How do you know if you're ready to buy your first doll?

(Not specifically about DD dolls but I wasn't sure where to put this.)

I've been looking into getting my first doll soon, and I feel like I've found all the things that I want to get and that there's not really anything left for me to look into, but on the other hand I feel like it's way too fast for me to buy a doll already, I only started *actually* looking into things to buy less than a week ago. (Though I've wanted a BJD for years, I just never looked into buying things because I always thought it was impossible because of the price. But it turns out there's stuff that's cheaper than I thought.) I feel like I should wait in case I change my mind about buying one, but then how long should I wait? But on the other hand I know I've wanted one for years. But that was while I still thought it would be impossible to get one (until the very distant future atleast), so maybe that doesn't count? idk 

And also, I'm worried that if I wait too long, the things I want (especially a specific wig) will be out of stock and I don't know if they'll be restocked. I was thinking of maybe buying that wig earlier than the other stuff if I decide to wait, but then I'm worried I'll end up choosing not to buy a BJD and then I'm stuck with a useless wig. (Sure, I can try to sell it, but that's also a hassle)

If anyone has some tips or advice please let me know ^^

Edited August 6, 2022 by MeowMilk
typo

If you've got the $$ for it already, and the doll is available - go for it!!
This isn't like getting a cat .... if you don't quite "bond" with the doll, you can always just sell it and try again

For me, it's all about if I have enough disposable income that won't create any issues in the next month or so.

Depends on your finances, but I’m gonna go against the grain and say wait a bit. Sometimes I really want certain dolls intensely for a week or two and then the feeling goes away and I’m always glad I didn’t waste money. You’ll know you want it for real if it’s the only one you think about after the initial rush wears off and you still feel an intense need to have it.

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10 minutes ago, ragnamuffin said:

Depends on your finances, but I’m gonna go against the grain and say wait a bit. Sometimes I really want certain dolls intensely for a week or two and then the feeling goes away and I’m always glad I didn’t waste money. You’ll know you want it for real if it’s the only one you think about after the initial rush wears off and you still feel an intense need to have it.

 

I agree with @ragnamuffin on this. Even if you have the money, it's probably best to wait a bit (at least two weeks) before buying a doll, to make sure you really want it. It's harder to do if it's time-limited, but a bunch of dolls are available all the time. I say this from experience. When I initially got back into the hobby (for the 3rd time) I went a little nuts and bought two (off-topic) dolls that, upon further research, I'm going to end up selling because they're made out of a type of resin that tends to yellow faster than regular resin. Yikes!

And some types of (on-topic) dolls stain easier than others, so that's another thing to research. For example, Tiny Fox dolls are made of a type of material that is coated with something, so stain-removal is harder than with regular vinyl dolls.

Not to mention, while you can sell a doll you bought that you decided you don't really want, you're probably going to lose money on it. I purchased a few things for those dolls I mentioned that I'm probably going to have to sell because they're too big for the majority of my other dolls. 😔

But if you've waited a bit, still want the doll, have the money (and have/will have the money to buy the necessary accessories for your doll), then go for it! It's a great hobby, and the people on here are really nice!

Do your research on the doll you are interested in. The parts you will need, and how much it all costs. Then decide if that works into your budget.

If the doll you want is out of budget, continue to save, imo. I’m not a fan of buying a cheaper alternative because you will likely want the original doll that was outside your budget later.

Other things to consider include quirks of the doll. DDs can stain, which means you often want to make use of a wig cap to protect the head. Some clothing can stain the body as well, so you may want to stick to lighter colours. Dark colours are more prone to stain. Resins on the other hand can age, and the material can start to yellow over time.

I was a doll noob when I bought Dollfie Dream Dynamite Towa in October 2020.

I took a little while to decide specifically on her, but my choice was somewhat limited as I ordered her through the UK based dollfie friends store.

My other options were Yuriko Nanao and Kizuna AI. I opted for Towa because she has a gorgeous sweet and innocent face that contrasts well with her curvy body. Also I liked the idea of getting a basic model because then I could dress her in whatever outfits I wanted.

Just bear in mind that once you have one doll, you'll want a whole lot more. Two dolls is great.

Also if you want a highly sought after doll, then you MUST have the funds and you MUST act quickly. Kagamine Rin recently appeared for sale on Mandarake, but less than 24 hours later, she was gone.

Now almost 2 years later I regret nothing. Towa's DDdy body is a hassle to pose compared to Uzuki's DDS frame. I had some minor staining with Towa but acne creme fixed that. Also (unlike I think with Smart Dolls) for the most part, the body parts are replaceable anyway.

Oh and if you change your mind genuine Dollfie stuff is popular on eBay and will generally hold its value.

Mine was a bit easy.. I never had the income for DDs when the Sailor Moon line came out but I didn't love the faceup and eyes (lo and behold I found out I could change that lol) regardless, I don't regret it since my side of DD or 1/3 scale doll buying is more character+collecting based so I wouldn't have their original anything taken off.
It wasn't until I had both the income and saw THE ONE character I really liked and Volks interpretation of them.
Although they aren't my favorite character, I absolutely LOVE FFXIV, have tan skin just like Y'shtola and I just loved her face up-eye shape ears etc.

From there both Utena and Anthy turned out stunning as well from my top 10 anime, and I got 9S at AX-- mainly got him b/c one of my favorite videogame charas
+one of the few male character DDs.

I think in the end it comes down to you having the disposable income though, for ANY doll. But also not buying just any doll if possible.
I spent at least the whole 2 months of the pre-order period for Y'shtola debating if to get her or not and making a pros and cons list.
Same thing with Anthy since her color palette (red+green) aren't my favorite and I had just spent 1k on Y'shtola..
9S was an easier decision that definitely dug into my savings since he was a grail and I got him for retail.

So tldr; make a pros and cons list of a doll you want.
i.e. Do you have the space, can you make space
are you willing to care for it?
Are you okay with selling something that expensive if you don't like it/want a different one?
What things do you like about this specific doll? Or what are you looking for in a doll?
Do you have the income for it now or can it wait a little bit longer? Would you prefer to own other things besides a 1/3 scale doll?

I actually waited over a year to buy a doll. I was worried I'd lose interest in buying such an expensive luxury item and the doll would just sit around gathering dust in some corner of the apartment instead. Then I'd be really angry at myself for dropping so much money on an item I didn't really need. But even after a year passed, I found myself still looking at doll stuff, clothes, eyes, wigs... Looking at the dolls themselves and watching Youtube videos about vinyl dolls and resin BJD. So I felt confident that I could get my money's worth if I bought a doll. In fact, I'm still interested in getting a resin BJD, probably a 1/4 scale, to go along with my DD girl.

And I don't actually handle my DD every single day, but whenever I look at her I feel happy! She's so beautiful to look at. I look forward to getting her some more clothing and different wigs, and also making things for her myself. You certainly don't have to wait a year like I did, maybe a couple of weeks to a month to see if you still feel interested. I suppose that's harder if you're wanting a doll that's limited.

Other people have made some great points about budget, researching vinyl vs resin, what doll companies stain easier, having an actual space to keep your doll at, and those are also great things to keep in mind.

I waited a few years before jumping in and am glad that I did. You don't have to wait as long as I did, but sleeping on larger purchases prevents impulse buys you may regret (even though this is a hobby with a lot of limited releases and FOMO).

A doll's much more than the initial purchase of the doll itself - besides clothing, accessories, stands/displays and other material concerns, there's also the maintenance, inevitable repairs and care to keep her/him in good shape. Money-wise, the money you spend on everything besides the doll may dwarf what you spent on the doll itself, so choose wisely.

While you can sell just about anything (at a loss), it's best to do your homework and pin down exactly what you're after. Even when you do, it can take some revisions before you're happy with the final result. 

For me, I don't have a lot of expendable cash so I kept waiting and putting the doll in my cart and reading more about it and then deleting my cart and waiting some more, x100. XD I did this for the past couple of months and then finally dipped into my savings. Giving yourself some time is a good idea, especially if it's a Dollfie or AP or Parabox, something that isn't likely to go out of stock or get rare right away. (I should mention I've wanted 1/4 scale dolls for, like, the last 12 years and only just started really looking into it seriously. So I had a very long time to become sure of it haha!)

Edited August 12, 2022 by bananaaether

I almost always buy wig first when I start getting serious about getting a new doll, because for me personally the wig is usually the hardest thing for me to find (I'm REALLY picky, like, learned to make wigs myself levels of picky).

As for how long to wait? If you feel like you're being impulsive, buy the wig now, and wait two weeks on the doll. I frequently fall for dolls at first sight, but once I have a chance to cool down for a few days I usually don't actually like them nearly as much as I thought I did, or at least not enough to have them. Whenever I get the pitterpatters of "I MUST HAVE IT!" I close the website, wait two weeks, and then come back. If I still love them enough to want them after two weeks of not looking at them, they go on the wishlist.

Edited August 15, 2022 by Lina

I did a few things 'wrong' getting into the BJD hobby, and if I could do it all over again, I think my collection would be smaller and more streamlined. So when I got into vinyl, I looked at all the options, sorted which sculpts attracted me, and finally bought two AP girls. Although I loved them, one was dyed and the other didn't click. The dyed girl had fading issues, which was beyond my power to fix. After thinking it through, I did the sensible thing and sold both. Got rid of any extra parts too. Then I waited until a sculpt clicked again, watched the secondhand market, and bought a head when it came up for a good price in the right skintone. When she got discontinued later that year, I didn't have to stress over not having the money for a full doll. I had bought what was within my means.

 

Right now I have two full dolls and three floating heads. All of them are exactly what I wanted- the right sculpt, the right skin colour, and most cost under what retail would have. I have made plans for two more heads, hopefully this year, but nothing beyond. Next year I might get one or two of the floating heads a body if I can afford it. In order to avoid impulse purchases, I familiarize myself with the sculpts ahead of time, which allows me to skip a lot and par down to the things I love most when a good deal pops up. Consequently, I only have a few high-tier 'grails' left- everyone else is either home, or a possibility.

 

One can only buy things if one has money to, however, and I've had to let a lot of things slide with no funds to purchase them. Budgeting is a key part of any hobby, especially expensive or very cheap ones. Before committing to anything, be certain you are comfortable to do so.

Agreed. I'm 2 of 3 on my unicorn list. Unless volks releases some amazing ones, I've mostly skipped nearly all releases. 

 

a huge "Tenchi Muyo!" fan 20-odd years ago, i got into Character Dolls quite by happenstance.

i ended up getting a full set of TOYNAMI's 12in. Tenchi Muyo dolls,

and, before long, i grew dissatisfied with my "Princess Ayeka" 's clothing,

dissatisfied to the degree, in fact, that she single-handedly inspired me to take up sewing.

the rest, is History;

 

Fifteen/Twenty Years Ago;

 

 

 

Today;

 

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Tasuke

I was in the same position. When I first discovered Smart Doll I thought to myself, "I'm going to get one of those one day" but at the time and where I was in life, it really was not ideal. I had to wait quite a few years before I could start looking into it again and once that happened there was pretty much no stopping me. I ended up getting a DDs instead of SD, but still.

 

I think that if you have wanted one for years, by not buying it now when you have one you like picked out then you may be sad when it's no longer available and think to yourself "I should have gotten that when I had the chance". Worst case scenario you don't end up liking the hobby as much as you thought you might. In that case you can just sell your doll and you can say you gave it a try and it wasn't for you. Bets case scenario, you absolutely love it and dive further into the hobby and discover that you truly love it. I personally would say it's a win-win situation!

If buying don’t bring you in financial trouble go for it. I actually regretted that I was interested years before I bought my first girl. I think it was a missed opportunity and a lot of sculpts have been passed by. 

If you have already been looking into the DD than I think the best way to discover if the hobby suits you is diving into it. If you end up not liking the doll, you can always sell it. 

And if you can’t sleep about that one certain sculpt being sold out than definitely go for it. That actually happened and is the cause of me diving in this hobby. I am glad that I made that choice otherwise buying one would be nearly impossible (10 fullset’s made and 40 blanc dolls in my case).

Ps. Which one have you layed your eyes on?

 

 

If youve already been looking into getting into the hobby i would poke around the website and look at all the various sculpts and companies available. So many options now that fit a wide range of budgets. I think this hobby is alot more wallet friendly and accessible than it used to be. 

Also something i didnt really consider when i jumped into the hobby was the size of the dolls. Some are deceptively big, i would recommend looking at the sizes and comparing.  Im not sure if i ever knew i was ready i just browsed enough until i found a sculpt i loved and he fit my budget. Although i started with resin and only recently purchased my first vinyl DD