Buying a pre-owned doll vs. buying a doll from the company

I would much prefer all of my dolls to be new when I buy them, but that's more due to the fear of being ripped off than the fear of receiving a damaged doll. I've heard horror stories of people sending $500 to some random person...and not receiving a doll after the "seller" disappears with the money. There's a chance that I'll have to buy from the second-hand market someday, if I feel the need to have a limited doll, but I'm hoping to avoid that.

 

All my dolls were purchased new, except for my Hound. However, I had the advantage of handling him at meetups months and months before he was even being considered being sold.

He had been loved, restrung and taken care of by his second keeper. I am his third keeper and I am lucky to have him. He is completely body blushed, too.

I purchased a new doll that had been modded from someone here and the transaction was quick, easy and well-organized. I have also purchased two heads from the Marketplace and both transactions were excellent.

I wouldn't have a qualm adopting a doll from someone with good feedback here.

 

I would rather have a new doll from the company, god forbid something happens during transit or there is a serious defect in the doll. While there is nothing wrong with second hand dolls, you never know for sure what you're getting until you open the box. Plus I like having all of the neat little things that come with the doll when you order it from the company, you may or may not get that when you purchase the doll second hand. And you can typically choose the face up and get it done as you want, or close to it, some that sell the dolls second hand may or may not offer a new face up or removal the old one.

 

I don't mind if the dolls i buy are pre-owned, so long as they are in good condition. I have a mixture of brand new and pre-owned and it does'nt bother me one way or the other.

 

At least for my first doll, I'm definately buying from the company. It just seems safer, so that you know you won't be ripped off. There are some real horror storries here about people that didn't get what they expected, buying second hand.
But as long as you're carefull I'd probably be okay. So maybe I'll buy a doll second hand later on.

 

I prefer to buy new dolls.

But if is a doll that can't be re-release again then I'll probably buy it secon-hand.

 

As long as you do your research, be sure that the doll is in good condition, and that the seller is trustworthy, there's nothing wrong with getting pre-owned. Out of my four whole dolls and two heads, only two are new from company ( and one of the heads is artist-made and not secondhand ). I don't love them any more than the others - their physical background doesn't really mean that much to me. Once they're here, they're mine and I'll do with them as I'd like.

There is definately a need, I believe, for people to be open to getting second-hand dolls. Sometimes you simply won't be able to get the doll straight from the company - look at Volks' school heads. The ratio of second-hand to new is staggering. I believe that quality doesn't depend on the term second-hand, you don't have to settle for an inferior doll - just be careful!

 

I'm super-leery of buying second hand, especially limiteds and especially online. So much money is involved, and so much can go wrong, I don't think I'd do it except on the recommendation of a friend. On the other hand, if the seller was someone local, or I saw a doll at a con and the dealer let me examine it, then I wouldn't mind used.

 

Well it depends on the doll I guess! Most of the dolls I want can be bought from a company, but if, for example, someone was selling a Bambicrony coloured doll or a Limited Hyun I would buy from them!

 

I would think it'd actually depend what you're going for. I'll set myself up as an example. Well there are two BWs I"m planning to get, and well, I'd like them to be as white as can be when I get them, so thus from the company. Then I'm planning on getting another BW, but I'm gonna have the whole body dyed, so there's no need for me to get a fresh BW from the company, so a pre-owned doll is fine with me. So overall, depending on how your doll is going to be or whatnot, then alternating with the company and the marketplace here is good to consider.

 

Out of my 20 some odd dolls...Kitbash, Omi, Vela and Pavo are the only dolls i bought brand new. I had a problem with only one of the sellers...and have only had two dolls were they came in slightly less then good qaulity...and by that i mean it took a bit of work to wash and restring them...but other then i have wonderful dealings with people and their pre-loved dolls. They get to sell a doll they no longer are attached too...and i get a doll i love. win-win!

Oh and sometimes you get better deals too. I've saved money from buying dolls from other people...and sometimes (read usually) their previous mom/dad will send them with something extra. It shows they care about their doll and that their doll is going to a new loving home...I like that.

AND you make friends in the process! I have made so many new friends from dealings in the marketplace so thats also a plus.

In other words, pre-loved is LOVE!

 

I have a mix, actually. I have 4 right here on the bed with me and it's 50/50! Looking over them all, 11 are pre-owned, and the rest are bought from the company. There is no difference to me on either. They got a home.

 

I personally don't care. I've owned 4 dolls and two dolls were pre-owned and two were from the company. *shrugs* As long as I get the doll I want and it's in good condition I don't care who I get it from.

 

If this had been asked a few weeks ago, I wold have easilly said 'either way'.

It has now taken 25 days, a lot of upset, and a paypal dispute to try and sort out a head I'm hoping to arrive soon. I bought the head and payed in full (it's pic's still in my sig) and only after two weeks when I asked for a tracking number did the seller give me a very weak cover story and confess they'd not sent it, and a week and a half on, still have not recieved the tracking number I asked for or the head.

I'm now way too warey to trust eBay members. I may yet trust a DoA member, but I'd be very, very careful now. =(

I do love that new 'freshness' new dolls have. I have a very weak sence of smell, so I've smelt no 'over-powering resin stink' that others have described. I quite like it ^^

I've never recieved a second-hand doll, but I know from other hobbies of mine - mangas, books, anime figures, plush toys etc. that things only arrive as you really expect them to do about ¼ of the time. They're either broken, changed in a mispresented way, or smell terrible of tobacco or something most of the time.

So yes, I now prefer new, every time - unless I'm buying from someone with a reputation or something else to protect, like on DoA.

 

I don't think it would make much difference to me. I think mainly the problem is saving up the money first and buying when I have the cash in hand, which means I'd have to buy from the company, rather than wait for my doll to appear in the Marketplace or on Ebay.

If the seller was trustworthy, I'd be happy to buy from them, especially if it saving me shipping and having to worry about customs.

 

I really dont have an opinion. My first doll was a preowned Chiwoo and when I got him it was love at first sight. The thing with me is that I am inclined to think that a doll has personality and a pre-owed doll already has a personality imprinted. While I love my chiwoo, I still have trouble figuring out his personality because I am not really sure what it was before. And while, little by little, I am figuring it out, it's still kinda annoying. My second was a Dillui. She was brand spanking new and her personality fell easily into place because she had no impressions. I love both of my dolls immensily and would never change them so I can't say that I think on is better than the other. I just think that some pre-owned dolls require a little more work than others.

 

Most of my dolls are second hand. I've had pretty good luck with reliable sellers on ebay and DoA. The only new doll I bought was the obitsu body for Isabelle's head. I don't mind buying second hand. Most of the time it is cheaper, especially with shipping. Also I don't think I could bond with my dolls is they were brand new. I know this sounds weird but I think I would be too afraid to play with them if they are new.

 

I have two bought new from the company and two bought second hand. I knew there was some minor damage to Hiroji, but I didn't mind. Lotus is, as promised by the seller, in as new condition.

I'm really not fussy about where I get them. Though second hand has the nice touch of being quicker to ship.

 

I can go both ways. For myself I've bought brand new dolls, and for a friend I've bought a second hand doll. But I'm not opposed to buying a second hand one for myself.

 

I think it would depend on the company who made the doll I wanted to buy. For example, when I can afford to, I would love to own a Homme Duncan from DOD, but knowing that a lot of people have had bad experiences with DOD - from their customer services to the quality of their doll's resin and their face-ups - I think I would prefer to buy a pre-owned H. Duncan in very good condition on eBay from a seller I could trust, rather than running the risk of something going wrong if I were to buy from the actual company who makes his model.