Katie Mather, a 37-year-old stay-at-home mother of three from Warrington, has built a thriving online reselling business in under 12 months by tapping into Britain's booming pre-owned clothing market. After a failed decluttering venture, she discovered Vinted and now earns over £2,000 in her best months, having previously relied on Universal Credit.
From benefits to business success
Katie, who previously worked at a nursery and as a cleaner, started a home decluttering service and promoted it online. A customer's question about selling on Vinted sparked the idea. She recalled: "Somebody messaged me out of the blue and said, 'Do you sell on Vinted?' So I said, 'No, I don't, I'm sorry.' And then it didn't sit with me right, so it played on my mind and I was like, why do I not?"
She launched a Facebook group called Vinted Done For You and began advertising. "I just started advertising and I've not had time to think since. It's been absolute madness," she explained.
Unique pricing model
Unlike commercial Vinted traders who take a commission per sale, Katie charges clients an upfront fee. Vendors keep all proceeds from sales. "Other people will take clothes off a person and they will list them and then they take a percentage of the profit," Katie said. "But for me, listing them, photographing, storing them, and researching how much they are, you're doing a lot of work there, and it's not guaranteed money. So I went at it at a different angle, in that they pay me an upfront price."
She offers two packages: £60 for 10 items (stored for four weeks, with daily account checks and posting) and £135 for 30 items (stored for 12 weeks).
Rapid growth and challenges
Since launching 12 months ago, Katie has expanded her rented storage unit twice due to demand. She has served 180 clients, many returning for repeat business. The venture suits her lifestyle as a stay-at-home mother. "I think in my first month of doing it, I earned like £800, which was just incredible for me," she revealed.
Despite success, she works long hours. "My mum helps me now and again, and I have started to rope my partner in a little bit now because it's just getting chaotic." She hopes to move the business to a separate property or small shop.
Advice for aspiring sellers
Katie recommends Vinted to anyone seeking extra income. "I do think if it works for me - it can work for anyone. I'm just like your average person. I can't even believe that I'm fortunate enough to have this to have worked, and to have gone how big it is." Her top tip: avoid listing everything at once. "[Vinted's] got such a vast audience, it's so massive that anything sells."
