Where is the best place to sell LEGO? Ebay, Amazon, Bricklink...

snowtyger

I've never sold on Amazon; I sold Heroscape (though I've been buying lego, and now have a pile of lego I should be selling). Its the same method, though it is easier to list now, as opposed to 4-6 years ago....

LegoFanTexas

This really belongs in the reseller thread. The admins have asked us to keep all reselling topics within that thread, so it isn't "derailed".

It also separates the questions and answers, because we'll just end up with 5 different threads asking the same question using different words. :)

CCC

I find ebay relatively simple. Rarely do you have to enter into conversation with buyers, and you don't have to leave feedback if you don't want to.

LegoFanTexas

eBay has added a lot of features in the past two years to cater to "buy-it-now" sellers.

I almost never do auctions, my listings are all buy-it-now.

One thing I like as a customer (and I do buy on eBay as well as sell) is the shopping cart. The ability to add multiple items from multiple sellers, then checkout with PayPal once.

The simple eBay guarantee also is nice, not quite as strong as Amazon's, but better than it used to be.

With fee discounts 9% + 20% off for Top Rated seller plus volume PayPal discounts, eBay costs less to sell on than Amazon does, and some items are about the same price.

Look at MMV right now, almost the same price on both, you'll net more on eBay right now than you will on Amazon. Some items work the other way, it just varies.

drdavewatford

LegoFanTexas said:

This really belongs in the reseller thread. The admins have asked us to keep all reselling topics within that thread, so it isn't "derailed".

Just to be clear, for me the issue is more the tendency for resellers to divert multiple diverse threads into price speculation discussions; that having been said, it's correct that we obviously only want one thread discussing the best places to sell.

akunthita

I sell both on eBay and on BrickLink. For selling parts Bricklink is better and for selling sets I prefer eBay. eBay's interface is much better than it used to be, but their fees are also much higher. BL takes a 3% cut, eBay a 10% on all sales. Both platforms works just fine for me. I have never sold LEGO on Amazon, only books.

If you are selling fairly expensive sets it makes sense to do a price-comparison between the three sites and see which one is most beneficial. You can also list the set on one place, and if it doesn't sell there for the price you want, just move it over to another.

I really dislike eBay's high fees, but one positive thing that happened recently is that there are now no listing fees any more. So there is no charge at all if your item doesn't sell. It has always been this way on Bricklink (and I think on Amazon too); no listing fees, but eBay only recently took off their listing fees.

DadsAFOL

Each site has it's strengths. Amazon can't be surpassed for pure audience looking for "retail" products (common sets). It boggles my mind that I can have 5 copies of an out of production set listed for months at a price point I want for profit, then sell them all within 24 hours when all cheaper sellers become exhausted.

EBay is good for custom stuff (MOCs, parts packs, collections, etc). And if you truly have something that is in high demand and low supply, the auction format is still exciting as a seller. EBay tends to have the "deal hunters" rather than the retail shoppers, so I find that normal sets listed above RRP as "collectible" sell fairly slowly compared to Amazon.

BrickOwl is best for non-AFOLs looking for replacement or extra parts. it's a nicer shopping experience for casual buyers than BrickLink. And business has boomed since Lego shut their replacement parts service for the holiday.

BrickLink is still the best place for MOC builders or shoppers looking to fill a wanted list with hundreds of parts. The old-school web interface works well for large orders.

Bottom line: Sell everywhere, but choose which items go to which marketplace. Or better yet, sync inventory and sell the same items on multiple sites concurrently.

aaronk

LegoFanTexas said:

This really belongs in the reseller thread. The admins have asked us to keep all reselling topics within that thread, so it isn't "derailed".

It also separates the questions and answers, because we'll just end up with 5 different threads asking the same question using different words. :)

By the reseller thread, you mean the one I linked to, Predictions on Discontinuing Sets and their Secondary Market Value? Per the title, it sounds like that's all about discontinued set values, not the pros and cons of selling on different sites.

rocao

LegoFanTexas said:

This really belongs in the reseller thread. The admins have asked us to keep all reselling topics within that thread, so it isn't "derailed".

You're getting your signals crossed a bit.

We ask that reselling discussions be housed in the "Buying and Selling Topics" category, which is the case here. A discussion about selling platforms is legitimate and substantial enough to be its own thread.

As DrDave pointed out, we ask that comments purely about the resale potential of items go into the "Predictions" thread, rather than added into discussions in Collecting, Shopping, Marketplace, etc.

Coyotelily

I have lost all faith with ebay because of the number of "lost" parcels, buyers trying it on etc, my favourite place to sell are local toy/collectors fairs and the like- and one day who knows I may have a lego shop!!!! We can all dream.......

ecmo47

I'm still pretty much a Bricklink seller. I've done ebay a few times, but the results were not really worth the effort. Bricklink allows me a list my stuff and let it sit until I get the price I want. No constant relisting. It's a very friendly place too. In 3 years of selling, I have not had one buyer that tried to scam me or return a product. I've had hundreds of sales to all parts of the world. I know everybody was down on BL last year, but since sale, the site will get the upgrade (and security) that we have been hoping for. All this for a measly 3%, but I would not be surprised if that didn’t change with the upgrade.

SuperTramp

Ebay allows you to list your stuff and let it sit until it sells. just put it on a 30 day cycle.

Anyway even with the ridiculous fees, Ebay is the place for me. ive had two scams out of 7000 sales. also been top rated for over 3 years so thats helps no end with sales.

LegoFanTexas

^ Yep, "Top Rated", flying star, 100% positive feedback, free shipping, good listing description, all make buyers feel comfortable and lets you sell for higher than the "lowest price".

I'm rarely the lowest price and still do plenty of sales.

SuperTramp

Is it the same in the states where they forced you to offer free shipping to get the Ebay premium service badge visible? i did notice a drop in sales when the top rated badge disappeared on some of my listing that didn't offer the free P&P.