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Resale Overprice (foreal)

Jul 14, 2009

?
  1. Yes. I have done this before

  2. Yes. I have not done this before

  3. No. I have done this before

  4. No. I have not dont this before

Multiple votes are allowed.
Results are only viewable after voting.
    1. Rinse - I don't quite see how it's rebranding. In my mind it's more like ticket scalpers. But maybe I'm missing something again. :sweat

      To use another example, when the Nintendo Wii was released several people in my office bought two of them. Why? Because they put extra effort into the whole thing. They planned out their work load. They talked with their boss and arranged time off (picking up hours elsewhere). They stood out in the snow and wind for hours until the doors opened. They fought with all the people in the store to get their system. And in some cases they showed up at 3am the night before to pick up tickets, slept for a couple of hours, then went back to the store and exchanged their tickets for the system.

      As surreality said, they were willing to put in the extra effort to get that item. People who couldn't/didn't stand in line were willing to pay extra to get the system off eBay.
       
    2. To add to that, toy shops that carry dolls pay one price from the manuf. and then raise it so they can turn a profit, yet we don't want to see fans doing that.

      It's what people do--make money--and any time people are making money off something that is emotional rather than some flat want, people get uncomfortable about pricing. One thing comes to mind right away, but this is a family forum so... la la la la. ;)
       
    3. its not normal to overpice the doll for resale,i thinck.Becouse in nay ways this doll is already "secondhand".We dont sell ,for example, our sewing machines overpriced,becouse it was used..so the same thing s the doll...if its not like VERY reare or ANTIQUE
       
    4. Um, bjds tend to hold their value quite well--they don't drop just because they're second hand, and there are rare sculpts that do go up in price because they are sought after and hard to get. Sometimes extras like well done mods and faceups can also legitimately increase the price on a more common doll. There are some great deals out there second hand, but you can't expect prices automatically to drop just because they aren't new from the company. Collectible items are not the same as utilitarian objects such as sewing machines or heaven forbid, electronics which are constantly becoming obsolete.
       
    5. If people are willing to pay it, I don't see a problem. I really want a Soom trio of Beryl, Sard and Cuprit despite the doubled price tags. If they were only allowed to be sold at the value they were purchased at or less, the competition for them would be more fierce. Gives those who really want it a better fighting chance to snag one, really. Illiminates impulse buys and 'trial buys' as well.

      To be honest, I don't think I'd buy nearly the amount of limited dolls if I didn't think I could get more money back if I changed my mind. Selling a doll is so much hassle it seems almost a waste of my time to just break even in some cases. The fact it's limited is basically extra insurance I'm likely to make more back so it'll be worth the investment even if I regret the purchase when it arrives.
       
    6. I have seen overpriced non-LE, non-customized (default faceup and all) dolls in the marketplace before, and I had my eye on a couple of them, hoping the prices would drop. I don't know what kind of thought process the seller is having in those cases, but I express my disapproval of the practice by simply not buying from them.

      Upping the price on limiteds and customized dolls I don't have a problem with.
       
    7. I'm curious now, so I'm going to voice a question -- primarily to the people who have been against "overpricing" of items on the resale market.

      Does your opinion of the practice change when, instead of getting in the way of you obtaining a doll, it can benefit you when reselling one of your own dolls?
       
    8. ok i agree that some BJDs are realy very rare,but i'm talking about some common BJDs like Dia like Dollmore model dolls.And such doll like Topaz and some very popular LEs.I've seen Topaz that was overpriced-not becouse ot had some interesting make up or modifications,but only becouse it was TOPAZ.Also I've seen Dias not overpriced but that was sold in a price the same to the price that Soom is selling them.

      Still i thinck doll can be overpriced only if it has some oroginal face0up or modification,but not becouse its some kind popular mold and people will buy it in any price just to get it...its not very fair...i guess....;)
       
    9. I can understand both points, however when selling and buying, the only good sale comes when both parties think they're getting a snag. Just like a garage sale. If yuo think he payed too much for it, and you made offgood, and he thinks he payed to little for it and made off good, then that's a great sale.
      It's never good when the seller is questioning if he charged to little or too much, and likewise for the buyer.
      Buyers won't buy if they don't THINK they're getting a snag. Why would they?
       
    10. Yep. That would be the law of supply and demand in action. Topaz is a rare LE and very sought-after. Therefore, she commands a higher price in resale than she did in original sale -- ESPECIALLY if she's unmodified. If people will buy a mold at any price just to get it, then clearly the market will bear a higher price than it was originally sold at. It's not overpricing. Popular LEs go for more money. It is what it is.

      Though I confess I find it utterly fascinating how people can change their minds on things sometimes. Someone who was utterly adamantly against charging anything more than purchase price for a blank naked limited edition doll, no matter how rare or sought-after it was, is now putting out feelers for the same blank naked doll at a vastly higher price than it was purchased at. While I am all for people charging and receiving market price for their items, I have to say that the sudden change of heart was quite the surprise.

      duncan - it's hard to compare the sale of a BJD to a garage sale. This is a collectible market, and with certain collectibles the feeling of getting a 'snag' is not important to the buyer. The 'snag' is the doll itself. If they got the doll, then it was worth paying the higher price. As a professional salesperson, I say the good sale is when both people are happy with the sale, which doesn't necessarily mean both buyer and seller are convinced they got a 'great deal'. If a buyer purchases, say, a Beryl for $3000, then I don't believe that would qualify as a 'snag' (in terms of a low sale price) on the buyer's part. That said, if that buyer is ecstatic because they got their precious Beryl and she's in perfect condition? Then it's a good sale. There's a lot more that plays into good and bad sales than the price of the item in question, especially in a market like this where nine times out of ten we KNOW what you paid for it originally. ;)
       
    11. Well im just a beginner at this i dont know how to sell dolls but i dont think its right to sell a doll for double. why cant it just be as much as it was? or if its second hand it should be a lot less because once its bought its value is less than it was befor.
       
    12. I wish I could say that things like this surprise me, but they don't, really. Not even a little bit. I wish I could have a better view of human nature than I do, but I'm so accustomed to seeing that kind of blatant hypocrisy that I simply have to shake my head about it with perverse amusement.

      To be completely blunt about it, those are the people I'd be significantly less inclined to ever conduct a transaction with -- I'd choose a blatant scalper any day, because at least the scalper is probably more honest than someone who chastises out of one side of their mouth, then does the very same thing they scolded the rest of the world for at length. The scalper, intending to resell from day one, has probably kept the doll in good condition to assure a high price. The person who talks out of both sides of their mouth? You can never, ever be sure of anything they say.
       
    13. Like others have said, the value almost never decreases. And when it comes to LEs the value increases simply because you can no longer buy the doll new. The only exception I can think of is if the owner severely damaged the doll. And even then I'm sure there's modders who would be willing to fix it.

      Remember: the seller has the right to charge whatever they want. If they want to sell a Soom Sard for $1 million they can. You, as a buyer, have the right to decide if that's too much money or not.
       
    14. Is it, though? In the situation where the seller and buyer both think they are getting an amazing deal, there is some disjunct occurring in information - either the seller or buyer is misinformed about the 'true value' of the item. The only exception would be when the seller want to get rid of the item, or the buyer ardently desires it - for personal reasons unrelated to its value in the market.

      Expecting someone to sell a doll that has become extremely sought-after for the same price they paid for it is also hugely 'not fair' - there's a likelihood the value of the doll will only rise over time, as the hobby matures and it becomes a 'vintage' rarity. Or, it could become less-popular as newer and more trendy sculpts become the 'must-has' item - I've see a lot of lonely original Pipos Bahas around with nobody to love them :(

      Another factor could be rate of exchange - if the seller purchased when exchange rates were poor, and they have since adjusted, they could be out a significant chunk of cash. Also, most people who object to raising a doll's price in the secondary market also object to original shipping or customs fees being accounted-for in price, which is silly. The price of any product you buy in a store is calculated from 'landed cost' -how much it cost to get the product to location- if it weren't so, the shop would be out of business in the matter of months. Why should the original buyer be forced to 'eat' these expenses? it's 'not fair' :|
       
    15. I happen to agree with you wholeheartedly. I suppose most of my surprise came in how fast people's opinions can change.

      If you (general you) choose to believe that we (general we) as a hobby have a moral imperative to price dolls well below market value because it's 'not fair' and somehow harmful to the hobby otherwise, then that is your prerogative and I certainly can't tell you otherwise despite seriously disagreeing with you. (Morality has no place in discussions like this, as I've touched on multiple times.) However, if you're going to preach the morality of doll pricing at me, then you had better practice what you preach. I personally have no issues with people charging full market price for a doll, even if others seem to think that entails overpricing or scalping. I have a major problem with people who attempt to turn the whole thing into a morality question, but seem to conveniently forget those 'morals' when it pads their wallets. What else will they conveniently forget?

      The internet never forgets these things, and this is a very good reason to leave morality and the sentiment that we ought to all be ashamed of ourselves at home.
       
    16. Yeah, I saw that! XD It wasn't even that long ago! There was a VERY preachy post here on July 19 that went on & on about how Soom MDs shouldn't be overpriced on the secondhand market when they only cost $1100 new, because: "People asking $1200 to $1600 for blank and Nude monthly dolls ... is well just rude. These people are only out to make a buck and are not adding to our community, just taking advantage of it." And also because "it really will HURT our hobby as a whole even if you dont see it now." And also because "It's wrong and you all know it's wrong."
      And then the same person just asked $2K for a Beryl. :potkettle Certain principles, in the face of a good resale price, melt faster than cellophane in a volcano.

      However, this IS a perfect illustration of "what the market will bear". All philosophy aside, I bet somebody was happy to snap up that Beryl for $2K. A lot of people find price-policing OK & markups distasteful, until they see how the market really works, & how it can work in their favor... after which point capitalism becomes suddenly peachy.

      Because the "snag" is finding that [Topaz, Beryl, Yukinojo, Bermann, etc.] AT ALL, and being able to pay the price it takes to bring that doll home. When it comes to limited sculpts or other highly-sought-after rarities, price stops being quite so much of a factor. When I found a Volks Genji for $1700 I did a victory dance-- despite being several hundred bucks more than his original price, this was THE Snag of the Year! Because Genji is a Japan-release-only sculpt who does not grow on trees, he'd be a snag at $2K. But if it were a doll that grew on trees, no, $1700 would not have been a snag.
       
    17. I am in total agreement.

      I also wanted to add that just because a buyer is only willing to pay $50 for it doesn't mean that everyone should lower their prices to that buyer. I often see people who get upset because they ONLY want to pay half the original price and they are angry at the "greedy sellers" who price it more to what others are selling it at. Just remember, they don't have to sell it to you and they can go with the better offers if that's what it's selling at. It's really a buyer's market and if they are selling like hotcakes at that price, that usually means the price is "reasonable." Not pointing at anyone... and in fact most of my experience from this comes from making hats (so it doesn't even have anything to do with dolls).

      OT example, but I think it's a good comparison... the hat example. There's a bunch of fleece hats on a table. One person asks how much it is and when they are told, they say, "That's too much! No one is going to buy that! You need to lower your prices." No sooner do they say that when five people step up and buy a couple of hats each and walk away with them. "Yeah... NO ONE is going to buy that... except those people who just bought them..." Of course I don't say that out loud. It just goes to show... just because someone can't afford it, doesn't mean the seller is trying to cheat them. It just means the buyer can't afford it. Plenty of other people CAN afford it. That happens.
       
    18. I'm buying a limited on layaway here right now. She was limited and is still in wonderful condition, all original eyes, clothes, wig, shoes, faceup, etc! I'm very happy to be a little bit (not anywhere NEAR double, though!) more than she was originally sold for just because she is unavailable and in such great condition.

      I do think DOUBLE the original price would be ridiculous, though. However, if someone is willing to pay a substantial amount for it, then it must be worth it to them.
       
    19. Well I understand limiteds but 3 times the price for like.. an El? I love the El mold but really if I wanted one I'd buy cheaper from the company.

      Seriously though, the doll is worth whatever amount someone is willing to pay for it. If someone wants to pay $1500 for a non-limited mold then uh... all the power to them I suppose?
       
    20. I certainly don't beleive a snag means price. A snag just means that the person got something they wanted at a price good in their eyes, or for a value good in their eyes. I and many people are willing to pay top prices for their dolls, but a snag is for example when they got that Sard for a price that was perhaps less than they had been debating on purchasing earlier. If they were considering buying a much more expensive one, and they were able to purchase this one for lower, reguardless of how much lower really, then it's a 'snag' or a 'steal' for that person.
      It's also a snag in the perspective for me that, winning a bid or purchasing a doll from another, is better for the buyer, in their perspective,they aare making that original owner now sard-less. Therefor, by that perspective aswell they snagged.
      I never meant just price, and I completely agree with you.
      I used a garage sale to simply implicate a public market, the same standards are reserved for estate sales, egg conventions, baseball card shows, ebay antiques, and of course dolls.
      And in reference to 'eating' sales, I agree that it isn't fair.
      But to be honest, is it fiar to that doll either?
      I once visited a antique shop in which the woman wanted a very high price for one of her dolls. I fell in love with the doll, and the doll had no writed pricetag. Very kindly, I approached the woman, and inquired the price. She responded, and I frowned, because at the time, I had no where near the funds to spend for her. Reguardless of how much I wanted her.
      I kept gazing over my shoulder, trying to weigh out the necessities I needed my money for against the doll.
      She saw how I had admired the doll, how my eyes shined, and rather than tell me explicitly that was the price, she GAVE me the doll. She handed it to me, and told me that she wanted the doll to go to a home where she would be apreciated as much as her daughter had appreciated her.
      Now, she lost on that deal....but she also gained. I frequented that shop rather often, because she had been so kind, and her kindness encouraged myself and my family to pay for those other items she had.
      She KNEW the doll was going to a good home, and that is a great satisfaction.
      These dolls aren't purchased, in my opinion of course to scream 'i have money' they are loved and cherished.
      For those that are simply reselling their doll because they can, and not because of a necissity, they could always wait until they find that person, who does want that doll enough to pay more than full price.
      I'm in no way implying that the seller should 'suck it up and give in' Just come to a happy medium.
      Throw in an outfit they sewed, or a pair of eyes they got free in one of their other purchases. Give the buyer a reason to want to pay full price. Especially in todays day in age, when unfortunately so few have enough money to engage in hobbies of any sort.
      I was just throwing that out for consideration.
      This is just a secondhand opinion. I have never sold a doll, to be perfectly open and honest, and therefor my opinion is biased.

      ---And let me reiterate. I said that the person THINKS they got a snag, meaning by their perspective they did. That topaz for full price, or even double, may still be a snag, given how long the person has researched, etc. ---