Resale value by condition grade
Two identical jackets, same brand, same size — one sells for $90, the other for $45. The usual difference is condition. Brand and item set the ceiling; condition decides where on the curve you land. This is how resale value moves with the grade, and how to price to it instead of guessing.
The value-by-condition curve
The relationship isn't a straight line. The step from New With Tags to Excellent is usually small — buyers pay nearly the same for "basically new." But each step down toward Fair tends to take a bigger bite, and a single documented flaw can cut what an otherwise desirable piece fetches by a third or more. The drops get steeper as condition falls.
That shape is why precision pays. The difference between a Very Good (7) and an Excellent (8) call can be real money on a sought-after item — and half-point grading exists precisely to place a piece on the right rung.
The Condition Index: the curve, from real comps
Rather than guess the shape, GradeThread publishes it. The Condition Index tracks sold comparables for popular brand-and-item combinations and fits a value-versus-grade curve. For each one it shows the typical resale value at every grade, the number of comparables behind it, and when it was last refreshed. Combinations without enough recent data aren't shown — we won't print a number we can't stand behind.
Want a quick read on a single item? The What's It Worth tool takes a brand, item, and grade and returns the typical resale value at that condition straight from the Index.
Price to the grade, then hold it
Pricing in three steps: grade the item, look up the curve for that brand-and-item combination, and price to the median value at your grade. A proven grade also lets you hold that price — the biggest reason a pre-owned sale stalls is the buyer's uncertainty about condition, and a verifiable certificate removes it, so you get fewer lowball offers and fewer not-as-described returns. Condition isn't just a discount you take — it's value you can prove and keep.
Explore the grading standard
These pages build on one published standard. Start with what condition grading is and the methodology behind every grade, see the published accuracy on our transparency report, or look up resale value by condition in the Condition Index and the What's It Worth tool.
Grade tiers
Grading factors
Resale value FAQ
- How much does condition affect resale value?
- A lot, and it's non-linear. The drop from New With Tags to Excellent is usually small, but each step down toward Fair tends to take a larger bite — a documented flaw can halve what an otherwise desirable piece fetches. The Condition Index fits this value-versus-grade curve from real eBay sold comparables.
- What is the Condition Index?
- It's GradeThread's published value-by-condition data: for popular brand-and-item combinations we track sold comparables and show the typical resale value at each grade, the number of comparables behind it, and when it was last refreshed. Combinations without enough recent data aren't shown rather than guessed.
- How do I use condition to price an item?
- Start from the grade, then read the curve. Look up the brand-and-item combination in the Condition Index, find your grade, and price to the median resale value at that grade. A verified grade also lets you hold that price with less haggling, because the buyer can see the condition is real.
- Does a higher grade really sell faster?
- A proven high grade reduces the buyer's risk, which is what usually stalls a pre-owned sale. When condition is documented and verifiable, buyers commit sooner and dispute less — so you realize more of the value the curve says the item is worth.
Capture the value your condition earns
Get an objective grade, price it against real sold comparables, and back it with a certificate buyers trust.