Once you buy stock to sell, the law stops treating you like someone clearing out a wardrobe. You pick up duties to your buyers, and some sales tactics become illegal. None of it is hard: mostly it's being straight with people.
Are you a trader yet?
If you buy stock to resell, assume you're a trader from your first sale.
The legal definition of a trader: Anyone acting for purposes relating to their trade, business, craft or profession (checked 28 Sep 2026, source 1). The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's consumer protection watchdog, puts it plainly: Buying items in order to resell them is likely to make you a trader (checked 28 Sep 2026, source 2).
Business Companion, the government-backed Trading Standards guidance site, lists more signs: selling often or in quantity, selling on several channels, and relying on the income, even as a second income. There's no money threshold, and a platform's account setting doesn't decide it.
| Duty | Genuine private seller | Trader (buying to resell) |
|---|---|---|
| Item must match the description | Yes | Yes |
| Satisfactory quality and fit for purpose | No | Yes |
| Online buyers can cancel for any reason | No | Yes, 14 days (checked 28 Sep 2026, source 3) after delivery |
| Platform account | Personal or standard | Business or Pro |
The platforms agree. Vinted, eBay, Depop and Whatnot each have a business route (Vinted Pro, an eBay business account, Depop's Business User terms and Whatnot's professional seller declaration), and Vinted also restricts new and bulk-bought stock, so ask Vinted support in writing before you list bale or kilo stock there. The set-up lesson has each platform's rule and what to do about it.
Reseller Pass
This lesson is part of the Reseller Pass
Part 1 is open to everyone. The other 8 parts of this lesson unlock with the Reseller Pass, along with the full school, every playbook and all 8 tools at full power.
In this lesson
- 9 parts: part 1 above, 8 more with the Pass
- 59 checked facts, each with its source and the date we checked it
The Reseller Pass includes
- The full Reseller School: 17 lessons in 5 levels
- All 6 platform playbooks
- All 8 tools at full power
- The Starter Pack printables
£19.99 One payment, 12 months of full access, UK only
Or £9.99 added to an order with stock from our shop. Discount codes don't apply to the Pass.
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12 months, then renew if you want to. No automatic renewal.
No Pass needed for lesson 1, the glossary, and the fee comparer and box planner basics.