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

Well, some dolls might be second- or third-hand yet be notoriously hard to obtain or completely discontinued by the company. If it is either impossible or difficult to obtain a doll like this brand-new and there is still high-demand, I think sellers can charge a lot for these dolls because once the doll has sold, it would be near impossible for the seller to obtain another if they regretted the sale and missed the doll.

I've been cut some pretty good deals on my adopted dolls. When I bought my Hye on a long layaway she still cost me less than if I had bought her direct from Souldoll, but I was prepared to pay a bit more than Souldoll's list price to obtain a pre-loved Hye. She's my dream doll and once my layaway was complete I didn't want to hang around for another 40 days waiting for her to be made. That's the other reason people will pay higher prices on the MP - dolly convenience. You're paying for an item that already exists so that your doll reaches you faster.

 

I ordered three dolls from Custom House on December 10th and have been told to expect them around the end of February. I paid for a brand new Bisou Ai UU from the same company (but second hand, if you will) last Monday, and she arrived on Saturday. Nuff said, I think!

I would go with CH again if they had a big discount event like this, but otherwise it's the Market Place for me!

 

I have both a second hand doll and a store bought doll. I love them both.

There were problems with my MSD when I bought her off of ebay. The person who had her did a horrible face up on her. When I sent her away for a new face up the artist had a hard time getting the paint off and the new paint on. Other than that she was in perfect condition.

My other doll, my SD Kun, was bought at the LA Volks store. She was a vision of perfection! Her face up is perfect. I just need to remove her seams some day lol.

I would buy another used doll, depending on the seller and the doll.

 

Interesting topic! ^_^

I've learned I really have to time doll-purchases carefully... the 40-day wait for Lily just killed me. Of course I don't hold that against the company, I'm just a really impatient person ^^ I ended up finding it hard to concentrate on work... after experiencing that, I think I would really have to consider hard if I could handle another 40-day wait! I'd certainly have to time it so I was in-between projects or something. Doll wait + deadline crunching = HAHAHA no.

Obtaining Jack and Edward was... really weird! Edward especially, because he wasn't really planned for (even though I'd had a WTB thread up for months, I honestly didn't expect anything to come of it!) So within about a week of the first PM he was here! It was so mind-blowingly quick... and it was like the 40-day wait squished and concentrated into one week and all the stress and excitement came at once. That was very unusual XD

I can understand the worry of getting a doll 2nd hand and not dealing with a company, there is a possibility that some defect might not be disclosed, out of an honest over-looking-ness or on purpose...

And the possibility of getting scammed, though I think it's quite a small percentage of a chance... the chance is still there, and the hassle that could involve is quite off-putting.

 

I got Nabiki, Kaorin and my puki all second hand (Kaorin was almost new... her previous owner didnt have her long at all)

Zero was bought from an Abio Angel Seller... so... not entirely sure if he was Absolutely new, but either way... all the dolls came like they were new (boxes, pillows, info etc etc)


To me, it doesnt matter as long as i get what i want and there are no stains or at least if they are minor (depending on the price)
Where i go would be depending on the price, what i get, time it takes or whether or not they are LE etc.

 

Although I have had good luck both ways, I generally purchase from the company.

 

I voted 'pre-owned' because I have only gotten one brand new doll.

I like buying pre-owned because I get to see the exact doll I am purchasing. They are normally lower in price, shipping is lower and muuuuch faster. I guess I'm impatient!

 

I can't vote because I really feel like either depending on the dolls. I bought my lati boy preowned and I was so happy to get him! But I bought my Bobobie boy direct and it was a little bit different opening that glossy company box and seeing him- never been touched or anything before! I loved both of my box openings, but I have to say that there are some dolls I'd only consider buying direct, like the Luts MSDs that I want. I want to open their boxes for the first time and go !! Other dolls I would possibly buy from the market place- like the Narins or Narae, I wouldn't mind owning them second hand. Or maybe a sculpt that I really do like, but wouldn't buy direct for some reason.

I guess I subtley prefer buying direct XD But I don't really mind about buying second hand either- it just depends on the doll.

 

I prefer buying from the company even though the wait is usually longer. Partially because I know there are less chances of the doll being damaged but more so because I like knowing that a doll is mine from the start.

 

My first BJD is pre-owned because he's long sold out by the time I got into this hobby. I had to do a lot of homework and research before buying. I collect vintage dolls, so I treated the purchase of the pre-owned BJD as if I'm buying a vintage doll although he's only 5 years old. I had to ask for extra photos of the doll naked front and back without wig, head plate, company markings inside the doll's head, a bit of doll history etc. Fortunately, the seller was really patient and understanding.

The doll is wonderful. The resin is flawless. His hands are loosely strung and it can be difficult to pose his hands but I think that is just the stringing. Some old dolls are like that, it can be fixed easily by any doll doctor who knows how to string a BJD. Love him to bits, he now follows me shopping and travels with me on holidays. My new doll has not arrived yet, it's new from the company. I intend to play with the new doll and keep this old doll once the new boy arrives. I treat the pre-owned BJD like a vintage doll although he is only 5 years old. I won't make him work so hard.

 

I prefer pre-owned esp. if it saves me money, time and shipping costs. When I sell I try and put doll back as much as the company does in ways of packing so it's still special. I keep boxes, and shippers when still good otherwise I buy a brand new one. I know how special it is to buy a doll no matter who from and I try and pass on the good feeling when people trust me to buy from me.

 

Hi animemom, hahah....would like to buy from you if there is opportunity to do so....the seller is indeed very important when buying pre-owned.

 

I like both ways, but am more familiar with preowned. Both ways have worked fine with me, but the wait is much shorter with preowned.

 

I've never bought a doll pre-owned, but I think both ways are fine.
Kind of like... if I see a pre-owned doll with a face-up I really like, I'd definitely want to buy it.
Same with new dolls, since I tend to buy and keep the heads on the bodies they come on.

 

I want my first doll to be from a company, but otherwise I'm a real bargain hunter..

 

I prefer new from company... because...

1. Limited dolls... usually easier to get and less expensive when new from company.
2. Broken/damaged parts covered by company
3. Usually they know how to package and ship reliably
4. Can request faceup or not, certain parts or not, other customization/outfit or not
5. All parts should be in new/pristine condition... if not, usually will be replaced by company.
6. No worries about staining or mods or yellowing

dislikes...
1. If it's a brand new sculpt, no one may know if there are any particular problems such as posing or thin resin or yellowing or weird resin/color problems, etc.
2. If new, you don't get to see owner photos that could help you better decide if the doll is what you want
3. Sometimes you're going to be paying more than the marketplace for new (used to be rare, but it happens more nowadays with more dolls available and the economy on the skids).

--------------
I have bought pre-owned
LIKES__
1. Standard doll, got it for less than new price
2. Get it pretty quickly
3. Can see exactly what it looks like (hopefully, seller photos are good).
4. If there are any issues, seller should reveal and you know exactly what you're getting (unlike if it's a new model that no one has owned ever that may have posing issues or weak joints, or weird colored resin or yellowing, etc.)
DISLIKES--
1. Worries about reliability of seller
2. Worries about shipping problems, losses, recovery, damage
3. Worries about undisclosed or unknown problems with the doll
4. Having doll that may be a bit worn, scratched, chipped, stained, yellowed due to natural wear/age
5. Not getting stuff I'd like--default faceup or wigs or outfits if a full-set or other things that come when you're the original buyer...

 

hi:

i want my first to be used. i like trying out to see if i am good artist. the second will be from a company!

juliaanna

 

I tend to prefer buying from the company. Im kind of picky. You have no idea what you get when you buy a pre-owned doll. Iv heard alot of things about that kind of stuff. Like dolls having scratches on them, or stains that wont come off. As to when you buy from the company you do know exactly what you are getting.

However last night I decided to adopt a pre-owned doll, but only because Iv known the person Im getting him from for a little over a year now, and know they are a responsible doll owner. She also spammed me with a bunch of pictures of him, and took pictures of him however I wanted. Also another good thing about buying him from her, is that she is a sweety and throwing in some freebies. ^^ Other then this buy though, I will probably stick to buying from companies.

 

I prefer to get my dolls new from the company.
Mostly because I would be too afraid to buy from someone on the internet. It is ofcourse a lot of money.
And second hand dolls are mosty used, so they might be yellowed, have small scratches or stains, face-up might be not removed very well, etc etc..

And the prices for a second hand aren't much lower than the origial price. So for the extra safety I buy from the company.

However, I do have 1 pre loved doll. The doll was owned by someone that I have met before and so I knew she wouldn't rip me off. And I just LOVED her doll and I felt so sad for it to be sold. So that's the only one I haven't bought from the company.

If I'd want a limited edition which would be sold out, I would consider buying second hand. But as always, I would be afraid to be ripped off.

 

to be honest i don't really think it matters as long as the doll has been taken care of when it comes from the second hand owner.

i normally buy my dolls from a company. because neither of them were available on the second hand market. but i think that if i were to buy a doll that was 'standard' i would definitely look on the second hand market. like i said, if it is in good shape i wouldn't mind at all. i guess the only hard part would be buying a second hand head and then trying to find a body to go with it.