OK, I have not been on this site for quite a while because I still have a bunch of kits but I went on today to see the sales and I cannot believe how they went from 19.99 to 69.99 when did that happen??? And why?
1 Like
During COVID shut down things were scarce so sales were not happening at low prices. Since then the cost of kits has gone up everywhere else and on BB they have stayed the same but the sales are not as low as they used to be.
3 Likes
I took a break and it shocked me too!
Definitely with Covid the prices went up. Maybe a bit more due to tariffs?
1 Like
When Realborns first came out (2014) they were about $80.
I used the search and in 2015 there were complaints about Shyann being $35 and Gemma being $44 (sculpted kits…not realborns)
Then there were posts about some of the kits being on sale for $20-$25
Vinyl kits in 2026 range anywhere from $49 to $89
BB runs sales quite often and you can still get good deals on kits……maybe not $19.99. But that was a dozen years ago.
Realborns started out at about $80 and are still at or below that price today!!!
I actually got Johannah a few months back for $59 
However the other kits are bumping the realborn prices as Shyann is listed as $89.95 
Compared to sculptor kits like LLE, Auer, Johnston etc. BB is still a bargain seller!!
5 Likes
With covid factories shut down and never started back up. So supplies were harder to get.
Then Trump put tarifs on imported goods, especially high percentages on those imported from China, where BB produces their kits.
Also, inflation.
2 Likes
In this case then, BB is doing an incredible job of keeping prices in an affordable range!
I asked grok for a breakdown on tariffs for a $5000 shipment of vinyl doll kits from China to USA. Here is what it came up with….if correct. ….the tariff divided back into each kit is actually not too huge.
Just over 18%
Yeah, you’re right. I get that but sculptors you know start from clumps of clay-.Realborns are 3-D scanned and then go into production so I don’t know if it’s quite as much work as an actual sculpture but it’s funny because I got Joanna for 19.99 a couple years ago.
I’ve been out of the game for awhile because I had a kidney transplant and then six months seven months after that I had heart surgery so I’ve been recovering for a long time.
I’m trying to get back in the game, especially because I have a Facebook page that I have over 3000 followers which I’m shocked. I don’t know how I got that many but I guess to keep it. I gotta keep checking along.
2 Likes
I thought those tariffs have been revoked that there was a court ruling that they were unlawful? Is that right or no?
The scans are bits and pieces that takes a human to piece together, smooth out any connection areas, etc. 3D sculpting. (which I find harder than sculpting clay) LOL
Maybe I need to try a paid program but the free version of forger I tried was soooo difficult. Not to mention the scanning equipment is spendy… They still have to pay their employees to do the work, it isnt simply uploading and sending off.
Melinda posted a video about it on youtube once.
4 Likes
I was thinking of the same video. I would have thought the scans would have been more pieced together and was quite surprised at the amount of work that still needed to be done. The program they use to do it is pretty intense to learn as well.
4 Likes