How to make money selling trainers online

In recent years trainers have dramatically increased in popularity, and not just in the sporting world. They are now as much a fashion statement as they are practical footwear, being favoured by women and men alike– and it seems the trend for style and comfort won’t be going away any time soon.

Whilst many see trainers as just a stylish item to wear, there are others who see a great investment and business opportunity. An article from Forbes estimates that the resale market for trainers is over $1 billion annually ...that’s around £762 million! With brands launching new designs regularly, the trends are ever changing, but the demand remains the same. Exclusive and highly sought after pairs sell out in minutes and with brands rarely producing enough to meet demand (to ensure exclusivity!), resale value is huge.

Here at Parcel2Go, we are advocates of entrepreneurs and side hustles, so we decided to put together this guide to help you identify which trainers are worth investing in to make the most profit, as well as tips on how to sell them on.

Know Your Stuff

Anyone can buy a pair of trainers and then list them on eBay. Chances are, unless you’ve done your research and chosen a highly sought-after shoe, you’ll make a loss or at best break even. Use the world wide web to your advantage and do some research, some key things to note are:

• Popular styles
• Brands / Designer
• Colourways
• Original stock levels
• Popular sizes.

The more exclusive the shoe, the more you’ll be able to ask for it later on.

To get an idea of what trainers are hot, follow Instagram accounts dedicated to trainer trends and the latest news, as well as popular fashion bloggers. Read publications such as Hyperbeast and learn about specific brands such as Jordan and Yeezy’s, which are currently the two most popular and lucrative brands in terms of resale value.

Here are two examples of highly popular trainers that have sold for way over their RRP:

 

1. Nike Air Yeezy 2 SP Red (Red October) – released in February 2014 - RRP: £220

Sold on eBay for £6,500

2. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 ‘Pirate Black’ – released in October 2015 – RRP: £160

Sold on eBay for £1,799.99

Where to buy

Where you buy your investment trainers will depend on whether you want to sell brand new or used trainers.

For brand new we suggest buying at retail (if possible) this will require knowing exactly when items are going on sale and being ready to buy instantly – as previously mentioned popular and limited-edition shoes will sell out in minutes. Buy online, from a brand’s official website, to avoid queuing at a store for hours on end.

For used its recommended to do a lot of research first – eBay is the natural choice, but you need to make sure that you are buying genuine goods. Check the seller’s feedback/rating and previously sold items. Use the internet to search for local, independent stores that may sell the trainer you’re looking for or find websites that specialise in reselling trainers.

Pre-Sale

The way you look after and store your trainers prior to selling can make a huge difference in how much they will sell for.

New:

If you are selling on a pair of brand new, unworn shoes it’s important to keep them out of sun light. White or neutral coloured fabrics can discolour in sunlight, and darker fabrics can sometimes fade.

Keep all tags and labels on, if possible, and keep in the original box. This will ensure you fetch top dollar when selling on. This will show that they are unworn and therefore in mint, brand new condition and will be much more appealing to potential buyers.

Used:

Firstly, you’ll want to clean them, for obvious reasons. We suggest removing the insoles and putting them on a gentle machine wash or hand wash them if you can. Use a toothbrush and some soap and water to clean off the bottom of the shoes and any rubber trim – you can use wipes on these areas too. To avoid ruining your shoes, do some research on how to clean the specific material the trainers are made from – suede and leather are not cleaned the same way! It’s worth investing in special fabric cleaners if needed.

If you have the original box make sure you keep it and store the shoes in them, again avoid leaving them in sunlight.

Selling your items

Before you put your item live, you need to determine the price point. To do so will require you to research how much the same or similar pairs have sold for, you can do this with a simple google or eBay search, then filter the results to show only SOLD and COMPLETED items – this will show exactly what people have paid. This will give you a good indication of how much your shoes could fetch.

Once you’ve set your price you’ll need to take some pictures. You need images that will capture the attention of your potential customers and show the item in its best light. Photograph the shoes against a plain background in a colour that will best show the item. You then want to ensure that:

• They’re bright enough to see clearly.
• They're in high definition.
• They’re real photographs of the item you’re selling, rather than stock images.
• There are enough images to show the item from every angle – include labels

When it comes to selling on your goods, you can opt to sell online or to local stores that specialise in vintage or limited edition trainers and merchandise.

You can use online market places such as eBay, they charge a small fee when a listing sells, but it’s easy to use and reliable, not to mention millions of people worldwide use the site daily – opening you up to quite literally a whole world of potential customers.

Parcel2Go has a free, no fuss e-commerce shipping solution called Smart Send, designed to make online selling as easy as possible. Smart Send can be fully integrated with platforms such as eBay, Amazon and Shopify. 

You can also use apps such as GOAT and StockX – these are online marketplaces specifically for the resale of trainers. They help you set your price point and also authentic the shoes to avoid any fakes being sold. Both sites are USA based, but do offer worldwide shipping.

 

In Conclusion

Whether you want to sell on an old pair of trainers just to clear some wardrobe space and make a bit of extra cash, or you intend to make an income from buying and reselling, the resale of trainers is a definite money maker and can be turned into a career.

To ship your sold items, visit Parcel2Go.com where you can get a free, quick quote and choose the delivery service that suits you. You’ll have access to the most reliable couriers at the lowest possible prices, plus with free tracking on all bookings, you and your customer can rest assured that your item will arrive quickly and safely.