April Story SD Boy & Girl Dolls - Part 3

@RamenDoodles I adore seeing hannah, that pastel rainbow / opaline palette is one I'm hoping to craft for one of my dolls as well, I never get tired of seeing it.

And I agree-- seeing people post their dolls here and appreciate them is a welcome change from those of us pooh-poohing the company service After all, these threads are (i think) more geared towards sharing and appreciating the dolls, and these dolls are very lovely. I really enjoy seeing them!!

I would post my own, but the AS I have was body-snatched, and his head is just sitting in a box, so there's nothing to share there. He does have a lovely company faceup, though! My AS eternal fall was the first company faceup i ever saw in-person, and I (as someone who was just completing my very first-ever faceups, at the time) was totally blown away!! It's so soft and smooth-looking, and the lashes are so delicate and tiny. I still pull it out and just look at it.

 

Hello all!

I am getting a second hand April Story senior () but she does not come with high heel feet or the shoes.... does anyone know if another companies feet will fit her? I will also try writing the company about parts but I am open to any option. She is white skin so the color match will be easier and I am not that picky. Ideas anyone?

 

I would have to give it a try @Eliz-Rivenstar , however I have unfortunately hurt my elbows and can't do it for quite some time. I hope someone else will step up to the challenge??

 

Restringing and changing out parts is a multi-person sport. My sympathies about the elbow!

 

Hi all!! I got my flora monkey boy body in the mail yesterday!! I was filming a review for this thread, and in the midst, a part snapped off.
Just a note, it looks like the inner knee portion of the calf is load-bearing when the double joint of the knee is fully flexed (so the calf is against the back of the thigh). Mine snapped off and now the knee peanut will not sit locked in the fully curled position.

That body review will be up soon! Just wanted to report a possible breakage point in the design

 

Oh bummer, I'm so sorry @Xila . Do let them know!

 

Ugh, I busted out Ilari yesterday to finally put smaller eyes in him, and they look so much better, but no pics yet tho because as I was trying to pose him I realized he's gone floppy again!! I tightened him up once before and he could at least stand and sort of pose (he really needs sueding in the shoulders ngl), but now he's like a ragdoll again. I got halfway through tightening his arms before I gave up and went to the bar with my boyfriend instead, lol.

Is this common? Is it the elastic they use? Idk what to do, he's the only doll I have with this problem...

 

@meiloslyther I know how you feel. I just pulled out some of my dolls that have been in their case for some time, and WOW they're not even as tight as a marionette! I'm currently awaiting new chord from Dollmore

 

I emailed April Story today - I'd asked for an update on the Q&A board last week, but they haven't answered any questions there since 2/27. At the end of February, they'd said that my order would ship early March, and here we are. I told them that I either would like a shipping date or a refund.

I'm a freaking cryptid who's been in this hobby since 2002, and I'm patient as hell... but poor communication makes me really uncomfortable. I wouldn't mind waiting longer if they would just be honest about their production time and keep up on communication. As it stands, I'm half-heartedly looking around already for another body option...

 

Oh man, so sorry @armeleia , that is awful. I don't know what is wrong with them?!

 

They finally replied after I basically said I'd file a Paypal dispute if they didn't reply by Monday. Ha ha, it's Monday and I was literally on my way to gather my receipts to file a claim. They said it will ship within this week, so here is hoping that it actually does.

 

Ugh, so sorry @armeleia

 

I wonder if anyone else got reply from AS since late March? I left a message on the Q n A board but got no reply so far. I would like to buy a body from them but their "disappearance" kinda deter me from buying from them...

 

Yah, I don't think they are trustworthy and would be very very careful @kazukilcy .

 

Oh yeah, they were supposed to ship my replacement part back in February. Nary a peep nor part since. Looks like they're off the radar again.

Seems like they dip in and out of existence... not good business, but I'm eager to see what the next excuse will be. They seem relatively safe (never particularly good) to order from when they're alive, but when they've gone radio silent, don't bother

if anyone is waiting on something, now is a good paypal claim time, I think. That either prompts a refund or tracking number, historically.

 

Since nothing has changed, I don't believe their last excuse (owner died) and I'm really incensed that they would stoop so low. I won't be buying from them again

 

He died? I thought the current owner sued the previous owner to heroically recover the company (after the previous owner survived a car accident)

Oh, apparently April story is closing after this month?? What a pertinent but understated piece of info. April Story I kinda thought this announcement regarded the English shop only-- this was alluded to from an FAQ answer in the waiting room-- but I'm too uninvested to go digging

Due to high costs of shipping? But the buyer pays shipping? Maybe his casting company is overseas...? But then why would he have a sale and get more orders if the shipping costs are putting the company under?

Oh well, doesn't really matter, I guess. Just another chapter in the April Story story.

 

They wrote a few pages back that they bought the company off of the previous owner who died. Unless they revised that? Yah, it's all too weird.

 

To give an update on my situation, they (shockingly, lol) never shipped my doll the week they said they would. I asked for an update, waited a week, and filed a Paypal claim. Paypal gives them like 2 weeks to respond, then... I don't know what happens next. Hopefully they automatically decide in my favor and refund me? Today is the day that they have to respond by, an as far as I know there has been no response. I'm kinda wondering if they're going to swoop in and reply on the last day the way they did when I told them before that I would file a dispute on a specific day, just to restart the clock for themselves.

For reference, I ordered on like January 4th.

I absolutely would not order from them. This has been so stupidly stressful... and I'm stressed about the money, and I'm also bummed because I've missed several opportunities to buy suitable bodies elsewhere because my funds were tied up with this. :/

 

So like 5 minutes ago they just replied to the Paypal dispute with a tracking number - is there an item being shipped? Is it the correct item? It is an empty effing box? Who the hell knows at this point.

Either way, I would NEVER order from them again, nor would I recommend anyone else to do so.