(Copyright Hasbro)

     Aren't all toy ponies the same? Heck no! If you are seeking to sell (or buy) My Little Ponies on eBay for the first time, then this guide will teach you how to ID your pony! Obviously, it is not the only pony-identification site, nor is it by any means the most comprehensive, but if you are looking for a quick, basic guide, reading this is a good first step!

     If you want to ID your pony, the first step is to find out what generation she (or he!) is from! One easy way is to check under the pony's hooves. There should be some letters printed on the bottom of her hooves, along with the place she was made! [Most of the places listed on their feet are common production sites for ponies, such as Hong Kong or China. But if you get a pony with Macau, Italy, Greece, Spain, Mexico, or any other country under their feet, LIST IT IN THE TITLE! These ponies are rarer than the typical ponies, and will go for more if you list this fact!] 

     If your pony's hoof has a date between 1980-90, then it is a Generation 1! If it is 1998-2000 it is a Generation 2, and if the dates are between 2003-present, it is a Generation 3! That takes a lot of the hassle out of selling a pony, but BUYING a pony is a completely different thing, as you usually can't see the hooves for a pony you plan on buying. You could always send a message to the seller, but it will help if you can identify the pony type by sight alone. Each pony body type is very different, and this guide should help you to identify the pony that you hope to buy/sell on sight.

                                        PONIES FROM 1980-1993: Generation 1

     Generation 1 (G1) ponies have a very destinctive shape, and they are usually very round and roly-poly in comparison to the newer ponies. They have symbols on both their hips, with some having symbols over most of their body. Their eyes are only paint, with the exception of the Twinkle Eye ponies, who had jewels in place of eyes, and the Beddy Bye Eye baby ponies, whose eyes could blink.  

     The eyes of each of these G1 ponies doesn't vary much from pony to pony; if you can get used to identifying the different eyes of each generation, it will help a lot.

                              PONIES FROM 1998-2003: Generation 2

     Generation 2 ponies are usually shorter than both G1 and G3 ponies, and they are also the thinnest. They are sometimes referred to as the 'preteens' of the pony kingdom, as they are the thinnest and shortest (not counting baby ponies).  They have molded curls around their hooves, but it is difficult to see unless you have a clear, up-close shot. In addition, this generation was the only line to have small jewels in their eyes in each pony; the only other ponies with jewels in their eyes (in place of eyes, directly opposite of the G2) are the Twinkle Eyed ponies from Generation 1. Here are two examples of G2 ponies, one MOC (mint on card) and loose.

                        PONIES FROM 2003-PRESENT: Generation 3

     Generation 3 ponies are the ponies being sold in toystores currently, and they will be the most recognizable to young collectors. They have several destinctive differences from the G1 line: for one, they only have symbols on one hip; G1 and G2 have their symbol on both. They are usually shorter than G1, but can be around the same height as a G2; they are not as thin as G2, but not as fat as G1. Their eyes are very large and destinctive, with a small painted heart, star, or circle in it. (Except in the case of Waterfire, who has a small flame in her eye.)

     G3 bodies have their own destinctive shape as well, but they are not as readily obvious as those of the G1 or G2; therefore, here are some examples of G3 bodies. Note how their legs are longer than most of the G1 legs, but they do not have the same overly slender (almost deer-like) body shapes of the G2.

     G3 ponies also are currently being sold in stores, so it is very easy to find a lot of them MIB (mint in box) on eBay for reasonable prices. MIB G3 Ponies on eBay! 

                                          SELLING MY LITTLE PONY ON EBAY

     So we've figured out what ponies we have/are searching for. Now what? If you are a seller, the next step is to come at the listing with a clear plan of attack. Your buyers will be more willing to bid on a pony that they have good information on. I will provide a sample listing below, but keep in mind that many sellers use different layouts, and no one is particularly better than the next. This sample is simply to help the beleagured seller who is unused to dealing with selling My Little Pony.

                                                     SAMPLE LISTING

Title: My Little Pony Snuzzle, 1982 NR Good condition [NR means no reserve, which means that the pony will be sold to the highest bidder without having to meet a set price by the seller. If you were to leave out the "NR Good condition" from the title, it would still be fine. Just make sure to put in My Little Pony and the year and name, if you have it.]

Body: Make sure to list:

• Hair quality (frizzy, soft, cut, curled, straight, uncombed, ratty, dry)
• Body quality (marks, damage to paint on eyes or symbol, pen marks, surface dirt)
• Quality pictures of each flaw you have found with the pony, in addition to a clear overall shot.
• Detailed information on payment (Paypal only, checks, money order, chashier's check)
• Shipping information (insurance, box or padded envelope, price for shipping)
• Information about combining shipping on multiple items won
• Miscallaneous information (non-smoking home, odd smell, etc)

Pricing: Often, putting a lower price on the pony ensures that people will bid. If you overcharge for the pony, bidders will stay away. If you start the bidding low, however, the pony will usually sell on the first listing, and usually for a fair amount of money. Also make sure not to overcharge for shipping to recoup losses from the pony's price; it isn't fair, and it's against the eBay rules. It is understandable to add on a few dollars for shipping and handling and materials, but adding upwards of ten dollars to the base shipping cost is frowned upon.  

     Make sure NOT to list:

• RARE RARE RARE!! (Chances are, unless you know for a fact that the pony you are selling is rare, it isn't. Putting "rare" in the listing rarely causes people to look at your listing, so stick to the facts)
• My Littel Pony, My Little oPny, etc (Make sure to spell the listing right!! It will help more people find your ponies, and more lookers means more bidders!)
• "This pony is in great condition!" (Don't put this unless the pony IS in great condition, like she just jumped out of the box!! Let's face it: some of these are 20+ year old ponies, and they aren't going to look like new. List what flaws they have honestly, in addition to pictures; collectors usually can put up with some age problems, but they would much rather hear it from you, rather than finding a trashy pony in the mail!)
• "This is a pony. She's purple. Good luck bidding!" (This is too short! Give us bidders the juicy details! We want to hear about the pony's condition, if it looks like there's any pen or marker, if her hair is still soft and silky! If you can't think of ANYTHING, simply cut and paste the above guide and write in all the pertinent facts to your pony!)
• Pictures of a pony SIMILAR to yours from Google or other eBay listings (DO NOT DO THIS!! If you put up fake pictures, the bidder with KNOW once they get your pony, and they will probably be steaming mad!! So if you don't have a camera or know a friend with one yourself, just stick with text, it's better than pretending someone elses' pony is your own!)  

Keep in mind that you don't have to have HTML or fancy graphics and moving GIFs in your listing; most bidders don't care about the eye candy, they just want a good look at the pony you're selling. Of course, eye candy is lovely, but if you are not used to it, don't feel pressured to try to work it into your listing.

                                                         In Conclusion

     This guide is a bit of a follow-up to my First guide (it's titled "A Guide to My Little Pony for Non-Collectors with pics", but the darn name was too long)! Hopefully they are both helpful to the new buyer on eBay as well as enlightening to sellers who aren't collectors themselves. Thank you for reading my guide, and if there is any information that is incorrect, could be cleared up or just something I didn't cover, please feel free to message me.