Meet the dad and son who've made thousands selling old clothes on eBay and Depop

Father and son team Callum and Tim Harrison have made thousands by reselling old clothes on eBay and Depop. And 26-year-old Callum says he got into it after becoming 'bored' during the pandemic.

But over the last four years he has slowly grown his business and has now enlisted the help of his dad, retired software salesman Tim, aged 60. Callum sources and buys clothing such as Carhartt jackets from wholesalers like Fleek - a vintage wholesale marketplace - for £35 and sells them on for £100.

Callum only turned over a few thousand in his first two years as reseller but shot up to £35,000 in 2022 to 2023. Last year he turned over £22,000 as he was working less while travelling and in the last three months he has made £16,000 on Depop alone.

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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 been passionate about business and started looking into reselling in late 2020 while in his final year at University of Newcastle studying business and marketing. He said: "I knew a friend who works at a vintage wholesaler. I've always sold on Depop since I was 16."

To start with Callum used reselling as a side hustle for some extra cash but gradually started to see it take off - getting £1,000 in sales in one week by Christmas 2022. He decided to ask his dad to help out after using his well earned money to travel for a year.

He left in March 2023 to travel around Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand before living in Australia for a year. Callum also spent five weeks in New Zealand and flew back to the UK via Japan in July 2024.

Tim helped out mailing the orders and listing some of the items on social media while Callum was away and now still helps out. Callum said: "Last month it went crazy so I took him back on for sending out orders."

Callum currently has around 4,000 to 5,000 items of clothing in stock which he keeps in his parents' garage, nan's garage and in a storage container. He finds his stock from wholesalers and sites such as Fleek - and buys brands such as Carhartt, North Face, Ralph Lauren and Patagonia to sell on.

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.

"I'll buy 300 shirts for £800 - £3 per month - but one might be worth £100."

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

He said: "It's always trial and error."

Callum sells mainly on Depop but also uses 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 found buying on Fleek has helped his sales shot up - and has earned £16,500 in the last three months alone from his Depop sales. He advises anyone starting out in reselling to look at what people are wearing to get an idea of what to buy and sell on.

He 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 loves the flexibility of working for himself but says he is often up late in the evenings working.

Callum said: "I constantly have a flow of amazing clothes. I got a new Carhartt hoodie the other day. I constantly have amazing things to wear."

Callum's reselling tips

• - Keep your listings seasonal

• - Keep an eye on what is trending/what people are wearing

• - Keep buying stock

• - Try to find brands that sell well - Ralph Lauren and North Face on eBay, Carhartt jackets/workwear on Depop

Follow Callum on Instagram @preoccupiedvintage and on YouTube @calthereselle

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