How to verify Doll's Authenticity?

dirtymg · Post by **dirtymg** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:11 pm

Hi,
I am considering to buy used Doll from TDF listing. Couple of questions:
1. When seller list as 1am or WM doll, is there a way to verify that it was originally bought from those legit sellers?
Anyone can sell china made cheap dolls. I see few used 100 cm dolls on sale with the price tag of same new china doll (from ebay or Aliexpress etc)
So is there a guaranteed way to verify this?

2. Does TDF provide any protection for such transactions? What if seller never sends the doll, or send with defect that was not reported in listing or send cheap China made replica? (which new buyer wont even be able to figure out)

Any tips to save from such pitfalls would be helpful.

thanks
DM

putzzz · Post by **putzzz** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:37 pm

hi DM and welcome !

i d say your overall pretty safe buying here on the DF, i have sold a few here, and bought one. no problems at all.
there is a good interest in sellers here wanting to find good home for their dolls.

while the DF doesnt provide buyers nor sellers protection, the mods keep a tight lid on for sale listings, and most members selling here are well established.

your more likely to be dupped on ebay, especially in the chinese doll market, IMO only of course.

Post by **AlexKnight** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:42 pm

TDF only provides a platform for sales, we do not offer any kind of protection.
Because of the rules we have, we try to keep the sales as clear as possible, but it can never be 100% foolproof.

Buying used items always involves a certain level of risk, no matter what it is.

One way to be sure a seller has purchased the doll from the vendor he says he got it from is to ask for an order confirmation number or something, which you can then verify with the vendor.
When dealing with dolls who've exchanged owners before, it will be almost impossible to be sure, as the seller won't have any proof of purchase from a vendor.

Personally speaking, this is why I prefer buying new, so I can be sure I get what I ordered and it's exactly as I want it to be, and if there is a problem, it will be looked after.
It's the more expensive path, I know, but that's just me.

karpos · Post by **karpos** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:07 pm

I know that when I buy from someone here on TDF I look through their forum posts and see what type of member they are. I also use the Sold section to see if they have done business before and what their previous transactions have been like. I also know that if I ever sell anything here, the terms of the sale will be determined by how well I know the person and their situation.

I will say that in my 4 months here I have never seen a complaint about a seller, only buyers who don't want to pay or want to change the price, etc.

I would also insist on buying with paypal as they have a guarantee system that isn't present with checks or money orders.

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:51 pm

Karpos is on track here. But also this is where the recent rule change on posts on For Sale threads is to the detriment of members as members commenting on sales can be very helpful to buyers, in members encouraging sales they know to be good, and in making disparaging remarks about less good ones. I know that the latter can be a trial by fire but the marketplace in the real world is a bit like that but it's an intrinsically valuable process.

Best wishes

Harem

dirtymg · Post by **dirtymg** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:41 am

Thanks all for your inputs. These are quite valuable. I will keep those in mind in dealing with used doll sales.

haremlover · Post by **haremlover** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:33 am

dirtymg wrote:I will keep those in mind in dealing with used doll sales.

Sometimes a good doll will crawl out of the woodwork but people who communicate well are a good sign. But also for the benefit of those who might want to sell a doll in the future, personally one of the reasons why I post photos of repairs of damage to a doll in my doll's photo-story threads is so that everyone knows the life-history of my dolls. This sort of thing can be really great for anyone who might buy any of them in the future, although I'm not expecting that situation to arise for the moment!

Best wishes

Harem

Post by **jiayi** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:32 am

karpos wrote: I would also insist on buying with paypal as they have a guarantee system that isn't present with checks or money orders.

Be sure to do this! If the seller is not willing to use PayPal, I would see it as a red flag.

Dirtymg, I had all the same concerns when I bought Sasha. You could start a thread and ask if anyone has dealt with the seller before. I would suggest you ask for answers as pm's only. My pm's to a certain member in this forum helped rest my fears as a new buyer (you know who you are.)

You should also use your correspondence with the seller as a guide. Do they respond promptly? Are they clear in their answers? Do they send you the pictures you request? If they are haphazard in these areas, this may spill over into actually getting the doll shipped to you.

I once suggested setting up a buyers rating sysem, but with first time sellers, this would not work. So, if you do have a successful transaction, please post and let other future doll buyers know.
Jiayi

Sotaichou · Post by **Sotaichou** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:25 pm

You could also try putting up a TDF Want ad and check if there's any available in your area or traveling radius where you can do a pick up. You can verify with a meet/inspect the doll yourself in person, if the seller is ok with that.

/g'day.