Abbot’s, specializing in selling quality second-hand shoes

Our wardrobes are (too) rich with clothes. To lighten them, we have two options: rationalize our purchases or sell what we don't wear/love anymore. My mantra is to part with one piece when I buy a more consequent one. It's a sort of balance I've been working on for a few years now...which is not always strictly adhered to because you shouldn't try to part with - or buy - a piece at all costs.This is done organically. As for me, I have several pairs of shoes - my wife would say too many, I would say not enough - inevitably, I get tired of certain pairs. Sometimes, I even get the wrong size because I haven't tried the model in-store or the brand's online store doesn't offer a full refund. That's the game. So I turn to online resale platforms. You know several here in France, Le Boncoin, eBay or Vinted. 

However, how do you resell a quality pair - bought at a high price - to a public of connoisseurs ? Often, I find myself selling pairs of Crockett & Jones on Vinted for pennyworth...I eventually found the solution to remedy this. Here is how I managed to resell my pair of Alden "Longwing" model in "color 8 cordovan" on a specialized high quality shoe reseller website called Abbot’s. 

Let’s have a closer look.

 Abbot's, the English website specialized in the sale of second hand shoes

On Instagram, I recently spotted an English website specialized in second hand shoes resale, Abbot's.

 The founder, Adam Luck, agreed to answer a few questions.

What made you start Abbot’s ?

Shortly after graduating from university I began working in the financial services district of London, known as ‘The City’, I used to love walking past the shoe shops and admiring the window displays of the likes of Church’s, Joseph Cheaney and Crockett & Jones. However, I could not afford the prices they sold their shoes at, so I had the idea to purchase myself a pre-owned pair of Church’s and restore them.

 I taught myself how to clean and polish the shoes to get them looking as close to a new pair as I could and was thrilled with the end result. I continued to purchase and refurbish pre-owned shoes as I enjoyed the process, eventually I started doing it for friends and family as well as selling shoes online which I had restored. This hobby eventually snowballed and evolved into a full-time job and a small business that is now Abbot’s. 

What are the criteria for a pair of shoes to be offered at Abbot’s (brand, model, condition) ?

The two main factors we look for are quality and condition. We only consider shoes from brands in which we are confident in the quality of the materials they use and the construction methods used in production. Condition is also very important, as we want our customers to wear the shoes they purchase from us for many years to come. We only consider shoes with many years of wear left. We purchase a lot of different brands and consider shoes on a case by case basis, some of the most popular brands we buy and sell are Edward Green, Church’s, Joseph Cheaney, Tricker’s, Loake and Alden.

In what way do you think buying second-hand is the solution to mass production ?

While we do not think buying second-hand is the solution to mass production, we feel it can have a large impact in combating the multifaceted problems unsustainable mass production practices can create. We do not feel there is anything wrong with the basic concept of mass production, however, we feel the problem lies with the lack of sustainable practices within mass production manufacturing as well as the disposable nature of the goods it inherently produces. Purchasing and selling second hand goods instead of new items can certainly help play a role in combating mass production as it can shift demand away from companies producing unsustainable disposable goods and towards companies making quality items that can stand the test of time and thus hold their value.   

We feel purchasing second hand is especially important with leather goods such as footwear. The mass production of leather shoes is not a sustainable practice. The manufacturing of leather shoes account for a quarter of global footwear production, but up to 80% of its environmental impact. The lack of high-quality and eco-friendly materials that can stand in for leather means it is important to make full use of leather goods. Wearing leather shoes for just 9 extra months, instead of buying a new pair, can drastically reduce the carbon, water and waste footprint by up to 30%.

We would encourage consumers to seek quality items, make good use of them, have them repaired and once they are no longer wanted sell them on, so they can continue to be used.

In France, major brands have started offering second-hand shoes directly in their shops - such as Paraboot and J. M. Weston - do you think UK shoe brands will follow ?

We hope so. The popular UK footwear brand Dr. Martens currently have an interesting collaboration with online marketplace Depop selling refurbished shoes and boots, it would be great to see some other UK brands follow suit. We feel offering second-hand shoes in store, like the aforementioned French brands, is a great way of showcasing how welted shoes can often look even better than when they were new with wear and age. We feel the excellent refurbishment/repair services offered by the larger Northampton brands are often underutilized and showcasing pre-owned shoes in store could be a great way of promoting the repair and reuse of welted shoes.

Lastly, if you had only one pair of shoes, which one would it be and why ?

That is a tricky one when I am surrounded by amazing pairs of shoes every day. Perhaps, I would choose the Edward Green ‘Dover’ in dark oak calf. I feel it is a very elegant versatile shoe that can be smart enough to wear with a suit in formal settings but also look good with a pair of jeans or chinos in more casual settings. However, as I am a keen footballer, I might get some funny looks trying to kick a football in them!

Thanks Adam !

What is the process in selling your quality high-end shoes on Abbot's?

The principle is simple. First of all, you have to send an electronic request - through their website - attaching photos, a short description of the brand, model and condition of the shoes to be sold.

You then have two options: either sell the pair directly - and be purchased by Abbot's - or consign and send the pair to Abbot's.com.

If you choose the first option - i.e. direct purchase by Abbot's - then the price will be lower than a consignment. Abbot's takes 25% off the final sale price if you choose the deposit sale.

Please note that the shipping costs of the pair to the UK are at your expense.

My pair of Alden Longwings in cordovan color 8 on Abbot’s

 Here are some screenshots of when my pair was up on the website. The quality of the images and attention to detail are astonishing, I myself could have bought them again !

For a consignment, my pair of Aldens was valued at £450 (about 500€). From this, you have to deduct the site’s commission, which takes care of photographing, cleaning and promoting the pair, that is to say 25%, so £281.25 (about 332€). This may seem like a lot, but by choosing Abbot's, which is a specialized platform for quality shoes, your chances of success are much higher than with any other unspecialized selling platform.

For a direct sale, my pair was valued - after commission - at £260 (about 307€).

I chose the first option. Simply because I was not in a hurry and I wanted to test the efficiency of the site. I was not disappointed! My pair was sold in less than a week. For the payment, it is necessary to wait 14 days after the buyer receives his pair so that Abbot's may release the payment to the seller. For my pair of Aldens, the buyer did not use his right of withdrawal and I was paid by the site without any hassle.

Why choose Abbot's ?

I believe it is necessary today to offer a guarantee of purchase and sale for second-hand products. This principle has been adopted in the French art market thanks to a decree - the Marcus decree of March 3, 1981 on the repression of fraud in the field of art and collectibles transactions - which lists the principles and nomenclatures according to which the auctioneer must proceed when putting art objects up for sale. Thus, if you are faced with an authentic Renoir painting, the auctioneer will use the artist's name directly. If, on the other hand, the auctioneer - and the expert - have doubts about its authenticity, but still think there is a good chance that the painting was executed by Renoir, then the Marcus decree requires the auctioneer to put "attributed to Renoir". The price of the painting will be impacted but the auctioneers’ and experts’ responsibility will be preserved.

The parallel can be - and should be - drawn for the second-hand clothing/shoe market as well. From my point of view, Abbot's can crystallize this endeavor. Namely, when a pair is entrusted to them, they have the possibility to authenticate it, to estimate it and to put it on sale. Like the auctioneer, Abbot’s works in the interest of the seller, acting as his guardian.

For all these reasons, I think Abbot's has earned its place in the second-hand market and the website deserves to be known and acknowledged as much as the brands offered on their platform. In addition to offering quality shoes and service, Adam and his team are unmatched in their kindness and responsiveness. An indispensable service in an inexhaustible world.