Beanie Babies took the world by storm in the 90’s, and still remain one of the most popular forms of collectibles. People love these stuffed animals, and the kids that grew up with them are now adults with their own kids and plenty of discretionary income.
Because of this and the evolution of the internet, it’s more possible than ever to build a career around selling these toys that you love. However, if you are considering selling Beanie Babies, it’s important to learn how to take it from a hobby to a legitimate business.
The tips in this article will help you out so that you can get started and build a company that is successful and sustainable.
Understand the Value of Beanie Babies and Why People Collect Them
Before you do anything, you have to learn as much as you can about your product. As a collector, you get to just love the novelty of these toys and buy them because you like them.
But if you are going to make money selling them, you need to know why they are popular, what people like about them and which types bring about the most profit potential. It’s time to begin studying the market and understanding the value of these stuffed animals.
When you start to study them, you will get a better idea about why they are popular and what makes them valuable. For instance, it’ll let you know which collections have been discontinued, and how to spot a rare item when you see one. That way, you’ll be better able to find a market for the items that you source and can get a good price for them.
Visit Some Auctions and Trade Shows and Hang Around Collectors
You have to get into the mind of your consumer. Take some time out to travel to trade shows and hang around other collectors.
Sign up for Beanie Babies message boards and find out what people are saying. Learn which are the grail items, how people take care of their collections, who they buy from, and which new releases they are the most excited about.
The more you understand your target audience, the better you will be able to reach them and stand out among other dealers that are strictly about dollars and cents but don’t really understand who they are selling to.
Find the Best Places to Source Your Stuffed Animals
If you’re going to make money selling Beanie Babies, you have to be able to buy low and sell higher. The main way to do this is by finding consistent ways to source the best products.
You might want to look into online auction opportunities or with toy liquidators. Perhaps you buy one item at a time, or maybe you purchase an entire lot of toys. This will be the bread and butter for your business, so it’s important to figure out what makes the most sense for your business model, so that you can get the results that you are looking for.
Choose a Domain and Build Your Website
Once you have stocked up on enough Beanie Baby inventory to open up a store, it is time to get your website in order. Start by choosing a domain name that is catchy, easy to remember, and says everything about your store.
This will help with your branding since it makes it easier for people to find you. After you have decided on some options, search the web and learn whether or not your desired domain is available.
You can either purchase your domain name independently or buy it directly from the company that you are going to use to build your website. Choose a site builder that is easy to work with, and that has quality templates available that you can choose from.
It’s important that you build an online storefront that is visually appealing and easy to navigate. Be sure that you can also easily update your website whenever you need to, since your site will go through a number of evolutions during the infancy of your business.
If you have the money, consider hiring a web developer that can build your site from scratch.
Start a Blog and Focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Having a blog is one of the most important things that you need from your business in this day and age. It not only helps you to inform collectors on what they should know, but you will also be able to direct them to the products that you sell so that you can get conversions.
Having a blog is an important cornerstone of search engine optimization (SEO) right now, and is a vital piece of your marketing strategy. The better your site shows up in Google results, the more likely you are to keep getting traffic and sales.
This form of marketing, along with a strong social media presence, will help your business take off heavily in the first year.
Be a Good Steward of Every Customer and Encourage Reviews
Finally, make sure that you treat each and every customer like they are important to you. People shop with companies not just because of the products they have, but because of how they make them feel.
If you make people feel valued with each transaction, they are more likely to not only come back for repeat business, but also spread the word to others. Encourage your consumers to leave you online reviews as well, so that you can continuously drive more business to your site.
Build Your Company Selling Beanie Babies
Thanks to the internet, selling Beanie Babies no longer has to just be a hobby. You can earn some serious money with these collectibles as long as you are all in and willing to do the work.
If you are ready to get started, we would be more than happy to take some TY toys off your hands. Use our web form to contact us, or call us at (609) 840-8633.