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

I'd prefer buying a doll straight from a company (with my own card) so that if there were any problems, I could directly contact them for assistance.

Of course, for dolls that are out of production, I will just be extra-careful in choosing the person I am buying her from.

 

I prefer to adopt, but that's not always possible with newer dolls, so I have a mix of both.

 

I bought my first resin second hand. I liked the fact that he already had character. I've since bought a limited second hand that I had wanted for a long time, and one other, brand new from the company. I love to try to do my own customizations and faceups but I would be reluctant to try it on a brand new doll. A lot of the time I look for a second hand doll because I might get the option of layaway that the doll's original company doesn't give.

 

I think that if I go for one of my dream dolls, the only chance may be from a user or on the second-hand market, but I have no problem with that. I just like to be extra cautious. These dolls are so valuable that the idea of getting scammed out of significant amounts of money does play into my thinkng, but it wouldn't keep me from getting my doll if it was the one for me. I also don't mind the idea of giving a doll a good home.

 

I bought Georgie from the second hand market and I had a great experince. I was unaware of a few things when I recieved her, but it wasn't anything a little febreeze couldn't fix. In the end I can't complain. I saved myself close to 150$ buying her second hand as opposed to new. Since doll prices had just risen, the woman who sold her too me was very reasonable and just wanted her to go to a good home.

Same with my F-08 head. I couldn't afford the WHOLE doll, so buying the head was the next best option. I had a fantastic transaction.

In the end when buying second hand you need to communicate with the person you are buying from often. Make sure they take pictures recently. Ask questions! Unless they are dodgy they are usually more than willing to answer questions that you may have!

I bought Frankie new... and once again, great experience!

 

I like both but over all i prefer buying new. I love opening the box and seeing and holding them as there first owner and i adore the new doll smell XD

 

Having bought from both, I prefer from the company because I like knowing that I'm their first owner (so the same reason as kyliebee).

 

I prefer myself being the doll's first owner only because it makes it that much more special. If the doll was sold out though, I might look for it in the marketplace or something.

 

I prefer buying my dolls directly from the company for many, many reasons, but mostly because it's nice knowing that having bought them from the company they are completely mine and they won't have any unexpected surprises (hopefully). However, in the case of limited dolls or dolls only available after certain things, I have no choice but to venture into the second hand market ^^;

 

So far all my dolls are new from the company. I prefer buy the new one
other than buy the second hand. Just like other said: If you cannot raise
the doll for a long time like your family, don't buy it please.

 

I'm a big fan of buying second hand. I don't like the wait that usually comes from waiting for the doll to be made and painted and then shipped overseas for exorbitant amounts of money.

Plus, I like to think of DoA as a nice community, and buying second hand helps the community thrive.

 

I prefer pre-owned, because I get sick from new resin.

I opened my Megu in my car, and the fumes made me so dizzy, I almost didn't make it home. I nearly passed out! I had to let her air out for a day before I could spend long periods of time with her.

With pre-owned dolls, I don't have to worry about the new resin making me sick, since that smell has long since worn off.

 

I love to adopt pre-owned dolls.....from here...
The only doll I haven't is my KW Maya doll...I'm a sucker for thier little faces....Although apart from an MSD boy, my doll family is complete...

 

One of my first dolls (CP Woori) was pre-owned... and a very spontaneous ebay-purchase. We had fun together, but I ended up re-selling him because I didn't bond with him as well as my other dolls.

I have two heads I bought in the marketplace that were extra heads from CP special sets, but I don't think that really counts as pre-owned since they pretty much came out of the box.

I have a CP Juri who was pre-owned - that was pretty much the only way for me to get one, since she was a limited and out before I started collecting. Also, a pre-owned Soony whose faceup I really liked. And where I didn't really bond with Woori, I think the faceup the previous owners gave these two girls give them a distinctive look, and I have made them all mine now.

All my other dolls were company-new (though I bought Kotoko's body 2nd-hand), and I do think I prefer it that way. There's just something about being the first one to undo all that bubblewrap and discover the doll's personality.

 

Most of mine were new from the company..My tan El was *technically* secondhand, but he wasn't with his first owner very long and I don't think he really experienced a lot of life outside his box..he was in perfect condition when I got him and I don't think of him weird or not love him as much for not coming straight from Luts! xD (He's actually my absolute favorite of my gang right now..>_>; )

Most owners keep their dolls in really good condition, I don't see anything wrong with buying dolls second-hand~ As a buyer you just need to be cautious of sales..but that's a usual thing.

 

I prefer to buy straight from the company only because, uh, companies are less flakey than individuals. I had some really irritating experiences trying to get stuff for my newest doll -- people flaked out on me a couple times, and people tried to overcharge a couple other times. That's honestly the only difference for me. If I order straight from the company I at least know they won't back out on me!

 

I agree with chibaraki. I prefer to buy from the company. Only because I've had some odd experiences trying to buy things from people. So far I've had much better luck with the company and not such good luck with people.

 

Even though I have a couple second hand dolls, I prefer getting them new. Sometimes you've just missed your chance though, so there is no other choice. In my case, that is why I have second hand dolls

 

So far none of my doll purchases has been alike.

-One was an FCS I ordered through my cousin in Shinjuku
-the second I bought in pieces on DoA and had to send out for a face up
-the third I bought off VolksUsa even though he was meant to have been sold out a year and a half ago
-the fourth I only found news of his release three weeks before he was sold and had to frantically sell a lot of things to afford, then had to still take a chance on whether he'd become a lottery item, and when I finally won I had to wait another month to receive him
-the fifth I bought on eBay from an owner after five minute's deliberation
-and my coming sixth is a head being paid for on layaway and the body will be from an FCS split with a friend and take a few months more to get.

What does all this rambling mean? It means even if you buy only from a company or only used, the experiences can be extremely different, and rarely can you ever choose your ideal form, or what you think is your ideal form turns out to be something other than what you did choose

In general I can't say I prefer any method anymore, they all have their irritating and endearing qualities, and the variety of acquiring methods helps form the doll personalities for me.

 

I was saving up for a new VDES from Luts, but saw one in the marketplace that was just *perfect* so I bought her. She had some mods and her ears were already pierced and she had a faceup. Even though I intend to change it, it's nice she wont come home as a "blank". I saved ALOT of money too. Yay!