What makes you NOT buy an item on the secondhand marketplace?

In general I don't by second hand because I like to always be the first owner. I would really have to want an item that I cannot get otherwise.

What makes me not buy an item outside of bad feedback:

Bad marketing puts me off from sales posts and by this I mean; poor/incomplete photos, not enough description, spelling errors etc. I can't understand why people create such poor posts with the expectation that someone would buy from them. Red flags go off for me.
Brand new items listed for more than they are currently available from the company.
Scalper prices for brand new "flipped" limited items.

 

I already posted here and this isn't about what makes me buy or not buy a doll, but this thread is very helpful to me for future postings on the marketplace. I appreciate hearing the feedback from others who have bought or have looked and it helps me to ensure that my customers will be happy.

 

The verbiage of the poster and the price vs quality of the doll. A FULLSET IS EVERYTHING!!! It's not just a head and some random accessories from the original outfit. I don't care if it's limited or not. If it's missing things, it's automatically worthless to me.

 

This is an interesting and informative thread. I don't have marketplace access here yet but I do buy things on eBay/other platforms and all the turn offs mentioned here really ring true with me; especially bad photos, insufficient information, and inflexible overpricing. From the dolls for sale that I've seen on eBay, I would also add not enough posing positions. As a person who doesn't have a bjd yet, I am interested in how different brands bend and move.

 

If a seller is asking you to pay via a personal payment then that's a red flag for me, a complete no-no as I wouldn't be protected by Paypal. Also I don't like it when someone asks a price for a doll and then says they will charge you an extra percentage of the price on top to cover the Paypal fees, this should have been included to begin with in the original asking price instead of the faffing about involved trying to work out what the extra cost will be.
Poor photographs sends out the wrong message too, if a seller can't be bothered to show some clear, decent photographs, I'm not buying from them. I detest heavily pixelated photographs where it's a challenge to make out any clear details. It's lazy.
I also won't buy a BJD if it doesn't come with a certificate of authenticity or it's original paperwork, sorry, but someone's word alone doesn't sufficiently prove the doll is legit. Plus in my mind any careful, doll enthusiast wouldn't discard any official paperwork or the box. BJD's are collectable dolls that are rather costly, it makes no sense to trash the official paperwork or packaging (some dolls don't come with a box). Boxes can be flat packed if someone has limited space. If a doll is going for a very good price I might consider it without the box but never without the original paperwork to confirm it's authenticity. Even if they can prove it's legitimacy with an online receipt, it isn't adequate, these dolls are expensive works of art and I expect the original COA if the doll had one to begin with.
And last but no means least I don't like dolls that are overpriced considering their age and the condition of the resin. I've seen some dolls that are a couple of years old and the seller is asking for almost as much as the original company price just because they may have included a few extras such as a wig (I'll probably not use) or clothing (also i'll probably not use). I might as well pay a little extra and get it at the original price, new, direct from the company. I'll need to wait longer for it to arrive (as it will need to be made) but at the end of the day it's a freshly produced doll, a no brainer for me.

 

agreed, you see that on ebay all the time where a doll is still being manufactured and you could buy it mib [really] and then see someone have the same doll up that has been out for 200.00 more

I think the paypal fees should be thought of and included when the individual comes up with a price to sell the dolls. Lately have seen a phenomena of individuals both selling and buying that freak on having to give the devil their due. I have no problem paying paypal for transactions that are done through them as a seller and feel it would be tacky for a seller to tack them on after the fact when they are easy o calculate in your head and just add to the price you are asking. The same with sellers that demand you pay them as friends and family, that loses any chance of you getting any type of buyer protection if things go south

 

Everything that's listed above besides the PP fees. Though I would have to say that that would probably be annoying since it's the responsibility of the seller to pay those fees... But the one I see myself ranking the #1 reason is probably the "You feel the price is too high for the item's condition or age" option as well as the lack of legitimacy and COA. Like, sure, there's a sentimental value-kind of factor present, but that's only applicable for the owner. It doesn't apply to anyone else. The owner should consider factors such as age, and the value of the doll over time. As for the lack of legitimacy and COA... well. Enough said.

 

I am always wary when a seller that I am not familiar with demands a "friends and family" payment from Paypal. I'd rather pay the fees myself if necessary. The added protection is worth it to me.

 

This thread is actually helping me realize things I should be looking out for! So far I would look at the doll first, so pictures are top priority. Next would be the price, as I'm seeing second hand dolls listed for more than the company price ^^; And lastly feedback for the seller. Other things like "dont ship internationally" are upsetting but out of my control so I move on..

 

I voted "Other" cause it seems to be a combo of things for me.

I LOVE buying second-hand. That's how I prefer to buy my dolls and other items tbh.

But things that make me turn an item down include:
1. Price. I've seen things priced wayyyyy too high for their condition. I just ignore those.
2. PayPal Fees. C'mon, just do the math yourself and add it to the total, or make the total something that will cover it. If you're advertising a price and then ask for more money, isn't that false advertising?
3. Personal Payment. I'll only do this with people I know irl or someone I've known online and trust. It's always a gamble, but at least you can get your money back with goods/services.
4. Bad feedback. If the seller has negative feedback that's actually something severe, I will avoid them.
5. Pictures. If you only provide one photo/bad quality photos/broken links, that's an instant ignore. If you can't take your sale seriously, I won't either. It drives me nuts going into a sales thread and having images not show up.

 

I would never deal with a seller that asked for personal payment through PayPal, but I've also never been asked to do so.

Charging PP fees are an instant back-button for me. Price I'll consider if I want the doll badly enough, likewise damage - I don't mind doing a little repairing if the price reflects the condition of the doll. But if the seller is willing to violate PayPal's TOS for the sake of a few bucks, how can I trust them with hundreds of dollars?

 

Usually the price.
If I can find the same doll for a lower price (and sometimes better condition to boot) then I'd definitely look elsewhere. I also feel uncomfortable with paying more for a face up I intend to wipe off as soon as I get it, too. The other being the condition of the doll. If I feel it's beyond my ability to work with or I can spend a little more on another that needs less work I'd probably do that instead.

 

The one major thing that would keep me from wanting to buy a doll second hand would be if the seller has little to no feedback or if they have negativite feed back. It just kind of worries me that theres no history and it might mean that its their first time selling and as a seller myself i know it can take a while to figure out the ins and outs and i know it sounds kind of unfair but i worry that since they wouldn't know the proper edict i would have to wait longer for the doll to ship as well as having several other issues like them not knowing about paypall fees or realizing how much the shipping cost would be. things like that
that and they could be scamming if they don't have any feed back you buy the doll and then they up and disappear.
the next thing would be if they were asking more for the doll then it would cost to buy new (unless of course they had a bunch of extras like for example a face up by a well known artist or a mohair wig of some sort something that does up the value of the doll)

 

Paypal fees is about the only thing that would really keep me from purchasing, say, my dream doll (other than a outrageous price, which generally isn't a issue; when I say outrageous, I mean like a 50 dollar head being priced at 500). It's a moral problem more than anything else.

 

I wouldn't buy for pretty much ALL of those reasons.

1. You feel the price is too high for what's being offered -- Who wants to pay a too high price?
2. You feel the price is too high for the item's condition or age --I don't want to pay for a doll in poor condition. No badly yellowed or discolored or chipped or broken doll or missing parts, thank you.
3. Lack of certificate/Lack of legitimacy -- CoA not so important, but lack of legitimacy--or big question if it is or not will turn me off!
4. You feel the item's condition is too poor --This is related to #2, I think. But true, even with a low price, if item is too damaged, I don't think I would want it. I am not great with refurbishing dolls.
5. Seller charges PP fees -- I kind of HATE when people do this! Why not just add it into the price you ask? Too lazy to do the math? AGH. I will sometimes buy, but I won't be happy.
6. Seller doesn't accept layaway -- Not that important, but it might be a good incentive for me to buy if they DID offer layaway!
7. You feel the item has been marked up too high from original price -- I hate buying over retail. I sometimes will, but it has to be something like a grail doll and in PERFECT condition.
8. Other

As others have said--
* Bad photos or not enough photos.
* Words that don't make sense (some translations just are very bad and it is a sign that the communication might be difficult).
* Outside of the country! I will buy from foreign countries, but saving on shipping and other hassles is ALWAYS better.
* Bad faceup, or really heavy faceup that looks difficult to remove. Bad faceup will just make me not want to look at the doll. Same for body-blushing and tattoos. Mods-- only if I really like them!

 

My red-light will-not-buy factors are a little different from what's listed, with one exception.

Item comes from a smoking household. Instant no-buy. I'm very sensitive to cigarette smoke and you absolutely CANNOT get that smell out of something once it's in. I'm not subjecting myself to that.

Seller charges Paypal fees above the price of the item. Nope. Do the damn math. Don't ask me to break Paypal's TOS because you don't want to do math. Build the fees into your asking price. Easy as that.

Related: Seller requests personal payment through Paypal to dodge the fees. HELL no. You better be on a first-name basis with me before I'll send you a personal payment, because unless I COMPLETELY trust you I am not sending you money without some insurance tacked on top of it.

Seller has negative feedback. I'll take a chance on little to no feedback -- we all had to start somewhere -- but bad feedback? Nope. After one experience trying to place my faith in humanity above bad feedback I am not about to subject myself to that again.

Item is inadequately represented. This could be bad photos, old photos -- sorry, if I'm buying a doll I want pictures of what the doll looks like RIGHT NOW, not what it looked like three years ago -- inadequate photos, sketchy descriptions, anything like that. Corollary: Seller is not willing to supply additional information/photos on request. Dude, what are you hiding that you don't want to cough up a couple photos of other angles?

I'm one of those people for whom lack of box/CoA is absolutely not a turnoff, because I know that a lot of dolls never had CoAs (and a number didn't have boxes -- my Dollshe didn't) to begin with. However, if a doll DOES have a CoA, I want it. I'd put in some research first, though, before I go and demand something that doesn't exist.

 

I'm not too intimidated by the 2nd hand market as long as it's not for a doll that's on the recast market, like Fairyland and Gem. I'm not one who saves the boxes (except Fairyland) and I understand that others are the same way but then I don't buy a doll with the intentions of ever reselling it.

 

Paypal fees- I don't care how much I might like what you're selling, if you charge Paypal fees, I won't buy it. I think it's a very dodgy practice.

Smoking Household - Sorry! Smoke is very stinky and it really just soaks into everything.

Bad/unclear photos- If I can't tell what you're selling, then it's sorta a no-go.

Seller wants a personal payment through Paypal- Red flags all over the place. Nope. Won't do it.

Seller has bad feedback- Another big nope.

I don't care about boxes. If the doll came with a CoA then, yes, I'd like that. They're not as important for dolls that aren't on the recast list. But if I'm buying a Soom or a Volks, it needs to have its papers.

 

Poor condition (beyond what I am capable of fixing/have the patience to mess with), lack of responsiveness from seller, communication issues...

And pretty much everything April said.

 

Bad pictures and how the seller answer the questions I make. The seller feedback is one more important point for me