First doll second hand?

Cheaper shipping would be nice, and a faster turnaround time too. I'll just have to wait and see if what I want will be available second hand. I have a specific doll in mind, so I don't know how easy she would be to find. (MiniFee Miyu - A-line body)

Anyway, I think I'll just have to see for myself. lol! Like I said I have done online transactions on other sites. I guess I got kind of freaked out with the warning I was given.

 

My first doll was (is) secondhand and it never really bothered me, I love him anyway.
don't know why, but for me it doesn't matter is they're new or second hand.

 

As long as the doll is still in very good condition, I wouldn't mind to buy second hand. Though I am somewhat picky, and I'd probably also like the original box, blanket, and certificate (if the doll came with one) to be included.

 

all my dolls are second hand, I feel they have a bigger story to tell
my first, Clover has had 5 owners (including me) had been modified by one
Only Sarah has come with the full box and what not, Syrinx's box was destroyed in some situation by her previous owner and Clover has had so many who knows where her original box and stuff is
But that doesn't diminish their adorable charm

 

My first doll was brand new, but my first BJD is a second-hand one. I don't mind.
I fell in love with the guy and he's not available at Elfdoll anymore (and I don't have access to the site
anyway, lol. Does anyone know how that works by the way?). I just need a body and he's finished

If the first doll you want is one that's not for sale at stores, I don't think buying one second hand is a
problem at all. But it's not like you have any other option either. And it does probably save you a lot
of money on shipping, plus sometimes second-hand dolls are being sold for a lower price than originally
paid for by their owners.

There's good and 'bad' things about it, I guess. Of course it's nice to have a brand new doll which is
exactly how you want him/her to be. For me it's like this: As long as there's no yellowing or damage to
the doll I can buy second-hand, I will probably prefer that over a new one. It saves me some money,
which I can use for buying my doll clothes/wigs/eyes.

 

Hey, I've probably bought 80% of my dolls (and my daughters' dolls) from the MP. My first doll was used and the purchase was such a wonderful experience that ... well, it led to all the rest!

One of the advantages to buying one used that has obviously been well cared-for and which has a price reflective of its used status (we're not talking 2nd hand Holy Grail dolls here) is that if you then decide that BJDs aren't for you you will not have gone horribly, horribly off the deep end in spending.

You'll never be 100% guaranteed a good transaction no matter where you buy, but I've only ever had a couple of transactions that were less than stellar. In order to limit your risks as much as possible you should: Make sure you see nice clear pictures of the doll. Ask questions! Check ALL parts of the feedback area (individual as well as "problem transactions" and read the whole shebang. Check eBay or other feedback if links are given. Get tracking and insurance; it's worth the extra money. And I would advocate using a credit card through PayPal if it's something you can do, for 2 reasons: Paypal will allow you to file a dispute for a certain length of time, and most credit cards will help you resolve disputes if Paypal can't or won't.

And have reasonable expectations from a USED item. One transaction I was in that wasn't the greatest was when a buyer for one of my dolls tossed a total fit because the hotglue sueding (which she'd been told about up front) had attracted some dirt over its lifetime. I couldn't believe someone who was getting a doll for just a noodge over half-price was complaining about it having a couple of dirt particles. I've gotten dolls that were really totally grubby and smelled like cigarettes - my reaction was to think "cool! Project!"

The bottom line is to use those reading skills and communicate very clearly before you leap.

 

My first two dolls were second hand and are both absolutely beautiful. I have been very happy with both of them. The whole buying experience was great and without the weeks and weeks of waiting.

 

Well, I've got my first doll completely planned out, but if I did not, then I wouldn't mind my first being secondhand. I just don't think there's too many purple skinned RS Mu's out there.

I do like the idea of having the box and the carrying case and the free set of eyes to add to my collection and being able to chose skin tone and faceup or none.

On a secondhand doll, I like the cheaper price, the cheaper shipping (and often faster time to get to you) and...well, if there's any problems, they're already known about. No surprises, if the seller is honest.

If I wasn't so particular as to what my first would be, I'd so go for secondhand.

 

I wanted my first brand new, was about to buy her and then saw a second hand customised version, which I loved. So I bought her. She was in perfect condition however I wouldn't buy a damaged second hand doll.

 

I don't have any experience with the marketplace, but my first doll was second hand. She was surprisingly brand new, so there were no issues there.

That said, I don't see any problem with getting a second hand doll as your first, it's great if you happen to find an older/more limited doll you can't find anywhere else. I'd only do this if you're fine with the condition it's in and you feel comfortable with the seller. If you'd rather play it safe this time, then you should probably buy a new one straight from the company.

 

My first (and only so far) doll was second hand but he feels brand new to me. I guess it just depends if your find one that is in really good condition and you don't mind that they had a previous owner. There are lots of pros and cons to both sides. ^^

 

I'm on the process of buying my first second hand doll. It's actually my fourth (third, technically), though he will be arriving sooner. I normally don't mind buying second hand, but there are a few things I'd rather buy from the original factory, like bjd (I love the boxes, blankets and certificates that come with them). I only bought this one second hand because it's a limited sculpt that I missed on buying. I saved a lot compared to what I'd have paid from the factory. I'm not sure if I'll get another second hand doll, though. I guess it depends on the sculpt.

I'm glad you found your Allen, and I hope you'll bond wonderfully with him

 

My first two dolls were second hand, third being from a company. Second hand is nice to start with! They get to you faster, tend to teach you more, and you can save a little money to be spent on figuring out outfits and face ups.

I love my second hand dolls just as much as my new dolls. There is no difference to me.

 

I can understand the problem. I'm very picky with new stuff. It has to be new for me to be my own. if I were to get a doll secondhand, it wouldn't be my doll, my character.
I don't know why, but I would always think thee doll still has it's character from thhe previous owner and if I knew his or her former name, I'd probably have to start calling them that too. maybe I'm just strange like that, but that's how I feel.
sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't grab the opportunities I see in the german forum I'm a meember of.
just yesterday someone posted up one of my dream dolls and buying him secondhand would save me a lot on shipping and customs... and still, I fear he wouldn't be truly mine.

but I see so many people get their dolls second hand and they have no problems, so if one isn't comfortable with it, then you can't help it.

 

Most of mine are secondhand, as I like to see what faceup I am getting. I had a sad experience getting my first doll from a company and it put me off of buying direct, though I do buy things from Emory and parts from Denver Doll, and love them both. I prefer the quirkiness of the MP and the dolls seem more personable to me. LOL one doll arrived with glitter stuck to his butt (I suspect he was a vampire at his old place) and it makes me laugh every time I think about it. He's one of my fave guys, too!

 

I buy most of mine directly from the company because they tend to be limiteds and sometimes hard to find in the Marketplace. But there are times when I like a doll that can ONLY be found second-hand (limiteds or dolls no longer sold), in which case, it's second-hand or not at all!

I like buying from companies because I can often choose exactly what I want (faceup or not, certain parts or not, blushing or not, default outfits or not), and because I know if anything is broken during shipment, I'll be able to have it replaced.

But shipping can be VERY expensive, so sometimes money can be saved buying second-hand.

If you want a doll in as perfect condition as possible, either buy from the company--OR buy a doll that has only recently been released and from an owner who hasn't had time to mess with it before deciding to sell. There are many dolls in near-perfect or perfect condition being sold on the Marketplace. I got several of mine that way--they were bought by previous owners and almost immediately sold to me.

Check feedbacks to make sure the seller has been around for a while. If they are very new to DoA and have little or no feedback, you may be taking a bit more risk... but most people really do try and do the right thing. I still would feel better knowing the seller has been very active on DoA for many years and has sold a lot of items with no problems. That way, you figure they are in it for the long term and shouldn't be as much of a risk. I've never had any problems... but with a doll... it IS a lot of money, so you have to be careful, even when giving you money to companies!

 

My first doll was secondhand (a Luts Moon). I bought him here on the DoA Marketplace. He's fabulous. I'm so pleased that I got him.

 

i'm buying my first second hand because my friend didn't bond with him. But I fell in love at first sight!

 

My first doll I ordered new...and I don't plan to ever buy dolls secondhand, mostly because I'm a very nervous person and I just feel safer ordering directly from a company due to the amount of money involved. I have no issues with the idea of owning a secondhand doll though, just with the process of getting one.