Pricing Predictions for DD Miku?

OK, so I have a question I need answering, but first just a smidgen of explination as to why I'm asking. And if this is in the wrong section, then I do apologize and if you need to, do feel free to take the actions needed with it. Also sorry if there's a thread similar to this.

 

As a few of you know, I'm semi-new to DDs and looking at Miku as my first. My issue is, I only get a very, very small amount of money per week and I'm still trying to find ways to rack up more to get her sooner. I have some idea of what she costs, but I'm terrified of her price skyrocketing to a point where I can no longer achieve getting my grail. So my question is...

 

Where do you think her price will be in the next 6 or so months? Higher, lower or about the same as it is now? Or is it too difficult to call?

It will go up, but how much is impossible to tell. On the one hand, Miku was a preorder doll so there will be a much larger supply than a typical limited DD (keeps prices down). But, it's Miku, and everybody loves Miku it feels like, even people who do not already have dolls, so the potential demand for her is larger (drives prices up). Now, will those two forces cancel each other out, or will one prove stronger than the other? We'll just have to wait and see.

 

Since you don't get much money at once (by your own statement), go ahead and save up the money for her current price. When you have that, look and see what her price is at that time, then make your call. Do you want to save up the remainder to get to whatever she's gone up to? That's for you to decide at the time. If you decide not to buy Miku at that time, then you'll have some money saved up that you can invest. Either way it doesn't go to waste.

It will go up, but how much is impossible to tell. On the one hand, Miku was a preorder doll so there will be a much larger supply than a typical limited DD (keeps prices down). But, it's Miku, and everybody loves Miku it feels like, even people who do not already have dolls, so the potential demand for her is larger (drives prices up). Now, will those two forces cancel each other out, or will one prove stronger than the other? We'll just have to wait and see.

 

Since you don't get much money at once (by your own statement), go ahead and save up the money for her current price. When you have that, look and see what her price is at that time, then make your call. Do you want to save up the remainder to get to whatever she's gone up to? That's for you to decide at the time. If you decide not to buy Miku at that time, then you'll have some money saved up that you can invest. Either way it doesn't go to waste.

 

Yeah, those are some good points. But couldn't the Miku hype also possibly die down and make her demand go lower? I know it's pretty unlikely, but isn't there still a chance it could? Those questions were probably unnecessary since like you previously said, it'll be impossible to tell what the price will be.

 

As for savings, those are my current intentions. Knowing how I am with things, I'll probably want to save the remainder, plus I could ask my folks if they'd be willing to chip in a bit as a birthday present depending on if I get at least half by that time or not. And if I for some reason decide to drop out and not buy her, then I could always go for a cheaper DD from Volks, or an Obtisu even.

miku's been around for what.. 7 years now... that's a lot of fans. The miku wave is just really only gaining momentum in north america, I think. We may yet see a few more good years out of her before her popularity dies down as a popstar, and with it, all the associated product lines. They are starting to die down though, as evidenced by the number of figures released. It's hard to say... just keep saving, and make a move when you can.

 

You can spend all that time speculating or you can make a decision and just enjoy it/live with it one way or another. It comes down to how much you would value her at when you are ready to buy.

For pre-order dolls, it usually seems that the dolls will be stable at a decent price for the first initial months when owners receive them. So you still have a few months to save up.

 

Since people will still be receiving her to January, I would have to guess that you will be safe until March if her price does change. Right now, on Yahoo Japan, she's not going beyond 80,000 yen (but the exchange rate is excellent right now). But because it seems that many people like her face-up and her character, it's highly likely that she WILL rise up in price sometime next year.

 

Good luck with this.

If Miku does anything similar to the pre-order Sabers Extra and Alter II ( who I think were almost as popular as Miku ) then her price will bump up a little bit when she starts showing up at owners homes due to the excitement of her being out there and getting more attention. After a few months the price will level off at or around the retail price.

 

Almost all DD's at least retain their retail pricing over time with very few exceptions, like the 3 Haruhi girls and Miu. But the popular character ones almost always rise in price. So far the re-release Sabers, Extra and Alter II, have stayed right around or only slightly above their retail prices so this makes me think the same will happen for Miku since we all know the number of her produced is going to be high.

 

As for the saving up part, I totally agree with the plan to save up the amount she retailed at and then add from there if need be.

 

My two cents.

 

 

Billy

Thanks for the input guys!

 

I had no idea how DD prices worked, but now I think I have some sort of idea... And funny that you mention March pichu, because that happens to be my birthday month. And I just remembered I have almost 1/6th of her highest price saved up for her, so I might be able to make it, if it doesn't go up until March. And thank you for the luck wish, I'm probably going to need it.

 

And now that I think about it, I do remember seeing a lot of her stuff leftover on this site I buy my anime merch from. I think about 50-75% of it is still in stock, so it might be her popularity dying down or there's also the possibility that it's just a small store.

 

And from my calculations with the highest price she's going for on Y!JA and my allowance, it'd take me 5 months to save up the remainder, if I don't have any help with paying for her. Welp, time to go find more chores for me to get her before March, or at least make the halfway mark on her retail price. And if I see a good price for her on the MP, I'll see what I can do.

 

Thanks again for the input and information on how DD pricing works guys!