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WishThrift

How to Sell a Used Sunglasses

Used sunglasses typically sell for £10 to £120, and on WishThrift it costs you nothing to list — no fee, no commission, so you keep the whole amount you agree. Used sunglasses sell on the state of the lenses and the presence of the case, and buyers of designer frames want the model number, which is printed inside the arm.

The short version

  • Typical range: £10 – £120 — see the full sunglasses value guide
  • What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
  • Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
  • Category: 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.

  • Clean the lenses properly and inspect them at an angle for scratches, which are almost invisible head on.
  • Find the model number, colour code and lens width printed on the inside of the arm, and photograph it.
  • Check the hinges for looseness and confirm the nose pads and screws are all present.

The photographs that sell sunglasses

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 frames front on, folded, on a plain background
  2. The inside of the arm showing the model number and sizing
  3. The lenses at an angle in strong light, revealing any scratches
  4. The case, cloth and any papers included

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 It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover.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 number and colour: “Ray-Ban RB2140 Wayfarer, Tortoise, 50mm”. The model number is exactly how buyers search designer eyewear, and the lens width matters for fit. Say whether the original case is included, because on designer frames it adds real value.

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

  • Brand, model number and colour code from the arm
  • Lens width, bridge and arm length, printed on the inside of the arm
  • Lens condition, including any scratches or coating wear
  • Whether the case, cleaning cloth and paperwork are included

What buyers will actually ask

You will receive the same three messages about sunglasses. 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.

“Are the lenses scratched?”

Hold them at an angle in strong light and photograph what you see. Head-on photos hide scratches and buyers know it.

“Are they genuine?”

Photograph the model number, the etched logo on the lens if there is one, and the arm markings. WishThrift does not verify items, so your photographs are the evidence.

“Do you have the case?”

Say either way. Original cases are surprisingly valuable on designer frames and make postage much safer.

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 sunglasses 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 £65 sale — roughly the middle of the range for sunglasses — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:

Where you sell itFeeYou keep
WishThrift£0£65
Poshmark−£13£52
eBay−£9£56
Mercari−£6£59
Etsy−£4£61

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, peaking April to August. Designer frames sell year round; high-street sunglasses barely sell outside the summer.

Small and easy to post, but fragile without a case. If you do not have the original, use a hard box rather than a padded envelope.

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 sunglasses worth?

Typically £10 to £120, with designer frames in good condition well above high-street ones. See the sunglasses value guide for the range by condition.

Can scratched sunglasses be sold?

Yes, at a reduced price, and some buyers replace lenses on quality frames anyway. Photograph the scratches at an angle and describe them plainly rather than hoping they will not show.

Where is the model number on sunglasses?

Printed on the inside of one arm, usually with the colour code and three sizing numbers for lens width, bridge and arm length. Photograph it — it is the single most useful detail in a designer eyewear listing.

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