Which platform suits what you sell, what the first kit costs, and a checklist for your first week of orders from home.
Updated 5 October 2026
Before you start
Which platform suits what you sell, what the first kit costs, and a checklist for your first week of orders from home.
You can start selling from home with what you already own: a phone, a table and some stock. Spend money once orders arrive, and keep the first kit small: the bands below start at £12.
Your first ten orders need a platform that suits your stock, a few pieces of packing kit and a routine for getting each parcel out on time.
Kit for this
The products this guide uses, with typical UK prices.
100 x 150 mm thermal labels, 250 roll
Put a roll on a holder or inside a printer with a roll bay to save space on a crowded desk. Each label costs about 3p to 5p, a little more than fanfold.
Typical price£8 to £13
See on Amazon
Phomemo thermal label printer
Costs less than most thermal printers and fits on a shelf. It prints the same 100 x 150 mm labels, so your label stock carries over if you upgrade later.
Typical price£70 to £110
See on Amazon30 kg digital postal scale
Covers the parcels most home sellers ship, up to 30 kg. Choose it when the 40 kg scale is out of stock.
Typical price£12 to £20
See on AmazonKraft padded envelopes, D/1, 100 pack
Enough padding for a lipstick, a small figure or a sealed booster pack, with no box to fold.
Typical price£14 to £22
See on Amazon
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Match the platform to what you sell
Second-hand clothes suit Vinted and Depop, where buyers browse fashion. Collectibles, electronics and almost anything else suit eBay. Handmade and vintage gifts suit Etsy. Trading cards and collectibles also sell well live on Whatnot or TikTok Shop.
Start on one platform. Learn its listings, postage options and buyer habits before adding a second.
Check the fees on the platform itself
Each platform charges differently, and the fees change. Some charge the seller, some add a fee to the buyer, and some do both. Read the current seller fees page on the platform you choose before you price anything.
Work out what you keep on a typical sale after fees and postage. If the number is too small, the item is not worth listing yet.
The first kit and its cost
You can post your first orders with padded envelopes, typically £14–22 per 100, or paper mailing bags for clothes, typically £18–28 per 100. A 30 kg postal scale is typically £12–20 and stops you guessing postage.
Labels can go on your home printer at first. Once you send a few orders a week, a beginner thermal label printer, typically £70–110, with a roll of labels, typically £8–13, saves ink and time. Royal Mail Click & Drop is free to use for buying postage.
Photograph with what you have
Your phone camera does the job. Shoot by a window in daylight against a plain wall or sheet. Take a front, back, label and any flaws.
Show flaws in your photos. It may lose the odd sale, but it cuts returns from buyers who say the item was not as described.
Give your stock one corner
One shelf or one box for stock, one for packaging, and a clear space to pack. Give every item a number and write it on the listing so you can find it when it sells.
Move to a bigger space once the corner overflows, and keep the same three zones for stock, packaging and packing.
Know when it becomes a business
HMRC treats buying to resell differently from clearing out your own things. If you buy items to sell for profit, or sell a lot, check HMRC’s guidance on trading income and the rules on platforms reporting seller income.
Keep a simple record of what you paid and what you sold for from day one. It takes minutes a week and saves work at tax time.
Checklist
Run through it before each one goes out.
- 1Choose one platform that suits what you sell
- 2Read that platform’s current seller fees page
- 3List your first ten items with daylight photos
- 4Buy one pack of mailers and a postal scale
- 5Set up a Royal Mail Click & Drop account
- 6Number each item and note it on the listing
- 7Start a simple record of costs and sales
Setups
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
Questions
How much does it cost to start selling from home?
You can start with a pack of mailers and a postal scale, using the typical bands above. A thermal printer is worth adding once orders are regular.
Which is the best platform for beginners?
The one that matches what you sell. Clothes suit Vinted or Depop, most other items suit eBay, and handmade suits Etsy.
Do I need a label printer to start?
No. Print on paper and tape it on at first. Switch to a thermal printer once labelling eats into your evenings.
Do I have to pay tax on things I sell online?
It depends on what and how much you sell. Read HMRC’s guidance on selling online, especially if you buy items to resell.
How should I price my first items?
Search sold listings for the same item on your platform and price near the middle. Adjust after a week if nothing moves.
Can I sell on several platforms at once?
Yes. Start with one, though: cross-listing risks selling the same item twice.