Most board game hobbyists eventually run into the same wall: too many boxes, not enough shelf space, and a growing pile of games we told ourselves we would “play eventually.” After I sold the first 30 games from my own collection, I learned what actually works, which platforms are worth the time, and where people quietly lose money on fees and bad shipping decisions.
This guide walks through every realistic option for getting rid of games you no longer play. Whether you want maximum cash back, a quick clean-out, or a trade that lands you something new to try, the steps below cover the practical details no one explains until you have already made the mistakes.
The process of how to sell or trade board games you no longer play comes down to three decisions: where to list, how to price, and whether to ship locally or nationally. Get those right and the rest follows.
Table of Contents
How to Sell or Trade Board Games You No Longer Play?
You have five realistic paths when you are ready to move games out of your collection. Each fits a different goal, whether that is fast cash, top dollar, or a swap for something new.
1. Sell on BoardGameGeek Marketplace. Best for enthusiast buyers who understand game value and condition. Slow but profitable.
2. Sell in Facebook groups and online communities. Best for local deals, community moderation, and avoiding shipping entirely.
3. List on general marketplaces. eBay, Craigslist, and equivalent local classifieds reach the widest audience but charge the highest fees.
4. Trade or sell to local game stores. Convenient, sometimes same-day, but expect store credit offers of roughly 30 to 50 percent of resale value.
5. Donate to libraries, schools, or shelters. When profit is not the priority and you just want the games gone.
Most sellers end up mixing two or three of these. A high-value game goes on BoardGameGeek (BGG), a stack of common titles sells locally as a bundle, and the unloved leftovers get donated.
BoardGameGeek Marketplace: The Enthusiast Hub
The BGG Marketplace is where experienced hobbyists list and buy used games, and in my experience it is the best single platform for getting fair value. Buyers here understand what a punched copy of a 2018 Euro game is worth, which means you spend less time explaining basics and less time fending off lowball offers.
BGG Marketplace is especially effective for out-of-print titles, deluxe editions, and games with a known enthusiast following. A game that sits unsold on eBay for weeks can move in days here because the audience is already filtered.
Listing is straightforward. You set a price, write a condition description, and buyers contact you directly through the site. There is no auction format and no shopping cart, which keeps things simple but means each sale is a one-on-one conversation.
Reddit users consistently report that BGG reputation matters. A positive feedback history built up over a few transactions noticeably speeds up future sales. New sellers should price the first few listings slightly under market to build that history quickly.
BGG Marketplace charges a small commission on completed sales, far lower than eBay’s combined fees. Budget roughly 3 percent for the marketplace fee plus standard PayPal processing.
Facebook Groups and Online Communities
Facebook board game buy, sell, and trade groups are where many local deals actually happen. The largest groups have thousands of members, active moderation, and a steady flow of listings. For local pickup sales these groups are hard to beat because you skip shipping costs entirely.
Search Facebook for “board games buy sell trade” plus your country or city. The most active groups tend to have named moderators, written posting rules, and required photo standards. Those rules are a feature, not an obstacle. They filter out scammers and time-wasters.
Good listings in these groups include a clear photo of the box and components, a short condition note, and a firm price. Buyers in hobby-specific groups respond well to sellers who have clearly inventoried the game.
Reddit’s r/BoardGameExchange is the text-based alternative. It works on the same principle: post what you have, what condition it is in, and what you want for it. Trades are common here, not just sales.
Community moderation is the real value of these groups. A scammer banned from one major board game group effectively loses access to the entire local market. That shared reputation system keeps repeat sellers honest.
eBay, Craigslist, and General Marketplaces
eBay gives you the largest possible audience, and it is the best option for selling rare, vintage, or sealed games that appeal to collectors outside the hobby. The tradeoff is cost. Between final value fees, payment processing, and shipping, expect to lose roughly 13 percent of your sale price to fees alone.
For that fee you get buyer protection, dispute resolution, and a built-in audience of millions. For a 40-dollar game, eBay’s cut is noticeable. For a 300-dollar out-of-print classic, the fee is easier to absorb because the audience size justifies it.
Craigslist and equivalent local classifieds work for bundles and larger lots. The advantage is no fees and no shipping. The disadvantage is a higher rate of no-shows, lowball offers, and outright scams.
General safety rules apply: meet in public, accept cash only for local deals, and never ship an item before payment clears. The forum community is unanimous on this point.
Local Game Stores and Consignment
Calling a few local game stores is the fastest way to convert a pile of games into cash or credit. Many stores buy used inventory outright or offer consignment, where you set the price and the store takes a percentage when it sells.
The catch is payout. Stores typically offer 30 to 50 percent of what they expect to resell the game for, because they are absorbing the risk, labor, and shelf time. Trade-in credit usually pays slightly better than cash.
Stores are most interested in current, popular titles in excellent condition. A shelf-worn copy of a ten-year-old game may not interest them at all. Call ahead, describe what you have, and ask what they are currently buying before driving over.
Consignment works differently. The store displays your game, you set the price, and you get paid when it sells. The cut is usually 20 to 30 percent. This is slower but often returns more than an outright sale.
Conventions are another option worth a mention. Board game conventions often have dedicated flea markets or math trades where attendees swap games in organized, multi-way trades. If you attend a convention anyway, this is a low-effort way to move inventory.
Trading vs Selling: How to Choose
Selling gets you money. Trading gets you a different game. The right choice depends on whether you are trying to recoup cash or refresh your collection without spending more.
Trade when the games you are giving up have low cash value but someone else wants them, and when you have identified a specific game you want in return. The math trade format at conventions and online communities is built for exactly this scenario.
Sell when the game has real resale value, when you need the cash, or when you do not have a clear trade target. A 60-dollar game sold for cash and then used to buy something on sale is often a better deal than an awkward trade that required shipping both directions.
Trading has a hidden cost in shipping and coordination. If both parties ship, you are paying postage both ways, which can erase the value of the swap. Local trades through Facebook groups avoid this entirely.
Online swap platforms like BoardGamesSwap and the BGG trade system match users who want each other’s games. These work well for medium-value games where the shipping cost is a reasonable fraction of total value.
The decision framework I use: if a game resells for under 15 dollars, donate or bundle it locally. If it resells for 15 to 40 dollars, sell through Facebook or BGG. If it is over 40 dollars, list it everywhere and take the best offer.
How to Price Used Board Games Fairly
Pricing is the single biggest reason listings sit unsold. Set the price too high and you get ignored. Set it too low and you leave money on the table. The good news is that board games have a surprisingly predictable resale market.
Start by looking up the current retail price on sites like Board Game Oracle, which aggregates prices across online retailers. A used copy in good condition typically sells for 50 to 60 percent of current retail. A shrink-wrapped or like-new copy can reach 75 to 85 percent.
Out-of-print and collectible games are the exception. These are priced based on recent sold listings, not retail. Search completed eBay sales and BGG marketplace history for the specific title and edition.
Condition, completeness, and edition all affect price. A complete game with light shelf wear sells well. A game with missing components, a damaged box, or a less desirable older edition sells for noticeably less, and may need to be bundled with other titles to move.
Bundle pricing works when you have several mid-value games. A lot of five games priced individually at 25 dollars each might sit for weeks. The same lot listed at 90 dollars total often sells in days, because the per-game price appeals to a buyer building a starter collection.
Be honest in the listing about condition. Understating wear to justify a higher price leads to disputes, returns, and damaged reputation. Buyers in hobby communities remember sellers who misrepresent condition.
Condition Grading and Listing Best Practices
BoardGameGeek uses a standard condition scale that most hobby buyers recognize. Using these terms in any listing, even on eBay or Facebook, signals that you know what you are doing.
Like New: Opened but unplayed or played once. All components present, no wear.
Very Good: Played regularly but well cared for. Minor shelf wear on the box, all components present and sorted.
Good: Visible wear on box or components. Everything functional and complete.
Acceptable: Heavy wear, possible minor component damage, but the game is playable.
Count the components before listing. The most common dispute in board game sales is a buyer claiming pieces are missing. A quick inventory, noted in the listing, prevents this entirely.
Photos matter more than description. Take one shot of the box front, one of the box back, one of the components laid out, and one close-up of any wear or damage. Clear photos build buyer confidence and reduce return requests.
Forum users consistently report that listings with detailed, honest descriptions sell faster. A paragraph that says “played about ten times, all pieces counted and bagged, minor corner dent on box bottom” outperforms a generic “good condition, barely used.”
Shipping, Scams, and Safety Tips
Shipping is where new sellers lose the most money. Board game boxes are bulky, and without the right approach, postage can exceed the sale price of a low-value game.
For shipping within your own country, use flat-rate boxes when the game fits. For international shipping, get a quote before accepting an offer. Many experienced sellers on BGG list shipping separately and let the buyer choose the service level.
The general convention on BGG and in hobby communities is that the buyer pays shipping unless the listing explicitly offers free shipping. State this clearly in the listing to avoid confusion.
Package games properly. A board game in a bubble mailer will arrive damaged. Use a sturdy corrugated box with at least an inch of padding on all sides. Tape every seam. This is tedious, but damaged-in-shipping claims are worse.
On PayPal, buyers have significant protection. Sellers should ship to the confirmed address, use tracked shipping, and keep the tracking number until the transaction is complete. These steps protect the seller against fraudulent “item not received” claims.
Scam red flags: a buyer offering more than your asking price, requests to ship immediately to an unverified address, pressure to use non-standard payment methods, and buyers who refuse to communicate through the platform’s messaging system. Walk away from any of these.
Donating Your Board Games
When a game is not worth selling, donation is a genuine option. Public libraries increasingly circulate board games and welcome donations of complete, playable copies. Schools, after-school programs, hospitals, and shelters are also good candidates.
Call ahead before dropping off. Most organizations have guidelines about what they can accept, and some only take specific types of games. A children’s shelter does not need a complex strategy game, and a library may not want a game with hundreds of tiny pieces.
Consignment stores like Half Price Books, where available, buy books and games in bulk. The payout is low, but the process takes ten minutes and you walk out with cash. This is the fastest way to clear a large stack of low-value titles.
Ask for a receipt. Donations to registered nonprofits may be tax-deductible, which offsets some of the cash you did not get from a sale.
FAQs
How to sell old board games?
List them on BoardGameGeek Marketplace for enthusiast buyers, post in Facebook board game buy-sell-trade groups for local pickup, use eBay for rare or collectible titles, or take them to a local game store for fast cash or trade credit. Price at 50 to 60 percent of current retail for good condition, count all components before listing, and use clear photos.
Are old board games worth selling?
Most board games retain meaningful resale value if they are complete and in decent condition. Current popular titles sell at 50 to 60 percent of retail. Out-of-print, vintage, and deluxe editions can sell above retail. Games with missing pieces or heavy damage are usually better donated or bundled.
Where can I get rid of old board games?
You can sell them on BoardGameGeek Marketplace, Facebook board game groups, eBay, or Craigslist. Local game stores buy or consign used games. Libraries, schools, hospitals, and shelters accept donations of complete games. Consignment stores like Half Price Books buy games in bulk for quick cash.
What can I do with my old board games?
Sell them for cash on BGG, Facebook, or eBay. Trade them on r/BoardGameExchange or at convention math trades. Donate complete games to libraries or schools. Consign them at local game stores. Bundle low-value titles together for a faster local sale. Choose based on whether you want cash, a trade, or a quick clean-out.
How do I price used board games?
Look up the current retail price on Board Game Oracle, then price a used copy in good condition at 50 to 60 percent of that figure. Like-new copies reach 75 to 85 percent. Check completed eBay sales and BGG history for out-of-print titles. Adjust down for missing components, box damage, or less desirable editions.
Who pays for shipping when selling board games online?
The standard convention on BoardGameGeek Marketplace and in hobby communities is that the buyer pays shipping unless the listing offers free shipping. Always state the shipping policy clearly in the listing. Get a shipping quote before accepting international offers, since bulky board game boxes can be expensive to ship.
Conclusion
Selling or trading board games you no longer play is not complicated once you match the right platform to the right game. High-value and enthusiast titles go to BGG. Local bundles move through Facebook groups. Rare and collectible games get the widest audience on eBay. Quick clean-outs go to local stores or donations.
The two decisions that determine your results are pricing and honesty in condition description. Price at 50 to 60 percent of retail for typical used copies, count every component before listing, and photograph the game clearly. Do those three things and your listings will sell.
Start with one game. Pick a title from your shelf, look up its current value, and list it on the platform that fits. Once the first sale closes cleanly, the rest of the collection becomes much easier to move.
Learning how to sell or trade board games you no longer play is a skill that pays back every time your collection outgrows your shelves. The games you are not playing can become the games someone else is excited to open.