How to Sell Board Games: Big Profits From Unused Games

No family night is complete without board games. The activities are a lot of fun and they help people create memories that’ll last a lifetime. 

Although, as video games popped up, board games seemed to fade into the background. They slowly dropped in popularity over time. 

So, many people have extensive board game collections in their basements collecting dust. Luckily, there’s a way to turn these into profits. 

If you’re interested in learning how to sell board games, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about launching this business. 

Why You Should Consider Selling Board Games

After spending years building your board game collection, it can be tough to part with it. Although, there are many benefits to selling the games. 

In this section, we’ll cover the advantages of launching this small business. 

• Low Start-Up Costs: You don’t need much capital to sell board games. This is especially true if you already have a sizable collection. That means you can launch the business without much risk. 
• High Return on Investment: When you initially buy board games, they’re affordable. Typically, an average game will cost about $20 to $40. However, after the games get discontinued, their value increases. That’s because they become rare collectibles. When that happens, you can charge a much higher price.
• No Learning Curve: Figuring out how to sell board games is a simple task. There are only a few details that you need to take into account. Because of that, launching the business should be easy, even for a beginner in the industry. 
• Flexibility: With a board game business, you can easily work from home. For that reason, you’ll have full control over your schedule and working hours. 

Problems With Selling Board Games

While selling board games can be lucrative, it comes with a few issues. In this section, we’ll dive into the disadvantages of running this type of business. 

1. Difficulty Finding Inventory

One of the biggest issues that face used board game businesses is finding inventory. Figuring out where to buy vintage games can be challenging. 

Because of that, growing the company quickly will be next to impossible. Instead, you’ll have to build up your collection slowly over time. 

2. Tedious Inspection Process

After buying a board game, you have to inspect the insides. First up, you’ll examine the condition of the components. 

Once that’s done, you need to ensure that all the pieces are in the box. Otherwise, your customers won’t be able to play the games. 

So, you have to carefully read the manual of each board game. Then, double-check that all the components are still in the box. 

This process is simple enough to do for one or two games. Yet, with a large collection, it can be quite tedious. 

3. Unstable Income

Selling board games can’t generate a stable income. Some months you’ll turn a large profit, while others you won’t make money at all. 

This can make staying on top of your bills a little challenging. Because of that, you may need to hold on to your other job while the business gets off the ground. 

4. Limited Target Audience

Even though board games are fun, not many people are buying them nowadays. So, finding customers for your products can be tough. 

This means some games may sit on your shelf for months without any interest. 

What You’ll Need to Sell Board Games

There are a few things you’ll need to launch a board game business. In this section, we’ll cover all the materials that you should have on hand. 

• Board Game Collection: To start the business, you’ll need a sizable board game collection. So, acquire a diverse and up-to-date selection. This will help you appeal to more potential customers. 
• Labels: Over time, board game labels fade away. That can make identifying the different games a little challenging. Because of that, you’ll need labels. You can use these to help you keep track of all your games and to make storing them easier. 
• E-commerce Website: You’re going to need an online store to promote your products. You can choose from a wide range of platforms like eBay. Check out the most popular selling apps and find one you like.  
• Small Containers: Most board games come with tiny components. These include dice, tokens, pawns, and miniatures. This can make keeping track of each piece a challenge. So, a few small containers can help you out. They’ll ensure that the tiny components are safely in place. 
• Packaging Materials: Board games can be a little fragile, especially if they’re old. Because of that, you need to be careful how you ship them. Ideally, you’ll need cardboard boxes and plenty of bubble wrap. 

Where to Sell Board Games

Before you launch a board game business, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place. The first part of that is choosing a platform to sell your products. 

In this section, we’ll walk you through some of the services that can help you out. 

1. OfferUp

OfferUp is an e-commerce website that allows users to sell and buy almost anything. From cars to electronics and furniture, you can find pretty much any item in the store. 

Besides that, games are popular on OfferUp. To top it all off, the platform is incredibly easy to use. With the simple interface, you should have a simple time navigating the website. 

• Fees/Commission: Posting an item on OfferUp is free. Although, the platform will charge a 12.9% sales fee, with a minimum of $1.99 on all transactions.
• Payment Methods: With OfferUp, you can use checks and gift cards. You may also use Venmo or PayPal. 

2. eBay

eBay is one of the best e-commerce websites in the world for beginners. It allows users to share products that they’d like to sell. 

This is the ideal place to sell collectibles like vintage board games. That’s because the platform offers an auction option. For that reason, you’ll usually get the best price for your items on eBay. 

If you have no experience selling products, then give Craigslist a try. The platform operates as a classified advertisement website. Users can also post about items they want to sell. 

What Makes This Option Great

• Fees/Commission: Listing less than 250 items per month is free. To post more products, you’ll need to pay $0.35 per item. On top of that, eBay charges a 13.25% sales fee on all transactions. 
• Payment Methods: On eBay, you can use Apple Pay or Google Pay.

3. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace provides a space for users to promote their products. You’ll be able to list new and used items and choose any price you like. 

On top of that, the Marketplace has strong links to social media. This will increase your potential buyer base. 

• Fees/Commission: You can list items on Facebook Marketplace for free. Yet, the platform charges a 4% sales fee, with a minimum of $0.40.
• Payment Methods: You can use PayPal or credit and debit cards.

How to Sell Board Games: Step-By-Step Instructions

Starting a board game business is much easier than it sounds. If you follow a few steps, you’ll be well on your way to generating profits. 

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at what you’ll need to do to sell board games.

Step 1: Organize Your Board Game Collection

The first step of the process is organizing your collection. Start off by pulling out all the games you may have lying around. 

Don’t worry about the condition of the items yet. In this step, just focus on collecting as many games as possible. 

This will be your main inventory and should help give you an idea of how much profit you can generate. 

Step 2: Expand Your Board Game Collection

Once you have a base collection, you can expand it with more games. Visit a few local thrift stores and raid their kid’s sections. 

Try to find any discounted games that are in good condition. You can also shop on Amazon and other online platforms for good deals. 

Step 3: Identify Valuable Board Games

Not all board games are equal. Some of them are much more valuable than others. This can be due to several reasons. 

First up, limited edition products usually fetch a pretty penny. Other than that, some games have custom components that are tough to find. 

So, before you start selling, it’s crucial that you understand the worth of each game. 

Here are a few examples of valuable games:

• Candy Land
• Advanced Civilization
• Space Hulk
• Upfront
• Small World
• Titan
• Here I Stand
• Noble Knight Games
• Star Wars: Rebellion
• Trivial Pursuit

It’s a good idea to do a bit of research to figure out the value of your board game collection.

Step 4: Examine the Board Games

Once your collection is ready, it’s time to inspect each game. So, grab a pen and notebook, and get to work. 

Write down all the aspects that you want to examine about the games. These can include:

• Condition of the box
• Condition of the components
• Missing components
• Instruction manual present

This will help you keep track of all the different elements you need to inspect. 

After that, break open the games one by one and go through your checklist. You won’t need to do that if the board game still has its original seal. 

This can become a little tedious over time. So, staying invested is a bit tough. 

To make the process more fun, think of it as getting paid to play games. 

Step 5: Package the Board Games

Now that you know the condition of each game, it’s time to pack everything back up. Place any tiny components in small containers and then place them in the box. 

That way, you’ll ensure all the tokens arrive safely at their destination. 

Then, seal the board game boxes with plastic wrap. This will ensure that no one will be able to tamper with the items. 

Step 6: Price Your Board Games

This is arguably the toughest part of the process. That’s because the price of each board game can vary greatly depending on the buyer and the day. 

So, to make this process a little easier, you’ll need to research the market. Spend some time looking through competitor sites. 

Check their pricing strategies to help you create your own. 

Step 7: Sell Your Board Games

At this point, you’re ready to promote your items. Visit one of the platforms we talked about above, like OfferUp.

These services will be able to help you start selling in no time.

Things to Consider When Selling Board Games

Before you launch a board game business, there are a couple of factors you should consider. 

Consider if the Board Game Industry Is Right for You

Selling board games is an amazing way to make a little extra pocket money. Yet, the business isn’t all that stable. 

For starters, finding vintage games for your collection may be tough. Other than that, you’ll have a limited audience base. 

This can mean that it’ll take months before you see any kind of profits. So, unless you have a passion for board games, staying invested will be difficult. 

Missing Components Aren’t Always a Bad Thing

When you’re inspecting the board games, you’ll notice that some of them may be missing components. At this point, most people think they should just throw them out.

Yet, that would be a terrible mistake. 

Board games with missing components can still generate plenty of profits. You can sell the individual pieces of a game to collectors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar Tutorials to Check Out

If you’re undecided about selling board games, here are a few similar ventures. 

• How to Sell a PS5: Are you interested in game consoles? Find out how to turn your hobby into a lucrative business. 
• How to Sell VHS Tapes: Do you have a collection of vintage VHS tapes? Learn how to sell them and turn a profit. 
• How to Sell Yu-Gi-Oh Cards: Did you spend years collecting Yu-Gi-Oh cards? Learn how to turn this collection into a side hustle. 

Wrapping Up

Figuring out how to sell board games is easier than it sounds. Start off by organizing your board game collection. 

Then, head over to a thrift store and see if you can expand your catalog. 

After that, identify valuable games and inspect your entire collection. Once that’s done, it’s time for packaging and pricing. 

Finally, use an e-commerce platform to start selling. 

Did our guide on how to sell board games help you get started? Don’t forget to let us know down below and remember to share this article with your friends.