Do you have a box of Beanie Babies and wondering what to do with them?
These plush animals were popular during the 1990s and the 2000s and have now become popular collectibles for antique lovers.
If you possess some rare Ty Warner Beanies like Princess the Bear, Piccadilly Attic, and Bubbles the Fish, you’re in luck.
And if they’re in mint condition character, you can sell them at a valuable price.
Keep reading, as we’ll show you how to sell Beanie Babies for the most money and what you need to get started.
Why You Should Consider Selling Beanie Babies
Whether it’s the Gen Zs discovering these adorable stuffed animals from TY Warner or their limited quantity in online stores, the secondary market demand for Beanie Babies is skyrocketing.
Here are some reasons to consider selling your Ty Beanie Baby:
- Make Extra Cash: You can make thousands of dollars selling your Beanie Babies, especially if they’re among the rarest Beanies and in perfect condition. This money can help you solve your immediate needs or start up a legit side hustle.
- Fluctuating Value: Within the collectors’ community, Beanie values fluctuate over time. As a result, many Ty Beanie Babies have lost value. So, if you’re still holding on to your box of childhood memories, this might be a good time to sell.
- Learn Business Skills: If you haven’t sold anything before, this is your opportunity to pick up some business skills. Whether you want to sell Beanie Babies in online stores or physical antique shops, you must determine sale prices, negotiate with potential buyers, and manage your finances.
- Decluttering: Instead of allowing your Beanie Babies to collect dust, you can give them a new life in someone else’s home when you sell them. It’ll free up useful space in your home and you can get rid of allergens like pet hair, pollen, and dust that have accumulated over time.
Problems with Selling Beanie Babies
Selling items of collectible nature could be challenging, and that includes Beanie Babies by Ty Inc.
You may encounter the following challenges:
- Unstable Prices: There’s no standard price for a Ty Beanie Baby. So, you must know the value of what you want to sell, then look for suitable buyers, which is time-consuming.
- Logistics: If you intend to sell Beanies at a garage sale or flea market, you should consider how to transport and display them safely.
- Costs of Shipping: Selling Ty Beanies in an online marketplace like Facebook Marketplace and eBay requires shipping them to buyers, which could be a bit expensive. So, if you don’t factor in the cost, you may not make profits.
- Payment Issues: When selling online, you’re vulnerable to fraud, non-payment, and refund requests. So, you have to figure out how to accept payment without hassles.
What You’ll Need to Sell Beanie Babies
Thankfully, you don’t need a lot of things to sell a Ty Beanie Baby. Here’s a list of all you need:
- A collection of Beanies in perfect condition.
- An authentication certificate.
- A smartphone with an internet connection so you can list your collection on online stores.
- Plastic bags and envelopes or small boxes for packaging the items for shipping.
Where to Sell Beanie Babies
Whether it’s in a physical store or an online marketplace, there are several places to sell Beanie Babies for cash.
Here are some of the popular options:
1. eBay
eBay is a large online marketplace with an international audience that’s looking to buy or sell antique items, handcrafted products, clothing, video games, discontinued products, and more.
You can list products for free and sell to the highest bidder through its auction sale setup or fix a pre-determined price.
What Makes it Great
eBay has a dedicated section for Beanies, which makes it easier for you to find how much other sellers value similar collections.
Also, because of the high number of visitors to the site, you have more chances of selling.
- Fees/Commission: eBay charges 13.25% on the total amount of sales plus $0.30 per order.
- Payment Methods: You can receive payouts directly into your checking account or debit card.
2. Plush Collector
As the name implies, Plush Collector accepts plush collectibles like Beanie Boos, Babies, and Buddies.
It’s been in business since 2012, so you don’t have to worry about whether it’s a scam.
The website is user-friendly and you’re told the value of your collection upfront.
What Makes it Great
Plush Collector provides free shipping for orders worth over $25. Also, it covers transaction costs, allowing you to use its platform for free.
It’s ideal for people who don’t want to list products and wait endlessly for when they’ll be sold.
- Fees/Commission: Plush Collector doesn’t charge selling fees.
- Payment Methods: You’ll receive payment via PayPal or check by mail.
3. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook is one of the largest social networks for keeping in touch with friends and meeting new people.
Its marketplace offers an opportunity to sell locally and internationally. However, you’ll cover the cost of shipping.
So, if you live in a densely populated city, you may be lucky to find someone in your locality that wants your Beanie Babies.
What Makes it Great
By setting your location to a specific area, Facebook allows you to sell to a target market.
Also, you can list products for free and negotiate with potential buyers via the messaging feature.
- Fees/Commission: Unless you’re selling through a Facebook shop, you don’t have to pay any selling fees.
- Payment Methods: Facebook emphasizes payment in cash or checks handed in person.
How to Sell Beanie Babies: Step-By-Step Instructions
Even though there are a few valuable beanies, you can still sell your Beanie Babies for cash.
Here are the steps to get started:
Step 1: Sort the Beanie Babies
You can sort your Beanie Babies by the hang tag or in groups of animals like dogs, giraffes, cats, etc.
The hang tag is a heart shape that tells you the generation of your Beanie Baby.
An older generation can fetch you more money than the recent generations.
You can check this guide to learn how to tell the generation of a Ty Beanie Baby.
Step 2: Find a Pricing Guide
There are several online collectors’ communities that offer price guides based on the Ty Inc.
Beanie Baby generation.
The info will help you estimate how much you’ll sell your collection.
Although the hang tags are important for this step, if yours are missing, you should match your Beanies with online pictures to know how much they’re worth.
Another place to check for pricing is the “Sold” section on eBay.
You should expand your search to 4 months ago to see whether there’s a trend in the amount customers bid for Beanies.
Also, you can search for the prices of specific Beanies.
For instance, Happy the Hippo first generation.
Step 3: Appraise the Beanie Babies
You should find an antique appraiser to take a closer look at each Ty Beanie Baby you intend to sell.
They’ll tell you whether the item is authentic, counterfeit, altered, or has the wrong tag.
Note that you’ll pay for the authentication process whether the Beanie Baby is authentic or not.
If your Beanie is authentic and has a certificate, it’s more likely to be priced higher.
Step 4: Choose Where to Sell Your Beanie
You can sell your Beanie Baby in several online stores if you want to reach the largest audience.
The tips below will help you sell successfully.
- Take clear photos of the items from different angles so that potential buyers can ascertain their condition before negotiating. You should avoid using random photos from the internet, as people may assume you’re a fraudster.
- Include photos of the authentication certificates to attract more attention to your product listing.
- In the description section, include important details about the Beanie Baby, such as the name, generation, condition, and year on its tush tag.
- Sell Beanie Babies in sets if you have them. It helps to boost the price tag, especially if your Beanies aren’t the rare types.
- Unless you trust the online store, use a secure payment solution like PayPal to accept payment.
- Some stores offer prepaid shipping. But if that’s not the case, you should include shipping fees in the total cost of the item so that you won’t run at a loss.
- Ensure the online platform offers a tracking system and insurance to cover cases of lost packages.
If you’re in haste to sell your Beanie Babies, you should consider a garage sale or a private auction.
Whichever physical location you choose, keep your Beanies safe and collect payment in cash before handing over the item.
You may accept checks, but there’s a possibility that they’ll bounce, and you don’t want that to happen.
Things to Consider When Selling Beanie Babies
Before you sell Beanie Babies, you should get in-depth knowledge about the business.
Here are some things to consider before starting out:
1. The Ty Beanie Baby’s Condition
Collectible stores and individual collectors prioritize the mint condition character when buying Beanie Babies.
This implies that there are no signs of defect or wear and all tags are intact. But if the fabric is torn or the tags are missing, you’ll have to sell at the lowest price.
2. The Ty Beanie Values
Some Beanie Babies have more value than others, especially those produced in 1993. They’re considered first-generation and could fetch a lot of money.
You can confirm the value of your Ty Beanie on the company’s website or check with an appraiser.
3. The Sales Location
Selling Ty Beanie Babies through an online flea market like eBay requires time and effort.
You’ll have to take multiple photos of your entire collection, write descriptions, and take care of shipping.
Other options you should consider are Beanie Babies auction houses and auction sites, but you may not make a lot of profit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Beanie Babies Are Worth Money Now?
The rarest Beanies are worth a lot of money now, but you can make much more when you combine them.
Some examples are Patti the Platypus, Gobbles Turkey, Lefty Donkey and Righty Elephant, Piccadilly Attic, and Princess Bear.
How Do You Store Beanie Babies?
To store your Beanies, place them in sealed containers or plastic bags.
However, you should take care not to handle them roughly so they can last for a long time.
Can You Wash a Ty Beanie?
You can handwash a Ty Beanie using cool water and mild soap, but you should wrap the tags in cellophane or protective coverings.
Allow to air dry, then fluff out the furs with a soft brush.
Additionally, you can spot-clean the Beanie with baking soda if it has collected some grease. The baking soda absorbs excess oil and leaves your Beanie smelling fresh.
Similar Tutorials to Check Out
If you’re interested in selling other things besides Beanies, you should check out these options for making extra money:
- How to Sell Pictures for Money: A step-by-step guide for selling stock photos online.
- How to Sell NFTs: You can monetize your creativity by selling NFTs.
- How to Sell Books on Amazon: If you’re a potential bookseller or have a pile of old books you want to dispose of, you can sell them on Amazon and make cool cash.
Wrapping Up
Sadly, you may not become rich by selling Ty Inc. Beanies, even if it’s Coral Casino the Bear or Bear Canada Country Exclusive.
But you can still make a reasonable amount of money if you know the right places to sell, and that’s why we put up this guide.
We hope you found this article helpful. Don’t forget to leave us a comment, as we’d love to read your thoughts on how to sell Beanie Babies.
And remember to share the guide with your friends so they can start gathering their Beanies for sale.
