Is it considered cheap if all someone's dolls are second handed?

It's not cheap. Like others have mentioned, no one knows your doll is second, third, tenth hand unless you make a big deal about it -or- you bought it from someone in your personal dolly circle. I always call my second hand dolls new because they are. They're new to me. Some people are super proud that their dolls aren't brand new from the company. I haven't heard or witnessed anyone being looked down on because of that.

 

Secondhand isn't cheap unless you're buying a wildly unpopular doll. I ended up paying well over original list price for my Soom MDs that weren't bought new from company. (And they're worth every bit of it. )

If I buy something that is secondhand and cheap, it means the doll needs a lot of restoration work. I recently got an old LE fullset Serendipity doll very cheaply because she was filthy and hadn't been well cared for. The poor thing needed lots of work to reach her current gorgeous state.

Always ask for lots of photos so you know exactly what you are buying: yellowing, damage, general condition. Does the doll look clean? Been around smokers, pets, and sticky children? Missing parts of a fullset? Missing parts of the doll itself?

 

A lot cheaper? Do share the link! But that does imply traveling to Hong Kong if you don't live there, which ends up even more expensive.

Right?! I am super proud of mine. I think it's a good thing to rehome a doll that isn't wanted and love anymore and because they came to me like that, I adore them even more. I find it special.

Nowadays, there aren't many good 2nd hands dolls (that I want) so I have to turn to new, but I would def have all my collection 2nd hand if the market was selling them.

 

I don't believe so some people just don't ahve the money to be able to buy brand new all the time

 

I definitely see absolutely nothing wrong with only getting secondhand items. I'm 30, I work at a theme park and I have a ton of bills...so honestly I don't have a ton of money that I can justifiably spend on dolls... so some of the dolls on the marketplace are more in my budget, which is fantastic

Sent from the Vale of the Faeries!

 

Nothing wrong with second hand! Most of the dolls I want are limited in one way or another, so it's kind of the only option. Though they're not always cheaper than they were- as much as I wish they were...

 

The number of owners a doll's had, on its own, doesn't really influence people's opinions.
I've seen fullset LEs get sold and resold over and over, usually for more than retail, and because they're so valuable their owners take good care of them- the dolls don't look cheap at all.
On the other hand, when a doll passes from owner to owner and accumulates wear and tear and damage along the way, it depreciates in relative value, and it tends to look the part.
In those cases, the price of the doll doesn't matter; the overall condition, and how well you care for it, will determine whether people perceive it as being or looking "cheap".

As for finding deals on dolls secondhand, I've never met anyone who thought poorly of a doll that was obtained (through legitimate means!) for less than retail. I prefer to buy dolls directly from the artists/manufacturers, but that's more because of how straightforward the process tends to be. I don't value a doll more or less because I've been its first or second or third owner- and all of the secondhand dolls I own were purchased for less than half of their retail price or market value, which I take pride in. I got some fantastic deals on dolls that I enjoy having in my collection, and that's what matters.

 

I buy new...but only because I'm close to most of the doll companies I buy from. If I bought it from the MP, they would be shipped from EU or US and that's a lot more expensive. So if I did buy the dolls from the MP, no one would call me a cheapskate coz I would have paid MORE for them. Anyways...if you paid less for your doll, I'll say you got a bargain!

 

Lol. My Volks Williams and SwD Lucas were totes cheaper than when they were first released, yo. (gosh... why did I have to fall for these dolls...?)

 

I'm sure many of us ask ourselves the same thing.

 

I don't think BJD hobby is a cheap one even if it is second hand, you even may think dolls as some kind of investment instead. Since limited doll can be sold for double the original price if it highly sought, I never think buying second hand is a cheaper option.

If the doll in question is limited and not produced anymore, the only one that available is second hand. And even the doll is already third or fourth hand, as long as the condition is near perfect, pretty sure the price will stay the same or less just a little bit cause of yellowing.

 

I only own second hand dolls purchased for less than retail, and while I don't think it's "cheap", i'm sure there are a few people who might say otherwise. There are people all throughout life who will think someone is "cheap" for purchasing anything secondhand. I personally avoid telling my friends who aren't into dolls that I bought it secondhand, or how much I paid. That being said, I doubt someone in a doll community would actually call you cheap for buying a doll for hundreds of dollars. If it really bothers you, you don't have to say you bought it secondhand though.

 

No way!

In this hobby in particular, second hand does not always mean cheaper. It is possible to find good deals, but you have to be careful, especially now that recasts have become so common. If a deal seems to good to be true, it probably is.

 

cheap??? just go to the marketplace...sometimes people pay triple the original price for a doll.

 

I like to think that it's better for the environment to buy second hand, but you do have to be careful. Ask lots of questions. Not everyone is super honest when selling dolls.

 

I actually think that's better! Not as long of a wait time, sometimes cheaper shipping if you catch someone in the same country....Secondhand is great!

 

As far a I have seen most people re-sell their dolls for almost the same price as they were originally or even more depending on if they were modded or not...
I mean, Ive even seen some people ask OUTRAGEOUS prices for dolls that are....not in mint condition and are yellowed and overall just not as good as bought brand new...but if they really think those are going to sell at that price, theyre crazy.
Like I saw someone else say here, it's only cheap if it looks cheap.

 

Definitely not. Some dolls are more expensive on the secondary market anyway, so they are not automatically cheaper. I also think it is good to not impulse purchase a L/E doll if you are not 100% sure about it at the time of pre-order. I have passed dolls by on a pre-order because they didn't initially appeal to me enough, but when I see them with a different face-up I realise that I really like them. My favourite doll was purchased on the secondary market and providing you are happy with the current condition (no detrimental yellowing/damage etc) the fact that I am not the original purchaser is irrelevant to me.