HOW TO SELL TRAINERS
ONLINE

Selling trainers online

Selling trainers online is easy when you know how! Limited edition and rare trainers often sell for staggering amounts of money online, but using our handy guide you can ensure you maximise your funds, even if you’re only going to sell used trainers.

People sell trainers for different reasons, some may want to sell a one-off pair they own, while others may want to get into the business of sourcing and selling and set up a dedicated online presence. Either way, there is a huge market for rare and limited edition trainers, but before selling trainers online, there are a few things to know.

An online start-up requires three things: a platform, a payment system, and a delivery service. However, with an overwhelming choice, it can be difficult to decide which to choose.

Sell your trainers via a platform

If you are selling trainers in small numbers and wondering where to sell trainers, using eBay or Amazon would be the most viable choice. eBay, of course, has become almost synonymous with this style of selling. Both these platforms have a strong brand identity and help you reach a mass market, increasing your chances of a quick sale.

Alternatively, if you are a business selling trainers long-term, you might benefit from setting up an independent website. This will give the brand more authenticity, even if development costs are slightly higher. Some may even want to run a website alongside their marketplace offerings, to get the best visibility.

With rare trainers, you’ll need a reputation for being able to provide authentic product – which is hard early on in your journey. Using websites like StockX who have a rigorous authentication process can help with selling rare trainers.

Payment system

If you are selling via a marketplace, payments will be handled by their established payment systems.

However, if you set up a website you will need to put a payment system in place. Using services such as PayPal can be beneficial since they are universally recognised and trusted by web users. Other options include installing a payment gateway such as World Pay or utilising web plugins like WooCommerce.

Choosing a courier

Slow deliveries, poor packaging and lack of communication can prevent buyers from purchasing again. For this reason, it’s important to select the best courier for the job when you’re selling trainers.

A vendor's accountability for sending a parcel may cease once it leaves their hands, but they should be careful to choose a reliable courier. Choosing a reputable courier that has the same attention to detail as the retailer themselves is vital for individuals and small businesses when selling valuable items.

The benefits

	We can collect from home or work address
	Globally trusted courier shipping to over 160 countries worldwide
	Online tracking and delivery notifications for you and your recipient
	Contents cover (up to £25 for UK / £50 for International shipping)
	Integrated with over 10 ecommerce platforms to make sending parcels even easier
	Offer your customers easy returns with our ‘’reverse order’’ functionality

Many ways to save

	Drop off and save at any one of our 3,500 ServicePoints or 50+ DHL eCommerce UK depots
	''My DHL rewards'' - exclusive to our customers
	Cashback into your pre-pay account when you add funds (Terms apply)
	Multi-parcel discounts available on some UK services (Terms apply)

Choose the best courier

Selecting the best courier is just as important a decision, whether you are selling trainers as a one-off, or setting up a trainer business. Having gone through the process of listing an item, waiting for it to sell and finally having funds transferred by the buyer, it would be a shame for it to all fall down as a result of poor packaging and delivery. Keeping everything wrapped and sent securely should prevent hiccups from spoiling the entire venture.

At DHL eCommerce UK, we’re experienced in shipping rare trainers and other rare items. Get a quick quote from us today.

Be knowledgeable on trainers

With so many rare and limited-edition trainers in the market, the buyer will often have done their research beforehand to ensure they're receiving an authentic item. Therefore, as a seller, you also need to be clued up, as this will ensure their product is priced correctly for both a reasonably quick sale, as well as a worthwhile profit. Using websites like the aforementioned StockX can tell you how much certain shoes and sizes have been sold for – as some sizes are more limited and therefore sell for a higher price.

When selling trainers, the correct pricing also helps businesses with stock ordering too - being savvy about stocking items at a good price that they know are going to sell. An example may be, stocking American styles/editions which cost more but have no demand in Britain, or slightly less desirable trainers which may be more well-known (and therefore more affordable), even if there are others already on the market.

SELL TRAINERS THAT ARE A STATUS SYMBOL

Whilst many people see trainers as little more than just another piece of clothing; for some, it's a whole industry of rare, limited edition, golden opportunities (sometimes, very literally, as the gold-dipped Nike Dunks can attest). For rare collector's editions, figures can reach into the tens of thousands.

For these collectors, trainers aren't just items to buy for less than £20 at your local sports shop, but instead much more of a status symbol. In fact, some aren't even ever worn - with those who can afford to buy two pairs: one to "rock" and one to "stock".

If you are considering selling rare or limited edition trainers online, addressing these factors can help ensure you sell your trainers in the right place and for the right price – and we can help with delivery. They can help provide a solid start and turn an idea or passion into a fully-fledged, sustainable business.