The 2nd hand market is booming these days. I imagine that in the heyday of social media and international clothing access at the edge of one’s fingertips, lots of people bought lots of stuff and then one day woke up realizing they didn’t really need most of it. Hence the amount of ‘buy and sell’s’ there are across many platforms and forums.
But selling 2nd hand stuff is not so easy for several reasons that I wanted to point out. And in doing so with the hopes to help you all get rid of your undesirables, potentially to other people on this site looking for them. You know the saying, “One person’s junk, can be the next person’s treasure.”
So, here are the top things to remember when selling used stuff, but mainly shoes as that is my speciatly. Follow these simple instructions and you are sure to grab a sale!
1. Price Accordingly
This is the number one issue with most people selling used stuff. They value their stuff more than its actually worth and way more than anyone else values it. Getting your money back is next to impossible and if you dont accept that, you wont make any money at all. If its not a big deal for you then no problem. But if you are eager to make a sale and wondering why you haven’t already, chances are that your price is too high.
Used shoes are like used cars. The second you drive them off of the lot they lose 50% of the value. Same thing with the 1st wear on a pair of shoes. Heck, even if you are not the brand itself, or a credible retailer and the shoes are brand new, it will be hard to get full price. If your shoes are worn, getting 50% will be good. Getting anything more will be amazing. But best to aim at around 30%-40% of retail value for anything more than 5 wears.
2. Good Presentation
No used shoe looks good without shoe trees in it. I don’t care what shoes they are. The second you wear them is the second they lose the lasts natural shape, when unaccompanied by a foot. Stick a shoe tree in. You dont have to sell them if you dont want but it helps make the shoe more attractive.
Secondly, polish them. Brand new shoes unshined are not so attractive. So imagine used shoes….ugly. Dirty. Unpresentable. It doesnt help make your price justifiable. Shine them. At least cream them. Do something. Dont just take them off your sweaty feet, snap a pic and post them for sale. That doesn’t work.
A good shine with shoe trees in your used shoes will create a presentation that gives you a far greater chance at making the sale!
3. Good Photography
I just dont get when people mess up point 2 and on top of that take some very dark and unflattering photos. I guess it just shows that in reality they are not so fussed to sell the shoe. Good photography is not so hard. And most cell phones take a decent photograph. The key is lighting. Take the pictures outside under natural daylight. This will increase the chances the picture is eye-catching as the natural light will show the shoes details more easily.
Take photos of flattering angles of the shoes A shoe is beautiful mainly due to last shape. If you make the last look ugly no one will buy them. Take many photos, edit them down to the top 5, and then post them
4. Show the Details
Details add value to your shoe. Rubber bottoms with toe taps cost a good chunk of money to add on so can be a huge win for a customer. A deal-breaker so to speak. A clean looking sole that looks relatively unworn is also a good thing. Clean that sole up and show it. It will help your case and maximize your chance of a sale.
If you stick to these simple rules, your odds of making the sale will increase.
If you are selling something right now and are breaking rule #1, go do a price drop and bet your shoes will sell quickly!
All photos of shoes shown here are being sold on: The Shoe Snob Buy & Sell (theshoesnobbuyandsell.com)
If the shoes are very lightly worn, then usually the brand labeling on the insole will look crisp and new: show that. I try to buy judging on the likelihood that the footbed will not be imprinted by the owner’s foot, and a “clean” interior helps a lot.
Thanks for the input Jack! That also makes sense as no one wants sweaty shoes!
Re: photography–stand back and either zoom in or crop. Most phone cameras default to wide angle when what you need for beauty shots is a short telephoto. If you’re too close, people’s noses and the toes of shoes look abnormally wide.