A reseller has urged people to always buy two common items from charity shops as you’ll be guaranteed to make a quick profit if you put them up for sale on eBay or Vinted
If you’re looking to turn a profit from charity shop purchases, there are two specific items you should snap up whenever you spot them. Most people browse charity shops when they’re short on funds for clothes, furniture, or accessories and fancy a second-hand bargain.
But there’s a thriving reselling community within charity shops, with people purchasing items cheaply before flogging them on platforms like Vinted or eBay for a modest profit. Now, one reseller on social media has revealed precisely what she hunts for during her shopping trips, knowing she can consistently make money from them.
The woman, called Lynne, posted a video on TikTok where she showcased two items she’d suggest to anyone wanting to start reselling, as they’re perpetually sought after.
Her first recommendation was a men’s cummerbund, which is traditionally paired with formal attire. Blokes who lack a cummerbund but require one for a single occasion typically won’t fancy shelling out for a brand new one, meaning you can frequently flip them quite successfully.
Lynne revealed she nabbed hers for roughly 20p from a charity shop and managed to flog it for £3.99.
She explained: “You never get mega mega money unless it comes in a set with a bow tie. But they are what men wear with a tuxedo, and ones from Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, House of Fraser – those sorts of shops will always sell really well. I got £3.99 [for it], but as I said, it is a quick, easy flip. Loads of people are going on cruises, and they will always, always sell.”
The second item Lynne would suggest snapping up when you spot it is a fancy dress costume. The one Lynne showcased in her video was actually an adult’s “naked man” costume, which was a full skin-coloured body suit with a printed leaf image covering the nether regions.
Lynne confessed she was initially worried the slightly risqué costume might get her “banned” from Vinted, as it took several days before it was approved to appear in her shop. But once it had been cleared and was available for sale, it was snapped up almost instantly.
She added: “I listed it and then it went as ‘checking’ and it was ‘checking’ it for ages – for about two days – but then as soon as it went live it sold, again just like that. It’s brand new, not even out of the packaging, and this I got £7 for.
“I listed it, and literally as soon as it went live, it sold. And it sold because of stag dos – any adult’s fancy dress items for stag dos will always sell. Anyway, two things that are quick flips that I always, always pick up.”
Lynne didn’t reveal what she initially spent on the fancy dress outfit before flogging it for £7. Nevertheless, she suggested it’s worthwhile snapping up fancy dress costumes when spotted in charity shops – particularly if they remain in their original packaging.
Those commenting on Lynne’s video appreciated her tips – with numerous resellers backing her up as well. One fellow reseller shared: “I bought 15 cumberbands from a friend last year. Sold all of them individually within a week. It was near summer [so it was peak] wedding season!”.
Meanwhile, a former charity shop volunteer recently stated she doesn’t believe resellers pose an issue for charity shops. Whilst some consider them unethical for purchasing from charity shops and reselling at inflated prices, the volunteer highlighted that they still pay for the goods, meaning the charity receives a donation regardless.
She commented: “I don’t have any qualms with resellers. I don’t care about resellers being in the charity shop. All of my favourite regulars at my old job were resellers. I’ve spoken about this before, but I think resellers serve an important purpose in the charity shop cycle of life.”
