Pricing Your Action Figures

Setting the right asking price is key to selling your action figures quickly and getting the most money possible. When deciding how to price figures, consider these key factors:

Age and Condition

Older, vintage action figures tend to command higher prices, especially if still sealed in the original packaging. Likewise, figures in pristine condition fetch higher prices than loose, damaged items. Inspect your figures closely and research prices for specific characters and versions.

Completeness

Incomplete action figures – missing key accessories or parts – see significantly lower prices than 100% complete sets. Double check that accessories, weapons, clothing etc are still present before listing.

Rarity

Limited edition, short run, promotional, and hard-to-find figures aimed at serious collectors have the highest potential resale value. Research how many units were produced and current availability when pricing rare finds.

Branding and Character

Figures from iconic brands like Star Wars, Marvel, and DC tend to sell better than generic or obscure characters. Likewise, key heroes and villains command higher prices than minor sidekicks and background characters.

Original Packaging

Mint figures still sealed in original boxes or blister packs gain a considerable premium over loose figures, sometimes more than doubling potential sale prices.

Demand and Trends

Consider current hype cycles around brands, characters, and even artists/designers. Trending franchises or nostalgic fads can impact prices in the short term.

Using recent sold listings for the exact item on eBay and other marketplaces gives the best sense of current fair market value. You can then adjust up or down slightly based on the uniqueness and condition of your particular figures.

Preparing Your Action Figures for Sale

To attract buyers and maximize sale prices, it’s important to properly prep and present your action figures. Here are some tips:

Cleaning

Carefully clean figures to remove any dust, grime, and stains using mild soap, water, and microfiber cloths. Avoid submerging in water if possible.

Storing

Place loose figures and accessories in fresh polybags or cellophane wraps to protect them until sale. Leave vintage figures sealed if possible.

Photographing

Take clear, well-lit photos showing the front, back, sides, and any key details of figures and packaging. Add tags, logos, or watermarks to discourage unauthorized use.

Describing

Write accurate, detailed descriptions noting articulation points, accessories, wear and defects, original packaging, etc. Be transparent about condition and completeness.

Grading Condition

Use common condition terms like “new”, “mint”, “very good”, “good”, “fair”, etc so buyers know what to expect. Note any flaws.

Packing Securely

Pack figures with care to avoid damage using bubble wrap, tissue paper, etc. Padded mailers or boxes keep them protected in shipping.

Taking the time to make figures look their best goes a long way toward commanding fair prices from buyers.

Shipping Action Figures Safely

For online sales, proper packaging and shipping protection are musts when sending action figures to buyers. Here are some top tips:

Sturdy Boxes

Use new, sturdy corrugated cardboard boxes with padding to avoid crushing and withstand shipping handling.

Bubble Wrap

Wrap figures and accessories individually in bubble wrap to avoid scratches, chips, and rubs during transit.

Tissue Paper

Use tissue paper to pad and cushion figures inside boxes and prevent sliding around.

Do Not Overbox

Don’t use oversized boxes which can collapse. Opt for snug fit.

Tape Securely

Seal boxes thoroughly with packing tape so flaps don’t open during shipping.

Address Clearly

Print addresses and affix shipping labels securely to prevent delivery issues.

Declare Value

Be sure to accurately declare full value to get compensation for any shipping damage or losses.

Taking time to professionally pack figures helps avoid damage claims that hurt profits.

Action Figure Sales Tips

Here are some additional tips and strategies to help you successfully sell off your action figures:

• Break up valuable collections, and sell rare pieces individually to maximize profits.

• Consider bundling smaller, affordable figures as kids’ party favors or “grab bags” for easy sales.

• Time listings around new movie releases or character trends to capitalize on demand spikes for related figures.

• Be open to best offers and negotiate to turn over stagnant inventory. Some money is better than none.

• Provide fast, top-rated customer service to build a positive seller reputation, and attract repeat buyers.

• Reinvest a portion of profits into new action figure inventory if interested in buying and selling long term.

The action figure secondary market provides opportunities for casual sellers to clear some clutter as well as dedicated enthusiasts to enjoy a side income fueled by their passion.

Following these tips helps ensure you find success selling off pieces from your own collection.

Authenticating and Verifying Rare Action Figures

When dealing with potentially valuable, rare, or expensive action figures, it becomes crucial to authenticate them before listing for sale. Here are some tips to verify legitimacy and avoid selling counterfeits:

• Check for an official licensing seal or hologram sticker from the manufacturer on the packaging. Be wary of pieces missing official markings. Examine the quality and materials of the packaging. Low quality reproductions often use inferior printing/materials and lack fine details of the original.

• Inspect the manufacturing date stamps, copyright information, logos, and other mold markings on the actual figure and accessories under good lighting. Fake figures often omit critical branded markings.

• Research the product ID information and use collector forums to ask about verifying any suspicions of pieces being counterfeit. There should be production records validating very limited releases.

• Compare paint application details on the figure closely with official photos or your own loose examples of the genuine product. Fakes tend to have noticeably inferior quality paint work.

• Examine articulation quality and engineering. Copies and knock-offs frequently have poorly engineered joints leading to looseness or improper poses.

• Weight and balance of a figure can be tip offs. Fakes tend to feel lighter and unbalanced due to cheaper plastics and inferior assembly workmanship.

• Consult with experienced collectors of a particular franchise or character. They can often notice subtle “tells” that distinguish official products from skilled counterfeits.

• Getting copies certified or graded by reputable comic book grading services provides buyers more confidence in authenticity and condition when spending big money.

While counterfeit figures do popup, following these authentication tips carefully helps avoid selling fakes and protects your reputation as an ethical seller. Do due diligence before listing rarities.

Marketing Your Action Figures Listings

Creating compelling marketing copy and eye-catching visual content for your action figure listings improves your chances of attracting interested buyers and driving upselling prices.

• Write detailed yet scannable descriptions highlighting unique characteristics, background info, condition details, special features, and other selling points of your particular figures.

• Capture multiple crisp, bright, high-resolution photos showing the figure from all angles plus any notable close up details. Image quality directly impacts buyer confidence.

• If selling boxes and packaging, take photos showing all sides/labels along with a look inside at the figure and inserts too.

• Clean up any background clutter in images to keep focus on just the figure being sold. Simple, solid color backgrounds work best.

• Utilize the listing title to optimize for target keywords buyers are searching like character names, brands, toy lines, years, conventions, etc.

• Add relevant hashtags and keywords throughout longform listing descriptions as well to help get discovered.

• Highlight particularly rare or sought-after figures by calling them out in titles/headers using power words like “grail”, “super rare”, “holy grail” etc.

By taking the time to create compelling listings with great visual content, you attract more interested buyers, establish trust, and command higher prices selling your figures.

Safely Buying and Reselling Action Figures

If you plan to buy and resell action figures for profit, there are steps to take when acquiring inventory in order to avoid expensive fakes and scams:

• Stick to legit, established sellers with long operating histories and many reviews/sales instead of deals from random, private parties.

• Ask sellers to provide high resolution photos showing identifying marks, copyrights, seals etc. to confirm authenticity before purchasing.

• Quiz sellers about origins, production info, sourcing details to assess their product knowledge and legitimacy.

• Reverse image search any stock photos to check for use elsewhere which can indicate scams.

• Check user feedback carefully for any red flags like customers receiving fakes or empty boxes.

• Avoid “too good to be true” bargain pricing which is a red flag for potential counterfeits and bootlegs.

• Inspect figures IMMEDIATELY upon receipt before providing feedback. Know the return policy of sellers in case of issues.

• Learn to recognize reseals, repacks, and tampered packaging designed to conceal fakes swapped into real boxes.

• Consider paying for professional authentication if spending big money on rare, expensive figures. The cost is worth it for added peace of mind when reselling.

Following these tips helps avoid acquiring worthless counterfeits or scam listings. Take time to vet both figures and sellers thoroughly.

Storage and Organization for Action Figure Selling

Properly storing and organizing your action figure selling inventory saves time, preserves condition, and helps sales move quicker. Some tips:

• Categorize – Group figures by brand, franchise, character types, etc to simplify finding specific pieces fast.

• Label – Use stickers, tags, or a catalog to ID what’s inside boxes without unpacking everything during searches.

• Display – Keep some figures out of the package displayed neatly to show off paint, articulation, etc.

• Shelve – Use fixed shelves, stackable plastic bins, or storage cubes to neatly arrange figures.

• Rotate – Swap displayed figures periodically to avoid light damage and refresh appeals.

• Inventory – Maintain a detailed log of your inventory including locations and key details.

• Clean – Dust displayed figures and boxes regularly using soft microfiber cloths.

• Control Climate – Keep humidity and temp stable to avoid paint fading, warping, mold etc.

• Lighting – Avoid direct sun exposure that can fade colors. Use indirect daylight or interior lighting.

By taking time to thoughtfully organize your action figure selling stock, you’ll save hours down the road trying to find specific items and preserve the condition of your inventory.

Action Figure Sales FAQs

What are the most valuable action figures to sell?

Some of the most valuable and sought-after action figures include vintage Star Wars, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Masters of the Universe pieces still sealed in original packaging.  Rare superhero figures and limited convention exclusives also command high prices.

How can you tell if an action figure is rare?

Key signs of a rare action figure include very limited production runs, being a prototype/test shot, early production variants and errors, short-lived TV/movie tie-ins, giveaways and contest prizes, and convention or event exclusives.

Do you need the original packaging to sell an action figure?

No, you can still sell loose action figures. But original boxes, cards, and blister packs greatly increase value for vintage items. Modern figures are less impacted. Always disclose if the figure is loose or missing packaging.

What defects most hurt action figure values?

Missing pieces, broken parts, paint wear, scratches, discoloration, and improperly repaired/replaced components are top condition defects that lower action figure prices. Disclose any issues upfront.

Is it better to sell action figures in bulk or separately?

For most profit, sell rarer and high-demand figures individually at maximum prices. Bundle background characters, cheap figures, or “junk” lots to clear stock faster.

How do you ship loose action figures?

Wrap each loose figure and accessories separately in tissue paper, then bubble wrap for protection. Place inside boxes with extra padding fillers to prevent sliding and cushion from impacts.

What’s the best marketplace to sell new, unopened action figures?

eBay and specialist auction/collector sites tend to work best for getting top dollar on mint, sealed action figures especially if they are vintage, limited edition, or rare. Open figures sell well across broader platforms.

Selling off old action figures is a great way to free up space and earn some extra money in the process. Just make sure to research prices thoroughly, clean/prep your figures, and package them securely. With a little time and effort, you can turn your childhood toys into cash.