Planning for a BJD?

A fairly significant question in the life of a BJD collector is:

How do you plan out buying a BJD?

I have a process that I follow when I’m looking for dolls. It’s not a very strict process but helps me find my way out of the chaos. Most of you already have some system that you are following when it comes to buying dolls. This post is about my process. Typically, my BJD hunting goes something like this:

1. Think of an inspiring character

I usually start off with my imagination running wild. I’ll get inspired by some character and then the next thought that comes to my mind is usually ‘I wish I had a doll that looked like that.’

Some people base them off of stories they are currently writing and others like popular movie or TV characters so much that they turn them into dolls. Wherever you decided to pull your inspiration from, this will help you in the next step.

2. Look through the Sculpts

This is the most magical, frustrating and tiresome step in the process. 

Resource alert: For people out there who are looking at multiple companies to buy their doll hop over to bjdcollectasy.com to grab a full (deep) list of BJD companies currently out there. It’s a good resource for anyone looking into various companies to get their dolls. 

So, I start my research digging through various companies. If it’s a guy doll I particularly look for the body type as well. Since there are many body types out there, I like to check all of them out to see what fits best on my character. 

3. Compare companies and ask questions

In my research process, I like to go to the websites of various companies and look for reviews and compare them. It’s always wise to look into what other people think about those dolls. I’m not afraid to ask people questions. Why should you be?

Back in the day when I first entered the hobby I really wanted a boy to fit my character, Kai. I was a bit shy about getting into the hobby and frankly, didn’t know much about any of the resources out there. 

So, I sent a PM to Kirex (a fellow Youtuber) and asked her about what she thought about some XYZ bodies. Now that I come to think of it, it’s pretty funny because I could just have Googled it a bit and found out for myself. Although I don’t quite remember what she said, all I do remember is that she was nice enough to respond. So, don’t ever be afraid to ask questions to other owners. 

When I started out, there were only a couple of forums out there but it’s quite massive right now. We now have YouTube videos with so much great content on BJDs, many forums have popped up and so have many blogs. 

If you need to look for something, Google before you ask some random person for advice. You can look into how people have used sculpts and compare what they have done with the dolls. 

I’ve seen people buy the same sculpt and one’s doll’s completely different from the others. Comparing all those different dolls will give you an idea about the potential of the doll. 

4. Research but don’t rush

If you have been into buying BJDs, I’m sure you understand how cumbersome and tiring the process can be. When you have to look into all these different sculpts to see what will fit best on your doll, it takes some time and energy. Although it’s tiring, I would never suggest you rush through things.

 I know people find it hard to spend $200 to $300 on a doll when just starting out. The best advice here can only be to do your best research without burning out and then go with your gut feeling.

Don’t try to compensate because then you might fall into the trap of buying a doll just because it was a bit less expensive and when it arrives, you have a hard time bonding with it. Now you have a doll you don’t really like and you have to start the process of finding a new home for it.

Therefore, go for whatever it is you really like whether it is expensive or inexpensive. 

5. Buy the doll

So, there are a couple of ways of going around this step. You can buy your doll from the company directly or from a distributor. You can also buy it secondhand from a marketplace. Look through all those options. 

Personally, I’ve bought my dolls, a lot of the times, through the distributors. I’ve bought dolls from Mint on Card (Retired), Denver Doll, and Junky Spot. I like buying from distributors for several reasons. Since I’ve never bought directly from a company, if you do decide to buy directly from a company do your research. Look into the process and see how long is it going to take you to actually get it. 

You may order something today and get it days or even weeks later. This is, sort of, a double-edged sword in this hobby. Your doll could be coming from the other side of the world. Moreover, a lot of this stuff is handmade so it can take time.

6. Look into your Finances

Now that I know what I want, I’ve researched where I want it from, and I know the company or the distributor; I need to do finances for it. This is another sucky part of the process. Depending on what you are getting, it could cost you a pretty penny. Not to mention, sometimes, shipping can also be a big unexpected cost.

The worst part is that you only realize how much the shipping costs once you have put all items in your cart and are ready to checkout. It can be an additional $40-$60 to your grand total and it’s a hard pill to swallow.

Some companies do layaway. Which is cool because you can do the payment in increments. There are other companies that don’t offer that. Either way, whether you are buying in full or buying with a payment plan, you do have to consider your finances. 

7. Waiting

Everyone hates the waiting game. I hate it with a passion. No one likes waiting for dolls but it is a thing we all have to go through. So, just prepare yourself because you may be waiting for 3 to 4 weeks or up to 4 to 5 months. I’ve heard some people waiting for even longer. 

So, just hang in there. You can do it!

8. The moment of happiness

Your doll is finally here, this is your moment of happiness. Be mentally prepared to be awed and totally in love with what you’ve ordered and spent all this time slaving away at. It’s definitely worth all the hassle and all the wait that you had to go through when you were purchasing a doll. 

Don’t be afraid to spread your joy and love to others and do something fun like a box opening video!

A quick recap:

Step 1: Think about a character you want a doll for.

Step 2: Part 1 of the research phase is to look into various sculpts.

Step 3: Part 2 of the research phase is to compare the sculpts with other people’s dolls and look for reviews out there to make sure you want what you want.

Step 4: Ask questions if you don’t find enough information on Google. Research and dig deep on types of dolls out there.

Step 5: Buy the doll. Look into where you want it from, a company, a distributor, or a marketplace.

Step 6: Do your finances. Look into companies that allow you to pay in increments if you don’t want to make a single bulk payment.

Step 7: Wait patiently for your doll to arrive because it can even take months to arrive.

Step 8: Finally, enjoy the moment of happiness.

Those were my simple steps on how to buy a doll. Like I already said, many other people follow many other ways of jumping into the hobby. This is the path I like to follow. It works for me pretty well and hopefully, it was helpful to you in some shape, way or form. Perhaps you will now be a bit less confused when you are buying your BJD. 

As always, have a dolly-tastic day and love your dolls. I will see you guys in another post with more amazing content on BJDs and much more. 

Have any questions? Leave them down in the comments section.