Will you sell your doll to me?

I can remember only one person asking if I'd sell my doll to them... she told me, "You should sell her to me, my daughter has always wanted one of those."

I pointed out that the doll was a boy and she said she wanted it anyway, so I gave her some outrageous price (almost four times what he was worth) and she decided she didn't want him. I made sure to tell her that she could get cheeper ones and told her where to look.

 

I am a meanie only if someone is rude or pushy. For them, I have a screencap on my iPod of the kit/ box of U-noa parts perpetually for sale on evilbay for just under $1k and show that and watch their eyes bug as their voice trails off...

 

I've never had someone outright ask to buy my doll, but I did have a Walmart employee ask me about "who I'm holding so preciously" and ask where to get one I thought that was sweet, and I wanted to talk more but my friends were staring at me to go with them ^^;

 

I never had anyone ask to buy my dolls, but I have had lots of people ask questions about them. One was a girl who asked about her because her friend was in to anime and thought my IH Tania looked like a character out of an anime. I let her hold her and gave her plenty of info. The ladies at the fabric store got a kick out of her. They all looked at me pretty weird--I'm a grown woman in goth garb carrying a doll-- but thought it was neat I was trying to sew for them. Most people here aren't ballsey enough to come right out and demand you give them something. They're more likely to sneer at you for being different.

I always get a little sad when little kids ask about her....I never really know how to respond.

 

It is interesting stories, but I do agree that people do stare when they see BJD. Because not much people were familiar with it, they are interested in the beautiful things we carried. If a stranger approach me and saying he or she wants to buy my doll, I would be flattered. However, I might think of it because the person who is saying so might not be necessary saying the truth. If my doll is not like the only one or one off model, I would think about it. It depends on how much I love my doll. ALso, if I can find a better place for the doll and the owner is going to be nice to her or him, then I think it should be great.

 

I have not, but personally, I would be very offended. I think I would feel the need to explain to this person why that is bad etiquette.

 

Ok, I have a bit of a story....

I am a doll seller, and I happened to have a table at a convention not long ago where I had several of dolls for sale, as well as some from my own collections displayed as models because they're from companies that I'm authorized to deal for.

One guy( he looked maybe 17-20 to me) walked up to my table, pointed at Evita and said "$200." Well... Evita's one of my dolls, so I calmly explained that I was sorry, but I couldn't sell her to him because she was one of my personal dolls, but if he wanted I could take down an order to get him one that looks exactly like her with the same outfit she's wearing( also from a company I deal for) and he could pay the $200 towards that and have her in probably a little less than a month.

He was mad, he kept saying "No, $200 for her right now!" I again explained that I couldn't sell her because she was one of my own dolls, even though $200 would almost entirely cover the cost of her, her eyes, wig and the outfit she was wearing. He left seeming rather angry.

The next day of the convention, he returned and looked upon one fo the dolls I did have for sale, a 5 Star Doll Yoka that was displayed in a sailor suit with a long black wig, knee high black socks and black flats. Again he said "$200." I then calmly explained that she was more expensive, and cost $243 as she currently was, but if he wanted to buy her for $200, I could take off some of the shoes and outfit. He didn't like that at all and said I was just trying to rip him off. I explained that the dolls I was selling were actually considered in the low-medium range for prices among ball-jointed dolls, but he didn't believe me.

Finally, I directed him to another doll I had for sale, an AOD Chun Ze who was wearing just a wig and underwear to show the joints. She was available for $190 with wig and underwear. He then glared at me, yelling that I was trying to make him seem like a pervert by offering either underwear clad or naked dolls. I then explained that doll clothes are expensive due to the skill required to sew in such a small scale, and that it's quite common for people to order dolls completely nude and bald. He then left again, but stalked my table for the rest of the day.

 

@LordNoir wow.... just wow, some people...

 

How cute....begging. i wish that all it takes to get a doll. Im the kind of person who would like to donate, but these suckers are horribly expensive! If i was better off, sure i would love to help you out. But that isnt the situation sorry. =C

 

I`m a dealer per se, at doll events over where I live as a seamstress. There was once an old man who asked if the doll is included in the price of outfit, when I say no, he asks if he can pay additionally to acquire also the doll. When I say no again, he gets all angry and goes "why display a doll when you have no intention of selling" He seemed to be throwing this fit in several places that day. Makes me wonder why he came to the event in the first place :X

 

You're probably not going to believe this one but ~ I'm an older woman and I've been sewing doll clothes for years. When I buy a new doll I take them with me to the fabric store in the local mall to determine what fabric colors suit them best. Being a 'grandma' if people look at me funny I can always say "I'm making clothes for my granddaughters doll". LOL!

The sales ladies know me and they're all very nice. I was at the fabric store with my BJD, one of those 'boys who looks like a girl', when several teenager girls came up and started asking about him, saying how 'pretty' he was and such. They were polite except for one who was quite obnoxious and rude. A real spoiled brat! No one wanted to buy him, but she wanted to 'look at him'. I politely told her no, that he cost me close to $500.00 and I didn't allow people to handle him because of the chance of an accident.

He was sitting in the 'seat' of the shopping cart. She then gave me a very dirty look and reached out to grab him. I did what any grandmother would do, I slapped her hand. She then became very angry and started yelling at me. She said she was going to call a mall security guard and have me arrested for assaulting her! I then told her to go ahead and call them and I would file a report that she had attempted to snatch my doll and steal him!

She raised such a ruckus that the sales ladies came over and when I told them what happened, they told her to leave and not return to the store, which she did but not before cussing us up side and down the other.

There's some advantages to looking like a sweet old lady! LOL!

 

Oh dear, haha, that story warmed my heart and made me smile somehow!
Of course it's sad that you had such a bad experience with a young girl like that (I've just turned 19 and know how rude teenagers can get sometimes...), but the mental image it gives me is just too good to be true.
I adore how many differently aged people are in this hobby, by the way.

But back to topic, I didn't make an experience like that at all. And would never ask an owner to sell a doll they had no intention to sell. When I was younger I used to be very rude and with no social skills AT ALL (this, however, had personal reasons), so I was like "sell this pretty thing to me! (It was a brooch)" once, but this was way before I even got into the hobby... I remember the situation so well because now I am so ashamed about my impolite behaviour that I could just slam my head against the wall...

 

I haven't had anyone ask, simply because I've only taken one doll out, once, and I give off a rather intense 'leave me the heck alone' vibe, according to my mother.
But I was at a con, and I saw someone holding a doll. So I ambled over to them, smiling as politely as I am able, and said I thought they were gorgeous and asked what company/sculpt. They rolled their eyes at me then walked away... It was rather disheartening.

 

How incredibly rude of that person! Seriously, some collectors I do not understand. But maybe they just had a bad day...

 

Never been asked in person as I take my dolls in carriers to meetups. That might help some of you who have had people with grabby hands from taking your dolls. Just the thought of that makes me ill. These are not toys or are they inexpensive.

I also had some jerk here on DoA ask to buy my doll and when I said okay they came up with reasons not to buy it and won't even answer PMs. The doll was in the Gallery and not on the marketplace. This person has a WTB for the doll now but now has decided only if it is not french resin. I hope they never find one as they are not a nice person. I think you don't ask and bother people unless you know what you want. Good grief I didn't have the doll up FS and most of these dolls would be french resin. Hopefully this person never does that again and learns to just use WTB or answer FS threads.

 

No, I would never, in public, ask a bjd owner to sell me there doll. Through this forum, the bjd website, conversations with bjd owners, the dolls are like our "children." So, it feels weird to read of other people approaching bjd owners, bjd sellers, & demanding that they sell their doll to them.

The shopping mall seems to have evolved into a collective mind-set where everything people see is for sale & unspoken agreement they can buy/afford whatever they want. Several bjd owners who have had meet ups at malls have told me similiar stories of people coming up to them & wanting, demanding to buy a doll. When price is given, the person is shocked it isn't the same cost as a Barbie.

And what I have read on this thread makes me nervous, not wanting to take my bjd's to any public malls, public stores, etc., due to my investment in my bjd's & the extreme behavior of others in public places. It is hard to tell who is having a bad day, who forgot to take their medications, who shouldn't be out in public, etc.

Though I wouldn't mind showing off my bjd's to others, it would be a thrill to show them off in public, I am nervous.
My Volks' dolls Olivia Morgan & Jo cost me so much money to buy that, if shown in public, I would have to place them in display cases with signs stating they were not for sale. Some one, any one, asking me the cost of either doll, & if I answered, I would fear theft.

Telling some one they can't afford some thing in a public place invites the person to argue the price point. I've experienced that with other items I've owned that were displayed in public. The answer from the person usually: "Well, how much is it, maybe I CAN afford it.?"

And, then when I've told them the price they demean it, reject it, abuse with words until they feel they have won. In the end, it isn't that they really know about the item, really want the item, it could be about being challenged & winning an argument. The final statement as the person leaves, last word, is that I shouldn't be in public with an expensive item. Oh, really? Then why is your wife walking around with that expensive handbag? Why are you driving around in public in that expensive car?

Sorry, I digress. Please, I am very interested to read you experiences, your comments here.

 

hhahahah ! Completely comical !!​

 

Ive never been asked but i wouldnt be offended if someone offered a low price like $50. After all, when i VERY FIRST discovered bjds, i of course didnt quite imagine that bjds were this costly. For people who are in the hobby or accept it, they've nulled the price in their mind and have justified it. Its like how i dont understand why anyone would spend $500 on a purse.

I wouldnt sell my doll to them but i would have to tell them how much they cost and if they were still interested where and how to get one. If they get shocked and apalled at the price, oh well. Obviously they werent very interested. They're human.

 

When I was going to school in Houston and I had my first boy, I decided to take him with me to my friday afternoon class which was History of Animation. Now a lot of people thought that he was creepy. But as i've always been a very 'opinionated' girl as my mother puts it, I simply said "yeah, well I don't really care what you think. I think he's awesome." and went on my merry way. But my teacher was amazed by my boy. xD He offered to buy him on the spot. And I told him "245. 350 with the clothes." he was actually considering it. I quickly nipped that in the bud, though. He was so excited about seeing my doll though. He wanted him for making stop animations, I think.

Also, it was so hilarious. I told everyone in the class he was a boy and they said "what really." and this korean guy named Dat was like "Yeah can't you tell? He has a bulge."

 

Whilst I haven't had anyone outright demand that I sell or give a doll to them, I did once have a woman ask me "What would you say if I asked you to give her to me?" whilst pointing at my F-22 girl Victoria. We'd just been talking about BJDs and I'd been explaining about them to her and her daughter, but the question threw me a bit. I think I laughed at her and asked "But why would you even ask such a thing in the first place? Would you ask someone to just give you the jacket off their backs or the purse in their hands?" She laughed too and dropped it, but I was still left going "WTF??"

A friend on LJ has really fallen in love with my MNF Shiwoo girl Gabrielle, and every time I post her she comments about how much she loves her, and if I ever wanted to sell her she'd buy her in a heartbeat, or how she wishes she had the funds to buy her from me right now - even though I've repeatedly said that no, Gabrielle is not for sale. It's gotten to the point where I just don't post photos of Gabrielle in my LJ anymore. I offered to help her buy a MNF Shiwoo girl of her own and I'd even do the face-up for her, but she's adamant that it's Gabrielle she wants, not just a MNF Shiwoo girl who looks similar. Which is just tough for her, as while money may talk for other people, it doesn't to me.