Collectible Barbie dolls can be a great seller on eBay, especially eBay USA. Many Barbie dolls are limited in number and can be quite valuable. Barbie collectors are located all over the world and don’t mind paying the international shipping fees required to have the doll shipped to them. Here are a few tips for selling collectible Barbie dolls on eBay.

The first step when selling anything on eBay is to do the research and determine the asking price. eBay is its own little universe and you must use eBay data to determine an item’s value in the eBay marketplace. An item’s value is determined by what someone will pay for it, not what you think it is worth. Look up the particular Barbie on eBay using a few relevant keywords. eBay titles are written by each individual seller, so if you use too many keywords, you may not get enough data in your search results. For example, if you have a Bob Mackie Goddess of the Sun Barbie, your search terms should be “Bob Mackie Goddess Barbie.” When doing the search, choose “completed listings.” You aren’t going to pay much attention to what someone is asking for the Barbie, you want to know what a buyer actually paid for it. Historical data is where you focus when doing research on eBay pricing. You will also need to check current listings to see what other sellers are asking for the same item. To make sales on eBay, you must be competitive.

After you find a comparable item that actually sold, the next step is to create a keyword rich title. eBay searches work somewhat like Google searches, matching on keywords. Your objective is to rank high in searches so your title must be optimized. Using the example above, a properly optimized title would be, “NEW Bob Mackie Goddess of the Sun Barbie NRFB 1995.” NRFB is an abbreviation for “never removed from box.” Many Barbie collectors will search for NRFB and the year the Barbie was released. eBay only allows 55 characters for the title, so you want to maximize that space with the correct keywords that will lead buyers to your item.

The next important component of selling Barbies (or anything) on eBay, is to provide clear photos. When selling anything three dimensional, experts advise showing at least three photos. Remember that your buyer cannot pick up and examine the product you are selling. Good pictures will sell your item. Many eBay shoppers don’t even read the descriptions; their eyes automatically gravitate towards the photos. If you are selling NRFB collectible Barbies, you want to show photos of the front and back of the box, the doll’s face, the doll’s clothing, and a price tag if there is one. If you are selling a NRFB Barbie, do not take her out of the box to take the photo! This will devalue the Barbie and you can’t sell it as NRFB.

After you have done the pricing research, written the title, and taken the photos, you will need to write a keyword rich description. Make sure the description is at least 200 words long and includes the name of the particular Barbie at least three times. This will help your listing appear more keyword loaded and your listing will place higher in search results.

Include international shipping options on your listing. Barbie collectors live all over the world and they will pay the shipping costs, as long as the price is fair and reasonable. Most Barbies will weigh less than four pounds when packaged so they can be shipped First Class International through the United States Postal Service. Average cost to ship a collectible Barbie anywhere in the world from the USA is less than twenty dollars.

By following these five tips, you should find success when selling your collectible Barbie on eBay. Take your time, follow the steps, and wait for the right buyer. Your Barbie may not sell within a week, but that is ok. The right buyer will find your listing and your Barbie will soon be on her way to her new home.

For more information on selling collectibles on eBay, visit the eBay Coach blog.