Disappointments with Volks

In reality the full-set outfits are stain monsters so you are forced to buy option parts later.

Very clever VOLKS, but I know about your dirty secret now

 

My biggest disappointments:

 

- Outfits that stain, especially ones from limited full-sets

So I either have my favourite character in clothes that stain the doll, or I only get the doll and it can never wear its outfit...great.

 

- Low stock

I think that speaks for itself.

 

- This super badly made website which is also way too hard to coordinate on.

Honestly, you find the stuff sometimes quicker with using Google instead of clicking around, and I'm not talking about the shop itself but the whole VOLKS site.

But I did think of one other thing that Volks does that annoys me to no end. Volks USA really. Their website sales/checkout system. If any one thing NEEDS to be changed, it's that archaic thing. That Yahoo based setup is the bane of anyone who has had items swiped from their cart while checking out. Is it THAT hard to have a system where once an item is in your cart, it stays there while you check out? I find it totally unacceptable that this stuff happens during click wars. The International site doesn't work that way now does it? Why are we cursed with such a crappy setup? Can someone who can write code or setup a system like Volks SHOULD be using please send them something for free so we can all have a bit less stress in our lives?

 

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. VolksUSA needs a new website entirely. I was excited when it was down for a bit and they talked about improvements... and then they had just rearranged things. Not quite two years ago I sent an order into VolksUSA for the parts to put together my very first girl, Ayano. Everything I needed was in stock, I paid for it and waited excitedly. But two days later, instead if a shipping notice, I got an email saying they were actually out of DDDy bodies, and DDII bodies, as well. The cart system showed it in stock because "those were regular items that would be restocked". Baaaah. There should be a good cart system that knows how much stock they actually have... But anyway, the refunded me the money for the body and I had to wait another two months til a new shipment arrived. Thus Ayano sat as a pretty head for a while. I didn't know about the international site or this forum at that time.

 

And, yes, staining. Just line everything. Resins can pick up stains anyway, too, they're just usually easier to clean. (Usually). I had a volks school outfit on Mitsuki for a couple of weeks, and she was wearing a body stocking since the skirt wasn't lined. When I took it off, she had green freckles on her butt and thighs. Through the body stocking... Needless to say I don't leave that one on for long anymore.

Biggest disappointment for me were Mari's glasses.

I would have to agree with people about the whole staining thing. This is kind of related but the whole reason I went for Saber Alter v2 aside from wanting Alter was her dress. When she finally arrived about a YEAR later I happily took out her dress to inspect it and it turned my whole hand black from the excess dye. The fabric itself felt disgusting because I felt the caked on dye. After that day I haven't bothered even taking the dress out because of it. I do plan on someday removing the extra dye but haven't had the time.

 

Another small issue I have is I would like the new bodies to be available assembled as well as in parts but who knows that may eventually happen.

 

Lastly my wallet would like to complain about all the dolls they release on my "DO WANT!" list that me being a poor new college grad with loans to pay shouldn't buy! XD

Also the clasp on the halter neck part of my Cirno's outer blue dress doesn't close, it's like the two pieces are different sizes so I'll have to get it replaced. Also her hair clip rusted really fast

 

speaking of Cirno.... the dangly beads on hem of her dress. On mine, the beads were super-loose and a few just plain fell off! *headdesk* while wasn't even touching anything.

And then some of the snaps weren't sewn on very well, and one side just popped off while was checking them so hadda resew it back on

Dammit Volks, Mari's super-cheap off-brand clothes have lasted ages w/ no problems, but your expensive outfit unravels in the first months? Not cool, not cool

I will say that part of the reason Volks outfits are so expensive is that they are handmade in Japan. They aren't factory made and they aren't made in some low wage paying country. However, I agree they really should line the outfits. Also, some of the outfits are more fragile than they really need to be.

Even if they lined all their dark outfits in white, you'd still en up with stained hands and arms from posing your girls with a hand on a hip or something. Not to mention that even when they line something in white, they leave one of their darling little Volks brand labels sewn into a seam somewhere that will press against the vinyl and stain your girl. Seriously, is it beyond makers of doll apparel to find fabrics that are actually dye fast?

The answer is so simple that's unbelievable - they don't care.

DD is meant to be a big display figure and once dressed should be put on display.

Every stain will remain hidden under the wig/clothes.

 

I think, that just lately someone at the DD Design Department realised, that people actually change dresses on their DDs and don't want the bodies stained.

This was probably quite a shock for the Japanese management

You guys are scaring me with all this staining talk. Aiyee! It's a shame I like dark, gothy outfits -- guess I'll save those for my resins!

 

I guess Volks really does design their dolls to be displayed with dolls -- I hate the look of the larger DD bust sizes without clothing. It's gross. I wish Volks would design their dolls more with naked aesthetics in mind -- I love my dolls to look good both clothed and naked!

You guys are scaring me with all this staining talk.

 

Me too. Is this such a big problem?

You guys are scaring me with all this staining talk.

 

Me too. Is this such a big problem?

 

It can be. With appropriate care and a body suit, you should be safe. Personally, I prefer lighter colors anyway, and I tend to use undergarments if something dark is to be worn. Of course, I don't go with goth fashions for my girls, so it tends not to be a problem, except the occasional pair of dark stockings.

I will say that part of the reason Volks outfits are so expensive is that they are handmade in Japan. They aren't factory made and they aren't made in some low wage paying country.

 

...i dunno... I have lolita dresses that cost me less than DD clothes. And those dresses weren't exactly mass factory-made and were custom-sized to boot

Plus many of us own DD clothes made by non-Volks, and those are handmade - in Japan [sometimes] - don't stain AND cost the fraction of what Volks charges!

I will say that part of the reason Volks outfits are so expensive is that they are handmade in Japan. They aren't factory made and they aren't made in some low wage paying country.

 

...i dunno... I have lolita dresses that cost me less than DD clothes. And those dresses weren't exactly mass factory-made and were custom-sized to boot

Plus many of us own DD clothes made by non-Volks, and those are handmade - in Japan [sometimes] - don't stain AND cost the fraction of what Volks charges!

Do we really know how the clothes and wigs are made? Buttons falling off of brand new clothes are generally a sign of automated machine sewing. Although there's nothing wrong with that, it means they aren't hand made.

You guys are scaring me with all this staining talk.

 

Me too. Is this such a big problem?

 

It can be. With appropriate care and a body suit, you should be safe. Personally, I prefer lighter colors anyway, and I tend to use undergarments if something dark is to be worn. Of course, I don't go with goth fashions for my girls, so it tends not to be a problem, except the occasional pair of dark stockings.

 

But some outfits can even bleed through body stockings, same for wigs that bleed through wig caps (silicone and cloth) :/

 

I also usually go for white and pink on my girl.

So far only mine got stained with one of these little slips sewn into a Nine9Style shirt (the slips are bright red :I), but since then I'm extra cautious.

 

You can remove the stains, often completely, but still...it's a bad feeling to undress your girl and to see the stains.

So stain testing or white lined clothes only are important.

But some outfits can even bleed through body stockings, same for wigs that bleed through wig caps (silicone and cloth) :/

.

 

Yeah. You can never be safe; only reduce the chances of it happening.

 

It will happen, so you just need to have that Oxy10 somewhere to fix it

 

 

I now stain-test all clothes on a bit of the vinyl beforehand. That way I can be 100% sure whether an outfit is going to stain right-away or not.

 

And before heading to bed, I always put my girl into her white pjs

You guys are scaring me with all this staining talk. Aiyee! It's a shame I like dark, gothy outfits -- guess I'll save those for my resins!

 

Resins can also be stained by dark and red clothes, but it's usually not as common as on vinyl and not as bad.

 

One precaution you can take is to wash the dark clothes a couple of times, it usually removes some of the excess dye.

I have to agree with the large bust nipple placement thing, another thing that disappoints me is that the DDdy body doesnt have realistic breasts options like YOKO'S, like come on!!!! No ones boobs sit perky like that without surgery!!!! Because of that I was forced to modify the Large bust. I freed myself of weird looking boobs and inherited a weird nipple problem.....I cant win .

I've said this tons of times before and I will say it again. I HATE Volk's limited wigs. You would think that because they are limited and that you paid so much for it, the wig will be good quality. Seriously, they are not heat resistant, they get crazy frizzy and truthfully now, aside from their uniqueness, they don't looks that great.

I've said this tons of times before and I will say it again. I HATE Volk's limited wigs. You would think that because they are limited and that you paid so much for it, the wig will be good quality. Seriously, they are not heat resistant, they get crazy frizzy and truthfully now, aside from their uniqueness, they don't looks that great.

I quote every single word.

And doesn't matter the care you put when using them, after few days they become all shaggy and messy!

Volks wigs are just too expensive in general. They're making money off of the name, not the quality of the wig itself. I'm also incredibly shocked Volks doesn't color-fix the fabric they use when making clothes. It's one extra step that would save so many doll owners grief.

I've been having issues with wigs lately. My Mikuru's default wig is soooooo soft and voluminous so no wefts show. I thought this was a sign that Volks wigs were gonna be awesome, so I ordered a new wig from Volks and it was surprisingly thin It was soft but awfully thin. I generally try to get a good deal on wigs so I bought a Volks Charlotte wig second hand (it was only like $35 and it looked very fairy esque) hoping it'd be big enough to fit on my SD's head...but the ends of the wig are quite frizzy...not soft, and thin...also tiny for an 9-10" wig.

 

I thought Volks wigs would've been a step up since Leeke wigs seem to be hit or miss...I don't like luts wigs too much... and Monique aren't my favorite for DDs Still searching for the perfect wigs!!

click war on clothes and accessories, always sold out option parts

Issues: Quality Control, Design Flaws, Staining, Customer Service, Site Management, etc...

 

I'm still grumbling about their decision to go to selling parts separately instead of whole bodies, and then charging a damn mint for them! On top of that, all the breakage issues and problems with pegs and holes either being too small or too large. My Natsuki (♥!) is constantly dropping her right arm. The elbow peg going into the bicep seems to either be too short or too loose. I'll probably have to put some hot glue or something on it to give it some grip. I understand that Volks is a "hobby" company and that customization is expected, but when you spend this kind of money, the darn doll should be flawless right out of the box!

 

The real rub? Volks' abysmal customer service. When something breaks or comes in with serious flaws, it's like pulling teeth to get them to acknowledge it and work with you. More often than not they simply refuse to recognize that there's a problem. Case in point: my Moe v2 wig. It's sewn wrong and has a large gap showing the wig cap/stretch cap in the front, and the back is just a total mess. It came that way right out of the box. I've since purchased another Moe wig for her, the first version, and it's leaps and bounds better. So I know that I got lemon.

 

Having said that, I've only ever really had problems with Volks Japan. The girls at VolksUSA have always been wonderful and try very hard to accommodate me whenever there's an issue or question. I really appreciate everything they do.

 

I know the best way to get my point across is to speak with my wallet... but Volks already owns it and has it bound and gagged.

 

P.S. Volks, get a damn professional photographer. Or hire your own customers. Their pics do more to sell your dolls that you ever could!

The lottery system... some countries get multiple entries while others only get one entry.

 

US residents get like... 4(?) chances to win a doll? Whereas Canada or Australia get one or two chances to win a doll.

 

Also, scalpers. I don't mind dolls selling for a high price, but I do mind scalpers making 6-10 entries just to make a profit. They should make it so that a previous purchase from Volks is REQUIRED to enter in lotteries, so you can't just get 10 randoms to make an entry for you. DD owners wouldn't be affected because most of them would have already bought stuff from Volks already.

 

Also, lacklustre customer service. If you win a limited doll from them and keep it for 20 days, then open her up to find that she's missing clothes/accessories, you're screwed.

 

Companies like Good Smile Company, provide support even if you didn't even buy it off them! The figure could be like... 2 years old, and they'd still help.

US residents get like... 4(?) chances to win a doll? Whereas Canada or Australia get one or two chances to win a doll.

 

Does the AU have a Official Volks Dealer or something? I know they can go with International, so just wondering if there is a dealer in the AU? Volks USA serves all of North America, so if you are in Canada or Mexico you technically have two chances if you go with International as well. US Residents do technically get four tries. You have VolksUSA, Kerbey Lane, We Love Dolls, and we can go through International as well.

 

Also, scalpers. I don't mind dolls selling for a high price, but I do mind scalpers making 6-10 entries just to make a profit. They should make it so that a previous purchase from Volks is REQUIRED to enter in lotteries, so you can't just get 10 randoms to make an entry for you. DD owners wouldn't be affected because most of them would have already bought stuff from Volks already.

 

That isn't exactly fair if you take into mind that a lot of folks first purchase with Volks will be an attempt for a doll. Mine was. Scalpers will get there dolls no matter what, and that's just how it is. Volks can limit in some ways, but many peeps have others to help them with this to get around all those rules. So, I feel you can't really put the blame on Volks for this one. It is a problem with all hobbies that involve collecting LE items too.