Selling 'unique' dolls?

I saw Dollshe Bermann for sell on ebay! ^^
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280441781472&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

Would you buy a doll for nearly the same price as buying it new if one of the above mentioned things have been done to it? Even if it was an LE or a doll you've wanted for a long time?

Depends on the mod and depends on what plan I had for the doll. If I wanted it normal human looking, probably not. If I was going to further mod the head and the current mods were in line with what I was planning, or would be covered up with what I was planning, I would buy it - but no, I would not pay anywhere near full price for it. Even LE - possibly especially if it was LE.

Would you sell a doll to which you've done one or more of the above mentioned things? Would you sell it for nearly the same price you bought it for (or more) because you 'individualized' the doll, which took you time and effort?

Yes, and depending on what was done to the doll. If I was creating something to be a work of art or character doll and sold as such, yes, I would price it higher to account for the work. If it was just a doll I was done with, sick of, etc, then.. no. I also wouldn't expect someone wanting just the doll to purchase something that had been characterized or modded into a work of art.

*shrug* But I'm also one of those people who's interested in heavily modding dolls. I also don't consider a face-up to be a "unique mod".
-Pere

 

I think all of this really depends on the quality of the mod. If it was done crudely and the doll is essentially ruined then I wouldn't go near it. If it's a high quality work and a mod that I find interesting and appealing to have at home I'd buy it, probably even for more than the price of a blank doll. It is a very hypothetical situation though, because I highly doubt I'd ever see a mod I like enough to buy anywhere.

I don't think I'd sell anything I'd done by myself but it's mostly because I'm not someone who's confident in my abilities with dying/carving/modding. So anything I'd do I'd do for my own use and if it eneded up ruined it would go into the trash and not to the market place.

 

I would most likely not purchase the doll unless I fell in love with the particular doll real hard. My dolls are based on pre-existing characters- I find a dolly mold that suits them.

Remember, modding does cost more.

It all boils down to this: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Do you think it's worth buying?

 

For me it would really depend on what mod was done to the doll. As of course the quality of the mods/doll. But I don't think I'd pay for it as i would a new doll. Unless I *really* was fond of the mods that were done to it.

I don' t know, maybe it'd be even fun to make up a character based around their particular mods.

 

That's an excellent example of the way some modifications are totally irrelevant vis-a-vis price, if the doll is desired enough! Poor Mr. Bermann has had a terrible, terrible makeup & blushing job from his previous owner; this owner didn't have the time/wherewithal to get him cleaned up, so s/he sold him in As-Is condition; the bidding started at about $300 less than his original retail price. But that doll is so extremely limited & coveted that he got a ton of bids and sold for $700 above his original retail price.

Also, his final auction price is also a bargain compared to the cost of some Bermanns... and those modifications can all be undone for a song.... So, the buyer for this train-wreck of a doll is having a really good day. (Hope they went out for margaritas afterwards!) For those who disdain to buy modded dolls, well, all that means is you're not the one who scored a DO Bermann for less than two thousand bucks.

Yep - but it can also mean they get 3x the price they started with [see above]. That seller also had a really good day (margaritas all 'round!).

 

That's an awesome deal for a Bermann - I wouldn't have considered him modded, though. In need of a serious cleaning, certainly, but he doesn't look like he's been fundamentally changed in any way. To me I consider aesthetics (faceups and blushing, anything that will come of with some W&N and a magic eraser) to be a total non-issue. "Modded" to me means you can't get it back to the original sculpt without sculpting or serious sanding.

You're definitely right, everyone involved there should have had a great margarita night!

 

Oh yes. It is theme which excites me.
I had a head of DM Kyle Reese on which I modified lips and eyes. Eventually I have given it to my friend in exchange for boots for my another SD guy.)

I will not buy strongly modified doll under the same price as new. Also I will not buy a doll, which was at the owner more than 2 months, under the same price that new - unless the doll all time lay in a box in the dark, and nobody touched it.
But if I very much love mold, and it any more do not let out in firm, I will buy a doll with damages/ugly make-up/turned into yellow/turned into green or at the overestimated cost - and then I will make its beautiful. It's concerns Dollshe Bermann, my dream.)

 

I actually kind of wish I could get one of the dolls I want in pure black. It's an unnatural 'spirit-type' character, and black would have really suited the theme. But I don't think I would buy one, even if it were a fantastic job, because... kinda' scares me. Any imperfection, possible problems in the future (discoloration, fragility, chipping, whatever imaginary horrors I don't know about!) , would make me far too scared. Besides, I can be flexible, I figured out how to work the character with the same theme in a different way =P . I prefer to change the concept rather than attempt to go for the more difficult and far riskier execution in real-life. I'd also have loved a tanned doll, but also a no-possibility.

ali

 

I don't like that some people in this thread keep saying "awful mods" or "unacceptable mods". Who made it your job to deem a mod unacceptable? Mods, no matter how awful they may seem to some people, are still a work of art done by/for the person that owned the doll. They are personalized and in some people's eyes are still beautiful, even to second hand buyers. I personally love extreme mods and I wouldn't feel right paying a rock-bottom price for someone who took the time and effort to do them because others deem the doll 'damaged'. I feel it is acceptable for someone to charge a little more for their customizations. If no one feels they want to buy it for that price, well, lower the price. There just might not be a person in love with the mods in the marketplace at that certain time. I do have a problem however with people jacking up a price for a blank doll or with only a very simply face-up.

 

I don't see what's 'modded' about that berman. Did they show pix of a mod done to it?

I don't agree with the general consensus on the thread of modding=bad. That seems to be what most people are implying. I plan on modding elf ears onto my Unoa and if someone who doesn't own my doll doesn't like it, too bad. I don't ever plan on selling my dolls and even if I did I surely wouldn't sell them for a huge discount if they have nicely done elf ears or maybe a rotating thigh joint. To me, if a mod adds to a doll's posability it adds value to the doll.

It saddens me when I see a doll with cute mods that someone buys and then removes.

 

considering that i think a jet black doll is pretty cool, i might buy a doll that was dyed black for regular price if it was done well. Or if it was blue, or green or whatever- but again only if it was done well.

"full price" is sort of relative... most people may sell the doll for what the listed price is but if you're buying it from your same country(like US to US) you're saving on shipping and time. I'll happily buy a doll second hand in the US rather than buy it and pay $60+ and a month wait for the doll from the main supplier. Especially if the person doesn't ask for paypal fees to be added.

 

I almost bought a doll on eBay though it was messed up to the point where it nearly brought me to tears.. died black unevenly and had a really really poorly done face up but the bidding started out at 100 dollars which i would have payed but people bid on it and went over what i thought it was worth to try and salvage.

I myself would never sell a modded doll that was "deformed" or "damaged"

It always saddens me when I see people take limited edition doll sculpts and mess them up... Modding is fine if you are competent in what your doing otherwise leave it to those with more experance so that the outcome dosent make the rest of us cry. I don't know its my look on it as I have some very strong opinions on the matter.

 

Personally I think well executed mods are wonderful. I have a few dolls and bodies that need modding and have bought a MNF Karsh head that was HEAVILY modded for more than the normal selling price. The mods were gorgeous and well done by a wonderful girl (onegreyelephant) and it's a clear example of how modded dolls can be gorgeous to some people and just not someone else's cup of tea.

The Karsh was from a sleeping head, has human ears and a watchface embedded into half his head where his eye was. I adore him am getting him a body right now which I plan to send back to onegreyelephant to get simillar mods done to it as well so the whole doll will have a similar aesthetic.

I didn't commission the mods for that Karsh head originally, the doll head was simply up for sale. It was just so gorgeous I had to buy him! Now I've been inspired and am going to have him be a fully modded doll. I know that if I ever intend to sell him (which I don't, but if I ever do) that there is no way I am going to be selling him for under what I paid for him. I don't think he's ruined or awful at all!

I'm not saying that bad mods deserve inflated prices, but I'm saying that some well done mods are well worth paying the extra money for too.

 

Well executed mods can actually add to the value of a doll. Elf ears for example, when they look good and as if they are part of the doll could certainly increase the resell value.
However, I once bought a head that was modded with an open flame and the mods certainly will need touching up before the head is presentable again. I could torch a head myself, but I don't like to expose myself to toxic fumes. So I was glad I could simply buy a head like that on the market place, but I would never have paid retail price for the head even though the head was a limited head. The seller was also aware of the issues with the mods and offered to sell for a very reasonable price.

Poorly executed mods or messed up mods that need repair decrease the value of dolls. Retail price and secondary market price only influence this when the doll is rare and very popular.

 

I tend to view most mods as damage and would not pay a premium price for them. If I like a sculpt, I want to own it, not someone's changed version of it.

That being said, I do own two modded dolls. One has had its sleeping eyes opened by a professional to match the shape of the open eyed head. Nothing about the face was changed beyond this. The other was a rescue doll who I was curious to see what would come of it. It had extensive unfinished mods all over, and I did not pay anywhere near market value for the head. He doesn't look much like the original sculpt, and I often wonder, now that curiosity has been sated, if I would be happier selling the head and trying to get an unmodded one to replace it.

 

Would you buy a doll for nearly the same price as buying it new if one of the above mentioned things have been done to it? Even if it was an LE or a doll you've wanted for a long time?

Yes, but only if I liked the mod work and felt it added to the character of the doll. Some mod work can really enhance the look of a head, and can be real works of art that (to me) can increase the value of a doll dramatically.

However, I would not buy a doll that had had modwork done to it if the miod job looked bad- and even if I did, I would certainly not pay near-to-new prices for it.

Would you sell a doll to which you've done one or more of the above mentioned things? Would you sell it for nearly the same price you bought it for (or more) because you 'individualized' the doll, which took you time and effort?

Again, I think it depends on the doll and the modwork done to it. I did once sell a doll that I had customised completely, and I did get a good price for her- just under what the head and body together would cost new. However, I listed her auction style, and the starting bid was a lot lower than that.

Personally, I feel that the main problem with reselling a modded doll (or any doll, actually) is that often personal feelings and a sense of pride can cloud our opinion of what our work is actually worth. So someone could have ruined a doll completely, and still feel it has exceptional value becuase it is their own work, and still love that doll and want the price to reflect that. And it's an awkward situation when that happens, becuase it is very hard to tell someone that actually, their mod-job sucks!

 

I must start out by saying that I am utterly shocked but the amount of disdain there is to modded dolls in this thread (from the wording of the first thread on) and the people talking about only buying 'brandname' mods. And me let me also start out by saying that I am a modded so perhaps why this is so shocking. I am also a modded only in a personal capacity so far as I have not yet opened my commission shop beyond people I know personally or my own dolls.

I will fully admit there are many dolls that have been modded badly. It's as easy to mod a doll poorly as to do anything else to a doll poorly and far more undoable. A person- when selling a doll- needs to stop and ask if the mod is incomplete or not professional and ask that without ego. The price should be set in that manner.

But likewise I believe there are dolls that have been modded and yes, should be priced to compensate for the work. If I were to sell any of my modded dolls (which is not to happen at this point) I would clean them up and make the modification into 'just done condition' and yes, I would price them higher than the default. In doing so I would understand that I was limiting my buying pool not only from the stand point of being modded but also being a higher price. In fact I have a doll that I will finish modding and then sell at some point. Why? I was able to get a wonderful deal on a 'damaged' doll and I wanted to do this mod but it has no space in my collection. Maybe someone out there will find the mod beautiful and buy it. If not I will adjust the price applicably from there.

Am I a brand name modder? Of course not. But I don't understand the comments in the thread that if they were to find a doll with the mod they want for sale and like the mod done, and still not buy it because it's brand name..I do apologize, but that's just as egotistical as selling a bad mod for a high price.

Just like everything in the doll world it is all about the particular example and not the generalization.

 

I don't think there is any sort of disdain toward modded dolls in general. What there is disdain for are dolls that have been modded poorly.

While it's true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, quality can be evaluated in a nearly unbiased manner. Will the mod last, or will it crumble in a few months? Were the materials used ones that won't damage the resin over time? Is the work finished and smooth, or is it rough and jarring? Do the mods interfere with the positioning of the doll, or do they continue to allow full movement? Those are the questions that address the quality of a mod, and the answers have little to do with personal aesthetic or individual attachment.

I believe the attraction to brand name modders is also an issue of quality. I don't mean that every "known" modder does high quality work. But at least their caliber of work is something that has been established. People generally know what they are going to get when they look at a doll modded by a "famous" customizer. And that is a very valuable thing, in a buyer's mind. No one likes to take a chance.

It's really no different than any other brand name in the shopping world. When I buy a store-brand shirt at Target, I have a pretty good idea of how long it will last and how sturdy it will be. When I buy a shirt from an unknown label, I have no idea how it will turn out and am taking a risk. It's not that I think Target shirts are superior -- I mean, it's Target, not runway fashion -- but at least I know what I will be getting.

At the end of the day, a mod is only worth what other people are willing to pay for it. Buyers won't pay a premium for your personal attachment, your private memories, or your sweat and tears if the mod itself is not one of quality. That's really all there is to it. It's nothing personal, and it's not a judgment against any seller or any owner of a modded doll.

Edit: Just noting that when I use "you" and "your" in the above post, I mean it in a general manner.

 

I love debates like this there really is no right answer!
Personally I love seeing mods done on all different dolls, it's fascinating to me. I love seeing someone take one thing and personalize it that much more for themselves.
Would I personally pay full price for a doll thats been modded? Again, like everyone has been saying... it depends on what's been done, and it depends on the doll.
If a doll I desperately wanted has been discontinued and it came up on the marketplace but had some modding done...well it's possible I would be willing to pay near company price provided the mod wasn't something really horrific like... their nose was sanded off.
If I thought he mod really improved the doll or the face sculpt then again, Yes! I mean, if I liked the modded doll more then the doll strsight from the company? Then why not pay the same price for the modded doll rather then have to buy the doll from the company and mod it myself?
The only time mods would bother me in my doll shopping is if they were left unfinished or poorly done and they still wanted full price.
Or, if it was on a sculpt I already love in its entirety. Like.... a mod done on a LittleFee Bisou. I am already completely enamoured with that boy and want nothing different on it. So seeing a mod on one, well I would just keep looking.