Key Takeaways
- Reselling toys ahead of the holiday season is a good way to make some extra cash and cycle out older toys that your family doesn’t play with anymore.
- Stay attuned to buyer trends to find popular toys when they’re discounted so that you can resell them later on.
- Secondhand and resold toys may be in higher demand as retail prices are impacted by rising inflation and tariffs.
Clear Out Your Closets
Spend a day or two cleaning out your closets and storage shelves for toys your kids no longer use. Maybe you have a bicycle in your garage that your children have outgrown, or baby toys your kids are too old to play with.
Once you find what you’d like to sell, disinfect and clean the toys so they’re ready to go. Then, you can list your items for sale. You have several options:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Craigslist
- eBay
- Poshmark
- GoodBuy Gear
- Mercari
- A brick-and-mortar thrift store or consignment shop
Important
Remember to always guard your personal information when conducting an internet-based transaction, and arrange to meet in a public space for in-person local exchanges. Some towns actually have designated hand-off locations for online transactions, such as the city hall or the library.
Snag Deals and Discounts
Being attentive to toy trends ahead of the holiday season is a good way to know which items will net you the best profits for resale, especially if you start your research early and take advantage of pre-holiday deals and early purchasing.
Searching for trending hashtags related to toys on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok can help you become educated on which toys kids and teens are most likely to want during the holiday season. In addition, Google search trends can give you insights on what’s hot and what’s not.
You can also ask around your own social circles and seek input from parents whose holiday shopping lists are filled with what their kids want most. For 2025, for example, many kids want a Labubu doll. This is the type of toy that’s more likely to sell at higher price points when it’s resold.
Read the Fine Print
When reselling items, there are a few things to keep in mind. Most online platforms, including auction sites like eBay and consignment websites like Poshmark and Mercari, take a percentage of the sale amount allocated as seller fees. Each website has its own guidelines for the amount of seller fees the platform takes from your profit, so it’s important to read the fine print before you list your items.
Seller Fees for Online Resale Platforms
Website
Fees taken from seller’s earnings
eBay
13.6% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500 calculated per item plus 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500 plus $0.30 final value fee for sales $10 or less and $0.40 final value fee for sales above $10
Poshmark
On sales under $15, a flat fee of $2.95 per order, on orders $15 and above, the fee is increased to 20% of the sale amount
Mercari
10% of the item price and buyer-paid shipping
Additionally, there are federal tax rules. Both online and in-person transactions involving the sale of items fall under the IRS definition of gig work.
Anyone who earns more than $400 annually through all cumulative gig work—not just reselling toys—is required to file annual income taxes on their total earnings.
Consider Donating Instead
If you’re feeling charitable, then donating used toys can be a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer across your community. When deciding on a philanthropic organization to donate your used toys and other secondhand items to, you can research the organization via Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, or Better Business Bureau (BBB) and BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
Though donating toys won’t earn you cash on the spot, you can use your donations as deductions on your income tax return and reap the rewards and savings when you file your annual taxes.
Cash in on Vintage Toys
Some of the toys kids and teens want for the holidays were produced in the 1990s and 2000s. Trading cards, Happy Meal toys, and Furbies are a few of the vintage top sellers. For instance, a Furby could net you up to $200 when resold today.
When reselling vintage toys, assess their condition and whether or not they’re appropriate for children—they might actually be a collector’s item. Because reselling toys isn’t just for kids—some adults collect toys, too.
