How to Sell Damaged Cushions

Can you sell cushions that are damaged?

Yes. Damaged stock has its own buyers: people who repair and restore, people who want the material rather than the object, and people who want a cheaper one and do not mind a flaw. Nobody should be surprised when it arrives.

The damage buyers look for on cushions

These are the flaws that move cushions down the grades, and the ones a buyer will check first:

• Flattened or lumpy inners
• Stains and pet hair on covers
• Non-removable covers
• Faded fabrics from sun exposure

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £2 to £14. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £1 to £8. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the flaw properly rather than guessing at it:

1. Wash the covers and photograph them clean
2. Plump the inners and check they hold shape
3. Count the set and state the size

Photographing the flaw

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

1. The full set together, plumped, on a plain surface
2. One cushion front and back
3. The zip open, showing the inner pad
4. The fire label, plus any stain, fade, pull or flattened pad

What to state in the listing

Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged cushions want these confirmed:

• Size in centimetres and how many in the set
• Fabric, and whether covers are removable and washable
• Whether inner pads are included and their condition
• Whether a fire safety label is present, plus any fade or mark

Quantity, size and fabric: “Set of 4 Velvet Cushions, 45x45cm, with Pads”. Size and quantity are the searches, and stating that pads are included prevents the usual disappointment. Covers-only is a legitimate listing, just say so.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where it is cheap and visibly well done — a clumsy repair costs more than the flaw it hides. What lifts the price:

• Removable, washable covers
• Designer and heritage fabrics
• Matching sets sold together
• Feather inners, which hold shape better

If the work would cost more than the gap between £8 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Lifts in autumn and in spring around redecorating. Sets in current colours sell within a fortnight; odd single cushions are slow.

Getting it to the buyer

Light but bulky, so measure the packed parcel — volumetric weight decides the cost. Vacuum bags shrink a set of four dramatically and cut the postage.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged cushions?

Yes. Damaged cushions typically are worth £1 to £8 against £5 to £30 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Flattened or lumpy inners

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is removable, washable covers — a repair that draws attention to the flaw can leave you worse off.

How should I describe the damage?

Precisely, with a photograph of the flaw itself. Say plainly. Covers-only is fine and sells, but a buyer expecting filled cushions who receives covers has a legitimate complaint. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.

See also: what cushions are worth by condition · how to sell cushions · condition grades explained · all broken & damaged guides · all selling guides.