Selling a traded item

DD265

Sorry I didn't know where to put this, feel free to move! I put it in relationships because I'm trying not to upset people in a community I'm part of, whilst not feeling like I've been taken advantage of.

For many years I collected an item, lets say dolls for the sake of argument. Sometimes we would do 'swaps' which were in effect a secret santa. You'd create one of these dolls and send it to somebody, then receive a handmade doll of your own from a different artist. So it's a trade, but a many-ways trade rather than simply between two different people. I hope that makes sense.

After several years of not actively collecting, I am now looking to sell this collection (which includes 'official' dolls as well as handmade) and one of the artists would like the doll they made me as part of a swap back. At a minimum I feel that they should pay the postage and packaging costs which they have agreed to, but I'm struggling with the idea of 'giving' them the item, and I can't decide whether I'm being unreasonable.

I think it's partly because I'm selling for both space and money so giving it away feels counter intuitive, but partly because they've pointed out the time/effort/money they put into the doll, without acknowledging that I also put time/effort/money into a doll so maybe I'm just being grumpy. :rotfl: On the other hand I have quite a few handmade dolls to move on which are harder to price/sell than the originals, so maybe I should just 'be nice' and let it go; more space, less stress.

Thoughts?

DUTR

Let them buy it back, if they want the item so much, no need for them to emotionally blackmail you about it.

theoretica

Send it to them free including postage if they buy one of the others?
Swap with them for one they are happy for you to sell?

ElefantEd

They are yours: you decide what happens to them.

suejb2

Couple of options.
Can you remember which one of yours you traded with them? Trade back so you both get your original back.
If not ask to trade for another.
Sell it back to them or ask for an offer.
Keep it and sell as a collection..

Tabbytabitha

How much would you sell it for if you could?

shiny76

Whats the item worth compared to your 'relationship' with the other person?

molerat

What sort of value, £5 - £50 - £500 ?

DD265

This particular one I'd probably try to sell for £30ish, but they're difficult to price. That price is definitely not reflective of the effort that went into it, but it's a fairly niche market whereas the originals have a wider target audience. I do have others which I perceive to be worth more, and others less.

I suspect if I put them on eBay for example, some would sell very quickly for the asking price and others would hang around so I'd end up reducing prices.

In terms of my relationship with the individual, we don't really have one beyond that original transaction but given that I want to sell this collection, I'd rather not tarnish my reputation (unfairly or deservedly) in the community.

I decided that for this specific one, I would return it to the artist for postage & packaging, but it's good to get the viewpoints of others who aren't 'emotionally involved'.

LandyAndy

£30! Just send it back to them.

I thought we were talking hundreds.

If you are getting out of this sphere of collecting you'll probably never contact them again anyway.