bjdbaby? Probably not legit, but asking just in case...

[kiki-chan78]

I'd be crushed if I ever found my boys on that site.

I feel bad for the companies that have dolls copied there. The companies went through the time, effort and expense of prototyping their dolls, and had to absorb the cost of failures; while this knock-off is just knocking out duplicates without having to worry about the added cost of bringing the doll to market. Plus, they are lowering the market value of the original dolls... who is going to spend $240 on a KDF Bory or Cherry, when they can snag the 'off-brand' version for $103? What about that LTD Soom Heliot that originally went for close to $800, what a 'steal' at less than $300. ¬.¬

-Kiki-chan78.

[happyknot]

What about that LTD Soom Heliot that originally went for close to $800, what a 'steal' at less than $300. ¬.¬

-Kiki-chan78.

Or worse - what if the $800 you bought on the secondhand market turned out to be a $300 fakie. Man they could even buy the limited costumes on the MP and add it to their fakie doll to make it seem more legit.
I'm scared of the mp now.

[Evelien]

If you want an Unoa, just get a faceplate relatively cheap (http://noppin.ocnk.net/) and get a different brand body . Oh, and a custom headback by Buff or Amaeta.

That still won't be cheaper than buying the recast.

I didn't see any Unoa recasts on that website to be honest, I think she was just an example?

I could never knowingly buy a recast. I'm sorry, it just wouldn't feel right at all.

[Kirahfaye]

HappyKnot, if it makes you feel any better, DOA monitors the MP closely and any doll that is believed to be a knockoff is removed. DOA takes it reputation VERY seriously.

[knittnkitten]

I'll stick with buying chinese made crochet hooks XD

[happyknot]

Guys! I might have a possible solution to determining authenticity when buying second hand. It only works if the person you are buying from is the original owner though.

Ask to see their box opening pictures. An authentic brand name will have come in packaging that is designed for that brand: logo on the box, pillows made a certain way (Soom pillows have Velcro and ribbon straps. Souldoll uses patterned fabric, and some companies use foam cut outs) and depending on the company there are usually some papers whether it be postcards, stickers, certificates and instructions.

The fakies arrive in a cardboard box wrapped in bubble wrap. Yo-Sd Suzuna recast arrival, Yo-sd Suzuna recast unpacked, Unoa recast in shipper, Unoa recast unpacked,

Originals: Unoa box outside, Unoa box opened, Volks Yo-Sd box (one of many designs but you get the idea), Volks Yo-Sd box opened - note: pillows and pamphlet

BJDbaby is also selling on Taobao and they have galleries on several different sites.

I guess I will just say - protect yourself. Do as much research as you can - like if you are buying on Den of Angels you can see a person's past transactions via their feedback and you can also check if they have box opening pictures by looking at any threads they started. Ask if they can ship it with the original pillows and if they kept the papers.
If you see a "great deal" anywhere, be careful.

Den of Angels have rules but they don't monitor every listing in their marketplace and it is extremely difficult to tell the fakies apart from the real thing at a glance - especially once it's been painted.

[PerlaNemesis]

Thanks a lot for info!

[magkelly]

Okay, at the risk of getting snarked off this board, I'm going to ask a serious question here. I've seen quite a few posts on here with people on here gushing about their clones. Some of you all clearly love them. So what's the difference between buying a $200 BJD clone and a $2 Dollar Store Clone of a doll you like? What makes buying one more reprehensible than the other? Is it the price tag? The type of doll? The fact that you all tend to like those manufacturers better than say companies like Mattel and MGA who are probably getting ripped off even as I type? I personally think clones can be cute. Unique in their own way. I'm really hankering after a 12" Blythe clone actually because affording a real Blythe is just not ever going to happen. I much prefer the real deal if I can afford it, and for the record I rarely buy clone dolls even when I see them, but I'm not going to say I don't have a few clones in my collection because I do. They're not $500 BJD's, cough, but the principle is the same, isn't it? I actually have a fake TRU Gene doll because she caused such a controversy she became a part of Gene history. She's in no way even close to being as nice as one of Mel Odom's dolls but still she has a place in my collection and I like her.

I'm playing Devil's advocate a bit here because I wanted you all to think about it for a second. Being quick to condemn the fake BJD people while buying Dollar Store clones of other dolls is that fair do you think? There are people knocking off MH stuff, casting torsos and stuff in resin and that, but really is that okay? Don't those belong to Mattel? I'm not trying to mess with you all I just want you to stop and really think for a moment about it. Buying that cute little dollar store Anime doll knock off. Isn't that just as "bad" as one of those fake BJD's? At least this store is admitting they're selling knockoffs. (Risking a lawsuit doing it, not too bright, but at least they are honest about it.) We all know that Bernadette knock off at the Dollar Store isn't a Fashionista Barbie. I personally think that selling clones as the real thing is bad, but selling clones as clones, well that's still not nice, but at least they're doing that and not claiming they are the real thing.

Me, I'd rather have a knock off designer purse than the real deal actually. I cannot see paying 5K for a darned purse just because I like the style. Same thing with BJD's. I had no idea there were even clones out there but I suppose they do serve a purpose for those who can't afford the real thing. At least they'll have something to play with, even if it's kind of crappy. If I had a clone I would never pretend it was the real thing though. I'd have to draw the line at that point.

Would I buy a "fake" BJD? I don't really know. Even the fakes are too pricey for me probably. But then again if I ran across a really good fake in a decent 16"-30" size and it enabled me to finally have something very like a BJD to play with I can't say I might not cave and go there. I might never even have the experience of playing with one otherwise. It's a bit of a moral conundrum thing. I mean buying ANY clone doll is technically wrong when you get right down to it but the "fakes" in my collection are still dolls I like and am glad I bought. My MS doll clones, my Jem doll clones. It's terrible that I have them in a way, but I still like them. I'm sure that seeing them on my shelf would not thrill the people at Mattel though...

Just some food for thought....

[famedglory]

I think that what Okami said sums up a lot of my feeling about this.

To answer magkelly – at least the way I see it is there’s no mistaking that the cheap clones at dollar stores and such aren’t the original. They tend to look similar but are very rarely exact copies, and the materials used also tend to be a little different. And they’re not using the original sculpt and company name. Also, with the mass produced dolls, there’s less of a sense of person behind them. One of the main reason’s bjds cost so much is because of the amount of individual attention each doll received during the casting and construction process. Even though they’re being cast, they have a lot of post production work done on them, and that includes blank dolls without faceups. Even for the larger companies, they’re still not being machine mass produced.

For me, buying a cheap dollar store knock off is like buying a poster of a painting instead of an original painting. No one is under the delusion or could possibly pretend it’s the original. To me, buying these higher quality bjd recasts is like buying a forged painting or signing your name to a painting someone else made.

It’s all a gray area and people need to decide where their personal opinions and morals let them fall on the issue. While I certainly won’t condemn anyone for knowingly buying a recast, it’s not something I will be doing myself because to me, it just doesn’t feel right.

[DollyKim]

On the Blythe side if it's just the doll there's enough parts out there for you to get a head one place and an eye mech at another, I did, and put her on a body I like better. It happens she fits the same size wig as another doll so that's even better. I ended up paying about 1/3 for a doll I was going to customize in the first place.

The prices on some "brand name" things are ridiculous simply because it's a brand name. No price is going to get me to buy an ugly bag anyway, I look long and hard to find unique purses. I paid what I paid for some stuff because I know that brand works for me but I still won't pay above a certain price. Is a Prada bag supposed to say what kind of individual I am or is it about fitting in to a very narrow "world" and trying to impress some people? The ten year old me still hates those bitches who used my not having a Cabbage Patch Kid as a reason to exclude me. Dolls should never be used to discriminate.