Why sell your well worn shoes on eBay?
eBay is an extremely popular online marketplace and offers a great place to buy and sell a variety of items, and lots of people even make a living from buying items to resell on eBay from charity shops, car boot sales and more.
People like selling on eBay because there are no listing fees, and a recent change meant there are no final value fees on selling fashion.
You will find some very strange things selling on eBay, and one of those items is well worn, smelly or trashed shoes.
There are two types of people who search eBay for trashed, smelly old shoes – those who are intrigued by this, and those with a foot fetish. Check out House Of Fetish for other fetish content.
eBay is one of the few places that people with a foot fetish can buy shoes for them to…enjoy.
As for the one who sells maybe you're not comfortable selling your shoes looking dirty and smelling trashy. You can at least wash and clean it using shoe cleaners that are available on https://shoeadviser.com/
If the whole thing grosses you out then now might be the time to click away!
How much money can you make if you sell your well worn shoes on eBay?
Well worn shoes sell for different amounts of money on eBay. I have seen some pairs go for £20 and some reach hundreds and hundreds of pounds. Here are some examples:
This pair went for £47 + £2.90 delivery.
This pair went for £63 + £3 delivery.
If you are looking to sell your well worn shoes on eBay then I would expect to make at least £20 per pair.
Considering that you would most likely just throw the shoes out, this is a win-win situation.
Remember that selling your own unwanted items is tax-free, and this could turn out to be a great way to get rid of unwanted shows for top dollar.
Selling extras when you sell your well worn shoes on eBay
Not only can you make decent money when you sell smelly shoes on eBay, you can also offer some extras to go alongside your well worn shoes and boost your income, getting top dollar.
If you are going to list your shoes for sale then I want to warn you that you will most likely be sent messages with lots of requests. Some of these requests might gross you out, and you can block anyone you are uncomfortable with.
However these messages give you a great chance to up sell anything else.
Here are some ideas of things you might get asked for:
- A full length photo of you wearing the shoes
- Other old footwear you may have
- Close up photos of your feet
- Ped egg shavings…
- Videos of your feet
- Used socks
- Used tights
- Being bought a new pair of shoes for you to wear and then send on to the buyer
And so much more!
You can get a little bit creative if you are looking for ways to make some extra cash.
Remember that you can 100% charge for these extras if you are comfortable providing them.
The sky is the limit, and if you can't come up with a price then you can ask the potential buyer what they are happy to pay and go from there.
What happened when I tried to sell smelly shoes on eBay
In summer I pretty much live in Primark pumps, which cost around £3-£5. Being Primark shoes and summer, the shoes didn't last very long and would break quite easily, about a pair a month. They would always end up in the bin because they couldn't be given to charity.
I decided to give selling them a try. My first few pairs went for around £6, which I was thrilled with – they were just going to go into the bin. Then one weekend something amazing happened. I sold two pairs of old, broken and smelly Primark pumps. One pair for £22 and the other for £12.
As if that wasn't good enough (and trust me, it was!), someone e-mailed me asking for a link to my Amazon wishlist. I quickly removed my last name from my list and about 3 days later a Wii game arrived! The person hadn't even bid on any of my shoes and I've never done anything in return.
I have seen people get some other great financial benefits from selling their smelly shoes on eBay. If you are open minded about this then is can be a real boost to your income.
I have been asked to provide extra foot photos and videos for large sums of money, and I have a friend who has a regular foot fetish client who pays £500 a month for videos of her feet.
How to sell your well worn shoes on eBay
eBay have some very strict guidelines about listing worn shoes. If you listing gets pulled then your policy compliance will lower, which ultimately means that eBay may place a listing limit on your account and you could even see your account removed.
Therefore it is a good idea for you start up a new eBay account with a new email address just for selling shoes. This is also a great way to filter out those very interesting requests.
I've only had my listings taken down once, but eBay didn't even have the courtesy to e-mail me and tell me, the listings just vanished. So here are some rules to help you list your smelly shoes on eBay:
- Include as many photos as you want – you can now add 12 photos for free.
- If you're showing photos of the shoes worn then photos must be below the knee only.
- Your listing needs to state that you will clean the shoes to both eBay's and the manufacturer's guidelines. Don't include anything like “e-mail me if you don't want me to clean the shoes”. You don't have to clean the shoes when sending them out, you just need to say that you will on your listing.
- Do not use the word “fetish” in your listing, or anything relating to it.
- Do not mention that they were your favourite shoes. Perhaps you could mention that you wore them during summer, or in a job where you were on your feet every day, etc.
- Refrain from using the word “request” in your listing. Ask buyers to e-mail if they have any questions.
You might also want to consider selling on other platforms, like All Things Worn or selling on Vinted.
Other tips to sell your well worn shoes on eBay
Protect yourself. Don't allow sellers to pick up the shoes from you. If you're going to have a wish list then remove your surname and make sure items aren't just from marketplace sellers – they can't be sent to wish list addresses so the buyer will want to know your address for sending the gifts.
If you don't want to send fully body photos of yourself wearing the shoes then explain this to buyers. It is easier than having them e-mail you every single day. They are quite understanding.
Keep e-mails between eBay's messaging system OR the new email address you created.
If your shoes are broken or smelly – THAT'S FINE! You cannot mention that the shoes are smelly, but you can ask buyers to email you with any questions. Be sure to show any problems with the shoes in your photos.
When posting your sold shoes, put them in a ziplock bag, bubble wrap and then the packaging of your choice. Package them discreetly.
Make your auctions private – this is easy to do at the listing stage. Only leave feedback for your buyers if they're happy for you to do so – some may request that you don't leave them feedback, despite the auction being private.
Offer international postage. About 80% of the shoes I've sold have seen posted internationally, with America being the favourite, closely followed by France. If you're doing this then make sure you're charging the correct postage.
Pro tip: Be sure to check out my 17 tried and tested tips for selling on eBay.
Don't be disheartened if your shoes don't sell. More and more people are listing their smelly shoes on eBay so the market is tougher. Decide whether you want to relist them at a later stage or just get rid of them.
Related posts:
- 100 legitimate ways to make extra money
- How I made £12,000 in 12 months with this one side hustle
- How to become a mystery shopper
Where to buy shoes from
If you don't have any trashed shoes just laying around, you might want to consider buying shoes to sell on.
If you want to stay online then Amazon have a wide range of affordable shoes available.
Charity shops and car boot sales are also great places to pick up second-hand shoes.
Someone has told me that they have a deal with their local charity shop where the charity shop saves them all the shoes that are too gross to sell, in exchange for a donation made to the store.
If your listing gets removed by eBay
You might find that your listing gets removed by eBay.
This is one of the common problems that occur when you list an old pair of shoes on eBay to get some extra cash.
Top stop this happening, make sure that you conform to the rules listed above, and try to tweak your listings before trying again, making sure that you adhere to the rules.
There's no way I want to sell smelly shoes on eBay
There are so many other fantastic ways to earn money online, so if selling your smelly shoes on eBay doesn't interest you then you can find ways to make £100 a month, make £500 a month or make £1,000 a month. You can also check out the latest free money offers to earn some cash easily.
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58 responses
You have much more luck with your stinky shoes than I do. I think the most I have made is £7, the rest have sold for 99p 🙁
What?!
You for a free wii game from someone?! Never even realised anyone was that generous! x
Tehehe, i’m definitely going to try this one day!
fridayisforever.blogspot.com
My smelly shoes are currently being bid on, one at £10.50 and another at £5, fingers crossed!
What is this for real, I’m gonna give this a try 😀
Scarily enough, yep!
Were you ever worried about them knowing your address from PayPal once they submit payment? Or did you only do a wish list in exchange for shoes? Thanks!
Also wouldn’t you not want to email through eBay since they could catch on?
-scarlet
Hi, just wondering do you list the shoes as “well worn” or do you use a different term? I have PLENTY of old smelly shoes!
Hi Lizzie,
I list them as “well worn”. Hope that helps!
id love to buy some old smelly sexy heels boots and flats
Hi Matt, I’ve got some for you to buy! A
Does size matter? I am a woman’s size 12
I have a disability that cause my shoes to warp badly on the sides (club foot) would this be a put off or would you still recommend trying. Because of my feet being inturned I go through lots of flat pump shoes! lol
ewww 100% put off, same thing like if you were selling your panties, no guy wants something worn by someone nasty!
Hi Nancy I’m one of those guys who buys used shoes and I wouldn’t be put off by it and in my opinion makes them sound even more desirible I spose you could mention it in the description as a disclaimer type thing
Hi, I just wondered whether I’d need to remove my email address from my wish list?
Also – do buyers definitely not see your address on the wish list? (Amazon is asking me to associate a delivery address with a list)
I also wondered like Scarlet above whether a buyer on eBay is shown the sellers full name address when paying via paypal – this rings a bell for me somehow when I’ve bought? Don’t they also show the email address? (mine includes my name anyway)
I am tempted to give it a try but I wouldn’t if the buyer has any way of finding out my email address or postal address
Thanks
Haha! I have been an eBay member for years, saw this blog post and finally plucked up the courage to do it!
My shoes are selling like hot cakes – shoes I feel are ready for the trash are the most popular!
Definitely never chucking out a pair of shoes again – thanks so much for this post! I love your blog! Xx
Oh wow! Do you mind sharing how much they’re going for?
Hi Emma, about £10-£20 per pair! I’ve never had such a lucrative day on eBay! Sometimes got more money than I’d paid for the shoes! Obv have to put up with some weird messages but it kind of comes with putting them on there. Thanks for sharing this – gave me the encouragement to put mine on x
How do you hide your details? I assume they get them from paypal e-mail?! x
I just set up a separate paypal address and didn’t put my real full name on it x
Does it bother you knowing what the shoes are being used for? Someone’s nose and tongue all over my old flip flops is a slightly creepy thought…
Amy
Doing a bit of research here.. I’m a dancer and have to wear those platform pole dancing shoes. I usually wear the same ones everyday for a year or more as they’re quite uncomfortable when new, so when they get too disgusting or break I have just been throwing them in the bin. The ones I have now have been glued back together multiple times, the soles have worn off and they’re encrusted in dirt, fake tan and glitter.. Probably a fetishists dream! I’m thinking they are too trashed for eBay? I’d love some opinions in the best place to list them. They really are in a terrible state!
Hi ladies I hav baught many pairs of shoes of eBay, and I wouldn’t worry to much about hiding your name and info most of us guys with foot fetishes are deaply embarased by it don’t want you to know who we are. I know it’s wierd what I like and if people or my friends knew about my fetish I would died of embarisment. As far as the shoes you are sell they can never be to trashed or smelly, the worse they look the more money you will make.
Hi, I have just listed my first pair!! There are absolutely worn to bits but fingers (and toes!) crossed!
Ohhh put a link to the listing
Hi, sorry I have no idea how to do that! I could give you my eBay name to search or item title? I have loads of shoes I can list but wanted to see if anybody wanted these first!
Sent 🙂
This is a very helpful post!
I love the feet guys! I’ve sold a few pairs of well worns… I enjoy the banter and it really doesn’t bother me if they know who I am.
However, I listed two pairs last night and they got removed for containing adult material…. I really don’t know how they get away with saying a shoe listing is adult material. I’m not sure why they got removed. There is nothing obvious to me on the listings and I sold a pair last week using pretty much the same description.
Basically, I’m just saying, if your listing gets removed, just create a new listing and make sure you are sneaky enough to get around the adult material terms!
I’ve relisted mine… I’m just waiting to see if they get removed again!
Hi, I’ve been reading this thread with much intrigue.
I have quite a few ‘well worn’ shoes that I’m sure would make someone very happy.
“Live and let live” I say, there’s more to worry about other than someone liking feet!
However, as a teacher, I too am worried about a buyer knowing my personal details.
I’ve read other forums about having a separate eBay account etc. My question is whether a buyer can actually find your personal details if they really wanted to?
I’d love to list but I’m a bit wary.
What a good idea, and from the comments on this page from the Foot fondness people, they seem to be nice and very helpful.
I always have shoes that I just throw away, I’m at work in a stuffy office all day and wear my work shoes to death..haha, I have a couple of pairs that are seriously well worn! in fact if I slip them of under the desk I can see people sitting near me looking around once the aroma hits them…hehe. I think I will give this a go on ebay as I am saving for a new car so it certainly can’t hurt to try.
Thankyou so much for this page it’s been an eye opener. 🙂
I will NEVER throw out a well-used pair of shoes again. If my old shoes give someone pleasure, I’m all for it. Happiness is happiness – foot-favorers, y’all are OK by me!
Hi everyone, so I’ve put a couple of my well worn shoes on eBay and had lots of interest, however some of the bidders have asked me to send them extra pictures of my feet and or full body photos (nothing naughty just a normal pic). Should I ask them to pay me for these extra photos or is this just all part of the package? I’m worried about sending my photo out to loads of different people just for them to not bid or my listing be removed from eBay before the bid ends. Please help
Hi Laura,
It is completely up to you whether you want to do this – I decided not to so I can’t advice on charging for photos, sorry.
I’m a Salsa dancer and a size 3. I dance several times a week, and because of this I have to have several pairs of shoes, but even so, I have at least 4 pairs of really smelly dance shoes that I just can’t wear anymore, as if I take them off after a night’s dancing, they will clear the room! To say they are well-trashed is an understatement! I even have a special cupboard for my dance shoes in the side of my wardrobe, and if that door is open, the minute I walk into my bedroom, I know about it! They are colourful combinations of leather, suede and glitter fabrics: question is, do you think these would sell to foot-worshippers?
Im currently selling my old, well worn shoes on ebay and I’ve had a request from someone if they can buy my shoes and clean them up for me and send them back. I’ve had requests for pictures and smelly, used tights before now but this is a new one. Is this common?
Wow, I’ve not had that one myself! If you do go ahead, please let me know how it went!
Just be careful they might be trying to get your address? If you have a way of disguising it then this sounds like a good idea but otherwise I would be too cautious to attempt it.
Hi Lucy, I have had a similar guy contact me, but he mostly repairs shoes, he does clean them as well, but the good thing is you are getting paid to have your heels fixed, he did a great job on my Uggs I say if there is someone who wants to do this, then why not 🙂
After reading everyone’s post, I decided to give it a shot! I read the given tips and listed 3 pairs of shoes. They are pretty dirty and stinky house slippers and some wedges. So far I have more than 100 views and it’s not even 24 hours since I posted them. I had 3 different people message me regarding questions and special request but nothing extreme or disrespectful. The messages are respectful and they end with a Thank you. I had a person asking me if I can wear the house slippers until the last moment before shipping. I also got a compliment message. I’m crossing my fingers I will make a sale. So far nothing weird has happened. My question is how to do people shipped the shoes?? I know you have to put them in a zip bag to preserve the smell but do you add a thank you note or a special message??? I also had a person message me if they can pay with a money order or cashier’s check, is that common? How do I handle that? I have my Paypal linked to a new ebay account that I opened (I have a main ebay account for my normal ebay business).
Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated!!!
Need money..must sell shoes!
I just don’t have any! Brilliant post by the way, thanks for sharing Emma! x
I am so trying this! I live in primark pumps which end up so smelly you can smell my feet even when I’m wearing them!! Never chucking another pair, I’m not fussed what they will be used for. Different strokes for different folks and all that…
Utterly amazing!
Fantastic post, Ive also read all the comments, makes for very interesting reading. I have so many shoes, I hate throwing them away. Just the idea they’ve gone to a good home is great!
Hi Lucy, I have had a similar guy contact me, but he mostly repairs shoes, he does clean them as well, but the good thing is you are getting paid to have your heels fixed, he did a great job on my Uggs I say if there is someone who wants to do this, then why not 🙂
Perhaps you should start a site for it now because you’re getting quite a bit of attention by the looks of it lol.
Be careful my shoe listings all got taken down. Do not answer the shoe repartee any of it. I think people troll the sites ask questions about your listings to report them as sexual. I was asked how often I wore shoes by a Canadian with all private feedback. I think I answered,” Hundreds of times. I was contacted in the morning 7:30AM by 9pm all my listings got taken down. “Ebay troll for sure. Be careful!
They shut me down because I put well worn in my listing, yet there are many sellers that have well worn. They shut me down because me feet were showing in a picture, we’ll below the knee. I’m confused. I see over 200 listing with well worn and over 1000 with people showing their feet. I feel like I’m single out. When I list the shoes as pre worn, i get no views..when I list them in adult, no reviews. The best word is well worn. Do you have any suggestions?
If you relist ebay will close you down or make it hard to sell. I would open another account for shoes to sell. Have no feet in shoes pictures. Don’t answer any questions. I think one of my listings had feet in tennis shoes with no socks.
Yes, I opened a new account from day 1. Seperate from my main acct. I did well. Then all not a sudden they shut me down because my feet was showing. So i was suspended for a three days. They told me to list it in adult. So, I did that, but I barely got any views. So i listed the shows with no feet.. but I always used well worn. This time they canceled me because of well worn. But I used that name when I showed my feet. But they didn’t mention it until now. Now they shut me down because if we’ll worn. They told me to use preowed. But that doesnt sell. Now hita 🙁
I didn’t know they had a section for adult or to search pre owned ill have to look into that when I next buy some
I started selling my shoes last year and was doing ok until ebay shut down my listings. I’m in the process of setting up a website which is specifically for that purpose
I keep getting my smelly slippers and well worn mules listings removed because of adult content (of which there is none), I know these are in demand so would be interested in a site specifically for these sales. Can you supply the address or link?
I wear my shoes to death as i am at work on my feet all day. I have small feet only a size 3 and i thought men would like big feet but seems i was wrong. I have just started to sell on Ebay but not sure if money can be made. Fingers crossed. It’s a shame if ebay does take the listing down as i have no idea how else to sell my shoes ect.
You can sell them to me if ebay doesn’t work 🙂 My contact info is here in the comments somewhere. I have bought many shoes already 🙂
I must admit it was a very nice man that I speak to on the phone lines that gave me the idea.All he wanted to talk about was my shoes and feet then he said men like him would love to buy them. So eBay was the way to go x
Paypal is now super strict with needing your birth name to sign up- I HATE this, any way around it? buyers 100% see this and it’s the one thing stopping me. I’m a dancer and I have literal crate fulls of huge beautiful platform heels that I have worn hundreds of times over 6 years! They are perfection to a foot fetishist and therefore i’d have to price them accordingly- After all of your great info I definitely want to sell them! Fingers crossed! x