Marketing & Getting Clients

How to Get Clients for Your Toy Reselling Business

Getting clients for a toy reselling business means finding people who want to buy from you consistently—whether that’s individual collectors, parents shopping for gifts, or bulk buyers. Unlike retail stores with foot traffic, you’ll need to actively market your inventory and build awareness of what you sell. Your marketing strategy should focus on where toy buyers already spend time: online marketplaces, social media, local networks, and niche communities.

The good news is that toy reselling has natural demand. Parents need toys, collectors actively hunt for specific items, and nostalgia buyers search for childhood favorites. Your job is making sure they find you instead of competitors.

Who Your Ideal Clients Are

Your primary clients fall into three overlapping groups. Individual buyers search for specific toys—a particular action figure, vintage board game, or limited-edition collectible. They use eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Google to find exactly what they want. Gift buyers are parents, grandparents, and friends looking for toys for birthdays and holidays. They often search by age range, character, or price point. Collectors and enthusiasts actively hunt for rare or hard-to-find items and will pay premiums for condition and authenticity. They follow toy communities, join collector groups, and check reseller listings regularly.

Secondary clients include retail stores, daycare centers, and schools that occasionally buy toys in bulk for inventory or events. Knowing which group you’re targeting shapes your pricing, product descriptions, photos, and where you advertise. A collector hunting a 1985 G.I. Joe needs different marketing than a parent buying a toy for a five-year-old’s birthday.

Your Best Marketing Channels

eBay and Specialized Marketplaces

eBay remains the largest resale platform for toys, especially collectibles and vintage items. Your listings are searchable by exact toy name, condition, and price. Collectors use eBay as their first stop. Complementary platforms like Mercari, Whatnot, and specialty toy reseller sites attract serious buyers willing to pay fair prices for authenticated items. Building seller ratings on these platforms directly drives repeat business.

Facebook Marketplace and Groups

Facebook Marketplace reaches local and regional buyers looking for toys at negotiated prices. Posting consistently with clear photos and fair pricing builds visibility. Toy-specific Facebook groups—vintage toy groups, collector communities, parent groups—are goldmines for targeted marketing. Join relevant groups, understand their rules, and share your inventory when appropriate. Many resellers make 30-40% of their sales through Facebook group recommendations.

Instagram and TikTok

Visual platforms matter for toys. Instagram works well for showcasing your inventory—high-quality photos, collection highlights, and before-and-after restoration posts attract followers. TikTok’s short-form video format works for toy unboxings, hauls, and “satisfying” cleaning or organization videos that get shared widely. These platforms build brand recognition and send traffic to your eBay or Marketplace listings. Even 1,000-5,000 followers can generate consistent monthly sales.

Google Shopping and Search

When buyers search “vintage Star Wars figures for sale” or “1990s Beanie Babies near me,” they’re ready to buy. Listing on Google Shopping (which pulls from your eBay, Etsy, or website inventory) puts you in front of high-intent searches. SEO-friendly product descriptions and a simple website also help you rank for specific toy searches. This channel brings fewer but higher-converting visitors.

Email Marketing

Once you have repeat customers, build an email list. Send monthly “new arrivals” emails highlighting what you’ve just listed. Regular buyers—especially collectors—want to know what you’ve acquired before items hit public marketplaces. Email costs nearly nothing and typically converts at 10-15% when you’ve built genuine customer relationships.

Local Networks and Community

Post flyers at local schools, daycares, libraries, and community centers. Tell friends, family, and coworkers what you sell. Attend local toy shows, comic conventions, and swap meets to sell directly and build local reputation. Word-of-mouth from one satisfied customer in your community often leads to 5-10 more. Don’t underestimate the power of being the “toy person” people know and trust locally.

Getting Your First 3 Clients

1. List 10-15 items on eBay and Facebook Marketplace simultaneously with high-quality photos, accurate descriptions, and competitive pricing. Price your first items 10-15% below market to generate quick sales and build initial ratings.
2. Join 3-5 Facebook toy groups relevant to your inventory (vintage toys, collectors, parents in your area). Introduce yourself genuinely, answer questions, and share 2-3 listings when the group allows.
3. Send a message to 15-20 people in your personal network describing your business simply: “I’m reselling toys now. Here’s what I currently have available.” Include a link to your listings.
4. Post your inventory on Google Marketplace and Mercari in addition to eBay, reaching buyers who don’t use eBay.
5. Reach out directly to 5 local schools or daycares offering bulk pricing on toys if they need inventory.
6. Take your best photos and create an Instagram account. Post 5-10 inventory photos, follow 20-30 toy collector and parenting accounts, and engage genuinely with their content.

Building Referrals and Word of Mouth

Ask satisfied buyers to refer friends. A simple message—”If you know anyone looking for toys like this, I’d appreciate the referral”—often works. Consider offering a small incentive: $5 off their next purchase if a friend makes a first purchase through their referral. Toy communities are tight; one collector telling another about you builds momentum fast. Make the referral process frictionless by providing a link they can share or Facebook group they can mention you in.

Build reputation systematically. Respond to all messages within 24 hours. Ship items quickly and package them well—bonus points for including a thank-you note. Leave positive feedback first. When buyers feel valued, they naturally recommend you to others. Track who refers customers and acknowledge them. Over time, 50% of your sales might come from repeat customers and referrals, requiring almost no marketing spend.

Your Online Presence

You don’t necessarily need a website, but you need a professional presence across the platforms you use. Your eBay, Facebook, Mercari, and Instagram profiles should look intentional: clear profile photos, accurate bios describing what you sell, and consistent branding (same name, similar colors). Respond quickly to messages. Have clear policies on shipping, returns, and condition descriptions. Serious buyers notice these details and buy from sellers who look organized and trustworthy.

A simple website (built free on Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress) adds credibility and gives you a hub to direct people to. It doesn’t need to be elaborate—your name, what you sell, where to find you (links to your eBay, Facebook, Instagram), and contact info are enough. If you sell high-value collectibles or want to position yourself as a serious reseller, a basic site signals professionalism and makes you easier to find through Google.

Social Media Strategy

Instagram and TikTok drive brand awareness; Facebook Marketplace and groups drive direct sales. Post consistently on Instagram (2-3 times per week minimum) with product photos, collection tours, and behind-the-scenes content. TikTok’s algorithm rewards consistency—short videos of toy hauls, unboxings, or restoration get seen even with small followings. Both platforms include links to your marketplace listings, sending interested viewers directly to buy.

Facebook is different: it’s about finding your exact customers in groups and on Marketplace. Use Instagram and TikTok to build a brand and funnel people toward your sales channels. Don’t expect Facebook alone to work; it’s one of several channels working together.

Paid Advertising

You don’t need paid ads to start, but they make sense once you’ve figured out what sells and at what margins. A realistic starting budget is $10-20 per week testing Facebook or Instagram ads targeting toy collectors and parents aged 25-55 in your region. Track which ads bring sales and which don’t. If you’re making $200-300 per month profit, invest $100-150 monthly in ads testing different audience segments, product photos, and messaging. Most toy resellers find paid ads unnecessary until they’re doing $2,000+ monthly sales; at that point, a small ad budget on high-margin items often pays for itself.

Client Retention

• Email repeat customers when new inventory arrives in categories they’ve bought before
• Offer loyalty pricing: 5% off for customers who’ve made 3+ purchases
• Ask for feedback on condition and accuracy—show you’re listening
• Ship items thoughtfully; package nicely, include a note, make the unboxing experience pleasant
• Respond to all questions and concerns within 24 hours, no exceptions
• Follow up after sale to ask if they’re happy and if they need anything else
• Share new arrivals and exclusives in Facebook groups where your best customers spend time
• Request reviews and feedback on marketplace platforms; higher ratings bring more organic traffic

Check out our guides on the fastest ways to get your first 10 toy reselling customers, explore the best marketing tools for your toy reselling business, and learn practical local marketing strategies for toy reselling to accelerate your growth.