best place to sell used or NWT clothing?

[Sagginit]

I am in the midst of a major closet cleanout. I just became a SAHM and my pregnancy altered my bone structure a bit, so in short I don't need or may never fit into a lot of clothes. I am trying to figure out the best place to sell off the items so I wanted to get your opinions as I figured a lot of people here have experience with this.

There is a local facebook group but its pretty dead. I also don't have time for the hassle of meeting people as I'm in a city area and some people don't have cars, so they want you to drive to meet them in a place with virtually no parking for one $5 item. I have never used Ebay or poshmark. I'm debating poshmark as I heard its better than ebay for clothes, but I'm not sure I have the time to invest in it. Time may equal more money as its direct to seller rather than a middleman.

Previously I sent two bags to Thredup in the late summer/early fall. They have since lowered their payout, are excepting far less, and now charge to ship to them. I think I may not make much on standard chain store items and I'm afraid they might rip me off on designer items so I am holding off on using them again. Swap com seems safer but I have no experience with them and their website doesn't seem to have much listed as well as low prices so I'm not sure what I would make on chain store items. I looked into the RealReal for designer items but they have a clause that anything they believe to be counterfeit they confiscate, this scares me as I would hate to lose an expensive item to their mistake. Also they seem to list high and I'm afraid things will just sit forever.

What do you do? Where do you shop? I shop on Thredup and I'm just puzzled that they rejected some of my items in my first two bags when I have bought items from them that were supposed to be like new but came damaged. Overall I'm not expecting a huge profit, I just don't want to feel like I got royally ripped off.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

I am in the midst of a major closet cleanout. I just became a SAHM and my pregnancy altered my bone structure a bit, so in short I don't need or may never fit into a lot of clothes. I am trying to figure out the best place to sell off the items so I wanted to get your opinions as I figured a lot of people here have experience with this.

There is a local facebook group but its pretty dead. I also don't have time for the hassle of meeting people as I'm in a city area and some people don't have cars, so they want you to drive to meet them in a place with virtually no parking for one $5 item. I have never used Ebay or poshmark. I'm debating poshmark as I heard its better than ebay for clothes, but I'm not sure I have the time to invest in it. Time may equal more money as its direct to seller rather than a middleman.

Previously I sent two bags to Thredup in the late summer/early fall. They have since lowered their payout, are excepting far less, and now charge to ship to them. I think I may not make much on standard chain store items and I'm afraid they might rip me off on designer items so I am holding off on using them again. Swap com seems safer but I have no experience with them and their website doesn't seem to have much listed as well as low prices so I'm not sure what I would make on chain store items. I looked into the RealReal for designer items but they have a clause that anything they believe to be counterfeit they confiscate, this scares me as I would hate to lose an expensive item to their mistake. Also they seem to list high and I'm afraid things will just sit forever.

What do you do? Where do you shop? I shop on Thredup and I'm just puzzled that they rejected some of my items in my first two bags when I have bought items from them that were supposed to be like new but came damaged. Overall I'm not expecting a huge profit, I just don't want to feel like I got royally ripped off.

I sold a lot of items on tradesy.com. It works best for designer items and higher end chain stores such as J. Crew and Banana Republic. It was pretty easy to use and I never had any problems with it. You have complete control over the price, which is what I wanted.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I think (I have found) that it depends on what exactly you're trying to sell. Shoes, formal dresses, and certain purses I'd want my money's worth, and I'll put them online (eBay) or find a thrift store that does consignment. Department/chain store store clothing almost never brings in money and I'll yard sale that. Then give the remainder to charity. There are usually community yard sales you can save your stuff for. Then it's no take backs no refunds no shipping costs. Which is definitely my preference.

I wouldn't be worried about confiscation if you have the real stuff. Just document it really well with your camera before sending it off. People who try to send in counterfeits aren't probably going to send in convincing counterfeits. They're trying to deter crooks. I mean, I've heard of people trying to sell on something they thought was real that they got as a gift...and then they get mad when someone tells them it's a fake...but I don't know how frequently that really happens and it's probably people who don't know enough about the brand to tell. (Counterfeit purses, for example, are pretty obvious if you know anything about the brand. Or even sometimes if you don't.)

 

[Sagginit]

I sold a lot of items on tradesy.com. It works best for designer items and higher end chain stores such as J. Crew and Banana Republic. It was pretty easy to use and I never had any problems with it. You have complete control over the price, which is what I wanted.

Oh I looked into Tradesy and had read some bad reviews. Mostly that people would buy and then return the goods damaged after wearing them stating they came like that. That's my fear of ebay and poshmark too. I have a split between great or practically new chain store items and a lot of designer items as I used to work in fashion.

For those that use ebay/poshmark, would it be helpful to build up a profile with lower value items first and then list more valuable items? Also since someone brought it up I have mostly jeans, dresses (some very formal some just office types), blazers, tees/tops, and some shorts. I have a few pairs of shoes but no handbags (those still fit lol).

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Oh I looked into Tradesy and had read some bad reviews. Mostly that people would buy and then return the goods damaged after wearing them stating they came like that. That's my fear of ebay and poshmark too. I have a split between great or practically new chain store items and a lot of designer items as I used to work in fashion.

For those that use ebay/poshmark, would it be helpful to build up a profile with lower value items first and then list more valuable items? Also since someone brought it up I have mostly jeans, dresses (some very formal some just office types), blazers, tees/tops, and some shorts. I have a few pairs of shoes but no handbags (those still fit lol).

I never had anyone return an item from Tradesy. I made sure to take very good photos and documented anything, such as alterations or damage to the item. I sold a bunch of items after my wedding, such as extra bridesmaids gifts, dresses from my reception and dress rehearsal, some leftover items from my bachelorette cruise, etc. I bought J. Crew linen scarves and sun hats for everyone that came on my bachelorette cruise, but I had extras. Those sold amazingly well (I made back much more than I paid for them). I did sell some designer jeans and a few other items from my closet, plus designer purses. I had a harder time getting the purses to sell. I just think the market is really flooded with those.

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

I use poshmark all the time. I sell there, and I buy. If the clothes are decent quality, they will move on posh. Maybe start your profile with a couple of low priced items that are valuable. Just to get your following up. Take really good quality pictures, merchandise the items offer a bundle deal or list as a lot, and price fairly. After the sale, all you have to do is print the labels and go to the PO. They give you a box there and off it goes....I love it. Good luck and congrats on being a new SAHM!

 

[Sagginit]

I use poshmark all the time. I sell there, and I buy. If the clothes are decent quality, they will move on posh. Maybe start your profile with a couple of low priced items that are valuable. Just to get your following up. Take really good quality pictures, merchandise the items offer a bundle deal or list as a lot, and price fairly. After the sale, all you have to do is print the labels and go to the PO. They give you a box there and off it goes....I love it. Good luck and congrats on being a new SAHM!

Oh that sounds a lot easier than I thought. Truthfully some of the designer items I got at a great discount and only wore a few times (some were final sale type items I couldn't try on, so they just sat collecting dust when they didn't fit right) so from browsing I will sell things at a much more fair price than others who are listing on there. My goal is not to make money or even break even, its to get these items to people that will appreciate them while getting some of the money back I spent over the years as it was often required to wear items from the brands I worked for. I don't have a PO close but I do have a staples that takes USPS packages.... so maybe stock up on boxes and then drop off there? My mother also mentioned she has a lot of items to purge, mostly chain stores but NWT items so I can use some of those things to build a profile too as NWT will most likely sell better.

Coincidentally I drove by an upscale consignment shop one town over today when running an errand, they take accessories including shoes so if they pay upfront I might take shoes to them so I don't have to deal with heavy boxes. The evening gown type items I am debating send to the RealReal as they may have more of a market for those items than Poshmark, but I will see how I will do with small items.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I knew the Disboards was the place to go. I asked around to friends but most of them are hoarding their clothes or just donate.

 

[minnie1012]

I use Poshmark. The buyer pays for shipping. Poshmark sends you the label. You can order free boxes from the USPS. You have to make sure you share a lot so that people can see your stuff. I share while I'm watching TV. It's a bit time consuming to take the photos but after that all you have to do is share. They also have theme parties so you can share things to those as well for exposure. A lot of stores are going out of business in malls you might be able to buy a mannequin or bust of one to display your items which helps sales as well.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Okay, minor hijack.

I have 4 pairs of higher end running shoes that are nearly new (didn't fit quite right, so have only been on one or two quick runs around the neighborhood). 2 Mizunos, a pair of New Balance 1080s and some Sketchers. I've bought shoes from Ebay - Clarks mainly - and one or two pairs of running shoes (duplicates of what I had). Is that the best venue for selling running shoes or is there a better one? Like Sagginit I just want to get a little of my money back and know the shoes are going to better homes than mine, where they languish in the closet next to last winter's boots.

 

[quandrea]

I would just donate it all.

 

[robndani]

I use thredup for nice things of mine and my kids. I donate most of my stuff.

 

[pjlla]

I have JUST started selling (or attempting to sell) on Poshmark. I did a ton of reading/research before jumping in. I honestly would like to get some money for clothes I no longer wear AND I have a great eye for a deal at the thrift stores and would love to make some extra cash flipping these finds. It seemed like the easiest option for the most potential income. I listed 3 items last week, one last night, and will list another one today. I haven't even had any nibbles. Not sure if that means I am overpriced or my pictures are poor or if the market is saturated with these particular items. But I won't give up. So far I like Poshmark (over Ebay) because I know EXACTLY how much I will make on the item (it tells you as you price the item).... Ebay was always a total crap-shoot.... fees, fees, fees... I couldn't keep up!!! It is fairly quick and easy. I find the thing that takes the MOST time is ironing the item and taking good photos! I wish I could write the listings on my computer instead of my phone, but I'm managing.

Good luck to you if you decide to give it a try! And look me up! pea_posh is my user name! ............P

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I would just donate it all.

Mizunos and 1080s in new or nearly new condition almost always get snagged by resalers at my Goodwill; that's the main reason I haven't donated them to begin with. I would sooner post them on a runner board and give them away than that. I don't mind it for the random pair of khakis that I just didn't care for, but running shoes are different for me.

I think I'm going to stick with Ebay and just price on the low end of nearly new shoes - I've gotten high end running shoes off Ebay in that state and always had good luck. (If you run, you understand. Sometimes the shoe you paid $150 for and have worn 4 times, so can't take back, just isn't the shoe for you, but it's going to be amazing for someone else.)

 

[arissavolk]

I don't think anyone mentioned this about selling on eBay so I'm going to give some advice:
Even if you've had a Paypal account for some time, selling on ebay/accepting payments through Paypal as a seller is different.
When you begin selling items on eBay, Paypal will hold payments made to you for 21 days and/or until you receive a certain number of positive feedback. If you're only selling 10, 20, 50 items, this might be more hassle than it's worth, since not every buyer will leave feedback. They also prefer you to get tracking numbers when you ship items as a new seller.

 

[mich311e]

Mizunos and 1080s in new or nearly new condition almost always get snagged by resalers at my Goodwill; that's the main reason I haven't donated them to begin with. I would sooner post them on a runner board and give them away than that. I don't mind it for the random pair of khakis that I just didn't care for, but running shoes are different for me.

I think I'm going to stick with Ebay and just price on the low end of nearly new shoes - I've gotten high end running shoes off Ebay in that state and always had good luck. (If you run, you understand. Sometimes the shoe you paid $150 for and have worn 4 times, so can't take back, just isn't the shoe for you, but it's going to be amazing for someone else.)

I sell a little bit on Ebay. Don't put them on auction, put them on "Buy it Now" where you set the price. You can also ad the option to take "Best Offers". Buyers will send you offers and you can counter or decline when the offers are too low.

Get or borrow a small shipping scale so you know how much it will be to ship. You choose the shipping option and set the price. (Some people do free shipping - which means seller pays shipping, I don't do that) And buy & print your shipping through Ebay, it comes discounted. Years ago I sold on ebay and didn't have a shipping scale or printer and I lost money at times by shipping at the Post Office.

I think you could get good money on the name brand running shoes. I like to get a little bit back on my expensive clothing and shoe items, so I know what you mean. Good luck!

 

[Sagginit]

I just got an email from RealReal that they are doing a bonus promotion currently where you can get $100 or $200 if they accept 10-19 items or over 20 items. I might go for that for some of the more expensive NWT niche items. I have one friend who also works in fashion and she told me she actually prefers ebay as people on poshmark haggle a lot, but since I'm staying home with a baby I figured its worth my time to try to list a few items a week and see if anything moves.

 

[minnie1012]

I have JUST started selling (or attempting to sell) on Poshmark. I did a ton of reading/research before jumping in. I honestly would like to get some money for clothes I no longer wear AND I have a great eye for a deal at the thrift stores and would love to make some extra cash flipping these finds. It seemed like the easiest option for the most potential income. I listed 3 items last week, one last night, and will list another one today. I haven't even had any nibbles. Not sure if that means I am overpriced or my pictures are poor or if the market is saturated with these particular items. But I won't give up. So far I like Poshmark (over Ebay) because I know EXACTLY how much I will make on the item (it tells you as you price the item).... Ebay was always a total crap-shoot.... fees, fees, fees... I couldn't keep up!!! It is fairly quick and easy. I find the thing that takes the MOST time is ironing the item and taking good photos! I wish I could write the listings on my computer instead of my phone, but I'm managing.

Good luck to you if you decide to give it a try! And look me up! pea_posh is my user name! ............P

It takes time. You need to get more followers and actually more things in your closet helps as well. You have to share a lot. Things sold well when I first started but now there are so many selling and a lot less buyers. So you have to share a lot to find those buyers. Share to the parties as well Good luck!

 

[Ladyhawke]

I think (I have found) that it depends on what exactly you're trying to sell. Shoes, formal dresses, and certain purses I'd want my money's worth, and I'll put them online (eBay)

I have only bought items there, but I trust sellers on Ebay withgood photos and feedback.

I have seen some great items on Poshmark. I just haven't bought anything from there yet. As someone said, having lots of photos almost sold me on what I have seen.

 

[RangerPooh]

Do you have any consignment stores in your area? Here we have Plato's Closet (it's a consignment chain). I don;t know what their payout is, but it might be worth a shot. We also have another one in town that's designed for professional work attire; business clothes. Something like this might be worth a shot, especially if the other avenues don't pan out. When my kids were little I often took their outgrown name brand clothes to the local kids consignment store. Didn't get loads of money for them, but it was enough when added up.