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So, you have found Brickpicker and probably have already bought a number of sets that you plan on selling at some point in the future. Or, maybe you are a somewhat seasoned investor that has accumulated a large number of sets and are just now starting to sell your first few items. Either way, I wanted to give you a by no means comprehensive list of best practices for listing your items for sale. Whether you list on BP’s Brick Classifieds, eBay or some other site, I think these basic first steps will help increase your sales and reduce the risk of potential issues. 1 - General Tips Before getting into more details, I wanted to provide some general tips when listing LEGO in any platform. Following them will help you avoid some of the most common problems sellers encounter when selling online, and might also help you get more exposure to potential buyers. DO avoid using “Good till’ Cancelled” listings. Using 30 day fixed price formats allows me to easily see which listings may need a price reduction; if I have had to relist more than once, then I usually do some quick research about current prices. Furthermore, I have read that eBay’s search engine tends to favor listings that are not “Good till’ Cancelled”. DO avoid Auctions. While this format has its uses (want to get rid of something quick or such), most of the time it can cause you to leave money on the table. Do some research, list fixed and get what you expect from your items! DO check before publishing your listings all the information is correct. DON’T list open box sets as New. While most of the time you should not have a problem when doing this, some buyers will receive a set with an open box, bags sealed, and still open Not as Described cases or a return request. DON’T list parted out sets as New. Pretty much the same reasoning as the point above. One last, but slightly controversial, suggestion for those using eBay: If you have reached the standards to become Top Rated, but are reluctant to because of the requirement to offer returns, understand that every single seller on eBay is already obligated to take returns. If you won’t take a set back, buyers have the option to simply open a SNAD case, which might count against you, and return the item just the same. The 20% benefit in Final Value Fees is very much worth it! 2 - Title As a seller, we need to make sure that the title of your listing has as much relevant information as possible. As you can imagine, having the key words in the title will make your item more visible when buyers start looking for sets using a particular site’s search engine. Obviously, the most important things to include in the title are the brand (LEGO), the theme and the set number and name. While you could argue that most end buyers don’t have the set numbers memorized, some re-sellers and investors do, and this provides a faster way for them to find your listings as well. Besides these key identifiers, let’s take a look at some other pieces of information that might save you time and help you avoid issues with your buyers. New Sets You might think that if you are selling a new set then things should be pretty straightforward when listing, and I would agree. Unfortunately, there is a portion of buyers that simply don’t research or review the items they are purchasing as much as someone like you and me would. For this reason, I suggest you follow the Dos and Don’ts below. DO NOT include condition qualifiers in your title that are subjective in nature. While it may be tempting to include the acronym MISB (Mint in Sealed Box) in your title, or description, this opens the door for buyer dissatisfaction and potential Not as Described cases. Box condition IS subjective. DO include NIB (New in Box) if you are set in having one of these nice acronyms in your title. While I don’t do it myself, this one is a lot more straightforward and less subjective than some of the others. DO include the phrase “Damaged Box” if your set shows more than average shelf-wear. This is a judgment call, but as a seasoned LEGO buyer you should have an idea of how much damage is too much. This will reduce the chances of a buyer buying without reading the description and then opening a SNAD case. Used Sets As you can imagine, listing used sets requires a little more detail. While you still want to include the basic information (brand, theme, name and number), you also want to make sure you indicate whether the set is complete or incomplete. To me, this is the most important piece of information to have in a used set listing title. Also, make sure to indicate if the set includes the box and the instruction manuals. Once again, this saves the buyer time, as well as potential headaches for you. DO mention if your listing is “Open box, sealed contents”. Some people care very little about the box or the fact that it is open. Indicating that the contents are sealed will lead most buyers to believe, as they should, that a set is new; just not what Paypal and eBay consider to be New. DO mention if a set is parted out. Make sure to be very clear about what component of the set you are selling. DO include if the set includes a new sticker sheet or set of instructions. Some buyers are really attracted to sets that have a “newer” feel; being able to apply stickers is a big one in my book. 3 - Description The description space is where you will make sure that you cover as many details as you need about your listing. DO make sure to repeat the information from the title once again. As redundant as this sounds, it is very important that you reduce the chance of buyers assuming or misinterpreting information. Dealing with returns or other buyer issues will waste your time and keep you from making as much money as you should be! DO include details about your return policy and Unpaid Item Case timeline. I usually just let buyers know that I will give them 4 days to pay, unless they contact me about it, and will require that the items be returned to me in the same condition as they were originally sent. DO include a shipping policy. Let buyers know how you will be shipping the items, so they know you won’t just be slapping a label on a set and sending it away (please, don’t do this). Also, make sure to indicate if you will be requiring signature upon delivery (and you should for items over $750, or its foreign equivalent). DO take the time to find or make your own template. While this is not a deal breaker, it makes your listings look a little more professional than most. DON’T mention that the set is MISB (I know this is the second time I mention this). I usually have a little note that reads, “Box shows shelf-wear” on my listings; helps reduce expectations and makes me look better if the box arrives MINT. 4 - Images Obviously, another extremely important portion of any listing is a proper picture. While uploading photos to any site is pretty simple, I still wanted to leave you with some basic advice you can follow. DO include your own picture. I for one had deviated from this a little as I found myself with less time to sell than I would have liked, but have started to do it again as I believe it does make a difference, especially for used sets and damaged boxes. DO print a sign with your username and place it in front of the item. This can help assure buyers you actually have the item and also, to a lesser extent, help create your brand. Buying LEGO sets is extremely fun, but I believe selling is just as much! Hopefully this article has provided some basic advice you can follow while you start your journey into the very unique world of LEGO investing. Thanks for reading!

Let me start by explaining that this particular review focuses solely upon the physical contents of the LEGO Dimensions set 71204 Doctor Who Level pack. For those who do not know about LEGO Dimensions, it is the newest addition to the LEGO video game library. The game allows users to customize their gameplay by adding minifigures and minibuild objects. The Minifigure chips unlock characters with unique abilities. The minibuilds have 3 different modes that each have in game instructions. Those builds perform different actions/duties in game. The basic game comes with a chip reader that allows you to perform certain actions based upon the placement of the chipped items. It seems like the gameplay is not influenced in the slightest by the physical bricks or minifigures on top of the stands. From gameplay videos online, it seems like Dimensions is similar to every other LEGO video game with certain enhancements to make the reader/base necessary. The Level pack (like this one) usually contains a single minifigure and a pair of minibuild objects. These items can be used within the basic game or add additional content in the form of an additional level including theme specific story content and a themed free play adventure world. I presume that the RFID chip for the Doctor character unlocks the additional Doctor Who content, as I did not find a code in the box. All of the level packs have a retail price of $29.99. Also available are Fun packs that also have a single minifigure, but only one minibuild item. These items do not add content, only enhance gameplay by allowing the user to activate new abilities and unlock secrets that already exist within the levels. However, I am not including any information as to how this set impacts gameplay for the LEGO Dimensions game. I cannot add any digital content reviews, IE the Doctor Who level of the Dimensions game, because I do not have the game itself. REVIEW DETAILS Set #: 71204 Name: Doctor Who Level Pack Theme: LEGO Dimensions Parts: 83 Price: $29.99 Before we get to the build, let’s talk value. At $29.99 this is not a cheap set The price per piece works out to a bit over $.36 each, which seems terrible for those looking to be about $.10 per piece. One assumes that there's some inherent value in the additions to the LEGO Dimensions game, but as I do not have the game, there is no additional value. Strangely this is the second set I have opened recently with such a high disparity between piece count and cost. BOX CONTENTS Some people may wind up picking up a set that is open box or, want to verify the box contents before beginning a build. For this set, there are 2 baggies and an "instruction" book. The instructions show how to build your minifigure, and the rest of the book is an ad for all of the other level packs and play packs available for the LEGO Dimensions game. The assumption is that if you buy this set, you already have the game, so you would look at the in game instructions. I used a youtube video: http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Level-Pack-Not-Machine-Specific/dp/B010R2RHME/ THE BUILD AND EXECUTION The big thing that I think people will buy this set for is the minifigure of the Doctor. At this point in time, he is a unique design with a unique hairpiece and a brand new Sonic Screwdriver. As far as likeness goes, well it's a LEGO so, it's as good as any and better than some. With the upcoming Ideas set, some of these unique elements will probably be replicated, but the costume is more akin to what he wears in the series than that strange purple outfit on offer in dimensions The unique elements for this set look nice, new hair, printed tiles, and of course the Screwdriver. Also included are the RFI chips that allow the game base to decode what build you are using for the game. Without the game pad, I can't figure out if there's a difference between the 2 plain discs, so I just put the mini builds on the first one to hand. The builds, once I got the videos up and running were simple and quick. They were each about half of the 83 pieces. So, they're smaller than a polybag, but bigger than an Advent Calendar build. They're cute little representations of things from the show, with the TARDIS being undersized and K-9 being dramatically oversized. K-9 only has a printed piece on one side. It's been so long since I saw the old Who episodes that I can't recall if that's accurate or not. REACTION I like the Doctor minifigure. I think that the minibuilds are cute and fun and will go on display. Whether I get the game or not, I'm not sad to have them. This set is not for every collector. People who like Doctor Who, especially if they like or are tolerant of his current incarnation, will probably dig it. People who play the Dimensions game will probably like more level and minibuild options. Fans of neither can probably find a much more value conscious set to buy and build. The Creator Treehouse, Scooby Doo Mystery Machine, Avengers Hulk Buster Smash, and the Lincoln Memorial are all examples of sets at the $29.99 tier. There was a small allotment of extra parts, more than I expected. Happily one of the extra parts was the Sonic Screwdriver. FINAL THOUGHTS While I personally like the set, I doubt its long term value increasing significantly. For one thing, with this set and the upcoming Cyberman fun pack, I feel like LEGO is signaling an upcoming theme. The deciding factor in my mind is whether the Ideas set and the Dimensions sets perform. With that said, I cannot imagine this minifigure staying unique. I actually feel like any currently unique Dimensions minifigure will appear in a set sooner or later. If I am wrong, the minifigure will be the driving force behind this set. I doubt that the game will last more than a couple of years before they create version 2.0 or something, rendering all of the old content moot. During the life of this version of the game, these sets should be readily available. Modern game players are fickle and will move on as soon as the next shiny game comes along, so they are unlikely to have long term nostalgia for an expensive add on to an already expensive game. If the minifigure is released in a later set, as I surmise, then any future value lays on the minibuilds. The TARDIS is cute, and the printed tiles are nice, but a larger TARDIS playset that has play/display value is coming soon. K-9 may have nostalgic value for fans of the 80's Doctor Who serials or the Sarah Jane Chronicles, but is a complete nothing to more modern fans. I don't see either of these providing long term incentive for people to pick up later. I might not have gotten this set myself given its high price point and my lack of the Dimensions game, but I had VIP points to use and there was an inexplicable $5 discount. Am I happy that I got the set for myself? Absolutely. Will I be adding a bunch to my storage room in hopes of significant long term gain? Not unless I find a significant discount. Maybe you see greater growth potential, and dispute my points entirely. Well, I wish you good fortune. For now, I need to find a place to display these neat little additions. </p></p>