Anxiety with dolls?

[Kirahfaye]

That would be the Market Place on Den of Angels. Any one of us here can send you an invitation, and the forum is a good source of information, however they are very restrictive about doll aesthetics (which dolls are allowed for discussion) and you need to have a minimum 50 post count to even get into the MP (and they are sticklers about how you gain that post count also).

People are asking full price on DOA (heck, I've even seen a few asking over the retail price on accessories - they seem to think they can make back their shipping costs on resale.....), but as Misty said, sales threads are either sitting for weeks and even months or prices are being lowered.

[Dirili]

I was hoping to get an invite to DOA at some point ^_^ But definitely knew better than to just go around bugging anyone for an invite.

they are sounding like less and less fun now though... the doll gestapo or something! lol But I really would like access to the marketplace still if it's really that active... If it wasn't for that, I'd probably forget about it since it doesn't really sound like a very friendly place.

With all my anxieties, I don't like to be around conflict very much and it sounds like there's a lot of trouble there.

[catshem]

I was hoping to get an invite to DOA at some point ^_^ But definitely knew better than to just go around bugging anyone for an invite.

they are sounding like less and less fun now though... the doll gestapo or something! lol But I really would like access to the marketplace still if it's really that active... If it wasn't for that, I'd probably forget about it since it doesn't really sound like a very friendly place.

With all my anxieties, I don't like to be around conflict very much and it sounds like there's a lot of trouble there.

I think, unless you're really into the BJDs they consider acceptable (you may wanna look at their list) then join. I joined but then learned all the dolls I primarily go for are the "unacceptable" vinyl and so "not" BJD dolls. *shrug* They may have deactivated my account by now, lol I never post.

[Dirili]

oh I'm definitely into the big expensive bjds more than anything else hehe. I'm obsessed with Iplehouse now in particular.

[Yanagi-sen]

I was hoping to get an invite to DOA at some point ^_^ But definitely knew better than to just go around bugging anyone for an invite.

they are sounding like less and less fun now though... the doll gestapo or something! lol But I really would like access to the marketplace still if it's really that active... If it wasn't for that, I'd probably forget about it since it doesn't really sound like a very friendly place.

With all my anxieties, I don't like to be around conflict very much and it sounds like there's a lot of trouble there.

DoA can be very helpful, they have a lot of members, a lot of accumulated knowledge, and yes the marketplace can be really handy. However they are very picky about their rules. Many of us stick to our doll specific threads, sewing/modding/etc, marketplace... and try to avoid the drama in other areas. I wouldn't be afraid of DoA, just realize it is HUGE and doesn't have the same kind of community that smaller forums like this one and JS have.

[Evelien]

Exactly. It's more of a database than an actual community. To be honest, the chat threads for specific types of dolls are little communities on their own within DoA.

[Kirahfaye]

Also, it's easier to find other doll collectors near you through the Doll Meetups forum on DOA (that's how I met the great group of people near me) and there are age specific threads also so you can have on going discussions with people in your own age bracket.

[Dirili]

geeez! No wonder people can't sell dolls on there!
You have to wait 25 days before you can have access to the marketplace to buy anything? So much for any hopes of getting a discounted used obitsu as a model anytime soon even if I did get on there...
I'm sure that significantly narrows down the buyer base since membership is invite only. With little new blood, it would be a somewhat closed system of circulation. I'm sure the regular members only have so much money.

I mean I understand why they have these rules, but the conditions definitely aren't condusive at all for doll reselling.

And wow it's crazy just how rigid their definitions are. So many exclusions I don't know how anyone keeps track of them.

[Evelien]

I guess you *have* to be strict when you've got over 35,000 members. Right now there's 500 online. And if you do join for the MP access, don't get too anxious to get access; I did and I had to wait another 30 days LOL.

[victoriavictrix]

There are a couple things the DoA is good for.

Marketplace. With 35,000 members there is a good chance that sooner or later someone will be selling something you want at a price you can afford, unless it is a really limited item. Also, on things with fantasy parts, often people sell off the bits they don't want. I got my 1/3 translucent resin wings for Sera that way. So what if you have to have X posts and then wait 30 days? Big deal. 30 days is a SHORT waiting period for a new doll shipped from Asia. People wait up to 6 months for some dolls to ship. That's why DoA has brand-specific waiting rooms for people to angst at each other in.

A few, sane, specific threads. I like the Sewing and Modding threads, the "Over 30" and the "Over 50" threads. I pretty much ignore everything else. When in doubt, follow Craig Ferguson's "three rules": "Does this need to be said?" "Does this need to be said NOW?" "Does this need to be said now BY ME?" If the answer to any of those is "no," then don't post and don't look at that thread again. Needless to say, my reactions to 99.9% of the threads at DoA are such that the answer to the three questions would be "Yes, no, and hell no" because I know what I would say would unleash a sh*tstorm. But in the Sewing and the "overs" threads people are helpful, fun, mature, and sane.