Poll: How picky are you???

At the moment I don't buy just watch and admire I already have too many to add to them and I'm also short on money still I like to fave/bookmark pages so that I can rewatch and admire , I always wanted to do that with bjd's and other dolls when I bought my furgas I had faved/saved as bookmark every furga there was on ebay/amazon etc more than 60sale pages just to get 3 dolls so that is my vibe I may buy more or very little or none at all but I want to know what there is.
I also do the same when I want to sell , I save/mark/fave pages of similar sales by the loads to know if they will sell how fast and in what price so that I be wiser with my listings

 

While I do window shop when bored, I like having a list of who I like and use that as a guideline for hunting and planning. I currently have a bit of a list as is but it’s technically longer than what it looks like as I haven’t found the all the right dolls for what I plan for some characters ^^

 

I think there's a part of me that loves planning dolls more than the dolls themselves, lol. I will plan dolls down to the accessories I want for them (even if it's a full wardrobe), and most of the time I wind up not buying them. There are a few that manage to get onto my list of future dolls, and when that happens there's a likelier chance they'll get bought. I am also much pickier with sculpts and what I buy, so I can cut down on spending a little bit that way.

But I also fall to impulse buying, especially when I have the money to do so. Right now I've only got 3 dolls on my list, and I'm really going to try hard to stick to it when my No Buy ends.

 

I’ve always wanted a doll for the last ten years or so, and now that I’m more financially secure I was able to find my first doll and patiently waiting for her. I had told myself this was going to be a one time thing but now I feel like I’m just mesmerized by all the beautiful dolls and want them all !!

 

Pickiness is a spectrum for me - I am not super picky about sculpts, but I'm very picky about waiting times and prices. I also don't mind less poseability or a bad resin match but I am picky about posture and body size/proportions. I tend to enjoy older dolls so new releases don't really rope me in that easily any more thankfully - there's just too much choice there for my little brain anyway and I don't like having too many options to pick from

 

I do window shop and buy the ones I like but I am picky about the ones I like. For example.

- I don't like miserable-looking sculpts (smiley sculpts, or at the very least, "neutral" expressions, are the ones I go for)
- almost all of my dolls (even the 1/3 size ones) are children or young teens rather than late teens or adults ( hard to do in 1/3 scale at times - plenty of childlike faces, bit so many childlike bodies).
- As a result of the point above, many of them are hybrids, so both heads and bodies can be right.


Teddy

 

I want to say that I'm a planner, but the truth is that my most beloved dolls have been impulse purchases, while the ones I planned for have been left more or less untouched in comparison I guess there is something to love at first sight when it comes to a sculpt.

as for the second question... I was probably a lot pickier when I first came into this hobby 14ish years ago, however the style these days tend to trend more towards sculpts I prefer, which means window shopping has become risky compared to how it used to be back in the day

 

There tends to be an initial gut reaction to stuff I like. I can however spend months deciding if I just enjoy seeing the thing or actually want to posses it. I don't like clutter and am not a collector for collecting sake, so I tend to be very picky about what I ultimately purchase. I can also mull over specifics to a near obsessive amount. Like I spent 6 months trying to decide between 2 resin colors before making a decision on my most recent doll...

 

It's a little bit "I spend months looking for my next doll" and "I only look for dolls when I'm ready to purchase" because I only have a few characters I want to have as dolls, and I'm very picky about what sculpts to use for them. If I don't have a character I want to have as a doll, then I might look at dolls for fun, but there's not really any stakes in it, because I don't feel the need to buy one, and can just look at the pictures to admire them.
And I guess I've gotten pickier, because I only buy a doll if I have an idea for it now, after my first one sat around blank for 3 years before I sold her, simply because i didn't have a character for her and thus couldn't decide how to customize her. So only buying for a specific, already existing character is partly in reaction to that

 

I am open to impulse buys but I do plan my major dolls very carefully. Once in a while I'm just looking and something about a doll will grab me. Most of the time though I'm carefully plotting everything.

 

I'm absolutely a constant window shopper who impulse buys about half the dolls I like. My collection has gotten big enough I'm going to need to either make and stick some new rules or get more space.

 

It takes me forever to decide and then I end up buying a different doll

 

My cope is that impulse purchases are better since I’m instantly in love with no regrets purchasing them impulsively

 

I certainly went through phases throughout the years!
In the beginning, like the first two years, I would very much actively look and seek out dolls I could potentially buy. With some, very vague, plans as for what I am looking for. Thankfully I was very low on cash during that time, and 99% of my plans never came to be. Which is good, because there would have been a lot of impulse buys or simply dolls bought I know would later not be my style anymore.

Once I had a specific plan for my collection (i.e. I needed certain OCs shelled), I would actively keep my eyes peeled for any new releases that could fit the characters I had in mind. I would nearly never buy anything outside from these plans, no matter how much I liked a lot of releases. When a fitting doll would pop up, I'd buy it. I did have some projects that I started but then abandoned though, which usually meant buying a head and then later admitting to myself I will never turn this into a full, finished doll anyway. Often times it failed because I couldn't find the right seamstress/wig maker etc. to tackle this project, or it was a head that simply refused to be hybrided with anything.
Oh, I also never checked the second-hand markets regularly for something "interesting". Most of my years I was waiting for THE doll to be released that doesn't exist yet. In case of one character that took 14 years

Nowadays, with most of my desired characters shelled and a certain fatigue also very much setting in, I don't look for dolls to buy at all anymore. Most dolls that are being released nowadays are not my thing anyway, that makes it easier. I still have one character to shell, but otherwise I am content. I think to get me to buy a new doll, a release would really need to be absolutely groundbreaking OR get me as far as wanting to re-shell one of my current dolls. I did that several times in the past, but that meant I sold the old doll as well.

So I guess I went from an active window shopper to patiently waiting for the right doll to pop up to not really paying attention to what is going on anymore in the span of 16 years

 

Suuuper picky. whenever I decide I want to buy a new doll I have to spends months looking at different dolls to find the one I love most, then wait a couple of more months to see if I still love it as much as I did initally, and then maybe I'll buy it it's mostly just because I tend to lose interests in things rather quickly, so if I'm gonna spend that much money on something I need to make sure I really really want it, and that I'll still want it after all the months it will take to get to me

 

I'm a combination of a window shopper and a wishlist-er. I have some definitive dolls and/or doll parts on my wishlist that I buy accordingly once the funds become available. However, I also have a loose framework of characteristics I'm open to finding and will buy accordingly if something comes up that fits into that framework at the right time. This is usually how I end up accruing floating heads with plans to hybridize down the road.

It usually takes me several months before something firmly cements itself on my wishlist, though. I find whole dolls to be a bigger emotional (not to mention financial) commitment than just heads, so I have to sit on wanting a full doll for some months before it officially becomes a "to buy" item.

TL;DR: I'm picky about full dolls, but flexible with potential hybrids!

 

I’m more of a window shopper than anything although sometimes I’ll take a note of a particular doll or style that I like.

I do however have a couple of dolls I’m waiting for the rerelease of and one I’m kind of hoping to see made. They’re the only definites.

 

If I know a doll is not a limited run - aka it's always in stock/comes back in-stock frequently - then I tend to sit and think/plan.
If it has a very long ordering period and is limited, I still think on it. It's how I decided against some Volks Dollfie Dreams recently.
If it is a shorter ordering period, I still think about it! If a character comes to mind, if layaway is possible, if I constantly think about the doll, I buy it.
To me, those short order dolls are impulse buys. I didn't plan to make Elfquest dolls but then Fairyland Nuia showed up...so here we are!
Or, in the case of my Granado layaway, it's sort of impulse because her full set outfit sold out so I was worried she would sell out.
When a local doll dealer still had a store, I definitely bought some dolls that I got to see in person there without any planning.

But I don't actively shop for dolls. Yes, I get emails, and I check out the new sculpts, but I am picky about what kind of dolls I want to own. I really need to thin out my collection though - I am not enjoying it to it's full potential in all honesty.

 

With the exception of off-topics dolls, all my bjd are characters that I want to shell. I love looking at beautiful dolls, but if they don't match at least one of my characters (or a favorite video game character) then I don't buy them. Otherwise I'd be swimming in dolls.

 

I have a “master list” of dolls to be saving for, but I am always shopping and can easily get derailed by someone adorable for a good price!

 

When it comes to purchasing dolls, how picky are you about what doll you purchase?
I'm really, really picky. My dolls are characters first, so I keep scrolling through official websites and searching for that perfect face sculpt before making a decision. The process can take months by itself and even if the only sculpt that fits I find is discontinued / limited, I won't be discouraged and think about finding something else but will add it to the list of sculpts I need to haunt for.
An added difficulty level to the process happens when that sculpt comes with a body shape that doesn't fit the character, so then I'll have to find the perfect one to make an hybrid. I use an excel spreadsheet where I type in the measurements comparing different bodies that may fit to the head's original body to make sure it will fit. In that document I also keep the measurements of my other dolls that are supposed to be in the same scale / story line so I ensure the doll will look right next to the others.

Did you get more or less picky about buying the longer you have been in the hobby?
Of course, the more I knew about dolls (the vast amount of different sculpts that exist) and also about myself (my doll budget, my own tastes and ideas on where I wanted my collection to go), I became more picky.

 

I follow BJD news so I'm constantly encountering new dolls, and because many new dolls are preorder-type, I'm vulnerable to FOMO buying. I used to think I was quite head-oriented and deliberate about it, but when I studied my buying patterns, I'm actually quite led-by-the-heart. I can easily impulse-buy dolls (and have!) in the heat of the moment if I don't put some boundaries around myself.

So I impose pickiness on myself. It kicks in when my brain catches up with my heart, and reminds me of what truly satisfies me in the long-term, which is to have a doll collection that's harmonious, coherent, and has variety but is also not huge (my collection is in single digits currently, and I want to keep it this way). As the crew has grown, I've gotten more picky because every new doll has to fit in with the others, while also being distinctive and able to hold their own. I imagine that every prospective new doll has to go through an interview, where the interview panel is me + my entire crew. The panel gets more rigorous the more dolls come home, the hiring criteria bar of entry gets raised My own dolls help me decide whether to buy a new one.

I don't remember much about my newbie days, but back then I was compelled to be picky because I was new to the hobby and didn't really know what I wanted in my doll collection, and I had less disposable income. So I think I was a lot more deliberate/head-oriented in wishlisting and ranking dolls (which helped me figure out what I wanted), and took months to decide what to buy. Nowadays, I'm more confident of what I want from my collection, but I have more disposable income and am more vulnerable to the preorder FOMO cycle. I'm probably just as picky now as before, but for different reasons.

 

I window shop almost every single day and constantly check the secondhand market to see what's out there, but I usually do plan my purchases for a few weeks, sometimes months or even years. Impulse buys happen, but usually just if the price is very low, or it's something very rare that I've liked for awhile and never thought I could actually own,

 

I have a constant list of concepts and I'll sometimes buy them and sometimes don't, it's entirely up to my whims

 

I’ve been in this hobby a long time, yet from the very beginning I focused my collection entirely on character. I loved window-shopping for beautiful dolls…I always found it to be fun, relaxing, and a great way to learn. However I simply never allowed myself to buy without a specific character in mind, which naturally limited my purchases. So I’d say this method made me very picky indeed…I would wait until I literally “recognized” my character in a sculpt (and in fact I spent an entire decade looking for one character, and eight years in search of another.) But this is not to say I didn’t wind up with a large collection anyway. It turned out I absolutely loved creating characters!

 

I'm extremely picky nowadays. I have a list of old sculpts I'm looking for (mostly CP Delfs) and I search the secondhand market most days hoping I'll come across one that I can afford.

I've even become picky about which delfs I want in my collection. It used to be a case of "I'll take any I can find!" because they don't come up for sale very often, but now I'm only looking for type 1s, and only the particular sculpts I really want.

And lets not even get started on how picky I am about faceups...

 

I am starting to be more picky over time but in my first couple of years I was still finding my style. I now stick with what I know I like and occasionally try out something new.

 

I'm another one of those "been in this long enough to have gone through phases" people.

In the early days I had a wishlist and bought as I had the money in order to fit characters. But then over time I realized from going through dozens of dolls that there were facial features or body construction details that didn't suit me so now I window shop all the time but I'm very picky since I have experienced so much that doesn't work for me and I try not to make the same mistake twice.

I love looking at other people's art though. Even if I don't want to buy (or re-buy) something I will never get tired of looking at what other people are doing with their dolls.

And I have still been (er, am) victim of the odd impulse buy or two even with all that being said. If I can get myself to slow down and think then the picky details will talk me out of it. But sometimes I have to try something new (a new size, a new company, a new resin color) to learn my lesson.

 

Having the character first before buying the doll is what keeps my collection from ballooning out of control (even if I have more than enough moolah). The consequence of this practice is that it had made me *extremely* picky since I want the dorrie to match my character, even going as far as the hybrid/frankendoll route if it cannot be achieved with a full set .

 

I know exactly what I want. I have a wishlist. Unfortunately, some dolls are no longer available. Limited dolls are a pain...

 

I only buy second hand or in stock so I always have to keep an eye out! Planning is near impossible- I'll keep an eye out for certain dolls I've seen and really like, but mostly I just have to wait and have a look around. Not really much room to be picky unfortunately, but I do know not to buy less detailed sculpts. I'd originally thought I'd like that level of freedom, but in truth I prefer the sculpt to have personality then add to that even more.

 

A bit of a mixture- I window shop regularly, but I'm always waiting for the next set of Volks releases (or the next Online FCS period or the webstore holiday one-offs near Christmas) so I don't end up buying anything. There are a few dolls that I would consider buying immediately if they came up secondhand for a good price, but I haven't seen any lately. Some of the dolls in my current collection were impulse buys as the result of window shopping, though.

 

I'm extremely picky because all my dolls are characters from the novels I write and not every character gets a resin shell (which my wallet is wildly thankful for). But... that's also not to say that I haven't made some impulse purchases without knowing who someone is before they come home to me because I have. Out of my current 83 full dolls only 3 were unknown characters at the time of purchase. I also only collect mature males and I'm not really hung up on size although 50-ish cm is my current favourite and I don't want to go bigger than the 72cm boys I have (ideally I don't want any new dolls taller than 70cm at the most as that's a lot of doll to me).

I will generally spend months looking for the sculpt that is a certain character. And even when I find it, sometimes I'll spend further time figuring out if I really want to bring home a resin version of that character since I know I'll then need to begin the hunt for their partner (I cannot have unpaired dolls in-house), which can be another long and potentially frustrating search.

I have zero brand loyalty as the only thing that's important to me is if the sculpt (and body style) works for the character. I'm strongly drawn to the weird/odd and anything fantasy/interesting colours always gets my attention. I also have a major weakness for old school sculpts. I will frequently browse marketplaces because you never know what someone may decide to post one day and the pre-loved market is where probably half of my collection has come from. I don't care about fullsets as I'd be customizing the doll into my character so I'm not picky in that regard. I am, however, extremely picky about face-ups.

 

I really love making lists of desired dolls, clothes, wigs, eyes, etc! I can't really buy dolls whenever I want so I can feel pretty upset about about not being able to get a doll at times and making a list and planning doll outfits and other stuff brings me some satisfaction even if I can't have a doll I want at the time!

 

I have gone through phases myself.
When I started at the hobbie I used to buy more impulsively, but that made me get many dolls I wouldn't bound with.
After that, it happened to me that I would save a lot for a doll, but when I was about to purchase it, I would see another one I liked more and got that second one.
And then, after a lot of "failed" purchases, I became extremely picky.
I have never planned a character, so I guide myself by what I like and what I don't.
At this moment, most of the dolls I want are old molds that I left pass or that I owned and sold for different reasons, so they are not so easy to find. That keeps me controlled against impulsive buying

 

I'm super picky, I have to be! Dolls are so expensive! I have criteria such as how well I could display them, how well they'd go with other dolls, price, and whether I have/could easily get something like the doll.

 

I have a list of dolls that I want to save up for, so I usually stick to that list when purchasing a new doll. I check out new dolls that come out, but most of the time I won’t impulse buy dolls I see (unless they really speak to me or if they’re limited).

 

I mostly window shop for the heads and am picky for the bodies. I of course have heads/dolls I want a lot, so I do have a (short) list of future dolls, but as I like window shop, I quite often end with unplanned heads. These heads usually wait years for their bodies.

 

I have a short list of dolls I’m interested in, but if one of them comes up or something I like shows up, all bets are off and my wallet is running the gauntlet. I’ll usually wait until near the end of a limited sale time though, just to be sure I actually want them, or follow their making on instagram or what have you.
Fortunately, most of the ones on the list are rare or not particularly high priority.

 

I've definitely become more picky the longer I've been in the hobby. This is partly a function of having examples of more types of the dolls I'm interested in, and also honing in on what I want to collect. Now that I have more dolls, it's easier to ask "do I really need this? do I already have something like this in my collection"? Before the answer was no. Now, the answer is - maybe!

 

I'm a mix of the above. So, generally, I have a few grails that are now available even on the marketplace, but I either don't like the state they're in, or the price. Or generally, they're 'softcore grails', where I love looking up their pics online, but I don't feel like I need them unless I get a really good deal. So I'm looking for a deal on them.

But then, again, i literally have just purchased a secondhand body for one of the heads i'd had for sale and wasn't sure I really wanted to sell. So... I broke several of my promises (downsizing, no more boys, no bigger than 58cm, just no more dollz. period!) and here we are xD

Also, often when I needed something specific, e.g. a doll body (usually of alice's collections), I'd just go and buy it whenever they had an event. Either on the particular company's products, or generally, so I could grab some accessories.

So... I'm a mix, no specific strategy or pattern to it.

 

I'm a combination of the above answers. I have lists of Grail dolls that I'm always on the hunt for and save up and have those in a higher priority than standard dolls that are always available. I also have a list of dolls I wouldn't mind buying and could even buy if I wanted to right now, but I'm saving up and being financially reasonable. I also know my favorite doll company tends to sell dolls in cycles or in lotteries so I just wait until the opportunity arises and either purchase at that moment or hope I get a chance to buy if it is a lottery system. It really just depends on my situation at the moment, what dolls are available at the time, and how much I really want that particular doll.

 

I consider myself to be very picky when it comes to choose and purchasing BJDs. Most of my dolls were planned for months or even years before obtaining them.

I have been interested in BJD dolls since... late 2016 i think? But I haven't been able to afford the hobby financially until 2022. My second doll was my grail from 2016, a Minifee Rendia Full-set and I could finally afford her in 2022 via second hand/WTB posts.

I have also purchased some discontinued dolls that I had on my wishlist for years until I could finally find them. ^_^

 

i tend to make impulse buys i end up regretting later if i don't create a strict wishlist to go by. a clear wishlist also helps me envision dolls ready for some reason which helps me to get excited over the dolls and end up being happier with them

 

I do like window shopping, but have a wishlist to keep myself in check! Generally, I take my time to plan and contemplate for several months/years before purchasing a doll if said sculpt is not time limited or I know it will come back. When I take my time, I can avoid impulse buys and be more confident that the doll I am purchasing is one that I for sure want!

That being said, when a sculpt is time limited (but not limited in quantity) I will still think about it but usually reach a decision faster (ex: Ringdoll Hua Cheng).

If a doll is both time and quantity limited (ex: SOOM Idealian) I will not hesitate. This is a very special circumstance/exception since I have only one, maybe two, doll(s) I want from SOOM, which is Hyperon. Even still, I have been planning to buy a Hyperon for years for one of my OCs; I know he will come back, I just have to be patient and be prepared to purchase him when the time comes (I have money set aside specifically for him!)

As for being picky, I have always been picky! Since most of my dolls are my own already existing OCs, I seek the perfect sculpt for them, hence the window shopping but also extensive planning. It can take a very long time to find what I'm looking for, but I usually don't budge once I do unless the sculpt is forever discontinued.

 

I'm more interested in 1/3 dolls, so every purchase is an investment that needs thorough consideration, otherwise it's a lot of money thrown to the wind all at once.
That said, I am fortunately EXTREMELY picky. Everyone wants a beautiful doll with good poseability, but dolls that catch my particular eye are few and far between. I only have one Limited doll because my picky self have never found one that really enticed me.

With that said, I take months deciding whether I want a doll or not. The good thing is that me making impulse purchases are incredibly rare!

 

I am the impulsive buyer. Huge sucker for a deal on a secondhand or in-stock doll. Mandarake has me to thank for unloading quite a bit of their inventory.

Thanks to some wonderful folks over in Brigadoon, my impulsive spree is finally, finally starting to relent. I have so much envy for folks who have plans and characters they want to shell. I am a "ooh, pretty! -> buy" doll collector. Fortunately, this too is changing. I guess my tastes are starting to "mature" in the sense that I am figuring out what I want out of my collection, and I do have some characters I want my dolls to cosplay as - mostly Disney and DC Comics villains.

I say that, and then a company releases a new big girl, and sigh...

I say Iris (my off-topic monster) is my grail, and she is, but I'm still looking for that one perfect body (a bit obsessed with bodies). The body I'm still waiting for is a big girl body with the perfect combination of sculpting and posing. I will find it! One day...

 

Price is a huge factor for me, and even one impulse purchase as expensive as a BJD would throw my bank balance into disrepair.

That being said, I don't meticulously plan which doll I get next - I go by gut feeling, shortlist dolls I like, and keep an eye out for one of them on Mandarake and Dollyteria. They make their way home if/when I can afford it. That's how Sumi got here

 

I save my money in 2 different ways: What I have to save for the future and what I can spend for my hobbies. So I prefer to have a list of wich dolls I really want to have instead of buying everything I liked it as I made last 2 years. I think I'm more responsible atm than when I started the hobby.

 

I should sign this.

My "master list" is seemingly endless, tbh. And I can't get myself to shorten it.
When it comes to actually buying one of the BJDs (also eyes and wigs) on that list, though...
The process is meticulous:
1# - A certain amount of money has to be already saved up or I'm not even going to entertain the idea of buying something.
2# - Take a look at what's available from my list and for what price.
3# - Does one of the dolls on my "master list" happen to be...
a) - a discontinued sculpt that is currently available or available again for a short time?
b) - discontinued soon?
c) - on sale right now?
5# - Do I REALLY want this doll? Do I really NEED this doll? Have I looked at the blank sculpt? Owner pictures?
6# - Am I lying to myself? Is this a last minute purchase due to FOMO or am I not feeling too great at the moment?
a) - Yes to one or both. Don't buy it.
b) - No. And I'm doing good. Buy it.

Sometimes I break my own rules... Except rule 1#. I frequently stop after 2#, though.
Might sound a bit dumb to others, but I tend to accumulate a lot of stuff that I don't need if I don't control myself.
Sure hope that my taste will become more specific once I've owned more dolls.

 

I know exactly what I want. I have my wish list and I shop accordingly. And, of course, according to the current state of my finances.

 

Yes, I follow many of the same rules. I'm always weighing one doll against another, but as I have dolls already being paid off atm...it shortens the available list dramatically. I can only support so many dolls at a time, yanno. In the meantime, I try to have a base of "surprise" fund available in case anything I've been watching decides to discontinue.

 

My threshold for buying is pretty high, yet my criteria are mostly "vibes" right now. While I admire many sculpts, that doesn't mean I want or need them in my collection. What do I want? I'll know when I see it I guess And there are only a couple sculpts that I consider "soft-grails", in that if they are available I would seriously consider buying, but if they never come up again I won't be crushed.

 

That's me!

 

Oh my, I actually have a surprise fund as well on top of all these rules

 

I call my surprise fund my "Woosoo fund" even though I already managed to get a Woosoo, and I didn't even have to dip into the Woosoo fund to buy it. But it's still "Woosoo fund" in my head