How to Sell Damaged Knee High Boots

Damaged knee high boots are still worth selling — typically £6 to £28 at For Parts, against £25 to £110 undamaged.

Can you sell knee high boots 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 knee high boots

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

Cracking at the ankle flex point
Broken or split full-length zips
Slouched or misshapen shafts
Very narrow calf fittings

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £11 to £50. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £6 to £28. 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:

Measure the calf circumference and shaft height
Work the full-length zip several times
Flex the ankle and check for cracking

Photographing the flaw

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

The pair standing upright, full height, side on
A tape measure across the calf at the widest point of the shaft
Both soles and heel tips
The zip full length, the inside label, and any crease, scuff or scratch

What to state in the listing

Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged knee high boots want these confirmed:

Size as marked, with UK, EU and US equivalents
Calf circumference and shaft height in centimetres, measured flat
Heel height and type
Material, zip condition, and whether the shaft is stretch-panelled

Brand, material, size and shaft: “Leather Knee High Boots, Size 6, Black, 38cm Calf”. Putting the calf measurement in the title is unusual and it works, because a large share of buyers have been caught out by a shaft that would not close and now search specifically for one that will.

What buyers will ask

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

“What is the calf measurement?”

Give it in centimetres, measured around the widest point with the boot zipped. It is the reason knee high boots get returned more than any other footwear, and you cannot accept a return.

“Do the zips work smoothly?”

Run them fully and answer honestly. A cobbler can replace a boot zip, but the buyer should be choosing that rather than inheriting it.

“How tall is the shaft?”

Measure from the floor to the top of the shaft at the back. Shorter buyers care about this as much as calf width and it is equally rarely stated.

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:

Supple leather with no cracking at the ankle
Shafts that stand rather than slouch, if the style intends it
Working full-length zips
Recognised makers with a following

If the work would cost more than the gap between £28 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Autumn and early winter carry this category almost entirely. Listed in September or October a good pair sells quickly; the same boots in April will barely be seen.

Getting it to the buyer

Bulkier than most footwear, so use a proper box and quote postage from an actual weight. Do not fold the shafts to make them fit a smaller box — leather creases permanently.

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 knee high boots selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged knee high boots?

Yes. Damaged knee high boots typically are worth £6 to £28 against £25 to £110 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Cracking at the ankle flex point

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is supple leather with no cracking at the ankle — 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. Give it in centimetres, measured around the widest point with the boot zipped. It is the reason knee high boots get returned more than any other footwear, and you cannot accept a return. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.