How I Sold My Used Clothes And Made Thousands Of Dollars On Poshmark

The only thing better than freeing yourself of old junk is making money while you do it.

Hi, I’m Rachel and I have a bit of a clothing addiction.

Instagram: @rachelzarrelllllll

When the pandemic hit, it made me take stock of the heaps of stuff that I’d accumulated over the years. Stuff I had no need for anymore, and maybe wouldn't ever need again. I felt like the king of useless crap mountain, and it made me feel weighed down during an already difficult time.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

TBH this is what my closet still looks like after selling and purging and storing about 75% of it.

Enter: Poshmark.

Over the last couple of years I've occasionally posted items I didn't want anymore to Poshmark, but during the last six months or so I’ve gone in hard.

Thanks to Poshmark I've gotten rid of tons of clothes, shoes and bags I have no use for anymore. I use a few other selling platforms as well, and between those I usually end up selling a couple items a week. In total, I’ve made almost $2,500 just on Poshmark.

While I’m certainly not a professional Posher (there are lots of sellers who do used clothes flipping full time and make thousands a month), it works for me as a low-commitment side hustle that doubles as a closet cleanse.

Along the way, I’ve learned some tips for how to become a mini Posh mogul from the comfort of your own clothes pile. Here’s how to do it.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

1. If you have the briefest thought on whether to sell something, sell it.

Netflix/The Jackal Group

If I feel that faint twinkling of wondering whether I should get rid of something, I list it. Life is too short to own clothes you aren’t obsessed with. Plus, the more space we make for new stuff the less guilt we'll have during the next shopping splurge.... right?

2. It's OK if your items aren't in perfect condition, as long as you're upfront about any damage.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

Poshmark doesn’t allow returns, but if your listing is misleading or isn't clear on what damage an item has, people can open a case against you and send it back.

When I was still new to poshing, I sold a purse that looked immaculate on the outside, but the buyer found a big stain I had missed on the lining. After I got it back, I relisted it with clear photos of the imperfections and still was able to resell it.

While pristine items obviously sell better, there's probably someone out there who wants your less-than-perfect-condition stuff, so just be upfront about it!

3. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get great photos — but a few bucks at a craft store can go a long way.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

Some sellers invest in mannequins or professional backdrops for their pics. I don’t have time or space for that. Instead, I got three patterned poster boards at Michael’s for about $8, including this fake wood grain that looks surprisingly nice in photos.

You’ll see a lot of people doing beautiful flat lays and staging their photos like professionals, but don’t worry about all that. You just need clean, clear photos that accurately show off your items.

4. Photos taken on your phone tend to be quite yellow; Snapseed is a great photo editing app for fixing that.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

Just go to white balance in the tools section and watch the magic happen.

Get it for IOS here and for Android here

5. Shoot your photos in 1:1 square mode.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

Switching the dimension I took photos in actually changed my dang life. Photos all have to be square on Poshmark, so avoid the app's awkward cropping and make sure you have the right size as you’re taking the pic.

6. When all else fails, a white sheet on your bed goes a long way for a clear photo.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

If you don’t have any poster board or clear spaces to take pics, just lay out a white sheet on your bed for an easy backdrop. Voilà! You're in business.

7. Learn the lingo.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

NWT = New With Tags. These are the holy grail of resell items. Don't beat yourself up about never wearing it, just get rid of it!

NWOT = New Without Tags. Never worn, or maybe worn once and still pristine.

EUC and GUC = Excellent/Good Used Condition. These two terms will be your best friends and cover a lot of bases.

8. Certain brands will sell fast, and certain brands (usually more niche or oversaturated ones) often won’t.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

You can find a bunch of different lists out there of what sells well, though it largely depends on how new the item is and it's condition. Anthropologie, Madewell, Zara and Lululemon are just a few examples of brands that will often sell fast. Plus-size items/brands also often do well (I’ve been told!). But that like-new dress you spent $200 on at a tiny boutique for a wedding where you knew one person might be a tough sell if it’s not a well-known brand name. And budget fast-fashion brands like Forever 21 often aren't worth it to people to buy used when a new item might be just a few dollars more.

9. Price higher to leave room for offers. Send out offers when things aren’t selling.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

Get your haggling hat on: People will generally make offers on your items for lower than you listed them. Think about the absolute lowest you would be willing to sell the item for, and list it about 20% higher. If things aren’t selling, this also gives you wiggle room for sending out an offer to anyone who has liked the item with a lower price and lower or free shipping.

10. List items you think people would be willing to spend $7 in shipping on.

Gracie Films/20th Television

We’ve all gotten accustomed to the delicious temptation of free shipping when we online shop. But on Poshmark, most people will be paying $7 to get their items (unless you’ve sent them a lower shipping offer). So the items have to be worth it. Generally, nobody wants to spend $7 to buy a stretched-out H&M t-shirt. Save those for the Goodwill bin.

11. Reshare your own stuff at least once a day.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

A lot of people browse listings based on what was recently shared. Go into your listings and hit share 1-3 times a day. It sounds annoying, but you can honestly do it in the span of peeing or brushing your teeth.

12. Use your Google supersleuth skills and try to find some of the photos from when your item was originally sold. Add as much detail as you can find or see to your titles and listings.

Google

It helps to find factory items to see your item in the best light possible, especially if your photos skills aren’t amazing (it’s cool, you don’t have to be good at everything). I tend to just google every feature of the item until I find it. You can also check the tag for a SKU code which might help locate it.

Add those extra details you find into the title and description. Often, someone is looking for something very specific, and they’ll only find it if you’ve got those details in your listings. People will be much less likely to click on or find “J.Crew Sweater” than “J.Crew Everyday Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater.” You can also get details like measurements from the item’s original listings online.

13. Follow and share from other closets. It’ll help raise your engagement and increase sales.

Rachel Zarrell / Via BuzzFeed

This is a controversial point, and some super-sellers will disagree. But honestly, I think there is some voodoo in the Poshmark algorithm, because every time I go hard on sharing other people’s items I end up selling more. Try it!

14. Since you're basically running a small boutique, a small investment can go a long way.

AAPOZ, Conair, OGHom

Putting in a few extra bucks to making your items and shipments especially nice for your buyers can help generate more sales — so you'll recoup it quick.

Some items I recommend that take my sales to the next level:

★ A fabric defuzzer to get rid of pesky pills to make old sweaters almost like new.

★ A cheap clothing steamer so you can steam wrinkly clothes before listing them or shipping them (bonus: steaming is so satisfying).

★ Measuring tape so you can give accurate measurements, which people often ask for if you don't supply them.

★ Tissue paper to wrap your items in when you ship (so much nicer to receive than a garment shoved in a bare envelope).

★ Sparkly washi tape or stickers to upgrade your envelopes!

PS: Just so you know, the products linked in this post were chosen independently by me, but BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

15. Remember that your closet should feel fun and manageable, and if it starts to feel like too much work you can always just donate your stuff.

Paramount Pictures

Poshmark does require a little bit of work, but if it starts to be a burden on your life then it'll stop feeling worth it. You can always bring your clothes to your local Goodwill, Red Cross, or Dress For Success affiliate, or a local women's shelter, where your pre-loved items can become loved again.

Ready to try out your hand at Poshmark? Check it out here.

Rachel Zarrell/Amy Schultz / Via BuzzFeed

If you use that referral link above, you can put in my username, REMYZAR, for $10 off.

Remember, it does take a bit of legwork to get started, but I believe in you! I’m no expert, and I’m sure there are things I could be doing better. But that’s the nice thing about Poshmark. It doesn’t really matter! Try your best, clean out your closet, make a few bucks, and don’t forget to vote. :)