Is it 'OKAY' to PM an Owner about Selling a doll they had NO intention to sell?

I find that really annoying and rude if someone sends you a message asking you to sell your doll. As others said if you where going to sell you would say so in the market place.

 

No one should EVER PM someone asking if he or she will sell their doll, unless the owner has already posted it in the forums, in which case the PM would be redundant. It's very rude and unnecessary.

EDIT: However, just to add as a side note, I do think it's perfectly fine to ask someone where he or she bought it, and/or if the company/person he or she bought it from is still selling it, or if it's available anywhere else.

 

*now comes the part where everyone thinks I'm odd*
Well, I think it's perfectly right as long as you ask for it politely. Or for example, someone's selling a wig (let's say) and you ask this person something about the item AND say something like 'and if you ever plan on selling your doll, I'm waiting for it because s/he's so adorable/cute/etc' or something like this.
It's my point of view xD

 

Agree with what others said -- depends how its worded. Otherwise-- well, its just awkward. I might be tempted to just ignore it. ^_^;;

 

I've done it. There was this one lady selling some of her dolls off, so I asked her if she was ever going to sell a particular dolls that was not on her sales list that I would be totally interested. She promised me that the doll would be mine if she decided to sell her. I was so very disappointed to find that a couple of months later that she'd sold her to someone else and didn't even tell me that she was for sale nor keep her promise to me.

 

Hmm...I've read over a bit of the thread and while I agree that it could be flattering, and maybe one of the only chances some people may have of obtaining a rare doll personally it still strikes me as being rude. Probably because at this moment I'm very attached to my dolls and can't quite imagine packing them into boxes to ship to someone else.

 

I guess it depends on the person you’re asking. At least that is what it seems like to me.

Some people would see it as a huge compliment, that out of all the dolls on the site they own one that someone wants to purchase. However, other people would see it as rude and get defensive.

Obviously, it is against the rules regardless but assuming it wasn’t, I think the question of purchasing a doll is pretty innocent. There are two answers a person asking could receive… Yes or no. While I see why someone might get snappy and agitated about being asked but it seems to me to be just as rude to accost someone for having brought it up. Answering what you perceive as rudeness with equal hostility really won’t solve anything.

But here on the forum it is tactless no matter how you view it, since it is clearly outline in the forum rules that there should be none of that... So, if someone were to ask me the same thing here I wouldn't feel flattered or irritated. I'd probably just assume this person is ignorant to the rules.

 

Well... normally I would say it's not okay, but of course... I have an exception.

When I once mentioned in another post that I just wasn't feeling a particular doll--someone else saw it, and told me she really loved that doll, and was was very polite about asking me if I would consider selling it to her if I ever decided it wouldn't work out. She was truly apologetic about possibly offending me. I did sell the doll to her in the end, and I know she still has it, so... honestly, I was glad she messaged me. I've sold enough limited dolls that have gone to people who turned around and sold them for a profit a few months later that it's refreshing to actually sell one to someone who *wants* the doll.

Of course, I think it's completely inappropriate to message someone who has no intention of selling their doll. I guess I just don't find anything ethically wrong with asking someone who seems like they're on the verge of selling, that you really hope they'll let you know if they ever do consider selling it. Of course, only if they address you about it in a mature and polite manner.

Then again, this happened like a year ago, and admittedly I didn't even know there was a rule against it back then. And I could certainly understand how even that might offend someone, even though I personally appreciated it.

There have been several dolls on this forum that I have loved so much I would gladly have put down a huge chunk of change for... but if I messaged the owners telling them that, it would be like claiming that my appreciation of their dolls is somehow greater or more important than their own. I think some people don't realize that, but it can be very belittling and offensive to the owner.

 

In the horse world, if you really like someones horse, its considered polite to ask for 'first refusal'. So, if they were to sell said horse you could be the first to say no I won't take it. Perhaps a similar thing could work in the doll world.

Of course, you'll always get the rude people who wander round the horse show grounds offering the odd person blank cheques, but thats life unfortunatly.

 

I've never had this problem, because I don't own a doll yet, but I do think that asking is rude, especially if there was never any indication that the owner might be interested in selling. If the owner mentioned that the doll didn't fit in with the collection, or like the outfit for the limited mentioned earlier, well then I can see asking. Being polite though and accepting the owners wishes is really important though, because they're doing you a favor by even considering it.

 

I dont mind when its people telling me they like my doll and that if I ever do decide to part with her that they would want to adopt her.

But I have more often then not gotten the kind of PMs involving someone offering me a price.
"I will give you $1000 for X doll" (almost a direct quote aswell).
To me its quite offencive and rude to just out of the blue say that. Some people are polite about it and I mind that less. But trying to buy whats not for sale just seems wrong to me. (reminds me of indecent proposal for some reason).

I would like to ask the mods a question.
I know its against forum rules to do this. But what should you do as the person that gets the PM? Should you report them? What will happen to them if you do? Will you need to quote the PM to the mod your contacting in question?

 

It's a weird question when someone isn't selling their doll...:s...

 

I frankly don't think anything it ethically wrong with letting a person know that you would like his/her doll if he/she intended to sell them. Dolls *are* sold and bought all the time, after all.

 

I agree with most people here, that it's a litle tactless, and in some cases just downright rude, however if done in a good way as in: "if you ever decide that you, for whataver reason, want to sell this doll, I would gladly give him/her a new home because I really love it etc..etc..." I personally wouldn't find it rude or wrong.

It's all about the situation and the way the question is being asked, in my opinion..

Just to give an example (since some examples were postet at least of page 1.) My friend got a note on the window of his car, asking him if he wanted to sell it and if he wanted to sell it he should call this number: xxx-xxxxx... He was really freaked out about it and ironiclly he was in a carcrash that same day and the car was completely destroyed! O__O (nobody got hurt and this was terribly off-topic, but STILL!)

 

Its one thing to like someone's doll, but its a bit beyond the pale to pm someone with an offer to take in their doll at some point.

 

This was a very interesting thread. I had no idea people were so connected to their dolls/characters. I lived with a painter for many years and he was always flattered when people came to our home and wanted to buy his work from right off our walls. If someone asked me politely to buy my dolls it wouldn't offend me, and didn't even know it was against DOA rules (guess I should brush up.) Once again a fascinating lesson on human nature, one of the big reasons this board is so interesting.

 

When I first joined this forum I saw an avatar (and not knowing much about many companies at the time) I pm'ed the owner about the doll since I thought it was amazing. I would have never ever thought to ask to buy it. Thats just rude, they love him enough to make him an avatar why would I expect them to part with him.

 

I think it is poor manners if an offer came without any indication that I was not interested in my dolls anymore. However, if politely asked, I don't think I would get too mad. If prices are quoted, etc. I would think that a bit crass and materialistic.

 

I hate getting pms like that even if it's on other sites for virtual items. Unless i've made a post about selling the item, I would rather not get any messages like that. I feel as if they are telling me I have no use for it at all, it's just wrong.

 

I'd say I would be against it. If it was to be sold, it would be in the marketplace.