I was browsing a doll board yesterday evening when I saw a very angry and resentful post regarding the actions of lottery winners who post their lottery wins at an inflated prices. I checked the W Board and saw that, indeed, one winner had posted Ayumi for sale. She stated that she open to offers higher than what she was asking on eBay. This person native language is not English.
There was anger directed at this woman in the succeeding posts. It was disturbing to read. Why couldn't these people email the seller to tell her that posting a lottery win on the W Board immediately after the lottery ended could cause a problem and it's not a 'friendly' thing to do? Someone could have explained this to her. Last year a member did the same thing more than once and no one attacked her. I couldn't understand why this woman left to hang in the wind.
Anyway, today the angriest W Board post had been removed (by the poster?) and several voices of reason prevailed. The thread was also closed.
Sad.
Here's Ayumi. A friend picked one up for me at IDEX.
The designers are playing the Name Game again. They call this doll Ayumi however she looks nothing like Ayumi. IMO this new sculpt is unattractive. That could be partly because of the ginormous eyebrows and huge forehead. It's too bad because her fashion is very pretty. The shoes are well made which allows the doll to stand without support.
Luminous Ayumi has a beautiful and complex hairstyle that is woven with ribbon. This certainly took skill to create and it was done well. For redressers, this could pose a problem as the ribbon probably cannot be removed without undoing the hairstyle.
As of right now the average eBay going price is about $240. It will drop because as more people actually receive their dolls, more will be offered for sale.
As much as I don't care for wild speculation in anything, if someone has purchased this doll and then wants to ask the moon for it....well that's a free market economy. Either someone will desperately feel a need to overpay or they won't.
ReplyDeleteI am more concerned about the disproportionate responses of some collectors. Projecting so much on the value of cute piece of plastic and such rage at others does not suggest a stable or healthy personality.
Love the blog....Will C
Not surprised about the goings on at W. I have noticed a lot of unfriendly interaction between people over something that is supposed to bring you joy. It's not just at the WClub, doll boards also sometimes offer this 'special feature' LOL. I have also been screwed over by a couple doll friends in my own life. The Doll World can be tough sometimes. I agree with Wil C's comment (above). If one doesn't like the Price of something, then don't buy it. Seems these little things of beauty bring out the worst in many.
ReplyDeleteAs for the doll featured here. You are correct. She isn't pretty. Love your Blog postings, Terri.
J.
I saw those posts and was shocked at the responses.Is it me but is it getting a bit sad/mad over at the WClub at the momemt? Or is it because of the new offerings from IDEX and everyone is killing themselves to get the lastest it girls (Gretel that is) really can't wait for the Spring Line unveil and what madness that will cause. Please don't get me wrong I love my FRs I do, but I can't seem to stand the people being meansprited about a doll.
ReplyDeleteYes thank you Terri for your blog, I don't post, but I do read and love your insight and I love your photography.
Ayumi she certainly is not the same girl is she? Such a shame really, because she was gorgeous the way she was. I did win the lottery for her, I don't regret getting her, because she will donate her body to someone else :) and the fashion is divine.
I don't think people got upset about people posting the lottery Vero for sale right after the winners were annonced, because everybody who entered that lottery won the doll. There were 700 Veros made, only 490 or so entered the lottery.
ReplyDeleteI didn't enter Ayumi's lottery. I really dislike her new sculpt. She's not Ayumi anymore to me. I didn't even like the dress. Baby pink isn't my color.
Looking forward to the Fr2 line...
I missed the drama that occurred later on WClub but I thought the "for sale" post was tacky given that so quite a few posters were disappointed over not winning. I did not enter the lottery so for me this is not personal.
ReplyDeleteCassandra
These are very nice photos of Ayumi 2.0. Shoes, outfit, and hair styling are wonderful, however, the doll not so much. As for the other mess on the W club forum I think that a lot of the confusion stemmed from a language barrier. I don't think that the seller meant any harm. As you stated people do this all the time after they win a lottery and usually no one roasts them like a pig on spic. Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.
ReplyDeleteCici
People are clearly tired of greed and other collectors buying things just to make a profit and being so blatantly obvious about it to boot. It's interesting that a small group of people are trying to distract from the real issue - greed - by trying to garner sympathy for the person who was in the wrong. Also most people aren't trolling the boards watching for offenders all day, so if other people have done this sort of blatant act and no one called them out on it, that's too bad.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen people trying to garner support for her actions and I certainly hope she understands that what she did infuriated some people. One needn't "troll" to find examples of greed. It's everywhere in our society and it pains me to think that the collapse of the housing market, for example, is a result of massive corporate greed. On a smaller scale, there are those selling doll stuff at incredibly high prices and that is not going away. Is it right or wrong to make a profit?
DeleteI kinda see kyori in this sculpt. Im guessing we will see a new sculpt for her, and this ayumi sculpt was one they passed on. What Im wondering is do collectors collect the characters that IT creates into dolls, so when they change the sculpt the reason for liking the doll is no longer there. Are they so sure that collectors will keep the love just because of the character name. It makes no sense to me, and I feel like IT thinks that collectors are just blind. Im wondering what new heads show up in the rest of line this year.
ReplyDeleteMark B.
I held her next to a Kyori and she did have an unmistakeable resemblance. Unfortunately they left the pretty part of Kyori out of this sculpt.
DeleteI actually think she's pretty, but I get annoyed with the "name game" as well. Why call her Ayumi when she's clearly not?
ReplyDeleteI missed the drama on the WClub board although I did see the posting for the selling of this doll. I was one of many who did not win the lottery for this doll and was looking to pick one up. It did anger me that someone would enter a lottery for a doll they didn't want, only to sell her at a 150% mark up. The choice really is up to the buyer though. If you don't want to pay $250+ for a $160 doll, don't.
Beautiful photos! I love the background you are using. It is the perfect match to this doll and outfit.
ReplyDelete--Rebecca
Your photos of this doll are gorgeous Terri.. and they were what made me decide that I didn't want her. She isn't my taste. Since I had not paid for her yet, I offered her back and someone else is very happy. It was not worth the effort of getting her and putting her up for sale, shipping her out, and making $20 when all the fees were paid. I am learning... slowly.
ReplyDeleteI really want this doll for my daughter she's in love with her....Sadly i'm not wealthy enough to afford the insane costs on ebay and no one is selling her nude at a decent cost. Doll collecting can be a real drag if you're not well off:( Oh well yet another FR a lot of regular folks cant get
ReplyDeleteAlot of regular folk can't get Mercedes either. $160. retail is not a price most people will pay for a doll. Some people always want what they can't have. There are plenty of less expensive dolls out there and they are just as beautiful.
DeleteI receive her today, and I'm very happy. I didn't like her at first. But I saw some pic so beautifull. She's strange, beautifull and not... I love these kind of doll. I buy her to a collector who didn't like her...
ReplyDeleteSo it's my firs FR² body, and I didnt like it, too difficult to pose !
Ha ha, my post is YEARS later than the originals, but I'm currently looking for Luminous Ayumi (and am amused at reading this review so many years later). I think she's absolutely gorgeous and so am VERY surprised to read she was disliked by so many when she debuted. Of course Ayumi looks totally different now, the sculpt changing has always mystified me. New sculpt should = new doll name/character.
ReplyDelete