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Post by kamia on Mar 28, 2016 9:42:33 GMT -8
 Fawkes, that sucks! I am always so wary of buying outside of the EU, especially on dolls - but sometimes you gotta try haha. |
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fawkes
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Post by fawkes on Mar 28, 2016 20:52:37 GMT -8
Yes, it is. Fortunately it wasn't a porcelain doll. But I really have to think twice about getting new dolls, whatever the material used to make them.
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Post by bibarina on Mar 29, 2016 0:12:27 GMT -8
I've just received a new doll and paid one third of the doll's price in vat and administrative charges. I empathise Fawkes- the last doll I bought cost me the price of another porcelain doll!! (We know which one that was don't we lol!) ;-) |
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fawkes
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Post by fawkes on Mar 29, 2016 6:59:31 GMT -8
Yes, we do, Bibarina ;-)
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Post by Snegurochka on Mar 30, 2016 12:27:44 GMT -8
I've just received a new doll and paid one third of the doll's price in vat and administrative charges. Oh my gosh, that's awful!!  |
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Post by kamia on Mar 30, 2016 13:25:28 GMT -8
Ah, it's SUCH a pain, especially when the prices REALLY start hiking up.
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Post by amandap on Mar 31, 2016 5:13:59 GMT -8
I am just curious, do collectors find this to be a deterrent when considering buying a doll they really want? As an artist, I've been selling overseas to the US and Italy as my primary customer base but my sales were around $800, so I don't imagine the fees would have been as high as something at $4000 or so. I wonder if when I start making porcelain dolls if I would be better to try an focus my attention at the Australian market as people would probably not want to buy from me overseas? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated  |
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Post by Snegurochka on Mar 31, 2016 7:14:00 GMT -8
I am just curious, do collectors find this to be a deterrent when considering buying a doll they really want? As an artist, I've been selling overseas to the US and Italy as my primary customer base but my sales were around $800, so I don't imagine the fees would have been as high as something at $4000 or so. I wonder if when I start making porcelain dolls if I would be better to try an focus my attention at the Australian market as people would probably not want to buy from me overseas? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated Hmm, good question! I think, personally, it depends on their finances, of course, and just how badly they want the doll. For example, right now there is a piece of jewelry that I want really badly, but it will ship from London, and I'm in the USA. Unlike with dolls, I will have to pay all the fees to import it up front, so there's no chance of my getting out of it. Normally that would deter me, especially because this piece is already at the high end of what I can spend. But I really love it, so I'm willing to pay, I just need to save up for it a while longer... I think people are the same way with dolls. So I would probably focus a little more on your local market, but be sure that your work is visible to everyone, just in case. It's best to keep all options open, if you can |
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Post by amandap on Mar 31, 2016 7:25:04 GMT -8
Thanks so much for the thoughts and the example! I'm not sure how strong the doll market is here in Australia as I've always sold my dolls overseas, but I definitely wanted to give it more of a focus. I hate the idea of handling large amounts of cash with paypal as I hear they have a habit of putting a hold on large transactions :S But at the same time I don't want to close off most of the world either lol! |
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Post by amandap on Mar 31, 2016 7:26:45 GMT -8
lol sorry I'm having issues removing myself from the quote *blush*
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fawkes
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Post by fawkes on Mar 31, 2016 7:55:46 GMT -8
As far as I'm concerned it's definitely a deterrent as I have to budget not only for the doll but also for the shipping fees AND the taxes.
Now it all depends on the amount of money customers can or want to spend on a doll...Have you thought of the Japanese market? The bjd community seems quite developed there.
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Post by amandap on Mar 31, 2016 21:34:44 GMT -8
As far as I'm concerned it's definitely a deterrent as I have to budget not only for the doll but also for the shipping fees AND the taxes. Now it all depends on the amount of money customers can or want to spend on a doll...Have you thought of the Japanese market? The bjd community seems quite developed there. Thank you for your thoughts! I was under the impression that the japanese market were more into resin dolls? It must be so frustrating having to take into account taxes. In australia we pay taxes on everything we buy within Australia, but if we import something there are no taxes, just shipping costs and exchange rates to worry about. |
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fawkes
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Post by fawkes on Mar 31, 2016 21:55:37 GMT -8
I've been looking at your blog and one of your face sculpts is a cute Japanese girl so it may appeal to the Asian market. Some artists do work in porcelain, for example Koitsukihime.
One question though, do you clean your greenware when it's dry? (photo with you wearing a dust mask, a brush in hand)
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Post by amandap on Apr 1, 2016 0:38:18 GMT -8
Ah yes, the doll I'm working on at the moment is from a Jennifer Esteban mold. It's just for practice working with porcelain- it's not my sculpt. So I'm not sure my style of sculpting would look quite so asian. Yes my teacher has been showing me to clean the porcelain when it's air dried, then sand it again after it's fired. I've heard of people soft firing it then cleaning, but I have yet to try this  |
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Fawkes, that sucks! I am always so wary of buying outside of the EU, especially on dolls - but sometimes you gotta try haha. 
