Dealing with the crate delivery - need tips!

DFan04 · Post by **DFan04** » Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:02 pm

So I've decided to buy a doll and I've pretty much settled on buying a new Realdoll2. I have the funds allocated and want to place the order but I have a major concern with the shipping of the doll and receiving it into my home.

Currently I share a house with roommates. I have a room to myself that nobody enters but the challenge for me will be to bring the doll into my room without revealing her to any of my roommates. Once the doll is in my room it won't really be a problem, and the crate itself can be stored in the basement without attracting much notice.

So essentially, I need to plan to receive the package when I have a whole day to myself in the house and nobody else is here. Is there a good practical way I can arrange this with Abyss or the shipping service they employ? Does anyone have tips for me on how to orchestrate this properly so I can arrange to receive the package on a pre-determined date when I know I'll be alone and uninterrupted? Is there a way to "hold" the package for a period of time until I can pick it up somewhere and bring it back? What are my best options in this situation?

HotDiggityDoll · Post by **HotDiggityDoll** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:32 am

Ask Abyss about this IN AdVANCE and ask them for their couriers phone number and if you can communicate with the courier about this, before placing the order.

It is very difficult to plan the shipping for a specific day. First of all Abyss is not very good at nailing down the day that she will ship. They are quite bad at that in fact... when you place the order you will only know a ballpark estimate of when she should be ready. Then also, they use SEKO (i think it's still SEKO...) an independant delivery company. And their dispatch isn't actually driving. there can be unexpected delays etc. So there are a lot of variables.

So your best bet would be to ask their delivery company if there is a place they can ship to near you and hold her for pick up there. Confirm this with them before placing your order.

Otherwise it's plan B, place order, cross your fingers and hope!

sloopjohnb · Post by **sloopjohnb** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:40 am

Another thought might be a u storage locker for a month. Have it delivered at the storage locker site, while you are present, locker her up till everyone is gone. Take her home, bang the shit out of her. Go get the crate and cancel your storage.

djcdoll · Post by **djcdoll** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:15 am

My RealDoll Dani was an international delivery to the UK. However the shipping was still handled by SEKO.
SEKO communicated with me throughout the shipping process via email.
Once she was in the UK and I'd paid up all the taxes etc, SEKO then asked me when I would like Dani to be delivered to my home.
Dani was delivered exactly on time and the brilliant delivery driver helped me get the huge crate inside my home.

So I think you can ask SEKO to deliver your girl when it's convenient for you.
Once you get your SEKO shipping number I suggest getting in touch with them to discuss your options.
Hope that helps.

upsux · Post by **upsux** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 10:03 am

^ This - when the doll is shipped you'll have tracking and contact numbers with Seko, just call them and let them know which day (on or near the estimated date) that you'll be available to sign. Just be blunt and say this is when you'll be there, they don't want to mess around with guessing if someone will be home so they'll gladly hold her a bit if it means not wasting a trip.

Fitz62 · Post by **Fitz62** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:46 am

You will need an appliance dolly to move the crate, you can rent them at U-Haul

HotDiggityDoll · Post by **HotDiggityDoll** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:56 am

SEKO did not operate in my area, I had to pick up at the airport. They only delivered the doll from Abyss to the airport in the US.

So difinately want to call and speak with them a little in advance.

DFan04 · Post by **DFan04** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 5:37 pm

sloopjohnb wrote:Another thought might be a u storage locker for a month. Have it delivered at the storage locker site, while you are present, locker her up till everyone is gone. Take her home, bang the shit out of her. Go get the crate and cancel your storage.

This seems to be one of the better options in my situation. Will Abyss or the shipping company notify me of the exact day the doll will be delivered so I can, in fact, wait at the Storage Locker site to intercept the delivery?

What do you think I'd need to do with the storage company, and what kind of equipment would I need, and what do I need to tell Abyss and/or the shipping company to make this happen smoothly?

I already own a hand-cart that's about 4' tall that can move heavy boxes - will this be enough to move the crate around or do I need something special? Will I also need to rent a van to take the crate to my house or will a car suffice?

sloopjohnb · Post by **sloopjohnb** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:05 pm

Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking.

upsux · Post by **upsux** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:38 pm

DFan04 wrote:
sloopjohnb wrote:Another thought might be a u storage locker for a month. Have it delivered at the storage locker site, while you are present, locker her up till everyone is gone. Take her home, bang the shit out of her. Go get the crate and cancel your storage.

This seems to be one of the better options in my situation. Will Abyss or the shipping company notify me of the exact day the doll will be delivered so I can, in fact, wait at the Storage Locker site to intercept the delivery?

What do you think I'd need to do with the storage company, and what kind of equipment would I need, and what do I need to tell Abyss and/or the shipping company to make this happen smoothly?

I already own a hand-cart that's about 4' tall that can move heavy boxes - will this be enough to move the crate around or do I need something special? Will I also need to rent a van to take the crate to my house or will a car suffice?

Prior to Abyss shipping the crate you'll want to have the address changed to the storage facility. The staff at the storage place aren't going to give a shit what you're doing so long as you aren't burning the place down. Seko uses liftgates and has their own dollies, you'll need to do nothing for delivery except be sure they have access to wherever it's being dropped off at. Seko will also coordinate delivery with you down to the date so they don't waste a trip if you won't be there.

As far as moving the crate home is concerned, it's really big and very doubtful you're fitting it anywhere other than in a van, pickup, or decent sized SUV.

Post by **TJ_Foxx** » Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:46 pm

Just contact Abyss. They are VERY helpful and will work with you as far as WHEN they ship via Seko. Abyss has been doing this for over 20 years. You aren't the first with privacy concerns or that needs to schedule/coordinate delivery.

Seko is excellent with customer service as well. They will work with you as well as long as you have the proper information when you speak with them. You have everything you need in the confirmation email from Abyss.

You will have PLENTY of time to work out the details.

DFan04 · Post by **DFan04** » Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:48 pm

sloopjohnb wrote:Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking.

Eastern PA

DFan04 · Post by **DFan04** » Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:56 pm

upsux wrote:
DFan04 wrote:
sloopjohnb wrote:Another thought might be a u storage locker for a month. Have it delivered at the storage locker site, while you are present, locker her up till everyone is gone. Take her home, bang the shit out of her. Go get the crate and cancel your storage.

This seems to be one of the better options in my situation. Will Abyss or the shipping company notify me of the exact day the doll will be delivered so I can, in fact, wait at the Storage Locker site to intercept the delivery?

What do you think I'd need to do with the storage company, and what kind of equipment would I need, and what do I need to tell Abyss and/or the shipping company to make this happen smoothly?

I already own a hand-cart that's about 4' tall that can move heavy boxes - will this be enough to move the crate around or do I need something special? Will I also need to rent a van to take the crate to my house or will a car suffice?
Prior to Abyss shipping the crate you'll want to have the address changed to the storage facility. The staff at the storage place aren't going to give a shit what you're doing so long as you aren't burning the place down. Seko uses liftgates and has their own dollies, you'll need to do nothing for delivery except be sure they have access to wherever it's being dropped off at. Seko will also coordinate delivery with you down to the date so they don't waste a trip if you won't be there.

As far as moving the crate home is concerned, it's really big and very doubtful you're fitting it anywhere other than in a van, pickup, or decent sized SUV.

So if this crate is as sizeable and heavy as people are saying it might be better just to coordinate delivery on a date when I'm alone in our house. If I go the storage locker route I have to rent a van and maneuver this crate around from the locker to the van and then back to my house and hope I don't mess anything up. Whereas if I get Seko to deliver right to my house on a predetermined date I can theoretically have them wheel it right into the garage and then I can proceed from there.

Will the crate fit through standard sized doors in a house? Like if Seko drops the crate off in the garage, and I want to move the crate to the basement after I've removed the doll, will it be reasonably manageable to then shuffle the crate through the house into the basement? So if I coordinate a specific date with Seko will they hold the crate at their facility until that date or how does that work?

WaffleAnomaly · Post by **WaffleAnomaly** » Sat Aug 31, 2019 6:59 pm

You could just be brazen about it and not try to hide it

(Unless the roommates are total randoms and not good friends)

I've only heard good things about Abyss's delivery service, so I'm sure you could arrange something either way.

Semi-related, do you have a plan for when(if) your landlord/maintenance does inspections/repairs?

Also about the crate: https://www.realdoll.com/knowledgebase/ ... s-shipped/

approximately 6’x2’x2′ and weighs about 200 lbs when loaded; the door is secured by screws.

upsux · Post by **upsux** » Sat Aug 31, 2019 7:21 pm

DFan04 wrote:Will the crate fit through standard sized doors in a house? Like if Seko drops the crate off in the garage, and I want to move the crate to the basement after I've removed the doll, will it be reasonably manageable to then shuffle the crate through the house into the basement? So if I coordinate a specific date with Seko will they hold the crate at their facility until that date or how does that work?

It absolutely will fit through a standard doorway, it'll need to be leaned on it's side but short term that's not a problem.

As far as Seko holding the crate for an additional amount of time, that's their call to coordinate with you. If they planned on delivery Monday but you aren't home til Wednesday then they're holding it of course. You should put the delivery out of your mind, that's the easy part of all this, they'll call you days in advance with the prospective dropoff date for you to confirm everything.

Also, to follow up with Waffle's question about others entering the apartment - in five years I've never been asked by anyone what the crate is for or what's in it besides moving companies, and that was because the declared value was so high and/or I mentioned if anything happened to it I'd go on a rampage.