Sell excess toys and games
Get an offer for overstock, post-holiday, discontinued and returned toys, games and puzzles. Toy offers depend on safety documentation, the license and its expiry, packaging condition, age grade and how close the next holiday season is. Send a SKU list with age grades, license names and Children's Product Certificates.
Reviewed by Tyler Kober · Updated
Key takeaways
- Toys for children 12 and under are children's products under U.S. law; they need third-party testing and a Children's Product Certificate.
- The calendar matters: most toy closeouts are bought months before the fourth-quarter holiday season, not during it.
- Licensed toys lose value when a film, show or license cycle ends, and some licenses limit where goods may be resold.
- Returned games and puzzles with missing pieces are close to salvage; sealed product is priced far higher.
From the Skyline Dealz exchange
- Children's product safety. Toys and other children's products must meet CPSC rules, including tracking labels and a Children's Product Certificate based on third-party testing. Recalled items cannot be resold. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Live figures refresh hourly. Prices are shown to approved buyers only.
What toys and games can I get an offer on?
Action figures, dolls, vehicles, building sets, plush, ride-ons, outdoor toys, board games, card games, puzzles, arts and crafts, and battery-operated and electronic toys. Typical sources:
- Post-holiday overstock at retailers and distributors
- A license or film tie-in that did not sell through
- Packaging changes and discontinued lines
- E-commerce returns
- Importer stock left after a buyer canceled
Offers reflect demand from domestic discount, bin and online channels and from export.
Safety rules come first in the toy business
Toys are among the most regulated consumer categories closeout sellers handle. The key US rules:
- Children's products. Products designed mainly for children 12 and under are children's products under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. They need third-party testing at an accepted lab and a Children's Product Certificate from the importer or US manufacturer.
- Toy safety standard. ASTM F963 is the mandatory toy safety standard in the US.
- Lead and phthalates. Limits on lead in substrate and paint and on certain phthalates in toys and child care articles.
- Tracking labels. Children's products need permanent tracking information on the product and packaging.
- Small parts warnings. Toys with small parts, small balls, marbles or balloons, meant for children 3 to 6, need cautionary labeling.
As a seller you are passing on goods that should already comply. Buyers ask for documentation, so the most useful thing you can send is the certificate and test reports. Toys without them have far fewer buyers, because a reseller in the U.S. takes on the compliance risk. If your documents are missing, say so up front, and ask the brand or importer for them before you ask for an offer.
Condition tiers for toys
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| New, mint package | Sealed, retail-ready; collectible-grade boxes |
| New, shelf wear | Sealed, minor scuffs or sticker residue |
| New, damaged package | Toy sealed inside, box crushed or torn |
| Opened, complete | Box opened, all parts present |
| Returned, incomplete | Missing pieces, instructions or accessories |
| Defective | Electronics fail, broken parts |
Board games and puzzles are the special case: an opened game cannot be verified complete without counting every piece, so opened games are priced close to salvage.
The holiday calendar decides toy value
Most toys are bought by consumers in the last quarter of the year. That pushes the trade's buying calendar earlier:
- January to March: post-holiday leftovers appear. Buyers are cautious and prices are soft.
- Spring to summer: discount and export buyers plan their holiday toy assortment. This is often the strongest selling window for closeout toys.
- Early autumn: last purchases for the season.
- November and December: late offers miss most plans, unless a buyer has a specific hole to fill.
Export buyers also have to allow for ocean transit and customs, so they tend to need goods earlier than domestic stores selling into the same holiday.
Licenses: the second clock
A toy tied to a film, show or game has a shelf life tied to that property. When the film leaves theaters or the show ends, the toy loses its pull. Licensed goods may also be bound by license terms that limit selling territories or channels. If a license has ended, the licensor may restrict sale of remaining stock; check before selling. Evergreen properties age slowly; a one-season tie-in ages fast.
Who buys closeout toys, and what each wants
| Buyer | What they look for |
|---|---|
| Bin stores | Variety, recognizable brands, low cost per unit; condition tolerance |
| Dollar and discount chains | Price-point toys, impulse items, holiday assortments, documentation |
| Online resellers | Sealed, branded or collectible toys, clean packaging |
| Flea-market and swap-meet vendors | Mixed pallets, batteries-included toys, low unit cost |
| Exporters | Dolls, vehicles, ride-ons, battery toys, seasonal toys; labeling for destination |
| Collectors and hobby shops | Specific lines, mint packaging, small quantities |
Large toy makers and licensors are protective of their brands. They may ask that closeouts not appear on online marketplaces, not appear in certain retailers, or go export only. Some license agreements require the licensee to sell off or destroy remaining stock within a set period after the license ends. Read yours before selling.
Your toy offer checklist
- SKU, description, brand and UPC per line
- Quantity in units and in cases (inner packs and master cartons)
- Age grade from the package
- License name, and whether the license is current
- Children's Product Certificate and test reports, if you have them
- Battery type, and whether batteries are included
- Condition per line; returns separated
- Retail price per unit
- Photos: front and back of the package, the warning labels, a master carton, the pallet
- Location, pallet count, dock access
- Channel conditions you need, such as no online resale
Mistakes toy sellers make
- Waiting until the holiday season to sell
- Not having the CPC or test reports ready
- Selling opened board games as new
- Mixing recalled models into a lot
- Keeping licensed stock after the property has peaked
- Removing batteries from battery-operated toys for separate sale, which turns working toys into incomplete ones
- Storing plush and fabric toys where they can pick up odor or moisture
- Leaving "try me" demo batteries in toys for months, which can drain or leak and damage the toy
A worked example
For illustration only, not market data: a toy importer has post-holiday overstock of a licensed vehicle playset and an unlicensed doll line, several pallets of each, all sealed in master cartons, with certificates and lab reports. A small share of master cartons are crushed.
| Line | Factors | How it is priced |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed playset | License still active, but tie-in film has left theaters | Share of retail; interest fades as the film ages, so sooner is better |
| Unlicensed dolls | Evergreen, clean packaging | Per unit; steady demand year to year |
| Crushed master cartons | Units sealed, some boxes scuffed | Per unit, lower; scuffed boxes are harder to gift |
The importer offers in late winter rather than waiting for autumn, so the goods reach buyers in time for their holiday plans. Documentation is attached to the deal, which opens the lot to buyers who require it.
To see toys from the buying side, visit wholesale closeout toys. Bin stores are big toy buyers; read how bin stores buy. Holiday decor and costumes are on our seasonal page. Send your SKU list and documents through the offer form here.
Frequently asked questions
Do toys need a Children's Product Certificate to resell?
The certificate is issued by the US importer or domestic manufacturer, based on testing by an accepted third-party lab, and must be available for children's products. As a closeout seller you are passing on goods that should already have one. Buyers, especially retail chains and online sellers, ask for it. Send it with your manifest if you are the brand or importer.
When is the best time to sell excess toys?
Ahead of the next holiday season, not during it. Discount stores, bin stores and exporters plan their fourth-quarter toy buying months before the holidays. Toys offered in late November miss most of those plans. If you have post-holiday leftovers in January, selling into the spring and summer buying period is usually better than holding for a full year.
Can I sell toys with damaged packaging?
Yes, but price drops. Toys are gifts, and gift buyers want clean boxes. Crushed or torn boxes move to bin stores and some export markets. Collectible lines are the extreme case: box condition can matter as much as the toy. Sealed but scuffed product is better than opened product.
What happens to recalled toys?
Recalled toys must not be resold. Selling a recalled consumer product is prohibited under U.S. law. Check model numbers against Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notices before you send the manifest, and pull any affected units. We do not make offers on recalled products.
Can excess toys be sold for export?
Yes, and export buyers are a big part of the toy trade, especially for the Caribbean and Latin America. They often want battery-operated toys, dolls, vehicles and seasonal toys. Export markets have their own toy safety rules and labeling languages, so buyers check age grading and warnings.
Related
Sources
Send a list or manifest and we'll come back with an offer. Or call +1 215 278 4122.