The Facebook debacle & other issues

@bbotss Oh, my god. I have no words. None. Danny's behavior is truly out of control and just as disgusting as ever.

@Katsudon I highly suggest thoroughly reading through this thread if you haven't before you make that decision - but I can tell you as someone who used to encourage and support Smart Doll, I personally would not do business again with Danny Choo, given his past (and current!), unchanging behavior. I also agree heavily with @RobynnDoesStuff.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Selenae

Oh god it's terrible how Danny treated that customer! They were hardly "entitled", and they seemed polite throughout. Argh! 

Does he even realise that regular people usually try to be nice to people in service industries? I don't know where he would have gotten the idea that customers are terrible, because he's British and we hardly complain about anything! XD

1 hour ago, Katsudon said:

(Praying to the doll gods that I can get a Justice doll and everything will be okay) 

Justice is one of the Cocoa skin dolls that I really want to get, so good luck on your quest to get her.

Edited May 27, 2020 by BeyondTime

@bbotss Holy freaking A, I literally am lost for words. I feel so bad for that person who tried to purchase a Smart Doll, but maybe in a way they dodged a bullet. I'm honestly worried that if and when I needed to contact customer service for anything that I'd get this kind of treatment. This is more than walking on eggshells--it's walking on hot coals. Thinking "How can I word this email so Danny doesn't take it as a personal attack and shred me?" should be the last thing ANYONE has to worry about when writing CJ for support or any company for that matter.

It makes me look at my girls with sad eyes, anxious eyes because what if I have to write in to support because a part breaks? I don't want to sell them because they are from his company, but the thought of writing to him for a replacement part gives me a panic attack. What then? That's something for anyone considering buying a Smart Doll down the line to ponder. It's not like buying clothing or hand packs where you purchase it and you don't have to think about warranty later. It will always be a real concern down the line if something on your doll breaks.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Deyja

@Katsudon If you still want her but are comfortable waiting for some time and not going through DC, SmDs pop up on Mandarake from time to time, sometimes at a discount. You wouldn't have buyer warranty protection, but at this point not even direct purchasing guarantees you'll be able to replace broken parts.

Dolls are dolls, and I personally still love SmDs even if I'm not big on DC's behavior. I believe most people feel the same way.

Holy heck! Thats just terrible. I'm truly considering just buying second hand at this point. There're only three SmD I want and rather not risk it. The ones I want are all readily available, I think.  Argh! This is so frustrating.... 

Yeah, I think I'm officially hopping on the "secondhand only" train for any of my own future purchases. If only the hand packs didn't sell out so quickly on Mandarake... 😓

Really hoping I can find the cocoa girl I want secondhand so I can like...not support this. 

That's insane!!

I would not want to have to list what I purchased or leave any info. to Danny about my email addresses like that.

Sure, it does not show the initial email, but if there is no ordernumber or the likes mentioned, I'd be reluctant to reply with any info. Especially when Danny uses that info. to block/ban people...

Edit:
ran out of time

I'd send them a copy of the reply I sent them. Mails can get lost, after all. But to be "banned" or chewed out like that, and so quickly, it's so weird!!

All in all, I'd be very careful with what info. I'd give out, if they in the initial email/message did not include basic info. that they would have, such as order-number, and my full name.
If they cannot provide that, then I'd just ignore it. Frankly it could be anyone, even if the mail address looks/is legit. (Or if they won't include any order info. then the contact seems to be for another purpose... 🤔)
And especially not if they go through social media!!

And I now wonder what makes one an elitist... Expecting proper customer treatment for one, aren't we all elitists then?
Like @KonekoHigure says below, there's no definition between a bad and regular customer anymore

Edited May 27, 2020 by Yumeiro

I'm... speechless.

I was mainly watching this thread more than participating because I felt like everything had been said and was kinda right to me. I easily get upset about what Danny does because I used to think it was amazing how he created his company. His dolls aren't in my tastes (some are but never been released) so I wasn't sure I had right to voice my opinion since I never owned a Smartdoll until the massive bans and now this, the cherry on the cake. Danny wastes so much energy and nerves on the wrong 'ennemy'. He isn't even able to define a 'bad' customer from a 'regular' customer anymore, so he's rough to anybody, even attack them and bully them.

Somehow I hoped to see one day a Smartdoll that I'd like so much I'd buy her, and Danny realizing how bad he behaves, but...

...I'm done with him. I won't be watching his accounts anymore. He's gone too far. I've lost any faith.

Still I'll enjoy seing photos on the owners. The owners have nothing to do with it. They are not him so I don't see the point of hating them. (I'm not hating Danny either, hate is giving too much attention or a too much important place in my life.)

I'm- wow. Just wow. I hope people who are considering ordering from him find this thread, this is just complete madness at this point. I feel so bad for the people who are now anxious about the dolls they already own or were planning to get. This is infuriating

This is going to sound weird, but I'm starting to think the only person Danny might listen to is his dolls XD

Smart dolls for better treatment of smart doll owners! Hahaha

Well, I for one am convinced never to buy anything from him. I'm soooo elitist XD

 

I love how Smart Dolls look and I love to see photos of them and to follow the Kizuna&Chitose Adventures XD, but they are too far out of my price range for this hobby, I'm into Angelphilia and this is more than enough for me.

So SmDs are not an option for me to begin with, but now if I will even want to buy one in the future, I'll only rely on Mandarake like I do for everything else.

 

Honestly this is just so shitty, I feel like I've been a lot more welcomed in the Vinyl community than the bjd community (NO SHADE TOWARDS THE BJD COMMUNITY, I JUST HAD A HARDER TIME FINDING MY PEEPS) And to see someone go around and like, making it scary to own and buy the dolls you like is just really hurtful. I'm probably being overemotional about this but.. it hurts seeing all this happen

 

12 hours ago, Deyja said:

@bbotss Holy freaking A, I literally am lost for words. I feel so bad for that person who tried to purchase a Smart Doll, but maybe in a way they dodged a bullet. I'm honestly worried that if and when I needed to contact customer service for anything that I'd get this kind of treatment. This is more than walking on eggshells--it's walking on hot coals. Thinking "How can I word this email so Danny doesn't take it as a personal attack and shred me?" should be the last thing ANYONE has to worry about when writing CJ for support or any company for that matter.

It makes me look at my girls with sad eyes, anxious eyes because what if I have to write in to support because a part breaks? I don't want to sell them because they are from his company, but the thought of writing to him for a replacement part gives me a panic attack. What then? That's something for anyone considering buying a Smart Doll down the line to ponder. It's not like buying clothing or hand packs where you purchase it and you don't have to think about warranty later. It will always be a real concern down the line if something on your doll breaks.

I'm not going to lie - I would be incredibly hesitant to even go second-hand at this point because of this very issue. SMD isn't like Volks/Obitsu/Angel Philia/Azone where replacement parts are readily available and contacting CS isn't a concern in this manner. Honestly, this is beyond unacceptable conduct for the head of any company. And recently, I've begun sending friends to this thread to make sure they are informed before deciding to buy a Smartdoll.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Selenae

After 18 pages... I miss my words...

End of page 18 and most reactions on page 19 I said NO !!

Some of you might remember me from a few years back and maybe I’ve been absent from this hobby for too too long (several years now...) but as much as I totally agree with your rights to express your disagreements politely and with diplomacy to several « drama » raised by Choo himself (that I only discover now through this thread - as told must be really several years as I remembered the start of his company and his DD’s) most I can read these last 2 pages is don’t buy SmD, buy secondhand, from Mandarake,... 

A new member raised a question @Katsudon about eventually buying Justice. All he or she got as a reply is don’t buy, buy secondhand,... Since when his products are becoming so crappy according some comments that there is that a whole boycott in place ? At my knowledge no other company offer Justice skin tone and if Katsudon find Justice lovely why the hell can’t he/she be properly advice to buy that one as in the end I tend to believe we are all in the same passion: vinyls dolls or sometimes just dolls. 
 

Would that same doll suddenly worth less based on Choo words and or action ? I still own one I bought 4 years ago, do I have to sell it or trash it away... or fast resell it before she loose any value ... 

Are you gals and guy serious in there ? 

Since when in the society we are living in you are only dissociating the person and the product when you want to... Don’t you have all (or most of you) and iPhone knewing how bad temper Steve Jobs was ? Don’t you ever have listened & liked a song when you usually don’t like the artist ? Or saw a movie where you had to confess at the end that that actor you hate was quite good for the part... 
 

Don’t get me wrong here but instead of looking every words or Choo action over his social media can’t you not simply like or dislike his work (not his only but as mentioned through the thread it’s a company and there are employees too) and simply keep on buying stuffs if you like his products and stop buying if you don’t like his products ? 

Again I might be too old, or maybe I was away too long and I did missed all the previous drama (that I catch up here...) but if I like something and in this case one SmD I don’t see why I couldn’t buy it and enjoy it as it all comes to a same passion in the end. 

Edited May 27, 2020 by bababaloo
Spelling faults

@bababaloo I get your point. I actually didn't advized @Katsudon because I'm not sure about what to say. It seemed more like individual decisions more than boycott call to me. I also see why they are advising @Katsudon to not buy directly from Danny. It's not because of a possible boycott, it's because Danny's recent customer service handling and how many buyers are treated like those last months. They are concerned about her/him.

To be honest, I think that if she/he wants to get Justice directly from Smartdoll, it's fine. After all, breaks and defects don't happen everytime, and she wants a whole doll, not only apparels. It should be fine.

Edited May 27, 2020 by KonekoHigure

I don't see why you wouldn't want to buy from the SmD store.  Buying second hand carries just as much risk of getting banned, since you'll still have to contact Danny if there's any breakage.  Plus, it'll be easier to buy official SmD clothes and accessories, rather than hoping to get lucky on Manda or the marketplace.  

I'm going to continue buying whatever catches my eye from SmD.  SmD clothes, while expensive, are of excellent quality.  It helps that my other dolls actually can wear the stuff, too.  I've so far had no defects requiring assistance.  

I work in the service industry, you don't treat your customers like garbage and expect to stay in business long.  Especially if you ban them from buying from you.  Many of his cheerleaders seem to be looking for any discounted items he can offer, so they seem to skew younger, high school or college age, and lack the disposable income to actually buy his dolls.  

1 hour ago, bababaloo said:

 but if I like something and in this case one SmD I don’t see why I couldn’t buy it and enjoy it as it all comes to a same passion in the end. 

At this point, I think we all wonder the same thing. Danny is trying to dictate who can buy from him - thus control who can enjoy his dolls. His choice, sure. But people have the right to be wary. Some don't want the stress of risking getting publicly bullied for having an issue with their order, if they purchase directly from Danny.

It's not on the product themselves (mostly), it's about the actions of the person behind them. You decide if you care about any of this in the end.
It's up to people if they want to buy his products. Some think it's safe to do so, others not, and some are undecided. Let everyone voice their opinion - especially if asked.

If people bully another for continuing to buy from/support Danny, then they are pretty hypocritical, and no better...

21 hours ago, Katsudon said:

I am new here, so apologies for diving right in. ^^; I wanted to get some perspective from smart doll owners, but the facebook group closed down as I applied to join. And this post is kinda my situation as someone who just discovered smart dolls a few months ago. 

I have super fallen in love with Justice. Like, I don't know why, sometimes I see a doll and it just clicks. I am wary though, because I don't want to spend basically £500 (after customs and fees) on a doll that won't last, no matter how careful I am; or a doll that arrives broken and I will be too afraid to complain about. Because there's so much negativity around them, I kinda want to know, is it worth it? I don't have much money, so it's a big purchase. But I do love how she looks. 

Also I don't want people to hate on my doll because of whatever Danny Choo has said. -_-; Please help this newbie decide! Apologies if I'm in the wrong place. 

 

If Justice is the doll that you like, then go for it. I haven't had any bad experiences personally whilst buying from Smart Doll directly and I've bought 3 dolls and lots of apparel from them over the years. That is why I keep buying Smart Doll stuff despite Danny's behaviour. 

As for that email Danny spent to that customer, wow, just wow. That is not even remotely professional. 
 

I literally just want to scream at the screen at what Danny said. How can you work in any customer based business and think you can treat people that way? Yes, some customers can be asses, but that was completely uncalled for. Emails bounce/disappear/etc all the time for various reasons. If he continues "putting his employees before entitled customers" then his employees aren't going to have jobs.

4 hours ago, Galvatim said:

I work in the service industry, you don't treat your customers like garbage and expect to stay in business long.  Especially if you ban them from buying from you.

Not just customers, I expect this kind of behavior to affect license deals. Companies watch this kind of stuff and do not want to be associated with crap like this.

 

I will not put down anyone who wants to buy a SmD, direct or secondhand. That is fully your decision and you shouldn't be judged on it. If you like the dolls, go for it! But I do think new and current customers need to be aware of what potential customer/product issues are going on. Any doll I've even considered purchasing I do research on the company first.

Edited May 27, 2020 by kranberrijam

5 hours ago, Yumeiro said:

At this point, I think we all wonder the same thing. Danny is trying to dictate who can buy from him - thus control who can enjoy his dolls. His choice, sure. But people have the right to be wary. Some don't want the stress of risking getting publicly bullied for having an issue with their order, if they purchase directly from Danny.

It's not on the product themselves (mostly), it's about the actions of the person behind them. You decide if you care about any of this in the end.
It's up to people if they want to buy his products. Some think it's safe to do so, others not, and some are undecided. Let everyone voice their opinion - especially if asked.

If people bully another for continuing to buy from/support Danny, then they are pretty hypocritical, and no better...

That sums it up for me. My thoughts towards my dolls aren't "Omg, I can't stand DC for his behavior and I refuse to buy from him again", it's "How do I get replacement parts if something breaks without being shamed or bullied by Danny?" I have him blocked on insta and FB, but I deleted my dolls from this site because I don't want him to find out who I am and automatically add me to the ban list. If you get banned and your doll breaks, there is no fixing them. I'd love to share my dolls somewhere other than insta, but I don't want Danny to find out who I am. And it's been proven in this thread that he does actually investigate people trying to discover who they are so he can ban them. Buying a Smart Doll isn't a one time commitment like going to watch a movie or listen to a song. It's will always be a concern for as long as you have the doll in case they break.

And I only am voicing my concerns/thoughts to help someone make a decision before dropping $500 on a product that they may never be able to get replacement parts for. $500 isn't chump change.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Deyja

@bababaloo No one is saying his products are crappy or promoting a boycott. It's more of a "be wary" sentiment, because due to Danny's recent behaviour towards customers, it's more than likely that IF you receive a faulty product or your doll breaks, he might decide that you're acting like an entitled customer and ban you totally from his store. Replacement parts aren't easy to come by, unlike for DDs.

Also, it has been stated several times in this thread that it is ok to own and love Smartdolls. Most of us here still do. However, we can still admire Smartdolls while at the same time disagreeing with Danny's actions. It doesn't mean your doll is worth less or that you should trash it. That's exactly the kind of behaviour we want to discourage, because that's exactly the type of behaviour that Danny is promoting - that any person owning a doll which is not a Smartdoll is an entitled elitist who fails to admire the wabisabiness of his art.

14 hours ago, bababaloo said:

-snip-

I'm assuming this is at least partially directed at me. You'll notice my meaning was "if you don't mind waiting and not having the buyer's warranty, which isn't being reliably honored at this point in time, you can wait for Justice to pop up on Mandarake." I am in no way saying others should boycott Choo solely because I choose not to buy from him, I was simply offering an alternative in the event someone wants one of his dolls but is nervous about ordering from him directly. Mandarake is a good resource for newbies regardless, and it doesn't hurt to offer anyone more options even if they choose not to use them and buy directly from the manufacturer.

As far as your other points, I don't pretend to be ideologically pure. Of course I consume media and products from companies whose business practices I find distasteful, whether out of enjoyment or necessity. That said, I do draw my lines when and where I deem them necessary, and I will advise others to do the same. I do not believe it is right for a company to slander their dissatisfied customers, and I would just as easily advise someone about the risks of and alternatives to purchasing an iPhone if Apple behaved the same way.

15 hours ago, bababaloo said:

but if I like something and in this case one SmD I don’t see why I couldn’t buy it and enjoy it as it all comes to a same passion in the end. 

I was half-asleep when I typed my previous reply. Wrt your quote above, I would just like to add that in most cases, it's Danny himself banning people from buying and telling others not to buy from him. I still like Smartdolls and would love to get Athena and Moment, but unfortunately due to my failure to appreciate a wabisabi wig that doesn't fit on my Smartdoll head properly (much less hold the elf ears in place), I am unable to "buy [them] and enjoy [them]" as you have mentioned. I could have chosen to keep the wig and refuse the refund, but my ban was in effect the moment Danny received my email detailing the problems I was having with my wig, so it wouldn't have made a difference.

The fact remains that replacement parts for Smartdolls are controlled by Danny, and since buying directly from him does not guarantee resolution in the event of faulty or damaged goods (because wabisabi), why not look for secondhand deals on mandarake or ebay?

Edited May 28, 2020 by bbotss