I started selling on Poshmark this past summer because I wanted to help my bank account grow while also clearing out space in my already-crowded closet. Not familiar? Poshmark is a resale marketplace full of people selling clothes they don’t wear anymore for a fraction of the ticketed price. To get your Poshmark side hustle off the ground like mine, I’ve answered the questions I get asked most frequently. Happy selling!
how do i get started on poshmark?
Poshmark is a free app that functions much like other online resale spaces. Users create a profile, upload products, and interact with other sellers. To get started, download the app and create a profile, where you’ll fill out a size profile and let other users know what brands you wear and how your fit might compare to theirs.
how do I start selling?
Once you have set up a profile, gather the items you don’t wear anymore and want to sell. This can be purses, shoes, clothing, jackets, accessories, and even unused beauty supplies. I recommend finding exactly what you want to sell and then taking all of your photos in one session. The process is definitely time-consuming, so before you start, make sure you set aside enough time. If you’re selling 10 or fewer pieces, an hour will most likely suffice; however, if you’re doing a major closet overhaul, you’ll want to ensure you have more than two hours to set up your photo shoots and get the quality and quantity of images that you need.
To set up your shots, find a wire hanger and a blank wall, or lay out a solid-colored rug to create a flat-lay photo of your piece. A lot of sellers also style their pieces to give users a better idea of how they’ll look with an outfit, combining multiple items that are for sale into one nicely styled look for users to purchase. An important note to remember: You should take the photos from multiple angles and add a photo of you wearing the item when possible to give potential buyers every view of the product that they could possibly want.
how do i price my items?
First, head to the internet to see what other sellers are reselling the same item for. If your items are not currently listed for resale, try to find the original retail price. Then price your item at least 50% below that. You should also always try to consider what the buyer is thinking when they’re looking at your item; they probably wouldn’t want to pay much for an item with a lot of visible wear, but they may be willing to pay closer to the original retail value if it’s brand-new. As a general rule of thumb, most items on Poshmark will sell for between $10 and $50, so definitely try to stay within that range for non-designer items. For example, if you bought a shirt at Free People for $69 and wore it only a few times, start by listing it at $30 and see what people offer you. Oftentimes people will “like” your item to save it in case you decide to drop the price, or they’ll offer you a lower price than listed.
what happens when someone makes an offer?
Oftentimes, buyers are looking to negotiate. They will select “offer” and name their price. You then have the opportunity to accept or make a counteroffer, and they can do the same. Keep the quality of your item in mind, and be open to negotiating on prices with items that might have gotten their fair share of wear. For items you are less attached to, I’ve often found it worth it to sell the item for less money rather than have it continue collecting dust in my closet.
how do i attract buyers?
To make your items stand out among the thousands of listings, stay active—you have to be constantly engaging to stay relevant in search results. You’ll notice people love to follow other sellers and share their products, and it is in your best interest to do the same. Share listings of people who are similar to you, and follow as many “Poshers” as possible. Also, when you get a notification saying there is a Posh Party happening, make sure you share as many items in the party as possible. For example, if you get a push notification saying, “Best in Bags Party happening now!” you should go into your Poshmark closet, select each bag individually, and share it to the party page. This will get more eyes on your items and boost engagement. If you still feel like it’s taking a while to make a sale, be patient—know that all it takes is one person looking for an item just like yours to make a sale.
what is a “bundle,” and why did someone add my item to it?
When someone adds your listing to a “bundle,” that means they are looking to purchase more than one of your listings for a discount. This can be a great way to clear out your closet and sell a bunch of items at once. When this happens, go into the notification, and you will see a screen asking you to make them an offer. The decision on how much of a discount you give is up to you, and the buyer can counter or accept. The discount you give really depends on how eager you are to get rid of the bundled items. For example, I once listed two pairs of shoes I hadn’t worn in years at $35 each but sold to the buyer at $50 for both. This was fine with me because that meant they were both going to be out of my closet, and I was able to make more money selling them together than I would have if I’d just sold one pair individually.
what happens after i make a sale?
You will be immediately emailed a shipping label after you make a sale, which is paid for by the buyer. Once you’ve printed that, head to your local post office and pick up a priority mail box. (Make sure you aren’t grabbing the flat-rate boxes, as those have a different pricing system than priority.) The best part? Priority mail boxes are free. Wash your item if necessary, wrap it up with a nice little card, and tape up the box. Stick the label on the outside, and drop it in your nearest blue mailbox or bring it to the post office if your item is on the larger side. When it gets picked up, Poshmark will send you an email saying, “Thanks for shipping [your item].” Use the USPS code to track the shipment all the way to the buyer, and wait for your payment.
what does the payment process look like?
Just like using direct deposit through your employer, you fill out your bank’s routing number and provide your account number. The app will store this information, but don’t worry—it will never give it to buyers. When your package reaches your buyer, they have three days to confirm that they have received the item and it is satisfactory. The payment is then released to you as “redeemable.” You then can tap the green money symbol in the top right corner of your profile to manage your deposit.
does poshmark take a cut of my sale?
Yes. Plain and simple, no resale market would be able to function without taking a percentage of each sale. Poshmark takes 20% from sales over $15 and a flat rate of $2.95 on sales under $15.
how much money can i expect to make?
Poshmark is one of those age-old “you get out what you put in” instances. Your likelihood of making a sale goes up when you list more and when you’re interacting with other sellers. I have made close to $700 in three months, which, to me, is no small sum. I definitely recommend you hop on the app and see what you can do, because if unworn clothes are hanging in your closet, that’s pure profit just waiting to find a new home.
Do you have any tips for making money with Poshmark? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured photo by @hautereflection.
