How To Sell Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls - All You Need To Know
Welcome fellow doll enthusiasts! If you have some Bob Mackie Barbies collecting dust on your shelves, or came upon a stash of these glamorous gals at a thrift store, you may be wondering how to go about selling them. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to successfully sell your Bob Mackie Barbies for maximum profit.
The key to successfully selling your Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls is properly identifying desirable toys, refurbishing and cleaning them, then utilize SellYourToysNow.com to maximize your profits from your Barbies. Alternatively, you can use online marketplaces such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace to get a smaller return on your investment.
Best Place to Sell Your Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls
Toy Buyers – SellYourToysNow.com
The best option is selling directly to toy and collectible buyers like us at SellYourToysNow.com. We purchase a wide selection of new and used Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls for top dollar. Benefits of selling to toy buyers like us include:
Free valuation and prepaid shipping – We provide quotes and provide shipping labels for free.
Speed and convenience – Our team handles photography, listings, and sales so you can cash out fast.
Competitive payouts – We pay highly competitive rates based on condition and demand. Rare and vintage sets pay the most.
Direct payouts – Once we receive your toys, payouts are issued quickly, avoiding marketplace payment holds.
By streamlining the entire selling process, you can conveniently liquidate your Bob Mackie Barbie doll collection for cash with minimal effort.
Sell Your Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls at Sell Your Toys Now
At Sell Your Toys Now, we remove the complication from selling your dolls, toys, and action figures. If you have a Bob Mackie collection in good condition, and you want to earn money from that investment, reach out to our team today.
How To Sell Your Bob Mackie Barbies Fast With Us
Step 1: CONNECT: Let us know what Bob Mackie Barbies you want to sell.
We have many options. You can email, use our app, submit photos, submit a list, or use our toy pricer. This will give us a better idea of what you’re selling.
Step 2: GET A QUOTE: Receive a quote from Sell Your Toys Now.
Within two business days, our staff will evaluate your collection and respond to you with an offer to buy your toy collection.
Step 3: SEND & GET PAID: Ship your collection to receive payment.
If you are satisfied with our quote, you can accept the offer. We will then send you detailed instructions on how to package and ship your items.
We pay for the shipping and provide shipping labels. Once your items are checked in at our warehouse, you should receive payment within 48 hours. We pay via check, Venmo, or PayPal.
Identifying Valuable Bob Mackie Barbies
The first step to selling your Bob Mackie Barbies is identifying which dolls you have. Bob Mackie has designed elaborate fashion ensembles and gorgeous gowns for over 100 Barbies since 1990. Some of the most popular and valuable Bob Mackie Barbies include:
Hollywood Nights Barbie (1990) – Barbie wears a dazzling silver gown and wrap, with an elegant hairstyle.
Enchanted Evening Barbie (1995) – Dressed in an extravagant blue peacock feather gown.
Marie Antoinette Barbie (1997) – Outfitted in an 18th century royal French gown and hair inspired by the doomed queen.
Millennium Princess Barbie (1999) – Rising out of a giant oyster shell, this fantasy princess dazzles from head to toe.
Examine your dolls for markings that identify them as authentic Bob Mackie designs. Look for his signature near the waistline or tags that credit him as a designer. Also check online databases to identify dolls based on their characteristics. Confirmed Bob Mackie dolls will sell for much higher prices than generic Barbies.
Checking Condition
Once you’ve identified which of your Barbies were created by the legendary Bob Mackie, it’s vital that you assess their condition. Collectors will pay exponentially more for dolls that are pristine or near-mint over played-with dolls with flaws.
Carefully check for:
Missing accessories or pieces of clothing/shoes – these will significantly decrease value
Stains, marks, or scratches on doll’s body, clothes or accessories
Messy, cut or restyled hair – hairstyles should match catalog photos
Damage to packaging – even dents, creases or missing plastic lowers price
Grade each doll as mint, near mint, very good, good, or poor condition. Those in mint condition with perfect hair, outfit and packaging will sell for top dollar. Take detailed photos documenting any damage or wear.
Researching Market Values
Now that you have identified your Bob Mackie Barbies and assessed their condition, it’s time to dig into current market values. Prices can fluctuate greatly between different Bob Mackie dolls depending on age, condition, rarity and demand.
Checking completed eBay listings provides real market data on selling prices. Filter dolls identical to yours and examine final selling costs – don’t go by list prices alone. You can also consult collector’s price guides like our database to estimate values for Bob Mackie Barbies in various conditions.
This research allows you to accurately price your dolls based on their unique characteristics and current collector appetite. Remember, a rare doll in perfect condition could sell for hundreds, while more common playline dolls may only fetch $20-80.
Choosing Selling Platforms
With market values in hand, now decide where you want to sell your valued Bob Mackie Barbies.
Good options include:
Sell Your Toys Now (Top Recommendation)
By selling your Bob Mackie Barbie Dolls with us, you are guaranteed a competitive and quick payout! Start selling immediately here.
eBay
Great selling platform for one-of-a-kind dolls or large collections. Choose fixed price or auctions. Beware of high selling fees.
Facebook Marketplace
Sell locally via pickup only. Good way to avoid shipping costs. Harder to vet serious buyers.
Doll Collector Forums
Trusted spaces for confirmed collectors. Typically get the highest prices. Must build seller reputation first.
Evaluate fees, hassle, necessary time investment and potential profit for each platform. eBay is the easiest starting point for most sellers, with possible upside selling directly to specialists through forums once you build buyer confidence.
Writing Good Listings
To maximize sale prices, you need enticing, honest listings showcasing your Bob Mackie dolls. For each doll, make sure to include:
Great photos clearly showing doll, clothing details and any flaws
Any authenticating info like markings/tags confirming it’s Bob Mackie
Measurements – collectors want to see doll height and clothing details
Condition grade you determined like mint, good, etc
Detailed condition descriptions calling out any issues
Researched market price to set attractive Buy It Now or opening bid price
The more details the better for buyers to assess a fair price and complete the purchase with confidence. Be transparent about damage and provide lots of photos. This builds trust in you as an ethical seller.
Pricing Attractively
Another key factor in effectively selling Bob Mackie Barbies is pricing them attractively. Price too high, and your beauties may linger for ages waiting for the right collector. Go too low, and you lose out on premium value.
Aim to price based on sold listings for comparable dolls:
If mint, price at just below highest recent sold price
If flaws, discount at least 20% from mint price baseline
Consider starting auctions about 10% lower than fixed price
Be willing to accept offers within 10-15% lower
Gauge interest level over the first 7 days, and relist at a different price if needed. Some trial and error on pricing is expected to find the sweet spot between maximizing profit and attracting bidders.
Packaging Carefully
You found the perfect buyer for your Bob Mackie doll! Now you need to expertly package her up for safe shipping. Use these best practices:
Wrap doll body/limbs securely in bubble wrap
Pad box generously with packing material
Include doll stand or plastic covering to protect clothing
Ensure box, especially corners, have ample cushioning
Seal box securely with strong tape around all edges & seams
Your exquisite Bob Mackie creation needs to arrive looking just as beautiful as she did in the listing photos. Invest time, care and quality materials in packaging to prevent damage risks. It’s well worth avoiding upset buyers and refund headaches!
Providing Great Customer Service
The final step to sealing the deal with glowing buyer reviews is providing exceptional customer service:
Quickly answer any bidder questions about dolls or shipping
Send fast shipping confirmation with tracking number
Ensure delivery timelines are clearly communicated
Follow up to confirm doll’s safe arrival and satisfactory condition
Address any issues promptly should they emerge
Meeting buyer expectations goes a LONG way towards establishing your seller reputation and keeping those 5-star reviews coming! Packaging with care and communicating every step prevents most issues. But if anything does go wrong, bend over backwards to make it right to keep buyers happy.
Authenticating Rare Bob Mackie Barbies
While most Bob Mackie Barbies can be identified by his signature on the doll’s body or original packaging, his early prototype and rare one-of-a-kind designs require deeper authentication expertise. These extra special dolls can potentially sell for thousands, making authentication imperative before listing.
Look for markers like:
Special numbered editions on doll foot, neckline or waistband
Handwritten notes from Mackie on drafting patterns
Exclusive trademark fabric prints used only for Mackie Barbies
Session labels for photoshoots tied to exact doll samples
Runway show credentials for haute couture fashion weeks
For the rarest Barbies, consider getting authentication documents from third party doll experts. Companies like United Federation of Doll Clubs or Dr. Lori’s Antique Appraisal offer authentication services, usually for around $50 per doll. This fee is absolutely worth it before selling high value rarities.
Submit detailed close up photos of the entire doll, front and back. Request confirmation documents verifying unique details tying the doll to prototyping sessions, design notes, or one-off production. Cross reference any accessory numbers with Mackie design archives for that year.
While getting third party authentication can require mailing off your rare doll for a period of time, verified paperwork affirming legitimate provenance will skyrocket bidding amongst elite Bob Mackie collectors once listed.
Do your due diligence properly appraising and confirming any potential holy grail Barbies before unleashing them to bidders!
Understand Limited Edition Bob Mackie Series
Throughout his multi-decade designing for Barbie, Bob Mackie introduced special limited edition series of dolls, typically with production runs ranging between 700 to 2500 units. These themed collections often coordinated stunning separately sold couture fashion ensembles reflecting a specific era or luxury aesthetic.
Series to be aware of include:
Diamonds & Denim (2001) – 3 dolls with glitzy beaded gowns and jeans
Fashion Model Collection (2004) – 6 dolls modeling decadent wears from the 60s
Bob Mackie Gold (2005) – Ultra glammed up Hollywood starlets
Regal Roses (2010) – Botanical garden party meets members only club
Certain individual dolls within these elite limited series are exceptionally rare. The 2011 Fairylicious line featured eight Barbie fairies, of which only Rainbow Sprite had a production run under 1000. Mint condition with accessories this doll now sells for $2000+.
When identifying Bob Mackie limited editions, look for numbered sticker seals on boxes and corresponding number stamped onto bodies. Also beware of potential counterfeits reproducing limited series, making authentication documents essential for rarities and peace of mind.
Market Trends Amongst Bob Mackie Collectors
Understanding what doll styles, fashion themes, and eras of Bob Mackie Barbies collectors are currently seeking provides useful insight on setting asking prices and targeting bidders.
Beyond the obvious appeal of mint boxes and perfect doll conditions, current trends include:
1990s Haute Couture – Sought after for their extravagant yet classic gowns, metallic fabrics, intricate beading, early Mackie signatures
Fairytale Fantasies – Whimsical series with elaborate masks, headpieces, crowns transport collectors into fantasy realms
Unconventional Materials – Organza, sequin embellishments, recycled objects elevate fabric choices beyond basics
Avant Garde Styling – Wild uptowns, edgy punk influences, unexpected silhouettes and wigs excite buyers
Closely following collector blogs, groups and Instagram hashtags provides visibility into rising and falling interests. The more niche and arcane the fashion storyline or novelty accessory, the more feverish bidding climbs between contending collectors.
Cater your selling approach and listings to align with market trends. Emphasize what savvy shoppers are clamoring over and be willing to price according to demand. Landing that rare Sea Shell Barbie from Mackie’s Under the Sea series means premium prices given her underwater fantasy narrative is red hot right now!
Special Considerations for International Buyers
Expanding your pool of potential Bob Mackie doll buyers beyond domestic customers to the international scene requires some additional considerations around pricing, shipping and trust building.
Pricing – Factor import taxes, customs clearance fees and unfavorable exchange rates into international pricing. Bump up amounts by at least 15% over domestic prices to offset the extra costs international buyers must absorb.
Shipping – Offer tracked international shipping options with insurance at fixed prices tied to the destination region. Quoting estimated pricing upfront saves back and forth communications. Expect to pay higher carrier fuel surcharges and enhanced tracking requirements.
Trust – Collectors outside your home country may hesitate dealing with unfamiliar sellers. Cite years of positive selling feedback, show detailed photos and offer video review options. Ask for references from other doll sellers if new to international marketplaces. Video unboxings help seal confidence in product delivery.
Language barriers can also impede connecting with non-English speaking buyers. Consider translating listings into target languages using Google Translate set for the particular region. Spanish, French and Arabic translations will greatly expand access and visibility to your Bob Mackie beauties.
In Conclusion…
Selling coveted Bob Mackie Barbies can become a very lucrative endeavor for doll collectors and resellers alike. By properly identifying rare, sought-after dolls, assessing condition, researching latest values, picking optimal selling platforms, writing compelling listings, pricing competitively, packaging with care, and providing top-notch customer service, you’ll be rewarded with maximum profits.
Use this guide as your Bob Mackie Barbie selling blueprint and you’ll see those bids come pouring in. Before you know it, all your glitzy girls will be enchanting new owners with their runway-ready style and flair. Just be sure to resist the temptation to keep them for yourself once you witness how fabulous they look staged and photographed!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the elaborate gowns on Bob Mackie Barbies delicate?
Yes, many Bob Mackie Barbies feature extravagant gowns made of fine, delicate fabrics that are prone to snags and wear. Carefully handle and store them to prevent damage.
Can I sell unclothed or damaged Bob Mackie Barbies?
There is a smaller market for unclothed or damaged Bob Mackie dolls from collectors seeking spare parts or restoration projects. But prices will be significantly lower than mint dolls.
Should I issue a partial refund if a Bob Mackie Barbie arrives slightly damaged?
Yes, offer a partial refund based on the doll’s decreased value due to any damage that occurred during shipping. Most buyers will see you standing by the sale and provide positive feedback.
Is selling vintage Bob Mackie Barbies from the 1980s-90s more profitable?
Yes, his early Barbie creations from decades past tend to sell for higher premiums amongst seasoned collectors, especially if in good condition with intact packaging.