The Ultimate Shoe Resellers Resource Guide
If you’re new to the shoe reseller business, then we know that reselling shoes online can be a daunting process. We want to do our best to help you navigate the shoe reseller learning process. We’ve compiled a curated list of online resources for people who are getting into the shoe reselling business. Whether it’s fashion sneakers or work shoes, we’ve got something that can help you out.
There are no affiliate links or advertisements, and every resource listed on this page is here because of its usefulness to you.
Sourcing
You'll always need somewhere to find merchandise to resell. The options for reselling are many, but we've compiled a great starter list.
Goodwill: Goodwill is one of the most well-known places for shoe resellers to shop. One of the great things about Goodwill is that they have a color-of-the-week when it comes to on-sale items. You can save up to 70% based on the color of the week for the price tag. Pro Tip: Goodwill staff usually price the more well-known brands higher; the lesser known couture brands will usually go unnoticed.
BULQ: If you prefer to buy a pallet of goods, then BULQ might just be for you. The company offers lots of surplus, customer returns and salvage inventory from leading national retail brands. Worried about having a warehouse to receive your pallet? Don’t worry about it, BULQ takes this in account when you buy a pallet by asking if you’re your residence has a loading dock or not.
Ross: You may not think of Ross as a great place to source shoes, but they have great deals on shoes to resell online. It’s not uncommon to find Nike Air Jordan’s. You don’t have to worry about big cities to find a Ross as they’re found even in medium sized cities. Pro Tip: Skip the regular-priced items and go straight for the clearance items.
TJ Maxx & Marshalls: TJ Maxx & Marshalls are sisters in the department store market, and you can find discounted shoes at both locations. If you do a quick search of TJ Maxx or Marshalls sourcing on YouTube, you’ll see video after video of people finding incredible deals. Your mileage may vary based on your location.
Burlington Coat Factory: Burlington is not only for coats & other nice fashions. The store has superb deals on men’s & women’s shoes. Most medium-sized cities across the United States will have at least one Burlington Coat Factory.
Nike Clearance Center: When you want to find the best discounts available on Nike Gear & Nike shoes head to the Nike Clearance Center. You won’t find the newest items from the current shopping season, but it’s a good stop if you’re reselling.
Reselling Platforms
If you buy shoes then you must sell them! We’ve come up with an extensive list of reselling platforms that also extends down into the consignment shops.
Ebay: Founded in 1995, Ebay.com is considered the granddaddy of auction sites. It’s much more than a place to get hard-to-find items, instead over the years it has involved into a place to find new & pre-owned brand name clothing and footwear at very competitive prices. There’s quite a bit of resellers who make their living selling shoes on the platform, and plus they have a range of tools & analytics to help grow your business. Seller fees vary based on a multitude of factors ranging from your selling status up to included shipping costs.
StockX: StockX is hails itself as the stock market for sneakers. Buyers don’t have to settle for buy it now prices, they can instead place a “Bid” with a price they’re comfortable with. On the flip side, a seller can adjust their shoe prices based on an “Ask”. One of the great bonuses of StockX is that the service authenticates every product that’s sold on the website.
PoshMark: Poshmark is making a name for itself in the clothing & accessories resell space. This platform has something unique which is the buyer’s ability to purchase multiple items — bundling — from your store without having to pay extra shipping costs (provided the entire purchase is less than 5 lbs.). What makes this platform stand out is their streamlined shipping process. While their 20% sellers fee might turn some would-be sellers away, their platform boasts a large user base.
Tradesy: Tradesy resembles an online luxury retail store than an online marketplace that connects sellers with buyers. The most notable difference you’ll see between Tradesy and similar platforms is that they only sell new or gently used shoes. They have a flat 19.8% sellers fee plus a 2.9% Safe Transfer Fee (which covers payment processing).
Mercari: Mercari, based in Japan, it’s not as well-known as some of previously mentioned platforms. is another great selling app. What we think is really about Mercari is they have a flat 10% sellers fee when your item sales!
GOAT: GOAT is another great reselling app for selling sneakers. Once your item sells, you’re required to send your shoe to GOAT for check for authenticity, then they ship the pair of shoes to the buyer. Fees for sellers start at 9.5% plus a separate seller fee.
Kixify: Kixify might not overflow with users, but as a seller you retain more control over the selling process. With regards to control, you set the payment, shipping and return details. Also, you’re not required to ship your shoes to Kixify for authentication before you collect payment. To top everything off, there’s an 8% sellers fee which is one of the lowest we’ve seen.
The RealReal: The RealReal is an online consignment shop for luxury shoes and clothing. The way it works is that you send the service an item that you’d like to resell, they authenticate, they price & list, and if it sells, they take a cut. The company even has brick & mortar stores in New York and California.
ThredUp: ThredUp is the modern consignment shop. The concept is easy… you send in shoes (no photography required) and ThredUp takes care of the rest. The higher the list price of your item, the higher your payout for the item. Your individual payout ranges from 5% to 15% for $5.00 - $19.99 items up to 80% for items listed at $200 plus. On top of everything we just mentioned, ThredUp has a luxury brand consignment service called LUXE.
Cleaning & Repair
Repairing Rubber Boots: If you’ve ever owned rubber boots, then you know they aren’t cheap. If you’re a reseller that happens to pick up a pair that need a little repair. We have a couple of guides below that can help.
Sneaker Cleaning with High Snobiety: High Snobiety has more than quality articles, they have a great guide on sneaker care. Check out the guide below.
Publications & Events
Sneakernews: Sneakernews has been around over 13 years, and they’re always staying on the forefront of new sneaker releases. What we really like about the website is that they tell you where specifically to buy a new release of a shoe.
SneakerCon: Sneakercon is a premier convention for sneakerheads to meetup to buy & sell sneakers. They also have an online marketplace to buy and sell sneakers.
Tools & Equipment
If you’re going to be a shoe reseller, then you’ll going to need tools and some equipment. We’ve compiled a short list of things you’ll want to get or at least consider getting.
Magic Eraser: Not only are Magic Erasers good for the household, but they can make those shoes look spiffy! You can pick up these abrasive white pads at your local grocery or dollar store. Pro Tip: Skip on the cheap pads that are a dollar as they crumble easily.
Goo Gone: Goo B Gone is not only good for removing the sticky adhesive left behind from price tags, but it can remove the wax pencil marks left behind on the bottom of shoes from thrift stores. You can pick it up at most hardware stores and some grocery stores.
Shoe Goo: Need a strong adhesive for shoes or boots? The product is commonly used to fix sole separation, and Shoe Goo can be found at Walmart.
Contact Cement: If you’re having issues using “lighter” glues, then we suggest Contact Cement. A lot resellers use Contact Cement fix the bond between the outsole & upper of the shoe. You can find the cement at any hardware store such as Home Depot.
Reshoevn8r: Reshoevn8r has a whole line of shoe cleaning products. The website does what most brands don’t do… they showcase quite a few how-to videos on utilizing their products to the fullest. The website is for any serious sneakerheads who cares about his/her shoes or the entrepreneurial sneaker restorer.
Toothbrush: A toothbrush can be used to remove loose dirt on shoes in places like the fabric, mesh and rubberized areas. Pro Tip: Don’t use a toothbrush on leather.
Leather Wipes: Leather Wipes help restore sheen & suppleness by applying natural oils, they also remove dirt, soil and residue.
Disinfectant Wipes: Disinfect Wipes will, just as the name implies, disinfect your shoes, but they’re just as good for removing dirt from your shoes.
Scotty Peeler: A Scotty Peeler is usually used to remove stickers, but it’ll come in extremely handy the first time you come across gum under a pair of shoes. You can inexpensive set at Walmart.
Social Media
We’ve listed some YouTube channels that we think would great to help further your quest for shoe reseller profits. Some of the channels focus on sneakers more so than others.
RockstarFlipper: RockstarFlipper isn’t a channel dedicated to footwear, but he has many videos offering advice on general sourcing & reselling items for the Amazon & eBay platforms.
Reis World: Reis World takes her viewers on shopping trips to mainstream shopping stores such as TJ Maxx to Costco find great deals on shoes. You won’t find tips on how to resell, but you will find a lot of information on how to find bargains on shoes and other accessories.
RaleighRestorations: Derek has great videos on sneaker repair ranging from re-glues to repainting midsoles. If you’re serious about restoring sneakers, then check out RaleighRestorations.
John Manalo: John has whole channel on just reconditioning sneakers. John Manalo’s YouTube channel is a must for anyone who may want to branch off into the sneaker restoration niche.