Making Used Shoes Feel Brand New Is Quite Easy
If you fall in love with a pair that simply needs a little love, all hope is not lost. Arch support products or heat-molding insoles can be used to help add structure to shoes. And as far as smell is concerned, there are some handy sprays and cleaners available to decrease odor.
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How To Sell Sneakers 101
While earning over a million dollars for reselling shoes at this stage is still possible, there are lots of obstacles you must overcome to reach that goal.
The competition nowadays is fierce and it’ll take time to establish a client base as a beginner.
And besides that, you also need to find out where the best places are to find and acquire the most sought-after shoes. Places where your competition is likely already very familiar.
Therefore, you need to immerse yourself in the sneakerhead culture and apply yourself 100% to have a fighting chance.
Sneaker collecting has never been more popular. So while there may be more competition there’s also means more opportunity, especially if you niche down.
We’ve already discussed the sneaker industry in general above. Now, it’s time to dive into the actual process of reselling shoes and sneakers.
Where Do You Buy These Shoes To Resell
I like to buy older models either through eBay or Facebook groups and sneaker conventions.
For new shoes, youll go directly to the brands website and either press your luck right on the release time or you can utilize a sneaker bot to greatly increase your chances of securing a pair at retail price.
There are also authorized retailers that stock desired shoes, like FootLocker or Eastbay, but its best to go with lesser-known sites like Mr. Porter and END to increase your odds of getting the shoes at retail.
Recommended Reading: Best Place To Buy Exclusive Sneakers
Tips For Selling Your Used Shoes
Selling shoes online can be a daunting job if you havent done it before. Apart from considering the suggested sites above, take account of the following tips to boost your selling process.
- Set a reasonable price. Before you insert the final amount, think if youd buy the pair for that amount. Consider the real cost of a new pair. Also, prices must be proportionate to the condition the shoes are in. Decide if youll allow space for some minor haggling.
- Your description should be detailed and precise. Apart from photographs from all angles, give as many details as possible. Inform potential buyers of color, size, and material.
- Make use of some marketing strategies. If you have many pairs to sell or if you sell shoes often, some techniques can come handy. For example, buy two pairs, get the third for free. Or give buyers discounts on the second pair of shoes.
- Be punctual, honest, and fair to all buyers. Be accurate when communicating with potential buyers. Present things as they are in reality. You dont want to get negative reviews that will hinder your next sales. And you certainly dont want any items returned.
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Final Thoughts On Where To Sell Your Shoes For Cash
As luck would have it, there are tons of Internet-based and local stores where to sell used shoes. More space for your new shoes and extra money is always a good idea. Its a win-win you cannot resist.
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Where To Buy Used Sneakers
EBay and forums used to be the only places to get older used sneakers. Now aftermarket sites like Goat as well as social media and Reddit provide platforms to grab preowned kicks.
Whether you are a new collector looking to cheaply add some heat to the collection or someone that cleans up old pairs for personal use or resale, buying used sneakers is one way to do that. That old pair of Jordans is less likely to crumble if its been worn a little, right?
Still, after enough used kicks in the collection, you might get tired of other peoples foot sweat and overall mistreatment of their pairs making its way into your collection. At that point, you might be better off focusing on what you can get new, now, and preferably at or below retail.
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Bad App To Use As A Buyer
It is extremely annoying that customer service takes so long to get back to you on an active order, especially when Im spending $2500. I received an email saying what I bought were replicas, I had every intention of buying what I knew were in the pictures, asked customer service if the seller sent the sneakers in the pictures, with no reply for 48 hours and they automatically cancel my order and refund me my payment without me being able to have knowledge on whats going on or my own input because I knew what I was buying. The variation of the sneakers I wanted arnt even listed on this app and theyre being deemed as replicas most likely. As a buyer I am highly upset on how this transpired and I would not recommend doing business with this app. I will post updates if this is resolved. Now I have to wait 5 days for a refund when I was waiting for a response for customer service to proceed with the orderI finally get a reply 3 days later, and customer service is saying they do not provide details that outline why the sneakers are relicas. I ordered Zen yeezy promo samples, which arnt even listed on the stupid app. These promo samples are being deemed fake most likely because this company does not have the knowledge of the sneaker or the seller didnt ship the pair in the pictures. I find something VERY suspicious going on here when Im trying to order a rare unknown sneaker. DO NOT USE THIS PLATFORM AS A BUYER OR A SELLER!!
When To Buy Used Kicks
New collectors looking for older pairs of heat to build their collection can benefit from buying preowned sneakers.
I think newer collectors can benefit most from a strategy of getting used pairs, as often they have a lot of catching up to do! Paying resale prices on some older, more sought after sneakers will quickly deplete ones finances. For a newer collector still trying to build up their box stacks, purchasing the occasional used sneaker will help quickly add some heat to the collection.
Additionally, older pairs such as particular Jordan and Air Max retros last longer if they are at least worn occasionally. When buying a shoe that might crumble due to age, it helps to know that the pair has been recently worn and held up during that wear.
If you are good at cleaning up and/or restoring old pairs, a business can be made out of doing just that. Getting worn older pairs and cleaning them up for personal use or resale is an industry unto itself. Especially for those that arent scared to put a little work in.
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Buy Worn & Used Trainers / Sneakers Discretely From All Things Worn Today
All Things Worn is a trusted marketplace & community that allows members to buy used Trainers / Sneakers securely and anonymously. Search through our 1000s of Sellers from all walks of life to satisfy your needs. If you cant find what youre looking for in your category pages, you can simply request custom orders.1000s of people are now joining the craze and All Things Worn makes the process of buying and selling seamless. Unlike eBay, we embrace the buying of Trainers / Sneakers & also feature other pre-loved items.Join the 1000s of Buyers and Sellers at All Things Worn today!
Also known as: trainers, sneakers, plimsolls, running, kicks, joggers, sports, athletic, gym, cleats
All Things Worn is the best online community & marketplace to buy & sell used panties & knickers, shoes, socks, feet pics and pantyhose, safely & discreetly.
Cons Of Buying Used Sneakers
- Previous owners gross foot sweat in the shoe
- Older pairs get retrod all the time, rendering getting an older version less of a must
- Used shoes can be damaged or overly worn pics online often wont show the full extent of wear on a shoe
- Lose the opportunity to break the shoe in for yourself
- Pairs might be missing accessories or even the box
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Where To Sell Shoes For Cash Near You
In addition to online consignment shops, you might want to consider selling your shoes through local marketplaces. This can be a faster way to sell shoes, and you receive cash instantly instead of waiting for funds to transfer to your account.
Plus, theres no chance of you having to refund a customer because they didnt like the shoes.
Here are some of the best local places to sell shoes for cash.
My First Profitable Flips: Starting With $1 T
At thrift stores, I could pick up t-shirts for $1 or $2 and sell them for about $10.
I was able to make money doing this, but it was nowhere near enough to reach my goal of matching the current paycheck.
At best, I was making a $10 profit for each item I sold, and at the peak was selling 5 items per week. Its good that I was making some money on the side pretty consistently, but I became hungry for more and started to brainstorm ideas.
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How Do You Start Sneaker Reselling
Not with your trusty Chuck Taylors, unfortunately. Or even your Balenciaga Triple S. If you want to get your head around the world of reselling sneakers, you need to know about limited releases thats when the big trainer companies only release a select number of their newest, most hyped sneakers .
Collectors know the biggest sneaker trends, join mailing lists, download apps and queue up at sneaker stores. Those who manage to blag themselves a pair will either keep them to wear, sell them immediately, or keep them in mint condition, often with an eye to selling at a later date when their value has increased exponentially.
The people who resell in-demand models immediately will often do so for a 200-300 per cent markup theyll buy them for £150-£200, and sell them for £400 or more. But then there are the resellers who hold onto or, if theyre lucky, come across an older limited release .
In this instance, fewer unworn pairs exist, meaning the resale price only goes up. Simple economics. These second-hand shoes will sell for more than second-hand cars.
GOAT
If all of that sounds like nonsense, heres some good news: you dont actually have to be a sneakerhead to make it big in the game. Shoes are seen as a commodity now, says Crepe City founder Ron Raichura. Youve got people who used to be ticket touts buying shoes, because the market is so big.
GOAT
When Shopping Secondhand Fit Is Key
Depending on the material that a shoe upper is made out of, the fit of the shoe can change based on the shape or structure of the foot that occupied the shoe before, said Koshimune.Leather, for example, has a lot of stretch and can be broken in by the first owner in a way that may not correspond to the foot shape of the new shoe owner. Styles like pumps and heels that feature the material can become stretched to the point where they no longer hold the foot in place when walking. This can cause the tendons and muscles to compensate, resulting in overuse injuries such as tendinitis.
Shoe width is also another important consideration, especially if there are areas of rubbing that are causing calluses or pressure points. In order to avoid these results, Koshimune suggests doing a few laps around the store in the shoes to see if your foot is properly supported.
In some cases, pre-wear can actually help with the normal break in process. This happens when the leather is stretched and worn in areas that typically cause pressure particularly on the sides of the toes.
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Discovering The Sneaker Aftermarket
Searching through eBay, I filtered strictly by price and not by brand name. I was searching for items that were selling for around $500-1000 that I could make a profit from.
To my surprise, in the $1000 realm, among the name-brand luxury bags and other obviously expensive items were a pair of Nikes.
It was February 2015 and the shoes were the Air Jordan 2 Just Don.
Little did I know that this discovery would open the door to my most profitable flipping venture yet, and the one that would match and replace my job income.
I saw that many pairs were selling for nearly $1000 with a lot of bidding action. After doing some research, I found that these shoes were available at retail at $350. Instantly I knew that I wanted to start selling shoes.
Not only did these mark the checkbox of an item that sold for $500-1000, it exceeded my profit goal of $100 per item: I could make over $500 per shoe I sold!
I would only have to sell one shoe per week to make my $500 per week goal, and I could even make $1,000 in a week if I sold 2 shoes maybe even $1,000 in a day.
Nicks Notes: eBay takes a 10% fee on each sale.
My mind started spinning and I became super driven to learn all that I could about the shoe reselling game.
After spending hours of research and using the little money that I had saved, I bought my first pair of shoes to resell. It was a pair of Jordans that I bought for $190. I sold them hours later for $300 an $80 profit after shipping and fees.
How Do Sneaker Resellers Get So Many Shoes
These days, instead of lining up for hours in front of a mall, many shoe flippers are using technology to help. This means to compete you’ll likely need to use a sneaker bot.
This is software designed to help you snatch up limited availability stock in fractions of a second.
There are a ton of these options to help automate the process of finding the shoes that you want to purchase and flip. But one you can check out is AIO Bot.
Once you install it on your computer, you can choose which shops you want to buy from. Enter the shoe you’re looking for, the size, and color and the bot will take care of searching the sites for you.
This is one of many bots designed to help you efficiently find shoes for you to increase your chances of finding one without having to look for it personally.
However, before you get help from a bot, you may want to roll up your sleeves and also check manually. A quick search on eBay for Air Jordan 12 yield these results:
There’s a chance you will see shoes way below market reseller price and sell them more than 10x you bought for them. Between the AIO Bot, checking the price on StockX and buying/flipping on eBay, you can get started right now.
So your sneaker reselling journey has begun. But how do you know that those aren’t fake sneakers?
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When To Not Buy Used Kicks
If a brand new pair of the shoe is available at a price one is comfortable paying, then this is usually preferable to buying a worn pair.
Buy:
When first building a collection, most collectors go back to grab pairs that existed before they started collecting. Once a collection is built up and contains enough heat, the impulse to buy old, hard to find pairs can wane. Why bother with someones old, worn, potentially stinky or otherwise dilapidated pair if you can afford a brand new version?
At the end of the day, when you dont need older pairs anymore to fill out the box stacks, focusing on new upcoming pairs might be a better use of your time. Once you run out of grails, grabbing crusty used pairs doesnt seem as necessary anymore.
On another note, many classic pairs get retros. Rather than risk buying an older pair, getting a newer and easier to attain version might be a better look.
