I started to downsize our belongings by selling the clothes right off our backs on Poshmark. Ok, not exactly off our back, but the clothes and accessories we were no longer wearing or using. Jackets we kept after moving from Boston to Florida, those jeans I hoped to fit back into one day, my purse collection (which I may or may not regret to this day).
When you begin or are in the process of clearing out things from your closet – you can often be faced with the issue of getting rid of that little black dress that still has the tags on it, that pricey boutique outfit you needed for your 3 month old or those jeans with the rhinestones that you spent far too much on and wore once before realizing they just weren’t for you.
As much as I love to donate and see things go to someone who can truly use it – I wouldn’t mind trying to get a little bit of that spent money back.
Much of what you read when it comes to decluttering will tell you to just call it a lesson. The money is already spent and you now know to think things through a little bit better before you make another purchase.
Agreed. But, I also believe it can be worth it to see if someone out there is willing to pay for it.
Selling on Poshmark
Poshmark is a fantastic tool for downsizing as well as earning a little bit of income on the side.
I was skeptical of using the Poshmark app at first – saw a ton of ads for it but never felt like I had much that would be worth selling.
The big concern with trying to sell things when you’re downsizing is that those items will not sell right away and may find their way back into your closet. Also, the pile of things may sit, taking up just as much space and remaining a burden on your goal of a simplified life.
Another concern with Poshmark in particular is – you may be tempted to shop for things you don’t need. This is especially an issue if you are on a tight budget and are trying to use this side hustle to pay down debts.
Poshmark Success Tips
This is not a sponsored post – its 100% my own opinion. I will include my referral link and my code at the end of the post if you want to add $5 to your Poshmark account, though!
1. Be sure to keep a full Poshmark Closet
Many shoppers on Poshmark prefer to “bundle” items – bundling means they can buy several items from one closet and pay the same shipping cost as they would for one item.
Buyers foot the cost for shipping (which is great for the seller – Poshmark does take fees of 20% from your sale but often those will be lower than the cost to ship) so bundling ensures they are getting the best deal possible. If you only have a couple of listings in your closet a buyer may look for the same item in another closet that has more items to bundle.
2. Grow your Poshmark following by following others
Poshmark is similar to social media in that you can “follow” other Poshers. A lot of followers will often follow back. Many will also look for similar closet and follow their followers in hopes to get some follow backs – so if you’re on someones follow list, expect to gain some followers looking for a followback. If you’ve spent any time trying to grow an Instagram following you are familiar with this process.
I have also found that following many Poshers reduces the likelihood that something will catch my eye on my feed and I will be tempted to spend. When I followed just a small number of accounts that sold brands I like I would often see an item pop up on my feed that I didn’t need, but it was a great deal. By growing the number of closets I follow, I see lots of items worth sharing – but seldom something I feel the urge to buy.
I have found it particularly helpful to follow users who shop the brands that I have listed in my closet. By using the Shop feature you can find People by clicking All People > My Brands.
3. Share Poshmark listings from other users as well as your own
The Poshmark community relies on and values sharing items from others’ closets. When you share an item from another Posher’s closet it will show up on your followers feeds as well as on your profile under “Shares”. Many times users will return the favor by sharing one or more of your items with their followers – which is a great way to get more exposure for your closet and gain more followers!
It is also important to share your items frequently. As I said before, when you share an item it will show on your followers’ feeds. If you want items to sell it is important to keep the visible. Just as something I need or love will call to me if I see it on my feed – the same goes for other Poshers! Share everyday, every other day, multiple times in one day – whatever works for you and whatever you have time for. I do my sharing once the kids go to bed.
4. Price your items to sell
Yes, it hurts to list those $175 jeans for $15, but doing so will ensure that they are more likely to sell fast and not find their way back into your closet out of guilt. Someone else will be so happy to get a great deal and give them the love they deserve. Plus, the $12 you will earn for the sale (Posh takes 20%) is more than the $0 you had with them sitting in your closet for the past 3 years.
You may find others listing the same items for more. Sure, you can try to make more. You can even turn Poshmark into a job – there are a lot of people out there who have done it! But that is not my goal and not the focus of this particular article – our goal here is to get the unused items out of our way and into a new, loving home. Let it go.
5. Make packaging and shipping an easy task
Poshmark automatically generates a shipping label when a purchase is made from your closet. Sellers can opt to offer discounted or free shipping, otherwise the buyer pays the full shipping price. Poshmark uses USPS Ground advantage for shipping. You can order free shipping boxes through Poshmark, or use any shipping box or mailer that you have.
A few other items that are helpful to have on hand are:
- A thermal label printer – even better if it is wireless and can bring straight from your phone
- Label Pockets if you do not have a regular printer and want to print labels at home
- Tissue paper and thank you notes – Poshers love to get items that are nicely wrapped and have a little note – it will greatly help your seller ratings if you take an extra couple of minutes to wrap everything and say thanks!
You also have the option to skip the label altogether and opt to have a QR code you can scan at the post office. Just arrive with your package ready to go and show your code at the counter.
When all is wrapped and ready to go you can simply leave the package at your door or mailbox and schedule a pickup! Check www.usps.com to see if package pickup is available for you. Once you get the email that you’ve made a sale, hop on and schedule a pickup – since it will have to be scheduled the day before – and you don’t even have to set foot in the PO or forget for a few days that you have a package in your backseat that needs to be dropped off.
6. Set a time limit
Probably the most important rule as it pertains to downsizing – set a time limit for how long you will keep an item listed. If it has not sold in a month – it is time to let it go. Or maybe less, or more. It all depends on your goals and your value on an item. But definitely set a time constraint and stick to it. If it has not sold by that time then it is time to donate it and at least you can feel like you tried to get something for it. Just know, that by donating it will likely find a happy home and bring someone else joy!
If you’re not already on Poshmark, you can sign up on Poshmark.com or download the app and use the code CHRISTYLGRACE to automatically have $5 credited to your account. If you make a purchase I will also receive $5, but if you don’t – you still get $5 so its a win-win in my book!
That also means when you sign up you’ll be given a code to share with your friends so you can earn the same!
Turn Poshmark into a Side Hustle
After seeing the earning potential of Poshmark after using it to downsize my own wardrobe, I wanted to try to earn more through reselling. Many Poshmark users are running thriving businesses by reselling clothes! You can even run live sales right in the Posh app.
Reselling clothing for income means you will have to eventually look outside of your own closet for items to sell. If your goal is to downsize and tighten up on spending, this may not be the best side hustle to jump into, as you will have to spend some money and you will be bringing more things into your house.
But if you do wish to start reselling for income, here are some places where resellers find new and used inventory to flip for a profit:
- Thrift stores, especially thrift outlets/bins, yard sales, estate sales, etc.
- Retail store clearance racks or discount stores like Marshall’s, T.J. Max, etc. — this is also referred to as retail arbitrage
- Outlet malls
- Wholesale and pallet websites – a quick Google search can lead you in the right direction
Is Reselling on Poshmark a Good Side Hustle?
Poshmark can be a lucrative income stream if you are dedicated and disciplined. Here are some tips for those starting out who want to potentially turn reselling into a full-time business:
- Only purchase items that are in good condition – no rips, stains or flaws
- Choose high-end and quality brands, don’t waste time on fast fashion and low ticket pieces
- Post new items consistently and frequently
- Create good quality listings: photos with good lighting, detailed descriptions, measurements
- Optional: pick a style. If you closet is known for a specific brand, style or category, buyers are more likely to purchase multiple items and return later for more
If you have ever thought about selling on Poshmark, whether for downsizing your own belongings or as a potential side hustle, I definitely recommend giving it a shot!
