We all know what Beanie Babies are. They’re the cute and cuddly stuffed animals that took the world by storm in the 90s and created a multi-billion dollar empire.
While the Beanie Baby craze has died down since then, Beanie Babies are still very much a big piece of the pop culture of today. They’re so much more than just kids’ toys. Beanie Babies are adored by the young and the old alike.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector looking to add to your collection or you’re new to the world of Beanie Babies, in this guide we’ll show you where to buy Beanie Babies.
Keep reading to find out the best places where you can buy Beanie Babies for yourself.
A Brief History of Beanie Babies
If you were around in the 90s, you know that nearly everyone had Beanie Babies on the brain. Store shelves were plucked bare in a matter of minutes as soon as a new stock of Beanie Babies arrived.
Today, Ty is still manufacturing Beanie Babies of all sizes and varieties. But they have evolved greatly from their 90s heyday.
Some sub-categories under the Beanie Baby moniker include Beanie Boos plush toys with large glittery eyes, Squish-A-Boos, which are more like round pillow plush, and Beanie Bellies, which resemble the original Beanie Baby design with a posable, upright sitting position and sparkling eyes.
You can buy Beanie Baby purses, masks, socks, backpacks, backpack clips, and plush slippers. There are licensed Ty plush toys featuring Marvel and Disney characters. They may not be stuffed with pellets anymore, but their bright colors and fun designs are certain to delight the new generations.
With a brand-new documentary detailing all of the nitty-gritty surrounding the Beanie Baby phenomenon, Beanie Mania on HBO Max is ripe with nostalgia. Ty Warner’s ability to market a collectible plush toy to the masses is nothing less than extraordinary. Beanie Babies drove a profit for Ty Inc. of $400 million in sales in 1997.
Where To Buy Beanie Babies
While the newer Beanie Babies have gotten an overhaul, some of the original Beanie Babies are still obtainable. There are several places where Beanie Babies are available for purchase.
We’re going to discuss some of the best places to find Beanie Babies.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to find hidden gems and lost treasures. Facebook Marketplace allows you to search for items local to you for pickup, or search across the United States for seller postings that offer to ship.
Facebook Marketplace is a sort of online yard sale where your neighbors and people across the country can sell the items they no longer want. This is still a great platform for finding Beanie Babies near you or far away.
Facebook Marketplace offers a Purchase Protection to ensure you get your money back if an item does not arrive in the condition stated or if a seller does not fulfill their end of the deal.
eBay
eBay’s auction bidding platform fueled many a Beanie Baby battle back in the day. Beanie Babies became more valuable on the secondary market when consumers tried to re-sell them to others. eBay sold $500,000 worth of Beanie Babies in one month alone in 1997.
Sellers were averaging a profit of 500% of the retail price. McDonald’s Teenie Beanies were selling on eBay for twice the retail price, and Beanie Babies comprised one out of every 10 of eBay’s sales.
When paired with the intentional scarcity and scattered locations of some Beanie Babies across the U.S., the internet helped drive the craze even further. The limited production runs and retirement of certain Beanie Babies at any given time sought to drive up their value.
While it is unlikely many Beanie Babies will fetch the same price as some of the rarest and most expensive Beanie Babies of the 90s and early 2000s, eBay is still a popular site to sell and also where to buy Beanie Babies.
Mercari and Etsy
In the same vein as Facebook Marketplace, Mercari allows for buying and selling of items that the lister no longer wants. Once an item sells, the lister receives a shipping label to print and send the item. There are no meetups, and Mercari takes a cut of the sale.
One person’s clutter may be another person’s treasure.
Etsy is an online marketplace primarily focused on craft projects and handmade items, but has also grown to include vintage items such as Beanie Babies. Each seller has their own digital storefront where they can post items for sale. Vintage items are considered to be at least 20 years old.
Swap Meets and Garage or Estate Sales
A tried and true method. It may not be high-tech, but if you’re one of those people who likes to go to places and see things in person, these are the places for you.
Best of all, you may be able to haggle a price down even lower for a prime Beanie Baby you’ve had your eye on.
Third-Party Sellers
Within sites like Walmart.com and Amazon.com, there are options for buying items from a third-party seller.
Third-party sellers use these main websites as a direct platform for selling directly to consumers. Third-party sellers usually handle the shipping themselves, unless it is specified that the company themselves are responsible for order fulfillment.
But third-party seller platforms are sometimes the targets for counterfeit goods being sold. It is important to ensure that you buy an item that is backed by the primary website in case of shipping, purchase, or item return issues that may arise.
Your #1 Store for Beanie Babies and More
Now that you know more about where to buy Beanie Babies, we’re going to let you in on the best place to find Beanie Babies. MyBeanieBabies.com is the best site to find the Beanie Babies you want.
We have an extensive and alphabetized catalog of many original Beanie Babies by name, in stock for you at a low price. But that’s not all. We also offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more.
If you’re looking for something cute, cuddly, and still collectible after all these years, check us out today. There’s something for everyone. They make great gifts too!
