Albert Adams
Reselling toys before the holidays is one of the simplest ways to turn clutter into cash while making room for whatever new gifts show up under the tree. With tariffs pushing some retail prices higher this year, secondhand toys are drawing more interest from budget conscious shoppers, which means now is a smart time to sort through bins and closets and see what you can sell.
Where to Start Before You List Anything
Set aside an afternoon to go through closets, garages, and storage bins for toys your kids have grown out of. That outgrown bicycle taking up space in the garage, the baby toys nobody touches anymore, the board games missing half their pieces but still worth something to a collector: all of it counts. Wipe everything down and check that batteries, parts, and packaging are in reasonable shape before you photograph anything for a listing.
Once your pile is ready, you have a handful of places to sell. Facebook Marketplace and eBay work well for a wide range of items, while Poshmark, GoodBuy Gear, and Mercari cater to specific categories like clothing, kids' gear, and general secondhand goods. A local consignment shop or thrift store is worth a try too, especially if you want cash quickly without dealing with shipping.
Safety matters here. Keep personal information out of your listings and messages, and if you're meeting a buyer in person, choose a public location. Some cities have even set up designated swap spots, sometimes at the library or city hall, specifically for this kind of exchange.
Timing Sales Around What's Actually Trending
Profit margins on resold toys depend heavily on timing and demand. Watching for deals and discounts before the holiday rush gives resellers a head start, since buying popular items early and cheap, then reselling closer to December, tends to produce the best returns.
Social platforms are a decent barometer here. Hashtags on Instagram and TikTok tend to surface what kids and teens are asking for, and Google search trends can back that up with harder data on rising interest. Talking to other parents in your circle is still one of the most reliable ways to figure out what's actually on wish lists this year. For 2025, the Labubu doll has been a standout example, a toy popular enough that resold units are fetching noticeably higher prices than their original retail cost.
What Selling Platforms Actually Take From You
Before listing anything, check the fee structure of whatever platform you choose. Auction sites and consignment apps all take a cut of your sale, and the percentages vary enough that it's worth comparing before you commit to one platform over another.
| Platform | Fees Taken From Seller's Earnings |
|---|---|
| eBay | 13.6% on the total sale amount up to $7,500 (calculated per item), plus 2.35% on any portion above $7,500, plus a $0.30 final value fee for sales of $10 or less, or $0.40 for sales above $10 |
| Poshmark | Flat fee of $2.95 on sales under $15; 20% of the sale amount on sales of $15 or more |
| Mercari | 10% of the item price plus buyer paid shipping |
Those fees eat into your margin fast, so factor them into your asking price rather than treating them as an afterthought. On top of platform fees, there's a tax angle too. Income from selling items online or in person falls under the IRS definition of taxable income, and anyone earning more than $400 a year total from gig work, reselling toys included, has to report that income when filing.
When Donating Makes More Sense Than Selling
Not every toy is worth the hassle of listing, photographing, and shipping. If you'd rather skip the process altogether, donating gently used toys to a local charity spreads some holiday goodwill and clears space just the same. Before handing items over, it's reasonable to check out the organization through resources like Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, or the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, just to confirm your donation is going somewhere legitimate.
Donations won't put money in your pocket immediately, but they can become a tax deduction when you file, which softens the loss of not selling outright.
The Vintage Toy Angle Worth Knowing About
Some of the toys topping kids' wish lists this year actually trace back to the 1990s and 2000s. Trading cards, Happy Meal toys, and Furbies are among the vintage items still commanding real money in resale markets. A Furby in decent condition, for example, can sell for up to $200 today.
Before listing anything vintage, take a close look at its condition and think about who the buyer is likely to be. Some of these items appeal less to kids and more to adult collectors chasing nostalgia, which can push prices higher than you'd expect for something decades old.
How Much Will Secondhand Demand Actually Grow This Season?
Rising tariffs and higher retail prices are nudging more shoppers toward secondhand options this year, but how far that shift goes remains to be seen. Resellers who track trending items early, price fairly after accounting for platform fees, and stay realistic about vintage values stand the best chance of turning holiday clutter into meaningful extra cash.
Richard Carr
Haley Butler