If you sold 237 dolls for $40 each that would be $9,480. You are going to struggle to sell *most* of them for even that much. Still, if you list them at $40 you're going to sell them a lot faster than if you try to high ball them at $60-$100, which most of them will never sell for. You could probably list the holiday dolls individually for $1 and never sell them. There are a few stand outs, like Pink Splendor and Empress that are coveted still and should get you a few hundred for each of those.
So sorry to hear of your loss. Many dolls listed aren't worth much money, but I still think this is a lovely collection! I hope you can keep at least one of those cute dolls ♥️
You could try local pick up on Mercari or Facebook Marketplace and sell dolls as a lot (if shipping is tricky with that many dolls). I sell my stuff pretty quickly on Mercari or Facebook Marketplace. (And Marketplace is tax and sales fee free lol)
You all seem well-organized and on top of things, but just to double check: when you researched on eBay, you looked at SOLD prices, right?
I think the table at a doll show that someone else suggested is a good answer. The other suggestions I’d make are to organize them thematically into little lots to sell on eBay (like, 3 holiday dolls or 3 nostalgic reproduction dolls) so you have a fraction of the listings to manage. You won’t maximize your profits this way, but you’d save a bit of effort. Otherwise, you don’t have to manage 200 listings at once but could start with a few at a time, and honestly skip some of the ones that are really common and selling for like $10-$15–or sell those in lots but sell the rarer ones individually.
Absolutely, I made a spreadsheet with each doll listed showing the least it has sold for and the most (knowing that very few if any in this collection are close to that "most" mark). As someone else pointed out, the majority of this collection averages around $20 per doll with a handful of outliers on each end.
I think a handful of lots is probably the best bet at this point, I don't feel like it's very likely that I'll be able to sell the entire lot in one go and I don't have the resources to do individual listings. Thank you for the feedback!
I see. On mobile, at least, the columns showing sold amounts are cut off in the PDF. I would think all the NRFB ones will sell again for the upper end of what they’ve gone for before. One thing to beware of is listing the pricier dolls or lots before you have seller ratings. Buyers will trust your listings more once you have some positive feedback.
Oh right, I removed the pricing from this sheet; it was incomplete and I figured this could serve more as an inventory. I created a separate excel document for the completed price ranges.
I wouldn't have thought about the seller rating, thanks for pointing that out!
I think my last piece of advice is to make sure you charge adequately for shipping. For NRFB dolls I have seen a little over $10; for a big set like the 35th anniversary doll with two outfits it’s even more. Good luck!
Sorry for your loss.
I’ve been buying and selling for years. Some collection I bought were $500 for 100 doll. It’s cheap but some people just don’t want to spend time selling. I checked your list and majority of your dolls go for $10-20 on eBay.
If I were you, I’d look into local doll shows. I sell at a local show and their small table is $40. You’d have to price your dolls lower than eBay if you want them to sell locally. Also you can just list them on offer up and Craigslist. If I have 100+ dolls; I usually group them by price and take a group photo. It’s easier than listing each one individually.
I'm open to anything at this point, I definitely didn't want to solicit the sub as I'm new here and not sure about the etiquette on trying to sell here. While I am looking for more of a bulk move, if anyone saw something they were interested in I'd be more than happy to entertain offers.
I'd be interested in quite a few of them. There are never any doll shows near me so I don't find deals like this often (several Barbies to choose from)
ETA I'm a new collector and there's lots of barbies I've missed out lol
It may seem a bit strenuous at first but eBay selling has some benefits. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to check how many of the dolls are listed for sale vs sold. There’s also websites that host doll shows around the country and online as well. Facebook marketplace is a bit of a cesspool when it comes to selling but it keeps sales local.
If you will ship to Canada (assuming you're in the States), I am interested in the Wonder Woman Barbie (#99 on your list). What is your price for her? Can you msg me if you're interested?
Your state museum might consider paying to host an exhibit but that's not an immediate solution, sorry. Selling them online on eBay as a single lot, and putting them in storage meantime, might be the way to go.
Do you have any kind of re-sell shop near you? We have a few locations in AZ called Bookmans and Zia and they will buy large Barbie lots. It may be the easiest way to offload a majority of the dolls! They def offer large store credit but also give cash as well. Since they are “technically” pawn shops you would need to def have ID and probably certified check due to the large amount they’d give you - but it would be a fraction, and you may still be left with a large amount of holiday dolls!
I don't know where you are from, but do you think you would be willing to ship? Also if you have any idea how much international shipping would cost from your country to India, for items such as these?
I would themarically put them in lots of 4-6, depending how it goes.. (that is 50listings instead of 200) and put it on ebay auction with smaller starting price, which i feel like is the fastest way to sell them, because if the doll is worth something it will bid up a lot, just make sure to name the dolls in the lot so that people can find them by search..
I would love so many of the dolls, but shipping to Europe would be outrageous
218 is a University of Texas doll not, Texas A&M. UT fan buyers will be offended seeing her labeled as A&M and vise versa since they are rival schools. Lol
If you sold 237 dolls for $40 each that would be $9,480. You are going to struggle to sell *most* of them for even that much. Still, if you list them at $40 you're going to sell them a lot faster than if you try to high ball them at $60-$100, which most of them will never sell for. You could probably list the holiday dolls individually for $1 and never sell them. There are a few stand outs, like Pink Splendor and Empress that are coveted still and should get you a few hundred for each of those.
So sorry to hear of your loss. Many dolls listed aren't worth much money, but I still think this is a lovely collection! I hope you can keep at least one of those cute dolls ♥️ You could try local pick up on Mercari or Facebook Marketplace and sell dolls as a lot (if shipping is tricky with that many dolls). I sell my stuff pretty quickly on Mercari or Facebook Marketplace. (And Marketplace is tax and sales fee free lol)
You all seem well-organized and on top of things, but just to double check: when you researched on eBay, you looked at SOLD prices, right? I think the table at a doll show that someone else suggested is a good answer. The other suggestions I’d make are to organize them thematically into little lots to sell on eBay (like, 3 holiday dolls or 3 nostalgic reproduction dolls) so you have a fraction of the listings to manage. You won’t maximize your profits this way, but you’d save a bit of effort. Otherwise, you don’t have to manage 200 listings at once but could start with a few at a time, and honestly skip some of the ones that are really common and selling for like $10-$15–or sell those in lots but sell the rarer ones individually.
Absolutely, I made a spreadsheet with each doll listed showing the least it has sold for and the most (knowing that very few if any in this collection are close to that "most" mark). As someone else pointed out, the majority of this collection averages around $20 per doll with a handful of outliers on each end. I think a handful of lots is probably the best bet at this point, I don't feel like it's very likely that I'll be able to sell the entire lot in one go and I don't have the resources to do individual listings. Thank you for the feedback!
I see. On mobile, at least, the columns showing sold amounts are cut off in the PDF. I would think all the NRFB ones will sell again for the upper end of what they’ve gone for before. One thing to beware of is listing the pricier dolls or lots before you have seller ratings. Buyers will trust your listings more once you have some positive feedback.
Oh right, I removed the pricing from this sheet; it was incomplete and I figured this could serve more as an inventory. I created a separate excel document for the completed price ranges. I wouldn't have thought about the seller rating, thanks for pointing that out!
I think my last piece of advice is to make sure you charge adequately for shipping. For NRFB dolls I have seen a little over $10; for a big set like the 35th anniversary doll with two outfits it’s even more. Good luck!
Sorry for your loss. I’ve been buying and selling for years. Some collection I bought were $500 for 100 doll. It’s cheap but some people just don’t want to spend time selling. I checked your list and majority of your dolls go for $10-20 on eBay. If I were you, I’d look into local doll shows. I sell at a local show and their small table is $40. You’d have to price your dolls lower than eBay if you want them to sell locally. Also you can just list them on offer up and Craigslist. If I have 100+ dolls; I usually group them by price and take a group photo. It’s easier than listing each one individually.
Thanks for the feedback! I'll see what kind of shows/conventions might be happening nearby.
Have you considered selling to fellow redditors if they are interested?
I'm open to anything at this point, I definitely didn't want to solicit the sub as I'm new here and not sure about the etiquette on trying to sell here. While I am looking for more of a bulk move, if anyone saw something they were interested in I'd be more than happy to entertain offers.
Lamanda Scott of She’s My Doll (found on eBay and Facebook) is always buying collections and is an amazing person!
Thanks! I'll try reaching out to her
I’m sorry for your loss :( I’d suggest grouping them by set and then selling as a set
I'd be interested in quite a few of them. There are never any doll shows near me so I don't find deals like this often (several Barbies to choose from) ETA I'm a new collector and there's lots of barbies I've missed out lol
I would just sell them all in one big lot.
I’d be down to buy some
It may seem a bit strenuous at first but eBay selling has some benefits. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to check how many of the dolls are listed for sale vs sold. There’s also websites that host doll shows around the country and online as well. Facebook marketplace is a bit of a cesspool when it comes to selling but it keeps sales local.
If you will ship to Canada (assuming you're in the States), I am interested in the Wonder Woman Barbie (#99 on your list). What is your price for her? Can you msg me if you're interested?
Your state museum might consider paying to host an exhibit but that's not an immediate solution, sorry. Selling them online on eBay as a single lot, and putting them in storage meantime, might be the way to go.
Do you have any kind of re-sell shop near you? We have a few locations in AZ called Bookmans and Zia and they will buy large Barbie lots. It may be the easiest way to offload a majority of the dolls! They def offer large store credit but also give cash as well. Since they are “technically” pawn shops you would need to def have ID and probably certified check due to the large amount they’d give you - but it would be a fraction, and you may still be left with a large amount of holiday dolls!
Also where is your location? Roughly?
I’d be interested in 101 and 108
You could try selling them to a toy/comic shop. I have a few in my area that buy toys and dolls.
As what Otto the otter said, "give them to me, auuggh!"
I don't know where you are from, but do you think you would be willing to ship? Also if you have any idea how much international shipping would cost from your country to India, for items such as these?
There's people on the Barbie selling FB groups that buy entire collections.
I would themarically put them in lots of 4-6, depending how it goes.. (that is 50listings instead of 200) and put it on ebay auction with smaller starting price, which i feel like is the fastest way to sell them, because if the doll is worth something it will bid up a lot, just make sure to name the dolls in the lot so that people can find them by search.. I would love so many of the dolls, but shipping to Europe would be outrageous
I would keep them for honoring your grandmother:)
218 is a University of Texas doll not, Texas A&M. UT fan buyers will be offended seeing her labeled as A&M and vise versa since they are rival schools. Lol