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A stigma on secondhand dolls?

May 4, 2010

    1. I have three second hand dolls. I love getting things secondhand! I have a lot of dolls I'm interested in, so I like to haunt the MP and see if there's ever a good deal. And boy have I gotten some! My BF Olive came with three wigs, three pairs of shoes, and her whole wardrobe (a LOT of stuff) and cost less than a new doll, by a lot O__O My Petsha came with her fullset, plus the accessories DOD doesn't sell with her anymore and her mask, again, all for way cheaper. I also got a deal on my Gisele. It's true that a lot of people on the MP sell things for exactly what they paid, but if you're willing to wait and look, you can really score a deal.

      Plus, of course, the waiting time is less! And there's that cool feeling of wondering what the doll's surroundings were like before she came to you :)

      Really the only negative side is having to trust a non-official dealer. I think DOA feedback provides reasonable coverage for you... I don't know if I would want to buy from someone with no feedback ^^;
       
    2. Honestly, second hand doesn't mean anything really, it's just another way to buy the doll- your Volks girl is still a Volks girl and worth a lot of money even though she's second hand. Ownership doesn't change the item from what it actually is underneath. All of my floating heads are pre-owned. That fact hasn't changed the fact that they're mine, and I love them. The only doll I had trouble bonding with was my Lati K because he came to me with a faceup. Mainly, I like buying my dolls new just because I like to be the first one to handle them outside of the company that produced them- but I still consider my second hand crew "new" because I make them into what they are. Some of my dolls were bought blank second hand so I get the same experience. I don't think anyone would or has any right to treat you poorly because you buy secondhand.
       
    3. Cynthia in FlintHills, all of those threads are concerned with buying second-hand dolls, none of them are concerned with the 'stigma' of owning one, which I think is what the OP was most concerned about. Although, as I hope all the lovely responses to this thread have proven, there is no stigma at all towards buying second-hand dolls!
       
    4. In one case I bought a second hand doll that had been well loved, but the human had a strong desire for another doll, and well...

      So I cleaned her up, re-strung her (with help!), was brave enough to do a face up (original done by prior human had been wiped) etc, and it enhanced my feelings for the doll... she still has her history, AND I made a new HUMAN friend. :D so it worked out really nice actually.

      My first doll was second hand, price deeply slashed, he arrived in pristine condition having rarely been out of the box.
      Prior human had developed bad feelings about him, and even though i don't know anything about her, or their "issues" she did say "He doesn't get along with my girls." Which struck me as odd. I think about that comment from time to time, particularly when I take him to meet ups and he's flirting with the girls... or when I have him out with his MSD "sisters" or with my pukipuki "faeries" and he's loving and tender with all of them. (actually with the "sisters" he seems much more protective than I expected or planned... his character is developing faster than I realized and without much conscious thought on my part.) So I find myself thinking "...did she really mean that the girls were FIGHTING over him?"

      Though I also notice he has a strong "OMG! the cute! Kaawaiiieeee" response to dolls smaller than him... and had a bit of a "Oh she's too beautiful... she couldn't possibly like me" with a 70cm girl.
      (he's SD 60cm)

      I find myself feeling "closer" to the second hand ones, even when I have no idea of their history... the brand new babies seem to take a little longer to get to know.
       
    5. I am a scavenger. I buy pretty much everything secondhand, and I have no problem with it. I too JUST gained access to the marketplace, and IMMDEIATELY found exactly what I was looking for at a great price. I don't feel any less a collector. (I don't really consider myself a COLLECTOR actually, just a hobbyist. I only have two dolls, one of which was bought *secondhand* and of course my new floating head Beyla)
       
    6. I'd have to sit down and really think on which of mine are second hand or new from the company. I don't care either. They're simply mine.
       
    7. Absolutely true as far as the thread titles go . . . but the actual discussions go straight to the questions of whether people feel comfortable buying or owning secondhand dolls, and whether it's a "good" or "bad" thing to buy/own them. Those questions seem pretty closely-related to the current thread, and when I was a new member, I appreciated having links to threads that had a bearing on my own question. But I do apologize, since obviously I was wrong on all counts!
       
    8. I don't think that there is much of a stigma attached, either on DoA or in the community in general. Of all of the collectors I know personally, I can't think of a single person who doesn't own at least one second-hand doll! Indeed, I've been to many meetups and I've never heard any snooty comments about secondhand dolls. Some snottiness about molds, but not about where the doll came from. I only have one doll whom I ordered from the company (I sold a second and I'm about to order a third), and I have to say, the wait times kill me! :D Thank goodness for friends and fellow collectors who've needed to part with their dolls. Otherwise, I wouldn't have most of my family!
       
    9. What do you think of owners who own predominantly or exclusively secondhand dolls?
      Well....I'm one of them. All 4 of my dolls are second-hand (actually, most are third-hand or more). I find owners of secondhand dolls to be quite similar to firsthand owners.

      Do you think lesser of them or their dolls because they're not the original owners?
      I actually, not meaning to be mean, like secondhand dolls better because they've come so far in their short lifetimes. They've embodied so many characters and seen so much history through their previous owners. Getting a secondhand doll is like bringing new life to an older vessel. Each owner creates a new story with their doll.

      Is there a stigma to them, or are they differentiated in any way?
      I find there to be no stigma amongst the majority of owners, but I'm sure that with the more 'elite' collectors there may be. I have yet to find one of these people, though.

      Are they portrayed in a negative light?
      Nope. :)

      Are there any pros or positive points to owning secondhand dolls, whether having some in your collection, most of them, or almost all of them there? All of the things you've listed are positive points to owning secondhand dolls. Economical, Earth-friendly (since you're not making a new doll but recycling an existing one), and you can usually get the doll quicker than from the company. Especially for those collectors that like to do their own face-ups, getting a secondhand doll without a face-up would make the doll's journey into its new character that much easier.

      I love secondhand dolls. My Volks twins are secondhand because, at the time I discovered them, they were past their time. They're limited dolls that were created before I got into the hobby, so the only way for me to get them was secondhand. I really loved it, though, because I got to talk to their owners and see photos and all before they came home to me, adding to that specialness of obtaining my dream dolls. My SD boy and SD girl are secondhand because I have a habit of adopting dolls from the Marketplace. :lol:
       
    10. I guess it really depends on what kind of 'collector' you are. Someone who buys dolls as an actual collection and is concerned with their value might not want a secondhand doll, that may have yellowed with time or had some damage or markings of their previous owners. Someone who is more of a hobbyist, however, might see more appeal in a secondhand doll, and certainly appreciate saving a few bucks against getting a new one!

      That said, I can't imagine anyone else actually looks down on people who buy used dolls! Like animals at a shelter, sometimes dolls need a new owner that loves them too. ^_^ Only one of my dolls, my Littlefee Piki, was bought secondhand. We planned on getting him new but when we saw him in the marketplace with a custom faceup and some extras we had planned on buying anyway. The faceup they gave him was even more perfect for the character than the default one we had wanted to get in the first place! So there are definite advantages to buying secondhand dolls.
       
    11. both my dolls are second hand
      I'm Clover's 5th owner and Sarah's 3rd
      I think they tell more of a story having switched hands
      Clover got elf ears from a previous owner
       
    12. There is no stigma. None at all that I have ever seen.

      Actually I am very proud of the dolls I acquired second hand because they were not easy to find. Also I have often observed owners taking real pride in finding their doll second hand rather than buying it brand new.

      Dolls aren't like used clothes or a used car. If they are well cared for they are like new even after they have been played with.
       
    13. I haven't noticed any stigma, myself. I own a secondhand doll, and I know I received many very positive comments on her box opening (posted last August). I love her as well as I do any of my 'first hand' dolls, and in fact if I admitted to a favorite, she would probably be the one. As for owners who have second hand dolls exclusively, well why not? If someone enjoys the older sculpts, or is more restricted in budget, then second hand is definitely the way to go. Of course, the pros and cons of owning a second hand doll would depend on the doll. The second hand Little Fair Ami I bought is a real gem; she was obviously well taken care of by her first owner. I can imagine that some second hand dolls haven't been as well treated.
       
    14. I don't think any less of people who shop on the secondary market. i do it. I've missed ordering many of the dolls that I like being that I'm relatively new to collecting BJDs. The problem is that many of the dolls I'm seeking are selling for double and even triple the original issue price due to their Limited Editions. So second hand doesn't necessarily mean savings!!!

      I think it would be silly to judge someone because they buy used dolls....

      debbie
       
    15. I have never seen any stigma towards buying dolls second hand. I have actually noticed the opposite, people being proud that they found a rare doll or a doll at a great deal.
       
    16. Me too - it's the opposite. Old/rare/discontinued sculpts that can only be had secondhand, those are usually the biggest feather-in-the-cap for collectors.

      Actually, in almost any collecting-hobby I can think of, you're basically supposed to buy things secondhand. It's, like, how collectors operate. If you only collect stuff that's still in production, nobody is ever very impressed with whatever your collection is. ^^ I don't understand how there could ever be a stigma on such a basic thing.
       
    17. Since we've all pretty much agreed that there's no social stigma attached to owning a second-hand doll (I certainly don't feel that way and have never seen someone react that way), I'm just going to mention why I may never own one.

      Perhaps I just had bad luck, but when I first joined the forums and started poking around selling threads, I had mostly negative experiences with contacting sellers. Nothing I can leave feedback on, of course, but just general rudeness. I think I'd contacted five people. Two were extremely helpful, answering my questions even though they'd either already sold the item to someone else, or ended up selling it to someone else (which I advised them to do if they got an offer) while I was saving up my money. The others didn't even respond and the only way I knew they'd sold the item to someone else was because their thread title changed to "SOLD". So for me, I just don't feel like bothering with the hassle of the Marketplace when so many of my experiences have been like that.

      I doubt I'd run into much of a problem here, but I do worry about accidentally purchasing bootlegs from not knowing how to tell the difference. I also worry about being scammed by someone.

      So I'd rather pay a little bit more, and wait a little longer, and perhaps get free gifts by ordering directly from the company than bothering to order second-hand. But I don't look down at all on people who do order second-hand. If I hadn't had negative experiences and if I weren't a cautious person by nature, I would probably have various second-hand dolls by now.

      Maybe in the future I'd be willing to order second-hand, but for now I'd rather not.
       
    18. Personally, I think what matters most is love. Whether the doll is brandnew or second hand. Mine were newly bought and I'm not scowering the marketplace for any dolls, at least not for now. But in the future I might.
       
    19. As far as I can see there is no stigma--look at the Marketplace--it's a really busy place. For dolls that were LEs, are now discontinued, or are not easily available to oversees hobbyists, the secondary market is the only place to find them. I've bought a number of my dolls second hand, and I am in no way any less of a collector. There's also nothing wrong with looking for good deals there--it's how I've been able to afford my SD Volks girls too. I think it's great that when someone has to let go of a doll, there are people there ready to give it a new home :)
       
    20. What do you think of owners who own predominantly or exclusively secondhand dolls?
      It's of no consequence.

      Do you think lesser of them or their dolls because they're not the original owners? Is there a stigma to them, or are they differentiated in any way?
      No way.When the doll comes to you, it's whatever you want it to be. Anyone that has a problem with it needs to check themselves and wonder why they're judging in the first place.

      Are they portrayed in a negative light?
      I've never come across that being the case.

      Are there any pros or positive points to owning secondhand dolls, whether having some in your collection, most of them, or almost all of them there?
      Sure. If you spent less money than they were originally worth. Sometimes the only way to get a sought after sculpt that's not sold anymore or a limited is in the MP.