'I was bored during the pandemic, now I've made £73k with my side hustle'

A father and son team from have made a whopping £73k by reselling old clothes on Depop and eBay. Callum Harrison, 26, from Northwich, Cheshire, began reselling wholesale unwanted clobber when he found himself "bored" during the pandemic and in need of an extra income.

Over the past four years, he has gradually expanded his business and now his dad, retired software salesman Tim Harrison, 60, has joined him. Callum sources clothing items like Carhartt jackets from wholesalers such as Fleek - a vintage wholesale marketplace - for £35 and then sells them on for £100.

Although he only made a few thousand in his first years as a reseller, his turnover soared to £35,000 in 2022 to 2023. Last year, he made £22,000 as he worked less while travelling, but in the last three months alone, he has made £16,000 on Depop.

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Callum said: "It's definitely brought us closer together. I think my parents were a bit apprehensive at first but then they saw a football shirt selling for £80.

"My record week of sales was 3,000 one week. Anything I get I reinvest."

Callum has always had a passion for business and started looking into reselling in late 2020 while in his final year at the University of Newcastle studying business and marketing. He added: "I knew a friend who works at a vintage wholesaler."

"I've always sold on Depop since I was 16."

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Initially, Callum used reselling as a side hustle for some extra cash, but it gradually started to take off - hitting £1,000 in sales in one week by Christmas 2022. He decided to enlist his dad's help after using his hard-earned money to travel for a year.

In March 2023, he embarked on a journey around Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand before settling in Australia for a year. Callum also spent five weeks in New Zealand and returned to the UK via Japan in July 2024.

While he was away, Tim helped with mailing orders and listing items on social media, and he continues to help out now. Callum revealed: "Last month it went crazy so I took him back on for sending out orders."

Currently, Callum has approximately 4,000 to 5,000 clothing items in stock, which he stores in his parents' garage, his nan's garage and a storage container.

He sources his stock from wholesalers and sites like Fleek, purchasing brands such as Carhartt, North Face, Ralph Lauren and Patagonia to resell. Callum said: "Carhartt jackets sell for £100. Wholesalers are a bit more savvy now but they try sell for around £40 to £50. I get them at £35.

"The cheaper work wear sells for £40 to £50. Ralph Lauren and North Face sells well on eBay."

He also mentioned that the right football shirts can fetch £80 - and he buys them for £10. However, he says it would need to be a significant year - such as the Manchester United 1998 to 1999 season when they clinched the treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

Where to buy and sell online

Callum primarily sells on Depop but also utilises eBay, Vinted, and Tilt. He said: "Depop is trendier. Vinted is for household names - M&S would do really well.

"eBay goes for anything. Tilt is good for getting rid of stock - I sell cheap bundles on there."

Callum has discovered that purchasing on Fleek has boosted his sales - and has raked in £16,500 in the last three months alone from his Depop sales.

Callum's top tips

He advises anyone starting out in reselling to observe what people are wearing to get an idea of what to buy and sell on. Callum said: "Go out there and see what people are wearing. Keep an eye on the market and see what is trending.

"Keep buying - a lot of the time I run at a loss. I have constantly got stock."

Callum has now taken his reselling business full time - but does still pick up occasional agency work on the side. He enjoys the flexibility of being self-employed but admits he often works late into the night.

Callum's top tips for reselling include: keeping your listings seasonal, staying aware of current trends and popular styles, consistently purchasing new stock, and focusing on brands that sell well such as Ralph Lauren and North Face on eBay, and Carhartt jackets/workwear on Depop.

You can follow Callum on Instagram @preoccupiedvintage and on YouTube @calthereseller.