Selling Broken & Damaged Bags & Luggage

17 guides to selling bags & luggage that are broken, damaged or incomplete. Every one covers what it is worth at Fair and For Parts, how to grade and photograph the defect, and what buyers ask before committing.

Bags are repaired by specialists as a matter of routine — relining, restitching, edge painting, replacement hardware and zip repairs are all standard services. Corner wear, a broken zip pull and a tired lining are the three most common faults and none of them ends a bag. Be careful about the words you use: describe what you can see and what you know, and leave conclusions about origin to the buyer.

Before you write it off

Check the corners, the strap attachment points and the zip before writing anything off. A zip that catches usually needs cleaning and waxing rather than replacing, and a tired lining is relined routinely. Leather that looks dry and cracked is very often just dry: a conditioner brings a great deal back, and it is worth doing before you photograph it, not after.

What a defect actually costs you

WishThrift grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts. Fair is roughly 45% of the working price and covers heavy use or a described fault; For Parts is roughly 25% and covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen. Grades are seller-declared — nobody inspects them for you — so an honest grade plus a clear photograph of the defect is what actually closes the sale. All five grades explained.

Across the 17 guides below, For Parts prices run from about £2 at the low end to £225 at the top, against £8 to £900 for the same items in sound condition. Those are guide figures in sterling; WishThrift lists in your local currency and does not convert for you.

Every bags & luggage guide

Frequently asked questions

Is a bag with corner wear worth selling?

Yes. Corner wear is the most common flaw in the category and specialists repair it as routine, along with relining, restitching and edge painting. Photograph all four corners and the base, since that is exactly what a buyer will look for.

How should I describe a designer bag I cannot verify?

Describe only what you can see and what you know — where and when you bought it, and what came with it. WishThrift does not authenticate anything, so leave conclusions about origin to the buyer rather than making claims you cannot support.

Listing is free and there is no commission. Neither side pays a buyer-protection fee either — create a free account to list yours, or browse the full faulty and damaged index.