When Selling used sets should you invest in original boxes?

[taracook21]

I just got a great deal on 30+lbs of Lego blocks from yard sale. I plan on putting the sets together and buying the instructions from bricklink. After I have some fun putting them together I thought I would sell them on eBay. Many of the sets are retired and I should be able to get some money for them. What I want to know, is it worth buying the original boxes to complete the set. Also if I decide to keep the mini figs will it hurt the cost they go for. Thanks!

[Huskers1236]

Unless it's an older, rare set, I've never found the box inclusion to really be worth the time and effort. Shipping large boxes like that doesn't come cheap. I have found that instructions help a set hold it's value much more than the box, minifigures as well, even more so. I have sold hundreds of used sets on ebay, and 95% of the time don't have the box, and I usually don't see much of a difference in what I get and what someone else gets when they have the box. You're really probably selling to a different market when you have the boxes, more of a collector, where mine I'm sure are going to builders. If you're bricklinking the instructions, stay on the lookout for the prices, they can vary wildly on bricklink. You can also find a lot of instruction lots on ebay as well and might get lucky for someone to have a lot that you need, but I would think Bricklink would be the way to go. Makes building them a lot easier too:)

[akohns]

If you want to maximize profits selling the as close to 100% as you can get them. Sometime throw smaller sets (less than $20 value) in with a larger set of the same theme and list a little higher. If you already have the instructions included them. Huskers is right that you won't see a return on your investment if you buy the original boxes to resell with the sets. Most people looking for used sets really don't need/want the box since they will be building and displaying the sets they'd probably rather not pay extra for the box unless it's a "collector" set like Modulars or UCS sets. But even then it's probably not worth your money to invest in the boxes.

[Alcarin]

Instructions > Box to increase value of a set.... Its way better getting instructions than to having to print them or look on the screen!

[c4dreams]

I agree, boxes are not worth the trouble. your gain will be small, and it will be more of a hassle when it comes to shipping.

[Ed Mack]

Boxes are valuable in certain cases...maybe larger and rare sets. UCS STAR WARS sets for example. Most smaller sets, quality instructions outweigh the box.

[jaisonline]

Boxes are valuable in certain cases...maybe larger and rare sets. UCS STAR WARS sets for example. Most smaller sets, quality instructions outweigh the box.

100% agree here.

Also popular sets that never had a refresh (e.g. Sandcrawler, Cloud City). Heck, even the Batcave and Arkham box were prob worth buying used before the 2012/2013 refreshes .

Instructions are diff key.

[dmoser22]

Yep. Boxes can be worthwhile for the right set. I recently sold two Grand Carousel boxes for $50 each. -djm