Any sculpt that got recasted was a huge splash of news because it wasn't common. Recasts were easier to spot because they were noticeably poorer quality, and only limited to a few specific dolls. Also they weren't over-saturating Ebay. Ebay used to be a pretty reliable place to score good deals on legit dolls.

On the other hand, there were plenty of limitations. Well-engineered bodies were notable- sometimes companies who made them flew under the radar in favor of better-established names like Volks and Soom. Very few companies offered tan or fantasy colours. If you wanted your sculpt to be a darker-toned ethnicity, you either had to hope they'd offer that colour as an event, or settle for options at the opposite ends of the pricing spectrum. Sometimes companies would offer custom colours if you asked politely, but they never advertised this, so every now and then you'll see an old one-off doll. Mature / realistic sculpts weren't as common either, and also tended to be associated with high price tags. Having these things be more accessible to everyone is a big step up from 'Either buy a Bobobie or save for a Soom/Iplehouse'.

Glad to hear you're having fun learning! Getting your feet wet. There's a lot of information to take in- I used to spend hours here just studying the photo galleries for inspiration. I hope you never lose that spark of joy; the urge to explore and play. It's what makes the hobby worthwhile.

 

@Loptr I feel I would end up regretting a lot if I shelled characters. The end result wouldn't quite match the idea no matter what... I'd need fantasy traits as well which makes things more difficult. Picking a doll and allowing it to become its own character organically feels more natural to me.

(small OT digression)

Spoiler

I'm new and the recast issue was something I was really sad to learn about in this hobby... I come from illustration and I feel the same as I did with AI when it became all the rage in the field. There's the exact same "screw the artists" attitude and the whole idea that if you don't approve of stealing you're entitled or elitist. And just like AI the talking heads on YT etc. have switched to endorsing it in full to validate the consumers.
One of the reasons I wanted to join DOA is the hardline stance on counterfeits, other communities have a no recasts policy but it's all a pretense and not enforced at all.

 

I don't think I can call it a buyer's regret - but my first doll, a DoD Shall, isn't really of my taste now. She's beautiful, but I believe today I am looking for something different. I will most likely redress and revamp her into something more of my taste.

 

I have a regret for any spare fantasy parts and floating heads they really are of no use and never either displayed or handled as for the dolls truth is I want to reduce their numbers but full on regret I don't know back in the day when I bought them they had their purpose and I had time and space , no family obligations so it was fine , now circumstances are different but this doesn't change the fact that back then they were a lovely collection just not that practical anymore in those same numbers.

 

I think it comes with the territory of being in the hobby and having to learn what you like the hard way and/or having your taste evolve out from under you. Even though it stings (especially because the waits are so long and the prices are so steep and there's more than enough FOMO to go around RE: limited sculpts/preorders), odds are you won't truly know if something is for you until you try a bunch of things out and see what works and what doesn't.

The worst offender of being the source of big excitement and turning out "meh" was my brief-ish stint owning the second release of Dollfie Dream Ranko Kanzaki. I'll admit, I purchased her in a fit of FOMO related to several other major life changes happening around that time and I was attempting to self-soothe with buying something expensive and frivolous. Her head mold just doesn't do it for me in person and, because she was limited and decently sought-after, I was too skittish to send her out to get customized. So she sat in my doll room for about a year, basically untouched, and I sold her off.

Personally, I've shifted my hobby buying significantly. I've been around the block a few times and have a pretty good idea of if something is going to work out for me based on how long I've pined for it. If I keep coming back to it for more than a few months, odds are pretty good that if I buy it, it'll be a keeper. I also know that I'm generally not big on MSDs and Yo-SDs are a total non-starter, that fullsets are iffy at best, and that I'm not willing to pay huge $$$ for a totally blank doll, no matter how limited. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, but this is my go-to checklist for whether or not something gets added to the wishlist and/or eventually purchased (instead of deleted after 2 weeks once the hoarding crow part of my brain stops going "OOO SHINY").

 

thusfar the only doll-related thing i've regretted buying was a wig that i thought would suit my kid delf, that.... reallllyyyy didn't suit him at all, lol. can't exchange it, and i don't have any other dolls to try it with, so its just kinda sitting there... i have a friend who's also into dolls (no BJDs yet but he does have some fashion dolls he's customizing and such) and i'm thinking i'll probably see if he'd like it. it's not a giant deal, though, since it's just a wig i'm not out a ton of money or anything - all the same, it feels wasteful to just have it sitting around.

 

I've regretted many of my purchases because I did a lot of impulsive buying. I had admired the BJD community for a long time, so when I finally got a job, I just dived in and bought dolls left and right without ever considering what I actually wanted.

I realise now that msd dolls aren't my style, but I own two of them. I realised I love SDs the most, but they take up a lot of space and are much more expensive. I also bought dolls just because I thought they were pretty and I loved their promotion pictures. I've come to know that the dolls won't always look like the promos, especially when you can't get the same face up.

The biggest mistake I made was when I bought a heap of dolls cuz I thought they were really pretty, only to find out they were based off real life artists. While I was a fan of said artists for a time afterwards, I couldn't get passed it being weird owning dolls inspired by real people. And now that I am not so much of a fan, I don't really know what to do with them. I love the dolls and the characters i have created from them, but still can't get passed their inspiration.

Another problem I had was that I bought dolls of all kinds of skin tones, but only own three bodies. I have shades of pink tones, yellow tones, white tones, brown tones, while only owning pink and yellow tone bodies. And size too. Always check the head to neck sizing.

I now mainly focus on YOSDs. They are cute, fun to pose, and much easier to make accessories for.

My advice for any newbies, is research. Research everything. Look at how other people have designed the sculpts, look at the skin tones, see what suits the doll and what doesn't, how much space do you have for the dolls. Just research literally everything.

 

Absolutely. During lockdown in 2020, because I felt extremely powerless and had more disposable income than usual, I ended up buying about seven dolls over the course of the year. Three of those were BJDs, and only two of the seven are still in my collection.

I feel like, for me, the red flag is exactly that: am I buying the doll because I really want her, or because I feel like there’s not enough progress happening in other areas of my life? That’s an unfortunately common pattern for me, so I’ve learned that I have to watch out for it. I think in general, if you tend to experience buyer’s regret, it might be important to stop and think about your reasons for buying before you press the button.

 

I don't know if what I'm feeling is regret, exactly. Definitely anxiety. I hate having spent so much money. But I'm so excited for the dolls... I think the hard part is finding balance, and allowing yourself to enjoy what you have.

 

Ive only bought three dolls, and one I regretted (the third I haven't received yet)

She had a beautiful face, but as an MSD she had a very childish body which put me off. Since then I've realized I only want MSD with more mature body ratios. (Which can be a bit difficult to find sometimes)
So I ended up selling her maybe a year or two after after I got her.

 

I'm not trying to brag, but I really do own an excessive amount of dolls (like, over 100), and I collected them all within five years. Yeah. That's, um, a lot. Actually, that's the first time I've really thought about it. Uh. Yikes.

Things I regret: NOT listening to the advice I was given, which was excellent: buy the doll you want, not the doll you think will be "good enough." Go to meets and see the dolls. Hold them. See what you like and what you don't. My manic buying binge (which I was also cautioned against) has finally come to a halt.

The dolls that I bought that I truly regret fly in the face of most others' experience - the ones that I had thought-out, serious plans for. The dolls I had planned to shell as OCs. The dolls that I researched extensively and compared measurements to ensure they were exactly what I wanted. Then I received them, and they were all wrong.

Conversely, the dolls that have brought me the most enjoyment were the impulse purchases of secondhand dolls - the ones that were under $100, and I thought, "Oh, sure, I'll try that." Like my Angel of Dream 58 cm female body. It's my first secondhand body, and to this day, it's still one of my most favorite dolls.

So, um, don't listen to me, I guess?

 

This is why I think don't want to shell... I've felt inspired for a character and after a long time I started sketching again so I could get her doll right, but I have a feeling that the clearer the picture, the more disappointed I'll be when I finally have everything in hand. I have a feeling that it might be better for me to keep a vague concept and pick a doll that really calls to me and let it turn into a character on its own.

 

I feel the fear of a doll rejecting the OC as well. It's a big loss to try again. It hasn't happened to me yet and I'm not sure if just putting more effort into the doll solves it or not. I try to keep my ideas on the vaguer side until I know exactly what face I want to use. It kind of hinders thinking about the OC though

 

Not sure if its buyers regret but I do feel a bit guilty about how much I spent in such a short time since getting in to the hobby...

On the other hand, all of the dolls I got took alot of research and making sure they would fit well with what I have in mind. As soon as I start thinking about the projects I will start when my dolls arrive, I don't feel all that bad since I'm pretty sure they will keep me occupied for a long time. Well worth the price now for all the fun they will provide in the future.

 

So, in fairness to others, I am weird, and I own it.
I avoid buying "character dolls" (like ones Volks makes - which are stunning!). I kinda let the doll sculpt "tell" me who they are. I have finally accepted the fact that I prefer it this way.

It is my sincere hope that as I get better at face-ups, my dolls will be able to "speak" more clearly to me. Right now, they tell me who they are through wigs and clothes. I'll put a wig and outfit on a doll, and I'll decide - yes. This is who you are.

I also spend a lot of time (a LOT of time) just sitting and looking at my dolls. I let ideas fester in my subconscious until they pop to the forefront. For example - I've been struggling with what I should do with my Miracle Doll Zhi Shen head. After doing some requested head swapping, I realized that I like the head best on the Luts Type 5 body, and that she's actually a good candidate to be a Harley Quinn-inspired nightmare sort of character.

Now that I've accepted that this is the kind of collector I am, I don't worry about trying to shell characters. It's more about discovering the character in the doll. Also, I'm trying not to beat myself up too much at all the blank faces, so...

 

I can't say I regret my first doll, because buying her taught me a lot about what I don't want in a doll, and my other purchases have just confirmed what I learnt from that. I like realism rather than more stylized sculpts but MSD is still the right size for me.

My collection is mostly split between dolls I bought because I loved their sculpt who then developed into characters and dolls I bought to shell important original characters but I think the key for me is that both dolls I bought for OC's were only bodies (well, one came with a head but I knew from the offing that was not going to be her permanent head) and I fully intend/am in the process of just sculpting their heads from scratch so they can be absolutely dead on perfect. I know that the one head I bought because I thought it might work absolutely did not (although it is currently serving as a backup head because I don't like headless bodies) and it turns out I'm a wuss when it comes to modding so my backup plan did not work either.

 

So I bought an Impldoll Susu which hasn't arrived yet.
And I'm starting to regret it?

Like I know she's going to be very pretty, but I'm finding my self wishing I bought a different doll.
So much so, I am unbearably tempted to sell the Susu the moment she gets here.


The Susu was intended to represent an existing character. Where as my other existing doll is her own character. She exists as a doll and only as a doll. Which is what I also want to do with another sculpt I'm eye balling.

I'm not excited for this Susu anymore. Just nervous.


Have you ever regretted buying a doll?
Why?
What did you do about it?

 

It has happened to me when the wait has gotten too long - at some point I'll be too annoyed and wish I had gotten something second hand or in stock instead. Sometimes it works out fine in the end and I'll love the thing I ordered once it arrives! Sometimes the wait is so long that plans change and I'll end up putting my order for sale soon after it comes.

I ordered a body earlier this year to upgrade an older doll. It was a very popular preorder and I made my order kind of late so now it is taking ages to get finished... and similarly to you in this situation, I kind of regret buying it because I no longer want to upgrade after all, and the wait is annoying, too. But what's done is done and there is no way of knowing how I feel when it arrives. Maybe I just get a different idea for it? I try to not mull over the regret too much while I can't do anything about it.

I hope your Susu arrives soon and I'm sure you'll know what to do with her once she's there I guess it's just inevitable that ideas change over time, and they don't always mix well with long waits in this hobby.

 

I'm glad in not the only one to put up for sale immediately after getting
Makes me feel a bit less bad.

 

I put in my two cents in the Buyer's regret thread so if you're looking for other perspectives you'll also find them there.

But if we're on the topic of how feelings change while waiting for a purchase to arrive, I'm grappling with that right now and I figure it's just what's going to happen sometimes as I try out different sizes and companies.

It sure would be nice if I could go somewhere and handle a doll in person first to know if it's too tall, or too heavy, or the resin feels weird, or too delicate, or makes a weird clicking sound when you pose it a certain way. There's lots of little things you can't know until something is in your hands, or until it's painted. That being said, sometimes something arrives and you know it just needs to keep moving and sometimes you have that feeling even before it gets to you.

Not much you can do about it until it arrives, so concentrate what makes you happy and take the steps you need to take when the doll is finally there. That's my approach, anyway.

 

Coming to update this

Turns out I'm regretting buying the Impldoll Susu and she's not even here yet. I hope I change my mind once she gets here.

 

I think for me it's more about the character attached to the doll than the doll itself. Which is another reason why I worry I won't change my mind much once I have her in my hands

Thank you for the thread link. Turns out I had posted there in June

 

I've had dolls I waited anxiously for and when they arrived we just didn't click—I sold those without any regrets and in one case traded it away for a grail.

And then there's the wait I had for my latest doll. Sometime during it, I became convinced, for no apparent reason, that I was going to hate her. I regretted getting her, I was so upset about the whole thing. She arrived yesterday, and I adore her. Can't believe I ever doubted. She's even more amazing than I expected.

I guess what I'm saying is, maybe wait until the doll has arrived to make a decision. Maybe yeah, you'll decide she's not for you and you'll sell her and that's that. But maybe she'll exceed your expectations and you'll end up loving her. Regardless of what you do, I'm sure it'll be the right thing for you, so good luck!

 

Oof.
If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you'll have much difficulty selling her if she doesn't work out? I've seen several WTBs for her.