# Toys and collectibles > Boxed and loose toys in odd sizes, packed from a station with boxes, padding and an accurate scale. Toys and collectibles range from loose minifigures to boxed sets. You need two or three box sizes and plenty of padding, because one mailer won't fit everything. A crushed corner cuts the value of a boxed collectible. Pack them like sneakers: original box inside an outer box, with padding on every side. ## How to pack it - Bag loose small parts so nothing goes missing. - Wrap boxed items and put them in an outer box with padding on every side. - Ship loose figures in padded mailers. Avoid: Reused grocery boxes for boxed collectibles. The weak board lets the corners crush. - **[Small corrugated boxes, 25 pack](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/single-wall-boxes)** ($12 to $25): Use these for boxed toys and beauty sets that a poly mailer would crush, when double-wall board costs more than you need. - **[Kraft bubble mailers, #0, 100 pack](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/padded-envelopes)** ($16 to $28): Enough padding for a lipstick, a small figure or a sealed booster pack, with no box to fold. - **[Bubble wrap, 12 in x 175 ft](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/bubble-wrap-roll)** ($15 to $30): A long perforated roll costs several times less per foot than the small packs sold at the post office or a drugstore. - **[Brown packing tape, 1.88 in x 72 yd, 6 rolls](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/brown-packing-tape)** ($10 to $18): 1.88 inches is the width tape guns take. Six rolls keep a shop shipping a few boxes a week going for a few months. - **[4 × 6 in thermal labels, 500 fanfold](https://sellersetups.com/us/product/thermal-labels-fanfold)** ($8 to $16): Fanfold stacks feed flat behind the printer and hold more labels than a roll. 4 × 6 in matches the label size USPS, UPS and the marketplaces print. ## Shipping per order - USPS Ground Advantage, under 1 lb: $6.93 to $8.95. Clothing, cards in a mailer and other small items under 1 lb. Tracked, with $100 insurance included. - USPS Ground Advantage, 1 to 2 lb: $7.61 to $13.42. Shoes, jeans and boxed items up to 2 lb, tracked with $100 insurance. - UPS Ground, up to 5 lb: $12.00 to $25.00. Tracked UPS Ground for boxed items up to 5 lb, for when it costs less than USPS. ## The gear for a toy seller Start with two or three box sizes and padded mailers, plus a long roll of bubble wrap. Add packing tape, a tape gun and a shipping scale that handles heavier lots. Small zip bags keep loose parts with the right toy. Buy clear storage totes with lids early. Toy stock is bulky, so buy totes that stack. ## Packing toys so nothing goes missing Count and bag loose parts first, accessories and instruction sheets included. Wrap boxed toys in bubble wrap and place them in an outer box with padding all around, so the original box arrives with sharp corners. Check the box corners against your listing photos before you seal the package. Loose figures and small vehicles travel well in padded mailers. Anything with long thin parts, like swords or antennas, gets its own wrap first. ## Storing stock you can find Sort totes by line or brand, not by age, because that's how buyers search. Number each tote and add the tote number to your listing notes. A quick photo of each tote's contents on your phone saves opening lids. Keep complete sets together in one bag with a note of what's inside. Incomplete sets are fine to sell, but list what's missing. ## Photos and listings Photograph the toy on a plain background with every included part laid out beside it. Buyers of vintage toys look for missing pieces, paint wear and box damage, so show all three. State whether the toy is complete. Use the line name, character and year in the title on eBay and Mercari. On Facebook Marketplace and Mercari, mixed bundles of play-condition toys often sell faster than single items. ## Selling toys live Whatnot has a strong following for collectible toys and figures. Run themed shows, one line at a time, and line the lots up in sale order before you start. Show boxes from every side on camera so buyers can judge condition. Pack straight after the show while you remember what each buyer asked about. Keep the show order list next to your packing table. ## Shipping and growing past 50 orders Toy orders range from small figures in a mailer to big boxed packages. Weigh and measure the packed box, not the toy, because USPS and UPS price larger boxes on dimensional weight. Most packages under a few pounds go cheapest by USPS Ground Advantage; bulky boxes often cost less with UPS Ground, so compare. Past 50 orders, standardize your box sizes so you can buy them in bundles, and keep a pre-cut stack of bubble wrap. A shelving unit by the packing table stops boxes taking over the room. ## Common mistakes - Reusing thin grocery store boxes for boxed collectibles crushes the corners, so use new single or double wall boxes. - Listing a set as complete without counting the parts leads to disputes, so check the parts against a list before you photograph. - Weighing the toy instead of the packed box underpays shipping, so weigh after packing. - Taping straight onto a collectible box tears the cardboard when the buyer opens it, so wrap the box first and tape the wrap. - Loose small parts rattling around a box go missing, so bag each small part separately. ## Setups - [Holiday toy rush setup for October to December](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/christmas-toy-rush): Stock shelving, a packing bench and a fanfold label printer for selling toys through the holiday peak, from pre-orders to January returns. - [eBay packing station setup for 50 to 100 orders a week](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/ebay-packing-station-100): A fixed packing station with shelving, a thermal printer and supplies in reach, built for one person shipping up to 100 eBay orders a week. - [Toy and collectibles live selling setup](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/toy-collectibles-live): Box protectors, double boxing and coded shelving for selling construction sets, die-cast cars and vinyl figures live on Whatnot and on eBay. - [Preloved toy bundle setup for Vinted and eBay](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/vinted-preloved-toy-bundles): Bag the small parts, photograph the whole bundle in a light tent and post sorted LEGO, Playmobil and family toys. ## Guides - [Kids' clothes bundles and baby items not to resell](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/baby-items-you-should-not-resell): How to build kids' clothes bundles that sell, and the baby items US safety agencies warn about: used car seats, crib bumpers, inclined sleepers and more. - [Best time to sell on Whatnot, eBay and Poshmark](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/best-time-to-sell): When toys, back-to-school, Halloween and holiday stock sell, plus Whatnot show times, Poshmark sharing and eBay auction end times. - [Whatnot fees, Poshmark and eBay: what sellers keep](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/reseller-earnings-maths): US fees on Whatnot, Poshmark and eBay, worked examples of profit per item after shipping and packaging, and the levers that change what you take home. - [Amazon return pallets: what to buy, test and sell](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/return-pallets-and-job-lots): The real cost of Amazon return pallets, how to sort and test the stock, check recalls and price every item. - [Trend reselling and spotting fakes](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/trend-reselling-fakes): Labubu, Sonny Angels, Pokémon cards and sneakers: read demand from live viewer counts, check stock before you buy, and stay on the right side of US law. ## Questions ### How many box sizes should I keep? Two or three sizes cover most toy sellers: a small box for figures, a medium box for boxed sets and padded mailers for loose small items. Add sizes only when you keep wasting void fill. ### Is bubble wrap or paper better for toys? Bubble wrap is cheaper per package; honeycomb paper is plastic-free and goes in the recycling. Pick one, buy it on a long roll and stick with it. ### Do I need to test toys before selling? For anything electronic or battery-powered, test it and say so in the listing. Remove batteries before shipping so they don't leak. ### Are there safety rules for selling used toys in the US? Yes. Resellers can't sell toys that have been recalled or that break federal safety rules, such as small parts limits for children under three. Check the CPSC's guidance for resellers and search recalls on cpsc.gov before you list. ### Should I keep the original box? Yes, if you have it. For collectible toys the box can add a lot to the price, so pack it as carefully as the toy. ### How do I ship a large toy cheaply? Pack it in the smallest strong box that fits with padding, then compare USPS, UPS and FedEx rates for that size and weight on Pirate Ship or your platform's label tool before you set shipping.