Beanie Babies & eBay

[BlueSwede]

Can anyone direct me to a good source to explain how to sell a HUGE collection of Beanie Babies on line, such as eBay? Or can anyone tell me how to do it? I'd rather sell them altogether rather than individually if I can, because we're talking several hundred. Many of them go back to when they were first being sold in the '80s, before they had little sayings or birthdates on their heart tags. Plus, I have no idea how to tell how much these things are really worth.

I'm hoping to use the money to pay for a couple of college classes for my daughter.

Sorry to ask this at Pixies, but I don't know who else to ask. If anyone would prefer e-mailing me about it, my e-mail address is [email protected]. Thanks! :bfly:

Also, would you suggest eBay for trying to sell baseball cards, too?

[skipthisone]

I would suggest Ebay for ball card, but it is my experience with ebay and flea markets that the beanie babies are becoming quite worthless. However by selling them all at once you may get some collector or dealer to pay good for them.

[RandyGal]

Personally, I don't suggest using ebay for much of anything...I believe ebay is a good way to GIVE away your items.

Can you try to consign them with an online shop of some sort? Check into the values of some of the older ones you have and set a price......I just don't know if auctioning them is going to be your best bet.

Good luck to you.

[dadaist]

Have you checked the classified ads for any collectibles dealers looking to buy any of the above? There are usually several in the Chicago-area newspapers.

[BlueSwede]

Thanks so much, everybody, for the suggestions and advice. I haven't looked into anything yet. My and my daughter's world just got turned upside down this week (as in living a nightmare), and I'm trying to find a way to clear everything out of our place and get set for moving as soon as possible. We live month to month as it is, so being able to get a little something for stuff like the Beanie Babies and baseball cards will be a help. It's just unfortunate that I will be really short on time to get it all together. Again, I really appreciate your suggestions.

And I agree with you, sto, about the bottom dropping out of the value of Beanie Babies. When they started being sold in grocery stories and gas stations, I knew they weren't going to be worth much anymore.

[RandyGal]

Honey, I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Several things in my life have taken a turn for the worse (who KNEW it could get worse than it already WAS? LOL LOL)........so I know where you're at. I'm sure others here have been thru the mill in their own lives as well.

Tell yourself that all WILL work out in the end...and I'm sure it will. Again, good luck with your project.

[BlueSwede]

Thanks, RandyGal, for the nice comments. Honestly, it made me cry. I'm not trying to sound like I'm just feeling sorry for myself. It just is that I've had a lot of awful things happen in my life, and I keep thinking it will finally get better. Then it seems to get worse than I ever thought possible. I always hated that bumper sticker that says "Shit happens and then you die." Sometimes it just does seem to go that way, though. I know there is no guarantee in life that life will go the way we want no matter how hard we try or that we will be happy. I work with terminally ill patients, so I see everyday how cruel life can be. It just is a shame when one person's lack of conscience can end up not only wrecking a number of people's lives but even cause some to want to take their own. I'm just praying that all involved (at least the victims) will get through this and that the guilty will someday come to justice. :(

[dadaist]

Originally posted by BlueSwede
Thanks, RandyGal, for the nice comments. Honestly, it made me cry. I'm not trying to sound like I'm just feeling sorry for myself. It just is that I've had a lot of awful things happen in my life, and I keep thinking it will finally get better. Then it seems to get worse than I ever thought possible. I always hated that bumper sticker that says "Shit happens and then you die." Sometimes it just does seem to go that way, though. I know there is no guarantee in life that life will go the way we want no matter how hard we try or that we will be happy. I work with terminally ill patients, so I see everyday how cruel life can be. It just is a shame when one person's lack of conscience can end up not only wrecking a number of people's lives but even cause some to want to take their own. I'm just praying that all involved (at least the victims) will get through this and that the guilty will someday come to justice. :(
That sounds suspiciously like something that happened to me and a couple other guys I know a little over two years ago. Hope it's not the same thing.
Good luck!

[airhog]

Blue: Ebay selling can be profitable, otherwise people wouldnt buy and sell on there. I have sold 3 or 4 items, so I can give you some words of advice.

Use paypal if possible, this will cut down on the headaches associated with the service. Be warned however that some people dont play fair and if they dont like what you send they can try to chargeback the amount. I have heard of this before, but have never seen it happen.

Second, make sure you clearly state the terms for shipping, and how long before you sale to someone else. On one of my early auctions I made the mistake of not setting a time to pay, and the jerk thought he could wait two weeks to send me the cash. He lost his account luckily for not paying. Also I prefer to just quote a shipping rate up front. You can usually guess pretty closely to the weight of your items, and get a rought idea about how much it would cost to ship.