Ranked top-selling items on eBay UK: Brands & categories 2026

Anyone browsing eBay UK will see thousands of popular-looking products, but not all of them will sell.

We spent 5 weeks tracking completed eBay UK sales across 10 categories, including adidas Sambas, refurbished iPhones, LEGO sets, and Pokémon cards. We compared sales with active competition and reviewed business seller fees. Then, we placed these items into 10 categories to show you what’s selling, what buyers are paying, and what may be worth sourcing.

The top-selling items on eBay UK: Quick comparison

Pricing notes

UK-based private sellers get 300 free listings each month, or 400 with an eBay Shop subscription. After that, eBay charges 35p for each additional listing.

Private sellers generally pay no final value or regulatory operating fees on eBay UK. eBay looks at your selling activity when deciding whether you need a business account. For example, buying products specifically to resell generally requires a business account.

His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a £1,000 annual trading allowance. If your gross trading income exceeds £1,000 in a tax year, you may need to report it to HMRC, depending on your circumstances. eBay uses its own criteria to determine when someone should register as a business seller.

Business sellers pay final value fees that vary by product category. eBay also charges a £0.30 per-order fee for orders of £10 or less and £0.40 for orders over £10. Reduced fees may apply in some categories. Business sellers also pay a 0.35% regulatory operating fee on the total sale amount.

How we chose the top-selling items on eBay UK

We chose the top-selling items on eBay UK by researching sold and completed listings on eBay.co.uk and calculating sold-to-active listing ratios. Here’s a look:

• Sold and completed listings: Completed sales of products in GBP show real buyer demand more clearly than asking prices because completed sales illustrate the prices buyers actually pay.
• Sold-to-active ratio: We compared completed sales with similar active listings to see how buyer demand compared with the level of competition.
• Sales frequency: Regular sales throughout our 5-week research period showed steady demand. The timing helped us identify short sales spikes that may have come from a temporary increase in buyer interest.
• Product Research signals: By checking eBay's research data, we could find sales trends and prices, seller counts, listing formats, sell-through rates, and other marketplace data.
• Consistency from several sellers of similar products: Sales across several similar sellers can point to broader buyer demand. Sales from one seller may come from its pricing, reputation, or advertising.
• Research limitations: Results depend on the search terms, filters, comparison criteria, and time period used. Products identified through this research are potential opportunities, with no guarantee they will sell.
• Profitability: Strong demand can still produce low profits. We checked profitability with our eBay pricing guide. Then we examined how sourcing, postage, packaging, eBay fees, advertising, returns, and other costs could hurt profitability.

1. Trainers

We found many repeat sales across several trainer types during our research period. Brands and models such as adidas Samba OG, Nike Air Force 1, and ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 appeared in completed sales from multiple sellers, suggesting strong demand. 

• Typical sold prices: Samba OG listings recorded 15+ sales at around £65–£70, while one multi-size Gel-Kayano 14 listing at about £70 recorded more than 100 sales. Pre-owned Air Force 1 pairs also sold for around £45–£55.
• Top brands: adidas Samba OG, Nike Air Force 1, and ASICS Gel-Kayano 14.
• Seller considerations: Compare active competition alongside size, condition, authenticity, and colourway. 
• Fees for business sellers: eBay UK charges an 11.9% fee on clothing and shoes.

2. Refurbished smartphones

Refurbished smartphones showed some of the most repeat sales. Several business sellers recorded many sales for the Apple iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra listings also showed repeat sales. 

For example, we tracked 45 iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro sales, along with 22 Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra sales. Here’s what we found:

• Typical sold prices: Refurbished iPhone 13 listings ranged from about £200 to £260. Prices varied by storage, condition, and other options. Galaxy S23 Ultra phones ranged from £320–£365, depending on specs.
• Top brands: Apple recorded the most repeat sales in our five-week sample, led by the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. Samsung also recorded repeat sales with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
• Seller considerations: Check battery health, storage, and condition. Unlocked phones can work across compatible networks, giving you a wider pool of potential buyers.
• Fees for business sellers: You’ll pay around a 6.9% final value fee on Mobile & Smart Phones sales up to £1,000 and 3% on the portion above £1,000.

3. LEGO sets

Sealed LEGO sets sold regularly, with Star Wars collections appearing most often in our sample. The retired 40757 Corner Kiosk and Harry Potter 76449 Chomping Monster Book of Monsters also recorded repeat sales.

• Typical sold prices: Prices in our sample started at £22.99 for smaller Star Wars sets. Separate sales of sealed Harry Potter 76449 sets ranged from about £28 to £35.
• Seller considerations: Check the exact set number, condition, box damage, postage costs, and competing listings before buying. 
• Fees for business sellers: eBay UK charges a 10.9% fee for this category.

4. Vintage clothing

Vintage clothing recorded repeat sales across brands such as Barbour and Nike. Barbour wax jackets sold across 8 UK sellers, with vintage Nike sweatshirts also selling across several shops.

• Typical sold prices: Barbour jackets’ selling prices ranged from ~£60 to £200+. Plain vintage Nike and adidas sweatshirts sold for £24.95 to £32. Licensed football clothing can fall into a different price range. One Arsenal sweatshirt sold for £209.99.
• Top brands: Barbour Border and Beaufort jackets recorded the most repeat sales. Vintage Nike sweatshirts also sold across several sellers.
• Seller considerations: Check the label, size, measurements, condition, and signs of authenticity before buying. Include accurate measurements because vintage sizing can differ from modern sizing. 
• Fees for business sellers: On vintage clothing, eBay takes an 11.9% seller fee from business sellers. 

5. Gaming consoles

Refurbished Nintendo Switch OLED and PlayStation 5 consoles showed repeat sales. Here’s what we found:

• Typical sold prices: One Best Offer Switch OLED was listed at £222.59 early in our sample and £270.29 later. Excellent-condition units averaged ~£280. These figures show the listing prices displayed during periods of sales activity, not necessarily the exact price paid for every unit.
• Top brands: Nintendo Switch OLED and PS5 Disc Edition consoles both produced repeat sales in our sample. The Switch listing added 15 sales across roughly three weeks, while the PS5 listing added 6 across the 8 days we tracked it. We found no comparable repeat-sale evidence for retro handhelds during the 5-week research period.
• Seller considerations: Refurbished listings can include warranties and free returns. Always consider the console's condition and whether the original box, dock, controllers, cables, and other accessories are included. 
• Fees for business sellers: eBay takes a 6.9% final value fee on the portion of the sale up to £400 and 2% on the portion above £400 for Video Game Consoles.

6. Trading cards

Pokémon TCG products and Topps Match Attax football trading cards were also sold regularly during research, coming in with the following results:

• Typical sold prices: Pokémon packs with repeat sales ranged from ~£6.50 to £15+. Match Attax packs started at ~£3. Graded cards had a wider price range, with the same PSA 10 Pikachu promo selling for between ~£70 and ~£120 in separate sales.
• Top-selling brands: Pokémon recorded the most repeat sales, led by Korean 151 packs. Topps Match Attax also performed well, with one listing recording 64 sales at £10.95.
• Seller considerations: Check authenticity, card condition, set, language, and grading before buying. High sales don’t prove a product is genuine, so use authentication services if necessary. 
• Fees for business sellers: You’ll pay around a 10.9% fee on trading cards.

7. Football shirts

Vintage Umbro England jerseys were the best-selling football shirts in our sample, with sales recorded across 6 UK sellers. Newer kids' kits recorded higher sales, including Ronaldo Portugal kits with 92 and 64 sales and a Lamine Yamal Barcelona kit with 27. Here’s what we found:

• Typical sold prices: Standard Umbro England shirts ranged from £16.99 to £29.99. Player shirts could fetch higher prices, including a 1997–99 Gascoigne #8 away shirt that sold for £139.99. Age, condition, authenticity, and player name can all affect the price.
• Top-selling brands: Umbro appeared across the most sellers in our sample, mainly through vintage England shirts. The Ronaldo Portugal and Lamine Yamal Barcelona kids' kits recorded a total of 183 sales.
• Seller considerations: Check labels and product codes to confirm authenticity. Age, condition, and player name can affect the price, so check these before sourcing. 
• Fees for business sellers: eBay charges business sellers an 11.9% final value fee on football shirts.

8. Used computer components

Used computer components such as drives, RAM modules, and graphics cards showed repeat sales. Overall, PC components had fewer repeat sales than most categories we researched. Let’s look at the results:

• Typical sold prices: A Gigabyte RTX 3060 sold for £195 after being listed at £191.65 and receiving multiple offers.
• Top-selling brands: Gigabyte and ASUS provided the confirmed RTX 3060 sales in our sample. The Crucial-branded DDR4 listing recorded 49 sales.
• Seller considerations: Always test used graphics cards and RAM before listing them. Check model numbers, memory capacity, condition, and authenticity. 
• Fees for business sellers: eBay charges a 9.9% final value fee for items listed in Computers, Tablets, and Networking, which includes the Computer Components & Parts subcategory where graphics cards and RAM are listed. A lower 6.9% (up to £1,000, then 3% above £1,000) rate applies only to certain subcategories such as drives and storage, laptops, and printers.

9. Power tools

Sales of power tools from brands like DeWalt and Makita appeared most often, with both single tools and twin kits recording many sales. Let’s look at what we found:

• Typical sold prices: New body-only drills, sold without batteries, drill bits, or chargers, ranged from £51.99 to £71.99. Twin kits ranged from £129 to £142, while kits with batteries, chargers, and cases could cost more. Used tools sold for less, including one working DeWalt DCD796 at £15.
• Top-selling brands: DeWalt recorded the highest sales, led by a DCD796N listing with 85 sold. Makita also performed well, with one DHP482Z listing reaching 74 sales.
• Seller considerations: Before listing, test used tools and clearly list their condition and included accessories. List any batteries and chargers included, because they can raise the selling price. 
• Fees for business sellers: Business sellers generally pay a 6.9% final value fee on qualifying power tool sales up to £400. eBay charges 3% on the portion above £400.

10. Car parts

Ford Fiesta Mk7 brake parts showed strong repeat sales across more than ten listings. Front brake pads and disc-and-pad kits sold most often, including aftermarket and genuine Ford Motorcraft parts. Individual listings recorded between 86 and 1,406 sales. Here are our results:

• Typical sold prices: We found front pad listings ranging from £17.99 for an aftermarket set to £46.99 for genuine Motorcraft pads. Front disc-and-pad kits ranged from £59.99 to £96.99 for the Mintex option we found. ST180-specific components reached higher prices, including genuine Ford front discs listed at £159.99.
• Top brands: Aftermarket brake parts generated the largest sales counts in our sample, while Ford provided the clearest repeat evidence among branded genuine parts. Motorcraft pads recorded 313 sold, and an ST180 disc listing showed 118 sold.
• Seller considerations: Add compatible vehicles, OE or manufacturer part numbers, dimensions, and other relevant specifications to the listing. Use eBay’s Parts Compatibility feature to identify compatible years, models, trims, and engines. 
• Fees for business sellers: You’ll generally pay a 9.5% final value fee on the portion of Vehicle Parts & Accessories sales up to £750 per item and 3% on the portion above £750.

Where to find items to sell on eBay UK

You can find items to sell on eBay UK at charity shops and car boot sales. Before sourcing inventory, use an eBay seller analysis tool to check marketplace sales pricing, supply, and demand data and identify products worth buying. Here’s a look at each place:

Charity shops

Charity shops sell donated goods across categories such as clothing, books, toys, media, homeware and collectables. Stock changes constantly between locations, so schedule regular visits to different shops. Some charities also sell donated products online. Wakefield Hospice, for example, has operated an eBay shop alongside its physical stores. 

Car boot sales

Car boot sales bring together individual sellers clearing used household possessions. These are excellent opportunities to find tools, gaming consoles, and clothing. Prices may be negotiable, but always check condition and confirm that tools and electronics actually work before buying. Double-check these items with closely matched eBay sold listings before paying.

Facebook Marketplace and local listings

Facebook Marketplace and local sites work like an enormous online car boot sale. You can find bulky items such as furniture or offer a bundle price when someone is selling several items. Local collection can also cut postage costs. When meeting a seller, choose a busy, well-lit public place.

Auctions and house clearances

Auction houses, clearance companies, and estate sales can offer mixed lots of clothing, toys, and household goods. Inspect each lot when possible and identify what you can realistically resell. Use those expected selling prices to set your maximum bid.

Retail clearance

Retail clearance provides discounted end-of-line, discontinued, and excess stock, often in new condition. Compare the exact product with completed eBay sales, then account for postage and any applicable seller costs before buying multiple units.

If you need more information on sourcing, read our guide that walks you through stock sourcing. 

Sell more on eBay UK with Nifty

Now that you know the top-selling items on eBay UK, you can choose the right items to source. But once you have the inventory, you need a quick way to get those items listed and manage them as they sell. Nifty, our crosslisting and automation tool, helps you turn product photos into listings, manage inventory across supported marketplaces, and track which products sell best for your business.

Here’s why Nifty’s so helpful:

• Customised AI listings: Upload photos and let Nifty generate search-optimised titles, descriptions, and item details. Review the draft, then use custom instructions to shape its writing style.
• Crosslist now: List eligible items across eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, Whatnot, Mercari, and Depop from one interface instead of re-entering the details on each marketplace. Marketplace access and features depend on your connected accounts and plan.
• Bulk crosslisting: Select multiple existing listings in Nifty, choose your target marketplaces, pricing, and shipping, then save the AI-generated results as drafts or publish them.
• Marketplace-specific Pricing Rules: Set your price once on a primary marketplace, and Nifty auto-calculates the rest with percentage or pound adjustments so your take-home stays consistent when you crosslist.
• Built-in auto-delisting: Enable auto-delisting and Nifty can remove an eligible sold item from your other connected marketplaces, helping reduce the risk of selling the same item twice.
• Bulk tools = less busywork: Relist selected items in batches, schedule ready-to-publish drafts, and use supported automations to handle recurring selling tasks.
• Analytics and profits, made clear: Track sales, fees, profit, and your top-selling brands and categories. You can also set seller goals and check your progress from Nifty’s home screen.

Ready for Nifty to help you put your eBay UK product research to work? Start a 7-day free trial to list promising finds faster, reach buyers across marketplaces, and track what sells for you.

FAQs

1. What sells best on eBay UK?

Trainers, refurbished smartphones, sealed LEGO sets, trading cards, and car parts sell best on eBay UK, based on repeat sales across multiple sellers. However, you need to source these items at competitive prices so you can sell them for a profit. 

2. What is the most profitable item to sell on eBay UK?

No single item is the most profitable item to sell on eBay UK, because profit depends on acquisition cost, selling price, fees, postage, returns, and sell-through consistency. A higher-priced item can earn less than a cheaper one after costs. Always check your estimated margins before buying so you can earn a profit.

3. What second-hand items sell well on eBay UK?

Second-hand items that sell well on eBay UK include pre-owned trainers, refurbished smartphones, and vintage clothing. Check clothing and trainers for wear and damage, and test electronics to confirm that they work before buying. 

4. How do I know if something will sell on eBay?

You can know if something will sell on eBay by checking comparable sold listings for actual selling prices and then comparing them with active listings to gauge competition. A strong sell-through rate over several weeks signals steady demand, which helps you avoid buying stock that sits unsold.