Will you sell your doll to me?

I have been asked several times about where they could be bought, but I have never been asked to sell any of my BJD. Although it has never happened to me, my answer in case someone asked me something like that would be simple and firm: No.

 

well, i dont think i will take my dolls out with me because if ppl here saw me
im sure a lot are going to laugh at me
and some may take pictures of me and send it to everyone using blackberry x.x "a girl who is 21 years old playing with a doll"
things are a bit crazy here in Arab's countries lol

 

I wish people did just walk the streets selling BJDs

 

Heh... I've never had problems with people asking to buy my dolls, not even when I had them set up in my Artist Alley table. (It was kinda funny though, someone actually recognized one of my dolls from seeing his pictures on the internet). Then again, I mostly have little ones, which I don't think get anywhere near as much attention as the bigger guys.

I think I can understand why people feel tempted to come up and ask to buy dolls at meet-ups in malls though. I mean, malls are where people go shopping for new stuff. That is also the place where companies and stores arrange promotional gigs and attention-catching set-ups. People probably think that the large group of people that all seem to have pretty dolls are a marketing ploy and so they come up asking if they can buy what they presume is the product, especially since they're in a buying/shopping state of mind already. Might not be all that pleasant, but, you know, comes with the choice of location.

 

Some people thought Emma was cute, some thought it was weird that a 22-yr-old college Senior has a doll... no one asked to buy her from me.

I semi-disagree with you. I do agree that they are probably in a buying mode because that's what they're at the mall for, and I also agree that that's what you get with choosing a mall as a meet-up or gathering place.

But I think it's also that people don't understand the BJD meet-ups. Maybe they think that you're all sellers, and you don't actually own the dolls? A meet-up (at least in my pre-BJD enthusiast days) would seem incredibly strange to me.

I think people would get the wrong idea and think you were selling them because of how they're usually set up. Most meet-ups that I've seen pictures of have the dolls all together somewhere - like a table, a bench, a wall... a creative way of displaying your dolls to the general public as well as to each other. Regular mall-goers might come across the group as a convenient way to display a product. The way they're posed might be seen as a fun, candid method of display for sale rather than just fun.

I think you'd* need to take yourself out of the equation and look at it from an objective standpoint. That's how I noticed that it might be seen as some cute, nonchalant display for sale rather than just an easy way to show off your dolls to one another.

*general sense

 

I have encountered this but not with BJDs. I wasn't into collecting BJDs a few years back. We were on a camping trip and I took a couple of dolls with me. They are 23" and look like real little kids. The kids from the next door cabin actually wanted to buy my dolls. I told them, "Thanks but they are not for sale." Not sure if I had told them the price, they would still want to buy them.

 

At a meetup, a little girl (aprox 9 years old) passed by our table and spotted our dolls and fell to the floor kicking and screaming demanding her mother buy one for her RIGHT then. The mother asked us the prices of the dolls (not realizing that we were meeting up and not selling them)... One of the attendees was actually preparing to sell a doll and held it up to the mother and told her the price she wanted.... the mother was so suprised by the asking price she dragged her daughter away from our table.... very quickly.

 

I've never had this problem yet.. But there is one person in particular that I can think of that always makes me feel guilty for having one. He says "Oh... I'll never get a doll..." And such and such... I saved my money hard to earn them! I'm sorry that you can't afford them, but don't make me feel really bad for having one..

That being said, I've never taken my dolls out of my house, except to go to another.. I'm always paranoid that the weather would harm my Boys and girl.. O~~O

 

So far I have not come across anything like this...I got labeled as strange for bringing a doll to public for photoshoot purpose- -...and as a result I was secretly photographed by this two rude girls who ran away when I turned to glare.

I doubt this kind of issue would happen to me anyway.
People here are pretty reserved somehow :/...Once they acquired the price they'll just widen their eyes and think that you are hell rich to afford this sum on a toy.Either or that your parents are pampering you that much.
well,even if I do I will just shake my head no,if the person pesters then I will probably get harsher....If he or she still bugs....then that calls the end of the conversation,I will either turn and walk away from this "weirdo" or I will pull out my phone to call the police to file a harassing report?...(Most probably I will get my parents there to blast at that person on my behalf first...)

However I did hear cases from one of my foreign pal,she lied to her parents about the price of a Volks doll(I couldn't recall the sculpt though) saying that it cost only 100bucks total for the doll and the accessories.(she removed a 0 .... ^_^")
It's pretty normal for someone to lie,at least I had heard numerous cases like this already(||- -)
Then one day when her relatives came to visit,the little cousin came along too and he was attracted to the doll she has.The little brat whined and cried because he wants the doll.Then her parents actually took it and gave the boy in front of her face and said "it is just a toy ,let him have it!"..She pleaded not to give for a very long time but they refused to return,what a brat.
In the end,she snatched it back and was forced to show the invoice...That's how her lie was revealed-_-||...Yet she was then forced to sell the doll away by her parents after they knew the price....

Somehow this case :/ does fit the question?...I hope it is not off topic......OTL

 

I don't like kids and this was just another reason why.
I once had a kid try and take my doll out of my shopping cart at a store. I told them not to, that it was stealing and that was very bad. I remember them having a bit of a fit over it and the parents asking me if I could make them one. I told them I don't make them and how much my dolly cost and then told them where to buy them (it was my dreamofdoll girl that I have since sold) They looked at me like I was nuts or just making stuff up and walked away. I was very cranky by the time I left the store. But this was years ago when I first got into the hobby and nothing like that has happened since.
Most people just stare and give me a wide berth.

 

There are several cultures (many of them Native American) where admiring something = an expectation of it being gifted to them. Depending on the social status of the person fishing for a gift, you may or may not receive a reciprocal gift of similar value. You have to be very careful how you word compliments!

 

I've never personally had anyone ask me something like that before. I've had plenty of people ask me about a doll, what exactly it is, where I got it, etc, and I've had plenty of people turn very rude once they find out the price of a doll.. which.. makes no sense to me but oh well.

On the one hand I understand that most people who are unfamiliar with the hobby might assume that, in situations like a meetup or convention of some sort, because there is a large group of people with a bunch of dolls that they might be for sale.. but on the other hand I find it really rude. Unless it's specifically clear that a person is selling something, I wouldn't dare go up to them and ask to buy something on their person. It's one thing if they're just curious and politely ask about it, where it came from, etc, but just outright asking to buy it?

 

while i wouldn't be brave/brazen enough to ask someone to sell what they are wearing, i was in a quilt store and the owner had a sample of a beautiful jacket she had made and was very proud of the fact that she had sold several of them "right off her back while walking down the street". i've also known people who use/carry samples of purses they make in the hopes of making a sale.

additionally. before bjds. i used to sell artist bears. and many of the artists at conventions or sales (myself included) would carry around one of their bears to show them off. again fully intending to sell them. it is not uncommon there to ask people if the bear they are carrying is for sale, and as long as the person is polite the question itself is not considered rude.

coming from that perspective i would say it was the persons manner, not the initial question itself that could be considered rude or polite

 

Was dragged to a flea market once, LS Ted in hand. Stopped at a booth with some old toys and such, looking for some non-tacky old 80's barbie clothes. [heh, totally found some] The lady running the booth asked if she could buy her from me, and started throwing prices out -almost auctioneer like- starting from $10, and every time I turned down her price it got higher, until she reached $75. To which, I said, "I'm sorry, ma'm. She just simply ain't for sale."
And I bought her little clothes, and darted over to the safety of my not-as-crazy-as-that-lady family.

Though it was fun trying on different old barbie clothes on my doll and having her young granddaughter ooh and aww at my doll. SHE WAS SO STINKIN CUTE!

 

I actually went to a BJD expo this weekend and I actually had some one ask me if my dolls were for sale I just gave her a are you nuts look and wanted to grab my dolls but I was polite (which can be odd for me) and told her no but the clothing and wigs in the baggies were for sale that was actually the only time some one has ever asked me that and it kind of through me

 

I was actually on the other end of this argument in a way ^.^;

I had love BJDs for 3 years, and I had been trying to make one because I knew I would never be able to afford one (I thought all of them were around 400-500). And at a con, a DoA member was there selling steampunk stuff, and she had 3 BJDs. She said she was selling her MSD, and she showed her to me, and let me hold her. It was like FREAKING MAGIC. She sold her to me, and it was the best day of my life.

But yeah, If someone came up to me and grabbed one of my dolls out of my arms, I would go into berserk mode.

 

i will never sell my doll to people

 

My first doll (who left CA at 3am last night, not that I'm obsessively stalking the tracking or anything...) is a bobobie 60cm, which is relatively cheap compared to the rest of the hobby. I fully plan to take her out places with me, including to college the next day if I can manage to get her an outfit of clothes together that night, not to mention to the fabric store and stuff, so I can compare fabrics against her to see what fits best. That being said, if someone asked to buy her, I'd probably just mark her up to 500$, and leave it at that. If they were willing to pay, then fine. I'd go on JS, wait a week for the shipping, and get two dolls.
Just asking how much she is, though, I'd just say she's expensive, but cheap in comparison to the the rest. I think that would limit the chances of people thinking she'd be a good thing to steal.

 

I haven't had anyone ask to buy my dolls personally, but I have been approached by someone wanting to buy one themselves. I was doing a photoshoot in a park in the city (which are oddly waaay better than the ones in my town) when these three people walked - well, the one on crutches hobbled- by me and my boyfriend setting up a scene. The next thing I know, the guy on crutches asking what kind they were because he was looking them up the night before. I told him one was a Dollzone and he hobbled off before I could finish explaining. xwx;

I don't know what I would do if someone asked to buy one - but I would definitely be offend if they asked if they could simply have it. And I'd be worried if they were willing to trade their dog for one on the spot. xwx;; That's a red flag to me...

 

I can see two points of view on this.

First off, seeing adults walking around carrying dolls (or toys of any sort) is not something most people see regularly. Often, people ask if there is an event going on or if I'm selling. As long as they are nice, I don't mind answering questions. The rude people tend to give nasty looks or laugh and keep walking. Usually the people that stop and ask questions are either genuinely interested in a doll or just very curious, but nice about it. In this case, I will explain the basics and answer questions. If they ask to buy my doll, I'll tell them where they can look to get their own.

On the other hand, I do not take well to strangers touching or grabbing at my doll. I was once carrying my friend's $600 doll through the mall when a guy running a kiosk came up and tried to take him from me. He thought it was "cool". But I didn't let go and he asked if he could hold him (after he tried to grab him) and I told him he'd have to ask my friend...who told him she'd rather not, since the doll was worth $600 and she could tell he was not gentle by any means. This price tag freaked the guy out a bit.

Nobody has been severely rude to me, aside from the "creepy chuckie" comments. but they usually keep walking and don't continue to harass me.

A price offer may or may not offend me. On one hand, I understand that most people have no idea what a BJD costs. I wouldn't expect the average person to look at Axl and think "Oh, there's $500 worth of doll!" But if they offered $50 or less...I'd be offended. Collector Barbies are often higher than that and I think it's pretty clear that BJDs are no Barbie doll. And if its "the same thing" to them, they can go to Wal-Mart and buy a Barbie or other fashion doll.

Nobody has asked to "have" my dolls. I've had friends joking ask to keep a doll and I've jokingly asked to keep a friend's doll, but it was all in good fun, no real expectations to be given the doll. I have had random people ask if they can have other things before, like jewelry and accessories. I do not understand this at all! Since when is it okay to just ask strangers if you can have their belongings? To me, it's really no different than mugging somebody...be it doll or money or purse or whatever, if you just walk up to somebody and demand their belongings, it's robbery!

Last thought...on the whole not telling real prices because of theft...honestly, I'd be more concerned about de-valuing the doll. If they think it's only worth $50-100 they are going to be more insistent and a lot more careless with it. so many people don't care about replacing a $50 item, so if they grab for your $1000 doll and break her, they'll give you $50 and shrug it off....IF you're lucky. The high price tag seems to get more people to back off than reach for it. And I wouldn't be any more worried about theft of my doll in public than I would about having a designer purse or shoes stolen. But also, I live in a small country town where I feel perfectly safe not locking my house at night, so maybe it's a location thing....