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Australian General LEGO Update


BrickPick3r

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Did you use the mobile browser? It's a nightmare for trying to quote posts. I find it ok as long as I don't quote a post. 

I can't say I'm far from a big investor but Id say I'm a bit of a hoarder. Im willing to hold on until I can turn a profit. I'd say ebay is the easiest and most convenient place to sell providing you sell at price to cover its costs and make profit.  Not getting much love selling on Facebook lately...

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Did you use the mobile browser? It's a nightmare for trying to quote posts. I find it ok as long as I don't quote a post. 

I can't say I'm far from a big investor but Id say I'm a bit of a hoarder. Im willing to hold on until I can turn a profit. I'd say ebay is the easiest and most convenient place to sell providing you sell at price to cover its costs and make profit.  Not getting much love selling on Facebook lately...

Facebook BSS pages are generally dumping grounds or people that want things for next to nothing. Having said that though I have been doing a bit of stock acquisition through there lately.

eBay is good for the middle ground investor, when I first started, there were no big players such as Target, Hobby Warehouse, Mr Toys, etc.

Since they have come along it is becoming increasingly harder to make a substantial profit on some sets, older sets are fine but not so much for QFLLing.

We all start small and if we strategise right become bigger naturally, I started with a $110 haunted house (had access to about 100 of them at that price) and kept flipping them @ $200 + shipping. I was able to build off the profit I made from those. However, as I mentioned earlier, it takes a considerable amount of time and effort.

Time is self explanatory, but effort is through understanding the market (we are not the US) and research.

35 minutes ago, Alucard1982 said: That's true. What we find over the year is that there is a rise and fall in LEGO "Investors", once they realise that it isn't quick $$$ and there is a bit of work in the strategy, selling and buying - they go poof.

 

 

Some of the longer regulars, and some that have disappeared or moved on know my feelings about Star Wars.

Yea, I know how you feel about it. I also know that you have some bought some R5s. My advice is to buy this one if you see it in the wild. It's already disappeared from pretty much all B&M retailers in Brisbane.

It is a very popular OT ship, even though it's pretty much just an ugly grey wedge. Some of the minifigs in it are fairly rare, plus once the new film comes out, this may also help its CAGR. I may be wrong, but I reckon it'll be a winner. I neglected this set and now I am regretting not buying it when it was on sale. as of this date I only have 1 to my name.

You'll be happy to know I grabbed a SC today ;)

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BSS is good for clearing stock, and items that they can accept an inflated price for.  The repeat customers are nice on BSS. You feel like they are friends. Christmas is probably better on ebay - with the shortages , and the higher volume of people buying . Ebay is less work than BSS,  - and you get a bit less abuse. Some people think we should feel ashamed for the prices we charge , but I mostly feel bad when I sell something for too much less than what it is actually worth. (going rate). Mostly due to - having bills to pay.  I can handle 10 - 15% less than going rate. But any more, and I feel a bit gutted.  On the other hand , it feels awesome to get a high price for your item. The higher the price , the better you feel. We are big collectors too, but the bills are what keeps me selling. And it is definitely a high risk game , that keeps getting harder. 

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18 minutes ago, Ryan Junior said:

BSS is good for clearing stock, and items that they can accept an inflated price for.  The repeat customers are nice on BSS. You feel like they are friends. Christmas is probably better on ebay - with the shortages , and the higher volume of people buying . Ebay is less work than BSS,  - and you get a bit less abuse. Some people think we should feel ashamed for the prices we charge , but I mostly feel bad when I sell something for too much less than what it is actually worth. (going rate). Mostly due to - having bills to pay.  I can handle 10 - 15% less than going rate. But any more, and I feel a bit gutted.  On the other hand , it feels awesome to get a high price for your item. The higher the price , the better you feel. We are big collectors too, but the bills are what keeps me selling. And it is definitely a high risk game , that keeps getting harder. 

I agree with you on all points especially when eBay is less work than BSS. I've branched off and created my own LEGO FB page (selling), getting a fair few repeat customers and am building quite a consumer base, so its good in that regard.

 

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6 minutes ago, Ryan Junior said:

Yes, I have thought of starting a page on FB. Will get around to it one day . Good on you for doing it. People do like buying from someone they trust. You just have to have some things cheap enough. 

I agree completely, that's how I made my start on eBay listing for very thin margins and building rapport and feedback until I was substantiated enough to charge the prices I needed/wanted. Now I have no problem turning over quite a bit a week (season dependent obviously).


Facebook is good for offloading a selection of sets, isn't as good medium like eBay for listing multiples.

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I like FB because of the lack of fees and if people see you around enough they are willing to do F & F without you even asking. Gumtree is fine as there is minimal effort and all transactions are cash on pickup (though I also ship stuff to users on occasion).

Things like Jurassic World need to be sold on ebay, as the folks on BSS will be pretty quick to question prices that exceed RRP.   

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6 minutes ago, JeffProbst said:

I like FB because of the lack of fees and if people see you around enough they are willing to do F & F without you even asking. Gumtree is fine as there is minimal effort and all transactions are cash on pickup (though I also ship stuff to users on occasion).

Things like Jurassic World need to be sold on ebay, as the folks on BSS will be pretty quick to question prices that exceed RRP.   

 

And this is why I don't tend to list sets such as JW or SD on the BSS. The equilibrium price on these sets are phenomenal. Just as you mentioned they aren't willing to budge over RRP and most likely will list the item once they have it for the going rate. 

 

I'm finding the I can't move many T-Rex (I've sold 4/10 that I have), however RE/RR are getting snapped up pretty quickly. Overall, I think DA was my winner, I think I ploughed through about 40+ of those.

SD doesn't seem to have the lasting appeal that many thought it would (myself included). I've dumped all my Mystery Machines and am holding some stock on the others. 

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Hi,

I'm a short time "lurker" on this site. I have been buying and selling Lego in Qld for about 10 years.

I like to visit these blogs to get an idea of what is hot in the USA and EU. And to lament all the sets/polybags they will not reach the B&M stores on our shores. Not to mention all the great deals we seldom get.

The new thread where people are showing that they have eBay sales of over $100k, is a reminder that this is more of a hobby than a job to me.

 

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Thank you Alucard,

At the turn of the new millennium (in the time of dial up modems), I was pleasantly surpised  at how much people were willing to pay for my childhood Lego.

Though I do wish I hadn't sold my Galaxy Explorer.....

I am strictly small scale selling 5 - 20 BNIB sets per month on Feebay, and using FB to sell part sets and accessories. I find there is a place for both.

Probably my biggest risk, is storing sets for 2-5 years past retirement and the boxes getting damaged.

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On 16 November 2015 at 3:11:20 PM, whoisbiggles said:

Thank you Alucard,

At the turn of the new millennium (in the time of dial up modems), I was pleasantly surpised  at how much people were willing to pay for my childhood Lego.

Though I do wish I hadn't sold my Galaxy Explorer.....

I am strictly small scale selling 5 - 20 BNIB sets per month on Feebay, and using FB to sell part sets and accessories. I find there is a place for both.

Probably my biggest risk, is storing sets for 2-5 years past retirement and the boxes getting damaged.

I'm similar, but I tend to turn over 50+ plus sets a month. Mainly the smaller ones and use the money to acquire the larger ones, so I'm in an endless cycle of being broke :) 

 

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