standard aspects for choosing(and buying) secondhand dolls?

I get dolls from the MP etc that are either cheaper than the company or close to the company price - if they are still being sold. I also like getting such dolls because they come right away, & since I usually get them from domestic sellers the shipping costs are much lower as well. As for the faceups - I just bought a head off the MP from Brazil BECAUSE the faceup was so perfect, & the price seemed reasonable. I think I could have gotten the head from the company still but didn't care cause I needed THAT faceup LOL. Most people selling their dolls offer to wipe the faceups, & it usually does not affect the asking price.
Limiteds - & some other dolls (~cough~ Volks lottery dolls ~cough~) are often ONLY available thru third party sellers - not dealers but those who've bought the doll & then turn around & sell it basically new in the box. Of course some of the discontinued &/or limited dolls aren't brand new like that - & are still the only way to get them, but I'll pay more for the pristine untouched kind.
A lot of second-hand/MP dolls come with extras, as well - clothes mainly but I've gotten wigs, shoes & eyes as part of the deal
As far as 'old' dolls - none of these dolls are really old. The very first resin BJDs from Volks are from 1999, which means the oldest dolls are only 18 years old. Now I realize that to some here, that's older than they are, but not very old compared to other dolls (Barbies go back to the 1950s, for instance). Still there are pricey older dolls (Volks limiteds for instance) that will command a high price because of their resin quality & rarity. This will only intensify.

 

Oh, it totally depends on the doll & the market. I've seen them go for twice the original amount (Volks dolls especially). But then, if you haunt the MP long enough, you might snag one for close to original price. Or less, especially if it needs some love LOL

 

Best bet is to check the Soom site (first) - I managed to get my 72 Idealian Hyperon straight from them when they did a Free Choice special so sometimes the limited dolls come up there Then check prices. Find out what the MP normal price for the doll is. Then just haunt the MP LOL

 

1. Do I want the doll?
2. Am I willing to pay the price the seller is asking?
3. Can I afford to buy it right now?

If my answer to all is yes - I'll buy it.

 

And one more:

4. Is it legitimate?

 

Yes, most important one. I left it out because I thought that here on DoA that goes without saying.

 

Things that may affect the price of a second hand doll:
1. yellowing, all dolls mellow slightly in color over time, but dolls left in costume or in the sun will sometimes have irregular, blotchy yellowing
2. damage such as broken fingers, or a scuffed or chipped faceup
3.extras, are they offering to include a costume, eyes, shoes, or a wig?
4. popularity, some dolls are simply more popular than others
5. unusual skin colors, these cost more from the company, so the price may be higher because of them
6. faceups, if they are by someone famous, by the original company , or unusually beautiful, the owner may ask for considerably more than a blank, unfaceuped doll

 

Do I like the sculpt?

Do I like the faceup?

Do I like the price?

If two out of three apply then yes. (Cause I never would buy a doll I didn't like the overall face sculpt not just the faceup)

 

if a doll is not a limited run and is still available then I will not pay more than retail secondhand. A minty one, never used, in just the right colour maybe... if it's in the EU (to avoid customs fees) because i'm willing to pay full price to avoid the wait time and get instant gratification (I hate wait times lol) but I always kinda frown and think "huh?" when people charge MORE than retail for a doll that's not limited and doesn't seem to have anything extra to justify the money, or those extras are something I have no want or use for (like a wig I don't want, or eyes i'll never use, or an outfit that's sooo not my style). I don't want to pay extra for stuff I don't want, so I won't.

Now if it's a limited edition doll, then it really does become a sellers market. If it's never ever ever getting released again, people may very well be willing to pay a lot for it. But even then, I set a budget and stick to it. Most cases I tell myself "it's not happening, too expensive, move on" because I cannot justify the price hike.
But you do see things like those event dolls popping up for sale quite often and the prices are often fairly fair. In keeping with the price of similar sized dolls from the same company.
If I really wanted one, i'd be happy enough to pay that as a "going rate".

I also love a bargain, and i'll take floppy strings, slight yellowing, small fixes if it means I can save a good chunk of money.
I actually really like tlc dolls, but no, i'm not paying a lot for them and I don't care what brand they are, i'm not gonna slap down £400 for a damaged doll, i'm waaaaay too stingy.

I also won't pay extra for a faceup, unless I LOVE the faceup. I do my own faceups and really enjoy it so having it predone kinda removes for me one of the primary appeals of a new doll. I look forward to sitting down and spending a few hours painting the face, it's one of my favourite bits. So unless the faceup is something spectacular I don't think I could replicate and really really adore and want to keep, I refuse to pay a premium for it. Which means I won't buy dolls with artist faceups or pay extra for company faces, most of the time i'd be planning to blank them anyway. Why pay for something you're gonna wipe?
So it means I gravitate toward blank dolls, or dolls who are priced low regardless.

Basically, my rule is it has to be less than retail for me to justify it. If it's retail then I have to really consider if it's the right colour combo or if i'd be happier going direct through the company and getting EXACTLY what I wanted. If it's more than retail? It better have a good reason and for me, there's not many good reasons for me to pay more than retail for a doll.
I'm just really really cheap lol.
About the only time I think it's justified is if the doll has a lot of extras like a full wig, eyes and outfit, or if it's a super limited really rare doll, if it's rare enough, a seller can charge just about whatever they want and eventually find a buyer.
Just might take a while.

Also remember that in many marketplaces you CAN haggle.

When buying secondhand I find there's a few rules that help keeping you from overspending and regretting it.

1: Set a budget. A maximum price you're willing to pay for the item and stick to it. If the price is waaaaay over that, walk away. If it's a little bit, try to haggle but be prepared to walk away if the seller won't budge. There will always be another doll. There will always be another chance.

2: If you're uncomfortable in any way with the way the seller is communicating or behaving, walk away. It's better to save yourself the stress. Maybe they're fine, maybe they aren't, but if something's pinging telling you "this feels off..." trust your gut. You need to trust a seller and there have been times with me where i've just not felt comfortable sending money to someone. Maybe they're really flakey with replies, really slow with responses, not very forthcoming with info. Whatever it is, it's usually less stress to just walk away.

3: Have a wishlist. Decide on what you want BEFORE you go browsing. Marketplaces are full of wonderful temptations, but the problem is you might end up committing to buy something you don't really want out of excitement or on a whim. Do you love it? or did you just see the price and think "yes"
Have a wishlist. It'll help narrow your search but it also means you know what you're looking for and will be better armed with knowledge of that specific company or sculpt and also have a price already in mind.

4: Don't be afraid to ask questions. Lots of questions, even the stupidest of questions. A decent seller will be more than happy to answer everything, send more pictures, tell you the history of the doll or whatever else you want to know. If in doubt, ASK. Also don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion from other people on the forum. Everyone here is more often than not happy to help new people into the hobby, we want everyone to have dollies they love!

and good luck! The Marketplace here is awesome and full of lovely things and some very very nice sellers.

 

I think it's important to consider your questions 1 and 2 together as well.

If a doll is still available (not limited edition) and the secondhand doll is very old, the value is probably less than the original price.

A limited edition doll that was released very recently or hasn't sold out yet might have a value very close to the original selling price.

A limited edition doll that is old is probably a rare doll. As time goes on, fewer and fewer of that doll are going to trade hands and make it onto the market. As long as there are interested buyers, the value will probably increase over time.

So old common dolls (especially dolls on the older versions of the company's body or dolls with damage like broken fingers) can usually be bought for less, but old limited edition dolls are more desirable, because there is no newer alternative, and will probably go for more.

It also varies based on the popularity of the doll and some outside circumstances. I have noticed that the smaller-sized Soom limited dolls are available for a lot less on the secondhand market than the large ones. Minifees has a very strong resale value because they're so popular. Old common Volks dolls and bodies especially can be bought up for a bargain but rarer limiteds have appreciated a lot. Elfdoll SD-sized dolls, though long-discontinued (and beautiful and high-quality), regularly go for very low prices compared to their original retail because Elfdoll had a lot of dealers who unloaded their stock cheaply when Elfdoll stopped selling. So you really want to try to understand the market history of the sculpt and company you want to buy before you do.

Also, totally random observation, but I notice that jointed hands are very popular as an extra. They always seem to be snatched up quick.

 

1. Is limited edition dolls really decided the price ? (in my example, soom mostly have their dolls limited, so it is still very important aspect for the price to get higher?)
Yes. But some companies will release again. If it's not often and even not possible to sell again, it will be more expensive.
2. If the doll is quite old (like made in 5-8 years ago for example) is it normal if the price still (maybe a lot) higher than the original price ? *even there are no damages or sort*
Sometimes yes if it's a rare one. Usually it should be cheaper.
3. A lot of secondhand dolls didn't have their default face up anymore, if the face-up made by another artist, is it also one aspect that make the doll more expensive even though the doll is quite old?
I know people sell dolls with famous artist's face up and calculate the fee into the price. But personally I think it only works when you like that artist and style. If it's not the style you love and you will change another face up, even it worth 200$, it's useless to you.