What can you fairly expect from a doll company?

The absolute minimum? As a prospective first-time customer, I'd say that the minimum I expect is good communication - twenty-four hours max time between when I send my e-mail and when they send theirs. If there are resin differences or weaknesses, I expect to know about them ON THE WEBSITE. Even if it's not a guarantee that there will be something like that, I want to know about even the slightest chance of it happening.

I want to know whether or not they sand seams. I do want them to have a Q&A board, or at LEAST a FAQ page. One of the first places I go are the FAQs. I don't really care if they sell worldwide or not - it's disappointing, but it's not terribly high on my worry-list.

As well, I expect measurements for the dolls on the doll profile page. I like to make clothing for them beforehand, and also buy clothing for them beforehand, and what happens if I receive the doll and the clothing doesn't fit? I've wasted time and (a lot of the time) valuable effort. :\

If there is something wrong with the way the doll looks, and it can't be blamed on the shipping process, then I DO expect the company to replace it, and only charge the cost of shipping. I'm working hard to save up this money, and it's taking a great deal of willpower to not spend it, so I expect the doll to look as close as possible to the pictures that have been posted. It's a lot of money that they're getting, and they'd better give me a quality product.

And I do expect a box, and bubblewrap. Lots of it. Some companies include pillows or such, and I can live without that, but I've heard that resin is relatively breakable, and I've also heard horror stories about the post office and how they handle packages (I can't even begin to think of them tossing my baby into the back of a truck with heavier parcels).

Almost forgot - YES, I demand a tracking number. I'm obsessive about my shipments, and I do a lot of business with amazon.ca, and they provide tracking information as soon as the package has been shipped. Especially when I have to wait a good two months for it to even be in the country, I want a tracking number.

 

Should there be a 24/7 customer service team with an email/phone number? Is a doll company absolutely expected to sell worldwide, have a Q&A board, have a tracking number or include a certificate? Should they be in a box or is a default bag okay?

A box at the very least, and a tracking number. A Q&A board is nice, but an email address or phone number works just as well. It doesn't have to be 24/7, but getting back to me in a timely manner if I have questions goes a long way. If the doll company does or does not sell internationally is entirely up to them.

Do you expect a doll company to tell you if their resin has a weakness (brittleness, UV instability, ect.) or that their resin doesn't match any other company? If their body has a flaw, are they liable for fixing or replacing it (such as a known wonky wrist joint or something)?

If there are known issues, I do expect that they told somebody at least at some point. I'd prefer to do my own homework, but it's a nice touch if the company's up front about the flaws in their product. The customer is responsible for making an informed decision about what they're buying. Resin matching I'm not so concerned about, I can find that out in a variety of other ways.

I do expect to be treated with respect, though. I do expect that the company do its best to help me if something goes wrong and the product is damaged or worse--lost--between the times it was sent and the time it was delivered. I expect a company to be proactive instead of reactive. (Granted, what you expect and what is reality can be two largely different things.)

 

I'm not worried about 24/7. If they don't work weekends, that's fine. Reasonably prompt response is good ie 24 hours plus weekend break. If I'm not dealing with a company that sells internationally, whatever they can do is fine. Not everyone has an english translator handy.

I have more of a problem with companies that send items poorly packaged, that then end up damaged or chipped. I would expect prompt replacement. The post office regards damage as the fault of the sender for not packing it securely enough. I don't expect to pay to ship items back, or if I do, I expect the money to be refunded. Someone here had a doll go missing out of the box after it was opened by customs. In that case I would expect a new doll shipped out promptly. Most companies offer this service, a few don't.

As for resin and parts quality, I don't expect companies to tell me about that. Most often, I hear about it from other DoA members who have bought a doll previously and had issues with quality. I think it pays to research what a company is like and good and bad incidences with customer service.

For the most part, if I was thinking about the service I would expect in Australia if I was purchasing a $500 item and what I expect from a BJD company, I think I tend to realise that I usually won't get the same service from a BJD company. There are exceptions - Soom is excellent, fast response, a lovely person to deal with (clover) and incredibly helpful. I've never had problems with Luts either and found them helpful even if slow to ship. Volks is apparently awesome to deal with. I think if companies were punished for poor service by losing customers, they would tend to watch their customer service more.

 

I don't have much to offer, but here's my two cents. I don't think at all that a doll company should be expected to sell worldwide. Up until a few years ago, even Volks was Japanese sites only. Also, since Japan and Korea have stark differences in time, 24/7 service, including over-the-phone, is out of the question intirely.

However, companies should be consistent and fair in their replacement policies, and should be able to respond to e-mails fairly quickly (within, let's say, twenty-four hours), seeing as it's most likely a question about their product. Tracking numbers? I truly don't see why a company should be EXPECTED to give one to the customer, but on request it's a given (pun not intended).

Because of the nature of BJDs, it is surely a must that the doll must arrive packed securely in reasonably good packaging. Also for this reason, it's only good marketing and a fair transaction if the company pre-warns the customer of any flaws in the resin, like brittleness and yellowing (and must state the return and/or replacement policies clearly in unbroken English).

I strongly believe that a doll company is not required to state how well their dolls' resin matches with other companies's resin. Forgive me for the strange and unimaginative example, but it's almost like asking Bratz if the plastic(?) used for their dolls looks good with a Barbie's, and e-mailing McDonalds if their french fries would taste good with a Carls' Junior (sp?) Six Dollar Burger.

 

I love that statement Truffles! I agree that there are many people into hybrids, but the company is making their dolls as a whole, so it is not their responsibility what you want to do with that. It is also like demanding to know if the mold looks good with purple eye liner.

Packing and communication are the most important things addressed here, as is of course honesty and payment.

 

The only case in which I think a company SHOULD note resin matching is either if they only sell heads or only sell some parts of a doll but not a full doll body (for example I'm prtty sure there are some companies that make optional parts like larger busts or specialty hands/feet that are intended for use with other companies' bodies) or if they change their resin colours so that they no longer match older dolls, or if the resin colours vary widely by batch, so a doll might not match optional hands bought only a few months apart. I also think it would be nice if sites that sell more than one type of doll state on the pages of heads or optional parts what they match- even if it only says that it's meant to go with X doll, at least it prevents someone from buying, say, a Blue Fairy doll from Luts, and some Kid Delf optional hands, and realizing they don't match. I think most sites usually include that info.

For the rest? 24 hour customer help is pretty silly I think- normal business hours for wherever the company is located should be plenty, and not all doll companies are a full time job for the people that run them, so I think it's a bit much to demand all of their time when they might have another job or what have you. But if they only respond to emails 3 days out of the week they should have a note letting customers know on their contact page.

Asking a doll company to notify people of weaknesses is tricky territory. A lot of the time, they don't know about these problems until after the dolls are sent out (for example, the coloured Bambicrony elves that change colour over time). If it's a problem like... one particular part often breaks or chips, it would be nice if they included info saying something like "please be careful with wrist parts, we have had some issues with wrist parts breaking" or made a new part or something. But at the same time, I can't honestly expect a company to be up front with all such flaws in their own product- would you buy a pair of jeans if you went to a shop and the pants had a tag on them saying "The seams are weak, so please be careful. Also, sometimes the button falls off"? Good on them for their honesty, but you can see why they wouldn't share that info. I think finding out from their reputation and from other owners is always going to be a better way of learning about actual flaws.

 

Paying hundreds of dollars for a doll, I would expect civil good service from the company. And, I remember all the problems with Barbies: different colored flesh depending on the plant where they were made, the doll made by different plants in different countries, etc. What really helped was the community of doll collectors who shared info with others when there was a problem. If there was a major problem with flesh body color or parts that cracked or fell apart, I learned how to fix it myself. My nieces & nephews come to me when their plastic action figures break or fall apart as I learned how to repair them.

 

They should have a costumer service team, but 24/7 might be a little to much, especially for the smaller companies. Besides, having such a service would imply hiring someone to translate or having a worker who is not so good in english so needs a little more time to answer. But we should expect answers the next day, depending at the time the email was sent. They don't have to sell worldwide or have a Q&A board, it's their choice, we can't really force them too The way the dolls are sent so long as it is secure, is really their choice too. The tracking number is essencial though, when something is so expensive it would be crazy not to have one, the certificate too should be mandatory.

I don't think doll companies will tell us their weakness, that's just bad for them, they also may simply not know if there is compatibility with other resins, the costumer can inform himself/herself about that by other means. They should however state clearly what is their return or replacement policy, it might even be illegal not to do so, don't know.

About defective dolls... they should replace them, or send new parts, with no cost, but of course it would have to be proved that the doll arrived with the flaws or that they were caused by lack of quality. Dolls should come with a warranty too.

 

Should there be a 24/7 customer service team with an email/phone number? Is a doll company absolutely expected to sell worldwide, have a Q&A board, have a tracking number or include a certificate? Should they be in a box or is a default bag okay?

Maybe not 24/7, but there should definitely be at least one person hired as customer service who is able to keep up with customers' questions and be knowledgeable about the company and product, enough so so that they are able to reply promptly.

I wouldn't say they should be absolutely expected to sell worldwide, but it helps. Maybe at least to a few other countries.

Q&A board .. yes, that would help. Of course, customers could also submit questions via email.

Tracking number is an absolute must. Both the seller and the customer should be able to know where their package is, in case - heaven forbid - something should happen to it. That way they know at the very least where it is.

A box is nice, but not necessary. Default bags can work as long as they're padded properly.

Do you expect a doll company to tell you if their resin has a weakness (brittleness, UV instability, ect.) or that their resin doesn't match any other company? If their body has a flaw, are they liable for fixing or replacing it (such as a known wonky wrist joint or something)?

I don't expect them to - I haven't seen a company that has - most likely because that would seriously detract from their sales. Honesty is the best policy, but in business .. well ..

They should be liable for replacing, I think - unless it is the customer's fault (ie broken finger from falling - ha!) in which case the customer should pay for a replacement part. But if something is very obviously not right .. company's fault.

What about defective dolls? Are they required to replace them? If so, free or at a cost? For how long? Where is the line between the company's responsibility and the customer's? What do you think are the responsibilities of a doll company towards its' customers?

Define "defective dolls".

At the bare minimum a company should do absolutely everything it can to accommodate customers. The best example I can think of is Denny Kim at DIM - multiple times he has gone out of his way to help me out, and has done so many nice things I am hooked on DIM as a customer. It's fabulous people like that that keep someone coming back to a company - if I need something, I certainly look at Dollmore and DIM first, because I know I can count on Jee and Denny for absolutely flawless service. Good service = repeat customers, as well as happy employees and employers.

$0.02!

 

Should there be a 24/7 customer service team with an email/phone number? Is a doll company absolutely expected to sell worldwide, have a Q&A board, have a tracking number or include a certificate? Should they be in a box or is a default bag okay?

I don't in any way expect a small company to have a 24/7 contact line. We're talking about a private business of a small scale, not Walmart. But of course they should answer all emails within a 24 hour period. But how they decide to do business is their choice. I'd love if all doll companies did direct business worldwide, but some don't have the means to, and I can't fault them on that.

There's been a lot of trouble lately with packages getting in all sorts of trouble with customs so I think that a tracking number should be included with any doll purchase, not to mention insurance. Some people may fuss and whine but if it were my company and I were shipping out expensive dolls overseas insurance would not be an option, it would be mandatory.

Personally, I don't care about COA unless the doll is limited or special in some way but I do think all should be well packaged.


Do you expect a doll company to tell you if their resin has a weakness (brittleness, UV instability, ect.) or that their resin doesn't match any other company? If their body has a flaw, are they liable for fixing or replacing it (such as a known wonky wrist joint or something)?

I expect their resin not to have anything wrong with it, period. However, let's face it, we can nit pick until we find a fault. For that reason, I don't think a company should point out each and every detail unless their product really is so far inferior from other like businesses. It is bad practice to point out each problem with your product, even though it may seem like honesty, what it really does is turn off customers. I'd rather a company be confident and stand behind their product, not make excuses for it before I've even received it.

And no, it isn't their job to compare their resin color to every other major company. Why should they?

And yes yes yes . Of course they should replace something that is defective.

What about defective dolls? Are they required to replace them? If so, free or at a cost? For how long? Where is the line between the company's responsibility and the customer's? What do you think are the responsibilities of a doll company towards its' customers?

Free replacement within a reasonable amount of time... Let's say thirty days from the time of delivery. Anything longer than that gets into a dangerous grey area where the company may well be expected to replace your mistake or carelessness. The company should only be liable for what they are directly to blame for, not the customers carelessness or ignorance.

 

I wouldn't expect 24/7 customer service, and I realize that e-mail communications might take longer, since English is not their first language. However, I would expect a response in a reasonable time--with in a few days at least. Communications shouldn't drag on for a week or two. Companies don't have to have Q&A boards, but I find that they are generally a good way to get questions awnsered so I like to see them--and tracking numbers are important. Certificates are nice, but they aren't such a big deal to me. If I ordered directly from the company, then I know it's their doll.

It would be nice if companies informed their customers of any possible flaws, but they also want to make their products look good. Some things, such as UV instability in dark skinned dolls should be mentioned, since this is a problem that affects many dolls from different companies.

As for resin match--it depends on the company. Some really aren't geared towards hybrids and only sell complete dolls. In that situation, I can see them not addressing resin match, and as a customer, I would feel weird about asking. However, many companies offer heads and bodies seperately and it make sense for them to let people know about resin match, if they themselves know (it's unrealistic to expect a company to know the color of every other resin doll out there). After all, if you're buying a body from company A for a different head, you're going to be giving company A at least several hundred dollars of your business which also tells company A that you like their body sculpts. Resin match isn't about comparing the quality from two different companies--just the color. So while they aren't required to give you resin comparisons (and should not be expected to do so), it could help the company sell more parts, and I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to want to see (again, depending on the company).

As for something like a joint not working as well as it should--It's in a company's best interest to improve their products, and as more competition arises from different companies, improved products are how doll companies will stay successfull.

Yes--if the problem comes from the company's end of things, then it is their responsibility to replace them. However, it is the buyers responisibility to check the doll over carefully when they receive the doll and prompty contact the company in case of problems. The longer someone has a doll in their possession, the harder it would be to prove that the problems are the fault of the company and not from handling.

Doll companies are responsible for shipping out a doll in a reletively timely manner (realizing that these guys are made to order), and if there's a delay, they should let their customers know. The doll should be packed safely and be free of damage. They should respond to customer questions and be willing to fix issues that come up (damaged/flawed dolls, long delays etc). Customers, on the other hand, need to realize that these dolls are made when ordered, so there will be a wait (there's no need to freak out when it's only been two weeks).

 

Some of these companies are small and I am not calling Korea to check up on them. I do expect that the doll will be adequately packed to get to me safely and that there is a reliable way to contact them if I have a problem or question.


I expect the company to tell me up front anything they know about the doll and then leave it up to me to decide if I want it or not.


If the doll is not as described on the website or has a very major problem when it comes to me, I expect to be able to resolve the problem with the company right away, whether it is replacement or a refund. I would do the same for them if I were in their place. For one thing, doll collectors talk a LOT, and bad customer service will get around the doll forums quickly.


I, personally, have dolls from many companies and have never had a problem that was not promptly addressed. I also feel that I need to say that when I discovered that there was a problem, I approached the company with politeness and respect, asking for their help in resolving the problem. Being adversarial from the beginning, I find, puts the company in a defensive position and they may be less inclined to want to help with a problem. As my grandmother used to say, "you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar".

 

At the bare minimum, I expect these Korean companies to respond in fairly understandable English within 48 hours. For the US distributors I expect 24 hours max, which has been consistent (except for one company which I will not name).

I have experienced a broken doll and banged up packages before, so a sturdy box or a well-wrapped bag is a necessity. These dolls are fragile and it is a pain in the butt to get your money back or a replacement when they end up broken. There has been only one company whose shipping methods I have questioned.

I do not think companies have to tell you which other companies their resin matches. It's a lot of extra work for them and it may mean they lose business. But I do expect them to be truthful about matches if someone asks; ie explain that it is against company policy or a simple yes or no.

I expect that they will either explain the flaws on the doll sale page or that they will replace defective parts for free. On the other hand, I agree with the company policy of the customer communicating flaws before a certain amount of time has passed.

 

Perhaps I'm a bit more lenient than some, but for a company based in a non-english speaking country, I consider three days reasonable to get a reply in understandable English. Certainly less than a week. For a company that has an English speaking cusomer service rep on staff, I would think that two days is more than long enough to get an answer to most questions.
Secure shipping is a must. For a high-ticket item such as a doll, paying the few extra dollars for a tracking number is a no-brainer. Also, I think that if they get a large number of complaints about their chosen courier service and don't so much as look into getting a new one, I would be a little wary about dealing with them.
Putting the doll in a sturdy box or case with plenty of packing material is another no-brainer. I can't imagine any company that would consider having to send out hundreds of dollars in replacement parts acceptable, and so if they continue to pack poorly it must mean that they don't do free replacements. Or are just dense. In either case it should be another red flag.
I consider wonky jointing to be a buyer beware type thing. Unless you're one of the very first people buying that particular body, then someone will have mentioned it. I have very little sympathy for someone who would buy something for many hundreds of dollars and not do at least a little research. If the resin is brittle because of a bad batch, then the company should not send out that batch if they know about it, or at least offer replacements if they didn't.
As for the company putting up info on resin matches, it's helpful but I don't expect it, except in the case of the few companies that sell only or mostly heads.
Another thing that you haven't mentioned that I think is quite reasonable to expect is that shipping and replacement policies be clearly stated, as well as what is included with each doll or outfit you buy. If what you get is just the doll, fine, but I would like to know beforehand so I'm not expecting a wig or eyes as well.
For a special event or order I do expect to know in a reasonable ammount of time if there will be a delay, or if for some reason the doll will not be shipped out in the ammount of time promised. There would be so much less drama if companies would just mention they'll be late. On the other hand, I remember the days when it took months to get a doll order, and am amazed at all the people who get themselves into a tizzy when their doll doesn't show up in a week...

 

Should there be a 24/7 customer service team with an email/phone number? Is a doll company absolutely expected to sell worldwide, have a Q&A board, have a tracking number or include a certificate? Should they be in a box or is a default bag okay?

Although I get irritated when people think they're entitled to their every whim merely because they've bought from a business, I do think that the purchase of expensive items, like ABJD, should be met with courteous customer service. Since many BJD companies are extremely small, 24/7 contact is probably not possible, but responses in 1-3 days should be doable. Options for insured and trackable packages, with notification on shipping is standard for every US and European based company I've ordered from (non-bjd) and I'm confused when I hear of doll companies that don't take these measures to inform their customers of the status of their purchase, without the customer having to email them to ask. I understand that many dolls aren't packaged as soon as ordered, because they require assembly, or face-ups, and that's perfectly fine, but to wait without knowing what's happening can be really worrisome.

Spending ~$500 is no small matter, and I'd like to make sure that my money isn't being thrown away on a doll that's going to be lost in the mail with no compensation, or arrive broken with no commitment to delivering me what I paid for. Negligence on the part of the company is not acceptable, if they intend to keep doing business.

I sound so angry, don't I? I'm not, but do feel strongly about these things. I do a bit of business selling things I've crafted, so I've been on the 'company' side, and know how important it is to keep in contact with those who buy from you.

 

I think at bare minimum a company should:

1. Have a time line and stick to it.
I ordered pants from iplehouse, they said 7~10 days. They gave me numerous excuses then claimed they were out of fabric then they found just enough for one pair. The were great pants when I got them but they took 2 months not 7 days.
2. Provide a tracking number when shipping. In case of a lost package or a dispute over things being shipped or not, tracking is very important. I think everyone who sales anything on DoA or otherwise should use tracking and people who buy should demand it.

3.Keep consistently good quality.
Nothing spreads faster than bad news, I know there is quite a few companies people stay away from from little things that happened years ago. It's so hard to regain lost trust.

4. Keep your website updated.
Im so tired of seeing items on website say sold out for months --;

 

Keep in mind, I don't actually have a doll yet, but here are my two cents:

There doesn't need to 24 hour phone number or anything like that, but I expect that emailed/or boarded questions will be answered in a timely manor (24-48 hours) and that a phone number is available during business hours in their home country.

For mailing a tracking number is a must.

For me, it's not a matter of informing me of quality issues, it's a matter of it not happening. If the problem is server enough that it needs noted (baring certain cases, such as not sanding tan dolls) then I won't be buying a doll from that company anyway.

 

Should there be a 24/7 customer service team with an email/phone number? Is a doll company absolutely expected to sell worldwide, have a Q&A board, have a tracking number or include a certificate? Should they be in a box or is a default bag okay?

I expect a box with enough packing to make sure that the doll doesn't move from their place to mine. If they can do that with a bag, then sure, that'd be nice. But I want a very secure package. Nothing freaks me out more than to pick up a doll box and to hear rattling within.

I expect an email address and board, at least. I prefer to do business by email myself, since I'm a bit... 'Shy' when it comes to saying what I've bought and asking questions on a public forum.

I don't care about certificates or anything, but I expect a tracking number. If I'm shelling out sixty bucks for shipping, I better know where my baby is at all stages of the shipping process.

As for the worldwide thing, it's really super nice, since otherwise I wouldn't be buying from them, but I understand if they aren't set up to do so. And if they have good sculps, I'd be willing to wait.

Do you expect a doll company to tell you if their resin has a weakness (brittleness, UV instability, ect.) or that their resin doesn't match any other company? If their body has a flaw, are they liable for fixing or replacing it (such as a known wonky wrist joint or something)?

I don't think a company needs to tell me about the resin matching. And since resin can vary from batch to batch, problems could be hard to nail down and such.

But if the body has a flaw and it breaks without stress or due cause from the owner, I expect it to be replaced. And if it is the fault of the owner, I expect to be allowed to buy that part.

What about defective dolls? Are they required to replace them? If so, free or at a cost? For how long? Where is the line between the company's responsibility and the customer's? What do you think are the responsibilities of a doll company towards its' customers?

If a doll is defective, it shouldn't leave the company. Period. I don't want a defective doll. I am paying for a doll that is properly and carefully made. If it is the fault of the company, I think that it should be replaced with good time, and for free. If the company requires that you ship the part back to them, they should reimburse you for the shipping.

Now, if it's the owner's fault, that's a different story. I think that they should sell them the part at cost.

But what I expect most from any company I deal with is civility. I understand that english is probably not their native language. As long as I am treated with respect and good will, and things are answered well and with understandable English, I'm happy.

 

Should there be a 24/7 customer service team with an email/phone number? Is a doll company absolutely expected to sell worldwide, have a Q&A board, have a tracking number or include a certificate? Should they be in a box or is a default bag okay?I'm answering this as both a BJD collector and a BJD agent.

24/7 = would never expect it.

Within 48 hours is usually reasonable and a wait I'm willing to sit out quietly with exception for holidays, weekends and personal emergencies. Most of the doll companies out there aren't run by more than just a few people, so I wouldn't expect them to give up their lives to sit around and wait for my email to come in. ^^;;

Only other excuse that is accepted is if the problem is technical, not lazy employees. Hotmail has caused more than it's share of problems (blocking emails, bouncing emails and general email mishaps). D=

Tracking number is a must, but I personally don't pay it too much attention since every doll I've ever bought has arrived within the expected delivery time. It's more important to me that it's there just IN CASE something was to happen to the package.

CoA...really couldn't care less (not unless piracy was an issue with the doll in question).

Box or bag, don't care either way. As long as the packaging's enough to prevent damage and look not too shabby, I don't mind receiving a doll wrapped in a shopping bag.
Do you expect a doll company to tell you if their resin has a weakness (brittleness, UV instability, ect.) or that their resin doesn't match any other company? If their body has a flaw, are they liable for fixing or replacing it (such as a known wonky wrist joint or something)?
Telling me of resin matches, most definitely wouldn't expect. Would be very handy if they knew when asked, but I honestly can't expect even the larger companies to have samples from every other company, especially when resin colour from almost every company changes at least a little over the long run.

Blatant visual defects (like presence of air bubbles and such) that the company knows about, I expect to know. If it doesn't take away from the physical state of the doll, it's up to them. If it's just a certain part that tends to be fragile when dropped...then damn people, stop dropping your dolls.

The buyer should be willing to do at least a little bit of research when it comes to the long term problems especially if it's well known problems. I stalked the doll discussion sub-forum and the marketplace like a crazy person before I decide to buy any dolls. For new dolls, I accept the responsibility that the dolls might have undiscovered problems and if those problems come to light, I will surely bitch like a madwoman (my poor little doll), but blame it on the company? Not unless they're hiding secrets like "_______ is made from resin that will self destruct after 1 year."

What about defective dolls? Are they required to replace them? If so, free or at a cost? For how long? Where is the line between the company's responsibility and the customer's? What do you think are the responsibilities of a doll company towards its' customers?If the dolls arrive broken, then it's up to the company to replace. As to whether it's the company that pays shipping or the buyer to pay shipping for the replacement, I guess it comes down to the severity of the problem and what the problem is. If the company sent out a broken doll, then it's the responsibility of the company to send replacement parts at their own cost, shipping and all.

I do believe that it's the buyer's responsibility to check the doll over and contact regarding defects/breakage ASAP. The sooner contact is made after discovery of a flaw, the less "gray area" there is. Also, I don't think any aftercare should extend beyond the original owner of a doll. There's just too much gray as to who caused the damage.