The short answer
What thrift store clothing sells on eBay?
On a half-off day in March 2024, my Goodwill finds were expected to sell for about $15 to $40 each on eBay. Levi's 511s were expected at $20 to $25 plus shipping, and Gitman Bros vintage button-ups and Gore-Tex boots at $30 to $40. The rule: only buy what sells at about a 30% sell-through rate.
- Levi's 511s were about $6 to $7 on a half-off day, against $4.99 to $19.99 on a normal day, and I expected $20 to $25 plus shipping.
- My bar was about a 30% sell-through rate or better, and I passed on anything below it.
- Look up Gore-Tex and Japanese denim before you pass: J.Crew Japanese denim was expected at $25 to $35, and Gore-Tex boots at $30 to $40.
- Shop the categories you're low on. I loaded up on shorts before summer and bought 2XL polos.
- Wash everything before you photograph it. Some stains won't come out, but washing beats listing an unwashed item.
Chapters (5)
This is my Goodwill haul from March 2024, with the reasons behind every pick. It was a half-off day shop, and I was pickier that spring than I used to be: every item had to clear a bar before it went in the cart. Here's what I bought, what I passed on, and why.
What kind of thrift store clothing sells on eBay?
Most of what I bought was clothing I expected to sell for about $15 to $40 each. Those are my expectations from the video, not sold prices, so check recent sold listings before you buy anything.
| Item | Bought for | Expected sale (Mar 2024) | Why I picked it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levi's 511s, distressed | About $6 to $7 | $20 to $25 plus shipping | Nice fade and distress, common size |
| Gitman Bros vintage cotton button-up, medium | Not given | $30 to $40 | Vintage, made in USA |
| Mountain Hardwear 100% wool sweater, large | $8 | $30 to $40 | Tried-and-true brand, even though a wool sweater going into summer isn't ideal |
| Gore-Tex women's Rocky boots | $6.50 (half off a $12.99 tag) | $30 to $40 | Gore-Tex label, needed some cleaning on the front |
| J.Crew Japanese denim, size 32 | Not given | $25 to $35 | About 30% sell-through, good for J.Crew |
| Nike Dri-FIT 2XL Oregon Ducks polo | $3 to $4 | $15 to $20 | Sells well when football season starts |
| Columbia Omni-Shade, extra large | Not given | About $15 | Vented, with a 20 to 30% sell-through |
| Fox Racing cargo shorts | $3.50 (half off) | About $20 plus shipping | Shorts were low in my store, small stain on the front |
Where do I find thrift clothes worth reselling?
Goodwill's half-off day was my best bet that trip. Goodwill usually priced Levi's at $4.99 to $19.99, which is too much for resale, but on half-off days I could find a few for around $6 to $7. The other family church thrift store was closed that day, so I hit just the one Goodwill and walked out with 20 items to get me through the week.
How do I decide what's worth the cart?
Buy only what clears about a 30% sell-through rate and still leaves room for profit. At the rack I run through a few checks: the brand's sell-through, the expected sale price, the condition, and whether my store is short on that category. If something passes those, it goes in the cart. If it doesn't, it stays on the rack even when it's cheap. Season matters too. I bought a wool sweater heading into summer, which isn't the ideal time, because the brand is one I trust and the price was right, and I knew it might take a while to sell.
Are Levi's 511s worth buying to resell?
Yes, when the fade and distress look good and the price is right. I expected the 511s I picked up to sell for about $20 to $25 plus shipping. I pass on Levi's when the tag is too high, because a normal-day price of $19.99 leaves no room for profit. I also noticed that a 31x32 is a pretty common size, which I like.
Should I look up Japanese denim and Gore-Tex before I pass?
Yes, look up both labels every time. When I see Japanese denim or Gore-Tex, I stop and check before I decide. J.Crew Japanese denim in size 32 was expected to sell for $25 to $35 with about a 30% sell-through rate, which is good for J.Crew. Plain J.Crew jeans were too slow for me, so I passed on those. The Gore-Tex Rocky boots were half off a $12.99 tag, so I paid $6.50, and I expected them to sell for $30 to $40. They needed some cleaning on the front but were in good shape overall.
Which thrift brands should I keep an eye out for?
The brands I keep coming back to are Levi's, Mountain Hardwear, Gitman Bros, Columbia, Fox Racing and Prana. Prana is the one that gets priced high, and Goodwill often tags Prana pants around $29.95, so I only pick it up at a real discount. I got a women's Prana quarter-button shirt at 50% off for about $6, though it had a stain on the back I needed to treat. Buffalo David Bitton is another brand I like. Its Archer series pants had about a 30% sell-through rate and went for about $20, and I bought a pair half off for $5. The Buffalo David Bitton cargo shorts I found were worth about $15.
Are shorts and polos worth buying for resale?
Yes, when your store is short on them and the season is about to change. I was low on shorts, so I loaded up before the weather got hot. That's how I ended up with Hurley board shorts, Nike SB board shorts in a size 36, Under Armour nylon golf shorts I figured at about $15, and Colombia canvas cargo shorts. I make sure to buy the bigger sizes when I can, like the 2XL Dri-FIT polo. I sold a good bit of Oregon Ducks gear last year once football season kicked off, so I expected that polo to move the same way.
What do I pass on at Goodwill?
I pass on anything that doesn't have about a 30% sell-through rate, and anything that doesn't leave room for profit. A 2XL Cinch paisley button-up was a good example. The store wanted $10 for it, and I figured I'd get $20 to $22 at most, which wasn't enough for me. I used to buy more of that kind of thing. Now I'm paying up for better items and buying fewer of them.
How do I clean thrift clothes before I list them?
Wash everything before you photograph it. I put a little OxiClean in with each load, which catches the stains I missed. Some stains won't come out, but that's still better than putting a stained item on the board and finding out when it's already listed. Clean clothes photograph better, and that helps when you're listing.
The bottom line
This week, do three things: check sell-through on every brand before you buy, look up any Gore-Tex or Japanese denim labels you find, and buy the sizes and categories your store is missing. Use the 30% sell-through bar as a starting point, and check recent sold listings before you buy, because prices and demand shift with the seasons. These numbers are from March 2024, so treat them as a snapshot, not a forecast.
Questions people ask
Where do I find thrift clothes that sell on eBay?
Goodwill's half-off days were my best spot in March 2024. Regular prices there were usually $4.99 to $19.99 for Levi's, while half-off days brought them down to about $6 to $7. I hit one Goodwill that day and still found enough to fill my listing goal.
How much should I pay for thrift clothes to resell?
Keep your cost low enough to leave room for profit. Most of my buys were $3 to $8 each, and I passed on a 2XL paisley button-up when the store wanted $10 and I expected only $20 to $22. Half-off tags are what make the math work for me.
Is it worth reselling Levi's 511s?
Yes, when they have a nice fade and distress and the price is right. In March 2024 I expected 511s to sell for $20 to $25 plus shipping, and I bought them at about $6 to $7 on a half-off day. Check recent sold listings before you buy, because prices change.
How do I tell if Gore-Tex or Japanese denim is worth reselling?
Look up the item before you pass. I stop and check any Gore-Tex or Japanese denim label, since J.Crew Japanese denim was expected at $25 to $35 and Gore-Tex boots at $30 to $40. Plain J.Crew jeans were too slow to sell, so I skipped them.
Should I buy bigger sizes to resell?
I make sure to buy the bigger sizes when I can. I bought 2XL polos and extra-large shirts when they were priced right. I also focus on men's clothing, since I think fewer returns and less supply make it a better bet.
How do I clean thrift clothes before I list them?
Wash them before you photograph them. I use a little OxiClean in each load. Some stains won't come out, but washing still beats listing an unwashed item with a stain nobody saw.
Sources
Prices are eBay sold listings, and every fact below was checked on March 27, 2024.
Read the full video transcript
all right today I'm going to be taking you along with me because I need to find 20 items to list I am completely out of inventory and now that I'm listing 20 items a day I really want to stay on top of finding what I need so I don't have a death pile or anything like that even though you do see these piles of clothes these have already been listed they need to be put away so I'm going to be looking for 20 good items that I could put into my store I'm going to be hitting up maybe one or two or three thrift stores however many it takes to find 20 d items so let's jump right into it so I'm always looking for Levis and typically at this Goodwill they are just charging way too much you know they're usually pricing them at at least $4.99 to$ 19.99 but when they're on the
half off day usually you could find a few for around $67 um these were some nice distressed ones 511s and I can probably get around 20 to 25 plus shipping on these so I did decide to pick them up and put them in the cart not the best brand here but I did find Buffalo David bitten men's pants Archer series these have a 30% sell through rate and go for about 20 bucks and they were half off so I picked them up for $5 so I love coming across this brand but sometimes this Goodwill just prices them up so high and that's the brand Prana this was 50% off so it was worth picking up at around $6 came across at a couple of these cinch button-ups this is a 2XL paisley pattern and you know just not enough meat on the bone they want 10 bucks for it maybe get 20 for it 22
224 maybe but yeah just not enough uh for me to make a profit so that is a hard pass I've been I've been running low on shorts lately so I definitely was looking through here more heavily I did come across these Fox Racing cargo shorts these should be about maybe $20 plus shipping they were half off so they were 350 another awesome brand that I like to find is Mountain Hardware this is a 100% wool men's Mountain Hardware sweater it is a size large and probably not something that I would be picking up too much here with the weather warming up but it was $8 that should be a nice $3 to $40 bill right there it may take some time to sell but that's okay all right so just got out of that Goodwill and found some good stuff but found some more junk you know stuff that I wouldn't be putting into my
store maybe something I would have been this time last year but now just really focusing on those quality items and a minimum of like 30% sell through rate and above and I know that fluctuates throughout the season especially in clothing but I'll go over everything we got back at the house the other Family Church Thrift store is closed today so it's just going to be that Goodwill but I did hit my 20 items so let's go and see what I got all right so we're back in the shop it was just a quick Thrift run as I needed 20 items to get me through the day because tomorrow there's a big Church Thrift event um about 30 minutes away so everything is $3 an item so I was kind of waiting to just get me by today so I just got actually 29 items for about $101 by cost and hopefully tomorrow I can load
up for items for the rest of the week so we'll go over a couple of the items and kind of just go through why I bought it and maybe you can find some of those items as well as you guys know if you are you know been on the channel for a while I'm doing a little restructuring in my business I'm uh definitely trying to pick up better items pay up a little bit more you know I'm usually paying you know last year my buy cost was like a $150 this year it's going to be at least double to Triple that so and I don't mind you know I'm cutting my listing goal in half and uh focusing on better items so about3 to $4 an item we have this Nike dryfit 2XL Oregon Duck Polo this might not sell like tomorrow but when uh football season starts back up again this should go pretty
well $15 uh maybe $20 um I also make sure I buy the bigger sizes so that's a nice 2XL these are some Hurley board shorts nothing special about these these were on discount but the thing is I don't have a I checked my shorts I don't have a lot of shorts in my store so um that's why I'm really loading up more on shorts before it gets too hot um so the next thing we got here is this was a nice little find this is a large a men's large Mountain Hardware sweater it is 100% wool and Mountain Hardware is just a good tried and true brand that I like to pick up and I know buying a wool sweater heading into summer probably not the best idea but for the price I had to pick it up um all right so we got a Pon pair of jeans this is an okay brand that
does so so for me size 32 32 um these should sell for $15 $20 we have these um you know I don't I don't normally pick up this brand not not anymore um J crew men's jeans they are a size 32 but the thing that was special about them and there were a couple of these back to back is that whenever you see Japanese denim anything um you want to at least put look it up and um these model of J crew jeans sell between 25 and $35 with like a 30% sell through rate which is good for J crew so I picked these up not a bad find these are some nylon uh Nike SB kind of board shorts um size 36 so a nice size there and then we have some under arour nylon golf shorts pretty self-explanatory there probably another $15 here's another one of those J crew Japanese denim um if
these were just regular J crew jeans I would just pass them up it's just the sell through rate's too slow any time I see some nice Levis with a nice fade and nice distress um I'll pick them up if the price is right um so these are some 511s patch is kind of worn down there and these are size 3132 so another pretty common size this is a vintage skateboard brand Rusty this is just a simple button-up shirt um size large and then we have another Nike golf shorts good condition I just went a little C I probably wouldn't have normally picked these up but I don't have a ton of shorts in my store so I needed to kind of load up and get ready for the warmer weather coming up so I did a a little bit more short heavy on this one um this is just some Buffalo David bitten Archer pants
uh these should sell for $15 minimum and then we have another pair of Levis I really am trying to gravitate more towards men's clothing and you know I just really think that less returns more demand less Supply those are all hitting the check boxes for me so uh men's jeans is something I'm just going to double down on especially come summer when less and less people are picking up jeans so another pair of those J crew Japanese denim these are size 3230 then we have uh just this is just a pra Polo I love finding this brand but man the Goodwill loves to price these up anything in this brand um usually any pra pants will be like $29.95 and even half off it's just like don't want to take that risk this is a Colombia Omni shade really nice size and extra large um you know there's a ton of them out there it
is vented so um maybe $15 I think the Selter rate on that size was like 20 to 30% um this brand when I've picked it up in the past has done well for me and you guys probably know of it already but it's Gman Bros um a good vintage buttonup t-shirt gitman Bros so these sell between $30 and $40 this is just a cotton buttonup size medium made in USA so that'll be nice some Buffalo David bitten cargo shorts uh maybe 15 bucks there um here's some Colombia canvas cargo shorts really was trying to restock the shorts today uh this is a women's Prana kind of like quarter buttonup shirt doesn't quite go all the way um but yeah there is a stain on the back that I will need to get out and people ask do you wash all your clothes yes I just put a little oxyclean in there you know make sure
I could get any stains that I missed out that way when I load them up to do the photography process they're as good as they can be and yes some stains don't come out but it's better than you know not washing the stuff and putting it up on the board and finding out how a stain so these are some Jerry cargo shorts nothing special $12 there uh we got a guess Pearl snap size extra large and then we have this Fox Racing cargo shorts which I sell pretty well this has a small stain on the front so these should sell for $20 plus shipping and then we had actually and then we have just this under arour 2XL Polo and then we had one last Oregon Ducks Nike Polo which I sold a good bit of these last year when uh football season kicked off the Ducks were doing pretty good and then I did
find these these are I don't know I took a gamble on these just cuz they were half off so $12.99 half off these were 650 they are rocky boots for women but they are gortex whenever you see something's gortex you at least got a stop and look it up these should sell between $30 to $40 they do have some cleaning on the front there that I need to do but they're in good shape you know for the most part um but yeah anytime you find gortex you're at least going to want to look it up so if you guys are wanting to know what is selling in my eBay store and kind of what I typically price these items for you're going to want to check out this video right here goes over my recent what sold and if you're wanting some resources to help grow your business you could check out linked down below
I have a free bolo brand list that is going to be updated and then I also have an item specifics guide and if you want an eBay store review just reach out you can check it out linked below I appreciate yall we'll see you in the next video take care
