As I have mentioned I started selling on Amazon in 2013. I started off selling books and then moved on to make money selling board games.
When I started selling on Amazon I was totally oblivious that second-hand board games were being sold on Amazon.
I actually found it hard to believe that people purchased second-hand games. Needless to say, I was a bit wary at first believing that I would be left with all these games.
Surprisingly they sold – some slower than others.
Where to Source Used Board Games
1. Charity shops (UK) or Thrift Stores (US)
I have mostly sourced my board games from charity shops. It can be difficult to find quality board games and sometimes they are way overpriced.
My ideal price for a standard used board game is £1.99-£2.99. Obviously the more expensive it is on Amazon then the more you can spend on them. A good way to check the price is to download the Amazon Seller app and scan the barcode on the board game. This will bring up how many are currently for sale and at what price. It will give a good indication of how much to spend on it.
In addition, for a sealed game it could be worth spending a little bit more.
Generally, I would list a sealed game as Like New as often there are small rips in the cellophane.
On deciding whether to buy a sealed game I check out the packaging. If there are rips in the cellophane I check how many listings of the used game there are. I would put the game on for a higher price than a Very Good used game. However, if there are too many listings then it may not appear high up.
I have gained knowledge of selling board games on Amazon and know which contain a lot of parts. Unless the profit is going to be large, I will not purchase a board game with a lot of tiny small parts as it can take some time to be counted!
When selling board games they need to be complete. Check them before buying, as quite often they are not complete when purchased from charity shops.
If you are unable to check them and they are incomplete, then you can either keep the parts for spares or sell them on eBay.
2. Preloved items sites
You can purchase board games from sites such as Gumtree, Preloved and Shpock. Another site that is more popular in the US is Craigslist.
3. Car Boot Sales
Second-hand board games can be found at car boot sales. You can also source other items to sell on Amazon. Such items I have sourced from car boot sales have included boxed DVD sets, jigsaws and books.
4. Garage Sales
Garage sales are not seen very often in the UK but if you’re visiting other parts of the country you can come across them. Garage sales are more popular in the US.
5. Facebook Groups and Marketplace
We have a local Facebook group for selling items. It is worth joining some local groups to see what people are selling. In addition, Facebook Marketplace is a great place to find second-hand items. There are also Facebook groups that you can post ads asking to buy board games.
6. eBay
It is worth checking out eBay for listings that are not well described. In this instance, you may be able to pick up a bargain and then send it to Amazon to make a profit.
Grab my free sheet on what board games sell fast on Amazon.
Have you had any success selling on Amazon? Please share your experiences below.
