How often do you regret your purchases?

When I very new to the hobby I had a lot of those types of experiences with wigs. I would impulse buy a wig because I liked how it was styled in photos but when it got home... I had very little experience styling wigs, so I could never get it to look like the picture which was a let down OR it was a poor quality wig that was very 'doctored' up in the photo.

Nowadays I don't have nearly as many purchase "regrets" because 1. I know which places I like to buy from that have good quality products that I've vetted in person and 2. Now that I've been in the hobby I hot minute, I know what to look for when perusing websites that might scream poor quality. Low price will almost always equate to lower quality, and very few detailed images will probably heighten your risk of getting something you weren't expecting.

With that said, everyone has a purchase or two they regret getting! I think that's an inevitable experience we all face in a hobby like ours where a vast majority of our goods are sold online. I think the best thing to do is to delve into a bit of research for your next big purchases (you can post here on DoA or other platforms to see if people have purchased products from a particular brand/vendor and what they thought about it). I'd also suggest asking people where they like to find particular things so you know who might be some solid recommended brands and vendors.

 

I felt the same way about clothes when I entered the hobby so I started making mine. But most of the time I feel regret after quick buying of an item (most often a doll head or a doll) that I liked at first glance, only to discover the initial impression didn't last.

 

It's not so much regret, because I see the whole thing as trial and error. Sometimes I buy things that I love, and that's awesome. Sometimes it doesn't work the way I wanted and so I sell it and try again. I don't really get upset about it or dwell too much on it. If the thing I bought is wrong, then I've learned something about my tastes, so the experience isn't all wasted.

This actually happens to me more with dolls than clothes. There have been so many dolls that were just not quite right for me. And that is okay. It was worth it for the ones that were right! (it can be an expensive process though admittedly )

 

I can't say I have any purchases that I regret. I have had a few dissapointments, things that wasn't what I hoped for or didn't look right when put with my other doll stuff, but most of the time I just hold on to them and one day I'll find a use for it.

I have a stash of wigs and eyes that comes in very handy any time I or a friend get a new doll. It's so valuable to be able to try out a bunch of different styles, sizes and colours to help give data on what is right for a specific doll. Even if none of the ones I have are perfect it will usually inform future purchases and decrease the risk of future dissapointments.

Same thing with shoes that doesn't fit. I just put them aside and anytime a new doll drops by I will have a cinderella session to see if anything fits. It's so good to have something to put on a new doll right from the start, even if it's not the perfect style. And if it's a friends doll that it ends up fitting I either sell or gift them to the owner if they want them.

Clothes too. Although I rarely buy clothes since I make most of it mysels, I have a few purchased pieces. And even home made stuff doesn't always live up to expectations. I usually get rid of anything that is just too poor quality or too far out of scale, but things that are simply not used because of style or fit, is put aside. And any time I have a naked dolly problem I go through that stash. Having a piece or two of clothing to get a doll warderobe started is great and especcially new owners who intend to sew everything themselves get a bit of a head start and some preassure taken off that way.

I will also ecco what @Dybbuk said about it getting easier with experience. While you are never completely safe, you do develope a better feeling for online purchases with time.
It's gotten easier to evaluate how much I am willing to pay for an item, not just based on the item but on the likelyhood that it will be useable to me.

As a rule of thumb I avoid exrems.
If an item is gorgeous, but very expensive, I am less likely to buy it. Not because of the price itself, as it may very well be worth the money, but because of the big loss if the item doesn't work out.
On the other hand, if something seems a bit iffy, but it's so cheap that it's no big deal, I still probably won't buy it, because the risk is hight that the item won't be useable at all and that is still a loss, even if it's a small one. And then I'd be stuck with an item that probably is of no worth to anyone so putting in the stash for later isn't going to solve it.

 

It happen sometime and is unavoidable for this hobby where you learn some of your knowledge from past failure

None of the shoes I've purchased in first batch remain with me right now. Except for the one that come with full set which, just a kind of commemorative item.

I have problem with too many girl wigs and only a few boy wigs that fit with my boy crews too, those girls are so spoiled and ... oh, those poor boys

But, my wardrobe is almost filled up now and I think I would buy less, so less regret maybe. I've learn a lot during these years in hobby too, enough to avoid major regret... some impulse buy still happen though, since it still me

 

I often regret clothing and wig purchases. Either it doesn't look like the picture or it doesn't fit. I've only ever regretted 2 actual doll purchases.

 

I always regret spending money and a lot of money is very hard. But, holding the doll, does make me feel better. I've found with wigs and things, I eventually use them even if they don't look good on the doll I had in mind.

 

I’ve been in this hobby for a long time (since 2006) and have amassed a fairly large collection by now. But I can honestly say that I have only ever regretted one doll purchase in all that time. And it had nothing to do with the overall qualities of the doll itself…only with its place in my collection. This was many years ago when they first started making dolls with more realistic proportions. I purchased her thinking she was perfect for my collection, as a gorgeous elf in gray skin on a lovely body. The moment I opened her box I realized she was all wrong for my collection of earlier “old school” styled dolls. She looked completely out of place and I sold her pretty much immediately. But in all fairness, I really can’t count her as a failure because she immediately taught me that the trend towards more realistic proportions (and smaller heads) in dolls was simply not suited to my personal tastes. A valuable lesson that saved me from years of mistakes ever after.

 

Not often. Since they're so expensive, I usually think twice, thrice, a fourth, a fifth and also a sixth time before purchasing anything. I also look at user review photos or casual owner photos of the same product, because they can be more honest than product promos.
Just other day I bought a Lunarmate Uriah sleeping head after musing for four months about it

 

It's rare that I regret buying something, but I'll sit and think about it long and hard about it before I bite the bullet too. If it's an ego purchase, IE buying it because it's cheap, it's a little more likely but a lot less of a loss. If it's a disappointment, how can I fix this and make it work?

Honestly, I have a lot more regrets of not buying something because of how fledgling the doll market is in general. You can always sell or repurpose a regret purchase, but what can you do if you yearn for a doll or outfit that's not being made anymore? Or never shows up for sale secondhand?

 

I guess we are all bound to have regrets given that most purchases happen online so one can't see the goods in person. Generally, I've been happier with second-hand dolls and items because the pictures are taken of the exact thing I'm buying and I'm fine doing repairs and maintenance if needed. Even if anything has arrived broken, I don't feel regret per se since I was ready for this to possibly happen.

With new items, I've had more instances of regret/disappointment. Like when new shoes have glue stains all over, or something costly doesn't fit like planned, or the resin match isn't good. It's the price but also the certain preciousness of a made-to-order item not being perfect for me, I guess, especially if it's paired with a long wait time. I've ordered resin that had no owner pics yet a couple of times and sometimes have also been a little disappointed if the posing isn't as nice as I hoped it would be (why is engineering them to sit on their knees so hard ) - and then had a tinge of regret on spending money on that thing and not something else. But how would I know that "other thing" would have been better, anyway?

All in all, I think my disappointments and regrets are highly dependent on what my expectations were (high for new items and low for used items) and those adjust themselves with experience. I make most things for my dolls myself so that helps me curb those highs and lows a lot - the things just are what they are! But for dolls themselves I don't have such control, and sometimes things feel very different in person than in images. The unsatisfactory stuff can always be sold or passed on, though, I tend to not leave them around to remind me of ill feelings for too long

 

How likely I am to be disappointed with something is inversely proportional to how long I spend thinking about it before I purchase it. If I sat on it for a few months or years and still want it, the odds are very good that I will be pleased. If I buy it quickly because I'm afraid it will sell out/be discontinued, I'm far more likely to regret it once it arrives. Impulse purchases very rarely work out for me. Meanwhile, even if something ends up not being exactly right after months of planning, I don't regret the purchase and sell it without hard feelings.

I agree fully with PoeticSoul above. Much of this hobby is trial-and-error-ing your way into finding out what works for you and what doesn't. Sometimes, even things you've spent months or years planning for just don't work out, but the lesson they teach you is invaluable. To give a recent-ish example from my own collection, I purchased a Volks SD10 body for Marcie, but found out very quickly that I hate both its proportions and its limitations. One day, probably early next year, I'll put it back together and sell it, but I don't regret trying it out, as I found out I like my SDs to be more mature looking. It was a good learning opportunity!

On the other hand, I impulse bought a Volks Dollfie Dream Ranko ver 2 back when she was released because I didn't want to "miss out." I knew almost from the day she arrived that she wasn't for me and if I'd sat on it longer, I probably would've realized it before buying her. I regretted it pretty badly and felt relieved once she sold.

As far as accessories go, I've never regretted buying eyes/wigs/clothes/shoes, but I'm also not someone who shells out for big, elaborate, artisanal pieces in general. Most everything I buy is highly versatile from sellers I've seen recommended time and again, so I'm both pretty sure of the quality I'm going to get and the ability to use the piece for someone eventually. Even when I buy clothes for specific dolls, I try to create the right look using several versatile pieces rather than buying a full outfit that I may not use. I think going about it this way both keeps the cost down and keeps the risk of regret low.

(I wish it was still up, but there used to be a really good "how I curate my doll's style"-type video on YouTube that basically said to curate your dolls' wardrobes like you would your own -- pick basic pieces that can be used with several outfits, like jeans or neutral shirts, then style the look with accessories. It's some of the best doll advice I'd ever gotten when I was still trying to figure out how to dress dolls without breaking the bank!)

 

I sometimes regret buying dolls, but that's usually either on impulse buys, or where I did do my research, but there just wasn't enough owner information out there. Sometimes a sculpt or a resin color can look very different in person than in the professional sales pics, and that can really ruin plans for dolls. Most recently, I was very disappointed that the color I chose for two dolls ended up being totally different from what I expected and I couldn't use them for my plans at all. I definitely regretted that.

But more often, I agree, it's clothes I regret the most. And it's usually because of poor quality. Cheap fabrics, bad patterns, sloppy fit, out of scale details, lack of skill....velcro....lots of things ruin doll clothes for me. I'm pretty picky, and sometimes if the price is right, I'll take a risk, but on pricier stuff, I try to research properly and read reviews, look at owner pics and check out the details before taking the plunge. It's always a moment of deep regret when things arrive in a much lower quality than the pics. At this point, I've learned a lot of places that are consistently good, but also a lot of places that are consistently bad, or vary wildly and it's always a risk.

 

Full dolls, I have never fully regretted buying. My first doll wasn't what I needed aesthetically, but she was sculpted beautifully and posed great so I don't regret having played with her as my first doll even if I sold her later. After that, I've always considered carefully each purchase and look for hundreds of blank photos to make sure I was getting the right thing.

Bodies, on the other side... While looking for a perfect fit for a certain character I tried a bunch and I was never satisfied (height was off, posing wasn't great, feet were too big for shoes, etc.) till I decided there was no point anymore. I could have kept the first body I got for it and I'd have been equally happy (and less stressed out by buying/selling each time xD).

Clothes are usually a disappointment too, partially because the dolls I buy for are mature minis / on the bigger side MSDs and they have very specific measurements that don't fit the standard. I often receive an order thinking I've done it right only to find thing do not fit as intended, even if they're good quality. I've tried getting them to better fit but the sewing machine and I are still getting to know each other when we're talking about tiny clothing and won't usually really fix it the way I intended.

 

Only once so far, my Dollzone Mini Kitty. It's a gorgeous sculpt, but my tastes have changed since buying her unfortunately. She was my first ever BJD, and yet I don't feel a very strong connection to her. My second doll was a Soom Petit Gem Ondiin, and the difference in how both dolls make me feel is like night and day.

I hope to find a new home for Mini Kitty someday!

 

My main regret in purchases is nobody telling us back in 2006-2010 when pleather was The Style that, no matter how cool it looks, pleather has a lifespan. A relatively short lifespan. So many nice outfits, pants, boots, gloves and shoes I bought have been shedding their skins like neurotic anacondas for several years now. It's heartbreaking and financially frustrating, especially since there seldom are decent cloth/boot replacements to maintain the same look. And it's not like you can even try to use the shed items, since the under-material is usually tacky, as in sticky.

 

I've regretted buying floating heads, having to find a body and try to resin match the body with the head was frustrating, makes me want to sell my floating heads haha, but I've never regretted a full doll purchase.

 

I've had 2 regrettable purchases, both of which have found new homes, that taught me some valuable lessons:

1. No matter my intentions, dolls are likely to shirk any shelling idea I have for them. Going in with a malleable idea works for me, but set characters don't
2. If the head looks pinheaded next to my oldschool Volks dolls, it's not going to stick around. This lesson is saving me a lot of money with current trends!
3. Do your research as much as possible! The body I sold was beautifully sculpted, but impossible to even stand up. I got so sick of it, I just had to sell it. If I known this, I wouldn't have spent what I did on it

On the positive side, regrets can be a learning process and help you realise your tastes and refine your doll crew

 

I regretted things a LOT when first starting in the hobby. Resold a lot of dolls. Some lessons can only be learned the hard way. Chipping away and refining your tastes is a lot of trial and error. Plus, my tastes have changed a lot since starting the hobby nearly 20 years ago as a young teen.

Now a days my regrets are usually over not buying something. Wait a little too long and pre-orders close due to order volume. Thinking certain molds will get re-released eventually and they don't. I find selling something I no longer want is a lot easier than desperately trying to track down something I missed.

Also seconding the pleather woes. A moment of silence for the previously stunning bike jackets I collected that blessedly got stored away from everything else so when they turned into a wad of tacky tar gum they didn't ruin anything

 

I used to buy dolls in a compulsive way so I regret a couple of purchases. In fact I tried to sell them because I don't feel a bond with them even if I liked them at that moment. So what I do now i's wait like 6 months when I want to buy a doll. If I still like it as the 1st time i saw it, I buy it. If I don't feel the same it's because that doll is not for me.

 

I'm still really new so I haven't made a lot of doll-related purchases, but I'll echo others saying clothes and wigs. Finding a high quality wig was somehow quite difficult (because I wanted a certain style and color), which surprised me. As for clothes, it's always a fit issue. I have a DDS and even things that will supposedly fit her just don't; everything is so large.

 

Some regrets for buying male dolls (thankfully I have all sold them at a good price so there was no huge loss of money). But most regrets are the gaps between what looks good and what goes well in my home. Not only the non honest sellers but sometimes I think too less what will go well with my dolls and what kind of complexity of orgnising well these items I can handle.

Not to blame anyone, but I do regret less when I have better knowledge of my own capacity.

 

I don't regret things much in general, and that includes doll related purchases. Personally though regret is something I've only really felt for things that were avoidable, like something that I should have been able to foresee with the knowledge I had prior to the thing.

There has been some disappointments for sure, unfortunately for my wallet typically with the dolls themselves rather than something cheaper, but at least at the moment I can't say I would really regret any since each time I did learn something important about my own likes and dislikes that I wouldn't have learned without getting them, meaning, unless I would completely stop getting more dolls chances are I would have had those "lessons" eventually.

I do hope most of that trial-and-error is behind me by now though, since now that I know that I don't like shorter than 50cm dolls I've basically guaranteed that if there is still something I really don't like in a doll that I don't know yet, it's going to be another one of those more expensive lessons for me...

 

I also usually regret buying floating heads.
Not because I don't know which body I want to buy for them or need to find a resin match, but because it annoys me when I have to prioritize buying a body for a floating head over a full doll I really want later on.
I've learned from my mistakes, though!

 

I regret being impulsive and bought so many that I don't touch as much. Most of them don't have faceup and clothing. I feel so bad for them. They're just in their box. I probably put them out on the market soon so they can go to someone who will care and love them. I try doing my own faceup but I'm no good either so lesson learn, if you're newbie buy ones you really like and buy one with faceup. If you want to practice faceup buy one on sale.

 

There was one doll I brought that always had a problem wanting to cross her legs when you try to do anything with her legs. I thought there was something wrong with her so I reached out to the artist who made her. She exclaimed this was one of the first dolls she made prior to 3D printing and testing them prior to making them in resin. They explained a lot for me and I appreciated her being open and honest because I brought the doll second hand and was unaware. The doll will stand and she has the loveliest facial sculpt and resin color that I wouldn’t dare part with her because I love her now. Sometimes it takes some research and understanding to love a doll that is outside your views of perfection.

 

I've only regretted one doll purchase and that's because at the time I had zero understanding of my personal aesthetic regarding dolls. I much prefer realism to stylised and she was much more stylised. My second doll, who arrived first, made the difference just immensely clear. So my first doll has been languishing in her box and I really need to get around to selling her or donating her or something.

 

I bought a doll here on the marketplace about 14 years ago and just a few years ago discovered he has undisclosed face mods. Luckily, it's pretty subtle so he still looks like his sculpt. She had disclosed it on deviantArt (she did the mod) and much further down in the thread in between bumps (a professional did the mod). I wouldn't have ever seen it if I hadn't printed the page to PDF. I didn't bother to stalk every post on her accounts until I needed to find his (also undisclosed) resin tone. I regret not doing my research because I would have waited for an unmodded doll instead if I had known. Or maybe someone who was consistent in what their story was. Not everyone is your friend.

 

Lets put it this way. I have purchased probably over 600 dolls in my 17 years in this hobby. I bought more then half more then once because I wanted them to work. In the end I have found it's best if I stick with 3-4 companies and avoid no matter how cute any others. My bank account has thanked me and keeping with these specific dolls I can enjoy the hobby more and spend money on clothes, shoes, better wigs and eyes. If I had been smart I would have tried to stick with what worked for me, instead of trying over and over what didn't work the first time. I am at 16 now with most by Dollstown. My favorite company to buy from and the one I should have always stuck with. So my only advice is if you love it and you can see more then one similar in size and from same company, stick with it.

 

I have a 1/4 Juliet by SartoriaJ that I've never even unboxed.