Selling Smelly Shoes – I Sold £3 Pumps For £70

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There are loads of different ways to make extra money and this has to be one of the most unusual. Selling your old, smelly shoes for cash. I don’t mean shoes that are lightly worn or are still in good condition, oh no. This post is all about selling shoes that are old, worn and actually as smelly as possible.

This post is all about how I sold a £3 pair of Primark shoes for £70.

I wear loads of cheap Primark shoes that often get thrown out once they’re worn through so selling my old smelly shoes seemed like a good way to recoup that money.

Selling Smelly Shoes – How I Sold A £3 Pair Of Primark Pumps For £70

When I decided to give this method of money-making a go for myself I was working as a chef in a busy pub kitchen.

I wore cheap Primark shoes (like the daps pictured below) to work every day and got through one pair about every eight weeks.

With the heat of the kitchen and the heat of summer, they usually end up pretty smelly, as well as covered in random stains.

Selling Used Shoes On eBay

For me, this was the perfect opportunity to try and make some extra cash.

The first thing I did was set up a new eBay account with a user name that was in no way identifiable as mine.

Although I don’t generally buy or sell very much on eBay, I have had my main account for several years and I wanted to keep that account in good standing.

Like most people, I have several different email addresses so I used one of my others to set the new account up.

I then started using this account to buy the odd thing from eBay so I would start generating some feedback.

I’ve had the ‘smelly shoe’ eBay account for over two years now without any issues but it’s always worth setting up a new one just in case you have any problems or your account ends up getting shut down.

It’s worth it because it is possible you could get a sale very quickly as many people have a feet fetish and may be interested in buying your shoes.

Why not ask friends and family if they have old shoes that you can sell as well? You can then give them a percentage of your sale.

How to List Your Smelly Shoes On eBay

I’ve often seen people say they don’t know what to list their smelly shoes as on eBay. The main thing is not using words like ‘smelly’ or ‘fetish’ or even ‘well worn’ as they will be a massive red flag to eBay and your listing will likely get taken down.

Use words like ‘Trashed’. If you’re still unsure have a search on eBay for Trashed Ladies Shoes to get an idea of what others are using.

How Much To Charge When Selling Smelly Shoes

A quick scout through eBay will also give a good idea of what prices people are getting for their smelly shoes. I usually set a minimum of £10 and get between £10 and £15 on average for each pair.

Of course, there’s still eBay and Paypal fees to be paid but I still think it’s good profit on Primark shoes that would have ordinarily gone in the bin.

How I Made £70 Selling Well-Worn Shoes on eBay

Occasionally though you might get super lucky and find someone that is willing to pay well over the odds for your smelly shoes, and this is what happened to me.

I listed a pair of ‘Trashed Ladies Primark Shoes’ on a Sunday evening after work. Monday morning I received a message from a gentleman saying he would be away for the end of the auction and I would I consider changing them to ‘Buy It Now’ at £70.

I was genuinely gobsmacked. I agreed and changed the listing and he immediately bought them. I upgraded postage to recorded delivery to make absolutely sure he would get them and then spent the next few weeks worrying he’d report me to eBay, complain they weren’t smelly enough or ask for his money back.

None of the above happened. He got smelly Primark shoes and I got my money. I was very happy indeed and it remains to this day the best sale I’ve had on eBay.

Where To Sell Well-Worn Shoes (Not eBay)

If using eBay isn’t an option for you, you could try selling on a dedicated platform, such as all things worn.

Tips For Selling Smelly Shoes On eBay

If you do decide you want to try your hand at selling smelly shoes on eBay, here are my tips. 

• Firstly make sure your shoes really are very smelly and well worn. Honestly, the worse state they in the better. I find shoes where you can see obvious damage and wear and tear, particularly if you can see the inside of the shoes is black, sell the best. You can also try selling worn socks and slippers
• Make sure to state that you will clean the shoes to eBay standards before posting, even though you won’t. Your listing will get taken down if you do not put this.
• Be prepared for the messages. There will be lots of them. While most I received were friendly and polite – generally asking how smelly the shoes were – some were pretty graphic and of a very sexual nature. If this isn’t something you think you can stomach then this is not the side hustle for you. Remember you don’t have to reply and I often find it’s not those who message who actually end up buying the shoes.
• Some messages may ask for additional photographs of your feet. It’s up to you whether you chose to provide these but if you do it is something you should absolutely charge extra for.
• Package the shoes well. I usually put them in a plastic zip-lock bag or wrap them in clingfilm to keep the odour in.
• You may be asked to complete a transaction outside of eBay. This is not something I would recommend doing as you forgo all of eBay and Paypals buyer/seller protection.
• Never leave feedback for the buyer and it’s unlikely the buyer will leave feedback for you – another reason setting up a new account is essential for this hustle.

If Selling Smelly and well-worn shoes is not for you? See all my other ways to make extra cash here.

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