STARING at the clothes bursting out of her storage cupboard and piling up in the lounge, Katie Mather smiled at her own success.
The mum-of-three had launched a lucrative side hustle – but while business was booming, Katie soon realised she’d need to take drastic action after she was unable to squeeze into her own living room.
Katie sells other people’s clothes for them on Vinted and regularly makes upwards of £2,000 a month.
She is so successful, it’s now her full-time job and as she takes on more and more clients, she’s even had to rope in her mum, Rita, to help her take photos and send packages.
“I can’t believe how fast this has taken off,” explains Katie, 37, from Warrington, Cheshire.
“So many of us have piles of clothes that build up. We stick them in a bag for life and they get moved from one room to another. We never get round to listing them on the app.
“I wanted to help with that burden. Sell the clothes, get some money for people and make a business out of it.”
Katie’s money-spinning brainwave first hit her last summer and quickly saw her struggling for space.
“When I started in July last year, I was cramming the clothes people gave me to sell into a storage cupboard in the hallway,” she says.
“Before long, I had to stack boxes up in the lounge. Eventually, you could barely get in there to sit down, so I started storing them at my mum’s house.
“That too became overrun, so I rented a locker and I’ve just upgraded to a bigger one.”
‘Lightbulb moment’
Previously, Katie had been working full-time in a nursery – but the pay was poor, the days were long and she was surviving on Universal Credit benefit payments.
After welcoming her third child in September 2023, she chose not to return to work so she could have more flexibility caring for her children, including her older two, now aged six and five.
Katie initially did some cleaning work and launched an online decluttering business, but when one client asked if she sold on Vinted, she had a “lightbulb moment”.
“I couldn’t get the idea out of my head,” she says.
“I messaged in some Facebook groups asking if this was a service people might be willing to pay for.
“The response was positive, so I decided to go for it.”
Vinted Done For You was born, and Katie now offers customers two packages: the cheapest, costing £60, involves uploading up to ten items over a four week period, while listing more clothes for a longer time period costs more.
Sell the clothes, get some money for people and make a business out of it
She charges an upfront fee to take photos and post items on her clients’ own accounts, which she has access to for the duration of the sale.
Katie then packs up the clothes and sends them off when they sell. The client gets any money she makes.
In her first month of operating, she was shocked to make around £800.
“I was ecstatic,” says Katie. “In just four weeks I’d earned a good amount and could see there was huge potential in what I was doing.”
In a good month, she can make up to £2,000.
“It’s not enough for holidays or fancy clothes yet, but it’s building quickly and I’m no longer on benefits,” she says. “My dream is to take the kids abroad.”
So far, Katie has helped 125 clients, many of whom are so happy with her service they have returned a second time.
KATIE’S TOP TIPS FOR SELLING ON VINTED
Be a happy snapper
The more photos you have of labels, flaws in the item or showing different angles, the more likely it is to sell. Snaps are best taken in natural light on a plain background.
Go for info overload
People don’t want to waste time messaging you to ask questions, they’ll just find something else.
Don’t under-sell
Look up similar items to set a competitive price. But price slightly higher, to allow room for offers, as buyers often ask for discounts.
Avoid selling mid-week
Sundays are the busiest time on Vinted, making it the ideal day for uploading new items.
Flaunt your flaws
Be honest about your items – always include the brand, size, condition and measurements.
‘Blew up’
“It absolutely blew up,” she says. “I love doing it and I still get a buzz when something sells.
“A lot of my clients give me designer items to sell. I managed to sell one Louis Vuitton shirt for £400. The client was thrilled.
“I love it when they get a good payout. It’s a win-win situation.”
It hasn’t all been plain-sailing, though.
“It has been hard at times and there have been a lot of tears and tantrums at home,” Katie says.
“I have three small children to look after, so I don’t have as much time to dedicate to the business as I’d like.
“Currently, I work when the children are at school and at nursery, and in the evenings. Sometimes I work seven days a week.
“Launching a setup like this from your kitchen table is tough. I have to check client accounts daily and it takes quite a long time to list everything. I’ve had to ask my mum for help, but I try not to work past 9pm. By then, I’m so exhausted I just go to bed.”
It can also be stressful if deliveries go wrong.
“I’ve had a few issues where items get lost in the post and then it is difficult to sort, as Vinted only gives automated replies,” she says.
“You can never get hold of a real person to help.
This business has given me the freedom to look after my children. I can pick them up from school myself and be there for them when they need me
“But this business has given me the freedom to look after my children. I can pick them up from school myself and be there for them when they need me.
“I don’t have to work long hours looking after other people’s kids like I did at the nursery – I can be there for my own.
‘Never been happier’
“Working for myself has been a game-changer and my dream would be to expand, employ more staff and possibly franchise off the business.”
For now, Katie is sticking with selling only clothes and is focusing on Vinted, rather than other platforms.
“I don’t really have the time to sell other items or use other sites like eBay right now,” she explains.
“I could really do with someone who has some money behind them to support the business. I have joked about going on Dragon’s Den, but I’d be too nervous to go on telly.
“I think my business is unique, but right now I can only take on so much work. My next move is to help other mums or people who were struggling as I was.
“I want to mentor and teach people how I have done it, allowing them to set up their own Vinted business.
“I hope once my youngest is in school I can find a way to take on new clients. But for now, I’m busy enough and I’ve never been happier.”
Do you need to pay tax on items sold on Vinted?
QUICK facts on tax from the team at Vinted…
- The only time that an item might be taxable is if it sells for more than £6,000 and there is profit (sells for more than you paid for it). Even then, you can use your capital gains tax-free allowance of £3,000 to offset it.
- Generally, only business sellers trading for profit (buying goods with the purpose of selling for more than they paid for them) might need to pay tax. Business sellers who trade for profit can use a tax-free allowance of £1,000, which has been in place since 2017.
- More information here: vinted.co.uk/no-changes-to-taxes
