Best Ways to Sell Used Toys Online

Is your home overwhelmed with kid-clutter? With four kids, you can bet I’ve spent my fair share of time tripping over kids’ toys and finding legos in my furniture. There have been times I have wanted to toss it all, but what if there was a better way? I’m sharing my best tips for how to sell used toys online in this article.

When you feel like your home is being over-run with kids’ toys, it might be time to thin out what your children own, especially the items that are no longer seeing use. Most people think donating everything is the best way to rid your clutter. But if you have items in great shape, you could earn some cash for them. (And I’m not talking about sitting outside all day on a Saturday waiting for someone to offer you a $1 at your yard sale, either!) The 6 best ways to sell toys online as well as some tips for doing so are listed below.

I don’t always wait until I feel overwhelmed with toys or kids’ clutter in our home; sometimes I set regular during the year to do this. One tradition I started a few years ago was minimizing my kids’ toys before Christmas. 

Best Ways to Sell Used Toys Online:

1.) Evaluate Before You Sell Toys Online

Before you sell anything you will want to take an inventory of what you have.

• Pull together all the toys that you would like to sell and give them a close evaluation.
• Is anything broken or missing pieces? If there are missing pieces, do a thorough search for them and (hopefully) locate them before you decide what to sell.  Anything that is broken or missing pieces should be donated or tossed out.
• Give everything a good cleaning. Do not try to sell anything with dust or dirt on them.
• Bonus Tip: Sometimes toys or board games with missing pieces can be separated into parts and sold as a missing pieces lot. Someone who is missing all the yellow tokens for a game might want to buy them from you. It never hurts to try.

2.) Document Your Items

• Take pictures of everything with a digital camera. Make sure the pictures are taken in a well-lit area and clear of distractions (like other toys or clutter). This is especially helpful if you are planning on listing the toys yourself.
• Even if you are sending your toys off for another company to sell, take pictures for your own records (and don’t delete until the window for returning the item passes).
• Keep records of when you send items out and what they are boxed with in case anything goes missing.

Now that your item is ready to be sold, here are your options.

3) Where You Can Sell Toys Online

Swap.com

With just one prepaid shipping box, you can clear out your home and let someone else deal with the hassle of taking pictures and listing them for sale. Swap.com will inspect your gently used toys (as well as clothes, books, and games) and sell them for you. All you have to do is decide if you’ll accept the list price. If you choose to pass on the offer, you can have them ship it back to you or they will donate the items.

Facebook Marketplace or Facebook Groups

One of my preferred ways to sell online is through Facebook selling walls. In my area, there are at least a half dozen different groups to use, but I usually only need one to sell my items. You take the pictures and list the items in the group on Facebook. There are no listing fees involved so you could earn more money with your listing than a paid service.

You will have to arrange to meet with someone for the exchange or you can place it on your porch and allow the person to come pick it up. With this option, you have to give out your address and trust that they will leave the money for you. I recommend this for items that you won’t miss if the item is taken without payment. While this has never happened to me, I have read about a couple of people who have experienced this. With a higher cost item, it might be best to set up a meeting time in a public place and bring someone along.

Craigslist

Craigslist offers a platform for buying and selling with little hassle. This is similar to using Facebook to sell. For those people who avoid social media, this might be the best way to sell your items locally. There are no fees involved in the transaction, but you will be meeting someone either at your home or at a public location.

Amazon

Fulfilled by Amazon is a great way to sell toys, especially brand new ones. Many people are using FBA to bring in side income or even their full-time income. When you have an item to sell, ship it to Amazon and they will pack and ship the item for you. FBA also handles returns and customer service, which can be a nice convenience. There is a great guide to get you started with FBA.

Mercari

Another great place to sell online has been Mercari. It’s very similar to eBay, although it’s not an auction site. I explain in-depth about how to sell on Mercari in this post. The potential buyers are able to reach out and contact you if they have any questions about the item, and they can also ask if you are willing to negotiate on the price. You are responsible for the shipping fees out of your sale price, so make sure you set the item’s cost accordingly. I will add Mercari makes it easy with discounted pre-paid labels through, or they have a pack and ship option if you choose (a little more pricey).

eBay

The original location for selling your items online is still a great option with eBay. Your audience is worldwide so you will have a better chance of selling the item quickly and for more money. eBay is also best for collectible and valuable items where a local Facebook group might not yield enough interested buyers. However, you will pay listing fees as well as fees from Paypal when you receive your money. You will also be responsible for the leg work it takes to get it sold. This might be a good option if the free local listings don’t work out.

Selling toys online is a great way to clear out the clutter in your home. You can even make a few extra bucks in the process! If you are looking for some side income, take some time to sell toys online.

1. Evaluate what you have and make sure they are in good condition and have all the pieces, if applicable.
2. Take good photographs in a well-lit area so your buyer is aware of what they will be receiving; you don’t want anyone claiming you misrepresented something.
3. If you are choosing to send your items to someone else to sell online, make sure you keep an inventory of what you are mailing.
4. Choose a platform: Swap.com, Facebook, Craigslist, Amazon, Mercari, and eBay are all good options to sell toys online.  There are pros and cons to each, so decide what is best for you.
5. Enjoy your newly decluttered space and your extra cash!

Have you sold anything online before? Which site did you use?