Idressdolls.com

Doll Panties for Dawn Dolls

2012-02-07T15:04:00.000-05:00

Dawn Doll Panties Semi Sheer Nylon for Vintage or Modern Dawn

Available in the colors shown

$18.00 for 10 Pair (units) with free shipping
$9.00 for 5 Pair (units) free shipping
$2.80 each for less than 5 pair. Shipping is included

To Order:

Made to fit:

6.5" Vintage Dawn Doll by Topper
6.5" New Dawn doll by Checkerboard Toys
Also fits the dolls pictured

Shipping

I ship within 2 business days unless my store is closed for vacation or it is a postal holiday

Guarantee

100% money back guarantee

Fine Print

For adult collectors and not intended for children under 12 years old
Dolls and props not included
I am not associated with any doll company and all doll names are the property of the manufacturer
Doll sizes are not an industry standard. I selected and named them for my own designs.
Made in the USA by me from my own patterns

$30 Million Dollar Ebay Class Action Settlement and my 4 Cents Worth

2011-12-08T08:36:00.001-05:00

Last week I got a check in the mail. How exciting--I mean with the holidays coming up and all. I eagerly tore open the envelope.

This is my portion of the eBay Motors Class Action Lawsuit that was originally filed July 27, 2010.

The plaintiffs alleged that eBay charged incorrect Final Value Fees for selling items in the vehicle-related parts and accessories categories on eBay Motors (“Parts and Accessories”) between April 21, 2005 and August 26, 2009.

On December 20, 2010, a judge agreed and awarded a settlement of $30 Million Dollars.

Out of $30 Million Dollars....I got 4 cents. Better than 2 cents.

I'm Robin Push Puppet Sells for $2499 on eBay

2011-12-07T06:32:00.001-05:00

I'm Robin from the Batman and Robin series, a circa 1969 Kohner Push Puppet, recently sold on ebay for almost $2500.

The other half of the Dynamic Duo, I'm Batman, sold for $559.

Kohner Brothers was founded in 1874 by Moritz Khoner while he lived in the Tachau Region of Europe, now part of the Czech Republic. Well known for their wood toys, Kohner Brothers started making plastic toys in 1955. To learn more, Click Here.

Thank you so much to ebay seller t oolauction01 for the fantastic photos.

© 2011 idressdolls.com

How to Earn Money with your PayPal Account

2011-12-06T18:57:00.001-05:00

You may already be familiar with PayPal as one of the most popular ways to pay for purchases online, but, did you know you that you can earn money while spending money?

You can if you have a Premier or Business PayPal account and a PayPal Debit Master Card.

When you use a PayPal Debit Master Card as a credit card and sign for the purchase, you will receive 1% cash back. PayPal deposits your cash back earnings into your account the first week of every month.

The PayPal Debit Master Card is the fastest way for you to access your PayPal funds. If you have income from Etsy, ebay or other online income streams, you can make a sale, receive payment and spend the proceeds right away at your local grocery or mall.

Here are some strategies for earning a nice cash back bonus.

When paying with your PayPal Debit Card, sign for your purchase instead of using your PIN to earn the cash reward.
Pay your Etsy, ebay or other online fees with your PayPal Debit card as a credit card and earn the cash reward.
When shopping online, even on a site that accepts PayPal, use your card as a credit card instead and earn the cash reward
Pay at the pump for gasoline and earn the cash reward
Before going on vacation or making a cash purchase for a big-ticket item, transfer money from your bank account to PayPal. Use your PayPal Debit card to pay for your purchase and earn the cash reward.
Register to pay your utilities and other monthly expenses online. Use your PayPal Debit card as a credit card and earn the cash reward.
Sign up for Balance Manager, a PayPal service that lets you set up an automated bank transfer to your PayPal account. If you know you need a certain amount every week for gasoline, groceries or other expenses, transfer that amount to your PayPal account and then use your PayPal Debit card to earn the cash reward.

There is no charge for the PayPal Debit MasterCard or to use the Balance Manager.

Some restrictions apply. Daily spending and ATM limits apply and you must enroll in the Preferred Payments Rewards Program. To learn more, visit the PayPal website.

https://personal.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=marketing_us/debit_card

Goodwill Sells High End Merchandise on Ebay

2011-12-02T06:18:00.001-05:00

I was in our local Goodwill last week and I overheard a customer ask about jewelry. At this store, jewelry was kept in a glass case at the check-out counter. Most of the jewelry offered was inexpensive costume jewelry but I once bought a nice silver bracelet and would occasionally find a cute vintage pin.

The clerk answered the customer's question by telling him that all the jewelry was now sent to a distribution center where it was sorted and sold online.

Goodwill is a non-profit industry, but its goal is to make as much money as it can in order to provide jobs and help to the local community. Goodwill has helped billions of needy families since it was founded in 1902. In 2010, the estimated earnings of people who found a job through Goodwill's help was 2.7 billion dollars.

Goodwill has a strong presence on eBay, as seen in this YouTube Video http://youtu.be/kXub6o5H6Bg .

Below is a list of a few of the Goodwill Stores you can find on eBay

Goodwill San Francisco
Goodwill Maine
Goodwill DC
Goodwill Seattle
Goodwill Tacoma/Books
Goodwill Books (Portland OR)
Goodwill Western New York
Goodwill Clarksville Indiana ebook Division (Bridgepoint Books)

In addition to selling on eBay, Goodwill has its own online auction site:

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/

While I am sad to see the quality of items in my local store disappear, I admire the accomplishments of the Goodwill organization. Because of the generosity of those who donate, Goodwill can provide jobs. That is admirable in this economy. To learn more about Goodwill and its mission visit the website:

http://www.goodwill.org/

© 2011 idressdolls.com

What Does Black Friday Mean?

2011-11-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

I was trying to help my daughter explain to my grandsons the meaning of Black Friday. She told them that it was a day when retailers were said to make a profit, or operate in the black.

The oldest said, "Then why not call it Green Friday?"

"It refers to when adding machines printed a negative balance in red and a positive balance in black," I commented

His next question? "What is an adding machine?"

I should have told him to Google it.

© 2011 idressdolls.com

What Dolls Should I Collect?

2011-11-11T11:32:00.003-05:00

Dolls at the 2010 Doll Show in Naples, Florida

If you are new to doll collecting, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of dolls on the market today. Perhaps you have inherited doll or have a favorite doll from your childhood. That is how many doll collectors get started. You may be asking yourself these questions:

Should I collect antique dolls or modern dolls?
How much is my childhood doll worth?
Are OOAK (one of a kind) dolls a good value?
What dolls will increase in value?
Should I buy for investment only?
How do I know what to buy?

Most experienced doll collectors agree that the most important rule of thumb when collecting dolls is to collect dolls you enjoy. There is no right and wrong way to build a collection if you keep this in mind.

I have known collectors who only purchased fixer dolls at yard sales and spent hours styling their hair and making new outfits for them. I have also known collectors with deeper pockets who purchased only museum quality dolls which they housed in climate-controlled cases. Both collectors received equal enjoyment from their collections.

Investment is important, of course, but like other investments, doll values will fluctuate. If there comes time when you must sell your dolls, you may find that you will receive a huge return on some dolls and that you may lose money on others.

Education is the key to collecting. Money is made when you buy and not when you sell, so learn all you can about your hobby.

Research online or at your public library. Attend doll shows and other doll events in your area. Join a doll club.

The United Federation of Doll Clubs is a great source of information. The website has a list of doll clubs and a calendar of events. You can be a member at large if joining a local club is not convenient for you.

Read and study. Many doll collectors have a large library of books about dolls. That's just a side effect of the doll collecting hobby.

Above all have fun and enjoy your dolls!

Christmas Collectibles

2011-11-10T13:33:00.001-05:00

Decorating for the Holidays often includes favorite items that may have been handed down through your family, received as a gift or that you purchased. As you unpack boxes of Christmas decorations, memories bring smiles and sometimes--tears--as you remember loved ones and events of the past.

Christmas collectibles offer many areas of interest such as Christmas Dinnerware, Collectible Ornaments, Nativity Scenes, Snow Globes, Miniature Villages, Santas, Angels, Candle Holders and many, many more. And, there is something in every price range from a few dollars to thousands of dollars.

Relco Japan Noel Candle Holders Circa 1950

This Noel candle holder set includes the original box and the original candles. It is circa 1950

Table set for Tea with Christmas Dinnerware. The wooden angel candle holder is handmade

You can take a virtual tour of the only Christmas Museum located in the United States or you can visit the National Christmas Center in Paradise Pennsylvania if you are in the area. Visit the website for more information

National Christmas Center

Contemporary Christmas Collectibles is a comprehensive guide by Beth Dees.

Find it Here

Christmas Collectibles Buying Guide on ebay is a wealth of information and is sure to give you some great collecting ideas.

Queen Victoria's Boomers sell for $14, 950!

2011-11-09T16:46:00.000-05:00

This is interesting to me because I make doll underwear I suppose. And, its not every day I read that a pair of underwear sold at auction for almost fifteen thousand dollars.

Queen Victoria on left and Kate Bain from Lyon and Turnbull auctioneers holding the bloomers on the right.

The large white silk undergarments that once belonged to Britain's Queen Victoria, were purchased by anonymous buyer for more than three times the estimate during an auction of items from London's Old Battersea House, the London home of the Forbes family.

According to Kovels, a pair of the Queen's underwear sold in 1979 for $417. Investing in underwear--who would believe it.

Saw this in a Thrift Shop

2011-11-04T07:47:00.000-04:00

Once in awhile you see something out of the ordinary in a thrift shop. This was at the Second Act Thrift Shop on US 41 in Ft Myers.

What is my Doll Worth?

2011-10-27T09:07:00.000-04:00

I am often asked about the value of a doll. Most of the time there is no easy answer.

When it comes to estimating the worth of a doll, the age-old rule of supply and demand come into play. As with any collectible, condition and scarcity determines the price.

I started collecting dolls and selling doll clothing in the late 1980's with a small booth at a local antique mall. I also sold doll clothes at local doll shows and craft bazaars. Mostly I sold doll clothes for two very popular dolls, American Girl and Barbie.

As I became more interested in dolls as a hobby, I took a correspondence course on doll repair by the Lifetime Career Schools and became a member of the United Federation of Doll Clubs through my local club.

Tracking doll trends became second nature to me and I have seen highs and lows in the secondary market.

The first real doll frenzy I remember was the Cabbage Patch craze of 1983-84. Fights broke out between parents at stores and employees who gave special favors to friends were fired--all because of a hard-to-find doll.

Then came the 1988 Holiday Barbie shortage. My two daughters and I were big-time Barbie doll collectors then and I ordered three dolls for Christmas. (one was for me!) The cost was high for a Barbie---about $35. Little did I know and little did Mattel know, that they would be such a big hit or that demand would outpace supply. A 1988 Holiday Barbie recently sold for $227 on ebay. 1988 Holiday Barbie Search

However, in 1989. I sold my original 1988 Holiday Barbie when demand was high for $600!

Incidents like this set off a doll collecting mania that most doll experts agree peaked in 1995. Dolls flew off the shelves and some sold for double, triple or several times more than their original cost on the secondary market. They became an "investment" and suddenly closets, spare rooms and storage units were filled with dolls in original boxes.

I had friends who would buy two dolls for their daughter--one for play and one to pay for college. Seriously.

Quite honestly, those days are gone. This is due to many factors but overproduction by the manufacturers is the root of the problem. Add to this the state of the economy. All those investment dolls are flooding the market as investors try to unload hoards of dolls. Too much supply. Not enough demand.

If your doll was one of the mass-produced Barbie dolls or porcelain dolls from the 1980's-1990's you cannot expect to receive what you paid for the doll. These dolls are going for sometimes 75-90% less than their original cost and sometimes do not even get a bid on ebay. In fact, many mass-produced dolls made after this era bring less than their original value.

It should be added here, as suggested by a fellow doll collector, that downturns in the market are an excellent time to buy a doll you really love.

At one time doll collecting was the second most popular hobby behind coin collecting. Now it is not even in the top ten. That is not to say that this is the end of doll collecting--not even close.

But tastes and habits change. Today you will find that doll collectors enjoy their hobby more. Gone are the days of buying a doll and never removing it from the box. Dolls are not only taken out of the box, but they are often completely changed with new outfits, new wigs, and sometimes, even new eyes and face paint!

Doll manufacturers encourage their customers to enjoy their collections. Robert Tonner of the Tonner Doll Company says it best. His company motto is "Believe in the Power of Play"

Don't buy dolls for investment only. Buy dolls you love. They will always be a good value.

© 2011 idressdolls.com

Dollabee - A New Doll Market

2011-10-25T18:48:00.001-04:00

What is Dollabee? A classified marketplace for dolls

Why is it so exciting?

Because it is a classified marketplace for dolls AND because it is free!

My Dollabee Page

http://dollabee.com/author/idressdolls/

Cinnamon and Jason Miles are co-founders of Liberty Jane Clothing. According to the Dollabee website, Cinnamon Miles has been called, "The Vera Wang of the 18 inch crowd" Jason Miles is the marketer and technical webmaster.

As successful entrepreneurs, they saw a need in the marketplace and sought to find a solution. They wondered, "What would an ideal marketplace look like?" They came up with a Craigslist-type-site exclusively focused on Dolls.

They sought to make it fun and inviting---And, they did!

They thought that it shouldn’t charge money to buy or sell--and it doesn't. That's right--its free!

If you want a featured listing, its very reasonable--only $5 for a week

Dollabee is a classified website for collectors selling original dolls and doll items and for seamstresses and designers to sell handcrafted clothing and accessories. No mass produced items will be allowed unless they are authentic ‘branded’ items originally sold for American Girl or another authentic doll brand.

On Dollabee, you can create a complete listing or link to an existing Etsy or Ebay listing.

Now you see why I think this is such a great idea!

Visit the site and read the Brand New Start Here page to get started buying and selling.

http://dollabee.com/

© 2011 idressdolls.com

Lehigh Acres Florida is a Nice Place to Live

2011-10-18T10:03:00.000-04:00

Lehigh Acres, Florida...a nice place to live.

© 2011 idressdolls.com

Ebay Moneymaker - Remington Tight Curls

2011-10-14T07:42:00.000-04:00

I am always looking for things to sell on ebay and my online friend ebay Selling Coach, Suzanne Wells, tipped me off to this item--Remington Tight Curls Hot Rollers. Until I read her blog post about this item, I had no idea they would be a "hot" selling item on ebay.

A couple of weeks ago, I found a set missing its cover at one of my local thrift shops. I thought the cover had probably been broken and thrown away.

I don't often go to this store since it is not on my way to anywhere during the week but I happened to be in the area and stopped. So glad I did.

Ok...so the funny thing is that this week I stopped at the store again and there on the shelf was the missing cover! I spoke to the manager and explained that I had purchased the set of rollers last week but the cover was missing. "This is the cover" I said. Then, he gave it to me. What a nice man!

Remington Tight Curls on ebay

© 2011 idressdolls.com

Halloween Collectibles

2011-10-13T19:35:00.000-04:00

Many folks like to decorate for Halloween and ebay is a great place to look for Halloween collectibles

One of my favorite YouTube Channel is Kovels Antiques. They recently posted this informative video about Halloween Collectibles

Halloween Collectibles on ebay

1967 GI Joe Nurse sells for $2000 on ebay

2011-01-14T10:09:00.000-05:00

Do you have one of these stored away in your closet?

Madame Alexander Cissy Dress Sells for $2025!

2011-01-06T07:05:00.002-05:00

This rare original dress for the Madame Alexander Cissy Doll recently sold for more than $2000 on ebay.

According to the description, the dress was untagged and included a pair of replacement heels. No doll was included in the auction.

Etsy vs eBay Cost Comparison

2010-04-14T11:47:00.012-04:00

For some time I have been asked why I did not have an Etsy store as well as my eBay store.

This week, I decided to take the plunge and give Etsy a try: http://www.etsy.com/shop/idressdollsetsy

I still have my ebay Store: http://stores.ebay.com/idressdolls

What I noticed right away was a major difference in fee structure. Etsy collects fees primarily on the front end while eBay collects fees primarily on the back end. I think Etsy charges its fees up front because they don't have the traffic yet that ebay has.

Quite frankly, this type of fee structure is one reason why I haven't opened an Etsy store before now. Let me show you what I mean.

Ebay Cost for 100 Listings:

With my Premium Store membership of $50, each listing costs 5 cents. So--for 100 listings my total cost is $55.00 per month.

100 x .05 = $5.00 + $50 = 55.00 or .55 per listing for 100 listings. (the more items I list in my eBay store, the less I pay per item listed)

Etsy Cost for 100 Lisitings

Etsy charges 20 cents per listing for 4 months for a total of $5.00 per month for 100 listings.

100 listings x .05 = $5.00 = .05 per listing for 100 listings.

So far so good--Etsy looks like the better bargain.

But what if I have more than one item per listing? What if I have, for example, 36 of each?

The cost for ebay is the same. For each listing I can have as many items per listing as I want without incurring additional fees

eBay: $55.00 for 100 listings with 3600 items.

Etsy charges for each item not each listing.

Etsy: $180.00 for 100 listings with 3600 items .

What does it cost to sell? There is a big difference here.

Etsy charges 3.5% Final Value Fee

Ebay charges 12% Final Value Fee (for my category of doll clothing)

Lets compare the selling cost for $1000. in sales

Etsy: $1000 sales x 3.5% = $35.00

eBay: $1000 sales x 12% = $120.00

Conclusion:

eBay Cost for 3600 items listed and sales of $1000

$55.00 (listing fees) + $120.00 (selling fees) = $175.00 or almost 18%

Etsy Cost for 3600 items listed and sales of $1000

$180.00 (listing fees) + $35.00 (selling fees) = $225.00 or almost 23%

As you can see, it will cost me $50 more a month for an Etsy store if I list the same amount of items and have the same total sales. If I list less items on Etsy but have the same total sales, my Etsy costs would go down.

What if I sell half as much--only $500?

Ebay to sell $500 and list 3600 items = $115.00 or almost 23%

Etsy to sell $500 and list 3600 items = $197.50 or almost 40%

As far as cost comparison of Etsy vs Ebay?

Etsy charges more to list.

Ebay charges more to sell.

But, the true cost is the total fees of listing and selling.

Another little side issue. When I was setting up my Etsy store, I realized I had listed two items more than one time. Bummer. I had to end two listings. On eBay, that mistake would have cost me 10 cents. On Etsy, that mistake cost me $4.80. Ouch!

Etsy is a excellent venue for OOAK or custom made handmade items, but for what I sell and how I sell, it may not be the best option for me. We will just have to see.

This is just a cost comparison of my store listings, your situation might be completely different. I used the 100 listings number to make the math easier.

Antique Doll House Sold on eBay $7500 BIN

2010-04-13T19:34:00.000-04:00

This beautiful three-story antique doll house recently sold on ebay with a Buy It Now price of $7500.

According to the auction description it was manufactured in the early 1900's by Silber & Fleming, a notable English manufacturer of doll houses. It is 23" tall in the front, 7" deep and 12" wide. A very nice size for display.

The townhouse includes five antique doll house dolls and all the furnishings. I think it is incredible!

Doll House and Miniatures Search

Ebay Achievement Award!

2010-03-12T11:30:00.001-05:00

New 2010 Dolls

2010-02-26T17:16:00.013-05:00

OOAK Barbie with Diamonds sells for $7500 on Ebay

2010-02-08T18:57:00.000-05:00

This fabulous OOAK (one of a kind) Customized Barbie doll recently sold on ebay for $7500. She is by Lorraine Schwartz who is a member of the CFDA, Council of Fashion Designers of America.

The Barbie Basic Doll Series features high-fashion Barbie Model Muse dolls dressed in "The Little Black Dress" The basic doll is accessorized with more than six carats of real diamonds.

Diamonds are a girls best friend and Barbie is no exception!

Am I Speaking Dollese?

2010-02-04T08:19:00.002-05:00

Last night I shut the computer down at about 10 pm and I woke this morning to four emails from a buyer with a pair of doll panties that did not fit her doll. I had sent the size she ordered but they were the wrong size for the doll who needed them.

I emailed back and tried to explain why the doll panties didn't fit and I sent her a Pay Pal refund. Then, I tried to tell her how to order the right size. I hope that helps.

To put it simply, dolls are like people and even if they are the same height, they can't always wear the same size clothes. Think skinny fashion model vs overweight grandma like me. If I would lose weight, I could wear a smaller size. Yeah!

You often hear that technically knowledgeable people talk in "geek speak" or that church people speak "Churchese" which according to the Urban Dictionary means "Words that are common within the church setting and are familiar to only those who attend church"

I wonder if I am guilty of speaking "Dollese"---a foreign language to non-doll people.

From past experience, I know that bullet points are best in descriptions because people do not read long paragraphs. As Sergeant Friday used to say, "Just the Facts Please"

Ebay has adopted the long-standing brick and mortar retail policy that the customer is always right. That's ok with me. That's how I want to be treated.

I know that buyers don't like lots of warnings in eBay listings and they don't want the seller to make them feel foolish. For sure, I don't want to offend a potential customer.

But, I am open to suggestions about how I might word the descriptions more effectively so that non-doll people might better understand. Seriously--if you have a good idea--I'm willing to listen.

My Love-Hate Relationship With My Washing Machine

2010-01-23T09:24:00.002-05:00

Suppose there is a fire and you must escape from an upstairs window using a twisted up sheet as a rope. My GE washing machine could help you do that!

Suppose you wanted your best dress shirt to be a wet, twisted mess that you could use as a weapon to whack an unsuspecting burgler. My GE washing machine could help you do that!

I equally dislike my GE refrigerator which has a shelving system designed by an alien from outer space.

Both appliances came with the house. My sincere apologies to GE employees, but, I would never buy another GE appliance.

My husband thinks these complaints are minor inconveniences and I have to agree with him. This is the type of washing machine my mother used.

I know I should put things in perspective. I have lived in apartments with no washer and dryer. I have spent hours in a laundromat. I have owned refrigerators that I had to defrost myself.

I could be living in a third-world country where you have to carry water or do laundry at the river.

I should be thankful for what I have.

Wind Chime Song

2010-01-09T08:43:00.002-05:00

Wind Chime Song

Windy nights make me chime

All night long

All the time

Chiming out my little rhyme

Windy nights make me chime

© 2010 Shirley E Childers