And inside the wardrobe? Piles of dresses you wore once, jeans that never quite loved you back, a pram that’s gathering dust by the stairs. It looks like “stuff”. It’s actually money, sitting still. Across the UK, women are quietly turning that clutter into cash using a handful of platforms that actually work. Different sites suit different things: high-street fashion, designer pieces, kids’ kit, big home bits, even old tech. Sell where the buyers already line up, and the whole thing starts to feel easy. Not glamorous. Just doable.
I saw it happen on a wet Tuesday in Leeds. A friend tipped a tote bag onto her sofa: Zara blouses, a pair of barely-worn trainers, a stack of board books with biscuit crumbs inside. The kettle clicked off. She opened Vinted, snapped three photos against the hallway wall, tapped in a price that felt fair, and set the phone down. Ping. Ping. Another ping. By bedtime, she’d made £74 and reclaimed a whole shelf.
It wasn’t luck. It was the right item on the right site at the right time. What if it paid you back?
Where UK women actually sell — and why it works
Think of the resale world as a street market with different stalls. Vinted is the busy corner for high-street wardrobes: Zara, H&M, COS, Next, & Other Stories. Depop pulls in trend-led buyers, vintage lovers, and teens hunting Y2K. eBay is the all-rounder that shifts tech, toys, trainers, and almost anything with a barcode. Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree move bulky home bits, buggies, and furniture fast within your postcode. For the fancy stuff — Ganni, Reformation, Burberry — Vestiaire Collective and HEWI (Hardly Ever Worn It) bring serious shoppers ready to pay for authentication. Each site has its vibe. Ride that wave.
Here’s the pattern women keep reporting. Vinted for everyday fashion under £30, where low fees and pre-set postage keep life simple. Depop for unique finds, retro knits, 90s denim, indie brands. eBay for Lego, consoles, cameras, trainers, and bundles of kids’ clothes that photo well. Facebook Marketplace for the cot, the mirror, the IKEA unit you don’t want to post. MusicMagpie, CeX, Mazuma and Envirofone for phones and tablets you want paid for instantly, no faff. **Vinted is the everyday hero for high-street wardrobes.** eBay is where buyers still bid up a Nintendo Switch on a Sunday night.
Why this mix works is basic economics. Each platform has a “default buyer” in mind, shaped by algorithms, fees, and trust. Vinted’s low friction invites impulse wardrobe buys, so £8 tops fly. Depop’s visual feed and search rewards style-first listings. eBay’s auction and “Buy It Now” reach collectors and practical shoppers in one hit. Marketplace eliminates postage pain and opens the door to bigger items at fair local prices. Luxury platforms carry authentication and reassurance, which nudges buyer budgets higher. **Facebook Marketplace shifts bulky items faster than any courier.** Put the right thing in the right shop window, and you stop shouting into the void.
The playbook: listings that sell in hours
Start with a five-shot system that works across sites. Photo 1: the full item, hung or laid flat, in good daylight. Photo 2: close-up of fabric/texture. Photo 3: label and size. Photo 4: any flaw, clearly. Photo 5: the item on a person or with a simple lifestyle cue (a chair, a plant), so buyers feel scale. Write a line that says what it is, the brand, size, and fit in real words: “COS A-line midi skirt, UK 12, roomy waistband, hangs beautifully.” Add one honest detail: “Tiny snag near hem — see pic.” Price with intent: search sold items, go 10% under if you want it gone by tonight.
Shipping can make or break it. Offer the easiest option available on the platform (Vinted and eBay both prompt with labels), and pick packaging you already have: shoe boxes, Amazon poly mailers, clean brown paper. Post within two days so ratings stay shiny. If the item is heavy or weird-shaped, switch to Facebook Marketplace and set a pickup window that suits your week. Let’s be honest: nobody does this every single day. This is about cash and clarity, not perfection. A tidy corner, natural light, two spare envelopes — that’s your studio.
Buyer psychology is simple: clarity sells. *We’ve all had that moment when* a listing looks too vague, so we scroll on. Keep it human and kind. Reply fast with a yes/no and one helpful line. **On eBay, Sunday evening endings spark more bids; on Vinted, fresh listings float to the top for a short window.**
“I thought I’d need a ring light and hours. In two evenings I made £186 from stuff I’d stopped seeing. It felt like a tiny pay rise.” — Maya, Bristol
- Good daylight beats filters.
- Three price drops max; then bundle or move platforms.
- Note “pet-free/smoke-free home” only if true.
- Model size or measurements help cut returns.
- State postage method in the first line.
The platforms that pay — item by item
Clothes and shoes: Vinted for high-street, Depop for quirky, Vestiaire/HEWI for designer. Photograph shoes from the side and soles, and mention true-to-size or comes-up-small. Handbags do well where buyers trust authenticity — include receipts, dust bags, serial numbers. Kids’ bundles fly on eBay and Marketplace: group by size or season, label “Age 3–4 winter bundle, 12 pieces”. Tech: eBay if you want maximum price and can pack safely; MusicMagpie or CeX if you want instant quotes and zero buyer messages. Old books? WeBuyBooks or Ziffit for a quick clear-out via barcode scan.
Homeware and bulky bits: Facebook Marketplace is the first stop. Take photos in a clean corner, add measurements in centimetres, and set a pickup window in the description. State “cash or bank transfer on collection” and keep chat inside the platform. For prams and cots, list brand, model, safety features, and year of purchase. Gumtree still works in many towns for furniture and tools, especially if you’re happy to negotiate at the door. **If it’s heavy, local beats postage every time.** Sneakers and hype items? eBay’s authenticity guarantee can nudge prices up and reassure cautious buyers.
Watch the rules around cosmetics and beauty. Most platforms only allow new, sealed items for hygiene reasons. That unopened Dyson Airwrap attachment? eBay or Vinted. Opened skincare? Better to gift to a friend. For luxury fashion, Vestiaire Collective’s authentication protects both sides, though fees are higher, which suits pieces £100+. HEWI is strong for British buyers and fair payouts. Vintage Cash Cow is handy when you want to offload “nan’s drawer” — costume jewellery, watches, old coins — in one go.
“Match the item to the site like you’d match shoes to a dress,” says reseller Amber in Manchester. “You’ll walk better.”
- Vinted: low-friction fashion flips.
- eBay: tech, trainers, toys, bundles.
- Depop: vintage, Y2K, indie brands.
- Marketplace: furniture, prams, mirrors, plants.
- Vestiaire/HEWI: designer with receipts.
You don’t need a reseller spreadsheet to feel the benefit. Start with ten items: five sure bets, five experiments. List them on the sites that suit, then move slow-movers after a week. If a blouse gets likes but no sale on Vinted, drop £1 or add “bundle discount” to tempt multi-buys. If a lamp gets messages on Marketplace but no collection, tweak the first photo or nudge the price by £5. Small moves, quick wins. Your future self will thank you.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| Match item to platform | Vinted for high-street, eBay for tech, Marketplace for bulky, Vestiaire/HEWI for designer | Faster sales, better prices |
| Five-shot photo system | Full item, texture, label/size, flaw, on-body/scale | Builds trust, reduces questions |
| Local when heavy | Use Marketplace/Gumtree for furniture, prams, mirrors | No postage pain, quick cash |
FAQ :
- What sells fastest right now?Everyday high-street pieces in neutral colours on Vinted, kids’ bundles on eBay, and mirrors/furniture on Marketplace. Seasonal items jump: coats in October, occasion wear in May/June.
- How do I price without leaving money on the table?Search “sold” listings for your exact item, then price 5–10% under if you want speed. Add £2–£3 if you include tracked postage or authentication.
- Is it safe to meet buyers from Marketplace?Arrange daytime pickups, keep doors open, have someone else at home, and take bank transfer or exact cash. Keep all chat on-platform.
- Do I need fancy lighting or a backdrop?No. A bright window, a plain wall, and a hanger are plenty. Shoot at the same time each day for consistent colour.
- What about returns and time-wasters?State “no returns” where allowed, describe flaws clearly, and use tracked postage. On Marketplace, confirm collection windows and politely move on if someone ghosts.
