Picture this: you’re on a beautiful Sunday morning walk and spot a garage sale. The reseller in you just can’t seem to pass it up. You notice an amazing pair of Coach espadrille sneakers.
After checking the current market value of the shoes, you’re totally sold! Excitedly you get home to take pictures. However, your heart sinks because you notice the left shoe and right shoe are different sizes.
Confession time, this is exactly what happened to me. I thought “How am I going to sell two different size shoes?” So, is this just me? No way- I can’t be the only one who has made this mistake!
If you have too, I’m here to tell you there's no shame. I sold this mismatched pair of shoes within 24 hours of listing, and took home a profit of $36! Read on to see how you can too.
Why Do People Buy Mixed Size Shoes?
As a physical therapist by trade, I interact with many populations that benefit from either a mismatched size shoe or single shoe.
We’re all born with our own unique features and traits. Sometimes individuals are born with uneven sized feet, thus having a need for two different size shoes.
This may also include but is not limited to individuals who require the use of an orthotic, like a shoe insert or a brace. Due to the bulky size, they may prefer to size up on the one shoe for a more comfortable fit.
Additionally, individuals that have undergone a limb amputation have unique needs for their footwear. These individuals may now only need one shoe due to this. Or, if the person is utilizing a prosthesis they may need a mismatched size shoe due to the bulk of the foot piece on the prosthetic device.
In summary, there is a large portion of the population that are looking for these mixed size or single shoes!
5 Platforms For Selling
Luckily with mixed size shoes, the plan of attack for selling them is very similar to a same size pair of shoes. I listed my Coach shoes on all of the usual platforms I sell on including:
I was able to list these shoes on multiple platforms quickly and easily with Vendoo. However, with my research I found other sites that are perfect for selling mixed size shoes! This includes the platform Odd Shoe Finder.
Odd Shoe Finder
I personally listed my mixed size pair of shoes on Odd Shoe Finder. It has a format similar to listing on an eBay form. You can add pictures, a description, shipping cost/service, and pick your pricing strategy depending on if you want an auction and/or a buy it now format.
For most sellers, it is free to list items. However, you can sign up for a premium membership which will give you extra perks like the site promoting the listing, more slots for photos, and increased daily listing limits. The cost for a premium membership is a super affordable $5 per year.
Tips For Listing and Selling
When selling mixed size shoes, it is important to describe the item with detail. Of course this is always true with any item, but in this case it is vital when selling on a platform that is not for mismatched shoes specifically.
While this seems silly, I’m amazed at the questions that I get from customers that are clearly answered in my title and/or description.
Regardless, it is good practice to cover your butt to protect yourself from returns or cases being opened against you on the different selling platforms.
I recommend putting your descriptors in the following sections:
- Title (example: Size 7 / 8)
- Description (example: This listing includes a pair of mismatched shoes with the left shoe being size 7 and the right shoe being size 8)
- Pictures (example: show the size tag of each shoe, or put text on the picture clearly showing which shoe is which size)
When it comes to filling out the size section in the marketplace form, there is no one right way to do it. My standard practice is to put the size as the smaller of the two. The rationale is that someone who is looking for a size 7 may be able to size up to a roomier size 8, however probably can’t squeeze into a smaller size.
So, if anyone was wondering, there IS a way to sell mixed size shoes! I’m glad what seemed like my mistake opened up my eyes to a new market.
Next time you come across a size of mismatched shoes or a single shoe, give it a go! There are more people looking for that type of item than you may think.
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