We provide an in-depth listing of places to purchase new or second hand dolls with tips on how to avoid scams and fakes.
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In my opinion, buying your first Blythe doll can be daunting with the idea of time spent and fearing it might not actually work. After winning my first auction, I looked back and realized that I spent hours looking at eBay auctions before bidding on one.
Blythe newbies often ask me where they can buy their first Blythe dolls. Here are my tips for buying your first Blythe doll:
There are many different types of dolls. Which do you prefer?
Before you can buy any of the Blythe dolls, you need to first decide on the hair colour that you want. I recommend making a decision by first choosing the hair colour to make it a lot easier for you to then choose which doll you would like.There are many different hair styles and face moulds available with the dolls. However, you may not be able to tell these things apart at first, but as you are exposed to more Blythes, you will be able to identify the feature differences between each doll.Often, it is more convenient to buy whatever doll happens to be available. Even for a seasoned collector, hunting down a rare doll can take months if the doll is not very popular.Before you buy your Blythe, do your research and be careful not to buy the wrong sized doll.
Price and availability
Depending on condition, price and availability can vary. For example, the release of a popular Blythe doll with only 4 available could increase the cost just like the release of an original price toy with only 40 made.Kenner Blythe dolls are sought after and expensive, because they were the first of the kind. They cost about $800 for just a head.The most popular Bratz doll line is the BL mold, priced at $400 – $800. This mold is highly sought after and comes with clothes and other accessories. Similarly, the RBL+, RBL, SBL, and FBL molds are cheaper but just as popular.
How does postage work?
As well as the purchase price of a doll, you should also budget for postage. Paying with PayPal gives you protection in case something goes wrong.Be sure to read the seller's terms of service to ensure you are both on the same page. If one isn't listed, ask them for specifics. You can purchase a layaway plan for larger items and pay in installments. They may or may not be refundable; ask before making a purchase. While waiting for your purchase, don’t contact the seller constantly, since they cannot control the postal system and the schedule. If you need to have it right away, offer to pay an extra fee for express shipping.
A brief history of customs and excise fees
When considering importing a doll, think about the customs fees you’ll incur and if there are laws against lying on your customs form. It’s important to be familiar with the law of your country.
Finding a doll for sale
Sometimes you will see a doll for sale but once it’s purchased, it may turn out that the doll is no longer available to purchase. You should always do your research if you are looking for a specific doll as you might find yourself getting something different.Blythe dolls come with a wide variety of customizations including making the doll’s face sand-matted, re-rooting the hair, carving their lips and eyelids to new shapes. Many buyers buy a Blythe intending to customize it themselves but end up dissatisfied with their work.
Fake Dolls and Factory Dolls
The website was a great resource in the community, but is no longer owned by Gina Garan. She lost the domain when it lapsed and now they are heavily marked up fakes.Fake dolls now exist in the Blythe market, these are not Blythe dolls.Most of these dolls are sold on eBay, with the listings naming them as “nude Blythe doll” or “factory Blythe.” Some have been packaged in counterfeit boxes, but the number of these is small. They are naked, and their allegedly fake hair does not match genuine periods.There are many different types of dolls. Some imitate the features of other famous dolls, or have been copied wholesale by another company like Mattel without permission. Other dolls were created in a factory using spare parts.The number of factory dolls listed on eBay has reduced significantly from the days when there were more than enough to go around. Now, fakes dominate the category leaving behind few original factory dolls.
These links will help you:
A guide to spotting real and fake Blythe dolls
List of known, copied and fake Blythe dolls.
Protecting yourself from fake and replica dolls on eBay
Blythe shops
Junie Moon
The best way to buy Blythe is through us. The official store for limited dolls, we offer a fast shipping service and lotteries. Our lotteries often include an opportunity to purchase exclusive dolls.
Other e-commerce websites
How to buy toys from website
Japan is home to Mandarake, one of the flagship stores for both games and Japanese dolls.
What you need to know to buy safely through eBay
eBay is another excellent source for buying dolls, but be careful. Scammers may use the opportunity to steal your money and you should thoroughly try to avoid them by researching the seller's eBay feedback, as well as reading up on Bad Dolly Deals. Not only will buying from a private collector ensure that you don't get scammed, they'll also usually lower prices. There are also many fake dolls sold through eBay, so be cautious when purchasing one there.
Facebook
There are different groups for buying and selling dolls on Facebook. I recommend DollyAdoption because they have rules that must be followed, feedback from buyers/sellers, and a page of files you need to be a member to access.
100% Stock Blythe Adoption
Before you buy from someone else, make sure that you check whether or not they are a reputable seller on Bad Dolly Deals. The seller might also be using an alias in place of their own Facebook username. Buyers should not avoid paying for registered postage or tracking.
Attend a meeting or BlytheCon
Blythe is a popular doll, and there are often events around the world each year to celebrate this. I organised an event in Australia and was excited by the number of people I met that had never tried it before.Dolly meetups are a great way to meet people with similar interests and buy dolls without having to wait for shipping. There are often vendors selling the dolls that you can go up to and inspect before purchasing them.
A Facebook group lists all Blythe events that are happening around the world.They have a great tutorial on common Blythe terms you should read before you go hunting. They use structured data and machine learning to create quality content and they come up with great topics even if you can't think of anything.
The wait is over
When buying your first Blythe doll, it can be difficult to wait for but this is the worst part of buying one. There’s nothing worse than having a purchaser hassling you because their doll hasn’t arrived even though it has been posted and it is out of your hands. If you have done research on the seller, paid through PayPal, and have a tracking number, then you should not stress.
I like to obsessively check the tracking. Usually my dolls will take 2-5 weeks to arrive in US from overseas, and 5 days within US if sent express.
XOXO
CJ