http://www.ebay.com/itm/190964747580?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

This was negotiated with the seller. Along with this I paid another $180 for a used Hogwarts.

 

What do you think?

 

Lot calculator say $420 without hogwarts. I think with my store I can get close to $500 out of it + 250 for the Hogwarts.

 

Edited.

I wouldn't want to tie up $420 in money for a return of $80, honestly. If I'm spending $420 on stuff, I want a resale value of closer to $600 to $700.

Now, take that with a grain of salt, because I haven't gotten into the used retired lego market at all yet. I mainly buy current various toys (but more lego as of late) that are selling for a bit more on the open market and my general rule of thumb to pull the trigger is a return of at least 25% to 50%.

 

That $420 could be used to buy almost 2 Ewok Villages really. I think that'd be a better investment in the long run actually.

I don't understand either post.  So...you paid 250, 50 for ship, and 180 for castle...so you spent 480.....say it's worth 420, and you think you can get 500?

 

Ewok a better investment.   Tie up 500 for 3 years at least.....or spend 480 to make 500 now......is there an option c?

I don't understand either post.  So...you paid 250, 50 for ship, and 180 for castle...so you spent 480.....say it's worth 420, and you think you can get 500?

 

Ewok a better investment.   Tie up 500 for 3 years at least.....or spend 480 to make 500 now......is there an option c?

 

Sorry - lot calculator is without Hogwarts. Hogwarts I will sell for $250 easy.

 

So think of the lot worth $670.

I wouldn't want to tie up $420 in money for a return of $80, honestly. If I'm spending $420 on stuff, I want a resale value of closer to $600 to $700.

Now, take that with a grain of salt, because I haven't gotten into the used retired lego market at all yet. I mainly buy current various toys (but more lego as of late) that are selling for a bit more on the open market and my general rule of thumb to pull the trigger is a return of at least 25% to 50%.

 

That $420 could be used to buy almost 2 Ewok Villages really. I think that'd be a better investment in the long run actually.

 

This is flipping - different than investment. I have an investment portion but I also have an Ebay business. Most of this stuff will be sold within two weeks of getting it.

You can get 250 easy for a potter castle?  Wow....I thought I was  lucky to get about 200 after fees and shipping on the last 3 I sold.  Still have 2 more....might throw these up now.

$250 is the price I have been getting for used 4842s since at least 2 months ago. It might take a little more time, but in the end someone always bites.

So....what's that.....215 after fees....and the buyer pays shipping---or are you eating that 10 bucks too?

There are a ton of buyers on this site.... Mostly buyers is my guess. Wait until they start realizing selling at the bp values---they are going to take a 15 to 20 % haircut off that in fees and shipping. Whatever the bp value is....factor in 20% less before you decide to risk capital.

"Easy" 250 turns into 210. Then the value proposition changes drastically.

So pay 180 for a used potter.

Spend at least an hour to inventory.

Spend time to build and list it---since you don't use stock photos--that's another 2 hours.

Sell it for 250, receive 215. IF there are no false claims by buyer who complains about the dusty bricks, misplaced sticker, frayed capes and frayed invisibility cloak, and the fact that you gave gray buttons instead of gray pearl.

So you tied up 180 for a few weeks, sunk 3 hours, and cleared 30 bucks.

Everyone who sells on eBay KNOWS this is the truth and it's NOT worth it....but we still do it!

Yeah you have a point - at the same time you have to consider the whole thing.

 

I make money from quick flipping stuff I find stupid cheap and selling minifigures

 

Most of this stuff I buy to fill up my store. Sort of like a loss leader. My store looks good with more stuff - and, I also sold more than one item to  47% of the people that bought something from me the last two months

 

Also - and this most important - once you get used to a set, you can inventory it very quickly. I did a POTC Black Pearl yesterday in like 15 minutes. Listed it in 5. 3 hours later, sold it for a 50$ profit.

Well 16% return in, say, a month is not that bad. Especially for only "risking" $180

Well 16% return in, say, a month is not that bad. Especially for only "risking" $180

 

Exactly - you have to remember its Christmas too so stuff is going faster. And part of the deal was those other sets too. Should have a good amount of easy stuff to post - that I already have pictures of built - and should be able to make some money in the process. I walked into my inventory room yesterday and was like ... damn. I am running out of stuff!

 

I mostly made the post about the ninjago stuff. Don't really know how fast it sells. But I have a Ninjago category in my store with nothing under it. Need some shelf filler. lol So I was gonna see what others thought.

Well 16% return in, say, a month is not that bad. Especially for only "risking" $180

Be honest in debate.

Yes that would be an incredible return if you wired into a brokerage account and wired it out.

But you aren't

You are buying a used toy

Then you spend a couple hours checking it, and building it...and replacing any missing parts. Then time to photo, describe and list it..then waiting...then packing and shipping...then hoping there is no scam or picky buyer as you WILL lose.

I am with you...I do it too...but if you sat down and figured your time at 10 an hour you probably wouldn't do this....as it would show a loss.

Posting things like "easy 250" for a used castle...when you know for a FACT that you will clear 215 best case...after a minimum of an hour to inventory and list. And I know you both make much more than 10 an hour as do I. If I figured it out at the $25 an hour I really make at my job I would shoot myself!

My excuse is my 5 year old loves building the used stuff we buy, so we use it--before we sell it for a small profit---not taking into account our time.

Definitely, once you take time into account numbers change dramatically. I've written about that several times.

 

Having said that, I am studying full time right now, so if I stop doing this I will earn $0 instead of $30

I think we can all agree the way to make money on this set was to buy it a couple years ago when it was on sale for 99. Keep it in box, and sell for 300 now. 300 after fees. There is a lesson there....

I think we can all agree the way to make money on this set was to buy it a couple years ago when it was on sale for 99. Keep it in box, and sell for 300 now. 300 after fees. There is a lesson there....

 

Not even a couple years! I think last year it was discounted several times! Let's hope the VC gets to at least $200 in the same timeframe

OK, now time to "Grade my Deal!"

 

Took a chance on a seller with only 6 feedback. Item came quickly and packed decently. Seems clean. Just about to dig into it right now. If I can get a complete 8038, 7623, 4981 4982 & 7498 I'll be close to getting my investment back.Now in terms of the time spent building, for me I consider that a wash as it's one of my favorite past times... the shipping and posting on eBay not so much.

 

Lemme know how I did. I'm gonna start with the 8038 Battle of Endor first. I'll update with how complete those 5 sets I posted are.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Legos-25-sets-Star-Wars-Indiana-Jones-Spongebob-Lego-City-Exo-Force-/190955960439?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=8tNqIOafeoatVMFaHrdWmezSTOQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

-PB

OK, now time to "Grade my Deal!"

 

Took a chance on a seller with only 6 feedback. Item came quickly and packed decently. Seems clean. Just about to dig into it right now. If I can get a complete 8038, 7623, 4981 4982 & 7498 I'll be close to getting my investment back.Now in terms of the time spent building, for me I consider that a wash as it's one of my favorite past times... the shipping and posting on eBay not so much.

 

Lemme know how I did. I'm gonna start with the 8038 Battle of Endor first. I'll update with how complete those 5 sets I posted are.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Legos-25-sets-Star-Wars-Indiana-Jones-Spongebob-Lego-City-Exo-Force-/190955960439?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=8tNqIOafeoatVMFaHrdWmezSTOQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

-PB

How can we grade your deal and tell you how you did if we don't know what you paid for it?

How can we grade your deal and tell you how you did if we don't know what you paid for it?

Never mind. I misread your post and missed the link. Looks like you paid about $325, correct? Assuming everything is complete it looks promising.

I think we can all agree the way to make money on this set was to buy it a couple years ago when it was on sale for 99. Keep it in box, and sell for 300 now. 300 after fees. There is a lesson there....

 

Well yeah, but considering I only started investing  6 months ago... Which all of this is leading up to.

 

Its also fun to do so you have to understand you are making money having fun.

 

All of the things you said in your long paragraph are wrong, at least in this situation. I will spend a very small amount of time inventorying it. I know its all there because of his stellar pictures of it. Also I have listing templates - I can list it in literally a few minutes.

 

IN fact just listed a 5887 within a minute after spending about 15 verifying its completeness.

Personally i like to have more variety and items in my store too. If you are confident of clearing it then hey its still money earned. As long as the risk of being stuck with it is low, its fine. 

 

Well yeah, but considering I only started investing  6 months ago... Which all of this is leading up to.

 

Its also fun to do so you have to understand you are making money having fun.

 

All of the things you said in your long paragraph are wrong, at least in this situation. I will spend a very small amount of time inventorying it. I know its all there because of his stellar pictures of it. Also I have listing templates - I can list it in literally a few minutes.

 

IN fact just listed a 5887 within a minute after spending about 15 verifying its completeness.

Never mind. I misread your post and missed the link. Looks like you paid about $325, correct? Assuming everything is complete it looks promising.

Yeah, I paid $335 after shipping. I assumed that info was visible to everyone as it was when I look at the listing.

 

Anyhow, looks like it may be trouble. Already found a couple off brand bricks as i'm starting to build 8038. Also missing a few minifigs and accessories right off the bat. Based on that it doesn't look like there will be anything complete besides the Exo-Force stuff.

 

If I sell off just the minifigs in small lots I can get maybe $150. That, along with the Exo-Force completes and whatever other smaller sets I can harvest from here should bring me close to even. Then I'll have the bulk to sell off as profit. Not nearly as good as if they are all complete, but could be worse I guess.The instructions are all in good shape too which is a plus for me!

 

-PB

Regarding store variety, DoNot (and others who've commented on it) are correct that it's an asset to an eBay store and worth taking on a few lower profit or even break-even (it makes me break out in an unsightly rash to lose money, so I can't subscribe to loss leaders   ) products to flesh out some categories, etc.

 

Buyers like to buy multiple items from a single seller in many cases - the more variety you can offer within your specialties (whether that's Lego in general or specific themes) the better your sell-through rate and multiple sales will be.

 

The better your sell through rate, the better your search placement on eBay. The better your search placement, the more you will sell, in a potentially endless loop of awesome.

 

The lower-profit items, provided they don't become a store's norm, are sometimes a very good idea.

Regarding store variety, DoNot (and others who've commented on it) are correct that it's an asset to an eBay store and worth taking on a few lower profit or even break-even (it makes me break out in an unsightly rash to lose money, so I can't subscribe to loss leaders   ) products to flesh out some categories, etc.

 

Buyers like to buy multiple items from a single seller in many cases - the more variety you can offer within your specialties (whether that's Lego in general or specific themes) the better your sell-through rate and multiple sales will be.

 

The better your sell through rate, the better your search placement on eBay. The better your search placement, the more you will sell, in a potentially endless loop of awesome.

 

The lower-profit items, provided they don't become a store's norm, are sometimes a very good idea.

 

Yeah as I have expanded my store its really amazing how much it happens. I love best offer with it too. Someone offered on like 12 items earlier - all reasonable and accepted prices. Some of the time I almost like the items that sit a while because they are filling those categories. lol.