How to Sell Toys Online: A Beginner’s Guide

Selling toys online is one of the most profitable eCommerce opportunities. Whether you’re selling plushies, educational toys, collectibles, or eco-friendly options, the demand is huge.

The best way to do it is by setting up your own Shopify store, where you keep full control over branding, pricing, and customer relationships.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Choose a niche – Focus on a profitable category like STEM toys, stuffed animals, or action figures.
2. Source inventory – Buy from manufacturers, wholesalers, or use print-on-demand for custom toys.
3. Set up your Shopify store – Choose a domain, optimize product pages, and create a seamless shopping experience.
4. Drive traffic and make sales – Use SEO, paid ads, influencer marketing, and email campaigns to attract buyers.
5. Handle fulfillment and scale – Offer fast shipping, great customer service, and expand into new product lines.

Selling toys on Shopify gives you full ownership of your brand, higher profit margins, and the ability to grow long-term. This guide will walk you through every step in detail, from choosing the right products to scaling a successful online store.

1. Where to Sell Toys Online (Why Shopify is the Best Option)

Before you start selling, you need to choose the right platform. Here’s a breakdown of your options:

Option 1: Your Own Website (Best for Branding & Profits)

💰 Profit margins: High
⚡ Best for: Building a brand, long-term success

Selling on your own website is the smartest long-term move. You get full control over branding, pricing, and customer experience.

Shopify is the best platform for this because it’s easy to set up, SEO-friendly, and highly customizable. You won’t have to worry about competing for the Buy Box like on Amazon, and you keep 100% of your revenue instead of paying marketplace fees.

With Shopify, you can build a toy brand instead of just selling products. You can customize your store, run email campaigns, collect customer data, and retarget visitors.

This leads to repeat customers and higher lifetime value (LTV) compared to marketplaces.

Option 2: Marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart)

💰 Profit margins: Medium (high fees)
⚡ Best for: Quick sales, built-in traffic

Marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy have massive customer bases, but they come with huge downsides. Amazon takes up to 15% per sale, and if you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), fees can eat up 40%+ of your revenue.

Plus, you’re constantly competing with thousands of sellers and even Amazon’s own brands.

Etsy is great for handmade or unique toys, but competition is brutal, and their algorithm favors sellers who pay for ads. eBay works well for reselling collectibles, but it’s not ideal for building a brand.

Option 3: Social Media Shops (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)

💰 Profit margins: Medium
⚡ Best for: Viral products, impulse buys

Social media platforms allow you to sell directly through Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. These work great for trendy toys like plushies, fidget toys, and collectibles. However, algorithms change all the time, and your sales depend on paid ads or organic reach.

A Shopify store integrates with Facebook Shops and Instagram Shopping, letting you sell on social media while still owning your website. This is the best of both worlds—you get social traffic but also build long-term SEO value.

Option 4: Dropshipping (Low Upfront Investment)

💰 Profit margins: Low
⚡ Best for: Beginners testing the market

Dropshipping allows you to sell toys without holding inventory. When a customer orders, the supplier ships the toy directly to them.

This lowers risk, but you’ll have less control over quality and shipping speed. Customers expect fast delivery, and many dropshipping suppliers are based in China, leading to 2-4 week wait times.

If you want to test toy ideas, dropshipping is a good starting point, but long-term, owning inventory or using a fulfillment center will give you better margins.

👉 Verdict? Shopify is the best platform for selling toys online. It lets you build a real brand, scale with SEO and ads, and maximize your profits.

2. Pick a Profitable Toy Niche

Not all toys sell well online. Some are high-margin, evergreen products, while others are short-lived trends that fade quickly.

Evergreen vs. Trend-Based Toys

• Evergreen Toys: Always in demand (LEGO, plushies, puzzles, board games).
• Trend-Based Toys: Short-lived but viral (Fidget spinners, Squishmallows, pop-its).

Evergreen toys bring consistent sales year-round and work well for SEO and long-term branding. Trend-based toys can bring quick profits but require constant product changes and fast marketing execution.

Best Toy Niches to Sell Online

✔ Educational & STEM Toys – Parents are willing to spend more on toys that help kids learn.
✔ Collectibles & Action Figures – Hardcore collectors will pay premium prices for rare and limited editions.
✔ Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Toys – Demand for non-toxic, plastic-free toys is rising.
✔ Plushies & Stuffed Animals – Always popular, easy to private label and brand.
✔ Personalized/Custom Toys – Print-on-demand plushies, puzzles, and dolls make great unique gifts.

How to Research Demand

✅ Google Trends – Check search interest for toy keywords over time.
✅ Amazon Best Sellers – See what’s already selling well.
✅ TikTok Trends – Viral toys can sell fast but might not last long.

A profitable niche = high demand + good margins + repeat customers.

3. Source Your Toys

Once you pick your niche, you need inventory. Here’s where to get it:

1. Buy Direct from Manufacturers (Best Margins)

• Alibaba – Bulk orders, custom branding.
• ThomasNet – USA-based suppliers, better quality control.
• Global Sources – International manufacturers.

Buying direct from manufacturers gives you the best profit margins, but you’ll need to order in bulk. If you’re launching a private-label toy brand, this is the best option.

2. Wholesale Suppliers (Smaller MOQs)

• Faire – Handmade, unique toys.
• Tundra – No middleman fees.
• ToyDirectory – USA-based wholesale.

Wholesale is great for smaller orders and testing products before committing to bulk inventory.

3. Print-on-Demand Toys (Custom & Unique)

• Printful – Custom plushies, puzzles, board games.
• SPOD – Personalized toy printing.

This works well for giftable toys like customized teddy bears, puzzles, or name-branded plushies.

4. Dropshipping Suppliers (Zero Inventory Needed)

• Spocket – Fast US & EU shipping.
• CJ Dropshipping – Large toy selection.

Dropshipping eliminates upfront costs, but shipping times can be slow.

👉 Best Strategy? Wholesale or private labeling for better margins and branding.

4. Set Up Your Shopify Store

Now that you have a niche and inventory source, it’s time to set up your Shopify store. Shopify is the best platform because it’s easy to use, fully customizable, and SEO-friendly.

1. Create Your Shopify Account

• Go to Shopify and sign up for a free trial.
• Pick a memorable domain name (Example: HappyToyBox.com).
• Choose a high-converting Shopify theme (Debutify, Booster, Dawn).

A clean, easy-to-navigate design builds trust and increases sales. Make sure your homepage has:
✅ Clear categories (Plushies, STEM Toys, Collectibles, etc.).
✅ Best-sellers section (Showcase popular toys upfront).
✅ Trust badges (Secure checkout, free shipping, money-back guarantee).

2. Optimize Your Product Pages

Your product pages need to convert visitors into buyers.

Each listing should include:

✅ SEO-friendly product titles (Example: “Best STEM Toy for 3-Year-Olds – Interactive Learning Kit”).
✅ High-quality images & videos (360° views, unboxing videos).
✅ Clear descriptions (Explain benefits, materials, age range).
✅ Trust signals (Money-back guarantee, fast shipping options).

Shopify apps like Loox or Judge.me help add product reviews for social proof, which boosts conversions.

3. Set Up Payment & Shipping

• Activate Shopify Payments, PayPal, and Stripe to accept credit cards.
• Set up shipping zones (Free shipping for US customers, flat-rate shipping for international buyers).
• Offer express shipping options for customers who need gifts quickly.

With the store fully set up, it’s time to drive traffic and make sales.

5. Get Traffic & Make Sales

Having a Shopify store is just the start. Now you need buyers. Here’s how to attract and convert customers:

1. SEO & Organic Traffic (Free, Long-Term Growth)

SEO helps you get free Google traffic. To rank higher:

✅ Use keyword-rich product titles & descriptions (Example: “Buy Educational Wooden Toys for Toddlers”).
✅ Write blog content (Example: “Best Learning Toys for Kids in 2024”).
✅ Optimize your images (Use alt text with keywords like “Plush Teddy Bear for Kids”).
✅ Get backlinks (Partner with toy bloggers or influencers).

Over time, SEO will bring in consistent, free traffic without ad costs.

2. Paid Ads (Faster Sales)

If you want immediate traffic, invest in paid advertising:

✔ Facebook & Instagram Ads (Target parents, collectors, and gift buyers).
✔ TikTok Ads (Works best for viral products like plushies).
✔ Google Shopping Ads (Capture high-intent buyers searching for specific toys).

Facebook's Lookalike Audiences allow you to reach parents, collectors, and grandparents who are likely to buy.

3. Email Marketing & Retargeting

Most people don’t buy on their first visit. Use email marketing to bring them back:

✔ Abandoned cart emails (Recover lost sales with a discount).
✔ Welcome email sequences (Offer a 10% discount on first purchase).
✔ Loyalty programs (Give discounts for repeat buyers).

Apps like Klaviyo and Omnisend automate email marketing, helping you increase customer retention.

6. Handle Orders & Scale Up

Once sales start rolling in, you need a smooth fulfillment process.

Shipping & Fulfillment Options

1️⃣ Shopify Shipping – Get discounted shipping rates for USPS, UPS, and DHL.
2️⃣ Third-Party Fulfillment (3PL) – Companies like ShipBob or ShipStation handle storage and shipping for you.
3️⃣ In-House Fulfillment – If you store inventory yourself, use Shopify's inventory management system.

Customer Support & Returns

• Offer live chat (Apps like Tidio help answer customer questions fast).
• Create a detailed FAQ page to reduce support tickets.
• Have a clear return policy (Example: “30-day returns for unused items”).

Good customer service = higher customer lifetime value (LTV).

7. Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Many new toy sellers fail because of simple mistakes. Avoid these to maximize profits:

1. Ignoring SEO & Organic Traffic

Mistake: Relying only on paid ads.

Fix: Create blog content, optimize product pages, and get backlinks to build long-term free traffic.

2. Underpricing & Losing Profit

Mistake: Pricing too low to compete.

Fix: Offer bundle deals (Example: Buy 2 plushies, get 1 free) and use perceived value pricing.

3. Slow Shipping = Bad Reviews

Mistake: Using slow suppliers that take weeks to deliver.

Fix: Partner with fast fulfillment centers and offer express shipping.

4. Not Collecting Customer Emails

Mistake: Relying only on social media traffic.

Fix: Use popups & email sequences to collect leads and retarget buyers.

8. Scaling to 6 Figures & Beyond

Once you start making consistent sales, here’s how to scale up fast:

Expand to Wholesale & B2B

Selling toys in bulk to daycares, schools, and gift shops can 10x your revenue.

• Use Faire & Tundra to list your products for wholesale buyers.
• Offer bulk discounts (Example: Buy 50 plushies, get 15% off).

Launch New Product Lines

Adding more toy categories brings in new customers. Example:

• Selling plushies? Expand into backpacks, keychains, or stationery.
• Selling educational toys? Add workbooks or activity sets.

Partner with Influencers & Affiliates

• Work with toy review YouTubers & Instagram moms to drive traffic.
• Set up an affiliate program (Pay 10-20% commission for referrals).

Influencer partnerships bring social proof & credibility, boosting trust and conversions.

Final Thoughts: Start Selling Toys Online Today

Selling toys online is a massive opportunity, but success comes from owning your brand and controlling your sales.

Why Shopify?

✔ Higher profits (No marketplace fees).
✔ Full control (Branding, pricing, marketing).
✔ Scalability (SEO, email marketing, paid ads).

If you’re serious about building a profitable toy business, Shopify is the best platform to start.

Start your Shopify toy store today and build a business that lasts.