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Date: Apr 30, 2008

Sales slumping?

Buffington · Guru

As in just about any business there are ups and downs. There is sporatic saturation of reborns, meaning that in some area there are lots and some there are none and even in some areas they have never heard of reborns let alone seen one. confused

Also, it's after Christmas, cry

taxes have to be paid furious

or people are waiting for their rebate checks blankstare

. AND it's an election year... people are waiting with baited breath to see who the next president will be and if they should save their money or spend it! weirdface

I have a friend who has studied this for over 20 years and it always rings true.

You can always list with a reserve price and if it doesn't go then keep it for another time. Some people follow a particular artist too, so if they put too many out in a short period of time, then I suppose there's no one (or very few) to bid on their babies.

LovesDolls · Guru

There are several things that are making these beautiful dolls either not sell or sell for much less than before. One is that the economy is terrible right now. People are spending money on gas and other necessities first, fun stuff last. Also, the market is flooded with reborn/newborn dolls. There are pages and pages of them on ebay! As supply goes up, cost goes down. That is capitalism at its best ;)

I personally wouldn't use ebay as a tool for selling. I just sold my first doll to a teacher I work with. She has seen my work from day one and when I brought in the latest she had purchased it by the end of the day! I now have another teacher having me make her one for a Christmas gift. If you aren't trying to do it as a business then I suggest going by word of mouth. Many women take their babies out in public to purchase clothes for them and end up passing out business cards. You can also make several to sell or as "samples" and sign up for and Arts & Craft fair. Some like customs others like to pick up the baby and take it right home!

Those selling sculpts will have to start lowering their prices because as the "re"sale value goes down people will be less willing to pay $30-$100 solely to make a doll they can only sell for $150. And as there is more and more competition with the huge number of sculpts coming out the prices will naturally fall. I've heard a lot of women state that they were going to have to stop making dolls because they were too expensive to buy the "parts" and get so little money for the finished product!

Heather M · Senior Member

I think there is quite a bit of truth to all of these points. Ebay is flooded and the economy is poor. I also sell (reborns and other items) on another site and many sellers there are noticing a slump in sales there as well. Maybe the "economic stimulus" tax reimbusements will help things along...If not, I will have a very full nursery this summer!

Buffington · Guru

Me too!

ArtOfReborningKY · Member

I noticed when I had my babies on Ebay, that there was a doll on there with competitive bidding and the bids were up to almost $3,000...I personally think that people get in a competitve mode and don't even look at the new babies, although I had well over 50 views on each of my dolls.

I think also the economy is hurting sales a bit too, as everyone is scared of what's going to happen next.

Do put a reserve price on your babies.
Don't give up!

Goodluck!!

Mo · Senior Member

There Was This Ariella that sold on ebay a few months back for £8,000! Wow! LOL! =)

sara zata · Guru

I think all that has been said on here is so true, as with the porcelain dolls. One teacher that tought me ,only with one doll because she was a rip off, Used to go to America to doll shows and sell hers for $2000-$3000, and the painting was novice statice. I think ,it,s also like clothing and fashions, crafts keep reverting back. I never advertised and had 17 students on Tues and !0-17 on a Thurs because I couldn,t let them take crap home. Sometimes they came twice a week. So for you reborners , who,s dolls haven,t been selling on Ebay, Try teaching, you,ll be surprised. I first went to a Sunday Market, and collected names and deposits to do a 5day course, 1 each week, Charged $100 for Two baby dools with cloth legs, and youwould be surprised at their reactions. weirdface

JUne M from Oz. You could chare $100, plus the cost of a kit or they are allowed to bring one of their own. The lady here that teaches does that but you have to take it home to do a lot of the stuff.

-- Edited by sara zata at 12:32, 2008-08-17