7 Best Places to Sell Clothes Online (for Fast Cash!)
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Whether you're looking to offload used clothing to make a few bucks, or you're interested in flipping higher-priced items for a profit, these sites are where you'll earn the most.
Do you wear all of the clothes in your closet or your dresser?
I know I don’t, and I’m not alone. Research shows that most of us only wear about 20% of the items that we own.[1] But we still keep those items in our closets, hoping we’ll one day find an excuse to wear them.
At least twice per year, I do a big purge and donate any unwanted clothes to my local Goodwill. But this year, I’m considering selling some of those items instead. Thanks to various online selling platforms, I have plenty of options for where to list my clothes to make extra money.
Where to Sell Clothes Online
While donating your clothes to a shelter or having a yard sale are good options, consider using some of these websites and selling apps to sell your old clothes and earn some extra cash.
1. thredUP
ThredUP is one of the largest online thrift stores. Users can buy and sell high-quality secondhand clothing items, from brands ranging from Old Navy to Gucci. With thredUP, you don’t have to worry about photographing and listing the items. You just order a free Clean Out Kit and send your clothes. ThredUP will inspect, photograph, and list all the items on your behalf.
When your items sell, you’ll get paid via Stripe or PayPal or earn thredUP credit. If you choose cash, you’ll receive a percentage of the final sale price, and the percentage varies based on the cost of the item.
You can also choose to donate any of the items that don’t sell, and your clothes will go to a charity of your choice. You’ll receive $5 from the company for every kit you donate.
If you want to get back any clothes that thredUP doesn’t accept, you’ll have to pay a $10.99 fee. According to the site, they only accept about 40% of all items submitted.
Related: The Best Way to Start an Online Consignment Business
2. Swap.com
Swap.com is an online consignment store that offers used baby, children’s, maternity, men’s, and women’s clothes and accessories. They offer a special Premier Seller program for those with more than 250 high-quality items. In order to join the Premier Seller program, you must fill out an application and send in a “test box”. If your items meet the criteria, you’ll be invited to join that program.
However, you can sell items on Swap.com even if you’re not a Premier Seller.
All you have to do is fill out an application, work with the Premier Seller Team on selecting quality items, print prepaid shipping labels, and mail your items to Swap.com’s quality inspection team.
Whether you are a Premier Seller or not, make sure you review their standards for women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing before sending in your items. They have strict acceptance criteria. The clothes must be free of pet hair and odors, be freshly laundered, and you may not sell altered or niche-branded clothes. If you’re selling children’s toys, you can’t include batteries, and they must have an original retail value of at least $5.
If your items are rejected, you can choose to have them recycled or sent back to you. You’ll have to pay $9 to have them shipped back, and they charge you if more than 40% of what you send to them is rejected.
If your items are accepted by the site, Swap.com will promote them for you. If your items sell, you’re paid a commission that’s based on the final sale price. The money can be sent via cash, check, or credit payout. Make sure you pay attention to any seller fees or bonuses for selling certain brands, as those will affect the net amount you receive.
You must have $10 in your account to cash out, but if you choose store credit, there is no sales minimum.
3. Poshmark
Poshmark is an e-commerce marketplace where people can buy or sell men’s, women’s and children’s used or new clothing, shoes, and accessories. You can create a listing using either the Poshmark app or your laptop. You need to take and upload pictures of the items you’re selling, fill in the description boxes, set your price, and make your listing live.
As a seller, you can adjust the price at any time or offer private deals to shoppers who’ve “liked” any of your items. You can even offer discounts on bundles of your items, and users have the option to make a counteroffer, similar to eBay.
It’s free to list on Poshmark, and any money is paid directly to you as the seller. The buyer even pays the shipping fees on any items they receive (shipping is a flat $7.11 up to 5 pounds). You can also offer to pay for shipping to boost sales.
Poshmark does take a fee for each sale. For sales under $15, it’s $2.95 and for sales $15 and over, they take 20% of the final sale price.
When you successfully sell an item on Poshmark, the company will provide you with a prepaid, pre-addressed label so you can drop it off at a USPS mailbox or post office.
4. Tradesy
Tradesy is an online peer-to-peer resale marketplace where people buy and sell women’s luxury and designer contemporary fashion. You can sell clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories from big name brands like Zara, Michael Kors, and Louis Vuitton. You can even sell your wedding dress on Tradesy.
Whenever you make a sale, Tradesy will send you a prepaid, pre-addressed shipping kit. You can withdraw your money via PayPal, checking account, or a debit card. The money first goes into a Tradesy account, and you have to wait a set time period, up to 21 days, before you can transfer the money to your bank or PayPal account. There’s also a 2.9% fee applied to transfer your money.
You may use your earnings to shop on Tradesy. Your Tradesy credit is your selling price minus Tradesy’s commission. The commission fees are fairly high – 19.8% on items over $50 and a flat rate of $7.50 for items under $50 – but you get to set the price, and the buyer pays for shipping.
5. TheRealReal
TheRealReal is an online consignment boutique focusing on luxury brands like Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. You can sell purses, clothing, accessories, and jewelry.
You’ll need to create an account, select which designers you plan to consign, and select how you want to send in your items. You can schedule them for in-home pick up, ship directly to the company using a free prepaid label, or visit a consignment office for a free drop off and valuation of your items. Once they receive your items, they set the price and prep the items for sale.
You earn commission on your items, and how much you earn depends on what items you sell, what level of seller you are (VIP, Icon, or Insider), and how much the item sells for. Certain designers like Christian Louboutin or Gucci might earn you an additional bonus as well. Payments are sent via check, direct deposit, or site credit.
If your items don’t sell, you can opt to have them donated or returned at no cost to you.
Related: 13 Best Places to Sell Your Jewelry Online
6. eBay
Since its debut in 1995, eBay has earned a reputation as an online auction site. If you’re interested in selling clothes on eBay, select “Sell” at the top of any eBay page.
Create a listing, confirm your details, and add an automatic payment method for any eBay fees. Buyers can purchase your clothes right away at the “Buy It Now” price you establish, or they can participate in an auction for your item. They can also make you an offer.
Shipping fees are also set by you as the seller, and you can choose to have them pay for shipping or cover all shipping costs.
You can select from a variety of payment methods including credit cards and PayPal, and you’re paid immediately. However, access to the funds depends on the payment method the customer chooses.
For instance, if they pay using PayPal, you’ll get your earnings instantly but if they use a credit card, it needs to go through the PayPal payment gateway before you see the money in your account.
Fees on eBay can add up quickly, because the seller pays fees when the items sells and when they receive money via PayPal. You can offset these by charging higher amounts for your items, but that might affect the number of offers you receive.
You do have eBay’s protection and help in the event of payment disputes or returns.
Related: 22 Best eBay Alternatives to Buy and Sell Goods Online
7. Instagram
Instagram is a social media platform that many people use to sell clothes. You can post pictures of your clothing items and write a caption with the size, asking price, acceptable payment methods, and the shipping method.
You can turn your Instagram account into a storefront by placing info about your store in your profile. You can also include different hashtags to promote the items.
Just make sure the items you’re selling are relevant to your audience. For instance, if you regularly post about clothes, then it makes sense to sell your dresses, shoes, purses, and other clothing items. But if your account is dedicated to food or your pets, you probably won’t find many followers interested in your designer clothing and accessories.
You’ll be responsible for setting the price, collecting payments, and handling any problems or disputes. This has the potential to get you good money for your items, but it does come with more risk and fewer protections.
Related: How to Make Money as a Social Media Influencer
How to Sell Clothes Online
Selling clothes online can be a good side hustle, but you can also crash and burn quickly if you don’t treat it like a real business.
Only Sell Quality Items
When you’re going through your closet to figure out what to sell, focus on quality items. If you have a shirt that’s stained, has holes, or is out of style, consider donating or repurposing it instead.
Clothes don’t need to be from expensive designers for you to make some money selling them, but they do need to be in good condition for you to get top dollar.
Take Great Pictures
You can’t overlook the importance of great pictures when you’re selling clothes online. Accurate pictures are key, especially if your items have any holes, stains, or signs of wear and tear. Take pictures in bright lighting on a clean surface without any clutter. Natural sunlight is best.
Take photos of your clothes from multiple angles so that buyers aren’t surprised when they get their orders. You may also want to model your clothing or include pictures of you wearing it. This will help buyers picture themselves wearing it since you can’t always get a good idea from something on a hanger.
Write an Accurate Description
Before writing a description, put yourself in a buyer’s shoes and think about what you’d want to know if you were them. You should include basic details such as the condition, brand, and size, but it’s also wise to mention information like how you recommend wearing this item or how it fits.
Phrases like “great dress for a night on the town” or “is a medium but fits like a small” can be really helpful for buyers. Include anything that’s wrong with the item like stains, tears, or scuffs. If you don’t, the buyer could return the item or leave a negative review.
Price Your Clothes Right
People who are shopping for used clothes are looking for a deal. Before pricing your item, do a quick Google search and see if you can find your item for sale, new or used.
Use this information to set a price that’s competitive and still allows you to make some profit. If you find that your items aren’t selling after about a month, cut the price. You can also take more pictures and change your description instead of lowering the price. You might also need to switch your selling platform or post on an additional one to reach more potential buyers.
Know the Market
Do your research and find out what kind of items sell best on each specific platform. Use Tradesy to sell your Burberry shirt instead of your Old Navy shorts. You can save the Old Navy shorts for platforms like Poshmark and letgo that don’t have a designer focus.
Understand Your Expenses
When it comes to making good money selling clothes online, you need to factor in your expenses. Make sure you’re taking shipping and packaging costs as well as platform fees into account. If you earn a significant amount, you might have to pay taxes on your earnings.
If your shipping and packaging costs exceed the amount you might earn on an item, consider donating it instead. It probably isn’t worth the effort to sell.
Spruce Up Your Items
You don’t have to get your clothes professionally dry cleaned before selling them. But you should wash, clean, and iron any wrinkles before putting them on the market. For purses or shoes, try to buff out any scuffs, remove stains, or make hardware repairs. If you can’t, make sure you note that in the item description.
It’s essential to send off your items in their best possible condition to become a trusted seller and earn positive feedback. People are more inclined to buy from sellers with good, positive reputations.
Anyone Can Make Money Selling Clothes Online
You don’t need experience or special skills to make money selling clothes online. To make a profit, you’ll need quality items, a good camera (the one from your smartphone is likely fine), reliable WiFi, and access to a post office or other shipping facility.
You can use the money you earn to save for a vacation, build an emergency fund, or pay off debt. Remember, if none of these online options work for you, you can always have a yard sale or consign your clothes locally to make some extra cash.
Related: 8 Best Places to Sell Makeup Online (Even If It’s Used)