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!
2 comments:
Those scalpers is what’s driving me out of the hobby more and more. I’m a casual collector, especially when it comes to IT. The club membership does not pay out for me, since there’s only every now and then a doll I wont to own. To pay for the membership I would need to become a scalper myself. Each year it’s more and more difficult fo someone like me to get the desired doll. I’d wish people wouldn’t encourage the scalpers by buying overpriced dolls. Or IT would ban them from entering the club. Sigh...
Great advice for new collectors!
The best "deal" for me was Bergdorf Luchia that I got from a fellow member on the Forum, I got her for $120 nrfb about six months after her release. BUT, I had much more "fails", so these days I prefer buying NRFB dolls from IT, or my dealers.
Scalpers are everywhere, even some of my dealers scalped me a few times for convention dolls... :) I never entered a lottery for a doll I do not need, if I change my mind about some doll, I just offer it to other members for regular price. Sometimes my friends collectors say that I shouldn't do that as they had situations where other members took over a doll at a regular price and just a few days later sell it for a mark up. I simply do not care, I can do whatever I want with my dolls and so can they.
IMO it is a good thing that IT is offering more dolls through their shop, sometimes their items are overpriced, but at least extra profit is going where it should go.
Post a Comment