How to Sell Damaged Kids Shoes

Damaged kids shoes are still worth selling — typically £2 to £8 at For Parts, against £6 to £30 undamaged.

Can you sell kids shoes 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 kids shoes

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

Worn-down soles and moulded footbeds
Scuffed toes on school shoes
Odour, which is difficult to remove
Very small sizes worn only briefly but heavily

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £3 to £14. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £2 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:

Photograph the soles as well as the uppers
Check the insole for a moulded impression
State the size in both UK and EU where marked

Photographing the flaw

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

The pair side on, clean, standing
Both soles, showing the wear pattern honestly
The insoles and inside of the heel
The size marking, plus any scuff, split or worn toe

What to state in the listing

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

Size as marked, width fitting if given, and internal length in centimetres
Brand and material
How much they have been worn, honestly
Sole and heel wear pattern, and the state of the insole

Brand, size and type: “Clarks School Shoes, Size 11F, Black Leather”. The width fitting is a genuine search for parents whose child has been measured, and it is almost never included in listings. Say leather or synthetic, and whether they are school shoes or casual.

What buyers will ask

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

“How worn are they?”

Photograph the soles and answer plainly. Lightly worn children’s shoes are a genuinely good buy; heavily moulded ones are not, and saying so builds the trust that sells the rest of your listings.

“What is the internal length?”

Measure it in centimetres. Brand sizing differs and parents who have had a child measured work in centimetres, not sizes.

“Are they leather?”

Say so, and note if they are the type that can be re-polished. Leather school shoes clean up far better than synthetic ones and it is worth mentioning.

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:

Barely worn shoes with tread still visible
Recognised brands with proper fitting construction
School shoes and wellies in common sizes
Original box for smarter styles

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

Peaks in August for school shoes and again in spring. Barely-worn shoes in common sizes sell within days in season.

Getting it to the buyer

Light and cheap to post. Box rather than bag so the shape holds, and say plainly that they have been cleaned — for children’s footwear that reassurance matters.

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.

Ready to list them? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full kids shoes selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged kids shoes?

Yes. Damaged kids shoes typically are worth £2 to £8 against £6 to £30 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Worn-down soles and moulded footbeds

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is barely worn shoes with tread still visible — 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. Photograph the soles and answer plainly. Lightly worn children’s shoes are a genuinely good buy; heavily moulded ones are not, and saying so builds the trust that sells the rest of your listings. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.