Legends of Chima - general discussion

[Inventrious]

I've been on eBay lately, and people are paying between $95-$110 for the Lion Chi Temple. If you put them up for $85.00 they get sold within an hour. There's a seller on eBay who sells 4 of these sets at once, and it goes for around $325 +$12.00 shipping. You can make a easy $50 off of it. I'm not sure how much longer this will be like that, but if you want to make money, this is the way. Walmart is selling this set for $90.00. If you have a coupon or anything for Walmart, you might want to buy this set and try selling it, or possibly return it if it doesn't sell for the price you want. (This set sells for $134.00, but sales this high is rare. You might find a guy like this and be lucky )

 

[willy431]

?

 

I read that 3 times..and still have no idea what you are talking about?  Are you suggesting to buy it for 90...and it will sell on ebay for 85-110?  Is that plus shipping..or free shipping?   Maybe you don't realize ebay charges 10% of sale price including the shipping....paypal skims another 4%.  Then....unless you are established...you wait 3 weeks for your money to clear.

 

Welcome to the site...I think we understand your point...but you probably don't realize what ebay and  paypal charge.  Nor your time to buy the set, get packing materials, print labels, and go to post office to mail..nor the 3 weeks wait to get paid....assuming buyer isn't a scam or requests a return once he realizes they are 90 in a store.  Also...don't forget tax if you are in a taxed state.  

 

Your example would be thus....

Drive to walmart and pay 96 after tax.

Sell on ebay for 110 plus 10 shipping.

Ebay takes 12, paypal takes 4.

You get 94 in 3 weeks...plus you lost at least an hour of your time, and gas for trips to store and post.  In addition to your $2 loss.

[comicblast]

I just looked at eBay Complete and Sold listings, and I'm getting numbers around $85-$95 range, and I don't really see how you can buy for $85 and make a profit. Even if you sell for $95, you'll have $10.64 in fees, bringing down the money you actually pocket to $84.36. Maybe you organized the listings Highest price to lowest instead of by date? 

[Inventrious]

?

 

I read that 3 times..and still have no idea what you are talking about?  Are you suggesting to buy it for 90...and it will sell on ebay for 85-110?  Is that plus shipping..or free shipping?   Maybe you don't realize ebay charges 10% of sale price including the shipping....paypal skims another 4%.  Then....unless you are established...you wait 3 weeks for your money to clear.

 

Welcome to the site...I think we understand your point...but you probably don't realize what ebay and  paypal charge.  Nor your time to buy the set, get packing materials, print labels, and go to post office to mail..nor the 3 weeks wait to get paid....assuming buyer isn't a scam or requests a return once he realizes they are 90 in a store.  Also...don't forget tax if you are in a taxed state.  

 

Your example would be thus....

Drive to walmart and pay 96 after tax.

Sell on ebay for 110 plus 10 shipping.

Ebay takes 12, paypal takes 4.

You get 94 in 3 weeks...plus you lost at least an hour of your time, and gas for trips to store and post.  In addition to your $2 loss.

First, I haven't sold on eBay for 4-5 months cause I'm in the moving process. Second, yes I see your point, I wasn't realizing all those costs...anyway, if you we're to buy the sets of BrickLink, or by lots of 4, you can make money, that was kinda my point then I threw in the Walmart.. Thanks

[Inventrious]

I just looked at eBay Complete and Sold listings, and I'm getting numbers around $85-$95 range, and I don't really see how you can buy for $85 and make a profit. Even if you sell for $95, you'll have $10.64 in fees, bringing down the money you actually pocket to $84.36. Maybe you organized the listings Highest price to lowest instead of by date? 

Calculate it in the middle. Listings are being sold as soon as listed. These are in high demand. Notice that half the sets are built and don't include minifigures. You can also take out the minifigures, and make more money that way, but it's more complicated. Look at the most recent ended auctions, include shipping. One was sold for $112.00, and that was 2 days ago. The time is what counts. My post still stands, but you guys have a point with gas, and stuff. You have to buy lots, (sets of 4) then you can make money. Check out this seller who sells lots of 4 Epic dragon battle, and Lion chi temple. 

He lists the auctions every 2-3 days, Check out his sold listings.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/handyrandyman1234/m.html?item=390668936485&pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item5af5aee525&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

[comicblast]

I also see a trend of sale prices lowering. Before he was able to sell 4 Lion CHI Temple sets for $350 (includes shipping) to sell for $87.50 each, and another lot of 4 which ended up selling for $88.75 per set. Then we go to $315.07 ($78.77 per), $325 ($81.25 per), $313 ($78.25 per), and $284 ($71). I don't include the $12 shipping because he's obviously not making very much on shipping, if anything. I don't see how you can make money selling a set for $80.92 on average without losing money.

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&item=390668936485&pt=Building_Toys_US&_osacat=0&LH_Complete=1&hash=item5af5aee525&_ssn=handyrandyman1234&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xlion+chi&_nkw=lion+chi&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

Even the example that you have that sold for $112.00. You get $13.39 in fees, and you have around $10 shipping, so you end up selling for $88.91. :-/

[willy431]

How the heck is this guy making money selling 4 sets that cheap...he is paying about 30 or 40 for priority shipping...so taking a loss there too.  I dkn't get it.  I still won't pay more than 75 for this set. It will be there.  Sooner rather than later.  Thanks for the link....Ill be watching his 4 packs in the future.

[Inventrious]

I also see a trend of sale prices lowering. Before he was able to sell 4 Lion CHI Temple sets for $350 (includes shipping) to sell for $87.50 each, and another lot of 4 which ended up selling for $88.75 per set. Then we go to $315.07 ($78.77 per), $325 ($81.25 per), $313 ($78.25 per), and $284 ($71). I don't include the $12 shipping because he's obviously not making very much on shipping, if anything. I don't see how you can make money selling a set for $80.92 on average without losing money.

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&item=390668936485&pt=Building_Toys_US&_osacat=0&LH_Complete=1&hash=item5af5aee525&_ssn=handyrandyman1234&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xlion+chi&_nkw=lion+chi&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

Even the example that you have that sold for $112.00. You get $13.39 in fees, and you have around $10 shipping, so you end up selling for $88.91. :-/

His auctions are shorter now. But still you have a point. 

[comicblast]

How the heck is this guy making money selling 4 sets that cheap...he is paying about 30 or 40 for priority shipping...so taking a loss there too.  I dkn't get it.  I still won't pay more than 75 for this set. It will be there.  Sooner rather than later.  Thanks for the link....Ill be watching his 4 packs in the future.

If his sales continue going downhill in price like that, you might be able to snag some for under $70. Not bad...not bad at all!

[Inventrious]

How the heck is this guy making money selling 4 sets that cheap...he is paying about 30 or 40 for priority shipping...so taking a loss there too.  I dkn't get it.  I still won't pay more than 75 for this set. It will be there.  Sooner rather than later.  Thanks for the link....Ill be watching his 4 packs in the future.

No problem. I agree. I bid on this item, I thought it ended at 7:40 EST but it ended at 6, so I lost the auction. If you calculate it though, you can make $50. You just gotta try. 

[lowillsw]

I envision you might be able to make some money if you flip during Xmas.  Those sets will most likely run out at Walmart and Target 2 weeks before Xmas.  You'll see someone with time constraint that needs a last minute gift stumble onto Ebay and pay up for it.  The numbers you have just don't jive to worth your time at this moment.

[comicblast]

How the heck is this guy making money selling 4 sets that cheap.

I'll bet he buys from this store. They have bargain prices nearly all the time!

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

How the heck is this guy making money selling 4 sets that cheap...he is paying about 30 or 40 for priority shipping...so taking a loss there too.  I dkn't get it.  I still won't pay more than 75 for this set. It will be there.  Sooner rather than later.  Thanks for the link....Ill be watching his 4 packs in the future.

 

How some of the guys that are currently supplying me with sets do it - they work for Lego and get a mega discount. I found one of them on Ebay - just put up auctions for 99 cents. They went stupid cheap for new sets. He is an investor as well but also gets new sets like crazy. He told me he could get me new sets for pretty cheap and we worked out a deal.

 

He wouldn't absolutely say it - but basically implied he worked for Lego. Probably the same deal.

[Inventrious]

So here's how I see it:

Buy a set of 4 for $300,

Auction each, (the auction starts at $99)

Charge them shipping

But you guys are right, there are other costs, but you will still make around $50 if I'm seeing it the right way.

[comicblast]

So here's how I see it:

Buy a set of 4 for $300,

Auction each, (the auction starts at $99)

Charge them shipping

But you guys are right, there are other costs, but you will still make around $50 if I'm seeing it the right way.

Good method, but I think starting the bidding a little lower would be better to draw in a large number of bidders. Doing so, you increase the possibility of a bidding war at the end. Since $99 is what people are purchasing in BIN listings, in auctions they are typically looking for a lower price, though it doesn't always happen.

[Inventrious]

Good method, but I think starting the bidding a little lower would be better to draw in a large number of bidders. Doing so, you increase the possibility of a bidding war at the end. Since $99 is what people are purchasing in BIN listings, in auctions they are typically looking for a lower price, though it doesn't always happen.

You can do it that way, and if the auction doesn't reach $100 (I've never seen it hit lower, at least not on the auction I bid on) you can cancel all bids and say the item was "Lost or destroyed"

[Inventrious]

You can take out the minifigures and sell the set for $75, and sell the minifigures for around $30. Just look around, you'll find a way to make money with these Chi temples. If you get a hold of them for $80 or lower, you should be able to make a profit. Just don't sell multiple at once.

[Inventrious]

I'll bet he buys from this store. They have bargain prices nearly all the time!

That place costs to much...but if you use a coupon on top of a sale, you get it around $65

[Inventrious]

I envision you might be able to make some money if you flip during Xmas.  Those sets will most likely run out at Walmart and Target 2 weeks before Xmas.  You'll see someone with time constraint that needs a last minute gift stumble onto Ebay and pay up for it.  The numbers you have just don't jive to worth your time at this moment.

Yes that kind of works, but they are only good before Xmas, after, everyone can't afford anything.

[Inventrious]

Another way to make quick money, is buying those boxes of 60 minifigures, opening them, and selling them by sets, or by themselves. Depends on series though. I know a seller on eBay who sells these: http://www.ebay.com/sch/thebrickdude/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= and http://www.ebay.com/sch/minifiguresplus/m.html?item=221206338612&pt=Building_Toys_US&hash=item3380ecdc34&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

 

These two sell lots of LEGO Minifigure Series boxes. First one, sells them pretty cheap. Second has all the series, but cost more.

[Ed Mack]

600+ feedback or not, this seller looks like he is selling stolen items.  It would appear that every auction, even his previous non-Chima LEGO auctions,  are below MSRP.  How is that possible?  

[Jackson]

That seller has the shipping method for the Mindstorms set and the train sets listed as USPS Priority Mail.  He is paying a shizload if he is using that shipping method, is he not?

[shizzybond]

I bought this set yesterday off of Craig's list for $60 dont collect chima do like the figures tho and $60 was to goo to turn down......

[comicblast]

That place costs to much...but if you use a coupon on top of a sale, you get it around $65

That was sarcasm. (Awkward..)

 

You can do it that way, and if the auction doesn't reach $100 (I've never seen it hit lower, at least not on the auction I bid on) you can cancel all bids and say the item was "Lost or destroyed"

Am I the only person that thinks that doing that is unethical? Might as well just do a BIN with your target price instead of deceiving your buyers. Definitely not a good way to get positive feedback!

[Inventrious]

600+ feedback or not, this seller looks like he is selling stolen items.  It would appear that every auction, even his previous non-Chima LEGO auctions,  are below MSRP.  How is that possible?  

Could be, could be that he's a manager at a store like Target and gets %50 of all sales.