HOUSTON – We are always looking for “Ways 2 Save” you money, especially during this holiday season. While your kids are making their holiday wish lists, you might want to check them twice for some of these “hot” resell toys. And if you need cash now, time to go through the toy box, because these are also the items you can sell fast.
As a reseller at Just Between Friends, Sarah Schmittgens is always thinking about toy resell value.
“When I buy things, I’m like, ‘Oh, I can totally resell this.’ Even when I buy things here. I ended up reselling it that,” said Schmittgens.
At the community sale events, you can buy and sell toys making serious cash, especially if you have toys that hold their resale value.
1. Wooden playsets, puzzles
The hottest re-sell toys right now - Melissa and Doug wooden playsets and puzzles or any other type of wooden toys.
“Most things you get about 50 to 90%,” said Schmittgens.
This play pizza baking set sells for $47 new and $30 used.
Puzzles go for $10 new and$5 used.
2. American Girl Doll
American Girl Doll items always sell fast. We are talking dolls, dresses, accessories or playsets.
We found used American Girl Dolls selling for $45 to $60. Other similar brands of dolls like the “Next Generation” Target brand also re-sell well.
3. Hot Wheels anything
Another hot item - Hot Wheels cars and tracks. A large $90 set sells for $40 used. Even off-brand tracks and trucks have a good re-sell value, especially if it is train related.
4. Plastic trucks
Large plastic trucks are sturdy and last forever. You can easily get $20 each for these types of plastic ride-on trucks.
5. Play structures
Any type of play structure always sells quickly. This grocery checkout toy runs for more than $100 new and we found it for $50 used. The most common type of play structure is a kitchen playset, but we found food cart trucks and farmer’s market playsets.
6. Legos
If you keep up with the entire Lego set with directions, you can get more than half back. But Schmittgens says even just a bag full of random Legos sells very fast.
Bonus tip: We also had parents tell us that magnetic building blocks like Magnatiles have great resell value.
Where can you re-sell your toys?
Of course, you’ll always get more money if you have all the stuff that goes with the item. It helps to stay organized with baskets or tubs. Besides an event like Just Between Friends, eBay is a popular way to sell, but you’ll have to deal with shipping. Facebook Marketplace and “toy selling” groups are a good bet too.
Remember, if you are going to sell items on Marketplace, it’s a good idea to meet the person at a public location, like a police station parking lot. Police won’t assist you with the sale but do allow people to use the parking lots as safe meeting zones.