Vintage Cash Cow

Vintage Cash Cow: a postal buying service for old and vintage items

Vintage Cash Cow operates a remote purchasing model for people who want to sell unwanted valuables without visiting a shop. The company sends a free postage pack, the customer fills a box with the items, and the box is returned by post or collected from home. Each shipment is tracked and covered by a scheme the company calls its Box Protection Scheme. An offer follows within 7 to 14 days; if accepted, payment arrives within two working days, and if rejected the items are returned at no cost.

What the company buys

The buying catalogue covers several categories of second-hand and vintage goods:

• Gold and gold jewellery
• Silver and silver plate
• Costume jewellery
• Watches and pocket watches
• Vintage cameras
• Medals and militaria
• Old coins and currency
• Toys and games, including dolls, teddy bears, figurines, cars and marbles
• Sunglasses
• Antique leatherbound books, first editions and author-signed copies
• Vintage electronics such as telephones, game consoles and boom boxes
• Military clothing, including uniforms, caps, sashes and gloves

The service accepts broken and tangled items, according to the site. Coin-only boxes are accepted when the collection weighs 5 kg or more.

Items the service does not accept

The company lists a series of exclusions, generally for practical or legal reasons. It does not buy glass, porcelain, pottery, ceramics or china because of the risk of damage in transit. Furniture, modern literature, DVDs, CDs and VHS tapes, modern plastic pens and biros, and modern electronics such as televisions, blenders and hair straighteners are also excluded. Toys made after 1990 are not purchased. Firearms and other dangerous items are rejected on legal and safety grounds. Clothing is limited to military memorabilia; for other garments the site points to resale apps.

How the process works

The customer orders a free postage pack containing prepaid labels and a guide. After packing the items, the box can be dropped at a post office or collected from home. The company then issues an offer within 7 to 14 days. Acceptance triggers payment within two working days; rejection means the items are returned free of charge.

Payout figures and customer reviews

The site presents examples of amounts paid to customers, including £305, £215, £227 and £110, without specifying the contents of each box. It also displays review scores attributed to different platforms: 4.5 out of 5 based on 670 reviews, 4.5 out of 5 from 25,650 reviews, and 4.5 out of 5 based on 5,786 reviews. A separate banner cites an "Excellent" rating from 38,328 reviews. Individual testimonials describe uses for the money, such as a family trip, a handbag, a charity donation and flights to Malaysia.

Advice for increasing an offer

Professional organiser Vicky Silverthorn recommends sending ten or more items and at least four different product types, such as cameras, jewellery, watches and medals. The company also offers a free Welcome Call that it says can help increase an offer by up to 31%.

Accessibility and contact

For customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, the company provides contact through Relay UK. Calls can be made by dialling 18002 followed by 0800 246 1111, and the company can also call back through the same relay service.