selling on poshmark is easier than you think
purge your closet guilt-free
As I looked at the pile of discarded clothes growing taller, all I saw were dollar signs. It was a giant pile of regret, failure, misses, and mistakes. How can I get rid of these clothes? Some of them still have the tags! It’s so wasteful! I shared about this earlier this year in my closet clean out series, and one of the ways I am able to get through the guilt is to sell the items that don’t suit me.
Cleaning out your closet can come with a lot of feelings about wasted money, or wondering how you are going to replace those items. Fret no more, my friend! Sell it on Poshmark and look for your replacements on Poshmark! Recoup some of your money, or depending on what you paid, all of it. Last week we talked about how to shop on Poshmark, and today, I’m going to share how to sell on Poshmark.
how does selling on poshmark work?
When you are the seller, Poshmark takes 20% of the sales price as their commission, so it’s important to take that into consideration as you price things. If you list an item at $20, you will only keep $16. With your proceeds you can do two things: leave it in your Poshmark account and spend it on Poshmark items, or you can transfer that money to your bank account. Currently there are no fees for transferring the money. Leaving it in your Poshmark account is one way to budget what you are spending because you only spend what you earn from selling. But either way works.
tips for listing
Before you list, look up your item on Poshmark and get an idea of what others are selling it for, if there are any in your size, and what the condition is. Pricing competitively can get you a quick sale. Sometimes when I’m searching I see that outlier item that is priced WAY outside of what everyone else is selling for. And those items sit forever. It also helps to see what the brand in general sells for. Some brands hold their value better than others.
Here is a step-by-step tutorial on exactly how to create a listing. You can create listings on your phone or computer, but I find it easier on my phone because I’m taking the pictures with my phone.
When you write your listing, be as accurate and honest about the condition, color, and sizing as possible. Add measurements, model the item if possible, and provide what you can to help the buyer know if it’s right. Add details that will make it show up in a search someone might be looking for. Is it suede, have zipper details, metallic, sequins (and for the love of all that is holy don’t spell it sequence. Pet peeve. Moving on.), etc.? Make it as easy to find in a search as possible. What would a buyer search to find your item?
Speaking of spelling, check the spelling of the brand and the item when you list, and then add a misspelling or two that seem really likely. Is it Ninewest or Nine West? Is it snakeskin or snake skin? Bootcut and boot cut. J. Crew, j crew and jcrew. I put it correctly in the title and misspelled in the description to catch as many searches as possible.
It helps to add a stock photo from the retailer if you can find one online because it’s a professional model and photographer and usually the best color representation, but always share pictures of the ACTUAL item in your possession.
In this listing I included the stock photo, the name of the skirt and the name of the color, measurements, the fact that it’s petite but still long for a petite, and a picture of the actual skirt I own.
Put the best picture as your cover picture. This sounds so logical, but you wouldn’t believe how many pictures are of a label, or a pocket, or the hem. I don’t even bother clicking on those, and neither does anyone else. Choose the picture that shows the entire item, not a close up.
Take great pictures in natural lighting to show as many details as possible. Show the tag so people can see the size, price, and fabric content, show the sole and heel of the shoe to give an idea of the condition of the item. Show the corners and handle of a bag. If you can’t model (or even if you do), then lay the item flat on the floor or a table in natural lighting, check that your lens is clean, and snap some front and back full length photos. If you really want to get fancy, make a little outfit showcasing how the item could be worn. Easier than you think.
If you know the name of the item, include that. Is it a Tippi sweater? Are those the Audrey flats? In a shoe you can find the name inside the shoe by the size or on the box or on your receipt. I always search by the name of the item first.
tips for selling
Because people love to feel like they are getting a deal, almost all buyers make an offer of 15-20% off the listed price, and so I list mine for 20% more than I would ideally sell for. It’s a mind game, but it’s true. People want to feel like they got you. Like they got a good deal that others wouldn’t have gotten.
Respond to questions as soon as you can. Sometimes questions get lost in your feed if you have a lot of activity, so if you click on the comments you can see just those notifications.
When someone sends you an offer on an item, respond promptly.
As mentioned in the previous post, always be polite. If someone sends me a lowball offer, I will sometimes make a comment on the listing that says, “Thanks for your offer. This item is new with tags and already priced really competitively. I’m willing to negotiate some, but your current offer is far below what I’m willing to sell for. I’ll counter your offer in the range that is more acceptable to me. I hope we can work something out.” Sometimes they are not interested. Sometimes they ask more questions and buy. Communication helps.
This buyer kept lowballing me, so I commented to let her know why I wouldn’t sell that low. She asked more questions, I added more pictures, and she purchased for a price that was fair to both of us.
If you are down to a $5 difference, think about the fact that you’ll only make $4 out of that $5, and is it worth dickering over? Would you rather have the cash and that thing out of your house? It’s always a personal decision, but it’s something to consider. Also consider season. If someone is offering to buy your sandals in September, how long before you get another offer on those sandals with the temps falling? Maybe it is worth it to hold on until the next summer, and maybe you want them gone.
Don’t let your pride get in the way of a sale. I confess, there have been times with a buyer has annoyed me so much with offering one dollar at a time when I’ve been clear that I won’t sell that low, or lowballing me with no explanation that by the time they FINALLY get to a price I would have accepted, I don’t even want to sell to them. I’ve also noticed that people who do that are the ones who give you a bad rating over something stupid. “Didn’t come fast enough.” Um, I shipped same day. Couldn’t have come any faster. But the truth is, getting it out of my house and putting money in my pocket is more important than spiting a stranger who does not care. Don’t get emotionally invested in the process.
I find that sellers and buyers are a little at odds because you both take a hit. The buyer pays $6.49 in shipping, and the seller is losing 20%. So when negotiating price, it helps to see if from both sides. Remember that whatever they are paying, there is an additional $6.49 on top of that, and whatever the seller is accepting, they receive 20% less than that.
How low is too low? Most sellers have a rule that unless they will net at least $10, it’s not worth a trip to the post office. You lose 20% of the sales price, so for me the lowest is $12, unless I’m going to the post office with other items anyway.
You can send a private offer just to those who like your item. You create the offer of how much to discount the item, and then you have the option of offering free shipping or $4.99 shipping to sweeten the deal. Discounted shipping gets me every time.
Sometimes Poshmark runs a special that if you discount your item at least 10%, THEY will offer the buyer $4.99 shipping and cover the discount.
If you go on vacation, you can list your items as not for sale in your closet. Without fail, when I go out of town for a week or longer, I sell at least one item in my closet!
People won’t pay as much on Poshmark as on eBay. If you are selling a luxury, designer or more expensive item, you are more likely to get more for it on eBay.
Sharing is caring. Sharing other people’s items is really nice and always appreciated and usually reciprocated. If someone buys from you, it’s nice to go to their closet and share a few things with your followers. Hold down on the picture of the item in the feed, and a box will pop up and you can choose share.
I never hold things. Ever. Sometimes people will ask you to hold something until Friday when they get paid or whatever, but I never do that. I’ve never once had someone come back and get it. And I could have missed out on another sale.
Three times a day Posh has themed parties where you can shop or share items that fit. It might be J. Crew, Kate Spade and Lilly Pulitzer, so you can share your items during those two hours. If your item isn’t listed as those brands, it won’t allow you to share. The last party of the day is always such a vague category that you can share every single thing in your closet, like wardrobe basics.
This is a snapshot of my Poshmark notifications. The same seller shared 7 of my listings, so the polite thing to do is go share 7 of hers with my followers. You can also see what Posh parties are happening tomorrow, I have a couple of new followers and someone added one of my items to a bundle.
Sharing your items periodically is a great way to get sales. You can share to a party as above, or share to all your followers, or both. It’s something you can do when you are standing in line or waiting in carpool.
Poshmark rewards those who list and share often. I don’t know if they officially say this, but when I list new things, I suddenly get more sales of all kinds of things in my closet bc they are promoting my items.
Creating a bundle rule in your closet can increase sales. In my closet you get a 15% discount on bundles of 3 or more items, so if someone buys something from me, I will comment thanking them, and then remind them of my discount and the savings on shipping if they buy more items. Sometimes I get another sale out of it. Poshmark automatically calculates the price adjustment.
This buyer loved this cardigan and bought every single one I had because I told her I had several other colors listed. She got the bundle discount and saved on shipping by buying from multiple sellers, and I sold 3 cardigans in one go.
I keep all of my for sale items in a separate area so I can find them when they sell. No digging through my regular closet or the laundry or storage. They are all together.
If you are selling, it’s important to have your notifications on, or you will miss questions from buyers. I wish they came to my email because I’ve had them get lost if I have too many notifications at once.
Offers and notices of sales will come to your email as well as in your notifications, so be sure you list an account you check daily, not your junk account.
tips for shipping
As the seller, once the transaction goes through, you are automatically emailed a shipping label. All you have to do it print, tape, and drop it off at the post office in the drop box. It’s so convenient. You don’t have to wait in line.
After someone purchases an item I try to comment thanking them for their purchase and letting them know I shipped that day.
People appreciate fast shipping. All Poshmark postage is for 2-day priority shipping, and I try to ship same day or next day if I can. Especially if they buy on a Friday or holiday weekend.
You only have 7 days to ship your item or Poshmark will void the transaction.
Buyers appreciate pretty packaging and a thank you note. If you are a serious seller and trying to build a business or a clientele, It’s something to consider.
I like to recycle packaging. When I get a Posh package, I save the tissue paper and package as long as it’s in reusable condition. You don’t need to get out of control and start hoarding, but I keep boxes in unusual sizes for things like boots, etc.
If for some reason you are delayed in shipping, I always comment on the listing so that they buyer knows I didn’t forget or abandon my closet. I’ve always found people to be very understanding when you communicate.
how do i get started?
Download the app on your phone. When you sign up with my code DANCEME23, you get a $5 credit toward your first purchase, and I get a $5 credit toward my next purchase if you buy something. It doesn’t work if you sign up for the first time on your computer. Dumb, but true. After you’ve signed up on your phone, you can browse on any device you sign into.
You don’t have to sell to buy and vice versa. A lot of Poshers have empty closets because they only want to buy, and you can sell without buying a thing.
If you want to check out my Poshmark closet, you can find it here. If you follow me there you’ll know when I add new things.
If you have more questions I haven’t answered, you can ask me in the comments below, and you can check out the Poshmark FAQs.
I’ve funded a lot of my clothing shopping by selling the items that don’t fit or suit me on Poshmark. It’s guilt-free shopping! With anything there is a learning curve, but this is really easier than you think. It’s so satisfying to get some money in your pocket and some items out of your house. It really helps me with the guilt I feel about shopping mistakes.
If you want to know how to use Poshmark to buy amazing things, and some outfits with my favorite finds from Poshmark, be sure and check out those posts!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase through my links I get a small commission, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra. Thank you for supporting my blog!
16 thoughts on “How To Sell On Poshmark Like A Pro”
If your package will fit, you can put it in your mailbox once the mailing label is secured.
Melinda, great point. Around here any neighborhood built in the last 8 years or so has locked apartment-style mailboxes, and we can’t put anything in outgoing mail larger than a few sheets of paper, so I didn’t even think of that. But yes! If you have a traditional mailbox, anything you can fit in there will go!
This is such a wealth of information, clear and well written. Thank you April. I made my first Poshmark purchase about a month ago thanks to you. Now I understand selling as well.
Pat that’s fantastic! I’m so glad you felt confident diving in. I’ve found some of my most favorite items there. Happy Poshing!
This is so helpful, thank you!
Caron you are so welcome! I hope you find some amazing things there!
I had never considered selling anything on Poshmark before, but with this info, I feel like I’m ready to hit the ground running! Thank you!
Cr that’s great! It’s so nice to get a little money back from our closet purges.
I learned so much! I have used Poshmark but had deleted my account because I didnt sell much (and dont really have much to sell) but I find that buying is pretty darned cool and will probably try selling again. Thanks for this info!
Julie I’m so glad you’re giving it another try. I have found several of my favorite pieces there.
April, thank you for the information on both buying and selling on Poshmark. I appreciate your warnings about paying with Paypal. That is something I wouldn’t have considered.
Deborah you are welcome! The question and offer come up on a regular basis, and while it can be tempting on a pricey item, I always say no. Poshmark is so great about protecting both buyers and sellers. It’s worth the fees.
Great information April! Thanks for helping us be better sellers and buyers on Poshmark.
Thank you Jeanne, and you are welcome! Happy Poshing!
Quick question. If I search for a designer I see what is listed but my item of the same designer doesn’t show up, why is that?
Well if there are tons of listings, the default sorting is by those that were shared most recently. It could also be how you listed or how you searched. I hope this helps!