The secondhand marketplace can be a beautiful thing. You can find discontinued dolls, handmade or unique items, and great deals
on all your dolly needs. You can also sell a doll you're not quite clicking with, get rid of older items you no longer use, sell
that brand new pair of shoes that just wouldn't fit your doll's foot, sell off items to raise money for that sparkley new BJD you're craving,
or even find someone to trade dolls/goods with. It can also be a lurking place for scammers, flaky buyers, and recasts. So it's important
to keep a few things in mind to stay safe when buying and selling secondhand.
Places to buy/sell?
One of the most popular and well-known secondhand marketplace is Den of Angels. DoA has a strict set of rules, including the immediate
banning of a member dealing in recasts, so it's probably the safest place to conduct business. There is also a feedback system in use, so you
can check out a seller/buyer's transaction history beforehand. If something does go wrong, the moderators step in to try and help you resolve
the issue. Mods also keep strict watch over the sales threads to make sure everything stays tidy and everyone plays by the rules.
There are also several private Facebook groups that are for buying and selling BJDs and BJD related items. These are quite a bit riskier, as
you never really know who you're doing business with. There is little to no feedback available to ease your mind, so you're basically
running blind. Not to say that all (or even most) of the seller/buyers on FB are shady, but there are less safeguards in place.
eBay... This is the recast mothership. While there are actually owners, as well as some companies/dealers, selling legitimate dolls here, this
is where you're most likely to have to put your recast-spotting skills to good use. It is illegal to sell recasts, and goes against eBay's terms of
agreement, but they're still there in abundance. Be very careful when shopping there, and make sure to do your research before fishing out your wallet.
I believe there are marketplaces on Tumblr and Flickr as well, but I've never dealt through other sites. The same guidelines apply
regardless of where you buy though.
Buyers
When buying a doll secondhand, make sure the first thing you do is check the seller's feedback. If going through DoA, it's as easy
as clicking on the seller's feedback thread. On Facebook, you can sometimes ask if the seller has a feedback thread on DoA (most
BJD folks seem to have an account there) or ask them if they have feedback elsewhere. I've actually Googled a seller's FB name and found
their DoA feedback thread that way. Even if a seller does not have a DoA account, they may have feedback on eBay (not always reliable) or Etsy.
Don't always trust eBay feedback. There are buyers out there who are knowingly purchasing recasts, so of course they'd leave a recaster good feedback.
Just make sure you know their selling history. A seemingly sweet transaction can go sour quickly.
Ask for some proof of legitimacy. Doll's paperwork and boxes can go missing over time, so just because these are not included in
a sale does not mean the doll is a recast. Ask for additional photos before signing on to buy. Make sure the inside channels of the doll
are clean and smooth (recasts are often pretty messy inside). Check that headplates or company logos are accounted for. If you're still
unconvinced, ask for a screenshot of the original purchase receipt (this won't be available to dolls who the seller bought secondhand).
Never ever send you payment unprotected. On Paypal, make sure you're sending under the "Pay for Goods or Services" tab. Many sellers
will tack on hidden costs after you've agreed to purchase to cover their seller's fees when you use the goods or services option. You'll
also often see that sellers will list that the Paypal fees are to covered by the buyer. This is against Paypal's terms of service, as the fees are
actually the seller's responsibility and not to be pushed onto the buyer per PP's terms, but it's an ongoing practice in the BJD market.
Whether you agree to cover the fees or refuse to purchase is up to you, but never let a seller talk you into sending as "Friends and Family" or "personal"
payment. By using personal payment, you knowingly drop Paypal's buyer's protection. If anything goes wrong, you're just screwed. Make sure
your purchase is protected.
Please be sure to let your seller know when your items arrive. I've sold items before and the buyer would just drop off of the face
of the planet, leaving me wondering if everything arrived safely. Not a good feeling. Also, be sure to leave feedback explaining your level
of satisfaction with all aspects of the purchase: seller's communication, how quickly item was shipped, how item was packaged, etc.
Other buyers will want to know. Please do keep in mind that once the package is in the postal system's hands, the seller has no control over
it. Don't leave crummy feedback if there was a ding in the packing box or the ship time took longer than expected on the post's end.
Also when you're inquiring about an item, but decide you're not interested, please let the seller know. They may be turning down
other potential buyers while waiting for you to make up your mind.
When buying accessories, wigs, clothing, shoes, eyes, etc. secondhand, be mindful of sizes and do your own research. A seller does
not have your doll in hand to tell you if it will fit exactly. It's up to you to figure out what will fit. Ask for measurements if need
be. I've seen far too many snarky feedback posts where a buyer is outraged that an item doesn't fit. If the item was not at all as described, then
sure, you're entitled to get your money back. If the seller posts the exact measurements and you don't take the time to match those
up to your doll, that's on you.
Identifying Recasts
Generally, the easiest way to spot a recast sale is by price. Remember the old saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it
probably isn't". If a doll valued at $550 is being sold for $150, it's probably a recast (or severely damaged - and should be
listed as such).
Sellers claiming to have multiple dolls available that are from a company who has no dealers... probably a recast. If you happen
across an eBay sale, look at how many it shows are available. 16 available of a limited release? No.
Look for company name and keyword spamming versus actual sculpt and company name in the listing. Recast listings usually look like this,
"Luts Volks SD Iplehouse BJD doll SuperDollfie". Just a crap ton of BJD-related words crammed into one. A possible legitimate sales post
will be listed more like this, "Fairyland Minifee Lishe normal skin". Like there will be actual information. Still do some investigating
before you buy though.
Recast websites usually have a ton of different companies' dolls available, but the dolls will be listed similarly to the clusterwad
example above. Just a bunch of company names and BJD related words smooshed together. Do some research to see who each company's
official dealers are, as dealers can actually have multiple companies' dolls available. Legit dealers' sites will be much
more organized and the listings will actually make sense. If still in doubt, look at the prices.
If the seller refuses to offer up more photos for you to check out headplates or official company marks, or refuses to send
any proof of authenticity, let the sale go. If it can't be proven to be legit, it may not be.
Sellers
When you're selling an item secondhand, make sure you describe and photograph it as accurately as possible. List any and all
possible damage. Take measurements and list those. You'll save yourself a lot of time if you go ahead and list everything, rather
than answering 10 potential buyers' questions. Go ahead and show your for-sale wigs and clothes on a doll, as buyers will ask for
photos before buying. List insole measurements for shoes ("SD-size" may get you by for clothes, but SD-sized dolls have different
foot measurements). Same for wigs and eyes. Take more than one photo of your item, and try to get the photo as close to true color as
possible.
Try to list the total price on your sales page. If you're not willing to absorb Paypal fees, go ahead and figure them up and
include them in your listing price. It keeps buyers from having to figure up what the heck they're supposed to send you.
Shipping can't really be listed exactly, as the cost will depend on where the buyer is located, but try to give buyers a speedy
and accurate as possible shipping quote on request. Make sure to ask if the buyer would like insurance and tracking (if you
don't require it already), since most people just assume it will be included.
Send proof of shipping as soon as possible so buyers will know their packages are on their way.
Try to answer your buyers' messages promptly. There are some seemingly naggy buyers out there, but generally it's just that
they're concerned or would like to make an informed purchase. I see a lot of negative feedback for sellers going days without
attempting to return a message, especially after money had traded hands. Notify your buyers when something changes.
If you're willing to put items on hold, it's a good idea to request a non-refundable downpayment in case of flakey buyers. It'd
be a shame to have an item on hold for a week and miss other potential buyers, only to find out the buyer changed their mind.
Also, don't feel bad about reqesting that layaway payments be made on an exact date and non-refundable.
Pack your items securely! Make sure doll parts are wrapped so that they won't knock against each other. Pack wigs, clothing, and
eyes so they won't be smooshed or damaged in transit. If a doll includes it's original box, be sure to find a bigger shipping
box to put it in to protect it. Package items how you would want to receive them.
Sellers, please leave feedback as well.
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