Carboot Sale Finds to Resell for Profit
The most profitable items to source at boot fairs for eBay, Vinted, and Depop
There's a thriving community of people who buy at car boot sales and resell online for profit. Some do it as a hobby that pays for itself; others have turned it into a genuine side income. The margins can be remarkable — it's not unusual to buy something for £2 and sell it for £50 or more.
The key is knowing what to look for. You need to recognise value that other buyers (and sometimes the sellers themselves) have missed. This guide covers the most profitable categories, how to check prices on the spot, and which platforms to use for different items.
📱How to Check eBay Sold Prices on Your Phone
This is the single most important skill for a reseller. Before buying anything over a few pounds, check what it actually sells for:
- Open the eBay app and search for the item
- Tap Filter at the top
- Scroll down and toggle "Sold Items" on
- Tap Apply
- You'll now see actual completed sale prices in green
Only look at sold prices, not listing prices. What someone asks for and what someone actually pays are very different things. For vinyl records, use the Discogs app instead — it has a barcode scanner and shows median sale prices for specific pressings.
Most Profitable Categories
These are the categories where experienced resellers consistently find items worth significantly more than they paid. Typical buy prices are what you'd expect to pay at a car boot sale.
👟Branded Fashion
- •Nike trainers and sportswear
- •Adidas Originals hoodies and tracksuits
- •Levi's jeans (especially 501s)
- •North Face jackets
- •Ralph Lauren polo shirts
- •Vintage band t-shirts (genuine ones from the 90s/2000s)
Reseller tip: Check labels carefully. Genuine branded items have consistent stitching, quality labels, and correct logo placement. Vintage Nike with the 'silver tag' label or old-school Adidas with the trefoil logo commands premium prices.
🎮Retro Video Games
- •Nintendo 64 games (GoldenEye, Zelda, Mario)
- •PlayStation 1 & 2 games (especially RPGs)
- •Game Boy games with boxes
- •Original Xbox games
- •SNES and Mega Drive cartridges
- •Any sealed or boxed retro console
Reseller tip: Loose cartridges sell well, but boxed games with manuals can be worth 5-10x more. Check the disc/cartridge condition. Rare titles like Suikoden II (PS1) or Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64) can sell for over £100.
🎵Vinyl Records
- •First pressings of classic albums (check matrix numbers)
- •Coloured vinyl and picture discs
- •Northern Soul singles
- •Original punk records (Sex Pistols, The Clash)
- •Prog rock (Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Yes)
- •Anything on Factory Records, Creation Records, or Stiff Records
Reseller tip: Use the Discogs app to scan barcodes and check values instantly. Condition is everything with vinyl — look for VG+ or better. A first pressing of a Beatles album in good condition can fetch £50-200.
💍Vintage Jewellery
- •9ct gold chains and rings (check hallmarks)
- •Sterling silver (look for 925 stamp)
- •Vintage costume jewellery (Monet, Trifari, Sarah Coventry)
- •Art Deco brooches
- •Amber and jet jewellery
- •Vintage watches (Seiko, Casio, Rotary)
Reseller tip: Carry a small jeweller's loupe to check hallmarks. UK gold hallmarks include a crown (England), a castle (Edinburgh), or an anchor (Birmingham). Even broken 9ct gold has scrap value of around £20-25 per gram.
👜Designer Handbags
- •Louis Vuitton (check date codes and stitching)
- •Mulberry bags (especially Bayswater and Alexa)
- •Burberry (genuine Nova Check pattern)
- •Coach leather bags
- •Radley bags (still popular on resale)
- •Vintage Chanel (extremely rare but it happens)
Reseller tip: Authentication is crucial. Study real vs fake tells for each brand before you buy. Louis Vuitton never goes on sale and has precise stitching counts. Mulberry bags have serial numbers on leather tags. If it seems too good to be true at a boot sale, it usually is — but genuine ones do slip through.
🍳Vintage Pyrex & Kitchenware
- •JAJ Pyrex (UK-made, especially the Autumn Glory and Versailles patterns)
- •Hornsea Pottery (Heirloom, Saffron patterns)
- •Denby stoneware
- •Le Creuset cast iron (any colour)
- •Poole Pottery
- •Vintage enamelware
Reseller tip: Pyrex collecting has exploded in recent years. The rarer patterns command serious money. A complete JAJ Pyrex casserole set in a sought-after pattern can sell for £60-80 on eBay. Always check for chips and cracks.
📷Cameras & Photography Equipment
- •Film SLR cameras (Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-1, Pentax K1000)
- •Vintage lenses (especially fast primes)
- •Polaroid cameras (SX-70, 600 series)
- •Medium format cameras (Mamiya, Hasselblad)
- •Camera bags and accessories
- •Darkroom equipment (enlargers, developing tanks)
Reseller tip: Film photography is hugely popular again. A working Canon AE-1 that you pick up for £5 can sell for £80-150 on eBay. Check the shutter fires at all speeds and the light meter works. Even 'for parts' cameras sell well.
🧸Jellycat & Collectible Toys
- •Jellycat soft toys (especially retired designs)
- •Sylvanian Families sets
- •Vintage Polly Pocket (1990s compact style)
- •Original Beanie Babies (specific rare ones)
- •Vintage Sindy and Barbie dolls
- •LEGO minifigures and discontinued sets
Reseller tip: Jellycat has become a massive collector brand. Retired Jellycat designs — especially Bashful Bunnies in discontinued colours — can sell for 3-5x their original price. Check the Jellycat website to see what's currently available; anything that isn't is worth more.
Where to Sell: Platform Comparison
Different items sell better on different platforms. Here's an honest comparison of the main options for UK resellers.
eBay
Fees
12.8% final value fee + 30p per order
Best For
Collectibles, electronics, retro games, antiques, anything niche with collectors
Audience
Huge global audience, best for rare/valuable items
Payment
Paid within 2-5 working days via managed payments
Vinted
Fees
0% seller fees (buyer pays a service fee)
Best For
Fashion, shoes, bags, accessories, children's clothing
Audience
Fashion-focused, younger demographic, strong UK market
Payment
Released once buyer confirms receipt (usually 2-5 days)
Depop
Fees
0% seller fees (buyer pays a service fee)
Best For
Vintage fashion, streetwear, trendy items, Y2K aesthetic
Audience
Gen Z focused, trend-driven, strong for vintage and unique pieces
Payment
Similar to Vinted — released after buyer confirmation
Facebook Marketplace
Fees
Free for local collection
Best For
Furniture, large items, bulk lots, anything heavy or hard to post
Audience
Local buyers, good for items that are expensive to ship
Payment
Cash on collection — instant payment
Real Profit Examples
These are realistic examples based on common car boot sale finds. Profit shown is after platform fees and postage.
| Item | Bought | Sold | Platform | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nike Air Max 90s (worn once) | £3 | £38 | Vinted | £35 |
| N64 GoldenEye (cartridge only) | £1 | £22 | eBay | £18 |
| JAJ Pyrex Autumn Glory set | £4 | £55 | eBay | £46 |
| Canon AE-1 camera body | £8 | £95 | eBay | £82 |
| Mulberry Bayswater bag | £15 | £180 | eBay | £158 |
| Levi's 501 jeans (vintage) | £2 | £35 | Vinted | £33 |
| Retired Jellycat bunny | £2 | £28 | eBay | £24 |
| First pressing vinyl (The Smiths) | £1 | £45 | eBay | £41 |
⚠️When Does a Hobby Become Trading? (HMRC Rules)
If you're selling your own unwanted belongings, you're not trading and don't need to worry about tax. But if you're buying items specifically to resell at a profit, HMRC considers this trading.
The good news: the UK has a £1,000 trading allowance. If your total trading income (not profit, but total sales) is under £1,000 per tax year, you don't need to tell HMRC or pay any tax.
If you go over £1,000, you'll need to register for Self Assessment and file a tax return. You can choose to either deduct the £1,000 trading allowance from your income, or deduct your actual expenses (buying costs, postage, packaging, platform fees, petrol to boot sales).
This isn't tax advice — check GOV.UK or speak to an accountant if you're unsure. But for most casual resellers, the £1,000 allowance covers everything comfortably.
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