We’ve discussed the fundamentals of a ball-jointed-doll (BJD)—giving a brief definition of how BJDs are meant to function. Now is the fun part. Opening your browser and typing in the search engine of your choosing, you may find yourself scrolling from page to page from the results of your BJD searches.
Be careful, though.
There are many places to purchase BJDs and a quick Google search will give you some favorable results. Perhaps you’ve found a doll sculpt you like and guess what? It’s CHEAP. Newcomers to the BJD hobby may not understand that if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Recasts—otherwise known as bootleg BJDs—is a prominent issue within the BJD hobby and community. Some sellers may trick newcomers by selling recasts as legitimate dolls for cheap. Younger hobbyists or those struggling financially might believe it’s impossible to purchase a legitimate ball-jointed doll at a cheaper price. Fortunately, this is completely false.
While some BJDs do indeed run as much as $900 blank, on average, dolls typically run anywhere between $200-$500 from most BJD companies. Artist BJDs, however, tend to run higher—$500-$2000—due to limited staffing (or in many cases being operated by a single individual). Ultimately, the price of a ball-jointed doll comes down to its size, aesthetic, company/artist, and availability. For example, many BJD companies offer limited edition dolls that are priced higher on the second-hand market.
The price of a doll is also measured by several other factors:
- Faceup (makeup).
- Body blushing—blushing the doll’s body to make it appear more three-dimensional or aids in realism.
- Getting the doll as a full set—this means the doll is included with what appears in the company’s photographs such as outfit, hair, faceup, etc.
- Shipping and customs fees.
There are companies and other sellers that do offer layaway options if a customer is unable to fully pay for a doll right away.
Ordering a doll from a company or artist blank will usually mean it comes with the assembled dolls and potentially a pair of eyes. Otherwise, hobbyists—unless the doll is a full set—have to purchase, wigs, clothes, shoes, and other accessories separately. This also aids in the potential cost of a doll if you plan on having it fully fleshed out.
Where are BJDs sold?
There are several places where you can purchase a BJD, including:
- Online BJD sellers: Depending on your country, you can purchase dolls from a third-party seller. Third-party sellers alleviate the stress of navigating some doll sites due to language barriers or poor site design. These sellers typically have a large catalog of doll companies they’re affiliated with and may sometimes sell wigs, clothes, shoes, etc. on their website as well. Some third-party sellers include:
- Denver Doll Emporium (US-Based—also sells non-BJDs and doll tools)
- Alice’s Collections (Based in China, but ships to the US)
- BJDivas (US-Based)
- JunkySpot (US-Based)
- Clover Singing (Ships Internationally)
Pros of ordering from a third-party seller:
- Easy to order.
- Takes most major debit/credit cards.
- Useful for newcomers to the hobby.
Cons from ordering from a third-party seller:
- Limited doll selection—often times third-party sellers do not offer the full catalog of dolls from certain BJD companies. For example, Denver Doll Emporium may offer fewer dolls from the BJD company, Doll Zone, than Alice’s Collections. You also only have a select few companies to order from overall.
- Expensive shipping and customs fees—it could be more expensive to purchase a doll through an online BJD seller depending on your location.
Ordering directly from the company: This means you’re ordering from the source. Some companies even offer an English version of their site and may take PayPal. BjdCollectasy has a long list of companies and artists that sell ball-jointed dolls with links to their websites for purchase.
Pros:
- The list of companies is massive.
- May receive the doll faster than ordering from a third-party seller—dolls typically take anywhere from 2-8 months to be shipped depending on the volume of purchases, the complexity of the doll, the skin tone you ordered your doll in, whether it’s in stock, etc.
- Have a larger doll selection.
Cons:
- Some companies may or may not ship to your country, ship only within their country of origin, or take currency specific to their country. They may also not have an option for PayPal.
- The doll site may not be in your language.
- Might have to deal with expensive shipping and customs fees.
Secondhand Marketplace: Some owners of BJDs may sell their dolls on the secondhand marketplace. They may sell them via Instagram, Tumblr, or specified ball-jointed-doll forums such as DenofAngels (you have to have an account for a specific amount of time before you can sell and purchase doll goods on DoA). Owners will create a sales post where customers can either negotiate a price or purchase the doll from the price the seller is asking for.
Pros:
- You may find rare dolls that aren’t being sold anymore. It’s an alternative option to get the doll you want (legitimately) without resorting to recasts.
Cons:
- Price “scalping”—this means a doll is being sold at a higher price than what it’s worth especially if a doll is rare or discontinued.
- Limited shipping options—sellers may not ship internationally.
- Receiving damaged dolls (yellowed, broken joints, etc.).
Also, be aware that some may sell their secondhand dolls as legitimate when they’re recasts. Always ask for a certificate of authenticity (COA) if possible.
Other places you can purchase dolls are:
- BJD meetups and conventions.
- Yard sales.
- eBay, Etsy, and Amazon (there are many recasts sold on these sites, however).
Dolls Under $300
Dolls priced under $300 tend to be smaller in size—1/8th, 1/6th, and (sometimes) 1/4th scale.
*Note that dolls are measured in centimeters (cm) and not inches.
Some companies that offer dolls under $300 include:
- Doll Zone’s 1/6th and 1/4th sized dolls.
- Doll Chateau’s 1/6th-sized dolls.
- Doll Leaves 1/6th and 1/4th sized dolls.
- Dika Doll’s 1/6th and 1/4th sized dolls.
- Dream Valley’s 1/12th, 1/6th, and some 1/4th-sized dolls.
- Impldoll’s 1/4th and some 1/3rd sized dolls.
Other affordable companies include Resin Soul and Bobobie, which are excellent companies for newcomers in the hobby and offer many skin tones for their BJDs.
BlueKitsune on Tumblr made an excellent post on where to find more dolls priced under $300.
*Note that these are base prices without faceup or other add-ons to the dolls.