Faceup worries

Surprisingly, I haven't really had too many worries like that! I send my dolls away fairly frequently, and I've never had anything happen. My best advice is to make sure your package is insured enough, and don't feel bad about contacting the artist for an update. Don't be obsessive about it, but it's fine to pop in a bit after sending to make sure your doll has arrived okay; you don't have to sit and wait for the person to respond if it's been a while. That might help calm some of your worries.

 

I always get a tracking number, even if it's in the same state. It really helps give me piece of mind.

 

I know people who have lost heads in the mail, so it's not an unreasonable concern. I get anxious sending doll parts anywhere, so I always send them at least Priority Mail with tracking so I can see when they arrive. I've been known to overnight things if I'm really nervous and the part is rare enough.

 

I always ask the face-up artist to let me know when the head/doll arrives and I always get tracking and insurance. I will follow the tracking to the artist as well just for my own peace of mind.

 

I was worried when I sent my first head out to get painted. But I made sure I packed it snuggly, insured it, and got tracking. It also helped that I was sending it off to a artiest with a good reputation. I trusted they'd get my head back safe and sound.

 

I have sent dolls out, and I always feel that way. XD

The best thing you can do is ALWAYS ship in a way with tracking and insurance, because if anything goes wrong, you will be out the doll and the money. Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express are the best shipping methods to use from the US, as First Class is cheapest, but most likely to get lost and can take weeks or months to arrive to international people. USPS is also more careful with insured packages because it comes out of their pocket if they lose or damage them.

Always pack your head very safely, with bubblewrap at the very least. I usually wrap it in a few layer of bubblewrap, then add packing peanuts or packing paper to keep it secure in the box. You also want to use a box a bit too big for the head, just in case it gets squished or crunched along the way, it's not directly putting pressure on the resin.

I was also so worried about sending my doll to a stranger that I always asked for their full name and a phone number, just in case. I never called or texted an artist, just wanted it on hand. If you're worried about the artist stealing your head, you can keep the headcap home, making the head itself pretty much worthless. You really shouldn't send your dolls to people you don't trust, but it is an extra form of security, and any trustworthy artist should understand that. Check your artist's feedback before commissioning them. If they have a lot of drama or unhappy customers, steer clear.

Lastly, I know this is hard, but try not to worry until you have a reason to worry. More often than not, slow mail does eventually arrive without trouble, artists will message you, your doll will be safe, and will return to you with a beautiful new faceup. It's easy to look at the Problem Transactions and worry about all sorts of things going wrong, but when you consider than the problems are really just a very small percentage of the transactions that happen every day, your chances of everything going right are pretty high!

 

I felt that way the first time I sent three of my girls off for faceups, but this time I'm just fine with it. It helps that I know the artist really well, and she's amazing! I'm already planning who gets to go see her next! Seconding insurance and tracking though! You can never be too careful with the mail!

 

I always use tracking and insurance when I ship anything out. And I really appreciate artists letting me know when they receive. For me it is harder after the head is painted. Because if a painted head is lost, then that art is lost. And even if the same artist tries to paint a new one, it cannot be exactly the same. So, I am always happy to unwrap a painted head and see that it made it to me without damage. But really I have never head a head come up missing. I have seen people have a doll get stuck somewhere and then they show up after taking a really long time but I don't know anyone who had one never show up unless it was fraud of some kind. I like to think that they don't get lost very often...

 

I wouldnt really worry about the faceup itself, well if you trust the person you commissioned. The only thing that I would worry about is that it might get lost or damaged in shipping it.

 

I'm very worried when the face up look unnatural or scratched ! because I have dolls that have damaged face-up even though it's small a perfectionist like me would notice that lolol XD

 

I was totally paranoid about sending my girl's head. I paid extra for tracking and insurance and also paid the artist enough to do the same for her return. I was so careful about the packaging too and used an oversized box extremely well padded out just to be sure in case part of the box was damaged. She did come back safely and with a gorgeous face-up so I didn't really need to be worried but it's just the uncertainty if it's one's first time. I did have a very nervous and occasionally uncomfortable month while I waited but the artist did keep me informed and also sent progress pictures.

 

That's something I'm really anxious about and is one of the main reasons that I'm looking into trying out faceups on my own first ;-;

 

I'm paranoid even if they aren't gone, if I can't see them I'm paranoid XD I end up getting so scared about sending them off that I end up just keeping them and doing it myself, even if it looks a little amateur. They sit in a safe place where I know they will be when I return from class, after I double check that the door is locked. I'm so scared about such precious things- money has always been an issue for me, and the fact that BJDs are so expensive really scares me sometimes. But I'm trying!! I'm slowly getting more comfortable with the dolls I own.