How to Sell Damaged Skate Shoes

Damaged skate shoes are still worth selling — typically £4 to £14 at For Parts, against £15 to £55 undamaged.

Can you sell skate 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 skate shoes

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

Wear-through at the ollie patch
Separated vulcanised soles
Collapsed heel counters
Fashion copies of skate silhouettes

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £7 to £25. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £4 to £14. 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:

Check the ollie patch area on the outer side
Inspect where the sole meets the upper for separation
Photograph the soles and both outer sides

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, showing both the outer and the shape
The outer toe area where the ollie patch wears
Both soles, showing tread and any separation
The inside size label, the tongue branding, and any hole, scuff or sole gap

What to state in the listing

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

Size as marked, with UK, EU and US equivalents
Brand, model and colourway name
Construction — vulcanised or cupsole — and the upper material
Whether the box, spare laces or inserts are included

Brand and model, then colourway: “Vans Old Skool Skate Shoes, UK 9, Black White” or “Nike SB Dunk Low, EU 43”. Colourway names are how this market searches, so use the official one if you know it. Say deadstock only if they are genuinely unworn.

What buyers will ask

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

“Is the ollie patch worn through?”

Photograph the outer toe. Skaters are buying remaining life and a hole there means weeks, not months, so it must be visible.

“Are they deadstock?”

Only say yes if they have never been worn outdoors and you still have the box. It is a term with a precise meaning in this market and misusing it ends the sale.

“Do you have the box?”

Say so. For collectable models the original box carries real value, and for everything else it makes posting simpler and safer.

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:

Recognised skate brands with a following
Intact ollie patch with no wear-through
Vulcanised soles with tread remaining
Original box and spare laces

If the work would cost more than the gap between £14 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Steady year-round, with sought-after collaborations selling in hours and general pairs taking a couple of weeks. Back-to-school in late summer lifts the whole category.

Getting it to the buyer

Post in the original box if you have it, otherwise in a rigid box rather than a bag. Buyers of collectable models care about how the shoes arrive almost as much as what arrives.

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 skate shoes selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged skate shoes?

Yes. Damaged skate shoes typically are worth £4 to £14 against £15 to £55 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Wear-through at the ollie patch

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is recognised skate brands with a following — 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 outer toe. Skaters are buying remaining life and a hole there means weeks, not months, so it must be visible. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.