Becoming a reseller is easy, right? Wrong. There are many traps that disenfranchise beginners every day. It can be quite tricky because what you think has value quite often does not. Let me explain. Many items that were viewed as highly collectible in the past have lost value or have no value at all, but as a beginner reseller, you don’t know this. You just remember either seeing or hearing about the collectability of various figurines, dolls, plates, etc. The list is quite large. I hope this blog saves you from a potentially expensive and time-consuming learning curve.
I remember when I first ventured out attempting to source vintage items for my fledgling eBay store over 10 years ago. I must have wasted over $500 on items that I believed were sure things and would move quickly. To my chagrin, many of these various classic collectible items sat on my shelves month after month and then year after year without selling. Now you are probably asking why. They were overbought (extremely popular) and mass-produced. This can destroy long-term value.
Here is a list of items that I personally learned about the hard way when I first began. Please note that the items listed below aren’t worthless, but their profitability or collectability will more than likely leave you disappointed. That is, unless you know exactly which object you are looking for that has value. Let’s get started.
Beanie Babies
One of the absolute biggest traps around. I have noticed their collectability pick up lately, but I avoid them like the plague.
Baseball Cards
They were massively overproduced during the “Junk Wax Era” from 1986 to 1993. You must know what you are looking for or just walk away.
Boyds Bears
These are just a disappointment and remind me of the Annalee dolls. With that said, Annalee dolls are finally making a comeback, but how long did it take? Boyds Bears are dust collectors.
Norman Rockwell Collector Plates
They are worthless, but only worth selling in bulk. If you can’t get them for dirt cheap, don’t bother. They are only worth a few dollars per plate. Pretty disappointing considering what they cost originally.
Avon Bottles and Decanters
Most are worthless, but there are some diamonds in the rough. If you can deal with the typical nauseating stench, you might luck out and find one that is collectible.
Hummel Figurines
I recently purchased certain ones with value at an estate auction, but the vast majority that you run across are worthless or near worthless. Just a few measly dollars at best. But with that said, remember that there are ones floating around with value, but buyer beware. Research first.
Old Cameras
This one is very cut and dry. Just because something is old does not make it valuable. There are tons of valuable cameras floating around, but there are more worthless ones. Be cautious and don’t assume their age guarantees their value.
Porcelain Dolls
I guarantee you every estate auction or yard sale has porcelain dolls. I’ve made a lot of money reselling dolls, but I know what to look for. They are literally everywhere, and most are worthless. They were mass-produced during the 1980s and 1990s, which caused market saturation.
PEZ Dispensers
Old, yes; new, no. Tons and tons of these guys are floating around. One easy way to tell their age is whether they have feet or a straight bottom. If the bottom is straight, you have an older one that probably has value. With that said, the vast majority have feet. Catch my drift?
Comic Books
Very similar to baseball cards. If you can buy in bulk for cheap, there is money to be made, but be careful. Most have very little value unless you have already done your research and know what to look for.
HOMCO
Absolutely worthless figurines that you will literally see by the thousands during the course of your vintage sourcing career.
Learn From the Reselling Pitfalls
I have listed various things above that I can remember, but there are many more pitfalls out there waiting for you. Just remember this saying: “Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.” Picking and sourcing vintage items can be tricky at first, but it can be quite rewarding in the long run.
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