if dolls were less expensive...

Oh gosh, I think I would have a wild population and I would spoil them even more rotten than I do now XD.

 

I don't think I'd have many more than now. I'm at 17 dolls + 11 heads, plus waiting on some while planning to buy a few more, but that's literally my personal limit, so... If their paraphernalia were that much cheaper though I'd spoil them absolutely rotten.

 

If the quality would be still the same, then surely I would still like them as I do now.
However, I think the charm of the hobby and collecting would be gone. I love the part of the hobby where you need to work, save and wait for the doll. In the end the experience itself is worth more than going to a random toy shop and picking up a doll that you can afford really easily. The way it is now, it feels more rewarding and exiting, imo.
I would probably still have around the same number of dolls. I love looking at large collections but not owning them. Less dolls but spoiled is what I prefer.

 

There would be so many dolls here... So many... I would have all my characters if they were lower prices!
I honestly love the size, weight, and quality of them, yet the price always makes it hard to get more. If they were less, there wouldn't be much stopping me from getting more! My husband and others would be more agreeable too!

 

Oh Wow!!! If BJD's were less expensive I'd definitely have a lot more of them and I would have more money to buy them more clothes, props, furniture. Ahhh if only....

 

I know if they were that cheap, I'd have my entire wishlist, plus a lot of the fantasy dolls I admire from afar. And then I could focus on developing faceup skills and spend money on clothes and props

 

I would probably have the same. I think space would be an issue in controlling my population if price wasn't! There would be allot more wigs and shoes around here though I can tell you that!

 

If bjd can be less expensive, I would probably buy every collection that I love! It's painful when you have to make a decision on which doll you will get base on the tight budget since they are all so adorable, but the price is not as cute as they are!

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That's a funny thought. I would definitely have more, but not that many more (less than 10) because I live in a small cottage and I don't like dolls sat around gathering dust. They must stay safe in the cabinet. That's not so much to do with cost as just how I want my house to look, not that keen on clutter - other than in my workroom which looks like a bomb went off! I could never be one of those people who has 30 or more dolls, even though I really enjoy looking at their collections... I think I would feel a bit oppressed by that many! I also always do work on mine, even if it's just the face-up though, so that restricts how many you can have.... because it's not great having lots of unfinished dolls stood around. Not for me anyway

 

My collection would probably look pretty much the same... I might have a few more of the sculpts that are currently in the "No way. That's just TOO pricey."-category, but numbers-wise I doubt there would be all that many more dolls here overall.

I just don't have much additional space, and ultimately it's the question of real estate that puts a hard upper limit on the size of my crew. I'm patient enough about the marketplace and cagey enough with my money that I can usually find and afford just about anything I want sooner or later, but I can't make my display cabinets or the out-of-direct-light parts of my house where they're standing any roomier.

 

I think the price has nothing to do with my love for these dolls. And even Monster High dolls. I love them. I was a HUGE fan of barbie but they just got super boring. Everyone had one. I can't stay away from BJDs though. You are available to customize literally everything and I think it's a beautiful hobby.

 

I'd get a few more, but space is would an issue. I like SD sized dolls and they take up quite a bit of space.

 

My tinies population would explode! And I would probably never sell any of them. .. it's much harder to justify having a $600 doll on the shelf that I don't interact with much over a $20 doll

 

If dolls were less expensive I'd think quite a few artists wouldn't be able to afford to keep producing for the market, the way things are now.

But the industry as a whole might change (we all hope) and treat sculptors better. And in any case, technology is waiting on no one and is already exerting a pressure on everyone in the hobby.

 

I think the problem if they dropped that significantly in price would be the quality drop and children getting into the hobby unknowing of how much work it is. I'm not talking teenagers, but toddlers that cry in store to get the doll they want and their parent's allowing it... only to have the doll completely destroyed in a few days. That would lead to complaints about how easily they are broken, refunds requested, and a whole lot of angry doll makers. Even if a warning label existed that said "not suitable ages 10 and below" I think people would bend the rules. I've seen it dozen of times in toy stores just to make the child stop crying.

On the other hand it would make it easier for serious doll collectors to get the dolls they desire. As much as a bonus for people like me (broke college student), I think the cost would be the personal touch would be lost because of supply and demand most likely leading to huge wait times and eventual machine manufacturing.

 

I....would probably have a lot fewer. If I could just go to WalMart and pick them up for $15 each, I wouldn't feel like they were anything special. I think the saving, waiting, creativity and scarcity of some of the ones I own now is what makes them so special. I hope that doesn't come across as snobby, but it's how I feel.

Before I found this hobby, I did splurge on Bratz and Barbies. My sister and I both collected, and would pick them up every chance we got at flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales and such for a dollar or so. At one point, combined, we had well over 400 dolls, yet only really loved maybe 10 each. When we sold them (to buy our first BJDs!) we got about $250 total for all of them. They held no value. I think if BJDs ended up being the cost of a Barbie, they would have no value either. Maybe you'd get $2 for a used one, maybe not. I think a lot of the appeal of the hobby would also be lost then, if your collection was suddenly worth maybe $10 instead of $2500. It would destroy the secondhand market.

 

I would probably have five or so if the quality staid the same, but I know they wouldn't be as special to me. The hobby is all about saving up and getting a rush of joy as you open their box. All of that excitement would be gone if they were as expensive and common as barbies.

 

This. If dolls were less expensive there would be fewer companies, the quality would plummet and the hobby would probably fold.

There already are dolls out there that cost a lot less, but they are not as customizable, not as detailed, not as elegant, or not as much a Fine Art Object as these dolls are able to be due to what they are made of and how carefully they are made.

 

In a magical world where everything about them stayed the same but the price, I'd be in trouble. I'd be buried by the mountain of dolls, and my husband would have me committed for hoarding. Lol, that may happen anyway.

 

Agreed.

You can buy lower quality dolls for a cheap price, but is the trade-off worth it?

 

I feel, if bjds were cheaper I might end up with just 1! I think a big part of the hobby is the fact that these resin pieces are so unattainable and there is desirability in them. We all love the things we can't just buy on a whim.

Call me elitist whatever, but I love that there is a little bit of pride in owning something that costs so much that it filters out buyers. As it is in this hobby, we've all seen what happens to practice dolls gone wrong and it's heartbreaking. I can't imagine the heartache I'd go through if dolls are made easy more accessible /disposable.

I also like the deliberation process each buyer goes through before a purchase. It goes to show how serious said person is about bjd and that ultimately reflects on the care of the bjd after arrival.

 

Frankly, I care about all my dolls equally, be they my Monster High girls, my mini Littlest Pet Shop Blythe girls and their pets, my Pullips, my porcelain dolls from the flea market, or my BJDs. The BJDs do get more personal attention, but that's because of their customisability and posability, not because of their price. I'd probably have one or two more, not too many more though, or I'd run out of space.

 

If bjds were less expensive it wouldn't change the way I feel about the hobby or the dolls I collect. I also collect action figures that cost much much less and I love them just the same. I also wouldn't collect more dolls because they're less expensive just because I could. No matter the cost, I collect the dolls I love.

 

It depends. For me a big part of the hobby is the saving, the finding, the waiting. Also sometimes that dolls are not readily available. If I could just go shopping for them in the mall just like everyone else I doubt I'd still think of them as this alluring. The effort involved with getting one gives me much more opportunity to REALLY think about what I'm going to do with this doll and purchases I could quickly and easily make just don't have that same impact. They often suffer the fate of being forgotten. ^^;

 

I would love it if BJDs were more affordable, ASSUMING that it didn't hurt artists in the process. I think I would love my Arania even more, because I wouldn't have the fears of her getting damaged and would maybe have been even bolder in modding her than I already am! I think it'd probably encourage a lot more people to try modding, or current modders to go bigger and more daring.

More importantly, I think it would allow a lot of people who are financially shut out to participate in the hobby. Yes, it's within almost everyone's capability to save up for even a huge pricetag; but some people feel morally obligated to spend savings on family, put it toward career, or simply save up for future houses or cars. I would love if they were able to feel the joy of customizing their own BJD without having to give up a car or their safety net of savings. It would also let teens join the hobby sooner (many who can't get jobs and don't get allowances, or have to focus on school), and let them really build up their creative skills sooner. If I were to ever sculpt and cast my own BJDs, I would love to offer cheaper ABS options or something for those that want to get a foot in the hobby (though I don't really know how ABS casting works, so *shrug*). I guess I'm firmly of the belief that the more, the merrier!

 

This hobby is about creativity as much as it is about patience and hard work. You want that doll, but you work a dead-end job and barely have pocket change? Then, girl, you better plan for it.

If the dolls were cheaper, I would not be as "developed"; I grew up in a VERY sheltered house. To be able to do things by myself is an actual life-changer. I don't think I could afford the dolls being cheaper. XD

 

If they could still be as customizable then heck yeah! I'd have a room full of them! The other day I found some cheap plastic ball jointed dolls with sweet faces on Aliexpress and got one for my child, cause she wants to play with mine now, and was sooo tempted to buy one for myself, eight bucks! Can't beat that.

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I'd have more as I wouldn't need to sell others to help fund new purchases! I seem to turn my collection over every now and then to keep it fresh, so they would have more chance to accumulate if the price allowed for such

 

I used to collect MLP's and because they were inexpensive I had a herd in a very short time. So with bjd's it would probably be the same as long as the quality remained.

 

Then I would be a hoarder instead of a collector.

 

The price has nothing to do with my love for them. I have cheap dolls like obitsus and Isuls and I LOVE them just as much as I love BJDs. Having said that, if they were less expensive I would have a big army^^ I have a mini army of Isuls because they were affordable and I have so much fun with them.

 

I hate to think what I would do if they were really inexpensive. I would probably have a population explosion then have to have a major cull before they completely filled my house. Really though I feel at 16 that I have more than enough now. I do not really want to get anymore as I feel it's to hard to concentrate on those I already have. I feel the same about my ot dolls and had to recently cull them back to 16 as well but think I need to let go of a few more.

 

This.
I think there's a part of me that likes the excitement of saving up for something special, or working hard and carefully choosing which doll I'm going to get. It's more exciting for me! I wouldn't love my dolls any less if the prices suddenly decreased, but there would be a part of the hobby that I'd really miss if BJD suddenly became really inexpensive.

 

A cheaper price would just make this process go faster for me. I don't appreciate a high price, which turns me off some of the higher end companies. Spirit Doll is my high end limit, and it's about $100 more than the cheapest (of MSDs), to give you an idea. And everyone is always complaining about the second hand market being slow, but honestly I see more people with wishlists than ads for dolls for sale. Just my opinion though (via Tumblr and Facebook, so maybe I'm a bit biased). People expect crazy high prices for dolls that are a few years old and are used.

 

I feel the same way. It takes some careful thought and consideration for me to bring home a BJD. If they were cheaper, I don't think it would be as special since I could buy so many more of them.

 

Price doesn't make me love them more or less. It only matters because I have to worry about the cost of these things and don't have endless money around to buy them.

I wouldn't buy more or less, if cost was less, though. There's only so many dolls I like, only so much space in my house, etc. I have too many dolls (and other things) already. If there was a super-sale on all things bjd, I'd be happy to pick up some items, but I wouldn't go crazy since I have no need of all that stuff and no place to put them!

 

I'd be in trouble lol. I'm running out of space fast as I collect a range of dolls not just Ball Jointed dolls and I can honestly say that I have many non-BJD's that I genuinely like just as much as my BJD's. I don't purchase BJD's just because they are pricey, I simply lurve their sculpts. The fact that they are more customisable and are good at posing is just a bonus. I think the fact that they are expensive is a good thing for me as it restricts how many I can purchase in a year and makes me prioritise which dolls to buy as space is of a premium. I wouldn't want my doll collecting to get out of control. The collection I have now has been gradually growing for the past 16 years, and money definately is a factor as to why it isn't much bigger than it is hee hee!

 

Cheaper dolls? I don't know what I would do with myself, to be honest. I would have bought four in the past week if that was the case.

 

I don't think I would buy more. I'm the type of person that likes to keep it simple. One or two. Three at most. (I say this now, I'll probably laugh about it later).

Honestly, if they were cheaper, the hobby would be a lot less daunting to enter since you wouldn't have to fear messing up your expensive doll, so lots of modding could be done without much consequences since you could probably afford another one. However, I do feel like if this was a cheaper hobby, the quality would drop significantly. These dolls are all hand made, so there is that OOAK sense you get with your dolls with all its flaws. Once they become machine manufactured, you don't get that feeling that it's as precious because no one's hard work went into sculpting or designing the doll.

Now getting clothes and accessories would be a lot easier if the hobby was cheaper and that's probably the only upside I really see to it.

 

It's so hard to imagine super cheap, quality BJDs... I think I'd still ease myself in slowly and maybe just get one or two just because they take up so much space. It'd be a lot easier to get my friends into it if it wasn't so expensive though, so I think it'd be a lot more fun!

 

If they were cheaper, I'd buy so many that they'd start a city council for themselves. And I'd be able to build a garden cottage in the back with Dearmine boxes.

An entire SHELF of Picasso Beans? Yessssssssss.

 

My first thought was...oh god, I'd have a million. But I'm not sure that's true, actually! There's something special about their rarity, I guess. I don't want to say I like that not everyone has them because that sounds so elitist and silly, but I like that their cost makes me focus on one at a time, on getting just the right one, on making them special. Some of my OT dolls are less expensive but still above Barbie prices and there is a difference in how I think of them.

 

If they were less expensive, I'd have an army of little centaurs.

 

I'm a doll-hoarder as is, so cheaper dolls would definitely have me smothered under resin!

 

I think everyone would buy more dolls if they cost less. Then they would buy even more...which would mean they have less money...so maybe you'd just have more dolls and the same amount of money?

 

Honestly, I think if the quality were the same and the price were lower, I might even have fewer dolls than I do now because I'd be able to sell some of the ones I can't get rid of at the moment. As for buying them, I don't think I"d buy any more or any different dolls than I currently have.

 

Maybe I would get a few more but I'd keep it to a limit where I can give every doll the same amount of attention.

 

Ohh Gosh! I would have filled all my rooms, the attic, the garage and my car with dolls!

 

If they were cheap I'd already have one. I don't think i'd get tons of dolls because I have no space, but I'd get a ridiculous amount of clothes for them.

 

I'm going to quote this response, because I feel like it's a good one. Honestly, I think this wouldn't be the same hobby if you changed how it worked. I think there's a whole process here, and that's a big part of the appeal.

Browsing endless sculpts, knowing that you can't have them all, and you need to pick the sculpts you want-- need to research the one, need to think about the one, need to save for the one... IMO, the thinking, saving, and pining is part of the hobby, and it makes actually getting the doll so much better.

If BJDs were cheap and readily-available, you'd lose that process, I think. Don't get me wrong: I like BJDs because of what they are, not because of the price or rarity or whatever. But I think it's because of their price and rarity that I put a lot of thought and love into what I do buy, and that makes everything a bit more special.

EDIT: Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, the cost of this hobby influenced the entire way that I approached it.
I've loved many sculpts over the years. If I could have, then I probably would have gotten them all, and not been strongly attached to any of them.
Because I couldn't do that, however, I lurked this hobby for years before buying even a single doll.
The one that I finally bought is a bit non-standard, and I bought her as an ongoing project doll.
One doll with many hats-- that's the total opposite of having tons of dolls with one hat each (or maybe no hats at all!)

 

Oh, I'm sure I would-- it would free me up to spend more on building doll habitats and building up wardrobes, I guess. And building entire families. I mean... I love all the comparatively cheap toys that I collect and am invested in those hobbies-- the only reason I don't spend more on them is that I occasionally try to save up for one of the big resin ones, after all (and vice versa, I suppose). I was just born to be a toy collector. Runs in my family.

BJDs would still be special because of the degree of customization, as well.

 

This question has really made me think...and I have to admit that, if everything about the dolls stayed the same except the price (or if I suddenly became a millionaire and money was no object) I don't think I'd have many more than I do now. It's not the price that stops me from getting a doll, it's the rarity (the sculpt was sold out before I ever saw it) and the emotional connection (I have to really fall in love with a doll, and it doesn't happen that often.)

I just glance over at my Barbies -- those are cheap, and lovely, and for all of my years of collecting toys, I only have four of them. They have to be special to make their way into my hands and stay with me. Or my American Girls, ditto. I'm reminded that I was never as much of a fan of these dolls as I was of their "stuff" -- the clothes, the accessories, the houses/horses/cars/furniture, those are the things I loved.

With BJDs, it's almost the same. I actually love these dolls more for themselves, and they are all unique, but I don't see how I could let more into my life even if they were cheap.

Now, I will admit that I would go bonkers if eyes/wigs/clothes/accessories for BJDs were cheap! I'd have so much stuff for the dolls, I'd never find the dolls themselves underneath all the piles of their "stuff"!

 

There are certain dolls that i would love to own but never will because they are so expensive, i would like those to be less expensive so i can have one lol

 

I think I would probably buy a lot more dolls as art/furniture pieces - like having one permanently sitting on the living room sofa, one always at the dining room table, etc.
But the ones that are special to me would still stay special, and comfortably stay upstairs in my room. If the price of the dolls on my wishlist were lower, it wouldn't make them any less desirable to me, but if the sculpts I'm not crazy about were cheaper, then I would probably end up owning them despite not liking them as much as others, just because I think most BJDs are incredibly beautiful (so many faceup and posing posibilities!) and I would love to surround my home with many more of them!

 

I have always loved dolls - all of them I think!! I have some that were very inexpensive and I have some that were expensive. To me - I would have a lot of them either way. I really do love some that cost less. I am more careful in handling them as their cost rises.

 

I'd probley have a room filled with them , I'm so new to the hobby and always hunt legit good deals on ebay , it's like i have this itch to always find one I don't think I'm bonding anymore , its more like an obsession I think It's just a month since i have my first doll and now I have around 8..