The short version
- Typical range: £15 – £70 — see the full running shoes value guide
- What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
- Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
- Category: Shoes & Footwear
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.
- Estimate the mileage run in them. Runners think in miles and an honest figure is the most useful thing in the listing.
- Clean the uppers and outsoles, and check the midsole for compression by pressing along its length.
- Photograph the size tag inside the tongue and note the sizing system and any width fitting.
The photographs that sell running shoes
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.
- Both shoes side on, laces tied
- The outsoles side by side, showing tread wear pattern
- The midsole from the side, showing any compression or creasing
- The inside size tag, plus any hole in the upper or worn heel counter
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 It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover.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, model, size and mileage: “Nike Pegasus 40, UK 9, approx 150 miles”. Mileage in the title is unusual and immediately credible to runners. Always say which sizing system, and mention a wide fitting if it is one, because that is a deliberate search.
Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:
- Brand, exact model and version number
- Size with the sizing system, and any width fitting
- Estimated mileage run
- Midsole compression, outsole wear pattern, and any upper damage
What buyers will actually ask
You will receive the same three messages about running shoes. 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.
Give an honest estimate. Runners judge remaining life from mileage and a credible figure sells the shoe better than claiming they are barely used.
Press along the foam and compare heel to forefoot. Midsole compression is what actually ends a running shoe’s life, more than outsole wear.
Check the model specification. Runners buy for their gait and a support shoe is unusable for someone who needs neutral.
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 running shoes 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 £42 sale — roughly the middle of the range for running shoes — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:
| Where you sell it | Fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| WishThrift | £0 | £42 |
| Poshmark | −£8 | £34 |
| eBay | −£6 | £36 |
| Mercari | −£4 | £38 |
| Etsy | −£3 | £39 |
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
Steady with a spring lift and a January bump. Popular models in common sizes sell within days when mileage is stated.
Light and cheap to post. Stuff the toes with paper so they hold shape, and use the original box if you have it.
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 are used running shoes worth?
Typically £15 to £70 depending on model, mileage and condition. Recent popular models with low mileage sit at the top. See the running shoes value guide.
Do people buy used running shoes?
Yes, particularly low-mileage pairs of popular models and shoes bought in the wrong size. Stating honest mileage is what makes runners comfortable buying.
How many miles is too many?
Most running shoes are considered done between 300 and 500 miles, though it varies by runner and model. Give your honest estimate and let the buyer judge — some want a shoe for walking or gym use where mileage matters less.
See also: what a used running shoes is worth · browse live shoes & footwear listings · condition grades explained.