Each list ranks the kit for one job at a home seller's desk, from the starter pick to the high-volume one.
How we rank
The job sets the order. Commission plays no part in it.
Each ranking starts from a job: printing 100 labels a week, lighting a card under a phone, keeping 300 garments findable. We list the kit that does that job in a spare room or a garage, then order it by how well it does it at a fair price.
Running cost counts as much as the price on the box. A printer that takes generic labels beats one locked to branded rolls, because labels are the cost you pay every week. Kit you can replace or reorder easily ranks above kit that strands you when it breaks.
Prices are typical UK bands, so check the retailer for today's price. Each product shows when a person last checked it, and anything off sale points to its replacement on every page. Some links earn us a commission, and that has no effect on the order.
Camera and light
Kit for live shows and listing photos, which shapes what the buyer sees first.
Labels and printing
Printers and labels that cut each order to a couple of seconds at the desk.
Packaging and weighing
Mailers that fit your stock, and scales that get the postage right first time.
Storage
Shelves, tubs and boxes that turn a sale into a quick pick.
Questions
Do you get paid for these rankings?
Some links earn us a commission when you buy. The order comes from how well each pick does the job, and a product with no affiliate link can still rank first.
Do I need everything on these lists to start?
No. To start you need a way to print labels, a set of scales and mailers that fit the stock. Add lights and a camera first only if you sell live.
How often do you update the rankings?
We recheck prices and availability on a rolling basis, and every product shows the date a person last checked it. When a product goes off sale, its named replacement takes its place on every page at once.
Why are prices shown as a range?
Retail prices move from day to day. A typical band tells you what to expect, so check the retailer before you buy.
Are the platform rankings different from the main ones?
Yes, where the platform changes the job. Vinted's QR drop-off changes what a printer needs to do, and Whatnot labels print in one batch after a show, so those lists weigh different things.