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Post by Mindy on Jun 30, 2012 1:42:59 GMT -5
The forum has been uncomfortably quiet for some time... So really I just want to ramble to see if any of you are still lurking ;D In all seriousness though, lately I have been thinking about the crazy amount of upcoming new release dolls and whether or not I really need any of the new releases or am I just caught up in the massive consumerism running rife in MH collecting communities all over the internet lately I personally won't be giving up MH collecting, but I'm wondering if anyone else is feeling pressured to chase down all of the new dolls just because distribution is so horrible? Or is it possible to be content with only a few MH dolls? I'd love to hear the thoughts of any other members still hanging around Lets get some discussion happening here!
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Post by princessjes on Jul 4, 2012 18:57:55 GMT -5
I've been thinking about this particular subject a lot lately.
I have to admit, I was once a MH completionist. I used to want to own each and every MH doll produced but I've had to change my mind about that for the sake of my sanity and my wallet. As awesome as Monster High is, I'm getting repeatedly turned off by the line for various reasons:
1. Exclusives The regular dolls are hard enough to come by. Exclusives make matters so much worse, with even spottier availability than the regular dolls. Not to mention the ridiculous prices that some of the exclusives go for. San Diego Comic Con 2010 Frankie Stein pretty much single-handedly made me give up wanting to own each and every MH doll. She isn't even two years old yet and she's selling for $300? I can't afford to buy a $300 doll. Ever. And since I can never own her, I can never have a complete collection. So getting every other doll but never owning her made trying to complete my collection a pointless and unattainable goal. So I gave up. Now I try to stick to buying my very favorite dolls from each line and nothing else.
2. Distribution Monster High dolls are just plain difficult to find. I have yet to see a signature Rochelle Goyle in stores, yet she’s been out for several months already.
3. Quality Even when you finally track down a doll at a store, there's no guarantee that the doll will be good-enough quality for you to want to buy it. Example: I wasn't able to buy the only Signature Jackson that I've ever seen in a store because his eyes were printed on badly. So even when I’m lucky enough to find a Monster High doll in a store, I can’t always buy them because of poor paint jobs and such. This is why I don’t buy MH dolls online, except from other collectors who can tell me if a doll’s face and overall quality is good. So not being able to buy from online stores and not being pleased with the quality of every doll I see severely limits the amount of MH dolls available to me. Add that on top of the poor distribution of these dolls and you’ve got a lot of mounting frustration!
4. Production Rate Don't get me wrong, I love new dolls! It's exciting to see new and upcoming releases. But I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number and frequency of different MH lines being produced. I'm not a millionaire so there's no way I can keep up. Even more despair! You'd think with the wretched distribution of MH dolls, Mattel would concern itself more with making sure people were able to buy the dolls they want that have already come out. Dawn of the Dance wave 2, anyone?
Those are my thoughts on the matter. I love the dolls to death but there are so many things about them that frustrate me.
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Prawnlegs
Mindless Zombie
Completely normal.
Posts: 111
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Post by Prawnlegs on Jul 5, 2012 23:13:40 GMT -5
Jes, you pretty much nailed all of the things that are dampening my enthusiasm for collecting. I was never a gotta-catch-'em-all completionist, but now I'm even more picky about which ones I choose to buy (if it's even an option to buy them, amirite). I've caught myself seeing dolls in the store and having the flash impulse to buy them JUST because "What if I never see them again?!" Even if they're ones I didn't have any plans to get. And that's just creepy.
My will is stronger than your possessed dolls, Mattel! (But I still plan to get the few I really, really like. I am yet a mortal prawn, subject to the whims and caprice of mortals!)
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Post by Mindy on Jul 9, 2012 23:09:19 GMT -5
Totally agree with everything you guys pointed out.
Exclusives seem to elude the US peeps, imagine what it's like here in Australia :S Luckily forums like this help out with that. I'm just noticing the more popular the line becomes, the less chance you have of finding someone willing to help out because there's just SO much demand. That doesn't even take into the consideration the kids out there that can't get hold of the dolls they want!
lol Prawnlegs, totally feeling you on the strong will vs Mattel! I'll only be seeking out the signatures I love and the releases of Lagoona I like/can get hold of :3 Oh and the SS 5 pack if I can ever find it/beg for international help >_<
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Post by Rockwella on Jul 16, 2012 0:35:15 GMT -5
I agree with everything that I just read! Before I started collecting MH (it's been maybe 2 weeks) I held a Rochelle Goyle in my hands in a Wal Mart and was trying to figure out what it was that made her so appealing...then a few days later I realized my love (after researching MH all day haha) and went back to get her but alas she had been taken. I will find you again,Rochelle!
My husband was at the store the other day and he's awesome so he sent me a text of which dolls were in stock and they had a few that I knew were a little bit of a challenge to find and I almost said to get them all just because of that....that's crazy though cause I already know which ones that I want. Why waste money on dolls that you don't truly want when you could put that money towards dolls that you love
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Post by dIGITS on Jul 31, 2012 10:23:22 GMT -5
yes i was definitely obsessed with monster high but it died down quite rapidly- if not immediately after i obtained cupid back in january/february? jeez- when was that? i haven't been to the forum a whole lot since and what i've seen is just a lot of re-hashing of the same dolls. i was looking forward to a lot of fashion packs but every time i go to the stores the shelves are either bare or have older releases... like the first line of skull shores.... or the first release of the skull shores 5-pack. i got sick of shopping. hahah.. so i've basically just given up and gone back to my Blythe dolls.... though... we'll see if things change again when halloween gets closer. maybe i'll just start customizing all of the way-too-many dolls i amassed in that 6 month period...
oh! wait, i remember when i gave up!!! i couldn't find black and white frankie ANYWHERE and then people were saying they found them at wal-mart for $4?! i was pissed and went out everywhere again and after a week or so FINALLY caught a new load at toys 'r us... however... they were like $15 or something... maybe even $17... ? regardless... that's pretty much the last time i went monster high hunting... though... admittedly, i still do kind of want that b&w frankie
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Post by Mindy on Aug 6, 2012 22:11:11 GMT -5
Too many dolls get overwhelming I've found so I totally feel you dIGITS. Nice to see you back though <3 Yeh B&W SS Frankie was/is a bit of a pain, when you know people were/are finding her for $4-$5 it's so hard to justify spending $15-$20 on the same doll (Yes, SS Frankie made it to Aus but retails at AU$18 What the heck Mattel!) I was lucky that someone was kind enough to pick me up a $5 Frankie but I can totally understand the frustration of not being able to find her at that price in the same country you KNOW they were cheaper
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