About The New VirtualDOLLS
VirtualDOLLS.com is an online community and media portal for doll collectors, retailers and doll manufacturers, which has been on the Internet since 1999. VirtualDOLLS has unveiled new site technology and a brand new look this year, and has gone to a subscription-based service.
"We’re thrilled to bring new site features to our subscribers,” explained Robin Fleming, editor for the online publication. "One of which is our FIND RETAILERS search engine functionality, which enables retailers to list their inventory in our database. Consumers and collectors can then access this information through our FIND RETAILERS site link, to assist them in finding their favorite dolls in specialty shops around the world."
More New Features
Additional features include an events listing and a more comprehensive guide to dolls online, allowing collectors access to collecting guides and manufacturer information; new photo galleries in PHOTO-log™ format, a fast-loading online catalog for doll collections; DOLL ID™ providing identification and market values for unknown dolls and a site-wide search of the site for all articles by keyword.
“We are in the process of fine-tuning the site and launching our email newsletter, along with uploading over 500+ articles and photos of doll collections online. VirtualDOLLS.com is also excited about establishing stronger ties with the collector, retailer and manufacturer communities." concluded Fleming. Fleming is a doll collector, who "collects just about anything I can get my hands on, I am embarressed to say! Most recently I have been acquiring some fashion dolls, along with a few select art dolls." Adds Fleming: "I began VirtualDOLLS.com about four years ago when I was online and looking for information about a doll I had in my collection, and couldn't anything online about this particular doll.
Why A Subscription Model?
I asked Fleming why she decided to go to a subscription-based site, which is relatively new in the online doll collecting world. Fleming answered: "I felt the next growth step for VirtualDOLLS.com was to hire full-time staff, hire professional writers, cover more doll and toy shows, upgrade the site design and functionality to a much more professional level, all of which are costly. We now have A. Glenn Mandeville and Toni Fitzgerald on staff, and already have several articles on site by such great free-lance writers as Louise Fecher (who is in Paris right now covering the Paris Fashion Doll Festival for us) and Krystynna Poray Goddu." Fleming also said that she felt that people could begin to embrace an online publication as a compliment to their existing trade magazines.
Fleming is generally pleased with the subscription model. She said: "We had a few glitches getting off the ground, some people were upset we were charging instead of being free, some transactions didn't process correctly, but, most people were happy after we fixed the glitches, and the reaction has been primarily positive. We now offer a way to pay offline as well as online, which was a major improvement. Things are really starting to come together, and most importantly, we are in this for the long haul, so someone who subscribes today can be assured we'll be here next year, and the year after that, and so on. Fleming concluded "Although we've been online for four years now, it really is just the beginning!"
For more information, visit VirtualDOLLS
