WARNING for TPE doll buyers

[Obin]

I checked the Wikipedia page that Harem linked and one portion caught my attention:

"Reacting to the ongoing development of "sex robots" or "sexbots",[19] in September 2015, Kathleen Richardson of De Montfort University and Erik Billing of the University of Skövde created the Campaign Against Sex Robots, calling for a ban on the creation of anthropomorphic sex robots.[20][21][22][23] They argue that the introduction of such devices would be socially harmful, and demeaning to women and children.[21]"

I see this as stupidity and hysteria. One could make exactly same statement about calling for a ban on dildos and vibrators because "such devices are socially harmful, and demeaning to men and boys."

The movement is analogous to calling computerized washing machines slaves. The term sex drives some folks nuts. I fear that irrational thinking might be given excessive credence. Such claims are never followed by how this is so; no rational explanation could state how a machine designed for personal use demeans others. Until there is an influential spokesperson who explains that these folks who have no interest in personal companions should mind their own business, I will view them as a threat.

[CrazyCajun]

All of this is why I only refer to my synthetic partners as "Dolls" , they are so much more than play things to most owners and most, "all that I know personally" cherish them and treat them as family members.

I take April out on and around the town, and to public social gatherings to show people that they are in fact very beautiful and graceful works of art. And they are not what a lot of people think they are. Most of the reactions that I have gotten have been very good and fun. I have only had a very few bad experiences in public. And most of those times strangers have come to my aid. But I have to say that I have noticed a very different reaction when people have come to my home and April and the girls were out, although they were very conservatively dressed as I usually have them. Far the most part, they seemed to make my guests very uncomfortable and they normally do not stay very long. A couple of people that I know will actually call and ask if they are out. If I answer no then they will usually come over, but if I answer yes, then they usually cut the conversation short and they do not come over. But I have run into some of these people while out in public with April and they seemed fine with it. They came up to me and talked and seemed to not be intimidated or embarrassed at all. That still amuses me!

I hold to the belief that: They are Dolls today but will be our Personal Assistants tomorrow!

[Dollstudio]

Those comments from TL;DR rather conclusively discuss the Kathleen Richardson issue:



Enjoy the TL;DR Youtube channel, there is more good stuff.

Back to the topic, shall we…?

Sandro

[CrazyCajun]

As for as counterfeit dolls go: Until manufacturers start marking their dolls with trademarks or at least serial numbers, there is not very much anyone can do. Before I am bashed let me say, I do understand that trademarks and even serial numbers can and are counterfeited all the time, but a good one, is somewhat hard to copy correctly. Even something as simple as a serial number and makers mark, that is traceable back to a specific factory is a very easy and reliable way to verify the pedigree of a doll!

Just My Own thought on it!

We hear manufacturers complain all the time about counterfeits but they do nothing to make it any harder for a counterfeit to pass as an original!

[Slew]

We hear manufacturers complain all the time about counterfeits but they do nothing to make it any harder for a counterfeit to pass as an original!

That is a startlingly great point.

[Dollstudio]

@CrazyCajun: You have a valid point here. Let's take, for example, the authentic WM Doll brand (wmdoll.cn). They ship their dolls with a printed out serial number. Nothing fancy, but better than nothing, one could argue. This serial number can - theoretically - be checked online at http://www.wmdoll.cn/fangwei/.

Things like this are not so super hard to implement. Why are they not used?

@hansdampf21: The "one of the most popular german doll sellers" you are referring to is among the three vendors I mentioned. You can check their website and look for YL's promotional pictures (yes, they use them). Cross check with the photographer, Alottahope, if he made these photos, and cross check with YL, if they supply this vendor.

That's what I meant when I initially stated "What's new is that even seemingly trustworthy (and well-known) vendors seem to have started to adapt this dishonest pattern."

@Harem: The idea about Wikipedia is excellent. Wikipedia is functioning as a gatekeeper, and it can greatly help to channel streams of interest into trustworthy directions. And Google loves Wikipedia content.

On the Wikipedia article discussion pages it could be explained that forums like TDF are vendor-independent meeting places for an active community. It's probably correct that forums can not generally be considered citable resources in a scientific discourse, but they can be important pools for information sharing. In this function, it might be possible to include links to forums in the "Weblinks" section. Though, quoting a post on TDF as a source will no suffice as a single source.

Another aspect of Wikipedia would be to harbour qualified articles about relevant manufacturers. Such an writing initiative could start with the (afaik) oldest love doll manufacturer (Orient Industry), then include the best-known manufacturer in western countries (Abyss respectively the RealDoll brand) and then extend to other popular brands. As long as the to-be-created Wikipedia articles explain the relevance of these companies, the articles should not be candidates for deletion. Also, another benefit would be to filter out search engine spam by pointing to the authentic manufacturer websites. For example, Ruby13 had issues with domain grabbers in the past.

Additionally, founders like Matt McMullen or artists like Don Edmondson can have an encyclopedic relevance, too. They have an education, an employment history with other companies, birthdates and birthplaces, so they will fit well into the Wikipedia category system of hyperlinked content.

So please research your favourite love doll manufacturer and start writing well-sourced Wikipedia articles. It's an excellent method to bring more transparency into this industry!

Sandro

[Gust]

Serial numbers is the way to go. Of course, copycats can also also copy existing numbers from the original dolls, so it's important the manufacturer allows checking the number online and the result shows the corresponding doll specs, date of production and the sale date. This way a buyer can be certain that his number really corresponds to the doll he has. The only problem is that most uninformed buyers who get a fake doll won't even know it's supposed to have a serial number.

If it was US, the manufacturers of the originals would most certainly sue the copycats for copyright infringement but it seems in China copying products is business as usual.

[Mongoose]

Hi, Guest7,

...copycats can also also copy existing numbers from the original dolls...

What if reputable doll makers install microchips, deep inside the TPE or silicone? Then the chip
can be scanned for serial # and authenticity. Would that suffice (or partially suffice)?

[Dollstudio]

Another one: http://www.dollforum.com/forum/viewtopi ... 63&t=80410

[symmes]

On the Wiki pages I tried to introduce a reference link to TDF but was told that forums were unreliable sources and not allowed. If enough individuals make an edit to introduce TDF as the authoritative source of information as it is, then the hair splitters with not enough to do might get the message and stop blocking it.

What about something like "online forums exist for the discussion of sex dolls[x][y]," where "[x]" and "[y]" are references to forums. This doesn't make the forum stand as a source for factual information other than the existence of the forum itself.

[justintime]

Deep very deep, all good points.
But if pigs could fly.....
Who here thinks that you are really going to get these manufactures all together to come up
with a way to track a doll they made through it's life span, then to all agree on how to do it.

hundreds of people, even more personalities and even worse ...... more ideas.

Great idea, but.....
Not trying to a kill joy. It's a shame to get all upset about stuff we read on TDF.
I have learned, all this is only a bit of smoke and mirrors., and a blink in what we each have going on in our lives.

Happy Dolling

[Gust]

Hi, Guest7,

...copycats can also also copy existing numbers from the original dolls...

What if reputable doll makers install microchips, deep inside the TPE or silicone? Then the chip
can be scanned for serial # and authenticity. Would that suffice (or partially suffice)?

I thought about this too but you'd need to consider the cost of the chip and equipment needed for the buyer to scan the chip. I think just a serial number with online verification is sufficient, perhaps with a proprietary security hologram sticker somewhere inside the box, e.g. on the manual.

[haremlover]

DS have a serial number on the head plate.

I suggested a serial number to a manufacturer who I was advising and the idea went down like a lead balloon. The ability for goods to be produced to walk out of the back door is just too good a temptation for employees to miss.

Best wishes

Harem

[Dollstudio]

And yet another one spotted and documented:

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 6#p1032966

[LOVETOKNOWMORE]

thanks for that, I think I read enough, the only way I will ever buy a doll will be cash on delivery. and I don't think that will ever happen, we have to trust them with or money but will they trust us with the doll.