Resale profit calculator: max buy price for thrift and charity shop finds

Q: What is the most I should pay for an item at a thrift store or charity shop?

Start from the price the item actually sells for, take off fees and postage to get what lands in your account, then keep the share of the selling price you want as profit. Whatever is left is your maximum buy price.

Profit per item, real margin, and above all the most you should pay at the thrift store, charity shop or car boot sale. Free, no sign-up.

Where will you sell it? Currency Expected selling price What you paid (or would pay) Postage you cover0 if the buyer pays postage Marketplace fee (%)Filled in from the platform, you can change it Fixed fee per orderPer-order or payment fee Income tax rate, optional (%)Applied to profit, not to sales. Leave 0 to ignore Target margin (% of selling price)

Paid out after fees and postage

Profit per item

Net margin

Max buy price

Run this for your whole stock, automatically

ResellOS works out your max buy price from your own sales history, fills your listings from your inventory, and gives you an online shop with no commission.

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Fees used by the calculator

Approximate seller fees as of September 2026, for everyday clothing and accessories. Marketplaces change their fees often and some vary by category, so check the platform's own fee page before you rely on a number.

Platform	Seller fee used
Vinted UK	0 %: the buyer pays a Buyer Protection fee on top
eBay UK, private seller	0 % in most categories: the buyer pays a Buyer Protection fee
eBay UK, business seller	about 12.8 % + £0.30 per order (varies by category)
eBay US	about 13.6 % + $0.40 per order (varies by category)
Depop UK	0 % selling fee, payment processing about 2.9 % + £0.30
Depop US	0 % selling fee, payment processing about 3.3 % + $0.45
Poshmark (US)	20 % on sales of $15 or more, flat $2.95 below $15

Optional extras such as promoted or boosted listings are not included.

Frequently asked questions

How do I work out the profit on an item I resell?

Profit = selling price, minus what you paid, minus any postage you cover, minus the marketplace's selling and payment fees. If you want the figure after tax, take your income tax rate off that profit.

What is the most I should pay for an item?

Start from the price the item really sells for (look at sold listings, not asking prices), take off fees and postage to get what lands in your account, then keep the share of the selling price you want as profit. What is left is your maximum buy price. Our guide How much to pay for thrift finds walks through it with examples.

Is income tax charged on sales or on profit?

For self-employed resellers in the UK and the US, income tax is charged on profit, not on the selling price. The calculator applies your optional tax rate to the profit on each item and raises your target so that the margin you ask for is what you keep after tax. It is a rough guide: check your own situation with HMRC, the IRS or an accountant.