The price of Dollfie Dreams

Does anyone here sometimes think that Volks is trying to just get over on us DD collectors? I'm just trying to say that even though I love my DD, they are ridiculously expensive (and I'm not talking about the limited ones or the ones on Ebay) I mean when they're first released. I've read that DDs aren't very hard to make at all and I just think Volks enjoys selling these dolls for the money they rake in. What do you all think about this? And no, this isn't an angry rant, I just wanted to speak my mind.

It's hard to tell without seeing how much of a profit they make - but it does feel like a lot! Then again, we'd all probably have lots more daughters if they were cheaper!

It's not just Volks vinyl, Volks resin is quite a bit more expensive than a lot of resin out there too.

 

I always wonder if production prices in Japan are higher than they are in other places that mass produce dolls.

 

Honestly though, I don't think Volks is trying to put one over on us, I think they're just selling their dolls for the profit amount they want to make.

 

I'm sure if they ever priced their dolls high enough that sales weren't brisk, they'd rethink their pricing structure... but when you look at the fact that limited DDs resell for as much as a few thousand dollars, I'm pretty sure they don't feel that pricing their dolls in the $300-$700 range is too expensive.

 

Personally, I've owned dolls from a LOT of companies (resin, I'm speaking of here)... and I always, always find myself coming back to Volks. Why? Quality. The clothing is quality, the dolls are quality, and if there *is* a problem with something, Volks has always fixed it for me.

 

I've run into other doll companies (big name ones, like Luts) where, when they sell you a faulty product and you write them about it, they reply with, what boils down to, "Tough Sh!t" ... and I don't know how companies that sell such frivolous items as $500 dolls expect to keep my business with an attitude like that.

 

Volks also does a lot more for their BJD/DD customers than any other company I've ever seen. They are constantly hosting huge doll events, which I imagine, has to add to the cost of the BJDs we purchase from them. Not to mention the shops they have in Japan where one can go and have a special ceremony done to bond themselves with their doll (Not to mention a retail store IN the US, I don't know of any other doll company that has that in the US). They also go out of their way to get exclusive outfits from designers like H.Naoto and Baby the Stars Shine Bright... and just like Pullips with H.Naoto gear, it just adds to the cost.

 

No, I think Volks puts a lot more into customer satisfaction, and the sense of play a customer has with their doll, than most other companies do... not to mention, they make a quality product, regardless of how hard or easy it is for them to make. So, I don't think they're trying to put one over on us, I think they're just charging for effort as much as for product... and honestly, I'm ok with that

 

I mean... I don't *HAVE* to buy dolls from them, I choose to.

I tried to write up a long involved answer for this but everything I wanted to say was already said by Littlebearries and she did it much more eloquently than I could have.

 

So I totally concur with her assessment as I feel the same way.

 

 

Billy

It's nice to hear other people's opinion, I never thought about the cost of Doll Parties from Volks being included in the price. And littlebearries you're right about the U.S. shop. I just think if DDs were more affordable Volks would have even more collectors and thus, they'd make more money from us. Just think if you could buy two DDs for the same price of one now, I'd certainly get two. Oh well, a girl can dream

I guess this is where me being naive comes into play... but aren't Parabox and Obitsu (or are they the same thing?) just about as expensive as Volks? I know I've price out a Parabox MDD body vs. a Volks, and the price is pretty darn close... so it wouldn't have to just be Volks lowering their price, it would have to be everyone.

 

... and when it comes to Volks character DDs... they have to pay the companies that own those characters a cut, so I'm not imagining a price reduction on those anytime soon.

 

You're right though, yeah, it would be awesome to get two for what one costs now... but not if it's at the cost of quality of product or service.

I don't really collect Parabox or Obitsu so I really don't know much about their costs. And I totally understand about official and trademarked characters costing more money, but some of the original Volks characters are just as expenive as the licensed ones.

I just wish the bodies were a little bit cheaper. 200 flat instead of above. T_T

The only thing I think is absolutely overpriced is the hands! What's with that!

LOL, I know, I wish they were all the same price as the MDD hands... $13 a pair isn't bad.

13 dollars isn't bad, no. I'd pay that! But as things are, my girl will have to have a single pair of hands.

Obitsu and Volks are pretty much close in price. I believe that if you order from Parabox they're actually a little more expensive than VolksUSA now, considering the fact that VolksUSA is holding the line on price in spite of the really crummy exchange rate between the US $ and the JPY. However, if you order from Junky Spot here in California they will pass their bulk buy savings on to you. I have found that if you ask Emory nicely he will order just about any Obitsu or Parabox item you can find on the Parabox site for you.

 

If you can make it to LA actually visiting Volks Tenshi no Sumika "In LA" (actually in Torrance) is a wonderful experience, and the whole team there are friendly and treat you like gold. I don't know anything about dealing with Volks in Japan but dealing with Volks here is awesome.

 

If you use your creativity and go the custom doll route, it really becomes a matter of preference between Obitsu and Volks, or choosing the right manufacturer for the right character. The price pretty much evens out.

LOL, I know, I wish they were all the same price as the MDD hands... $13 a pair isn't bad.

lol...I wish they were too...

At least the price should have been within 1.5 times the price of a Altar figurine

Ok, I'm just thinking out loud so bear with me....

I think Volks would rather be the Rolex of vinyl dolls and not Timex.

 

While I am pretty sure the profit margin on Dollfie Dreams is pretty high there are some things to think about. Volks DD items (dolls or clothes) are usually limited in quantity - if your only able to sell a limited number of items your profit margin has to be larger to make up for the low number of sales.

 

The bulk of the dolls have licencing issues with the rights holders for the anime/game characters they are based on. That's got to add to the price. The licencing may also limit the number of dolls they can make.

 

When it comes to the special outfits Volks releases that's not an issue. The clothes are their own creation and they control how many items are made.

 

These 2 recent Kimono maid outfits were sold out within minutes at Volks USA:

 

 

Cute? Yes, but $83 each. I'm sure it doesn't cost that much to make, Volks isn't releasing these out of the goodness of their hearts but for profit. Then why not make 3 times as many since they sell out so fast? Or make a 2nd release since they sold so fast? Like a 2nd printing for a book.

 

I think if we knew we could just go to Volks USA website and buy any outfit they ever came out with, our desire to "get them while you can" wouldn't be there and Volks may actually not sell as many items and be stuck with unsold inventory.

 

For us, the customer, there is also the satisfaction of being able to get the item before it sold out. I'm very happy I was lucky enough to get both maid outfits. I know there were other outfits I wanted in the past but missed out on.

 

Maybe this appeals to our "hunger/gatherer" mentality?

 

Summery: Yes, I think Volks has a very high profit margin on their items but I'm still willing to pay it - most of the time.

 

**James.

I guess it also depends on how much you're willing to spend. I just can't see myself spending over $200 for a DD outfit. The only official Volks outfit I bought (that didn't include a Dollfie) was the Oni (demon) girl bikini set, and it was $108. I like the outfit and it's well made, but I always ask myself, was it worth all that money? So usually I just buy outfits from other companies (plus all the Volks outfit I want are always sold out or over my limit)

To kind of add on to the "if Volks only cared about the profit they wouldn't make their clothing runs in limited numbers" sort of statements.

 

Volks likes to ensure that the demand exceeds the supply - I think this is true for a lot of Japanese companies (in the figure world at least, so correct me if I'm mistaken).

 

So as long as demand >>> supply they'll know what their profits will be like and can control their financial forecasts. It allows the prices to remain slightly inflated as well (though I don't mind the costs for the dolls, Volks as a company have always treated me very well and I know that part of why I receive that customer service is because of the money I spend).

 

What I don't like is the aftermarket. Especially people that solely purchase Dollfie Dreams and outfits in order to flip them to make an insane profit. I feel like that's beyond unfair to the collectors that wanted the dolls for themselves and it robs them of the opportunity to buy them at the market price Volks have given them.

 

I don't know if my post was easy to understand but I hope I got my point across. ^_^ Maybe baldylox or jun97 can translate PF into regular speak...

I understand what you mean, PlasticFantastic. I also agree about the DD after (secondary) market prices. They are always very high. My original post was really about the release price of Volk's DD and their clothing. I felt like they were just trying to get over on us collectors, but I suppose that's not the case.

Since other members here did make some valid point about their prices.

To kind of add on to the "if Volks only cared about the profit they wouldn't make their clothing runs in limited numbers" sort of statements.

 

Volks likes to ensure that the demand exceeds the supply - I think this is true for a lot of Japanese companies (in the figure world at least, so correct me if I'm mistaken).

 

So as long as demand >>> supply they'll know what their profits will be like and can control their financial forecasts. It allows the prices to remain slightly inflated as well (though I don't mind the costs for the dolls, Volks as a company have always treated me very well and I know that part of why I receive that customer service is because of the money I spend).

 

What I don't like is the aftermarket. Especially people that solely purchase Dollfie Dreams and outfits in order to flip them to make an insane profit. I feel like that's beyond unfair to the collectors that wanted the dolls for themselves and it robs them of the opportunity to buy them at the market price Volks have given them.

 

I don't know if my post was easy to understand but I hope I got my point across. ^_^ Maybe baldylox or jun97 can translate PF into regular speak...

 

 

Good old supply and demand. It fuels the market for sure. As others have said, that percieved rarity drives people to get the stuff as soon as possible so they don't miss out and have to go aftermarket.

 

And the aftermarket on ANY limited supply items will be full of scalpers. I've seen it in many other hobbies I've been in.... people buying at retail only to flip the items for a quick profit. It sucks for everyone involved except the scalper and the company that made the product. Volks doens't care who they sell their stuff to, they just want to sell it. Money is money.

 

But if people didn't support the scalpers, they'd lose steam and die off. But having something you can't just walk in to a store and buy is a nice thing to see for someone with money and a desire for an item. I agree that scalpers suck up all the stuff people want and need but they aren't going away anytime soon. Just don't use them if you can get away with it.

 

 

Billy

Well, if Volks wanted to meet but not exceed demand, they could do more pre-order dolls! Clearly the excitement and risk of the lottery is driving a lot of sales. I'm not a 'collector' so it's just a frustration that I put up with. I'm hoping that Obitsu/Azone will force them to be more consumer friendly in the near future. Obitsu is supposedly working on a big push in North America, they have starting showing up at more anime cons and the new sizes are stirring lots of interest! So maybe that competition will work in our favor.

 

As far as Volks outfits, they are well made, and perfectly fitted for DD/DDy... it's pretty hard to find elsewhere, so the price is (usually) reasonable.

 

Now for wigs... eh, I haven't seen anything that makes a $40 Volks wig better than any other $20 wig. I'd pass on those.

 

Compared to a 60cm resin doll fullset, DD is still about half the price - not just from Volks but pretty much any place that's not based in China. So really for BJD they're relatively cheap!

Compared to a 60cm resin doll fullset, DD is still about half the price - not just from Volks but pretty much any place that's not based in China. So really for BJD they're relatively cheap!

 

Umm... They're not anymore, I'm afraid. Current limited DD price = ~56000 JPY = ~720$

Currently, most good bjd companies are located in Korea. DDs are quickly approaching the price level of their limited editions, and the JPY exchange rate doesn't help either.

And below is a quick example of limited edition resin

 

 

FeePle65 Chloe Elf Full Package (Moon Light) - 820$

http://dollfairyland.com/shop/step1.php?number=762

 

What we can buy for 720$?

Resins from Iplehouse, for example, YID series (~DD size) are priced 471$ for a doll. 531$ with faceup.

http://www.iplehouse.net/shop/step0.php?b_code=B20021125011548&c_code=C20061024052330

Leaves almost 200$ for a wig and outfit, which is quite a sum.

Iple is a quite good and well know company.

My Narvy from Aria Doll is 328$, also from Korea, and resin quality is on par with Volks, as my friends say.

So basically I can buy two for a price of one limited DD and still will have some money left for accessories...

 

So sadly, DDs are not anymore a "less expensive" option.

And looking at their aftermarket prices, I really have nothing more to add.

So sadly, DDs are not anymore a "less expensive" option.

And looking at their aftermarket prices, I really have nothing more to add.

 

From my visits to Akihabara the second-hand prices do seem to be quite high for Dollfie Dreams, though it's almost always limited-edition character dolls that are for sale. I picked up the standard body and head for Akane for half the price, brand new - she may not be as unique as other dolls but I like her just as much!

At the end of the day. Current rage and fads aside,.....

This is a SMALL hobby.

Think of how many anime fans there are. Ok then think how many fans will buy character goods. Oh thats a lot fewer.... Of those fans how many will buy figures? How many will buy a LARGE figure? 1/3 scale even? How many fans want to see ball joints on their figures?

Cut out about 85% and thats your pool of potential DD owners plus the odd extra BJD fan who hate anime but likes the DD design.

They are never going to sell more than a few thousand DDs of each character. The whole development, clothing commission, design, marketing, product launch etc has to be recuperated from a small number of units.

This isnt a million+ unit seller.

Most BJD companies are small family run companies and Volks itself is a private company. It may one of the largest BJD companies but with 30stores plus online sales thats not big by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Its true there are a huge number of pictures threads and blogs about DDs but think of how FEW people actually make them.

 

I mean take Saber Lily. Straight out of the box she costs $1000ish, expensive but if they made 5000 of her thats like $5.0m in gross revenue from her less a pile of costs for the sword, wig, armour, packaging. With all that effort to design and launch her - thats a lot of effort.

Its not like you can go a massive factory and say "run me a batch of 5000 of these pvc dollfies" and finish their faces and run these clothes.... No one in mass production will get out of bed for such a limited run! Or if they did they would charge more.

 

Bottom line is you are buying small production number limited edition goods from a Small to medium size company. It will always be niche and therefore production costs will remain higher than the norm we expect from mass production consumer goods.

You arent buying Barbie. You are buying VOLKS.

Others will pick a Louis Vuitton handbag over some mass market rip and cough blood up for difference. It all depends on your pain treshold.

You arent buying Barbie. You are buying VOLKS.

Others will pick a Louis Vuitton handbag over some mass market rip and cough blood up for difference. It all depends on your pain treshold.

 

Excuse me arrex, but apparently you didn't read my original post. Where did I say that Dollfie Dreams should be in the $20-100 range like a Barbie doll? Nowhere, all I was trying to say, was that I believe Volks over prices their ORIGINAL designs. I was not (typing this for the third time now) talking about the limited or licensed DDs or when they get on the secondary market. But after all is said in done, these are all only our opinions and everyone's will differ.

You arent buying Barbie. You are buying VOLKS.

Others will pick a Louis Vuitton handbag over some mass market rip and cough blood up for difference. It all depends on your pain treshold.

 

Excuse me arrex, but apparently you didn't read my original post. Where did I say that Dollfie Dreams should be in the $20-100 range like a Barbie doll? Nowhere, all I was trying to say, was that I believe Volks over prices their ORIGINAL designs. I was not (typing this for the third time now) talking about the limited or licensed DDs or when they get on the secondary market. But after all is said in done, these are all only our opinions and everyone's will differ.

 

I didn't get the sense that arrex was saying that you said DDs should cost the price of a Barbie, I got the sense arrex was using Barbie as an example of a doll that was mass produced by a large company... not as a literal price point.

 

Volks = limited run/high quality production for a very niche market

Your Average Barbie = mass produced/mediocre quality production for a much broader market

However, if you order from Junky Spot here in California they will pass their bulk buy savings on to you. I have found that if you ask Emory nicely he will order just about any Obitsu or Parabox item you can find on the Parabox site for you.

 

Thanks so much for this info! Very good to know!!!

Maybe I did get the wrong impression on arrex's post, I just didn't want them to think that I though DDs should be Barbie priced! Well, I'm glad people are interested in my little post and I think the discussions are interesting.