Vintage Wholesale FAQ: 30 Most Asked Questions Answered

Vintage Wholesale FAQ: All Answers In One Place

Have questions about vintage wholesale? You're not alone. In this complete FAQ, we answer the 30 most asked questions about vintage wholesale, from prices and quality to delivery and ROI. Everything you need to know before you start.

General Questions About Vintage Wholesale

1. What is vintage wholesale?

Answer: Vintage wholesale is buying multiple vintage clothing items at once at a lower price per piece. Instead of buying individual items in thrift stores, you order a complete box with hand-picked vintage clothing ready for resale.

Benefits:

• Lower price per piece (€15-28 vs €25-40 in thrift stores)
• Time savings (no hours of thrifting)
• Consistent quality (Grade A guaranteed)
• Fast delivery (1-2 days)

2. How much does vintage wholesale cost?

Answer: Prices vary depending on quantity and brands:

• Starter boxes (3 pieces): €45-180 (€15-36 per piece)
• Medium boxes (10 pieces): €155-280 (€15-28 per piece)
• Volume boxes (20 pieces): €510-560 (€25-28 per piece)

All prices include VAT and often free shipping from €100.

3. Is vintage wholesale cheaper than thrifting?

Answer: At first glance, thrifting seems cheaper (€5-15 per item), but:

Effective costs thrifting:

• Price per item: €10 average
• Time: 6-8 hours for 10 items
• Gas/travel costs: €10-20
• Effective price: €12-15 per item + 6-8 hours time

Effective costs wholesale:

• Price per item: €15-28
• Time: 0 hours (delivered)
• Shipping costs: €0 (free from €100)
• Effective price: €15-28 per item + 0 hours time

Conclusion: Wholesale is often cheaper when you count time.

4. How much can I earn with vintage wholesale?

Answer: Average earnings vary:

• Beginners (part-time): €300-600/month
• Advanced (part-time): €800-1500/month
• Experienced (part-time): €1500-2500/month
• Full-time: €2500-5000/month

This depends on time, strategy, and quality of your supplier.

5. How much time does vintage wholesale reselling take?

Answer: Average 8-15 hours per month:

• Photographing: 3-5 hours
• Uploading: 2-3 hours
• Answering messages: 2-4 hours
• Shipping: 1-3 hours

This is 75-90% less time than thrifting (60-80 hours/month).

Questions About Quality & Authenticity

6. How do I know items are authentic?

Answer: With reliable suppliers, every item is checked for:

• ✓ Authentic labels and tags
• ✓ Correct logos and stitching
• ✓ Brand-specific details
• ✓ Production codes and years

Always ask about the verification process and return policy for fakes.

7. What does "Grade A" quality mean?

Answer: Grade A means:

• ✓ Clean and wearable (no washing needed)
• ✓ No stains or major damage
• ✓ Small vintage imperfections acceptable
• ✓ Immediately sellable
• ✓ 90-95% of items are perfect

Grade B/C has more imperfections and often requires work.

8. Can I return items?

Answer: This varies per supplier:

• For quality issues: Usually yes (within 7-14 days)
• For "doesn't meet expectations": Usually not (pre-curated boxes)
• For fakes: Always returnable with good suppliers

Always check the return policy before ordering.

9. Which brands do I get in a vintage wholesale box?

Answer: This depends on the box:

Mix boxes: Nike, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Champion, Carhartt, Puma, Reebok, etc.

Brand-specific boxes:

• Nike Only Box - 100% Nike
• Ralph Lauren Box - 100% Ralph Lauren
• Adidas Box - 100% Adidas

10. Which sizes do I get?

Answer: Most boxes contain a mix of popular sizes:

• Most items: M, L, XL (70-80%)
• Some items: S, XXL (20-30%)
• Focus on best-selling sizes

Exact sizes vary per box (vintage = always mix).

Questions About Ordering & Delivery

11. What is the minimum order?

Answer: With most European suppliers you can start with:

• Minimum: 3 pieces (€45-65)
• Recommended start: 10 pieces (€155-280)
• Volume: 20+ pieces (€510+)

No minimum of 50-100 pieces like with international suppliers.

12. How fast is vintage wholesale delivered?

Answer: Delivery times vary by location:

• Netherlands: 1-2 business days
• Belgium/Germany: 2-3 business days
• Rest EU: 3-5 business days
• International (outside EU): 1-3 weeks

Orders before 2 PM often ship the same day.

13. Are there shipping costs?

Answer: This varies per supplier:

• Free shipping: Often from €100 order
• Under €100: €5-10 shipping costs
• International shipping: €15-30

Always check shipping costs before ordering.

14. Do I need to pay VAT?

Answer: With EU suppliers, VAT is already included in the price. You pay what you see, no extra costs at delivery.

With international suppliers (outside EU):

• Customs fees: 12-21%
• VAT: 21% (you must declare yourself)
• Import costs possible

15. Can I choose which items I get?

Answer: With most wholesale suppliers not specifically, but you can choose:

• Category: Hoodies, sweaters, polos, etc.
• Brand: Nike only, Ralph Lauren only, etc.
• Quantity: 3, 5, 10, 20 pieces

Items within the box are pre-curated for optimal sellability.

Questions About Selling & ROI

16. Where can I sell vintage wholesale items?

Answer: Best platforms for vintage:

• Vinted: Largest platform, fastest sales, no fees
• Depop: International sales, young audience
• eBay: Older audience, higher prices possible
• Instagram: Own branding, direct sales
• Own webshop: Highest margins, more work

17. How much can I ask for vintage wholesale items?

Answer: Average selling prices on Vinted:

• Nike hoodies: €40-65
• Adidas sweaters: €35-55
• Ralph Lauren polos: €25-45
• Vintage t-shirts: €20-35
• Windbreakers: €45-75

Formula: Purchase price × 2-2.5 = Selling price

18. How fast do vintage wholesale items sell?

Answer: Average selling times on Vinted:

• Nike items: 7-14 days
• Adidas items: 10-21 days
• Ralph Lauren: 7-14 days
• Premium brands: 14-28 days
• No-name vintage: 30+ days

This is 2-3x faster than no-name vintage.

19. What is a good ROI for vintage wholesale?

Answer: Realistic ROI expectations:

• Beginners: 50-100% ROI
• Advanced: 80-150% ROI
• Experienced: 100-200% ROI

Example:

• Investment: €155 (10 pieces)
• Sales: 9 items at €40 = €360
• Profit: €205
• ROI: 132%

20. What percentage of my inventory sells?

Answer: With Grade A wholesale:

• First month: 60-80% sells
• Within 2 months: 85-95% sells
• Remaining 5-15%: Lower price or bundle deals

This is much higher than random thrift finds (40-60%).

Questions About Strategy & Growth

21. Which items sell best?

Answer: Top 5 best-selling categories:

1. Nike hoodies/sweaters - Fastest + highest prices
2. Ralph Lauren polos - Consistent sales
3. Adidas sweaters - Streetwear fans
4. Vintage windbreakers - Y2K trend
5. Premium sweaters mix - Broad audience

22. When is the best season for vintage wholesale?

Answer: Winter is most profitable:

• Winter (Oct-Mar): Highest prices, fastest sales
• Summer (Apr-Sep): Lower prices, slower sales

Best buying timing:

• July-August: Buy winter items (10-20% discount)
• December-February: Buy summer items (cheaper)

23. Should I focus on one brand or mix?

Answer: Depends on your phase:

Beginners (month 1-2):

• Start with mix box
• Learn what sells best
• Test different brands

Advanced (month 3+):

• Focus on 1-2 brands that work best
• Usually Nike or Ralph Lauren
• Faster sales + higher prices

24. How often should I order new inventory?

Answer: Ideal frequency:

• Beginners: 1x per month (10 pieces)
• Advanced: 2x per month (10-20 pieces each time)
• Experienced: Weekly (constant inventory)

Consistency is more important than volume.

25. Can I combine vintage wholesale with thrifting?

Answer: Yes! Best strategy:

• 80% wholesale: Consistent base inventory
• 20% thrift finds: Unique items, higher margins

This gives you the best of both worlds.

Questions About Specific Situations

26. Does vintage wholesale work for beginners?

Answer: Yes! Wholesale is even better for beginners than thrifting because:

• ✓ No experience needed to find good items
• ✓ Grade A quality guaranteed
• ✓ Low minimum order (test with €45-65)
• ✓ Fast delivery (no weeks waiting)
• ✓ Less risk than large thrift hauls

Start with: Try Out Box – 3 Pieces (€45)

27. Do I need a VAT number?

Answer: No, not to order. You only need a VAT number if:

• Your revenue is €20,000+ per year (varies per country)
• You want to start an official business
• You want to invoice to companies

For part-time reselling, no VAT number is required.

28. What if items don't sell?

Answer: Strategies for slow movers:

1. Lower price by 10-20% (after 2 weeks)
2. Make new photos (better lighting)
3. Update description (more details)
4. Bundle deals (2 for €X)
5. Try different platform (Vinted → Depop)

With Grade A items, 90%+ eventually sells.

29. Can I do vintage wholesale full-time?

Answer: Yes! Many resellers earn €2000-5000/month full-time. Requirements:

• Investment: €1000-2000/month in inventory
• Time: 30-40 hours/week
• Strategy: Focus on fast rotation
• Platforms: Multiple (Vinted, Depop, Instagram)

Start part-time, scale up when it works.

30. What is the best vintage wholesale supplier?

Answer: Characteristics of a good supplier:

• ✓ Grade A quality guaranteed
• ✓ 100% authenticity
• ✓ Fast delivery (1-2 days)
• ✓ Low minimum order (3 pieces)
• ✓ Transparent prices (incl. VAT)
• ✓ Good reviews
• ✓ Clear return policy
• ✓ Customer service in your language

Always test first with a small box before ordering large volumes.

Start With Vintage Wholesale

Now that you have all the answers, it's time to start!

Recommended first steps:

🚀 Absolute beginners:

• Try Out Box – 3 Pieces (€45) - Lowest risk

📈 Serious starters:

• Resell Starter Box – 10 Pieces (€155) - Best start

💰 Focus on one brand:

• Nike Only Box – 10 Pieces (€280) - Fastest ROI
• Ralph Lauren Polo Box – 10 Pieces (€199) - Consistent sales

🔥 Volume resellers:

• Nike Only Box – 20 Pieces (€560) - Best price/piece
• Premium Vintage Box – 20 Pieces (€510) - Premium mix

All boxes:

• ✓ Delivery within 24 hours
• ✓ Grade A quality
• ✓ 100% authentic
• ✓ Manually selected
• ✓ Including VAT
• ✓ Free shipping from €100

👉 View all vintage wholesale boxes and start today

More questions? Check our Frequently Asked Questions page or read how it works.