Selling used LEGO sets is not as simple as selling sets that have never been removed from their packaging. There are a number of different factors to consider such as the condition of the pieces, whether or not the sets are complete, how you should go about selling these sets, and so on. In this post I’m going to try to cover a number of the different scenarios and present you with options for dealing with those scenarios. By the end of this article, you should have a better idea of how to sell those used LEGO sets that are just taking up space in your closet.

Are You Selling a LEGO Set or Just Pieces?

What are you selling? Are you going to list your item on eBay as a specific LEGO set or are you selling groups of parts?

For example, lets say you have the Epic Dragon Battle set from Ninjago; however, the set is incomplete. You can sell the incomplete set as is, or you can separate the pieces and sell groups of parts.

You may have a few different sets you want to sell. You could choose to sell each of those sets individually, you can sell the parts in one bulk listing, or you can divide the pieces up into groups of similar pieces from different sets together.

Are the Sets Complete or Incomplete?

If you’re going to sell a used lego set, are you selling the complete set or is it incomplete? Are pieces missing? If so, you may want to take note of the pieces that are missing and make sure the potential buyers know which pieces won’t be included.

If you don’t know if specific pieces are missing, you can likely find out by looking at the sets instructions. The instructions should include a list of all the pieces. Look at the list and gather together the pieces. If some come up missing, take note of that.

If you don’t have the instructions, you may be able to find them online, or you can use a LEGO parts database like Brickset.com.

If you don’t have the time to find out if any pieces are missing, you can always choose to list the set for sale anyways, and just be transparent in the description about the fact that you don’t know what pieces (if any) are missing.

Alternatively, if you choose to just sell pieces and not sets, then you don’t need to worry about finding out what parts are missing.

What Condition Are the Pieces In?

Are the pieces still in the same condition they were the day you took them out of the box, or have a significant number of them seen better days? Are they scratched up? Do some of them have sticky residue from stickers remaining on them? Has your cat, dog, or child chewed up certain pieces?

Obviously you’re not going to put every piece under a microscope and examine it, but you should have an overall idea of the condition of the majority of the pieces. For the most part, scratches can be overlooked and sticky residue can be cleaned off. If a piece has been chewed up by your dog, then you should probably just throw it away.

Clean and Sanitize The Pieces Before Selling Them

For Legos that are dusty or dirty, you should clean them before selling them. If you’re not sure of how to go about cleaning LEGO bricks and pieces, check out this article from the official LEGO website. It gives you a short and simple guide to cleaning LEGO pieces.

How to Prepare and Package Your Sets for Shipment

When it comes time to package your LEGOs for shipment, there are few things you’re going to need no matter what:

1. A box to ship the set(s) in
2. Packaging tape
3. Packing materials (bubble wrap, packing peanuts, packing paper, etc.)
4. Something to wrap or bag the pieces/set in (resealable bags, shrink wrap, etc.)

The specific precautions that your take and the extent to which you go is going to largely depend on what you’re selling (built sets vs pieces).

Also, as I mentioned early, make sure the pieces are clean and sanitized before being shipped.

Shipping Assembled LEGO Sets

When shipping assembled LEGO sets, the key is to prevent the sets from coming apart during transit. So, how are you going to do this? It’s going to require wrapping the sets in stretch or cling wrap to keep them from falling apart.

Now, you want to be able to lay the set as flat as possible in the box, and you also want to conserve space within the box. This can be done by removing pieces that stick out. For example, if you’re shipping a LEGO fighter jet, consider removing the wings and wrapping them separately. This applies to any pieces that stick out significantly. If they can be easily removed, remove them, and wrap them individually. Minimal assembly will be required when the buyer gets their package. Here is a video for reference.

Of course, this isn’t all you will do. You’ll need to pad the areas surrounding the set with bubble wrap or packing peanuts to provide adequate cushioning—packages can get pretty roughed up during transit. You want to do everything to you can to make sure the set doesn’t come a part if the package gets knocked around a bit.

Shipping Disassembled LEGO Sets/LEGO Pieces

If you’re shipping disassembled LEGO sets, or LEGO pieces in general, there are some different measures you’re going to want to take, but the basic rules still apply. You want to keep the contents of the package safe. That being said, you’re not going to needs to wrap disassembled LEGO sets in stretch wrap or anything like that.

You may want to bag groups of pieces together in resealable sandwich bags. You can group similar parts together, or look at the set instructions and find out what parts were stored in what bags. For many LEGO sets, the pieces within the box come packaged in numbered bags. You may want to number the sandwich bags accordingly.

If you’re not selling a specific set and you have decided to go down the route of just shipping assortments of pieces, then you can put all the pieces in one big bag; or group them together in smaller bags. You may want to group them based on similarities such as color and size.

Again, provide cushioning inside the package in the case that it is mishandled during transit.

So, to summarize, here are the things you might need:

Where Can You Sell Used LEGO Sets?

You can choose to sell you’re LEGO sets at a garage sale or through one of your local toy resellers, however, most likely you’re going to be going through an online marketplace. Some of the big ones are eBay, Amazon, the Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist.

You probably have your preference, but, out of these, the best place to sell used LEGO sets is probably going to be eBay. Ebay is kind of the go-to place for used toys and collectibles, and many people go to eBay for this kind of thing so you’re bound to find a buyer.

In addition to eBay, you may also want to check out Bricklink and Brickowl. They are much smaller sites; however, they are focused specifically on LEGO products with dedicated LEGO enthusiasts visiting them regularly. These sites also have communities you can engage with in the case that you have questions about something you would like to sell or buy.

How Much Will You Make

How much you make off of your used LEGO sets and pieces is largely dependent on a number of factors. Which sets/pieces are you trying to sell? What kind of condition are those pieces in? How many pieces are you selling at once? If its a set, is it complete? You need to get all the details about the item(s) you’re selling and then you can use eBay’s completed listings feature to get a good idea of how much it is worth.

Conclusion

Selling used LEGO sets does not need to be complicated at all. The main decision you will need to make is how you choose to sell those sets: as assortments of pieces or as specific sets. Obviously, there is no all-encompassing and correct answer to this question. You will need to do your research—find out what you have and what it is worth, and then determine how you will sell it. The rest is pretty straightforward stuff, like the basics of selling on eBay (or any of the other online marketplaces). If you’re unsure of how to sell things online, there are a plethora of online resources out there for you to use. Anyways, hope this post helps, and happy selling!

Related Articles