Elmo TMX | Resale Queen

Your search for Elmo TMX has 8 results.

Added on 11/25/06 by Betsy

The Queen's mailbag overfloweth!

Everyone wants to know...

When is the best time to sell crap for Christmas?

People don't freak if last week sucked for you- it's holiday time honey. RQ rule #387 Never have An Auction End Within 2 Days of a Major Holiday. This includes Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, St. Patrick's and Valentine's Day. People are doing other things those days like traveling, eating, drinking or each other- so don't waste your insertion fee dollar!

If you are trying to unload some Holiday items- start your listing Monday the 26th. I heard at the post office that parcel post is running way behind so stick to priority or even better UPS/FEDEX.

As far as hot items like TMX/PS3- the faster you ditch them the better don't sit on these items, the market could flood close to Christmas. Remember Sony and Sesame Street aren't getting a cut of Ebay sales.

If you want to sit on something pick up the Build a Bear Mumble the Penguin- and wait a few months I am predicting $95-$145 unstuffed after they sell out based on past year's BABW performance.
Adios People
RQ (read post)

Ebay, Taxes, and Elmo

Added on 11/25/06 by Betsy

Question: I found your sight in my search to find if my tmx elmos would still sell well
closer to Christmas (I'm sure you noticed the expected drop over the holiday).
I sold pretty heavy for a month or two last year and then bought heavier on ebay
than I sold. I stopped buying do to a couple really bad experiences and and
back to the selling side; when I started my biggest concern was taxes (When to
charge, when to declare, what forms, etc...) and at what point I became a
business versus an individual selling a couple items on ebay. I didn't know
what it all entailed and just decided to drop selling for a while. Stay at home
mom as well, knowing my ebay options would be helpful. What have you learned
about declaring taxes at the end of the year, etc / and at what you become a
business and need to start worrying about legalities.
Thanks for your time
Amy

Answer:

Without fail this is THE cocktail party question I get asked once I cop to selling on Ebay as a mommy profession: "Do you have to pay taxes on that?

What people really want to know is:
"Do YOU pay taxes?" Though generally, people are far to polite to be that forward.

According to my accountant, tax year '05 was the first year the IRS had a professional category named "online auction sales".

I pay taxes. It is. . . (read post)

Mother Of the Year

Added on 11/22/06 by Betsy

Next time I get a call from a newspaper I need to take a deep breath and try to remember my new mantra . . . WWTD (What Would Tyra Do).

I have invested enough hours of my life watching Top Model you think I would have learned a thing or two.

I need a little Miss Banks on my shoulder to remind me to maintain poise and dignity when speaking with the press.

My interview with the Christian Science Monitor went out today.
"10 years later, a new ticklish Elmo tops the 'hot toy' list"

Yet another thing for my children to bring up in therapy.

Yes, I do buy them Goodwill junk for Christmas; Little Tikes stuff will be around after the cockroaches have all died out. It will be a barren world filled with Cozy Coupes and Cube Climbers.

I don't really see anything wrong with giving the kids used things, especially when it is something they wanted new anyway. The box and the 67,000 anti-theft wires that trap the toy in the box are cause for tears and tantrums- out of the box stuff is ready to go.

As far as paying $100 for a kids toy, I would for some things. For instance my son is getting a Vtech learning game system - he will love it and play with it for a long time.

If I gave my toddler the TMX she would press his hand. . . (read post)

Buy This Toy Now! The Next Elmo TMX

Added on 11/17/06 by Betsy

My prediction for the next hot toy: Build A Bear's limited edition Mumble the Penguin- a character from the upcoming Happy Feet movie.

He is currently available at Build A Bear stores for just $22.00.

How can I make such a prediction?

Look at previous year's Build a Bear holiday releases on Ebay:
Xmas 2004 they released the Rudolph line as a limited holiday run- an unstuffed Rudolph goes for around $100. He had a light up nose, much like Mumble's light up heart which makes them more unusual Build a Bears.

Xmas 05 they released Frosty the Snowman and it did similarly well on Ebay- it is down in value currently but earlier in the year was selling for around $60 undressed and unstuffed.

Need another reason to buy as many as your budget will allow, check out other retired Build a Bear children's characters.
Elmo New with tags and unstuffed sold for $175- auction # 160047227249, stuffed $50.
Wizard of Oz collection- auction # 140050076314 6 bears $350.
Hello Kitty- $80 auction # 300045924769
Cookie Monster unstuffed $70 auction # 29004669526 (read post)

How to find your Elmo TMX and why you shouldn't bother.

Added on 11/15/06 by Betsy

I have realized of late that many of my readers may not be resellers at all. Many of you may have just googled the toy of your child's dreams and found this site.

And what toy are you most likely hunting for . . . Elmo TMX of course.

"I don't want to pay $100 on Ebay for the $40 doll that's ridiculous. I just want to know how to find a toy store that is selling them and run in and grab one off the shelf. That shouldn't be so tough? Ebay sellers are just ripping people off! - Right?"

Let's explore the logistics of scoring an Elmo TMX.

#1. You have to call or go to your local store and find out what day they get shipment.

That sounds easy.

#2. You have to go to the store before they open and stand in line.

OK I can do that.

#3. You can only buy the store limit. For instance the Toys R Us limit is 2 per customer. They can share you say.

Hmmmm . . . let's run through this again realistically:

A. If you are in the market for this doll most likely you have little preschool-toddler age kids. So in order to achieve the first point you have manipulate your way through the toy store then stand there with your children while the. . . (read post)

Elmo TMX Prices Increase Time to Cash Out!

Added on 10/24/06 by Betsy

Several weeks ago I wrote the world about my sweet Elmo score, then I was publicly humiliated when my coveted TMX prize went unsold in auction.

This week, resale fans, prices on the TMX are up, apparently the supply has not been replenished as the Toys R Us manager had predicted and now is a good time to sell if you have been holding onto your sesame street scrilla.

I put mine up last night for $194.99, buy it now $195.99 and they sold buy it now within 10 minutes. This is a nice increase from the $110 I attempted to sell them for weeks ago with no luck.

See you in line at Toys R Us at the break of dawn!
(read post)

The Castle is Getting Crowded and Smelly

Added on 10/03/06 by Betsy

So the Elmo investment didn't pan out.

It was entirely the fault of my assistant, however since she is both unpaid and related to me I have to ignore that fact and move on.

So this is when being a seller gets speculative. I could return the TMXs at Toys R Us, relist them and chance paying Ebay fees on another item that did not sell, or I can sit on them hoping that the little third world toy making elves will develop carpal tunnel and be unable to fufill the desires of spoiled preschoolers who need a $100 giggle box- which by December 18th could be worth $225.

These are the issues that keep the Queen awake at night.

Seriously though the Elmos are depreciating somewhat, what was last week's $100 sure thing is now a $70 sale.

So I think I am going to sit on them.

This is the problem. I am also sitting on American Girl dolls, Groovy Girls, bins full of Legos, Lego Dacta Table, Tons of books, Build a Bears, Step 2 Kitchen pieces, Today's Kids Baby Gates and misc stuffed animals.

My castle is becoming a crowded place that smells like a resale shop.

Thank goodness all the Prada at Goodwill was fake today- because who needs the clutter.

Keep an eye on thesmithmall's crap this week I am in the mood to purge.

Like anyone with a psychological disorder my urges come and. . . (read post)

Elmo TMX- how to find and sell yours for mad cash

Added on 09/30/06 by betsy

So this week's sale of the century wasn't at a garage or warehouse honey. It was at Toys R Us.

Last week I recalled all I had gotten my niece for her birthday was some previously nibbled play food, and since she was standing on the driveway i bought it from- it wasnt actually a surprise.

So out of guilt I went where the Queen rarely goes, somewhere where new in box is an expectation not a bonus. Yup Toys R Us, walkin around the joint I realized how I make such mad cash. Toys are pricey plastic!

While I was wandering around the store I stopped in front of the Elmo display- my niece loves Elmo. Of course there was a giant blank space where there ought to be floor to ceiling Tickle Me Elmo TMX dolls. I had seen a segment on Good Morning America about how these were selling out and my sister had looked up the completeds and told me they were worth $80-$100. Toys R Us is selling them for $39.99.
Now I know to the rest of the world a 100% mark up is unheard of in most things legal, but to the Queen its not all that impressive.

As I was standing there a store person walked by and I asked if by chance they had any Elmos in the back, since what the hell I'm standing there and I have$ 80 bucks burning a hole in my pocket. The dude looked genuinely apologetic and went into this long spiel about how it. . . (read post)