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WishThrift

How to Sell a Used Kids Coat

A used kids coat typically sells for £8 to £35, and on WishThrift it costs you nothing to list — no fee, no commission, so you keep the whole amount you agree. Children’s coats are outgrown long before they wear out, which makes them one of the best-value second-hand purchases there is — and one of the easiest things to sell.

The short version

  • Typical range: £8 – £35 — see the full kids coat value guide
  • What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
  • Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
  • Category: Kids’ Clothing

Before you photograph it

Ten minutes here is worth more than anything else you will do. Buyers are deciding between your listing and someone else’s, and preparation is what visibly separates the two.

  • Wash or wipe it down according to the label, and reproof anything waterproof if it has stopped beading.
  • Test every zip and popper, and check the cuffs and hood for wear.
  • Measure chest and length flat, because age labels vary enormously between brands.

The photographs that sell a kids coat

Four photographs do almost all the work. Shoot in daylight, near a window, with the item against something plain — and do not use the flash, which flattens texture and hides exactly what buyers are trying to see.

  1. The coat flat or on a hanger, front, whole
  2. The back and the hood
  3. The zip fully closed and the cuffs
  4. The label showing brand and size, plus any stain, tear or worn patch

Photograph the flaws too. It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover. Buyers who can see the damage stop imagining something worse.

Writing the title and description

Brand, type, size and season: “Regatta Waterproof Kids Coat, Age 5-6, Fleece Lined”. Brand matters more than people expect on outdoor kit, and words like waterproof, padded and fleece lined are all real searches for parents shopping by weather rather than by style.

Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:

  • Brand, age or size label, plus chest and length measured flat
  • Whether it is waterproof, showerproof or neither, and whether it is lined
  • Zip, popper and hood condition
  • Any stain, tear or repair, stated plainly

What buyers will actually ask

You will receive the same three messages about a kids coat. Answering them in the listing itself removes the back-and-forth, and answering them well when they do arrive is what turns an enquiry into a sale.

“Is it actually waterproof?”

Say what you have observed. Coatings wear off and a coat that no longer beads should be described as showerproof at best, or as needing reproofing.

“What are the measurements?”

Give chest and length flat. Age labels differ so much between brands that the measurement is what parents actually use.

“Are there any stains?”

Photograph any mark in daylight. Children’s coats collect marks and buyers expect some; they just want to see them.

Pricing it so it actually sells

Start from the honest condition grade rather than the price you hope for. WishThrift listings use five grades — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each grade means is worth reading before you choose, because grading up is the most expensive mistake sellers make. It does not raise the price; it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else.

The kids coat value guide prices all five grades for this item. Pick your grade, take the figure, and if you sit between two grades price toward the lower one. Items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully, and on a free platform there is no fee eating the difference anyway.

What you keep, compared

On a £21 sale — roughly the middle of the range for a kids coat — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:

Where you sell itFeeYou keep
WishThrift£0£21
Poshmark−£4£17
eBay−£3£18
Mercari−£2£19
Etsy−£1£20

Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026 — Poshmark: 20% commission on sales of $15 and above; eBay: 13.6% final value fee, plus a per-order fee; Mercari: flat 10% selling fee; Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, plus a listing fee and payment processing. Percentages are applied to the sterling figure above; the fixed per-order and processing charges those platforms add are quoted in their own currency and are not included here, so the real deductions are slightly larger. Full breakdown: marketplace selling fees compared.

Timing and getting it to the buyer

Strongly seasonal. Winter coats sell from September to December and waterproofs in spring and autumn. A padded winter coat listed in May will sit, so hold it until autumn.

Light and compressible, so postage is cheap. Vacuum bags reduce the parcel size on padded coats and cut the volumetric cost significantly.

WishThrift does not process payments or arrange delivery — you and the buyer agree both directly — so confirm payment 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 it? It takes about two minutes, costs nothing, and there is no commission when it sells — create a free account or see how selling works.

Frequently asked questions

What is a used kids coat worth?

Typically £8 to £35, with well-known outdoor brands above. See the kids coat value guide for the condition bands.

Do branded children’s coats sell better?

Noticeably, especially outdoor brands, because parents know they last well enough to be handed on again. Naming the brand in the title is worth real money.

Can I reproof a waterproof coat before selling?

Yes, and a wash-in reproofer is inexpensive and can restore the beading. It is one of the few pre-sale jobs that reliably pays for itself on outdoor kit.

See also: what a used kids coat is worth · browse live kids’ clothing listings · condition grades explained.