October last year I set myself a challenge: source exclusively from charity shops for a full month and track every penny. I'd been reselling casually before that - buying the odd thing, listing it when I got round to it, not really treating it seriously. October was the month I got systematic about it.
I visited 23 charity shops across the month. Spent £187 on stock. Made £1,247 in Vinted sales. That's £1,060 gross profit before packaging costs (roughly £28 for the month). Net profit: around £1,032 for the month. Not bad for something I did in a few hours a week between a full-time job and two kids.
Here's exactly how I did it.
Why Charity Shops Work for Vinted Reselling
Charity shops price on condition, not brand. A Barbour wax jacket in decent condition might sit on a rail at £12 in a British Heart Foundation because the volunteer didn't know what it was. The same jacket sells on Vinted for £65–£80. That gap - the knowledge gap between the charity shop pricer and the Vinted buyer - is where your profit lives.
The key insight is that charity shops price what they can see, not what they know. They see a heavy wax jacket. They price it like a heavy jacket. You see a Barbour label. You price it like a Barbour.
Not every charity shop is equal, though. And not every charity shop trip pays off.
Which Charity Shops Are Worth Your Time?
| Shop Type | Best For | Typical Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxfam Boutique | Premium brands, curated stock | £8–£25 | More knowledgeable staff - prices higher, but quality guaranteed |
| British Heart Foundation | Mid-range brands, good menswear | £3–£15 | Massive stock turnover, worth visiting weekly |
| Sue Ryder | Inconsistent but occasional gems | £2–£10 | Less brand-aware pricing - good hunting ground |
| Scope | Homewares and clothing mix | £2–£8 | Often overlooks quality clothing |
| Age UK | Good for vintage, often underpriced | £1–£8 | Smaller shops, faster stock turnover |
| Local independent | Best ROI, least brand awareness | £1–£5 | Single-shop charities often price lowest |
| PDSA | Variable, worth checking | £2–£10 | Good for children's branded clothing |
My favourite shops are the smaller independent charity shops - a local hospice shop near me routinely had better stock than the big chains, and prices a fraction lower. The Oxfam Boutiques are useful for checking brand comps, but I rarely buy from them because the margin is squeezed.
What to Look For: Brands That Flip Well
This is the core knowledge that makes charity shop flipping work. Learn these brands and you'll spot them on a rail in two seconds.
| Brand | Typical Charity Shop Price | Typical Vinted Sell Price | Approximate Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour | £8–£20 | £55–£120 | 4x–6x |
| North Face | £5–£15 | £35–£80 | 4x–6x |
| Patagonia | £5–£15 | £40–£90 | 5x–8x |
| Ralph Lauren (polo/shirt) | £3–£8 | £18–£35 | 4x–6x |
| Tommy Hilfiger | £3–£8 | £15–£30 | 4x–5x |
| Fred Perry | £4–£10 | £20–£40 | 3x–5x |
| Levi's (jeans) | £4–£10 | £20–£50 | 4x–6x |
| Adidas (originals/retro) | £3–£8 | £15–£35 | 4x–6x |
| Nike (vintage/specific items) | £3–£8 | £12–£30 | 3x–5x |
| Superdry (older styles) | £4–£10 | £15–£35 | 3x–4x |
| Joules | £3–£8 | £15–£30 | 3x–5x |
| Seasalt | £4–£10 | £18–£35 | 3x–4x |
My most reliable brand is Ralph Lauren. Polo shirts in particular - they're everywhere, condition is usually good, and they sell reliably within a week or two at £20–£30. I target them in men's medium and large (fastest moving sizes) and set my charity shop ceiling at £5. At that price, even if they sell slowly, I'm still 4x up.
My October: Month Documented
To give you a real picture, here's the breakdown of my best month:
| Category | Items Bought | Total Spent | Total Sold | Gross Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's outerwear | 6 | £62 | £348 | £286 |
| Men's polo/shirts | 14 | £52 | £312 | £260 |
| Women's knitwear | 8 | £28 | £195 | £167 |
| Jeans (Levi's) | 5 | £22 | £148 | £126 |
| Footwear | 4 | £23 | £244 | £221 |
| Total | 37 | £187 | £1,247 | £1,060 |
The footwear was the surprise. I'd previously avoided shoes at charity shops - condition issues, sizing limitations. In October I tested it. Found a pair of Timberland boots in a size 10 for £6, sold for £45. Found Adidas Gazelles in a size 8 for £4, sold for £28. The key with shoes: only buy if the soles are barely worn and there's no structural damage.
The outerwear drove the biggest individual profits. A North Face Himalayan jacket in black went for £78 - I paid £14. That one sale paid for nearly a quarter of my monthly stock budget.
How to Work a Charity Shop Efficiently
Most people spend too long in charity shops and leave with the wrong stuff. Here's the system that works for me:
1. Go straight to the branded rail or check labels fast
Don't browse - scan. Run your hands along the rail and flip each label. You're looking for the brands you know. Everything else is background noise.
2. Check condition before price
Pick it up, turn it over, check elbows, cuffs, collar, underarms. If there's bobbling, discolouration, or a stain - put it back. Vinted buyers notice everything and bad reviews hurt your profile.
3. Check the price last
Form your view of what it's worth before you see the charity shop's price. If you've already decided it's a Ralph Lauren polo in great condition, you know your ceiling is £6–£7. Then look at the price. If it's £4, you're buying it. If it's £12, leave it.
4. Don't get emotional about finds
I once spent £18 on a Barbour wax jacket that turned out to be a cheap Barbour-branded gilet (not the main line). It sold for £22. Not worth it. Know your products before you spend.
ROI Targets: What Makes It Worth Buying?
I use a minimum 3x ROI rule - if I can't reasonably expect to sell it for at least three times what I paid, I don't buy it. After packaging costs (~£0.75 per item) and any Vinted fees, a 3x return is roughly where I break even on a decent hourly rate.
| Paid | 3x Sell Target | 5x Sell Target | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| £2 | £6 | £10 | Only worth it for very fast movers |
| £3 | £9 | £15 | Acceptable if it'll sell quickly |
| £5 | £15 | £25 | Sweet spot for charity shop finds |
| £8 | £24 | £40 | Only if it's a strong brand in great condition |
| £12 | £36 | £60 | Only for premium items (Barbour, North Face, etc.) |
| £18 | £54 | £90 | High risk - needs to be something you're very confident about |
My target is 4x or better for most items. The 3x rule is the floor, not the aim.
What NOT to Buy
Just as important as knowing what to buy is knowing what to leave behind.
- Cheap fast fashion (Primark, Shein, Boohoo): sells for pennies, takes up listing time
- Heavily bobbled knitwear: buyers ask for returns or leave negative feedback
- Items with stains or odours: even "small" stains will generate complaints
- Generic no-name brands: no search demand, no sales
- Damaged zips, broken buttons: unless you're handy with repairs, avoid
- Heavily sized items (very small or very large): slower to sell, bigger selection gap
Tracking Your Finds and Profitability
Use our Vinted profit calculator to track each item's actual return. Once you've done a month of proper records, patterns emerge quickly - you'll see which brands sell fastest, which sizes move, and whether some charity shops are consistently better than others.
For help understanding the tax side of charity shop reselling income, check our do you pay tax on Vinted sales article - reselling is trading, so the £1,000 trading allowance applies.
FAQ
Do I need to declare charity shop flipping income to HMRC?
If your gross reselling income across all platforms exceeds £1,000 in a tax year, yes. Charity shop flipping is buying to sell - that's trading. The HMRC trading allowance is £1,000 gross per year. Above that, you'll need to register for Self Assessment.
How many charity shops should I visit per week?
When I was doing this seriously, I'd hit 4–6 shops per session, once or twice a week. More than that and it becomes diminishing returns - you start buying marginal stuff out of habit. Quality of sourcing beats quantity.
What's the best day to visit charity shops?
Monday and Tuesday tend to have the freshest stock from weekend donations. Saturday mornings are also good if you're near a busy high street. Avoid Friday afternoons - the best stuff from the week has usually been picked through.
Do I need to check authenticity on charity shop finds?
For most brands (Ralph Lauren, North Face, Barbour), yes - check labels carefully. The main red flags are poor stitching on logos, misaligned text on labels, and cheap lining materials. Vinted takes counterfeit listings seriously. If in doubt, leave it.
What sizes sell fastest on Vinted?
For men's clothing: M and L move fastest. For women's: 10–14 (UK) is the sweet spot. Avoid extremes unless the brand is strong enough to compensate for the smaller buyer pool.
Can I negotiate in charity shops?
Yes, politely. I rarely push it below the listed price, but if something has a minor flaw and is priced at £8, asking if they'd take £5 is reasonable. Many shops have daily deals or colour-tag discount systems - ask if there's a sale rail.
Track every charity shop flip with our Vinted profit calculator. Enter your buy price, estimated sell price, and packaging cost - see your actual margin before you list.
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