I have been working diligently to lower my numbers. If anyone is paying attention, here are the stats:
I have sold 40 dolls and we are halfway through the year! I've tried to spread out my sales among the different lines and the characters/molds. Here is a six-month break down:
Ellowyne Wilde - 4 sold
1:12 Scale - 1 sold
NuFace:
Erin Salston 2.0 - 1
Dominique Makeda - 2
Karolin Stone - 1
Giselle - 1
FR:
Adele Makeda 2.0 - 1
Adele Makeda 3.0 - 1
Anja Christensen - 3
Agnes Von Weiss - 4
Dasha D'Amboise- 1
Eugenia Frost - 2
Kyori Sato 2.0 - 2
Isha Kalpana Narayanan- 1
Natalia Fatale- 3
Tatyana Alexandrova- 1
Vanessa Perrin 3.0 - 3
Veronique Perrin 1.0 - 1
Veronique Perrin 2.0 - 4
Other:
Monogram 1
CI Dree Hill - 1
DG Aria - 1
There's an obvious glaring omission from my sales list. For many years, I claimed to "not collect Poppy Parker" (even though I purchased several in the first couple years she was released and Summer Magic is the closest doll to a younger mini-me in existence; I even use her as my avatar on flickr and The W Club). In 2016, I fell hard down the rabbit hole. Last year I attended the IT Fashion Week convention and almost doubled my Poppy collection.
When "The Model Traveler Collection" was previewed to collectors earlier this spring, I tried to resist. I really did! At first I said, "I don't need any of these." Then I watched the video and caved, ordering Hello New York and Mad for Milan from Couture Dolls (JamieShow Dolls). I initially passed on Tokyo Twilight. When Doll Peddlar listed these dolls a couple days later, I nabbed her too (and am super glad I did). Here is the link to my review of the collection: The Model Traveler Collection
In June two of these dolls arrived. The first to show up was Tokyo Twilight. Here she is full length in box.
This ensemble is phenomenal! It doesn't photograph as well as it looks in real life! This doll gives me a serious Sharon Tate vibe. And a closeup!
Everyone is comparing her to Out of This World which is a doll I owned but couldn't bond with, so I sold her. Since I don't have Out of This World I am glad that I broke down and ordered this one. I think she is one of the most exquisite versions of Poppy ever produced. She is already demanding double her retail price on secondary market.
I asked Couture Dolls to proceed with shipping my Hello New York and not wait to ship with Mad for Milan. Here she is in box.
And a closeup.
A lot of collectors have been tightening her ponytail to pull the side hair closer to her scalp like the promo. Collectors are not loving that "poof" on the side. Her ensemble is amazing and that little bag is exceptional.
So I now have #20 and #21 for 2020. They haven't been released yet because I am waiting for their sisters to arrive. I just got invoiced for Mad for Milan and entered the lottery for Sizzling in Paris (fingers crossed). I think I am most excited about Pretty Bird which was a W Club upgrade. I think these dolls will look so good together!
My Poppy Parker collection seems to be exploding! I'm going to have to do some careful thinking if I am to sell any...
Doll collecting can be a lot of fun, but one of the most frustrating parts of the hobby are the "scalpers" who speculate on purchasing at retail and selling at secondary market.
I received a question from a reader - where do you go for secondary market prices?
1. E-bay - most efficient but not most cost effective. True that the prices reflect the market, but you often get caught up in the auction and may bid more than you initially planned to pay. A lot of collectors use this resource, so you have to check it often, especially for some good Buy It Now prices!
2. "The W Exchange" - if you are a member of the W Club. Unfortunately, this is just a posting section and you can't sort or search easily. You have to open the post to see photos. Sometimes you get lucky on this one. Many collectors who post here discount from e-bay prices to reflect their savings on fees. Some of the dolls are "used".
3. Facebook groups - Easy to access. There are groups for each Integrity Toys doll line.
4. Doll Divas - Doll board that allows For Sale posts on Wednesday and Sunday. (I've actually gotten some excellent deals on this one!) Doll Divas Doll board
Problems with Secondary Market:
- You need to be careful and select dolls you truly want in your collection. When you pay a premium price up front, you rarely recover the investment if you decide to resell.
- Sometimes when you pay a lot of money for a special doll, it's hard to enjoy "playing" with it. You may tend to keep the doll NRFB to try to maintain its value. If you aren't enjoying the doll, you shouldn't spend the money to acquire it. (Unless you like displaying your dolls NRFB. That's a personal choice!)
- My biggest problem with secondary market is that scalpers can make you frustrated with your hobby. There are individuals who buy new dolls from multiple dealers and then sell the extras at markup to pay for their own hobby. It's a disappointment to miss out on a doll at retail (or on a lottery in the W Club) just to find it listed multiple times at a high markup.
The best way to buy your Integrity Toys dolls is to develop a good relationship with a dealer. The Integrity Website has a listing of all dealers here: Integrity Dealers
Sometimes the Integrity Website lists dolls for sale to the general public at regular prices. It's good to check their website often. Integrity Toys Direct Sales
If you are not a member of the W Club, join the next opportunity. Most bloggers, Facebook Groups, etc. publicize when the window to join is open. Don't hesitate. It's the best way to know what is happening, learn about upcoming releases, and be notified when dealers post sales to their websites.
It is very important to become active in the doll community: Facebook Groups, Instagram, flickr, etc. Get your name out there. Some collectors develop friendships and post "want to buy/in search of" and members of the community help them locate a doll.
Happy collecting!
