There are a few different ways that you can sell shoes online and make a passive income.
Deciding which option is right depends on factors like how many pairs of shoes you want to sell, how quickly you want to sell them, and how much money you’re hoping to make.
This article can guide you through selling shoes online, from determining where to list them to shipping them off to your buyer. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be an expert on how to sell shoes online!
Quick Picks: Sell Shoes Online & More!
To make a profitable side hustle at selling shoes, here are the best sites we’ve found:
- Best E-Commerce Store – Shopify
- Best Webhost – Bluehost
- Biggest Platform – eBay
- Another Selling Idea – Electronics
Turn your passion for visiting thrift stores, yard sales & flea markets into a profitable Reselling Business!
Selling Shoes Online
When it comes to selling shoes online, there are a few things you need to consider. First, you need to decide what type of shoes you want to sell.
Are you going to sell new, used, or collectible shoes?
Selling New Shoes
One of the most important things I’ve learned in our small business is that having a good selection of your products is essential. It is no different for the online shoe business.
Customers are always looking for the latest styles; if you don’t have what they’re looking for, they’ll go elsewhere. That’s why you need to stock a variety of new shoes from different brands.
Selling Used Shoes
Customers are interested in buying shoes, especially gently worn shoes, at a discounted price, and you can sell used shoes for a nice profit. In addition, selling used shoes helps declutter your closet and make some extra money.
Customers are unlikely to purchase shoes that are excessively dirty or damaged. So make sure they are clean and in good shape.
Selling Collectible Shoes
Reselling shoes is a popular pick to make money online.
There is a market for collectible shoes, and people are willing to pay a premium for rare and vintage shoes.
You can find collectible shoes at thrift stores, garage sales, and online. However, it can be challenging to find shoes that meet the criteria of collectors.
Collectors are looking for shoes that are well-preserved and show minimal wear. Make sure that the shoes are clean and free of any damage.
Starting A Shoe Business
Starting an online shoe business can be a great way to turn your love of shoes into a successful enterprise. But where do you start?
Here are some essential steps to start selling shoes online and making money.
Research Shoe Trends
When it comes to starting an online shoe store, research is critical. You’ll need to know what styles are popular in the global footwear market to ensure your products are in demand.
You can start by checking out fashion magazines and websites to see what shoes are currently on trend. Trends change quickly, so you’ll need to stay up-to-date on the latest styles if you want your online shoe store to succeed.
With some research, you can be sure you’re offering the right products to appeal to customers, keep your business thriving, and add a new income stream to your finances.
Buy Shoes (Look For Discounts & Wholesale!)
Making a profit in the online store can be difficult. One way store owners help offset these costs is to look for discounts and wholesale opportunities to purchase shoes instead of paying retail prices.
Many shoe manufacturers offer discounts to businesses that purchase large quantities of their products. These discounts can help to lower the overall cost when you sell shoes for cash.
In addition, many suppliers offer wholesale pricing on shoes to online stores that are opening. This can be a great way to start a business and make money online without a significant upfront investment.
Pick Your Selling Platform
The online platform you choose to sell your shoes will significantly impact your business. If you sell on an online marketplace like Amazon or Etsy, you’ll reach a large audience of potential customers.
However, you’ll also be competing with a lot of other sellers. If you sell through your own website, you’ll have more control over the customer experience and branding, but you’ll need to invest more in marketing to reach a wider audience.
Ultimately, the best-selling platform for your online store depends on your goals and preferences. Ask yourself:
- How much control do you want over the look and feel of your sales platform?
- And how much time are you willing to spend managing orders and shipping?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be ready to choose the right selling platform for your footwear market.
Post Your Kicks For Sale
After picking your online marketplace, it is time to post your kicks for sale. Use bright, clear pictures and include as many details as possible in the listing.
Make sure to write a good description of the shoes, including the size, color, and unique features. If you sell used shoes, be honest about any wear and tear.
Where To Sell Shoes Online
Choosing the right place to sell your shoes online is critical to getting the most money for your shoes. Here are a few of the best places to sell shoes online.
1. Your Own Website
One of the best places to sell your shoes online is your own website. You’ll have complete control over the listing and can customize it to your liking.
You’ll also be able to take as many pictures as you want and provide as much information about the shoes as you like.
The downside of selling on your own website is that it can take time and effort to build the website and get traffic to your site. To process payments, you’ll also need a payment processor and handle the shipping yourself.
But on the plus side, you can also sell more than just shoes to make more money- you aren’t limited in sales or looks with the right website!
You’ll need to set it up on a web host like Bluehost, which will only cost $2.95 per month, but it covers web hosting, and you get a free domain name when you sign up.
2. Shopify Store
Opening a Shopify e-commerce store to sell shoes online is a great way to get your feet wet in e-commerce with your own online store.
Not only do you have the ability to create a beautiful shoe store, but you also have access to Shopify’s wealth of features and apps that can help you grow your business on this e-commerce platform.
Shopify offers built-in features like product variants, automatic shipping rates, and order tracking that can help streamline your sales process.
You get the customizability like you would starting your own website, but with most features like shipping and payment processing included in your store.
We’ve been using Shopify for years to make money, and it’s the best site we can recommend!
3. eBay
eBay is one of the best online marketplaces when you start selling shoes online. Not only is the platform reputable and well-known, but it’s also easy to use.
You can post your shoes for sale with just a few clicks, and you’ll have access to a global audience of buyers.
After creating a seller’s account on eBay, you can make 10 listings for free. Additionally, eBay takes a 12.9% commission on sales, making it an attractive choice for sellers.
The shoes can either be shipped or picked up by the buyer. If you choose to ship the shoes, you must factor in shipping costs when setting your price.
4. Kixify
Kixify is an online marketplace that is dedicated to selling sneakers. The great thing about Kixify is that it is geared toward casual buyers and serious collectors of sneakers.
There are no setup or listing fees to open a store on Kixify to sell sneakers for cash. You’ll only have to pay when your item sells; even then, it’s only a 10% commission fee.
PayPal is used to process shoe sale transactions on Kixify, which means the earnings you make go to your PayPal account.
Since it is your shop, you control your store’s shipping, returns, exchanges, and other policies.
5. Amazon
Amazon is one of the most accessible platforms to sell shoes online. You can list your shoes in their marketplace and start selling with minimal effort.
They handle all the shipping and logistics for you, so you can focus on marketing your shoes and making sales.
One downside to using Amazon is that they take a commission on each sale, so you need to factor that into your pricing.
Additionally, they have strict guidelines you must follow to sell your shoes on their platform.
6. Mercari
When it comes to selling shoes online, Mercari is an excellent option. The app is available for iOS and Android devices, as well as the website, so that you can list your shoes for free.
There is a 10% fee for sales transactions, a $2 fee for Direct Deposits under $10, and a 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee.
Mercari makes it easy to sell shoes online, and you can also sell other items like designer clothing, handbags, vintage items, classic shoes, and more.
7. Craiglist
One way to sell shoes online is by using Craigslist. Craigslist is a free site where people can post classified ads, making it a great place to sell shoes.
When creating your ad, be sure to include a good description of the shoes, as well as some high-quality photos.
You should also include your contact information so potential buyers can contact you if they have any questions or would like to purchase the shoes.
Specify which city you are located in when posting your ad. This helps ensure that your ad reaches the right audience when you want to sell shoes locally.
8. thredUP
Selling your shoes with thredUP is a great way to declutter your closet and make extra money simultaneously!
It’s easy to get started selling your shoes online with thredUP. All you need to do is order a free “Clean Out Bag” on their website.
Once you receive the bag, fill it with your shoes and other unwanted clothing items, and send it back via FedEx or USPS. thredUP takes care of the rest, including listing your items for sale.
When thredUP receives your items, they inspect them and list them on their site. They only take high-quality items. The items thredUP doesn’t take won’t be sent back to you.
9. StockX
StockX is a site that sells sneakers, clothing, electronics, trading cards, collectibles, accessories, and NFTs. You can start selling on StockX in four easy steps.
You’ll need to pick the currency and payment method to get started. Next, you’ll search for your product and then set a price for the product.
Then, you’ll ship the product to StockX to authenticate your shoes. StockX then lists the items for sale on their site. Once they verify your items are authentic, they release payment to you.
Each calendar quarter, the sales activity level resets at the end of the calendar quarter. To keep your Seller Level, you have to maintain your selling.
10. Tradesy
Tradesy takes care of everything for their sellers. When you sell an item on Tradesy, they send you a shipping kit with the paid postage. And if your buyer returns the item, you still get to keep the money!
For items sold under $50, Tradesy keeps a flat rate of $7.50. Anything above that amount is subject to a commission of 19.8%.
There are a couple of ways to get paid by Tradesy:
- Transfer your funds to a PayPal account, checking account, or debit card- with a 2.9% fee.
- Keep the money in your Tradesy account and use it to pay for your next Tradesy purchase.
11. Facebook Marketplace
You can sell shoes online to a large customer base using Facebook Marketplace. Make sure your shoe listings include great pictures and descriptions, so customers know what they’re buying.
Due to its user-friendly interface and expansive reach, Facebook Marketplace is an excellent platform on which to sell shoes.
It’s also free to list items for sale, like sports shoes. Enter your items, upload photographs, and descriptions, and establish a price.
Remember that delivery may be necessary for buyers outside your neighborhood when you sell stuff locally.
12. Poshmark
Poshmark is a free, easy-to-use app and website that allows you to post and sell your old shoes quickly. The site promises you can list items for sale in less than 30 seconds.
To get your shoes listed on Poshmark, you’ll need to take a photo of your shoes, add a description that attracts sellers (try using Jasper.ai to do this!), and price the items to sell.
When your shoes sell on Poshmark, they send you a free prepaid label. The seller fees on Poshmark are transparent, and the buyer pays the shipping fees. Then you have to package the shoes and take them to the USPS.
Sellers can request that their earnings be paid via direct deposit to your bank account or check in the mail.
13. TheRealReal
If high-end designer brands are what you’re looking for, The RealReal is the luxury consignment shop for you.
Catering to well-known names like Michael Kors, Gucci, Chanel, and Calvin Klein, this store has clothes that make you look and feel your best.
To get started with The RealReal, you’ll need to do one of the following:
- Visit The RealReal in person to drop off your items and get a free value estimation.
- Box up your items and ship them to The RealReal with a free prepaid label.
- Set up a virtual consignment appointment.
- If The RealReal offers free pick-up in your area, schedule a time for them to come to visit with you.
Choose to receive your earnings as a site credit and earn an extra 5% or cash out your earnings by direct deposit or check.
14. Grailed
Grailed is now a site selling men’s and women’s designer shoes. It used to have a separate site for women’s shoes, but Heroine recently combined with Grailed.
That’s good news for you- you can sell shoes to both demographics in one place. You list your shoes and wait for bids to come in, similar to using sites like eBay. Once they sell, you get paid via PayPal.
They do take a 9% commission fee, but it’s not as high as some sites, and since designer shoes can go for a lot of money, the site is worth checking out.
15. OfferUp
OfferUp is similar to Craigslist. You can sell shoes online with OfferUp for cash. But like Craigslist, you can sell other things you are looking to declutter from your house.
With Offerup, you can sell your shoes to buyers that are nationwide. OfferUp will send you a prepaid shipping label to use. The buyers pay for the shipping label.
If they choose to ship their items, a commission fee is charged to sellers. It runs a minimum of $1.99 or 12.9% of the item’s final selling price.
An easy way to find buyers for your items on OfferUp is through their Facebook account. Just connect your Facebook account so buyers who want your shoes can send you a message in the Facebook app.
16. buyMYheels
If you’re looking to sell your designer shoes, buyMYheels is the perfect internet marketplace for you.
On buyMYheels, you can list Christian Louboutin, Dior, and other high-end brands – making it easy for buyers to find what they’re looking for.
The business is based in the United Kingdom and sells shoes from all over the world, allowing you to sell your items to a worldwide audience. There is a £5 listing fee for each luxury shoe on buyMYheels, and there is no selling fee.
When your shoes sell, you can get paid by PayPal.
17. GOAT
At GOAT, they only sell authentic sneakers from any brand–no knockoffs here!
You’ll need your shoe’s SKU number to create a listing on Goat. The SKU number can be found either on the original box or the inside of the shoe.
GOAT’s commission fee schedule depends on the seller’s rating. If a seller is in good standing, they will pay a 9.5% commission fee plus a special seller fee; however, if there are problems, the fees go up.
There’s also a seller fee that is based on your location. People in the United States will have a $5 seller fee.
You will receive a prepaid shipping label when your shoes sell. Once Goat receives the shoes, and the shoes are authenticated, you can choose to receive the payout via PayPal or direct deposit. Both methods have a 2.9% fee associated with them.
Other Stuff To Sell & Where To Sell Them
Shoes aren’t the only items that sell well online. Just about anything can be sold online if you know where to look.
Here are some other items that sell well online and some tips on where to sell them:
Electronics
Selling electronics online with Decluttr is a great way to make extra money. It’s easy to use, and you can get top dollar for your old devices.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about dealing with buyers or haggling over prices. All you need to do is enter your device’s information on the Decluttr website, and you’ll get an instant price quote.
If you’re happy with the offer, enter your shipping information, and they’ll send you a free shipping label.
Then, pack up your device and send it off. They’ll inspect it when it arrives and pay you via PayPal or direct deposit within 24 hours. It’s that simple!
Clothes
If you’re thinking about selling online, why not take the next step past that and sell clothes online, too?
The same sites above are a great way to sell your own used clothes, vintage flea market finds, and even your own handmade clothes if you have some sewing talents.
Most sites let you snap pics, write descriptions, decide your own price, and connect with buyers looking for clothes like yours. Simple as that!
Printables
Selling printables online is a great way to make some extra money. And with your website hosted by Bluehost, it’s easy to get started.
Just create an account, choose a plan, start making printables, and select the printables to put on your website.
People love buying printables because they’re an affordable way to add a little bit of beauty and organization to their lives. Plus, they make great gifts!
You can learn more about making printables in the FREE workshop offered by Gold City Ventures.
Pictures
Taking photos may be your passion that you enjoy in your spare time. You may not know that you can make money from your photos!
There are many ways to sell your photos online. You can start a blog dedicated to photography or even open up an online shop. Some sites, like Shutterstock, allow you to sell your photos as stock images.
You can even take photos of your feet and sell them. Fun With Feet is a website where you can do just that. They sell photos of feet in different scenes, like at the beach, in the snow, or even wearing shoes.
Crafts & Artwork
Maybe you’re an artist ready to take your work to the next level. You want to sell your crafts and artwork online but are unsure where to start. Look no further than Etsy!
You can create an online store quickly and easily without any prior experience. Some Etsy shop ideas are arts, crafts, printables, jewelry, wood crafts, handmade or vintage items, and more.
And once your store is up and running, you’ll have complete control over your inventory, pricing, shipping, and more.
So if you’re ready to turn your passion into a business, why not set up an Etsy shop?
Final Thoughts
In this blog post, we’ve given you several ideas and places to sell shoes on the internet. We also added a few tips on how to get started selling shoes and other things you can sell as a side hustle.
Selling shoes for cash is a great way to clear out your closet and get rid of old shoes you no longer wear.
You can sell shoes online in several places, including a virtual garage sale, consignment stores, luxury fashion sites, and sneaker resale platforms.
Having such a variety of sites means you also have a variety of shoes to sell!
So, what are you waiting for? Start cleaning out your closet and list those shoes! You never know who might be looking for exactly what you have.
The future of business is yours to shape. Sign up for a free trial and enjoy 3 months of Shopify for $1/month on select plans.