Full guide · Ohio
How to start reselling clothes and shoes as a teenager
Reselling looks like the easiest business on this list and is one of the hardest, because your money goes out before it comes in. The people who make it work are not the ones with the best eye. They are the ones who buy cheap, photograph properly and sell patiently.
What it costs
What you actually need
- Starting money you can afford to lose
- $50–$150
- A phone camera and a bright window
- $0
- Cleaning supplies
- $20
- Shipping supplies
- $15
This is the only idea on the site that needs real money up front, and the only one where you can lose it.
Daylight against a plain wall beats any lighting kit. Photos are most of the price you get.
A brush, mild soap, a magic eraser. A clean pair of shoes sells for far more than a dirty identical pair.
Poly mailers and a cheap scale, if you post rather than meet in person.
Borrow before you buy
Do your first three jobs with equipment you already have access to. Buy your own out of money a customer has already handed you, never out of money you are hoping to make.
What to charge
Pricing, honestly
Start at the lower end of each range. Raise it once five people have paid you without hesitating.
- What to pay
- A quarter of resale
- Everyday brands, thrifted
- $15–$40 resale
- Sought-after shoes
- Much higher, much riskier
- Shipping
- Charged to the buyer
If it sells for $60, pay $15. This margin is what covers the things that do not sell.
Slow, steady, low risk. This is where most people should start.
Fakes are everywhere and they are good. Do not spend real money here until you can authenticate.
Weigh it before you list it. Underestimating postage eats a whole sale.
These are what people commonly charge, not what you will make, and they were first written for a Canadian market. Look up what adults near you charge for the same job, then start a little under it and raise your price once you have five happy customers.
Your first five
Exactly who to ask, in order
Warmest first. Your first attempt should be with someone who will be kind about it, because you will be bad at it.
Person 1
Local buy-and-sell groups, posted by a parent if the platform has an age limit.Person 2
People at school, for the everyday brands they already wear.Person 3
A local marketplace app, meeting in a public place with an adult.Person 4
A consignment or vintage shop that buys outright — less money, no waiting, no scams.Person 5
Repeat buyers. Someone who bought once and liked it is worth ten new listings.
Send this
“Selling a pair of size 10 Air Force 1s, cleaned, no box. $55, or $60 shipped anywhere in Ohio. Photos are the actual shoes, front, back, sole and any marks. Happy to meet at the library on Saturday.”
Change the names and the price. Keep the shape: who you are, how they know you, what you do, the price, and an easy way to say yes.
Not optional
Staying safe
- Meet in a public place, in daylight, with an adult. A library or a police station lobby, never a house.
- Cash or a completed e-transfer before the item leaves your hands. Never a screenshot of a transfer.
- Assume anyone who wants to pay more than you asked and have it shipped somewhere odd is a scam. That is the most common one aimed at teenagers.
- Never send an item first because someone says they have paid. Check the account, not the message.
- Photograph every item and every mark before it goes, so a false claim is easy to answer.
Tell a parent or guardian where you are working and when you expect to be finished, every time.
The actual business
Getting them to book you again
- Write down what you paid, what it sold for and how long it took. This is the only way you learn what to buy.
- Reinvest the profit, not the float. Keep your starting money whole.
- Sell the slow things cheap and move on. Money stuck in unsold stock is not profit.
- Photograph every flaw. A buyer who trusts your listings comes back.
- Learn one narrow category properly rather than buying a bit of everything.
Two things to know in Ohio
If someone hires you. Ohio generally requires a minor work permit (an age and schooling certificate) for ages 14 through 17 during the school year, and in summer break only for ages 14 and 15. It is not required in some common teen jobs, including snow shoveling, newspaper delivery and family farm work. See the Department of Commerce and the Legislative Service Commission.
If you work for yourself, that is a different situation, and the sources I read do not spell out how the permit rules treat a teenager running their own small business. If you are unsure, ask the Ohio Department of Commerce, Bureau of Wage and Hour.
Taxes. Money you earn counts. Net self-employment earnings of $400 or more usually mean self-employment tax, and in Ohio lawn care, landscaping and snow removal become taxable services once your sales reach $5,000 a year. The Ohio starting guide explains both.
Checked October 9, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Rules change.
More ideas are on the full list. Ready to make it a real business? Read how to start a business in Ohio.
Keep looking
Other jobs a student can start
- Lawn mowing
Cut grass for neighbors on a schedule they don't have to think about.
- Dog walking
Walk dogs whose owners are at work all day.
- Snow shoveling
Clear driveways and walks before people leave for work.
- Car washing and detailing
Wash, vacuum and wipe down cars properly, at the customer's house.