You sold your first doll, now what?
I remember that exciting feeling. You’ve accumulated a lot of dolls and decided to put some up for sale. After a while, the first one is finally sold! The emotions are bubbling, joy mixing with pride, and then the slightest bit of anxiety seeps in. What should I do now? How to bring the best experience for the customer? Don’t worry! I got you. Over the years, I’ve sold hundreds of dolls, and I want to help you as well. I hope these tips will make the process of selling dolls less worrisome and more joyful.
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Packaging
When it comes to selling dolls, packaging should be both protective and beautiful. If you’re just starting out, don’t purchase loads of custom made boxes, try to find a unique approach. For some time, I’ve used gift boxes for wine, as I needed long rectangular shaped ones. You can find cardboard or even wooden boxes that work wonderfully for dolls. If you’re a crafty one, you can make your own box as well! Upholstering cardboard with beautiful paper and fancy ribbon can make your box as unique as the doll inside.
Talking about the protective measures, I usually sew satin cushions filled with plush stuffing to cover the doll from all sides. The plush stuffing envelops the doll, and it doesn’t move in the box when handled. Securing the doll with ribbons also helps! Tissue paper is the last step that doesn’t add much protection but looks incredibly nice.
If you’re shipping simpler dolls, like plushies, you don’t need as much cushioning as with fragile creations. For plush dolls, I resort to a few layers of tissue paper and, in some cases, a little bit of bubble wrap.
To secure the box itself, I use some bubble wrap and reclaimed cardboard sheets. Cardboard protects the beautiful packaging, you’ve created, and adds another layer of strength which really helps in the shipping process. You can use just a simple cardboard box instead of cardboard sheets as well.
Personal touch
This is the part where you let your personality and brand to shine! Write a note for your customer, create a certificate of authenticity for the doll, decorate everything with ribbons, add your logo, stickers, or anything else you like! People who order from you will love it. It feels like receiving a gift in the mail.
Shipping
Once your doll is packaged safely, it’s time to ship! Research the options beforehand and communicate with the customer as well. Private carriers like DHL, UPS, FedEx provide quicker services than the international postal system around the globe. But shipping with courier can be more expensive, especially for international packages.
Always, always choose an option with a tracking number! That’s the only piece of information that you’ll have once the package leave through your door. With the tracking number, you’ll be able to confirm that the customer got their doll and conduct a search if the package will go missing.
Social media
Tactfully share your exciting news with others! It’s the best kind of marketing, people are tempted to purchase something they see others are enjoying as well. It’ll boost your legitimacy and more sales will follow!
I hope this sheds some light on what goes on behind the scenes. Artists usually deal with so much admin work that stays unnoticed. Share some stories about your first sales in the comments below!