Custom House Feedback (2010)

* What did you order?
Ange Ai Uri with a free Uri head.
* When did you order?
11th August 2010
* How was the communication?
I contacted them 4 times bugging them to send dolls- they did so on the promised date of the second message (I think)
* How easy was it to pay?
Unsure, private GO leader paid ^^;
* How long did it take to ship?
6 months.
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
Yes. Doll was seamless, stands solidly and is beautifull ^^ (**EDIT: The faceup artist notified me that there was a small bump on my Uri's head, but this has been covered with her faceup**)
* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
MM, yeah- as far as a doll without a faceup would resemble a doll with a faceup.
* Were you satisfied with the product?
Yes.
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
NA
* Would you order from this company again?
No. We got lucky this time: probably not next time.
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand
Yes, they have some beautiful sculpts. Its just a pity that their customer service is so poor.

 

* What did you order?
Cyn Christmas Doll Kit

* When did you order?
24 December 2010

* How was the communication?
Nothing. I just bugged them on early-mid February with regards to the "time service advert" that they promised all the December kits to be sent before January. They have promised the kit to be sent to me by late February. To my surprise when I check my account in late February, the status have changed and I received it within 3 days of shipping

* How easy was it to pay?
Yes. Using to Debit card to pay to their paypal account.

* How long did it take to ship?
2 months. I will say it reached 1 and 1/2 day late for the promised delivery of 2 months. But I'm fine with that cause I was expecting 3-4 months of waiting

* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
I would say Yes on the 70-80%. I paid for a cheap doll kit. I just need to do some fine sanding as the seams for 1 side of the doll was pretty obvious and the factory rushed out the products hence the sanding they have made were pretty rough. *Just strung the doll and I would say the flexiblity of the kit set wasn't that great as cause of the rough mold they had.*

* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
It was a kit, it sure look like Cyn, and I think it look better than the photo they had on the site.

* Were you satisfied with the product?
Yes. It was cheap and affordable.

* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
NA. I was lucky that it was really smooth for me.

* Would you order from this company again?
I think once they are on the right track, I will buy a little Junior. But I will see how far they will fair first.

* Would you buy this company's products second-hand?
I have not think about this yet.

 

* What did you order?
2 Little Junior Meoroo and 2 Ange Ai Uri (a Go)

* When did you order?
April 2010 - recieved the dolls in 2 shipments, one in September 2011 and the other in March 2011 (!!)

* How was the communication?
Labored to say the least. They often didn't reply to messages left on the Q&A board, they gave us false shipping dates and never sent the dolls. We grew so desperate that we contacted the South Korean Police. Only then did they sent us the dolls. If you are interested in specifics you can read the whole sad story here.

* How easy was it to pay?
Very easy, I used Paypal.

* How long did it take to ship?
Almost 11 months!!

* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
Yes, the dolls were in good quality.

* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
Yes.

* Were you satisfied with the product?
I would be, if the shipping time had been appropriate.

* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
After talking to the South Korean Police they finally sent us our dolls.

* Would you order from this company again?
No, not at present.

* Would you buy this company's products second-hand?
Certainly, I love their dolls and really hope that Custom House / Aidolls can find back to their former glory!

 

* What did you order?
petite ai Sariel
* When did you order?
2011 January 24
* How was the communication?
good I have pm them only one time
* How easy was it to pay?
very easy with paypall
* How long did it take to ship?
1 month and a half
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
Yes. Doll was seamless, stands solidly and is beautifull
* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
yes it was unassemble
* Were you satisfied with the product? Yes.
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem ? NA
* Would you order from this company again? maybe if they have a really good sale.
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand I already have bought a little junior

 

* What did you order?
A huge group order, over $1,200 in dolls
* When did you order?
Late February 2010
* How was the communication?
Terrible, I had inquired on their Message board dozens of times and was answered only 4 or 5 times.
* How easy was it to pay?
Extremely easy, I used paypal (of course it was easy to pay, it's just not easy to get what you paid for!)
* How long did it take to ship?
THIRTEEN MONTHS
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
In most cases yes, but if the dolls had not been on a discount, then no.
* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
yes, except for the color, as their resin changed.
* Were you satisfied with the product?
Yes
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem ?
Not applicable
* Would you order from this company again?
NEVER, it took over a year and me having to beg/threaten them repeatedly to send the dolls.
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand?
It would depend on the condition.

 

I hesitate referring to this company as Custom House, as this is not the delightfully quirky Custom House of old. And now, it seems they are referring to themselves as Aidolls. So while they do continue to offer some of the sculpts CH offered later in its tenure, I consider these Aidolls. I also believe the company is working to turn its terrible image around. I'd ordered two kits in an earlier Time Service event, and the company's responsiveness was everything I could hope for.

That said, I really wish they didn't have a guarantee/return policy that was for printer cartridges!

* What did you order?
Valentine's Time Service Event, Lino

* When did you order?
Early February 2011

* How was the communication?
I didn't communicate with them during the wait. I anticipated the order might be slow to arrive, and accepted I might have to wait a very long time. However, once I'd received a tracking number that stalled, I did let them know and asked if they would please initiate a trace. My guess is they did, as within the week, the tracking again showed progress and the doll arrived shortly thereafter.

* How easy was it to pay?
Very easy--Paypal

* How long did it take to ship?
Just a little under three months. Given most wait times in the "industry," I felt this was reasonable. It certainly exceeded my expectations.

* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
Yes. I paid a ridiculously small amount of money for this doll, and he is worth much more than I paid.

* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
Yes.

* Were you satisfied with the product?
Yes, quite satisfied. It exceeded expectation here, too. This is not a resin that is comparable in quality to old CH resin (which you'd be hard-pressed to distinguish in quality from Volks). The dolls are now cast in China. However, production values exceed the quality I've seen in some other Chinese BJDs. The doll feels solid, has heft and moves well.

The most amazing thing is that he is perfectly sanded! In virtually all cases, it's nearly impossible to see a parting seam or ragged gate. In one place, the surface of the resin does show a spot where it seems the tinting failed to mix properly, but I don't know enough about resin to say whether that's the exact problem. It isn't hugely noticeable.

I wasn't terribly thrilled with the faceup, and if I were to order again, I wouldn't invest in that, as the price is comparable to what a good artist on DoA would charge. But at least he has a face and can wait on further funds.

* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
There was no problem with the product to solve. I believe the company was very responsive in initiating a trace on the delayed package.

* Would you order from this company again?
Yes, with one consideration. I would want to know that the packaging did not put the doll at risk. Shipping carriers are rarely gentle with boxes. (see below) After receiving my doll, I went back on the site to see whether the doll included kipping pillows, etc. No mention of those. That's apparently not an omission.

* Would you buy this company's products second-hand?
Yes. I haven't had the doll long enough to know how the resin holds up over years, but it seems the doll will age well.

* Other
I really wanted to give Aidolls a good review all around, because I think they are trying. But when my postman brought the package to me, I about had heart failure. It looked like this:





The cardboard is cheap, in the way that many packages from China use soft, bendable cardboard that simply can't withstand much. The only reason it isn't completely flat is because that wider part is the doll inside.



(That ragged opening is my doing ... you can see the extent of the torn part in the top image) The doll was wrapped in a length of that foam "cloth" and then several layers of bubble wrap. Inside, only the hands were protected with bubble wrap. The doll, the eyes and the certificate were just tossed in the box and could roll around in shipment (until the box got squashed). No protective pillows or foam. No protective second box. Not even any styrofoam peanuts.

Amazingly, the doll was in perfect shape. Not a thing broken or scratched.

I did forward these pictures to Aidolls and suggested they might want to address the packaging problem lest they find themselves having to replace lots of dolls damaged in transit. These dolls are now cast in China, not Korea, and I suspect the toy company contracted to manufacture also drop-ships the dolls directly. This reduces production cost, but Aidolls also surrenders a measure of quality control in the arrangement. The aesthetics of product presentation are absent, and I could live with that (I hardly need more boxes!), but not at the expense of shipping safely.

 

It's been a while, but I thought I'd go ahead and put up a review. I definitely had better luck than many have lately...

* What did you order?
PVC Little Junior Mars fullset (but received resin, with faceup & eyes only.)

* When did you order?
August 29, 2010.

* How was the communication?
Not great. Sometimes my questions on the Q&A board went unanswered. The replies I did get tended to be the same copy/paste replies as everyone else was getting at the time. But a few days after I contacted the Korean National Police Agency, suddenly the replies got more specific... Though I ordered the PVC doll, this was when they were saying that if the PVC dolls weren't ready by a certain time, they'd send resin dolls for the same price. However, when they let me know he was finally shipping, they hadn't told me whether I'd be receiving a PVC or resin doll. They told me the holdup as of that time was waiting for the outfit to be completed (all the PVCs were fullsets) so I said I didn't mind receiving a nude doll if it could get him here faster. They mailed him the next day.

* How easy was it to pay?
Easy, Paypal.

* How long did it take to ship?
I received him in February 2011. So a little over six months.

* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
Absolutely. I received a RESIN 35cm doll for the PVC sales price of $140. And he was absolutely perfect - no seams, nice face up, no chips, cracks or discoloration. He was also packed well, unlike some recent shipments I've seen - I didn't get a fancy company box, but he came with two pillows inside a basic cardboard box, which was then placed in a larger shipping box. I had said I'd like either grey or blue eyes, and they actually sent a set of each (they were really cheap, though, and have since been replaced.)

* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
Yes, with the exception that he's resin and not PVC.

* Were you satisfied with the product?
Very. He's my favourite of my 5 BJDs.

* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
N/A. They told me they'd send the wig and outfit separately the next month and they never did, but I was happy enough getting a lovely doll for such a low price.

* Would you order from this company again?
If the wait times go down, yes, I'd risk it. Their sculpts are lovely, and the prices are reasonable. My boy was worth the wait.

* Would you buy this company's products second-hand
Definitely. For now, that's the preferable way.

 

* What did you order?
Junior AI Yeonu

* When did you order?
4/20/2011

* How was the communication?
I didn't really message during this order.

* How long did it take to ship?
Less than a month. I received it on 5/16/2011

* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
I think so. It was a time-service event. So with the price I paid, I think he is better than the month I paid.

* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
Yes, I think so.

* Were you satisfied with the product?
Yes.

* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
N/A

* Would you order from this company again?
Nada. I consider myself being lucky this time.

* Would you buy this company's products second-hand
I guess so. But so far, I've already own the sculpts I'd want from them.

 

* What did you order?
Stella with no make up
* When did you order?
Jan 25 2011
* How was the communication?
Good: They answer all of my message that i sent to them
* How easy was it to pay?:
super easy with paypal
* How long did it take to ship?
I t arrive at my home in March, 19th only about 2 month. I was so glad
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
I really love aidoll, but i think their resin is a little bit thin.
* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
Exactly the same. Love it
* Were you satisfied with the product?
Satisfied
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
I have a little problem so i did not contact them, but overall i am good
* Would you order from this company again?
I kind of afraid that i have to wait forever to get the doll, maybe untill they improve their service i will order again
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand
Yes, less risk and don't have to worry all the time after i order.

 

* What did you order? Ange Ai Hani, Ange Ai Uri, The Ai Cebee
* When did you order? March 31/April 1, 2011
* How was the communication? Zero. I did not contact them, but they didn't let me know if they had received my order or if my order had shipped. I had to login to my account on the website to find out.
* How easy was it to pay? PayPal, so quite easy.
* How long did it take to ship? Recevied 'package' May 20, 2011
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion? I suppose, but barely, I had to do a lot of work to the dolls to make them acceptable to me.
* Did the item look like the sales pictures? I ordered blank dolls, so it's hard to tell.
* Were you satisfied with the product? Not really, as stated above, I had to put a lot of work into them before they looked acceptable. Cebee's knees are very weak and I have to be careful not to bend the resin in them and break them. (See my Custom House box opening videos for details)
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem? I haven't contacted them. Frankly, I don't think that I would see my money or my dolls again if I shipped them back. Again, I have already tried to make the best of the situation.
* Would you order from this company again? Probably not until I heard a steady stream of positive feedback about them.
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand? The older dolls (i.e. pre-2010), probably, but I'd be hesitant about the newer ones having seen the poor quality of the finishing.

 

* What did you order?
Basic AI Dilios w\makeup
* When did you order?
May 24 2011
* How was the communication?
Communication was fast. I wrote two letters to them and both times they answered next day.
* How easy was it to pay?
Easy, through Paypal
* How long did it take to ship?
2.5 months
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion?
Generally, yes. The doll is very pretty, body, head, faceup and sending is nice.
* Did the item look like the sales pictures?
There is a crack on hip joint, rest is ok.
* Were you satisfied with the product?
Yes.
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem?
---
* Would you order from this company again?
Probably.
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand
I already have a Customhouse body bought second-hand and probably would buy again.

 

* What did you order? Junior Ai Cebee Full Set

* When did you order? September 8, 2011

* How was the communication? Good - my questions were answered within 48 hours

* How easy was it to pay? Very Easy - I used PayPal

* How long did it take to ship? Slightly over 1 month

* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion? Absolutely!

* Did the item look like the sales pictures? Looked even better. Custom House does not take good pictures of their dolls.

* Were you satisfied with the product? Very satisfied! The resin was heavy, good quality and the finish was excellent - she came with no seam lines, scratches or other irregularities. The face-up was very basic, but clean and nicely done. The clothes and shoes were of excellent quality as well.

* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem? N/A

* Would you order from this company again? Yes!

* Would you buy this company's products second-hand I don't shop on the secondary market, but if I did, then sure.

 

* What did you order? Junior Ai Hades and Mars
* When did you order? An year and a half ago
* How was the communication? Pretty good. The hands came out detached and I contacted them asking for A/S since I'm not good at handling parts. So they did it for free
* How easy was it to pay? Yes.
* How long did it take to ship? About 2 months for 2 dolls
* Was the quality appropriate for the price, in your opinion? Yes. I think the quality was pretty good. The skin color was a bit odd but I liked it. Plus I got them when they were on 50% sale. But if I paid full price then I would say it is on the expensive side compare to quality.
* Did the item look like the sales pictures? Yes. Except for the make up. The make-up was so off. Do not order the make-up from them.
* Were you satisfied with the product? Yes, pretty much.
* If you weren't satisfied, how did the company solve your problem? Yes, they did.
* Would you order from this company again? Yes, if only they have another gorgeous boys on sale again.
* Would you buy this company's products second-hand Not really.