A LOYAL Barbie fan has raked in thousands of dollars as the popular dolls are set to become a movie.
Adrianna Victoria, 18, calls herself a "Barbie Broker" and is helping collectors get their hands on seemingly any Barbie they can imagine.
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The film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling is set to hit theaters this summer, reigniting a love for the famous doll.
There has been a boom in Barbie market sales since the first photos of Margot in full character were released in April last year, Adrianna told The U.S Sun.
In her office in New Jersey, just a short drive from her home in Unionville, New York, she houses thousands of dolls waiting to find their new forever homes.
On her Instagram (@prettynpinkbarbies), she seems to have sold every Barbie you can think of.
She got started when she was 16, buying dolls that she liked with money from her restaurant job.
"I had no idea the Barbie market was a real thing," she said.
Adrianna was first on the hunt for the Legends of Ireland limited edition Barbie from 2004.
She loved the unique teal and gold dress, extravagant cape, and even the ornate box it came in.
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Luckily, she was able to snag one in a bidding war at an auction in upstate New York for $70.
After seeing it on other sites for as much as $140, Adrianna realized she could resell the dolls to make a profit.
She held on to the special Barbie for a while so she could enjoy it before selling it.
Motivated by her mom who owns and runs a small business, she decided to try it for herself.
Starting off in the shed in her backyard, she worked hard to grow her business.
From there, she started buying Barbies in mass quantities, using her own money she made from working her day job.
While balancing school, work, and volunteering, Adrianna amassed over 15,000 followers on Instagram, who regularly request and purchase dolls.
She's given up her job at the restaurant to pursue mortuary school and relies on her business for her income.
Adrianna is on track to make $45,000 this year from her business venture, and she plans on growing it even more.
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GETTING STARTED
In 2020, Adrianna saved up $1,700 to buy a collection of Barbies an older fan was selling.
She found the seller through a Barbie group on Facebook and had to ask her mom for permission to make the investment first since she was only 16.
"I saw it one night and I thought 'oh my God this is my chance'," she said.
She was worried the collector wouldn't be interested in selling the dolls to a teen.
Luckily, the seller drove them up from Kentucky and Adrianna's business was up and running.
"The Barbie community is such a special community because everyone wants to help each other out because we all have the same passion," she said.
Without much of a plan, she started taking pictures and listing the dolls for sale on different websites like Whatnot, Mercari, and Facebook Marketplace.
To her surprise, she sold them quickly and was looking for another collection to buy.
After that, she spent about $2,000 to buy 400 dolls to refill her stock.
Incredibly, she sold nearly all of them again.
Adrianna kept purchasing Barbies in bulk as customers kept buying dolls - to this day, she's bought over 5,000.
When Covid-19 hit, the lockdown gave her even more time to grow her business.
While doing school at home, Adrianna was able to continue to buy and sell Barbies and grow her business.
She has shipped dolls to all parts of the world, including Germany, Mexico and even Australia.
There have been a ton of new customers, and some of them have told her that she's the reason they decided to start collecting.
Adrianna was even able to snag one of the rarest dolls, the Happy Family pregnant Midge.
These are listed online for upwards of $160.
She didn't know she had bought one until she opened the box and started going through the dolls.
The collector had unfortunately passed away, and her family was selling the entire collection to help cover funeral costs.
Adrianna got way more than she bargained for when she found the rare, discontinued doll in the box.
She hadn't even listed it before fans started sending her offers.
"I almost fell over, I didn't really know what I was getting in the box until I opened it," she said.
In 2002, the doll was introduced with a magnetic abdomen that can be removed to show a small baby hidden beneath.
Parents were less than thrilled about it - especially since she was packaged alone without any family members - and it was quickly pulled from shelves.
"I had never seen one in person before. This is like the one Barbie everyone wants, it's like the Holy Grail."
BARBIE MONEY
Adrianna sells most of her dolls for $20 to $25, but there are limited edition ones that go for hundreds.
In her first year, she spent about $30,000 and made it all back. Most of that money went back into the business.
By keeping her stock high and regularly posting, she's brought in $45,000 in sales.
"It just makes me feel good to know one day I'm going to be very, very successful," she said.
"Since I was 14, I've always said I want to be a millionaire by 20 ... I push myself every day to make it happen."
It's important to note that with extra income and side hustles come extra taxes and responsibilities.
A Form 1040 is required for those with multiple sources of income, as you have to list all your income on a single form.
In addition, you'll need to file a Schedule C and a Form SE to report your self-employment taxes.
There are several other people who do the same thing as Adrianna with all different types of products.
Read More on The US Sun
See how another woman makes up to $20,000 a month by reselling vintage clothing.
Plus, another reseller literally sold a trashcan for $300 - see what makes it so valuable.
