In light of some recent events involving a Blythe trade scammer, I think it’s important to remember that it’s a good idea to check feedback, ask for good photos and just to protect yourself to prevent getting scammed.

If you’re wanting to trade your doll with someone else’s, I think that’s great! It is a great way of getting a new-to-you doll without spending too much money while your under-loved doll gets a new owner. Everyone wins, when a trade is done successfully. Here are some tips that can help you do a hassle-free swap:

• Ask to see a lot of photos of the doll that you’re going to be receiving. Be sure to ask about all flaws and any customizations done.
• Ask for a photo where the doll is with a piece of paper with your name/screen name on it. You can also ask for the person to put their screenname on it, and the date. Or you can even ask them to take a photo of the doll with a recent copy of the newspaper (with the date clearly visible).
• Ask for references within the Blythe community, ask in what capacity their reference had interacted with them (offline friend? former doll swapping partner? someone they’ve sold to before?).
• Blythe are expensive, be sure that both parties are sending the dolls with a tracking number and/or insurance. If you both decide to mark the doll at a lower price to avoid custom fees, be aware that if the doll gets lost that you can only claim the amount that was marked on the package. If you mark a $300 doll as $30 and it gets lost, you can only get $30 back. (Also, marking an item down as a lower value is not allowed by postal services around the world, so it’s not recommended.)
• Stay in communication with your swap partner. If you expect that the doll should arrive in a week, check in to see if they’ve received it yet. When you receive your new doll, be sure to tell the former owner that you’ve received her as well.
• Even if you’ve gone though asking for photos and references, you are not obligated to continue through with the swap if you decide that you feel uncomfortable with the types of references or with the person in general. Be polite and courteous and inform your would-be swap partner that you’ve decided not to swap with them (you do not need to give them a reason, just tell them that you’ve decided against it). If you’re not comfortable with it, don’t do the swap and let them know before they’ve gone and sent their doll off to you.

You can also check out a few Livejournal communities to see if they’ve been mentioned by another doll collector. Check out Bad Dolly Deals, Good Dolly Deals and Failed Dolly Deals. You do not need an account with Livejournal to view the majority of the posts, but you will need an account with Livejournal to make a post asking if anyone has had any dealings with the person you’re wanting to trade with.

Best of luck with trading your doll! And remember, if you’re not comfortable with the idea of trading with someone, you’re under no obligation to continue on. Just communicate with the person and let them know.