To help us over a financial hump, I'm thinking of selling off 90% of my Lego collection, keeping only what I usually build with (I'm a fan of micro-builds) and some extremely long-term investment sets.
In your expert opinion, what's the smartest way to sell off an AFOL collection? Should I put it all up on Craigslist or eBay as a complete collection? Should I create separate listings based on era, theme, or condition? Should I part every piece out on Bricklink? I know that there are a million ways to go and that each collection should be handled differently, but any general advice?
Here's the kind of stuff I have:
20ish NIB 600-800 piece Star Wars sets (From 2009 and later)
30ish Used but complete Star Wars sets in ziplock backs w/ instructions but no box
20ish NIB other theme sets (Friends, City, LOTR, etc)
One of every CMF, sealed in bags
One each of most Ideas sets, NIB
200 Star Wars minifigs
1000 Other minifigs
100+ lbs of Bulk bricks
No ULTRA collectible sets, but LOTS of nice middle-ground stuff
So, not the world's largest collection, but a big lot, for sure.
Thanks for the input!
Best way to sell a collection?
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- SpaceViking
- Royal Guardian
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:49 am
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
The answer may depend on your time frame. Do you need funds right now? or are you planning for a big purchase in the fall/winter?
Now is not a great time of year to be selling LEGO. Most people are focused on outside activities this time of the year, and LEGO tends to be in less demand. If you can wait 'til fall, when the holiday buying season starts, you might get better prices and/or clear it out faster.
If you need funds right away, I would list the whole collection as one or two bulk lots, and list it for local pickup. There are a few options on where to list it: brickclassifieds, bricksetforum, and here are a few of the options. Craigslist is an option too. I would post what you think the total value is, and then ask for 20%-30% less than that. If you can draft a spreadsheet to send to potential buyers, with an estimate of what each item would sell for individually, you'll probably find a buyer rather quickly.
If you have some time to sell, then I would go with what you feel most comfortable with. EBay has a wide audience, and is the best forum for odds an ends. Bricklink is nice for sought-after sets and or minifigs. Each marketplace has pluses and minuses, so it'll be up to you to decide where you're most comfortable.
Know that listing, boxing, and shipping a number of sets will take a fair amount of work. For me, personally, it takes about 20 minutes to fulfill an individual set order. Sorting and picking individual piece orders will take much longer than that. If you decide to go this route, I recommend listing a few minifigs on bricklink or ebay to test the water. After you sell and ship those, then you'll have a better idea of the work involved for yourself.
Good luck!
Now is not a great time of year to be selling LEGO. Most people are focused on outside activities this time of the year, and LEGO tends to be in less demand. If you can wait 'til fall, when the holiday buying season starts, you might get better prices and/or clear it out faster.
If you need funds right away, I would list the whole collection as one or two bulk lots, and list it for local pickup. There are a few options on where to list it: brickclassifieds, bricksetforum, and here are a few of the options. Craigslist is an option too. I would post what you think the total value is, and then ask for 20%-30% less than that. If you can draft a spreadsheet to send to potential buyers, with an estimate of what each item would sell for individually, you'll probably find a buyer rather quickly.
If you have some time to sell, then I would go with what you feel most comfortable with. EBay has a wide audience, and is the best forum for odds an ends. Bricklink is nice for sought-after sets and or minifigs. Each marketplace has pluses and minuses, so it'll be up to you to decide where you're most comfortable.
Know that listing, boxing, and shipping a number of sets will take a fair amount of work. For me, personally, it takes about 20 minutes to fulfill an individual set order. Sorting and picking individual piece orders will take much longer than that. If you decide to go this route, I recommend listing a few minifigs on bricklink or ebay to test the water. After you sell and ship those, then you'll have a better idea of the work involved for yourself.
Good luck!
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- Royal Guardian
- Posts: 506
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2011 3:31 pm
- Location: North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
Space Viking,
EXCELLENT advice!
david
EXCELLENT advice!
david
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
Yes. I agree. Great advice. And yes it does take a significant amount of time to package items for shipping so as SpaceViking pointed out selling as a collection would save time (if spare time is an issue).
Be sure to let us know when you decide how to sell. Some of us may be interested in items that you have to offer.
Be sure to let us know when you decide how to sell. Some of us may be interested in items that you have to offer.
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
As I've been thinking more about this - and your great advice so far - I've found it humorous how much I'm hemming and hawing over how to sell.
The truth is, and I forgot to make this clear, that I've sold many, MANY other collections as I've been growing my own stash of Legos (we'll buy from a Craigslist sale, keep what we need, then sell the rest). When I'm selling someone else's stuff, I'm pretty savvy on best-practices. I'm realizing that it's only now that it's MY stuff that I'm tripling my efforts.
But, this forum has once again proven itself a great community, reminding me of the basics - take your time, sell the right things at through the right avenues, factor handling/packaging time into the process, and enjoy the whole process along the way.
Keep the input coming, friends!
The truth is, and I forgot to make this clear, that I've sold many, MANY other collections as I've been growing my own stash of Legos (we'll buy from a Craigslist sale, keep what we need, then sell the rest). When I'm selling someone else's stuff, I'm pretty savvy on best-practices. I'm realizing that it's only now that it's MY stuff that I'm tripling my efforts.
But, this forum has once again proven itself a great community, reminding me of the basics - take your time, sell the right things at through the right avenues, factor handling/packaging time into the process, and enjoy the whole process along the way.
Keep the input coming, friends!
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
So this means that you aren't selling everything and entering a dark age?
- SpaceViking
- Royal Guardian
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:49 am
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
There is a fellow on bricklink (JonP ?), that had a mantra of "only buy, never sell" for a long time. Then one day, his personal situation changed (IIRC, a relative was moving in, and he was worried the collection and the new resident were incompatible). So he decided to unload it all. It took about a year or two for him to clean out 20 years of collecting, selling sets individually as he went. Rumor had it that he bought a nice sports car with the proceeds, though. The point is: a collection can be great, but it should be balanced with other life needs/wants.
I usually always have a twinge of 'did I really want to sell this?' when the "you made a sale!" email arrives. Usually, I have some new project in mind, though, and so its easy for me to rationalize that 'yes, I'd much rather have the new project complete than to hang on to this.' If you can keep focused on the reason why you want to sell off your collection, then it may make the process easier.
If time is on your side, be thankful. It's better to sell an asset when you want to, rather than when you need to.
I usually always have a twinge of 'did I really want to sell this?' when the "you made a sale!" email arrives. Usually, I have some new project in mind, though, and so its easy for me to rationalize that 'yes, I'd much rather have the new project complete than to hang on to this.' If you can keep focused on the reason why you want to sell off your collection, then it may make the process easier.
If time is on your side, be thankful. It's better to sell an asset when you want to, rather than when you need to.
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
I'm definitely NOT going into a dark age! I think it's a lot more like what SpaceViking is describing - the money from my collection can help my family reach goals and start new projects. In some ways, that's the BEST outcome of my love of Lego.StClair wrote:So this means that you aren't selling everything and entering a dark age?
And I've got 2 or 3 MAJOR projects in the hopper that I'm reserving specific bricks for. Can't spoil any details, but I'm really pumped about them. :)
Re: Best way to sell a collection?
Good! At first I thought you were selling everything and quitting. I would have hated to see you go. I completely understand. Can't wait to see what you have planned. I'll keep my eye on your flickr account. Hopefully I'll finish grad school in one year and I can start building again. I'm still buying.. just don't have time to make mocs which makes me sad.agrahmann wrote:I'm definitely NOT going into a dark age! I think it's a lot more like what SpaceViking is describing - the money from my collection can help my family reach goals and start new projects. In some ways, that's the BEST outcome of my love of Lego.StClair wrote:So this means that you aren't selling everything and entering a dark age?
And I've got 2 or 3 MAJOR projects in the hopper that I'm reserving specific bricks for. Can't spoil any details, but I'm really pumped about them. :)
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