"Duplo Parts Only" Bricklink store - experiences and advices

[qbrick]

I was wanting to get an understanding if a "Duplo Parts Only" store is worth the time and effort on bricklink, in as much as it would have no sets in the inventory, just large quantities of bricks and duplo minifigures.

There would be no normal lego parts to prop up the store, it would be duplo parts only.  It appears at face value that the ROI would not be there (time that is, not so much profit)

I get a sense that the duplo minifigures might move ok, but that I would end up stuck with large inventory of red, blue and other primary color duplo bricks that would be hard to move.

Has any one tried such an endeavor before - what was your experience?  Is used duplo worth the squeeze, or it is more suited to donation / landfill?

[Jack Sassy]

1 hour ago, qbrick said:

I would end up stuck with large inventory of red, blue and other primary color duplo bricks that would be hard to move.

Many people use Duplo bricks to fill out enormous areas of a MOC, therefore such store as this could be helpful. That is just my opinion, surely someone who has experience selling Duplo can give ye a better insight into the matter. 

[deraven]

4 hours ago, Jack Sassy said:

Many people use Duplo bricks to fill out enormous areas of a MOC

Came here to say the same thing.  Not sure how many folks would want to buy specific Duplo pieces they way we do for System/Technic stuff, but there's definitely a market for it in general.  I would suggest perhaps offering bricks in lots, and maybe even not taking the time to inventory by color if the demand isn't there.  That is, offer 10x 2x4 bricks in a lot, sold as random colors, and decent but not necessarily pristine condition so you don't have to spend hardly any time on picking orders.  Also, find what shipping box works for the Duplo dimensions so you can do that efficiently.

Just my initial thought on it.  Obviously you'd want to inventory minifigs and other more interesting parts individually and see if there's any interest in them, but I do think the highest demand would be for more "standard" bricks in quantity.  For anything you don't want to sell that way, absolutely consider donating them or even throwing up a large mixed lot for a nominal price, plus shipping for someone who wants it vs trashing it!

[Redhead1982]

My experience is that families often search for animals and figs as they have more play value in the early years. Later, when kids get bigger and try to build something other than a 2x2 duplo towers, there's a high demand for bricks and other parts. So, it's not an easy choice to set or not a DUPLO parts only store. If you have a DUPLO collection to sell, searching secondary markets locally might be better. From my experience, new parent search for DUPLO more often outside Bricklink and more locally, avoiding also shipping costs. Duplo is bigger and bulkier that System, so that' another downside. Personally, I plan to sell my kid's Duplo bricks locally, either at local events or online at secondary/flea markets.

[PassengerJet]

Yeah you should have no difficulty finding a local buyer for duplo. I don't think that Bricklink would be your best venue for duplo sales.

[MAB]

When I first started selling on BL, it was mainly duplo parts that my kids had grown out of. Animals and the better minifigures sell well (knights, pirates, etc). Town type figures don't sell very well. Zoo animals sold very well, as did Thomas the Tank Engine (and friends) parts / trains, and regular trains parts and duplo track. Toolo also sold really well. Princess Castle eventually sold but took some time. The basic bricks, forget it. Although people do bulk out builds with them, people are not going to make large orders for them on their own. They are heavy and bulky, meaning postage can kill an order. You are probably best off selling the valuable parts on BL, then doing a local pick-up for the heavy bulk.