Sold out rare Popmart Labubu monsters loved by celebs including Olivia Atwood being resold on eBay for up to £1,025
A NEW plush toy has taken social media by storm, and now rare models are re-selling online for up to £1,000.
The Pop Mart Labubu monsters are beloved by celebrities including Olivia Attwood, who recently posted a viral video of herself unboxing one of the toys.
Dua Lipa and Rihanna are also fans of the plushies, which were designed by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung.
Olivia Attwood has begun featuring the dolls, which cost from around £30, in a number of her social media videos, leading to a surge in demand for the figurines.
Pop Mart is a Chinese toy retailer, known for its collectible designer models that are often sold in a blind box format. This means you don’t know what you’ve got until you’ve opened it.
After a whirlwind of success overseas, the craze has now hit the UK and Brits are desperate to get their hands on one.
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Now, rare plushies are popping up on eBay, with one having sold for upwards of £1,000 and many others for twice their original value.
The most valuable and highly-sought-after plushie is the Pop Mart the Monsters Zimomo I Found You doll, which retails at £164 on the Pop Mart website, but is currently out of stock.
Collectibles retailer Novelship describes the toy as an "exquisite collector's item" that is "perfect for enthusiasts of unique toys".
The most valuable kind are brand new and sealed, meaning the boxes have never been opened.
One sealed box of the doll sold on eBay for a whopping £1,025 in March this year - 525% more than its face value.
But not every listing has sold for this much - the next most expensive resale price for the sealed item is £321.71, which is around twice its face value.
Two unboxed versions of the toy, which still came with the box, sold in February and March for £297.12.
Two other unboxed listings for the doll sold for £245.12 and £234.99 in April and February, respectively.
The I Found You plushie is by far the most valuable toy being resold, with several active listings for over £1,000.
But the Catch Me If You Like Me series doll is also popular, with one unboxed toy selling in February for £256 against a retail price of around £78.
The toy is currently not available to buy on the UK version of Pop Mart's website, but in the US it is listed for $99 (£78).
Remember that an item on eBay is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
There are a number of Labubu dolls on sale for over £1,000, but only one doll has ever sold in the UK for that amount so far.
It's a good idea to base your listings on what similar items have previously sold for rather than what they are currently listed for.
However, as the dolls are growing in popularity, demand could increase and you may be more likely to make a mint if you're able to get your hands on one.
We recently explained why the new dolls have taken off and how to get your hands on one.
Top tips for selling on eBay
NEW to eBay? It's head of secondhand, Emma Grant, reveals how to optimise your listings:
- Use key words - eBay automatically filters listing titles for key words, so it's crucial to use the terminology people search for - especially brand and product names.
- Choose the right category for your product - It might sound obvious but it’s important to always choose the most specific category to sell in.
- Pictures are important - Most users will not bid on items they cannot see. For best results, take photos in natural light against a neutral background and be honest about any scratches or damage to the item.
- Be as detailed as possible - Be honest about the condition of the product and be sure to note any wear and tear.
- Look at past sold items- eBay has a function that allows you to search for the item you want to sell and then filter the results by sold items. Here, you can view the price the item has sold for and get insight into how others have listed it.
- Selling Sundays - Get the timing right. The busiest time for buyers is Sunday evenings, so schedule your listings to end around that time. Opt for seven-day auctions to ensure the max number of bids. The longer your item is listed, the more chance of people seeing it, so unless it's time-sensitive, pick seven days. December is the busiest month on eBay.
- Be realistic with pricing - Try searching for similar items on eBay, to make sure you’re going for the right price and always ask yourself "would I pay this price for this item?"
- Donate to charity - When listing your item, consider donating a percentage of the sale to a cause of your choice – from 10% to 100% - you can donate the funds raised from your item straight from the platform.
Where to buy Labubu and how much they cost
The easiest place to get a Labubu doll is to buy one from the Pop Mart website.
They are also available in certain toy retailers around the UK, such as outlets on Oxford Street in London and in Manchester's China Town district.
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A single model can cost anywhere from £13.50 to £211, depending on the rarity of the design.
You can also pick up the figurines in posh department store Harrods for a limited time, as it is currently running an eight-week Pop Mart pop-up shop.
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