Selling my used DVD collection.

[canberrashop]

I apologise if this topic has already been done to death.   I did look at some previous similar posts but most of them are years old.

I have hundreds of used DVDs in good condition that I have either already watched multiple times or will never get around to watching.    Is it worth trying to sell them on eBay given that most people use streaming services and it will be pretty time consuming packing and mailing out these items.    I guess I could flog off the individual DVDs for $10 maybe even less and some of the box sets seem to be advertised by other sellers for $50 or higher (e.g. 10 Series Smallville).

I wonder if its worth it apart from maybe breaking even on selling them minuse costs and my time to add to my feedback score?

It seems like there are still people selling them?    Are they making a quid or is it just a hobby when all the overheads are taken into consideration?

Cheers,

Kevin

[janeababe]

I buy audio CDs off eBay. I have a great seller I purchase from and I pay $7.95 free postage and I nearly always get my items within 2-3 days. She’s awesome. 
I just don’t have time to sit and read anymore unfortunately, and, like most, I have Netflix so I don’t really buy DVDs anymore either…. But I own about 500 of the darn things 😑

Good luck with your choices. 
Let us know what you decide. 

[love_of_cars]

A few years ago I tried selling a large amount of generally popular DVD titles but didn't have much success.  Listing them individually was such a waste of time.  In the end I took a big photo of them all together and said "$6 each" or something for one group with free shipping, then listed another $8 group, etc, and so on.  Then as they sold I put into the description "X sold, Y sold" and so on.  That was dangerous though, as sellers continually demonstrate to this day that they don't read the descriptions very well.

For postage I simply wrapped them up in a freezer bag and then put them in an envelope (can't remember what size from Kmart, very cheap), then stuck on the label and two $1 stamps ($1.10 these days) and off it went without any issues.

In the end, no one really wanted them.  I had more luck at another website relating to a certain type of tree, if you know what I mean.

You can walk into any Cash Converters or op shops and find thousands for $1 to $3 these days.  I've almost completed my Police Academy collection at $1 each over the past few years!  Most discs are in as-new condition as well.

[canberrashop · Accepted solution]

I have done some more research after reading all the replies and also looking at local ad sites where people ae selling off collections of DVDs at almost give away prices.    One local ad that looks like it might have been a business closing down is offering 2,500 dvds, many new, for $123.00.   I almost made an offer for them myself.   Lucky I stopped myself, that would have been potentical grounds for divorce if my wife found more box loads in the garage instead of unloading the ones I already own.   

I admit defeat.   The thousands of dollars I invested in these DVDs over the years is gone.   Many I never got around to even watching.   In fact one of my reasons for getting rid of them is not so much the clutter in my garage as the commitment of time it will take me to watch all of these videos.   Every one was hand picked by me or a gift from family over the years.

I guess that is what technology does.   We have to move with the times.   I even found some VHS videos in the bottom of one box.   Amazing.     Time to bin them and start listing my books, which I think are still worth selling.

Thanks for all of the replies and advice.
Kevin

[love_of_cars]

Technology, yes! The thing is, I have so many DVDs which you can't find on any legit streaming service and there is always the threat of cancel culture, so don't get rid of everything!  The key is to recognise the shift as early as possible and move stuff on in order before no one wants it.

My father started off in the eighties with collecting Betamax video tapes.  He was a big believer in this format, then admitted defeat and switched solely to VHS by the late 1980s, doubling up on a lot of titles.  Then they started releasing widescreen hi-fi stereo VHS titles in the mid-1990s and he re-bought the titles again on this format, also getting a widescreen CRT TV.

Then DVD came along at the end of the decade and he bought them all again (this is now format #4).  Then Blu-ray arrived and he did it again!  He wasn't around to see the shift to streaming but I'm sure he would have loved that.

[estate.cleanout]

The big problem with DVDs etc are the cases.  I have a 1500 odd collection and most are in soft jackets inside cellophane envelopes made for the size of the sleeves.  It's about a (small) fridge size of space for all them.  Box sets stay as box sets and I don't have many anyway.  I even whipped up a web based catalogue for them.

I don't watch TV so it's nice to have them there.

[canberrashop]

The cancel culture aspect is very real.   Even a seemingly innocent show like Fawlty Towers was under threat of censorship.   Who knows when Harry Potter videos will be banned given the amount of hate being directed at the author of the books.   Even eBooks are at risk from a similar fate.   I would be a bit concerned if all my books were on Kindle it a change in cancel culture suddenly resulted in a favourite book being deleted from my collection.    Sometimes it is nice to have the hard copy in your possession.