Impulse Buying: The way of the bjd world X3

Sometimes I come across small things when I'm browsing eBay or the Marketplace... outfits, wigs, eyes or props... that I think would suit one of the crew, and those I'll buy without a lot of planning or hesitation, but I'm just not so impulsive when it comes more expensive items, like the dolls themselves. Even though I have a very large collection at this point, I can pretty much count on one hand the number of times I've impulse-bought a potential member of my crew.

That said, the few "impulse dolls" that I have purchased almost all worked out. The only one I can think of off-hand who didn't was an Angell Studio Gabriel, and I sold her on almost immediately after she arrived from the company.

I think that if you can keep a good handle on your finances over-all *and* you have a very good sense of what "works" for you and your collection and what doesn't, buying on impulse isn't necessarily a Bad Thing. Sometimes you have to move fast to get a rare or limited item, or to take advantage of a good deal... Just don't over-do it.

 

Of course I impulse buy!
Let's seeing, looking at my shelf, how many of them were impulse buys? 5/7 xD
However, I still took time to think to myself, "Do I REALLY like/want this doll?"

On the other hand, some of my previous impulse buys I ended up selling. :/
Even right now, there is a doll who I am about to impulse buy.. I had no plans to buy her originally, she's never even been on my wishlist, but the deal is too good to pass up. And I'm just trying to decide, Will I really be happy with her? Or am I just getting her because she's a good deal?

 

Ohh yess, I'm guilty, I'm really an impulse buyer actually, mostly when I'm looking at Fairyland dolls ...

 

My Katie (Island Amy) was an impulse buy. Was originally going to get a IMPLDoll Model body, then saw Katie at the same price as the body. With only a little push, she was paid for within half an hour. I adore her, and don't regret it at all

 

I'm very much an impulse buyer! HOWEVER I am slowly breaking this habit by convincing myself that I will look at it again in X amount of time and decide if I still want it as badly.

Turns out I do really want one! Haha. Just waiting for my 25 days to be over so I can head to the market place to look around and see whats out there!

 

I just did this. I impulse bought a doll from mp today (even tho i already put in an order with luts ><) for similar reasons. I always admired this particular doll but the thought of actually owning it never occurred to me until now!

 

Just a few hours ago, I was very tempted to buy a doll that I saw in passing. It wasn't my grail doll, and it wasn't on my wishlist either. I had no reason to buy it other than the fact that it was pretty and I had just barely enough money for it. I'm wondering if anyone else ever gets the sudden urge to buy one for no reason other than it's pretty. Did you actually do it? Did you regret it?

 

Ive done this many times , sometimes I have regretted my purchases and sometimes not. It is a dangerous game which I think can happen alot in this hobby. Its also fun though even if it hurts the bank account .

 

I know this feeling well! I don't often get it for dolls because they're expensive, but I do get it for clothes and accessories. I have a lot of impulse bought clothes.

 

I completely agree MissKittyTwisted!

Very dangerous for the bank account! I find that if I see a doll that I like I will usually find more photos and pretty soon be desperate to purchase it even though I probably didn't even know the doll existed 5 minutes ago I have vey rarely regretted impulse purchases this way but it definitely does happen.

 

It's funny this question was posted, because I was literally going to ask the exact same question! I do that all the time, I have a wishlist of what dolls I want, and then I have the impulse, for example, I went on the ringdoll website, and for no other reason than I wanted it, I wanted the warren doll and the jack the ripper doll. I was sitting here trying to figure out how I was going to beable to swing it, with my first doll being on layaway, it was impossible, and i'm sad to see them go, but it's funny because whenever I see something new and exciting, or even intriguing in the least bit, i'm looking at it and i'm like, I want that. no questions asked. lol my bank account usually tells me to calm the heck down when i'm situations like this, though! Barely! I'd hate to be a millionare, because i'd impulse buy on every little thing i've laid my eyes on.. which would really suck.. lol I wonder if there's anyway to actually stop the impulse? It's defiently hard, and i've fallen into a few things myself, buying it, and then really regretting it later.. but then when I go to sell it.. I can't part with it .. lol I know that seems weird but that's usually how it happens, does anybody else buy it on impulse, like it, but its not amazing.. then still not willing to part with it after you got it ?

 

Fox, my DZ Mo B SD was definitely an impulse buy. There I was casually browsing the in stock items of my local dealer and suddenly I had a new floating head sat on my desk. The same thing happened when I was on Junkyspot and now an Obitsu Gretel is on her way to my house. I suspect looking at something for too long causes it to mysteriously appear in front of me.

 

8blkpaws the Ringdoll guys are available until Spring so you may be able to get them. I love Jack, he is an awesome sculpt - and those clothes!
I rarely impulse buy as I angst over everything. I impulse fall in love with sculpts then I wait until the last moment and decide that I can live without them I have bought and regretted it though, and sold on a few dolls for that reason - so even when you plan it doesn't necessarily mean you won't still regret it.

 

Yes, everytime a new month begins and I have a bank account full of money I am very tempted to buy a whole lot of stuff on a heartbeat. I have a few impulse buy dolls sitting around and I love them all. No regrets here

 

I believe a lot of us are subject to that. I mean, I just ordered a doll 1 hour ago because the preoder was closing.
I think limited orders plays a great deal in the fact we get the impulse to buy NOW.

 

Just done it for the first time. ^^'
Feels kinda strange a frew days later, but I have to wait till she arrives, so I know if it was a stupid idea or not.
I think sometimes impulse buying can turn out to be the best thing you ever did, instead of thinking things over and over and probably miss out on something.
(At least thats a problem with me xD...I think it over too long and regret it later not to got the deal)

 

l do this a lot lol l like buying stuff for my girls.

 

I try not to make impulse buys with dolls, but it happens sometimes. Thankfully most of the time things work out for the best.

 

My Peroth was the only impulse buy I ever did. When I saw his pictures I knew I just HAD to have him, so I bought him and I have never regretted it since.

Sometimes you just know when you're dealing with the 'right' doll.

 

I impulse bought a doll and as she hasn't arrived yet I'm not sure if I will regret buying her. I hope not.

 

It happens to all of us. I bought a pukipuki Piki last year for the heck of it. I'm trying to sell it now, and I didn't have a character, or diorama planned for it. It's super cute, but I could've totally spent that money on doll clothes

 

I don't buy full dolls on impulse very often because of the price, but I have done it a couple of times and it worked out pretty well... I've ended up with a few Floating Heads that way, too.

The one thing that I *do* find myself buying impulsively fairly often, though, are eyes. I am an absolute eyeball FIEND. I have dozens of spare pairs at this point, bought just because I thought they were pretty and "I might use that color someday". It's ridiculous.

 

I did several impulse purchases this month, one not as bad as the others but I still did it. I don't feel like I will regret any of them, one has the potential to be a regret purchase but if that happens I will just have to put that dollie up on the market one day. My views are... regret your purchase? There may be someone wishing to purchase your impulse buy off of you and maybe... just maybe you are the middle man for someone getting something they really want ~

 

I bought a doll on impulse earlier this year (was on sale), ended up selling her. Sculpt was all wrong for the character I thought she would fit especially in profile and then her head seemed way too big to fit in with what would be her brother. Also wasn't a fan of the body...

I learned that I need to really think about a doll beforehand even if it's "ON SALE!!!!"

 

I have had the urge many, MANY times. The only time I didn't stop myself was for a floating head at a doll show. I thought she was cute and figured I'd get a body for her one day, but now I can't figure out why I got her. She wasn't on my wish list, and at the time I hadn't even heard of the sculpt before. I only paid $35 for her, so I have been using her for face-up practice, but I wish I'd spent that money on a wig or some eyes instead.

 

Yes I made the mistake of getting caught up in a buy one get one free sale.. & I was not 100% into them. So I try to make sure the doll(s) are something I really want, but I've had to fight temptation many times.

However recently I've been sick to my stomach over the Lottery that was put on the Volks Inc site for fans outside of Japan. There were so many dolls, & the SDG & YOSD that I wanted and could have had if I just bought dolls and did not pay any of my bills. However being foolish does not sit well with me.

I think it was beyond cool that they listed the lottery for fans that would never have a chance at visiting their Dolpas over in Japan.. but a little advance warning would have been nice

Which brings me back to the idea that I really need to have a Dolly fund !!

 

That lottery freaked me out too. I ended up entering for Melty, Asuna, Chloe, and an outfit. I don't think I know what I'd do if I won all of them. But as it turns out, the chance of winning was really very low. I didn't win any of them, and not too many people over at the DD forum won either.

As for impulse buying dolls; I was really bad about that for a while. I'm definitely better now, though. I really look at the sculpt and decide if I really truly feel like I need it in my collection. Some are just instant have to have though because I've been wanting it forever.

I came across two iMda 3.0 Gian's, and I think I bought those dolls within 5 minutes of her posting the thread, lol. I've got them home now, and I don't regret them at all. I have a special love for iMda dolls, and I've already got exciting things planned for those two.

But it doesn't always work out. Limiteds and the threat of discontinuation lights a fire under my bum, though. I just really hate feeling regret, and I'd rather get a doll, so I have it, and then if I doesn't end up working for me, I sell it, then not ever have it at all and always wonder if it would have worked out.

 

At my age there have been a lot of impulses over the years. It seems to be more regrets over impulses I couldn't or didn't buy, than for the ones I gave in on. This has carried right over to the BJD's. None of the dolls I have are NOT impulsive buys and I love them all.

 

I think as collectors in general, everyone has once or twice had an impulse buy. Especially when you attend doll conventions and everyone there is just like you and you get caught up in the moment. I have had many impulse buys, but have been getting much better. The way I look at it is this:

If I see a doll, and then continuously think about it, that's a definite buy.

If I see a doll, like it, but have to ask myself, do I really want it, or need it...that's a sign for me not to purchase it.

When I see a doll and instantly fall in love, that's also a quick and definite buy.

I try to live by these rules and have found it works for me. I hope my information can help other collectors out.

 

Just did this, in fact. Bought a Ryoma Sakamoto head over at Mandarake for a price that could have bought me a full doll. He's here right now - arrived yesterday - and once I've wrapped my mind around the fact that I'm now actually owning a Volks Limited head (and one of the really expensive ones), I'll let you know whether I regret getting him or not. *gg*

Most likely answer: No, I don't think I'll regret it since I really, really like the sculpt and though I had no plans whatsoever of even trying to get him, he is something like a grail doll for me.

 

I've done it before, but only after fitting it into the story, which barely takes a couple hours for me LOL! I never regretted it, I'm actually much more excited about those dolls rather than the ones I put in my wishlist and they sit there till I decide to buy them >_< Because the "omg new dolly in the plans" excitement dies out the longer they wait in the wishlist...

 

Hmm...

I do impulse by a lot, sometimes the dolls arent on my wishlist but they fit into my story somehow. ^.^

 

My first BJD in over 2 years was an impulse buy. I saw her on Ebay & fell in love. I almost never buy impulse dolls anymore because it got me into financial troubles. Now I'm very particular about what dolls I buy. They may be dolls I just saw then did some research on them before I buy.

 

I try not to impulse buy...

But buying because something is pretty is as good a reason as any, I think! I buy all my dolls because I like how they look!!!

Not everyone is planning on certain characters or whatever!!!!

BUT... Impulse buying is not usually a good thing. No matter what your reasons for buying a doll, it's best to really think hard and long about it. Even if you have unlimited funds. Casual, careless buying is not a good thing. It's OK for people selling the dolls, but for the buyer, they are just buying on a whim and it's likely the whim will change and then they have lots of stuff sitting about that they don't care about. Sure they can sell them, but people following whims maybe don't have the desire to put in that sort of energy, since they didn't when it came to buying the dolls (or whatever it is) in the first place. It sort of borders on compulsive shopping/buying problems.

On the other hand... impulse buying might just be how some people go about buying stuff, and it's basically their choice. They are free to do so if they wish, and that's great!

I wish to be impulsive, but I know I shouldn't do that, so I try and reign that in a little. It doesn't always work, but I try! (because it is NOT a good thing for me!)

 

I have a bad tendency to want things more when they are limited. I have basic dolls I have put off for years simply because limited ones keep coming along that I like, so I end up buying them instead of dolls that have been on my wishlist for a long time.

Even when limiteds I like do come along, I usually wait until the end of the ordering period to make sure I really do want them and it is not going to be a purchase I regret.

I did rather impulsively buy a Maska Ghost Knight recently... I really wanted and Elf Maska girl originally, but I am over run with girls, and I was afraid of missing out on getting the sculpt. I hope I end up being able to bond with him when he gets here. He really is the closest thing to an impulse buy I have done.

 

Tonboko is right... I have a tendency also to want things when they're limited case that just happened to me months ago and I don't regret a single thing I love him to bits!

 

Yep, I have definitely gotten a doll or two on impulse. I have to admit that it has messed with my over all "collection" plans. I wanted to keep a small collection of maybe 6 because I like the bigger dolls and max at 8. But I'm already at 8 and I still don't have some wishlist dolls that I wanted to collect. But otherwise I don't see anything wrong with buying a doll just because it's pretty, we are doll collectors and have different criteria for what defines our collection or motivates us to buy.

 

I do get this feeling every now and then, very rarely for dolls but pretty often for their clothes
it usually passes though since I stop myself from actually buying the item(s)

however, if I felt the impulse to buy an item, stopped myself from buying it and several weeks/months later still find myself looking at it I'll usually go ahead an get it since I've given myself the time to really think about it

 

I sort of adopted DOD Homme Ivan from someone on impulse because I have always loved DOD... And I don't regret it because I'm in love with him. Hahaha~ However, I nearly bought another doll on impulse because I was just... "GJHSIUG LOOK AT HIS WIIIIINGS!!!" He is a BBB/RS dragon boy and I love him but I stopped myself because I'm hoping Doll Chateau will have an event sometime soon (and hopefully offer a wonderful ADA as I missed the other one and is upset)... Doll Chateau is one of my favorite companies so I was about to stop myself... Though I'm not sure what will happen once I actually get a DC doll. >_<;;; (there goes my wallet)

 

I do this with doll sized patterns. Even though I don't sew that well. I don't have the finances to be impulsive about much else. Although I got my DIM Alana a bit impulsively when I saw the Honey (mature tiny) line was selling out. I already knew I wanted her and was given a reason to pounce.

 

There's not a doubt in my mind that, if I were more financially graced, I'd be swimming in dolls. I impuse bought my two Yo-SD's and I just blew $150 (as in twenty-odd minutes ago, whilst on my lunch break) on a layaway for a new SD, which leaves me with just about $60 to live on for the next week. Ooops...

It's been so many years for my doll obsession to evolve into something tangible (much to my partner's chagrin!) so I'm sort of going nuts at the moment. I will throw my life savings at a PukiPuki Pukisha at this point. No joke. I have a mighty need.

 

I'm luckily not too much of an impulse shopper. I do have a strong sense of what I like (which means, with LE releases, I do occasionally go from "don't need any dolls right now..." to "MUST HAVE" very quickly), but I always wait until the very last minute to order to be sure I'm certain I want it. And I've never brought home a doll and regretted it, so I'm doing alright on that score

I do occasionally have impulses when it comes to wigs. For example, Leeke are having their Winter Event at the moment, and I know I want a mystery black and a real red wig... I just don't know which styles yet So it's less 'that wig would be perfect' (which I don't count as 'impulse buying'), and more 'I bet a wig in that colour could be perfect (which I do count as 'impulse buying').

 

I impulse bought a doll and I don't regret a thing, I loved her as soon as I opened the box.

 

I have the outfit and wig for a male character I want, but not the doll yet. The outfit was perfect for the character I have in mind. I may have found the perfect sculpt now, so once I buy him he'll already be halfway complete

 

Yeah... Junky Spot is having their black friday sales now and the two dolls I really want are for sale and with shipping, it would be no more than $230 dollars for dolls with faceups and eyes and one with a wig. To me, that's crazy insane and although I have the money, I'm afraid of what my grandmother will think because all the money I have is from school scholarships and work study. But, I think I'll get them anyway.

 

I plan all of my purchases yonks in advance because I know how much I'd worry about it being a mistake/waste of money/whatever and adding that stress just isn't worth it for me. I know what doll I'm getting next and I won't be getting her for over a year, I know how much I need to save. I know the wigs I need for Cato and Sophia and Sophia's eyes and outfits for both.

Besides that I can never afford to impulse buy anyway, I have to specifically set the money aside for things I want ahead of time.

 

My latest impulse buy was just two weeks ago when I bought two Soom x-mas kits on layaway although I don't really have the money. I don't regret it at all and I will love them to pieces

 

I do enjoy an impulse buy. I actually put a Littlefee Ante on hold (second hand) last week. Ante is my all time favourite sculpt and this actual faceplate is the winking face which was an event head a while ago. I couldn't say no!

 

Yes, definitely! I try to cut my buying by reasoning with myself that if I could easily make a similar outfit, I shouldn't make the purchase. But something like shoes I have to really restrain myself from the impulse buy XD

 

I would impulse buy a lot of things but I have budgeted my purchases for doll stuff. I put a small portion of the money I earn into what I call my dollie funds. Whatever is in my dollie fund is what I can use for dolls.

 

Not so much with the actual dolls. I usually do plan for it when it comes to the resin itself, though of course there's a certain element of availability that does affect when I buy something. I mean I can be looking for months for something, say a certain head or whatever and seeing dozens of them but not actually buying till I see the one I can afford. If I have plans to get something else first sometimes I end up skipping that original thing for a while just so I can grab a bargain when it's available, not doing things on my own schedule necessarily. When I do see it I totally jump on it, sometimes even though it's not very convenient.

Right now I am almost done paying off a RS Dai doll that I've always wanted. She has been my girl grail for a long time. I planned on getting her, but not when I actually did and I was thinking of making a hybrid of her actually to save some $$$. I was planning on getting the head first and a body later but not till later this year actually. I had a grail boy project in mind to buy first, and I was actually looking at two different heads, trying to find one or the other used, with the thought of that project in mind. But I was having trouble finding one at a decent price that fit my budget and the Dai popped up in the market and I just went for her instead. As it turned out while I found her first a week or so later I finally saw the boy head I really wanted. The timing was just nuts with me already paying on my Dai, but it was a nice deal. So I ended up paying two lay-a-ways instead of the one I'd normally do. That is not something I planned at all and it has really stretched my budget doing it. But these two, they were the dolls I wanted the most of all the BJDs I've ever seen, my grail dolls, and I just thought about it and decided it was worth it. But normally I'd never do that, try to do two lay-a-ways at the same time.

If I have one BJD thing so far that I can consider a true impulse buy thing it's been wigs. I apparently do have a big fetish for cool colored BJD wigs. I don't buy the most expensive ones. I always look for them under $15 but so far I have more SD sized wigs than I have SD sized BJD's to wear them. My Dai is going to be totally spoiled. She already has a choice of about 4 wigs at this point when she gets here. (She also has a nice pair of real BJD shoes and two simple outfits I've already made for her.) She's got two different red wigs, an orange red Trix Monique wig and the gorgeous phoenix rainbow one from Happy Camille, one pastel rainbow one that I think is maybe a Luts, and a Monique pink and blond rocker one. Which one she'll end up in is anyone's guess at this point but for a doll that I don't even have yet she's got quite a wardrobe! My other dolls who don't, they're totally jealous, lol. They do have wigs and eyes at this point but not much else. I think I might get that way about shoes and clothes too except they're so dear. Most real BJD shoes and clothes just don't fit at all into my budget, so that usually kind of curbs my enthusiasm for splurging there, shrug.

 

If I had the means to act on my impulses I totally would. There was a doll I saw last year I would have bought on impulse but as I had just bought one only a few months before I had to let her go.

 

Nah, I'm not an impulsive person. I like to think things over before I get them, even if it's just a five dollar t-shirt, much less an expensive doll.

 

Since I got my first bjd, about a year ago, impulse buying has become a huge problem for me. After I got my first I bought four dolls within a year on impulse. I buy more dolls for my money than things for the dolls I have. I still have that problem only I think a lot about it before I go ahead an buy a new doll. I have to learn to say no to myself and work on the dolls a already have.

 

I tend to be a bit of an impulse shopper sometimes. For me what usually happens is I'll tell my self "no no no" over and over again until I finally give in and buy all the things. But every once and a while something will pop up and I will click that "buy" button before I even have a chance to think about it. My Caramel Ringo was one such purchase... He was definitely not planned.

I'm usually pretty good though. There are 2 dolls that I just saw last week and desperately want to buy RIGHT NOW but I'm holding off. I've got too many other things to spend money on right now...

 

The only doll I ever bought on impulse was a LTF Leah. The fullset had just been released and I happened to stumble upon it on the FL website.
I had never had a Yo sized doll before, and I had just gotten paid, so I thought wth I'll just get her
She turned up and was as adorable as expected sadly she still hasn't told me her name...

Another situation was when a KDF Ani elf went up on the MP. I had been wanting one for ever as she's one of my favourite molds, and the elf version had been sold out ages before I even discovered her. So she'd been on my wishlist for years without me actually actively looking for her, I just kept thinking I'll get the normal version later.
But there she was, at a great price on the MP, and it took me all of 5 minutes to double check finances to make sure I had enough for food and bills and pounce. She's been with me ever since and that was my luckiest buy so far

 

I tend to first look for a doll, then fall madly in love with a doll, save and pine for this doll for days/weeks/months, and then when im finally about to order/pay, i see another doll for a split second and buy that one instead. and then question what the heck just happened. but i do impulse buy/get a lot of fabrics and wig making things etc for dolls i dont have yet or even planned for yet, and then i make this entire character in the aisle of wal mart like omg i have to do this.

 

I bought my second doll last weekend, eight months after getting my first doll. And then I told myself, "you need to wait at least six months before buying the next doll!"


Yeah, that lasted a little over a week. I just started layaway on two more, because OMG Doll Chateau re-releasing Ada! And Russel is cute too! And I can buy them together!

 

Being broke isn't a good thing but it does keep me form random impulse buys when it comes to bjds which I guess is a good thing. I totally understand the compulsion though. I obsessively "window shop" online all the time. And when you are waiting forever for your doll to arrive nothing fills the void like buying another doll or some other cool thing . But I doubt I would ever buy a doll I wasn't planning on already on impulse even if I could afford it. Mostly because I already have a bunch of dolls on my list that I want first. I guess if there was an amazing sale that was only for a short time I'd be tempted.

 

Mostly I'm too much of a cautious person to buy things on impulse. I usually worry that it will be a waste, or I won't like it, etc... so I do lots of research before I buy anything. I am purchasing a head on impulse at the moment though. But that's because it had been on my lit, and the sculpt is being discontinued and is on sale right now. I blame layaways xD They make easy to justify another purchase