What I learned Reselling

Do you love to shop? Why not shop to sell?

Photo by Martin Adams on Unsplash

I used to browse on Nordstrom, Barneys, Saks, Vogue runway for hours. No matter how many pages there were, I would spend hours scrolling and favoriting items in all categories. Also, when I used to go on Instagram, I would see all the clothes I would style, the places to go..blah blah

Fashion has always been dear to me. It’s a form of art and also a dangerous place for your budget. They are all things striped and sparkly, small and surreal.

On my first experience with Poshmark, an online reselling business focused on mainly women's clothes, I was just trying to sell a coach bag I got as a gift and didn’t use. Fast forward to two years later, I am working almost as a full-time online reseller. I am still in school for IT, but this exciting side hustle has been keeping me busy since last Fall.

Nowadays making money is easier than ever. There are so many resources and platforms designed to communicate to different consumers all over the country and the freedom to choose your niche. At first, I went through my old stuff. That was not enough. I started to go thrifting with not much in mind and left with bags of great condition clothes that I personally thought was cute.

After studying youtube videos and many days of constant sharing and posting, I realized that I was not doing it the right way. I needed to do more research on the brands that people are willing to spend enough to cover your time and expenses and losses. It’s really an investment, something more physical and let’s say…pretty.

Mall brands and basics don’t do much in this competitive market. Especially after covid, retail has fallen big and people aren’t going out to impress but rather staying in with loungewear and hot cocoa. I have so many unsold items from max studio, LOFT, Ralph Lauren..Tommy Hilfiger.. they retail for a lot but do not have the same demand when used.

However, there is still a live market for affordable luxury. This is where the gold is.

Basically: here’s a list of items that are worth the time

1. Shoes in great condition, preferably leather (sneakers are often profitable new in box..which you get in retail and also require a lot of research)
2. Outerwear that is quality, high-end blazers only, winter puffer coats
3. NOT vintage. Vtg may be cute, but it’s gonna be a slow sale and the margin isn’t that great. Also not as trendy since modern designs have a vintage vibe but aren’t necessarily outdated.
4. Dresses…maxi, patterned, animal…mid-tier, high-end brands
5. Bags. The more expensive the brand, the higher the demand. It’s insane haha

so there’s basically that list. I don’t just do those items, I use eBay and mercari as well. However, eBay really does well in things that are not clothes or household goods..rather gaming items, computers and phones, books..

Here’s a list of warnings:

1. No matter how the clothing fits, list the exact size on the label.
2. Check for stains and holes from top to bottom before you walk out the door.
3. Check on Poshmark the supply and pricing of the item.
4. Have a detailed description.
5. Poshmark has a 20% fee, which you must take into account to price your items.
6. Timing and sharing are much easier with a built macro for chrome, so you don’t constantly share with your poor fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very popular condition in this modern era.
7. This is an investment. Don’t get sidetracked into buying for yourself. Remember, you are shopping to resell.
8. Take risks and be confident enough to pay them off.
9. Your earnings are the reflection of your hard and SMART work. For example, are you keeping up with the trend? Constantly on the lookout? Are you doing everything by hand?
10. Expand at a payable scale.
11. Keep those receipts
12. Boxes are free from USPS and you can also request pick-up services.
13. So far since November, I have sold over 50 items on Poshmark and 50 on eBay as well. This is experience and from this, I can create a niche and a watchlist of categories and brands.
14. Don’t forget this is a side-hustle and you need to sleep.

Good luck! Hope this helps and I will post again once I update my closet from my newly gained knowledge.