What do you think of VolksUSA's current service?

Maybe it's because of the most recent rescheduling of the Kyoto 11 collection, but I'm curious...

 

Has anyone else written them off completely or are they on the verge of doing so?

 

This release wasn't one that had alot of things I wanted in it... but it's just another release added to the pile of dissatisfaction with how they handle their web service. You can tell quite a few folks are more than angry via their Facebook page, but it's always the same "we're sorry for the inconvenience" over and over, yet no real indicators that they're fixing the root of the problems.

 

I'd be a-ok with some kind of lottery system, and you have a window of either a hand full of hours or a full day to pay vs the free-for-all system they've tried to support which makes everyone hammer the crap out of the site... resulting in... welp, we've capped our usage for the month!

 

Anyone else just want to vent? XD

Agreed. It's really frustrating. I think they should have a period of maybe a few hours for each "event" where you can basically enter the lottery to buy the items with ONE account in good standing. If it were somehow possible to code first/second/third choice on what people wanted and place priority lists that would be really nice, but it's also complex so I don't expect anything like that...

Haha they rescheduled again... I think this is the 6th reschedule and that's not an exaggeration

I've only had good experiences with the current and previous Volks USA staff. I even like the new website, when it's not being used for limited releases. It's a lot easier to search and find compatible outfits for DD and MDD now. But it's clear that their design and hosting plan are not viable for the amount of traffic any popular limited release will generate. I've pretty much given up on them and rely more on Volks Int and getting what I can find second hand.

 

Perhaps they could treat the limited web releases more like how they are handled at the physical stores. Interested folks get a lottery assigned number, and are able to shop in manageable batches. If the store isn't overloaded, people could get a passcode and get their shopping done in 30 minute waves. I think they've done something similar in the past when they awarded the limited DD and one-off models - winners were emailed a link to a private webpage to buy the doll they won. Just curious if it'd be possible to scale that system up to the number of eager shoppers that currently slam the site.

 

Though even with that, their communication is poor and almost exclusively through Facebook now. It's definitely not on the level that Americans expect for a luxury collectible company. I feel they need a spokesperson with strong communication skills who can bridge this culture gap ^_^;

Agreed.

 

Since it's been so many reschedulings I have to think it's only Volks corporate that has the power to change such things as their webhosting plan - or they are on such a tight budget, they have no means to upgrade. Or their new system/redesign is where most of the money went.

 

Maybe it's some strange diabolical plan to get all the US traffic so fed up we then migrate to the International site. Or just sheer incompetence.

 

A lottery would seem like the easiest way to deal with this problem -- because usually with webhosting plans if you exceed your bandwidth/usage for the month, that's it... so pushing it off a week or two won't matter if you're still within the month of June. (been a while since I've done webdesign/hosting, so someone clarify that if I'm incorrect in my thinking)

I wonder if Volks is having better success at meeting customer demand with their preordering, which has a bit of lead time to get production geared up. I would prefer a sure purchase opportunity that had me wait for a time, than the uncertainty of a swamped overloaded system's ability to let me complete an order. I wonder how their business meetings are considering these problems. I think they're trying. We had the chance to vote on outfits for re-release & saw some of those reappear. And I'm one of those who preordered the last Sheryl Nome & Snow Miku offerings. Prior to that, also preordered the Alna "Magic White" version. If I'd had a chance to pre-order the outfits & items the same way, I wouldn't have been a part of the online stampede that crashed their site.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Guest

I personally have mixed feelings with Volks current methods. I think their customer service is awesome, and I've had nothing but good experiences with them every step of the way. The NA site functions amazingly, and is far better then the previous one.

 

I do personally think holding mini lotteries at this point isn't a bad idea. Volks has had this particular system for so long and change just doesn't seem to be a color they wear well. I personally take to just buying what I want upon initial release off Y!J or via Volks Int., as this has been an ongoing issue from way, way before.

 

As a kinda-related thought: I think that the "Everything should be a pre-order!" is far from the answer to their situation.

I think most wanna look at it from a very narrow-minded POV: the one where they get what they want.

 

Most companies that produce huge quantities of items have very big facilities or outsource, and from what I can tell Volks doesn't have/do either. If we've learned anything from the Dollfie Dream ones is that they need A LOT of time to produce these dolls and keep up with their usual releases. If you were to convert to preorders the amount of items being released in general would have to go down to make up for the amount of time a single doll or outfit would have to be kept on the production line. The reason the lottery method works is because they have the absolute best population control while technically being the fairest as well. This also allows them to release new items at a rate they prefer instead of having longer dry spells without a release. It has the possibility to strain the QC as well. I see the appeal, but to me it seems like too many issues could bubble up.

 

I honestly wish they had standard items and they did lotteries for everything (I mean EEEEEVERYTHING) and then clickwar for very small numbered things like dolls left over from AE. Prove how much you want that doll XD!

Most companies that produce huge quantities of items have very big facilities or outsource, and from what I can tell Volks doesn't have/do either.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the case, too. Not only is all their stuff marked "Made in Japan", but there's a Miku production blog where they show and say that to get her all shipped out, they converted the event space at Volks Headquarters to Miku packing and shipping--if they had facilities for large volumes, they wouldn't have had to resort to that. And let's not forget the Great Body Drought back during the Saber preorders. . .Over a year where you basically couldn't get a body unless it was from a limited split, so for a while there a DDIII body was fetching $400 easy.

 

I agree, switching to a lottery system of some kind--either outright lottery per item, OR the "lottery entrance" like Jadepixel said--it'd be kind of similar to what San Diego Comicon does for badge sales, as I recall, though I think in their case they include a chat/IRC for while you're in the "waiting room".

I have a reply to the above(s), but it became rather lengthy and essentially off topic, so I withheld it. But the gist is this: 3-D printing. My opinion is this: Scarcity & Click-wars be damned.

I believe Volks has a connection to us, and they want to improve it. How they go about it will be interesting to watch. My online customer service from them has been exceptional for the two minor incidents I had to engage them.

3D printing is the reason why Smart Dolls are so flat. I see where you are comin' from, but just no...

 

Volks prides themselves on their sculptors and honestly that direct hand contact is actually what brings the dolls you love to life. While the Futurama ver. was capable of a perfect replica from a single image our current ones are definitely not, and would not achieve the same as the casting system they use now.

 

Volks is in every way a Japanese company catering to the Japanese hobbyist mindset. What Westerns think is best is the instant get upon demand, because that's what we are used to. But the JP hobbyist mindset is definitely not. The rarer the better. OOAK is the holy grail. (I.e. custom head auctions.) Volks has also shown even as the ABJD realm has grown hugely within the past decade they can still easily compete and sell their dolls with complete success. I do not see the limited-ness of their items changing. It wouldn't hurt if they bumped up their numbers, but that probably wouldn't be by much. I guess for me I take it as a part of collecting Volks, and while sometimes I'm like "aw darn I lost" or "I missed it!" I always plan for just that, and if I really care enough I'll buy it off Y!J.

 

The price of limited items is a great one, but the pride in owning is an even greater one. (IMO)

3-D printing is at the 1925 Ford Model T stage & is already quite astonishing in it's capability. With accelerated development a now "norm", the Lamborghini stage will be upon us sooner than we believe.

 

Volks artisans & sculptors as the necessary creative source will be even less hampered by the limitations of physicality if/when the company embraces the technology. Their distribution facilities could be small offices worldwide selling software or completed items, or licensed produced in a "Kiko's" type operation. (The Chinese are proving that if the consumer wants it, they can have it. 3-D printing is also a threat to their pirate economy by removing the cheap labor component, so the sword swings several ways.)

 

Volks "SWS-Super Wings Series" of 1/32 model aircraft are already benchmarks of the best that injection plastic modeling can offer; and I'm sure they're using every technological edge the "art" employs. Their founder is a man after my own heart: meld the art & technology to offer the best.

 

There is a way to preserve the artisan's heart in this even while increasing availability; and I believe Volks will be able to find it.

 

P.S.There are topics as "cans of worms" to be opened: exclusivity, art value, etc., but I will redirect my further comments along these lines to perhaps an off-topic thread, or I'd be willing to discuss civilly in PMs.

Twas the point of the Futurama reference. We don't have the technology now. Technology may move fast, but who knows when it'll reach the pinnacle for Volks (if ever). Just because one line can adapt in one way doesn't mean another one will as well.

 

3D Printer feels very much the same to me as the pre-order logic. It solves that single thought: I get what I want. It could work, and it could be an option for the future, but as of now it doesn't fit in the way Volks markets themselves, and how they create and take pride in their SD/DD products.

 

I think we are both on opposite grounds here, but neither is quite correct: You are eliminating the human aspect of them (or their "limitations") and I want nothing but to endorse the human aspect because I believe it is what breathes life. I love technology, and I think it could assist them in some amazing ways (especially accessory wise) but I feel for the molds you won't quite get what you want, at least not for a long time. It solves some stock issues, but it doesn't change the sort of market they focus on and want to keep up with.

 

Until they start losing money from it I don't think we'll see a real convert on that process either.

I think the idea of print-on-demand dolls is interesting, but it is nowhere near ready for the high end doll market. There's a reason that Danny Choo, who famously used 3D printing to prototype the Smart Dolls, has the final product cast--and it's not solely because he wants them to be in vinyl. Even high end printers still produce a rough, "stepped" surface, which to be acceptable in this market would have to be sanded and finished, primarily by hand. The amount of time that takes to do that kind of cleanup would negate any speed gained by printing it in the first place. This explains why 3D printing is often called "rapid prototyping" in many circles.

 

That's not to say a system for print-on-demand dolls or accessories isn't in the future, but I think it's at least 5 years away, maybe even more like 10 given the quality many of us desire and expect. Not exactly a fix for the issue(s) Volks, especially VolksUSA, is having right this minute.

 

(Whether Volks would consider such a system in line with their design philosophy when tech catches up is a whole other debate, and may be moot by the time it happens, depending on how both the technology and Volks themselves evolve over time.)

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think the design stage is causing any kind of limitation on quantity available to the market. I think it's the production stage. And sure, 3D technology may help with the design (personally, I find the SmartDoll body much more beautiful than the DD body, even if the SmartDoll head leaves much to be desired), but the production?

 

As Poofiemus said, even Danny Choo isn't using 3D printers for actual production. They're still using pouring liquid vinyl into copper models to cast the dolls, and the hard plastic skeleton is still injection molding. And that's before you get to the eyes, wigs, and clothes, none of which are being designed or produced via 3D printers. And it's not the blank dolls and parts that are so hard to get a hold of; it's the fullsets, the clothing sets, the shoes, etc. I mean, the recent VolksUSA fiasco wasn't dolls. It was clothes and shoes.

 

So, sure, 3D printing may solve the doll production issue at some point (again, Poofiemus's guess of 5-10 years seems reasonable), but the sundries aspect? I think that's even farther off...

Haha they rescheduled again... I think this is the 6th reschedule and that's not an exaggeration

 

 

They have also completely mangled the webstore so people can't even pay for their tea party tickets for the Dolpa in LA >_<

Volks makes the absolute best dolls; there is no doubting that. However, in my opinion, that doesn’t change the fact that they are a terrible company. I will only be referring to the USA branch, as this is the topic of the post.

 

From reading the thread it seems that most view the problem in limitability. In my eyes, the problem is not about finding a production method that meets the demand. Volks makes limited items, and I doubt they will ever change. I have no problem with that; I actually agree that it makes collecting the dolls more exciting. The problem lies within the company itself. This is a branch in the USA. Saying that they are a Japanese company catering to the Japanese hobbyist mindset is irrelevant if they are catering to the United States market. They should not have a USA-based branch if that is the case. Not only that, but they supply more excuses and false promises than actual products; that hasn’t been more clear than now. No company, whether it’s US or Japan, should expect to keep their customers if they delay and delay and delay every project they have. And giving us Volks Japan’s unsold leftovers is hardly being ‘generous.’

 

I love their products, I truly do. But they have a long road ahead into being a proper company. They have no idea how the market here works, and that is truly a shame.

I haven't ordered anything directly from VolksUSA in nearly two years ^^;

 

They need to upgrade their server or whatever they need to do so the website is not so unstable, it's been a known problem for years I know it isn't cheap to revamp websites BUT it's probably costing them a lot of business.

In terms of just basic functionality and presentation, their site isn't so bad. The main usability issue I've noticed is the lack of an Add to Cart button unless one goes into the full item page. There should be a way to add to cart directly from search or from a wishlist. It would also be nice if it stored payment information for future purchases.

 

Of course, the main problem is that everything is always out of stock (and I've been browsing their store for a long time). In some ways it can't be helped due to the limits on the items. However, I think it leads into the next problem.

 

The server just can't handle the load for their peak times, and their peak times are particularly bad because they are the only time when they have anything available to buy. So when they announce they will have stock, it's like they get hit by a DDOS as everyone hops in at once in a mad Black Friday at WalMart style dash to get anything. And it's probably not worth it for them to pay for a hosting package which can handle the traffic, because the rest of the time their site doesn't generate any business due to lack of stock.

 

On the other hand, when I ordered my doll, I had no problems whatsoever. Apparently no one other than me was in a frenzy for that particular release event, and the website handled it with no problems.

 

In terms of shipping, they're average. There's not much to say there. Nothing to particularly praise and nothing to complain about, and that's fine.

 

So, they're a webshop. Their service is about what I'd expect from a niche shop.

I don’t think I’ve ordered from them since they 'rebooted' with the new web site. Shipping to Canada was always expensive since they didn’t use the cheaper international shipping service options from US Post, so I’d end up ordering from Volks International whenever I had to get something. Now that they do have cheaper shipping options, the US exchange rate has gone up making Volks International the better choice still (－‸ლ)

 

They have been helpful when I’ve contacted them about questions and I really appreciate that. But using Facebook as their only marketing outlet basically makes me deaf to them. The old blogs had very helpful archives of info and felt more personal (partly because they included photos of people’s dolls when they came to the store). Otherwise whenever I bother to check their Facebook feed they just seem to have a delayed echo of whatever the Japanese news is (like new events, DDs, etc). The Japanese DD blog is much more exciting even if I can’t easily understand it XD

 

I can’t blame them for the poor exchange rate, but otherwise they’re just not useful to me as either a web store or a source of news. Really, their only value as a web store to me is that they might have stuff in stock that’s unavailable from Volks International. I think the only value they provide at all is customer support and Super Dollfie FCS.

I recently ordered from them because I needed a new can of sealant and that's the only way to get it, since you can't airmail an aerosol can. I tacked on some hands to make it worth it. So I view them as a place to get basic stuff now, and no more. I used to love their blog, it's how I learned things before I found this forum. But I hate Facebook, and their feed doesn't seem super useful anyway, not like the old tutorials.

I only ever get parts from Volks web site---only when I can't find them anywhere else. When it comes to their dolls and clothing----I have to go with the secondary market. I find sitting, and waiting to see if I can get what I want in time before it sells out very frustrating. Lotteries---I never win anything! So--I'm rather over even trying to buy direct from them.

volks USA somehow managed to mess up my order and sent me a white skin head instead of a semi white :L