5 Toys That Resell Online for Profit and 5 That Don't

Flipping used toys is the most fun way to make money. And anyone can do it!

But where do you start?

This quick and powerful guide will help you find more used toys worth flipping from the thrift store aisles or garage sale piles to eBay and beyond. And since time is money, let's not waste either.

Below, I've shared 5 toys that are quite often worth buying and 5 toys that are pretty easy to pass up.

Naturally, there are exceptions for each, but if you study this guide (or any of the others on this website), you’ll easily know more than the other toy resellers at your local thrift store.

But don't just take my word for it, let's get started.

What to Buy

Octonauts

If you take nothing else from this article, remember this - The Octonauts are gold! The British children's television series features some adorably nautically-themed creatures and their fleet of aquatic vehicles. Wikipedia calls it a mix of Star Trek and Thunderbirds blended with Jacques Cousteau.

The Octonauts include Captain Barnacles (polar bear), Lt. Kwazii (cat), Peso (penguin), Dr. Shellington (sea otter), Prof. Inkling (octopus), Tweak (rabbit), Dashi (daschund), and Tunip (vegimal).

Barnacles / Kwazii

Peso

Shellington / Peso

The Octonauts

Dashi / Tweak

Prof. Inkling

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Grabbing the figures off the shelf is a good investment. They can sell in lots (as seen above) but they're even more useful to add if you find Octonauts vehicles in the future. How do you identify them? Most vehicles resemble water-based animals and feature the Octonauts logo (an octopus).

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Bonus: The Octonauts may be running a fifth season in late 2021 so it’s only bound to get better!

Ben 10

This Cartoon Network show stars Ben Tennyson, a boy who acquired the Omnitrix - an alien device (resembling a wristwatch), which contains DNA of different alien species. Using this device, Ben is able to transform into powerful aliens. And there is no end to these aliens in sight.

If you've never heard of this show, don't feel bad, I hadn't either, but apparently, spanning fourteen years, it is Cartoon Network's longest-running franchise to date. And because we don't have the Omnitrix ourselves, identifying all the alien action figures can be difficult. The good news is there is a shortcut - the Ben 10 logo, a green or white hourglass-like shape.

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The alien figures are plentiful and plenty are worth $10 or way more, even without any accessories.

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If you still have an issue finding an alien name when you're staring down a bag of toys, this Ben 10 Fandom Wiki might be a good place to start.

Blaze and the Monster Machines

Monster truck Blaze and his human partner AJ are teaching kids, like my nephew, about STEM in this CGI-animated Nickelodeon show. Some of the other monster truckin' characters on this show include Stripes, Starla, Darington, and Zeg, as well as their rival Crusher and his sidekick Pickle (easily my favorite). You're bound to find one of these die-cast metal monster truck in a thrift store bag.

Zeg

Darington

Crusher

Pickle

Stripes

Blaze w/ AJ

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The original cast are solid sellers, especially the more rare Starla, but what you want to keep an eye out to find are the variations:

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Super WHY!

While this American/Canadian educational children's show ran for nearly a decade on PBS, there were only a few toys ever released. And that means there is money to be made when you find them!

Whyatt Beanstalk, lives with his friends Pig, Red, and Princess Pea in Storybrook Village. In each episode, they work together to deal with a "super big problem", a "super big question", and a "super big mystery". They talk about their problems at the Book Club. Naturally, with a show centered around reading, you’d think books would be valuable, but, unfortunately, they're mostly a dime a dozen.

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What you want to find are the figures. There are a line of 6 inch Super WHY! figures that can sell up to $25 individually. Or you can collect the whole set of Super WHY! flyers (airplane/helicopter vehicles) and make a solid hundred dollar bill (or more)!

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Bonus: Beyond the action figures, the Princess Pea Presto plush is a hot commodity right now!

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LEGO Duplo superheroes

LEGO bricks are legendary. If I had the time I think I could write a book on reselling LEGO. But since you're here for a good time and not a long time, let's get specific. Even though the LEGO Duplo pieces are chunkier, kids are still bound to lose them. The good news for us resellers is that missing pieces means replacing pieces, which brings a healthy thrift opportunity.

Next time you see a big bundle of brightly-colored bricks, keep an eye out for some of these superhero profits:

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Don’t buy

Rescue Heroes

I've always been mildly surprised these beefcake action figures aren't worth more. Fisher Price Rescue Heroes are chunky, mostly white, rescue personnel action figures, sometimes loaded up with people-saving equipment. They've been slightly different sizes over the years since they began in 1997.

But no matter the deal in a thrift store bag or off a garage sale table, I've found 99% of the time they're not worth the purchase. Their heavy frame and need for rescue accessories make them tough to sell and ship. Even a bundle of 9 or 10 only offers $30. Next, please.

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Tsum Tsum

Named after the Japanese verb tsumu meaning "to stack", these little Disney-themed cuties are pill-shaped in a variety of sizes so they can stack into a pyramid. You'll notice they are available in small, medium, and large.

While there might be a few jackpots out there, the majority of Tsum Tsum you’ll find are in bulk. If you can find a collection pertaining to a certain movie, you're better off, but even then, the frequency of sales are slim.

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Bonus: Even the adorable carrying cases, like Mickey, Pooh, or Stitch, don't sell for much - about $20 max.

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McDonald’s Beanie Babies

The bubble burst long ago, but somehow, some way, there is still some hope that the Beanie Babies craze will return. I'm here to deliver a Not-So-Happy Meal of Truth, McDonald’s Beanie Babies are not worth the trouble. While there might be some misprints and prototypes out there worth some cash, no single McDonald’s Beanie Babies plush is going to get you that vacation home. Yes, even if they're in the original bags. Even if you have the whole, boxed international set. Sorry.

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Bonus: For more Beanie Babies details, I highly recommend this Thrift Shop Hustler video:

Play doh molds

Play Doh is one of those toys that's so iconic it has it's own scent. The modeling compound we know and love is so successful it has been around since the 1950's! As a matter of fact, more than two billion cans of Play-Doh were sold from 1955 to 2005. That's a lot of Doh.

But what about the playsets and accessories? There are seemingly endless ways to cut, press, and mold this timeless toy. But of the current 9,000 listings for "Play Doh" on eBay, only 1,000 are categorized as "Used". Besides used Play Doh itself drying up and getting hard, it's probably safe to say kids don't care what kind of toys they use to mess with the stuff.

It might be worth taking a second look at a set featuring a character kids may love, but even large lots don't go for much. Unless you're getting them for pennies, head on to the next opportunity.

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K'nex

Many have tried but few could compete with the almighty LEGO. K'nex was one such competitor.

Through your flipping adventures, you're bound to come across piles of these rods and connectors, as they call them. The problem is they can quickly devolve into a math problem. EBay sellers offer replacement pieces in bulk for pennies on the dollar. They're either sold as piles of mixed pieces or bundles of the same type. Neither are worth the hassle.

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While there might be some profit to be made, this is one of those situations where it's definitely more time than money. Unless you're really into hunching over piles of brightly colored pieces, sorting, counting, and bagging them, I'd steer clear.

That's all, folks!

With just one quick article, you're even more capable of flipping used toys for profit than when you started. I wouldn't be surprised if you catch yourself picking up (or desperately avoiding) one of the toys mentioned here the next time you go out sourcing. And if you do, please let me know!

Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you can sell.

I can help. I'll be sharing more tips and strategies right here to help you sell more used toys for better profit.

If you have any burning questions about flipping used toys, I'd love to hear from you.
Leave a comment below or find me on Instagram (@flipsharkfigures).