Feeling pushed by buyers..

Paypal fees do differ a lot between countries and what method you use to pay. If someone in the US decides to buy something using money from his/her bank account why should he/she have to pay a PP fee that's baked into the price? Sure, the seller can remove the fees from the price, but in the end that's the same problem as adding them on after.

 

Sometimes they do most countries have the 4% fee for accepting cross boarders.

 

I don't see why one can't just bake it in with the price. The seller gets fees either way I thought. I pay with bank account paypal and I get paid a lot too with Group orders so I have to calculate the fees for my members. I know there used to be a difference but I didn't think there was one anymore.

 

My best friend sent me money by accident not as gift and I got charged the fee for it. I confirmed with her actually while writing this out that she is a verified bank account paypal user just like I am.

 

Besides, how would you know the fees were baked in? (Aside from the fact that the price doesn't have the + pp fee attached ) The seller isn't saying per se, and I'm sure you could ask a discount for sending personal, if the price was that outlandish. Aside from that even sending personal overseas you still have a fee to pay.

 

Either way, paypal gets their money. I just don't like the feels of having to give up protection to get the price that enticed me on the expensive items. I'd rather have it just out there personally, it's more up front and I like that approach.

I've never dealt with buyers, but pushy sellers can be a nightmare. I sometimes wonder if they consider that you might be at work or live in a different time zone before they spam with messages, not everyone can reply within the hour!

 

I never feel comfortable paying via personal, so I offer to pay the fee, but one seller took it personally and refused to sell because I didn't trust them...

Regarding customs I think it's fine if people want to sell something accounting for that. I understand how people living in countries where they don't have to pay customs can be annoyed by it but at the end of the day they don't have to buy it. Most packages entering the EU have high customs (about 23% VAT (value added Tax) + fees) but if you buy within the EU you don't have to pay any customs as with every product on sale here includes VAT already.

 

In the end the seller is free to decide whatever price they wish but ultimately if it's not competitive they wont sell it so who cares really?

 

I never feel comfortable paying via personal, so I offer to pay the fee, but one seller took it personally and refused to sell because I didn't trust them...

 

Never pay personal payment unless you know the person/trust them. There are just way too many scammers out there and anyone demanding personal payment like that is seriously dodgy. I would say there was a high chance that person was a scammer. I had a similar incident with one and they usually act offended as a last resort to trick you or just lash out at you when they know they're not gonna succeed in the scam.

Never pay personal payment unless you know the person/trust them. There are just way too many scammers out there and anyone demanding personal payment like that is seriously dodgy. I would say there was a high chance that person was a scammer. I had a similar incident with one and they usually act offended as a last resort to trick you or just lash out at you when they know they're not gonna succeed in the scam.

... and never accept non-personal payment unless the buyer is willing to pay for tracking. Because Paypal will only protect the seller if there is a tracking number available.

This is an interesting thread to read. I find that in general, buyers have grown more bold in their actions compared to say 10 years ago. They're not afraid to haggle a bit. Luckily, I've been spared lowball offers on my dolls but it is frustrating to hear stories from sellers who were offered ridiculously low prices for their dolls (BJDs or Dollfie Dreams). I understand trying to find a good deal but offering 50-70% less than the original asking price is just insulting.

 

I think it's interesting to read that some buyers stay away from sellers in Europe due to the exchange rate or shipping cost. I tend to do the same with American sellers 'cause often, the shipping is really high for small items.

Unfortunately, shipping in Europe is pretty expensive, especially with tracking. I've lost plenty of Ebay sales 'cause people said my shipping is too high. I wish I could lower it but as a seller, I can't afford to not send it registered. Paypal will only side with a seller if they can provide a tracking number.

 

I don't agree with the practice of adding customs in your price. As far as I'm concerned, customs are unfortunately part of the hobby. Sometimes you get lucky and stuff slips past without fees. Other times you get slammed hard with it. The same goes for Paypal fees. I really don't like it when sellers put 'it's X price + PP fees'. Just write the total.

 

As for the Paypal, I never send personal payments unless I know the person personally. I've heard too many horror stories of people getting screwed 'cause they sent personal payments.

International shipping in America used to be fairly cheap. I remember I could send small packages globally and it'd only cost about $5-$8. Now I can be sure it will cost at least $11 or more. It's part of why I had to shut down my Storenvy store, because a majority of my customers were international... The shipping got too high, and I lost business.

 

I would never send personal payment to someone that I didn't know, and sometimes even if I know that they are a fair person... I'll still just pay the fees anyway just in case something goes wrong.

I've bought a few things from the marketplace here, and one person I've dealt with several times I am happy to send the payment as personal, because she's quite trustworthy in my view. Not let me down to date. But in general (and certainly for whole dolls or something, if I ever find one I want at a price I can afford) I'd not do personal payments.

I've had that experience with buyers outside of the US - where they want a very very low price because they'll have to pay import/taxes when its shipped to Europe. I try to keep that in mind when they give those prices, and just let them know politely I can't be penalized and take a hit to help compensate for your country's fees. But then I've had dealings where people want to point out flaws in a photographed item in an attempt to haggle down the price when I'm already selling it pretty darn low. So meh... it's just customer service, got to always be nice and polite even if the buyer isn't. Also - to avoid being lowballed... just come right out and say what your lowest price is, don't say "open to offers" as thats grounds to haggle (I'm guilty of saying that on my threads so I've stopped). Usually in price negotiation you start low (where the seller starts high) and you meet in the middle, but it's a dance... and most of the time both parties have 2 left feet... XD

 

But to turn the tables around here slightly on this lol... I've seen the opposite of this with pushy sellers... at least from my limited experience of 2-3 years in the hobby (still green... but the market prices seemed better when I first started and have exploded upwards in 2 years).

 

There's been a huge jump in individual sellers expecting x2-x3 right out of the gate on everything they want to sell. Lucky to get a doll/outfit through the lottery? The price they've posted for is scalper price right off the bat which can be a little greedy in some cases. You can tell the expectations might be off if its on a gal that wasn't very popular and they post it for 1200-1600$ and it just sits there for weeks/months.

 

I can understand some markup in some instances like a gal is very old, hard to get, or she was *very* popular and a seller wanting to hold fast to their price... but on quite a few occasions I wonder if as a community (this goes beyond this website btw) if we gotten a tad over-idealistic on a doll/item's worth. Does every sale have to include original cost+shipping+big chunk of profit? To me that's what's hurt the doll community since we're price gouging each other unnecessarily.

 

I mean really the buyer/seller business all falls under etiquette, some folks have it, some don't. At least all these transactions are done via the compy so you can formulate responses and review them before you hit send lol.

Rude is rude in any culture, language and country and no one should have to endure that when selling (or buying) a doll. Common decency goes a long way.

So true, but let's keep in mind that in some parts of the world, negotiating for a lower price is part of the culture - its a normal part of the purchase process regardless of what is being bought. Someone who's used to being able to negotiate about a lower price could potentially get offended if they're refused their assumed right to negotiate. Asking the seller for 70% off is probably a bit too much regardless of culture though.

 

Politely asking to negotiate isn't rude. UNLESS the person has already stated that their price is firm.

 

I am very well aware of how many other cultures work. But I stand by original statement that "rude is rude" regardless of who you are or where you come from.

 

We all have to respect each other as buyers and sellers. We should closely read the terms of a post and abide by that when inquiring about an item. If a person says that the price is firm, then you should expect to pay the stated price. If they say best offer, then offer a reasonable price. If they say no splits, don't ask how much for this piece or that piece. If they state no layaway, then don't expect one.

 

It is a simple matter of respect. People have the mindset that ' it never hurts to ask'. That may be true, but if you do ask...honor the answer you are given even if it is not the one you wanted.

 

Many people just don't like to be told no and want to get their way. But that attitude doesn't work well in a community. We all need to have mutual respect for each other.

 

That should go farther than just the marketplace, too.

As far as personal payments go, I will eat the PP fees ( as a buyer ) now rather than do personal unless I KNOW the person very well.

 

I got burned badly back when selling was " allowed " on the Flickr dd group and because I sent personal ( as requested), I had no recourse. I lost $200 and the person got away and has scammed others since.

 

It was a hard lesson to learn, but I think of that thief now every time I have the choice between personal payment or goods. I will pay the fee if needed for the protection.

Ugh, I don't trust anyone who tells me to send payments personal. I usually pay the amount plus fees, and I've never had someone come back to say that they were offended at it. I've sent the occasional personal payment to cover shipping fees for GO items that were already paid for, but never in a doll dealing. After the problem I had getting Rika and the bad outcomes other buyers who dealt with that person had, I am so thankful for buyer protection.

 

As for selling, I find the biggest problems I have with negotiations are international buyers asking for free shipping, especially on cheaper items. I wanted to sell a doll head for $110, and someone offered me $85 with international shipping included. I flat out told them that I would only be getting $20 for that head in the end, and they disappeared without another word. Yes, that head still hasn't sold, but I'd rather keep it and eventually buy it a body than let it go for basically free. I had the same problem on a Facebook sales group to the point where I just pulled my items for sale there.

Sadly, it does mean that my market is pretty much exclusive to the US now that shipping is so high, but most of what I sell is cheaper. It has gotten to the point where I openly state how high shipping costs are in order to deter the number of inqueries that just end in "I could order that from the dealer here new for that price with shipping!". Yes, you really can, I am sorry, but I am not going to sell for a lot less just to make up the price for someone who might be international. And I am not adverse to negotiating or haggling, I like haggling to the point where I reward buyers who do try to haggle for decent prices, sometimes they get really good deals. But free shipping outside of the continental US is right out, unless the item I am selling is really expensive. And frankly, if I get too many awful offers, I will pull that item from the market for a while and sit on it.

 

Another problem I get with buyers is that I also don't really like getting offers of really poorly made things for my dolls. While it hasn't happened to me lately (thankfully), it must cross their minds that $20 in Barbie clothes and their starter Hujoo with marble eyes aren't worth a full MSD, even a cheaper one. I have to say, I don't mind offers of clothes or handmade items if they are well-made and they have set, reasonable prices, but I am not going to consider an offer if the person has nothing to show me of their quality or an established price list. And what if I do accept and they randomly make me some things and I hate what they've made? I don't actually have much of a back bone to stand up for myself if that happened, I'd rather avoid the possibility of it happening all together. (However, I do have to admit that even if the clothes are well made, I usually avoid clothes and item trades all together. I have bins and bins of clothes, wigs, eyes, shoes, and props already, and what I need is cash.)

Oh, agreeing with the trade thing so much! Someone once asked me to take a pile of McDonalds happy meal toys ("BJD Props") in their words for a doll I listed as open to trading. If it's not a trade you would accept if you were on the other end, don't offer it.

 

I usually now list "Company made clothes" on my trade list now. There really isn't a more polite way of saying clothing sewn at or above my own sewing skill level.

I think a lot of this is true. But unfortunately people get greedy. It's not just DDs though, people in the resin market hike prices up all the time. Personally I try to sell things at a reasonable price in USD but that means that (living in Britain it comes to much lower). When I won my Lucy I believe I ended up paying about £800 including her, her uniform outfit and shipping and customs. Some people just don't understand that dolls simply are more expensive for Europeans. But on the flipside if US sellers are willing to mark down the value of an item on customs forms then our money can go quite a long way. It's part the reason my grail is Saber Lily because I know that $1500 is not £1500 so I am quite comfortable saving my money for her. As a seller I try to find the cheapest shipping method possible for people, because I know that international shipping is expensive. That isn't always possible though and people still get irate because of it. It often leaves me having to cover part of the shipping. I personally just accept the shipping as there is rarely anything I can do about it, especially in the case of dolls.

 

As for being pushed by buyers, it has happened to me. Someone wanted my Lucy head and could pay straight away but I had promised it to someone else already. They couldn't accept that and we had a lengthy conversation. To finish it off they said that they were willing to buy the whole set to get the head. To me this took priority and I asked them if they were interested. They then threw it back at me saying that it wasn't right that I was willing to sell the whole doll to someone right away and not one piece of a split to someone who could pay when it was promised to someone much nicer and who really wanted it. I thought that their behaviour was awful, especially after singing this community's praises to my other half and my friends. At the end of the day though we all have the right to say no, there's no law that says we have to sell to someone we aren't comfortable with.

This thread is interesting, but also makes me a bit sad

I am just a poor student and really new into the doll hobby, but I prefer saving enough money for the doll I want than trying to lower the price. I am about to buy a DDIII body in semi white skin from a girl here, if I can find enough money on my bank account. When you're a newbie, it's hard to know which prices are okay, which are too low or too high for what, so I could imagine some people, who ask question about the cheapest possible price, just don't know, what's right... But there are enough people out there, who can help them like I got help from people here and on DoA.

If somebody knows the real value of a doll and wants to pay less, this ist just shocking!!! I was raised with a strong sense of justice.

I hope, I don't have to make such experience.

While I am not experienced in the doll market (only bought a few bits and pieces, hi Kitsune!) I think this is a pretty standard thing in any market and for all people. Everyone wants to spend as little as possible.

 

I think as a European seller, you may have a harder time since you've had to pay import duties/customs and so even your "Cost price" is going to be higher than people see in the US or Japan.

 

I've inquired about a few items Europeans are selling, but they always end up being too expensive (or, more expensive than I am willing to pay) largely due to the excess shipping and customs costs. I simply don't bother looking at entire dolls in the aftermarket, as they're just too expensive for me. I've given up on the idea of getting a few older girls I'd really like, because it simply won't happen at a price I can afford. (Australian customs threshold is $1000, but as soon as you go over that, the prices for customs handling/tax/duties become insane and a $1100 doll will rapidly become a $1600 one, for example).

 

It's a bummer, but simply part of international trade, I fear. Lowballing base costs is rude, but things like shipping and customs costs seem to be the biggest issue.

 

While I think there are plainly some rude buyers around who think offering $200 for a complete girl is fine "because it is used" you can simply ignore them because that's not how the DD market works.

 

I think what it comes down to, is how much do you need the money. Is it more of a problem for you to keep the girls to sell a bit further down the line, or are you fine with taking a loss due to shipping/customs. Do you absolutely have to make more than you spent, or do you really need the money to pay for some unexpected bill or something. All these things influence sales.

 

That all said, I entirely gave up on trying to sell anime figures, even though I have a few dozen I'd like to part with (for space, more than anything else) because domestic buyers won't pay even half their original price, and international buyers won't pay shipping costs.

 

Anyway. If you're not in a hurry, just re-list them every few months. You'll eventually get a solid bite.

You're right about that, I'm in Europe and buying outside the EU is a pain in the ass... the tax-free/customs threshold is only 42 euro (and you gotta include shipping as well) so if the item is 30 euro and shipping 15 you pay declaration costs and VAT, everything above 150 euro gets a nice import fee as well

So selling from the EU > EU is fine, EU > rest of world is difficult cause goods are mostly more expensive here, and import from rest of world > EU is a pain as well

You don't want to know how much tax/duty I paid to get my Snow Miku (though it was worth it)

 

If you think your price is fair, you should keep it that way and wait for somebody to come along who is willing to pay that price (or just a bit below it). I work in a hardcore business for bidding on railroad maintenance contracts and it's funny cause the railroad owner always keep bugging me/us for a lower price when they KNOW it can't go any lower for the quality they ask... odd business selling/buying stuff.

I can surely relate.

 

I've had a doll head on the market now for over a year! I've lowered my price so much, but I stopped at a point where I felt like any lower would be giving this head away! I will not give this head away as it's limited with the default faceup.

 

I had a trade offer that did not match the price. Garments for my doll head. The buyer was trying so hard to offer anything because they wanted the head, but the resale value has not great at all on the stuff they were trading.

 

I've also had some lowball offers on Volks things.

this happened to me when I want to sell my Lucy (am still selling her now). this one buyer really pushed me to the limit.. at first he wants my Lucy for $450 since she got stained (very light stain and I don't see that will affect the price) and no original box.

 

I agreed with that price, but then he asked me that he wants to pay half of the price and ship me Lucy because he doesn't want to be scammed (I know he is scared of scam, but I also don't want to be scammed by him, right?) so I offer him EMS free shipping (EMS is around $60 here in Malaysia) to him since it would be more secure and Lucy will reach him safely.

 

but... he told me that he can only do that if I agree with him paying $350 or something (I don't remember since I am too offended). OMG DD SWS Lucy head body and eye + free gift and free shipping for $350?!

 

quite furious because this kind of buyers never respects us.. so for the time being I'm keeping Lucy safe in a box and will wait for another honest buyer.

 

sigh, can't believe there're people acting like this..

this happened to me when I want to sell my Lucy (am still selling her now). this one buyer really pushed me to the limit.. at first he wants my Lucy for $450 since she got stained (very light stain and I don't see that will affect the price) and no original box.

 

I agreed with that price, but then he asked me that he wants to pay half of the price and ship me Lucy because he doesn't want to be scammed (I know he is scared of scam, but I also don't want to be scammed by him, right?) so I offer him EMS free shipping (EMS is around $60 here in Malaysia) to him since it would be more secure and Lucy will reach him safely.

 

but... he told me that he can only do that if I agree with him paying $350 or something (I don't remember since I am too offended). OMG DD SWS Lucy head body and eye + free gift and free shipping for $350?!

 

quite furious because this kind of buyers never respects us.. so for the time being I'm keeping Lucy safe in a box and will wait for another honest buyer.

 

sigh, can't believe there're people acting like this..

 

Agh That buyer sounds sketchy! Paypal has buyer protection so there's no reason to send the doll with only half of the money paid

^^^I hope you can find a good buyer for your Lucy... I've seen your sales thread around, but I just can't buy her at all--I already have two Lucys and no money I feel I'm not the only one holding off from buying things at this point in time.

Hello !! (sorry in advance for my bad English but I'm French)

Sorry to embed myself in the discussion ... me a simple little newbie but I understand your problem ... A lot of people are looking at the least expensive price it go not often consider the value of things ... I myself trying to acquire my first doll but I never would try to bring down the price unreasonably! I know their price so do with