The greatest challenges for doll makers in 2018

[Unknown03]

My point is that we need to be given the tools for maintenance - access to spare parts, designs that allow replacement with spare parts, materials with consistent properties. Expecting more than maintainability is - imho - expecting too much.

Sandro

Hear hear! I think that's the most frustrating thing to me as a new doll owner. Like you said there are lots of other expensive things that we expect we will need to fix. But I can bring the car to a mechanic or my stereo system to the electronics shop, etc. Thank goodness for this forum and all the helpful advice others offer, but as a not very handy man, I still very much on my own when it comes to such matters, scrounging for unfamiliar things at the store, making diy repairs outside of my skill zone. If there were "official" repair kits or spare parts with instructions that would make all the difference.

Thanks for starting this thread.

[nukeno]

However they are being shipped, I have to think it is in the most efficient way possible. No way have they not taken a long, hard look at bringing down their biggest cost. Right?

Riiiight.... LOL
Read a little bit more about dolls manufactured in China and you will realize, it's not about efficiency, not the least bit.
It's quick and dirty cheap, that is what it is and they don't care how much the customers have to suffer or pay for shipping.
It's not their cost, it's yours! (The same goes BTW for health related issues too. Nobody remotely knows what gets mixed into the TPE...)

Anyway, as long prices were relatively high in general, but still way cheaper than for example a RD,
nobody in the west cared or asked how high the shipping costs really were.
No vendor or manufacturer is marketing the dolls like: "Doll 500$ + 750$ shipping"
Because nobody would buy one. They label it "1250$ shipping incl." and everybody thinks
"That's a fair price for such a beautiful doll." and doesn't even think remotely about
shipping costs, because guess what, they are included.

And don't forget, they sell most dolls in Asia anyway. So they really don't care how much YOU have to pay for shipping.
They say “You want our product? Come and get it! You can't? Too bad!”
And that's why there are “agents” and middle men involved, because the manufactures don't care,
and you cannot drive there and get the fucking doll yourself.

Which BTW is even more convenient for them, because then you also cannot complain about all the tiny or major flaws your doll might have and demand a better one.
Which is why some vendors like Dollstudio or XSdolls were offering a PQC. Another middle man doing the job the manufacturer should have done in the first place.
But guess what, not anymore, because the manufactures did not like getting defective dolls stamped "return to sender".
Which was BTW just possible because it happened in China, because, again how convenient, nobody is sending a doll from Europe or the US back to China when he
has to pay another $$$ hundred dollars for shipping it back and forth again.

That's Chinese doll business in a nutshell for you.
Please correct me if I'm wrong!

[symmes]

No vendor or manufacturer is marketing the dolls like: "Doll 500$ + 750$ shipping"
Because nobody would buy one.

Actually, Doll Sweet is doing that, although the figures are different -- ~$3,000 for the doll and ~$500 for shipping (to the US; a bit higher to Europe). I don't know offhand if US-based vendors are splitting out DS shipping costs, too; the ones I've found are vague on the subject of shipping costs, at least on their web pages.

Dollhouse 168 also does that in their AliExpress store. (Go to their main web site and some of the doll descriptions there provide "buy" links that go to AliExpress; see for instance the "Liz" 170cm Evo doll, which links to this AliExpress listing. Some other listings provide options pages, but I haven't checked to see if they ultimately lead to AliExpress, too.) Their main site just gives the final cost, but on AliExpress, the doll's price is ~$300 lower, with a ~$300 shipping cost tacked on; the total is the same, at least for the one or two I checked.

For the most part, though, you're right -- manufacturers and vendors quote a final price, shipping included. I just wanted to point out that there are exceptions.

FWIW, I've noticed that on eBay, Chinese sellers almost always fold shipping into the advertised price, so this seems to be a common practice in retail Chinese e-commerce with Western countries, not just with dolls.

[Unknown03]

Like you said there are lots of other expensive things that we expect we will need to fix. But I can bring the car to a mechanic or my stereo system to the electronics shop, etc.

I realize there's something I should have also added, and it is this: not only do our dolls need more accessible ways to be repaired and maintained because they are expensive, but also because many of us love them. There is an emotional connection that goes beyond how I feel for or even "love" other expensive "things" in my life. It is emotionally traumatic when they break down before their time and there's no way to properly fix them.

[samara78]

What will distinguish makers of dolls in the new year is also customer service and a desire to stand behind their products!

[nukeno]

Actually, Doll Sweet is doing that...
Dollhouse 168 also does that in their AliExpress store...

You are right.
I should have mentioned, that I had primarily "Jinsan" (and Sanhui recently) in mind while writing this.
DollSweet and DH168 are the only Chinese manufactures I trust!!!

Unfortunately there is no way past Jinsan, especially not if you want a big, curvy, black one.
No other manufacturer is doing it, so I have to bite the bullet and throw my money at them
although they do not deserve it...

[MannyCan]

we tend to buy our 1st doll with our eyes and available funds. these big boobed curvy asses are feeding a demand and always going to be big sellers despite their weight. I would not be surprised to see a doll in 10 years loaded with tech topping 80-100kg

Great points! You know? I might be good to make some shorter dolls but AVOID making them look like little girls. Just give them the same proportions of adult women, but in a diminutive size. Knocking off 15 - 20cm can make a big difference in weight. A properly proportioned head would also be important.

Just a thought.

[grimreefer24601]

Nut's? Welded Nut's? No WM is now welding Bolts!

Fingers. Number one! As long as new Neck works out.

The shrugging shoulders look nice, but are another possible point of failure.

[Unknown03]

What will distinguish makers of dolls in the new year is also customer service and a desire to stand behind their products!

I agree. And I will jump in here and say that JM doll in China has been very good to me: prompt replies to my emails, and even unsolicited emails based on things I have posted on tdf. They are also helping me get a replacement body after the original one had issues that may have been related to the manufacturing. My experience with them is that they (or at least John their sales agent) care about the customer's experience.

[symmes]

Unfortunately there is no way past Jinsan, especially not if you want a big, curvy, black one.
No other manufacturer is doing it, so I have to bite the bullet and throw my money at them
although they do not deserve it...

Depending on how "big" and "curvy" you want, I noticed that Doll Sweet has a very good head called "Tyra," and the skin color looks decent (based on the photos), unlike what many manufacturers do -- put a sickly-looking "black" or "brown" color on a more-or-less Caucasian face, which looks hideous, IMHO and judging solely by the photos. Coupled with the 167cm body, I'd call that plenty curvy, but of course favored body type is very subjective. 6YE also has a couple of decent heads of African heritage (again, judging by the photos; I've seen none of these in person), and a good selection of bodies.

[nukeno]

Depending on how "big" and "curvy" you want...

A DS doll would be way too classy for what I have in mind...
But I've said too much already...

[LDF]

IMHO:

Silicone has better properties at a higher $ cost than TPE.

My current thinking is that while TPE has it's advantages, it's disadvantages may be intractable.

Basically, TPE blends are more Art than Science.

They resemble "Gels" more than anything else.

Which might explain why they are so difficult to maintain.

TPE does appears to be relatively unstable.

I've seen the surface of my TPE doll visibly ripple when I applied baby oil.

[Quater]

Agree with all 3 points. As to weight reduction, a doll with detachable limbs or just legs is a possibility. Most potential buyers may find a modular doll too unrealistic, but for many of us, maneuverability and stashability is more important.

[Apugo]

Which BTW is even more convenient for them, because then you also cannot complain about all the tiny or major flaws your doll might have and demand a better one.
Which is why some vendors like Dollstudio or XSdolls were offering a PQC. Another middle man doing the job the manufacturer should have done in the first place.
But guess what, not anymore, because the manufactures did not like getting defective dolls stamped "return to sender".

What is PQC? Pre quality check?

Doesn't Dolls Castle still do this?

[nukeno]

What is PQC? Pre quality check?
Doesn't Dolls Castle still do this?

Was it called "Personal Quality Check"? Doesn't matter, a QC however!
Might had been other reasons as well why they quit doing them.
George from XSdolls who was doing the QCs had (or still has) more serious problems do deal with, so...
But that's a different story and not mine to tell anyway.

Don't know much about Dolls Castle other than it is a Chinese vendor located somewhere near the Jinsan factory.
So if you are interested in buying a "Jinsan" (WM, OR, YL...) doll, you might wanna give it a try and ask them what they can do for you.