How to Sell Tools | WishThrift

Used tools sell for roughly £15 to £500 on WishThrift, and listing it costs nothing — no fee, no commission, no buyer-side charge. Hand and power tools barely wear out, which is why the used market for them is so steady. On corded tools the question is completeness; on cordless the battery platform is most of the value, so lead with the voltage and how many healthy batteries you are including.

The short version

Guides in this section: 17
Range covered: £15 – £500
Every guide covers: prep, the photographs that sell it, the title, buyer questions and the fee maths
Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price

How to sell tools, item by item

What you keep on a typical sale

On a £85 sale — around the middle for this category — a 20% commission would take £17 and a 10% one £8. On WishThrift you keep the whole £85, and the buyer pays no surcharge either. The full fee comparison sets out what each marketplace actually charges.

When tools actually sell

Tools sell steadily with a clear lift in spring as people start projects, and again before Christmas as gifts. Because hand tools barely wear out, there is no depreciation clock forcing a sale — the only timing that matters is catching the spring window.

Before you list anything

Two things decide most of the price in every category, and both are settled before you write the listing. The first is the condition grade: WishThrift uses five — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each one means is worth reading, because grading optimistically does not raise the price, it just produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. The second is the price itself: the tools & diy value guides price each item across all five grades.

Ready to list? It takes about two minutes and costs nothing — create a free account or see how selling works.

Frequently asked questions

Do used tools hold their value?

Hand tools hold value unusually well because they barely wear out, and trade-brand sets from decades ago are often still entirely usable. Cordless tools depend almost entirely on battery health.

Can I sell a cordless tool without batteries?

Yes, and there is a real market — buyers already invested in that battery platform actively look for bare tools. Be explicit in the title that no battery or charger is included.

Can I post lithium batteries?

Some couriers restrict or prohibit them and rules differ by service. Check before agreeing postage, and never send a battery that is damaged or swollen.

See also: all selling guides · what tools sell for · browse live tools & diy listings.