I bought a T-shirt for £2 from charity shop and resold it for £220 online – here’s how
SAVVY shoppers have revealed how they bought a T-shirt for £2 from a charity shop – but resold it for £220 online.
Many independent sellers are scouring the racks to find abandoned designer items with cheap price tags, and you can do the same.
The vintage aesthetic has become increasingly popular as people turn to pre-owned clothes in the hope of benefitting both the environment and their pockets.
Dexter Burgess-Hunt is amongst the savvy shoppers who have built an empire selling charity shop products.
The 26-year-old, from Manchester, told The Telegraph: “I once found a Louis Vuitton T-shirt for £2 and sold it for £220.
“That was my best sale. It might seem unusual to some people, but people pay for what they think is valuable.”
He partnered up with Sophy Grattidge, 27, and the couple buy stock in bulk to select the most valuable pieces.
Popular sites that people like Dexter use to garner their success are Depop and Vinted.
They act as a marketplace and a social media site – the more followers you gain the more cash you make.
But shoppers are warned they are not guaranteed a profit. They may buy a cheap item, and fail to resell it.
Jack Richardson, another 26-year-old from Manchester, sells products on Depop as a part-time side hustle while working as an underwriter.
He said: ““I found a Versace shirt in a second-hand shop in Manchester.
“I knew it was great, it just needed a steam. So I bought it for £3.50 and sold it for £60.
“To be honest, I could have sold it for £150. Either way, I have made a massive profit.”
In Essex, vender Fauster Mockute has another method for discovering jackpot items.
“It’s a mixed bag when you buy from wholesalers.
“Instead, I will go to charity shops in expensive areas such as Chelsea in London, because wealthy people will often donate designer clothes.”
The 22-year-old claimed she makes £1,200 a month through selling her stock, after fees.
But Emily O’Brien, from Hertfordshire, said she can bag herself £4,000 in a good month.
She pointed out that her business makes shopping quicker and easier for those interested as they won’t have to sift through endless clothes racks.
“They want instant gratification and see how clothes can be styled before buying, and that is where we add value,” the 26-year-old added.
Selling on Depop is the perfect fit for Emily as she suffers from a chronic pain disorder called hypermobility syndrome which makes it difficult to work on her feet.
She praised the flexibility of working through sites like Depop and Vinted as she can choose her own hours.
Another savvy shopper made £1,000 in one day just by searching charity shop rails.
TikTok user Splash recorded himself during his shopping spree – and explained what he’d bagged and how he did it.
After finding some gold cufflinks on sale for £2, he did some research and found they were retailing at £995.
He said: “I did a bit of digging on Google and these are retailing for £995, which is mad.
“The profit on that is insane.”
Tips on how to start your own business
Dragons’ Den Theo Paphitis shared his tips for anyone wanting to start their own business.
He said:
- One of the biggest barriers aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners face is a lack of confidence. You must believe in your idea — even more than that, be the one boring your friends to death about it.
- Never be afraid to make decisions. Once you have an idea, it’s the confidence to make decisions that is crucial to starting and maintaining a business.
- If you don’t take calculated risks, you’re standing still. If a decision turns out to be wrong, identify it quickly and deal with it if you can. Failing that, find someone else who can.
- It’s OK not to get it right the first time. My experience of making bad decisions is what helped develop my confidence, making me who I am today.
- Never underestimate the power of social media, and remember the internet has levelled the playing field for small businesses.
- Don’t forget to dream. A machine can’t do that!