Hello fellow ebayers!

This is a short guide for those of you beginning a collection of vintage Transformers robot toys from the 80's.  I will outline some of what I have learned in my 12 + years of collecting, with 8 of those years spent on ebay! 

When searching the category Action Figures:  Transformers, it helps to search the entire category, not just individual sub-categories, such as the Generation One section.  It seems as if what you are looking for would be found in the Gen One section, but you would be amazed at the bargains I have found due to people mis-labeling their auctions.  A lot of sellers out there do not know what it is they are selling, and so may list the auction in Mixed Lots or Other and not in Gen One.  When you browse the category, search the entire category. 

Another tip is to search all of ebay with the keyword "transformer".  Make sure you check "Search titles and descriptions" to get more hits.  You will receive some hits that relate to toy trains and electronics, but most will be fore Transformers toys.  You can narrow down your total hits by ignoring some of the categories that the search gives you (seen on the left hand side of screen), but, if you have time, these bizarre category listing are often where you can find mis-labeled bargains!

You can also search for a character by name, but you will probably spend more, as most sellers who know the name of the character also recognize their value, and so will have a higher listing price. 

Buying lots of toys is usually the best way to get a bargain.  Many sellers, myself included, will sell a lot of toys with only a picture and no real description, basically because these are toys we just want to get rid of.  Another person's junk can be your treasure!  Or, something like that. 

To conclude, the keys to successful collecting online lie in your being informed of how a toy looks, what accessories it came with, and spending time searching for these toys.  I suggest using one of multiple sites out there to familiarize yourself with the toy line you want, so that you will know them simply by sight, and don't need descriptions to find them.

Good luck ebaying!

gambitbr (aka Brandon Reynolds)