One of my favorite apps lately is Poshmark, it’s an app for buying and selling used clothing. I first joined the community in 2012 but I only started actively buying and selling on it a year or so ago. I love buying clothes but I often buy things that I only wear a few times or things that end up sitting in my closet untouched. I started listing my gently worn (or in some cases, brand new) clothes on Poshmark and before I knew it I had made over $100! Over the past year I’ve made about $500 selling my previously loved clothing and I’ve definitely put a good amount of that back into the app buying things that I wear more often.
I thought I would share some tips I’ve discovered to help others get started more easily! If you don’t have an account yet, you can sign up using my code PEWMK to get $5 in credits to use on your first order.
Here are some quick facts that sold me on Poshmark before I get into my buying and selling tips:
• Poshmark adds shipping on top of the price you list your item at
• Everything under 5 pounds ships Priority for $5.95, and Poshmark generates a pre-paid label for you
• You have 7 days to ship an item but most sellers ship within 1-2 days
• For all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of your sale and Poshmark’s commission is 20%.
Below are some tips to help you get the most out of Poshmark, whether you’re buying or selling:
Take good pictures or use stock photos.
This advice might be obvious but photos where you can see the whole item in good lighting is key! Using the stock photo for the first image is also a great since it usually shows the item worn or at least on a mannequin. When I started I was taking pictures of my clothes on a mannequin using soft box lighting, but I’ve actually had more success just laying the items out on a nice background in natural lighting. In the screenshot above you can see some of the photos I took using a cute blanket I bought at Target as the background.
Be descriptive and use the item’s name if you know it.
I buy a lot of stuff that was originally sold on ModCloth and they often have pretty unique names that makes it easier to search for them. If I can find something easily just by typing in it’s name in the search bar, then I’m more likely to buy it. If I’m selling something and the item doesn’t have a specific name I just try to be very descriptive about what it looks like. It’s also important to fill out all the fields such as size, color, and brand. The app offers filters that utilize those fields so if you know you’re looking for a Betsey Johnson dress that has the colors pink and black in it, that narrows down your search a lot.
Don’t be afraid of discounting items and offer a bundle discount.
When it comes to Poshmark, every little bit adds up! I’ve rarely sold something for the initial price I listed it at, so I always go into it expecting to lower my price once or twice before it sells. Poshmark offers deals for buyers when an item gets a price cut, so it’s great to utilize this feature. For buyers, be sure to like items you’re interested in so you get a notification when an item goes on sale. Poshmark will offer shipping as cheap as $3 on recently discounted items.
Bundle discounts are a great way to make more sales too (or save money on a haul from someone’s closet you love!). I’ve resold a lot of cheaper items from Forever 21, so while they might only be a couple dollars each, if someone buys 4 or 5 of my items at once I end up making $25 and I clear out a ton of space in my closet!
Follow people and share other people’s listings.
Participating in the community is the best way to get your closet out there. Poshmark offers a lot of different way to find people to follow. I usually stick to the new users section or look at users who like the same brands I do. I don’t think it’s possible to follow too many people on Poshmark, so follow away! And if you see any listings you think are cool, be sure to share them with your followers. If someone shares one of your listings, it’s good etiquette to share one of theirs in return.
Post ISOs for things you’re looking to buy.
ISO means “in search of”. I didn’t know what that meant at first since the lolita second hand communities often use WTB (“want to buy”) instead. My favorite thing about Poshmark is that you can find items that are long sold out at normal retail shops. When I’m on the hunt for a specific item, I post and ISO and check the brand page’s Just In section every few days. You can also follow brands so you get notifications of new items listed in your feed.
Make offers but don’t lowball.
In addition to just being able to buy an item outright, Poshmark also has an interface for haggling. I have a love/hate relationship with this feature. As a buyer I’ve gotten some good deals by offering a little less than asking price on items that have been up for sale for awhile. But as a seller, I’ve also gotten a lot of lowball requests that offer less than half of what I’ve listed an item at. If you feel uneasy about just making an offer, you can comment on the item and ask the seller if their listing price is firm or not. Some people will specify whether or not they are open to offers in the description.
I hope these tips are a little helpful in getting started on Poshmark, or maybe even inspired you to sign up and try it out yourself! I have always had a hard time letting go of clothing that I don’t wear anymore and Poshmark has made it a little easier for me. It definitely helps to make some money back on clothing that didn’t turn out to be what you wanted, and it’s nice seeing your previously loved garments go on to live another life in a new home.
If you have any questions about using Poshmark, just leave me a comment below!
These are good tips! I haven’t sold anything on there but I’d give it a go. can you do it from any country?
It looks like it’s only available in the US right now! A similar app is Depop which does allow people to buy/sell internationally since shipping price can be negotiated between the buyer and seller.