Online doll and collectibles shop

Parents and grandparents buying gifts, and adult collectors looking for specific dolls, limited editions or hard-to-find accessories.

You buy at wholesale, from estate sales or from collectors and resell at a markup. Extra income can come from accessory bundles, gift wrapping and rare or vintage pieces that sell at higher prices.

• Knowing dolls, brands and collector markets
• Product photography and clear listings
• Packing and shipping carefully
• Customer service

• Toy safety rules for children's products (check the CPSC requirements, especially for new items aimed at kids under 12)
• Sales tax registration with your state, and whether marketplaces collect it for you
• Counterfeit or unlicensed collectibles, which can get listings removed
• Check with your city or county about a business license and any home occupation rules or HOA limits if you store stock at home
• Fragile items damaged in transit, so budget for good packaging and insurance

Estimates are typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on how much stock you buy, whether you build your own web store or use marketplaces, and what packing supplies you need. Stock can be kept in a spare room.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $300 to $3,000, depending on your stock, pricing, the platforms you sell on and how many hours you put in. Estimates start from about 6 hours a week.

Check CPSC toy safety requirements, especially for new items aimed at kids under 12. Also check sales tax registration with your state, whether marketplaces collect it, and city or county business license and home occupation or HOA rules.