Has This Ever Happened To You?

I have kind of an interesting story regarding this...

When I first got my doll, I met a small group of doll people online. Within a week or so, I had two-three people saying they were going to buy Milo Christmas presents. As you all know, doll clothes are EXPENSIVE, so I was horrified!

"Why are they buying me things!? I barely know them! I need to get them something in return!" So, I immediately went off and bought a bunch of things for their dolls.

Sadly, within a month or so, I stopped talking to most of them. One person got a package, but I completely lost touch with another, so I couldn't send her what I bought. Only one person ended up actually sending me something, and I never even managed to buy her anything! Now, I'm stuck with a few things I might eventually give away, and I still feel like I need to buy more.

So, yeah. I feel incredibly guilty when people give me things... and it's also not a good feeling to buy things for people in return, just to find out that you're not getting anything after all.

This turned out more rambley than I wanted. Haha...

 

I've been gifted some lovely things during my time.... in fact, Libertine, my gorgeous modded lishe, was practically free. I think I paid $60 for her body and her head was a gift. As a result, I felt it was appropriate to "pay it forward" and I often give people things I don't have a use for or don't want to bother selling.

Anyway - your friend is being generous. If she really gave you a motherlode, though, and you feel guilty about it, talk to her about it. If you decide to sell stuff, split the money with her or something. If she insists no no no you don't have to do that, then take her out for a nice dinner sometime or buy her something she wants. You don't HAVE to - she gave that stuff to you, but you might want to do something to show you appreciated it.

I know that if I give stuff away and then see somebody SELLING it for a bunch of money, it doesn't feel very nice. It is theirs to do what they want with it and I did NOT give it away expecting something in return, but still, it just doesn't seem RIGHT to sell something you were given and just go woo hoo! I got $400! woot!

 

I definately would be thankful for getting something that wasn't being used. I haven't had this situation happen to me, but who doesn't like free stuff???

 

When I first got Emily I took her to my meet where everyone had stuff on a free table, my poor girly's wig didn't fit right (since I didn't know what size she wore) so on the table was a brown wig that was cut up a little, it worked until I got her new wig about a week ago. I still have the brown wig I'm going to use it when ever I get a big boy, I plan on cutting it up the rest of the way so it's shorter. ^.^ I'll thank who ever left the wig on that table! It's been a life saver!

 

My best friend gave me her DZ Yuu after realizing she never had time for him in college. I'd been asked to watch him several times before and I'd taken a liking to him so she just flat out gave him to me along with what little clothing he had. We've fallen out of contact just a little since then because she's still busy with college, but I do keep her updated and I take great care of him just like I always have. If anything, I cherish him much more because he was such a gracious gift, and while I've changed his style, his face-up and character, I'll always keep his name. I don't know why, but that just seems like one of those things I just shouldn't touch.

As for giving things to other people, I don't know if I'd ever be able to part with one of my dolls, but I tend to buy a lot of clothing on impulse that doesn't fit the style of anyone in my collection, so instead of selling it, I give it away to friends who look like they could use it. I also make clothing and accessories for doll buddies from time to time.

 

this has never happen to me before but i would be surprise if my friend giving me her dolls. you can trade or the sell the stuff you dont want

 

I am so envy with green! I would die to have friends like that, but of course there are some nice seller(s) out there will give a free surprise item with my nude doll and that make really my day and it's so sweet of them.

 

i would be more supprised than anything as anyone who would give me something like tha must care alot about me and that would make me happy,

its never happened to me but if it did i would keep what i liked sell the rest and treat myself and the friend to a nice meal or something to show how happy i am and to show gratatuid

 

Now this has happened to me. A friend and fellow collector told me she was thinning out a few items and sending me a small package. I was thrilled because I knew I would be getting some new things for my MSD...well, long story short it was a HUGE box filled with MSD doll clothes, 3 little Riley girls and a massive wardrobe for them. Why? Because i didn't have any Riley's in my collection.

The idea is to pay it forward. She said that to pass along any of the items I didn't want or need to someone who did. This is an expensive hobby and her gifts have made it a lot easier for me to continue in it.

 

I have given AND received! My sister is in the hobby and she has given me a few things she no longer was using (eyes, clothes, a wig) and gave me a head and a body at one point (though she claimed it was b/c I do free faceups for her and sometimes sew for her boys, so I guess really it was more of a trade?)

Also, my friend and I do that sometimes. I've given her MSD clothes after I upgraded my boy, she's given me SD girl clothes when my girl was naked and I'd spent my last dollar buying the doll.

Another time I was in a chat room with other doll owners and somebody came in asking who wanted a free doll. She had a new baby and was leaving the hobby and didn't want to deal with the hassle of listing and selling and sending her dolls to loving homes was more important to her than making a little cash. it was a much less expensive OT doll, but still worth enough to kind of put me in shock. Definitely wasn't the cheap Barbie with her hair chopped off you'd find at Goodwill!

 

Wow, I'm not the only one to do this happens to?

I've gotten freebies like wigs, eyes just small items. I also tend to give away small items, (mostly eyes)

I have given my friend, who just entered the hobby, a set of clothing, eyes and a wig. So his doll wouldn't be bald, blind or naked. I had also given him an Iplehouse carry-bag, which I didn't mind, since I only need one carry bag.

People in the hobby can be very kind and understanding, There is one lady those action I will never forget: I had problems with a buyer for a body that I was selling, they said that the body was damaged and wanted a full refund. (I stupidly did, after they said that they would send the body back.) They Held my boy's body hostage and they also had their money back.
Well, this didn't sit well with me, and I posted a "Help Me, my doll is stolen!" call out. One member of DoA answered, since she lived in the same town as the thief. She went to the address I gave her and she was able to get the doll back and then sent it back to me.

 

I have never had that exact thing happen to me. I have had an ex-friends who got me into the hobby before we were weren't friends anymore give me heads or clothing. Or wigs or allow me to buy thing from them at a discounted price. I think I would be in shock too if someone did that to me. I'm not sure I could bring myself to sell any of it, or to do anything but hold onto it and hope that she doesn't decide that she wants the things back if she decides to come back further into the hobby. Maybe use the things you'll use and who knows u may come by a doll that will use those items. I'd just keep them in a box marked extras or something and have it be your extra box.

 

When my daughter first started her BJD collection she was very generous with the freebies she had received from the companies she ordered from. If her friends needed boots or wigs or things she'd pass them on. I didn't get it at first but now I understand. I got a lot of freebies with my first doll purchase and I was grateful for everything I got. Now, we both have more wigs and things than we need and it's fun to pass them on.

And of course when you change tastes or a character you usually have way more than one doll needs! That's what's nice about this community. We've used things off the free table and put stuff on the free tables at meet ups. Makes ya feel good.

 

Well the first charity doll I put together did very well! And I found out that the person who got it, bought it for his girlfriend who is a doll collector and had been eying BJDs, so I added two more outfits and a pair of shoes without telling him. That way she not only got the character, she also could start enjoying the doll in other ways.

Next project: an Acorna (Ann McCaffrey) doll for the charity auction at Dragoncon.

 

I've never had this happen before since I don't know anyone IRL that collects BJDs. However I would consult with your friend if she would feel comfortable with you selling the stuff. If you feel guilty, maybe offer to split the profit 50/50 since she did "give" you these items.

 

It depends on what I have. I've given away things (eye putty I hand over to anyone whenever I can). I believe in Karma so I just hope the good vibes come back to me!

 

I don't directly know anyone IRL who's into this hobby so I've never had someone give me stuff en masse...

But I did once have an out-of-state friend who made me some clothes for my doll out of the blue.

It was pretty sweet of her.

 

Wow, lucky you, OP! The doll people I know so far are all online.. I'm sure there must be others locally, but I just don't know who they are. Because of that, I haven't developed any friendships where someone would unexpectedly give me a collection of doll items they no longer needed.

But if someone did? Certainly I'd be grateful and show them photos of my girls enjoying whatever items the girls liked. (heck, I even do that for items I buy). And then I'd have no problems selling off or further re-gifting whatever I couldn't use myself, just like for any items received as gifts.

 

I've sold a couple of dolls here on DOA. I always include everything I had for the doll, wig, eyes, any clothing I made and sometimes shoes if they don't fit any other doll I own. I don't know if the clothing I send is a style or color that the new owner will like, but I figure at least the doll won't be naked until he/she can buy what they prefer.

I used to make underwear for free and send them to people who had just bought a new doll and didn't have any clothing at all. I made them out of fabric scraps I already had, so it didn't cost me anything but my time and a dollar or so for postage. They appreciated it and it made me feel good!

 

I've never had it happen to me. But when I had a huge life over-haul and completely changed my style I gave all my doll clothes to a friend. I also "sold" a doll to her, but we fell out after she paid just £30 towards it. She also owed me for another doll I'd sold her that she never fully paid for. I'll probably never chase up the money, simply because I don't want the hassle. Plus, she wasn't really in a position to be buying dolls so it was my bad judgement. I do suspect the debt is the reason why she's not ever contacted me since.

I've also given another friend several dolls. One I knew she really, really wanted. Another that she probably didn't like so much, and finally a doll head that she seemed to really like. We don't speak anymore either so I don't know what she's done with them. I wouldn't be offended if she sold any of it though. I gave her the stuff to do what she wants with it. I also gave her some dollheart stuff.