Tips On Selling Lego

[Ceroknight]

Hello!

I haven't been on Eurobricks for a while now, partially because I was finishing up school (Got my bachelor's degree in architecture!) and the time, space and money I had for Lego has diminished significantly.

I want to sell the Lego collection that has accumulated throughout my time in university for 2 reasons:

1. I move around from country to country for work and school at least twice a year, and I just do not have the space for my collection.

2. I plan on applying for a Masters program and I was hoping to use the money I make towards it.

 

I suppose the main question I have is how I should go about selling my collection.

Would it be better to sell as sets or pieces? I am also planning on selling a bit lower than the average asking price because I would like to sell everything by the end of this year.

 

I hope this is enough information to start a conversation

[deraven]

Do you have the boxes and/or instructions?  I think that's a big factor for deciding value re: selling as sets or pieces.  Generally speaking, you'll get more money for complete sets (more for any with the box as well), but for larger number of lower-value sets you're probably better off selling in lots.  I would sell in lots of sets if you can, rather than bulk brick by the pound or something, as that seems to get the best return.  The caveat to all of that is demand; you'll get more cash for a lot of small, complete sets, but it may take longer to sell.  It'll probably end up as a hybrid of larger/more valuable sets sold separately, mid-level sets in various group lots, and then the remainder as general bulk.  At least, that's my opinion.

Do you have a set list of what's in your collection as a starting point?  Obviously some themes move more quickly than others...

[Cylo]

Yes, you would get more if you sold them separately, you could always sell them as a bulk too.

[Ceroknight]

13 hours ago, deraven said:

Do you have the boxes and/or instructions?  I think that's a big factor for deciding value re: selling as sets or pieces.  Generally speaking, you'll get more money for complete sets (more for any with the box as well), but for larger number of lower-value sets you're probably better off selling in lots.  I would sell in lots of sets if you can, rather than bulk brick by the pound or something, as that seems to get the best return.  The caveat to all of that is demand; you'll get more cash for a lot of small, complete sets, but it may take longer to sell.  It'll probably end up as a hybrid of larger/more valuable sets sold separately, mid-level sets in various group lots, and then the remainder as general bulk.  At least, that's my opinion.

Do you have a set list of what's in your collection as a starting point?  Obviously some themes move more quickly than others...

 

4 hours ago, JarJarBonks said:

Yes, you would get more if you sold them separately, you could always sell them as a bulk too.

Thank you for your responses!

I just threw away the boxes and instructions hours before opening this topic...that seems like a mistake now.

They are all Marvel/DC Superhero sets and Starwars Sets (ranging in the small to medium size) I also have 79003: An Unexpected Gathering from the Hobbit line too.

You guys both mentioned selling in bulk, does that mean I should sell on Ebay rather than Bricklink?

I will make an index of my sets very soon - that seems to be the first step of this.

[Ceroknight]

Update

I've quickly compiled the sets I am selling on Brickset

https://brickset.com/sets/list-25455

Also, what do you guys think of selling the sets and minifigures separately?

I am asking because personally, especially for superhero sets the minifigures are always the same (Batman, Spiderman) and repeating the same minifigure kind of hindered me in buying some sets.

[Cylo]

7 hours ago, Ceroknight said:

 

Thank you for your responses!

I just threw away the boxes and instructions hours before opening this topic...that seems like a mistake now.

They are all Marvel/DC Superhero sets and Starwars Sets (ranging in the small to medium size) I also have 79003: An Unexpected Gathering from the Hobbit line too.

You guys both mentioned selling in bulk, does that mean I should sell on Ebay rather than Bricklink?

I will make an index of my sets very soon - that seems to be the first step of this.

It sells quicker on eBay but you also have to pay 10% in Australia, so I dont know about you

[deraven]

Since you don't have that many sets to deal with, here's my quick feedback:  Sell the non-Star Wars minifigures either separately or in lots (like a Marvel Heroes lot, Villians lot, etc.) and the sets in bulk/as bulk brick.  For the SW stuff, sell the complete sets including the minifigs.  Also sell the Hobbit set separately as a complete set.

Ebay will probably be the quickest and easiest way to move that stuff, and since none of it is particularly rare I don't think there'll be much difference in how much you make from them unless you want to take the time to sell them part-by-part on Bricklink (but that will be a whole process and you'll likely end up selling some bricks at a higher rate and then not selling other stuff at all meaning you're then stuck with a less desirable bulk lot to do something with).

Another option if you have it in your locality is to put up the complete sets on Facebook Marketplace - that could work well and by quite easy and quick.

[Ceroknight]

8 hours ago, deraven said:

Since you don't have that many sets to deal with, here's my quick feedback:  Sell the non-Star Wars minifigures either separately or in lots (like a Marvel Heroes lot, Villians lot, etc.) and the sets in bulk/as bulk brick.  For the SW stuff, sell the complete sets including the minifigs.  Also sell the Hobbit set separately as a complete set.

Ebay will probably be the quickest and easiest way to move that stuff, and since none of it is particularly rare I don't think there'll be much difference in how much you make from them unless you want to take the time to sell them part-by-part on Bricklink (but that will be a whole process and you'll likely end up selling some bricks at a higher rate and then not selling other stuff at all meaning you're then stuck with a less desirable bulk lot to do something with).

Another option if you have it in your locality is to put up the complete sets on Facebook Marketplace - that could work well and by quite easy and quick.

This is very helpful, thank you!

In terms of pricing anything, is there a standard? I have only assembled things once and afterwards, they just got put away in storage, so everything is in good condition.

Do I sell them a certain percentage higher or lower to what the retail pricing was?

[fred67]

If you're going to sell on Ebay, I'd check the 6 months sales average on bricklink (for used sets).  It's not perfect, but it's a good way maybe to set your reserve prices.  I would add up to 25% for a buy-it-now option.

I've had bad luck trying to sell here and elsewhere (including Craigslist and Reddit, among others).  But I take that sales average, consider the lowest currently available price on bricklink, and then lop off another 10 to 20% because I figure people don't know me, and they could just as easily buy it from bricklink.  So I feel like I'm offering great prices, and yet i don't have a lot of success selling and I don't know why.  I think one of the problems is that I'm offering pretty much the lowest I'll accept and so some people might think it's a scam to get a set that low; others want to haggle and are turned off when I won't do it.  I think it's a mental thing - I should ask for more to leave in some haggling room, but my mentality asks "why make things more complicated, just ask for what you will accept."

 

[deraven]

11 hours ago, Ceroknight said:

Do I sell them a certain percentage higher or lower to what the retail pricing was?

What fred67 said is a good way to quickly get into the ballpark.  If you had boxes and instructions, I would be asking more than original retail price.  Just the parts (in like-new condition), I'd start at retail and then adjust based on average SOLD prices on eBay and prevailing asking prices on Bricklink.  Go a little lower to move them more quickly, and add the 2 sentences of your personal story about why you're selling as (to fred67's other point) that helps people connect with and trust you as a seller regardless of other factors.

[Lordoflego]

Throwing away instructions was a mistake, no way to get them back?

I saw old ant man set in there, sell that one as a whole set, that one will get you pretty penny

[Ceroknight]

21 hours ago, fred67 said:

If you're going to sell on Ebay, I'd check the 6 months sales average on bricklink (for used sets).  It's not perfect, but it's a good way maybe to set your reserve prices.  I would add up to 25% for a buy-it-now option.

I've had bad luck trying to sell here and elsewhere (including Craigslist and Reddit, among others).  But I take that sales average, consider the lowest currently available price on bricklink, and then lop off another 10 to 20% because I figure people don't know me, and they could just as easily buy it from bricklink.  So I feel like I'm offering great prices, and yet i don't have a lot of success selling and I don't know why.  I think one of the problems is that I'm offering pretty much the lowest I'll accept and so some people might think it's a scam to get a set that low; others want to haggle and are turned off when I won't do it.  I think it's a mental thing - I should ask for more to leave in some haggling room, but my mentality asks "why make things more complicated, just ask for what you will accept."

 

 

12 hours ago, deraven said:

What fred67 said is a good way to quickly get into the ballpark.  If you had boxes and instructions, I would be asking more than original retail price.  Just the parts (in like-new condition), I'd start at retail and then adjust based on average SOLD prices on eBay and prevailing asking prices on Bricklink.  Go a little lower to move them more quickly, and add the 2 sentences of your personal story about why you're selling as (to fred67's other point) that helps people connect with and trust you as a seller regardless of other factors.

Thank you for the advice, this really is very helpful!

11 hours ago, Lordoflego said:

Throwing away instructions was a mistake, no way to get them back?

I saw old ant man set in there, sell that one as a whole set, that one will get you pretty penny

I just assumed there are so many resources online such as Lego, Brickset etc that the instructions didn't mean so much

[MAB]

On 8/30/2018 at 4:38 PM, Ceroknight said:

I just assumed there are so many resources online such as Lego, Brickset etc that the instructions didn't mean so much

 

They do, especially for larger sets. Try building a set from a pdf onscreen and you'll realise why!