10 Best Places To Sell Clothes Online or In Person
Is your closet overflowing? Do you still have that outfit you wore to a wedding years ago? Are you looking for a way to make some extra cash on the side? Whatever your motivation, selling used clothes is easier than ever to do. Plus, not only does selling your old clothes support a circular, sustainable economy, but it also allows you to recoup some of the money you spent on them in the first place!
There are many ways you can sell your clothes, both online and in person. On the one hand, selling online is easy and helps you reach more people, but most online resellers keep a portion of the sale, and you have to account for shipping costs. On the other hand, selling locally leaves you with 100% of the profit, but may require more effort on your part to reach the right audience.
If you’re new to selling clothes, you may be at a loss of where to start. But don’t worry, it’s easy to get started, and before you know it you’ll be selling clothes like a pro!
Photo by Tobias Tullius
What clothes can you sell?
Whether you have a lot of clothes you’re looking to get rid of or you just want to sell a few items, joining the second-hand clothing market is simple. First, gather the clothes you want to sell. I highly recommend doing this as part of an annual closet “decluttering.”
As with decluttering the house, there are many benefits to tidying up your closet. Studies such as this one have shown that clutter can have a significant impact on an individual’s wellbeing. More specifically, decluttering can make you feel more in control and relaxed, not to mention it can boost your mood and increase feelings of self-worth!
In addition, regularly decluttering your closet helps keep the contents fresh and in sync with your personal style. After all, style is something that evolves, so shouldn’t your wardrobe evolve with it? Otherwise, you risk ending up with an unnecessary pileup of clothes. Plus, having too many options can lead to decision fatigue when trying to pick out an outfit.
As you’re going through your closet, it’s best to sort clothes into four categories: keep, sell, donate, and recycle. Keep clothes that you wear regularly or intend to wear in the near future. When it comes to clothes that you’re ready to part with, not all are worth selling. Think about it, what kind of clothes would you be happy to buy second-hand?
The best kind of clothes to sell are ones that are “new-with-tags;” maybe you bought them with every intention of wearing them, but they just don’t fit right, or aren’t actually your style. Next best are clothes that are in excellent condition with few to no flaws. Higher-value items or name-brand clothing also tend to sell well in the second-hand market.
On the other hand, some clothes aren’t worth selling even if they’re still in decent shape. This includes clothes from fast fashion brands like Forever21, Zara, or SHEIN. Similarly, outdated styles may not sell well, even if they were once worth more money. Save yourself the time and energy by instead donating these to your local thrift store.
Finally, no one will want clothes that are stained, full of holes, or wearing thin. These are best sent off for fabric recycling instead.
Tips for selling second-hand clothes
If you’re going to take the time to sell some of your clothing items, you might as well present them as best as possible. Otherwise, you may end up with unsold clothes and wasted time. To make sure people are excited about your second-hand clothes, follow these best practices:
Do your research: If you can, check how much you bought your item for. Similarly, find out what similar second-hand items are selling for to get an idea of the price you can ask. Make sure to ask for a reasonable price, or your item may not sell at all! If you discover that your item may not be worth as much as you hoped, you can try selling it for cheap or in bulk with other clothes, or simply donate it to save yourself the time and effort.
Make sure your clothes are clean and dry: no matter how you’re planning to sell, you need to wash and dry your clothes (the same goes if you’re donating or even recycling your old clothes). If there’s a stubborn stain, do your best to get it out, or disclose it when selling. Note that some consignment shops may not buy stained or damaged items. If your item is high-value (such as a designer item or wedding dress), consider getting it dry-cleaned first and letting people know that you did so (consider saving the receipt as proof).
Repair minor defects: is a button loose? String coming off? Hem loosening up? If you have some sewing skills, and the defect is minor, consider fixing it before selling. If it’s a larger defect, such as a hole in a sweater, consider paying a seamstress to get it fixed. While you may be resistant to spending money on something you’re planning on getting rid of, making sure the item is in good condition is the best way to ensure it will get sold.
Iron or steam items before photographing: Are you selling the item yourself? Even if you’re planning on taking it to a consignment shop, ironing or steaming items, especially ones prone to creasing, increases the appeal of the item and makes it more likely to be sold.
Photograph in good lighting: When taking photos of clothes, you want to present them as best as possible so people want to buy them! Good, bright lighting and a neutral (ideally white) background help the item stand out. Plus, good lighting results in a more accurate photo with colors and details clearly visible.
Be accurate in your description: Although photos speak volumes, you also need to include a description of the item. Make sure to include accurate measurements/sizes and point out any flaws, if there are any. People are more likely to buy when the seller has spent time presenting their item well. Disclosing flaws not only makes you seem trustworthy, but it also reduces the likelihood of dealing with disgruntled customers later on!
Consider cross-posting: Depending on which route you decide to go, you may be able to cross-post/cross-list your item to increase how many people see it. If you do decide to cross-post, make sure to take down all listings as soon as the item sells!
10 best ways to sell used clothes
Now that you’ve got a pile of clothes ready to be sold, it’s time to list them. First, decide whether you want to sell online or in-person (locally). Which you decide is entirely a matter of personal preference; selling online allows you to reach a broader market (potentially international), but selling locally can be a good way to support your local community, plus you avoid dealing with shipping.
Within those two options, you can then decide how much agency you want as a seller. Do you want to be completely in control of the listing? Or do you prefer to hand your clothes off and receive a check for a portion of the sales instead?
How to sell clothes in person
Although you may not reach as big of an audience, you can still have a lot of success selling clothes locally if you do it right. Here are the best places to sell clothes in person:
Facebook Marketplace
You can sell all kinds of things on Facebook Marketplace, from household furniture to cars. But did you know that you can also sell your clothes? While it’s technically possible to sell to people that don’t live in your area, the majority of people use Facebook Marketplace to buy things that they can pick up in person – in other words, it’s a good way to keep your items within your community!
To sell clothes on Facebook Marketplace, simply create a new listing and provide all the relevant details. And don’t forget to include high-quality photos!
Seller’s fees: None
Pros:
You can customize the asking price to whatever you want
You get to keep 100% of what you and the seller agree on
Your clothes stay local
Cons:
There is no guarantee that your item will sell, even if people express interest
It can take time to message/meet with prospective buyers
You have to be ready to negotiate with bargaining buyers
Craigslist
Like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist is an online platform that allows people to sell whatever they want in person, resulting in most buyers being local. You can post your second-hand clothes on the platform, and wait for prospective buyers to reach out!
Seller’s fees: None
Pros:
You can customize the price to whatever you want
You get to keep 100% of what you and the seller agree on
Your clothes stay local
Cons:
There is no guarantee that your item will sell, even if people express interest
It can take time to message/meet with prospective buyers
You have to be ready to negotiate with bargaining buyers
Consignment stores
Your town or city may have consignment stores or boutiques that will sell your clothes on consignment. If you’ve never consigned before, it usually includes booking an appointment and having a shop attendant sort through the clothes you bring in. Consignment stores will generally only accept items that fit their vibe or aesthetic, are in season, and are clean. In other words, they may be “picky.”
With consignment shops, you usually get back a certain percentage of what the clothes sell for. Some consignment stores, like the chain consignment shop Buffalo Exchange, buy your clothes off you outright for a smaller percentage. Often, they will offer a deal where you can get more value for in-store credit, making it a good option if you’re looking to refresh your closet at the same time!
Don’t have a consignment shop near you? Crossroads allows you to send clothes in by mail and in return they will send you 30% of what the items are priced to sell for!
Seller’s fees: Vary widely from store to store, typically anywhere between 25-75% of the item’s selling price
Pros:
You don’t have to deal with customers
You don’t have to post your item with photos and a description
Getting paid out is usually quick and easy (but varies from store to store)
Cons:
You only get a percentage of what an item sells for
Consignment shops tend to be picky and may only accept some of your items
Find consignment shops near you
Garage sale
Garage sales are a popular way of selling your old belongings, usually over the weekend. But if you’ve ever held a garage sale, you know it can be a lot of work for not a lot of payoff! To make your garage sale stand out, team up with friends and family to hold a larger garage sale in order to draw more folks in.
Plus, garage sales work best if you advertise it heavily. In addition to hanging up signs around your neighborhood, consider posting about it a few days to a week in advance on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Make sure to include photos of your best items, including your clothes! Arrange them well the day-of (consider organizing clothes by size or color), and be prepared to negotiate.
Seller’s fees: None
Pros:
You can customize the price to whatever you want
You get to keep 100% of what you and the seller agree on
Your clothes stay local
Cons:
There is no guarantee that your item will sell
People may try to negotiate for less than what you’re willing to sell an item for
You have to be ready to negotiate with bargaining buyers
Learn how to organize a garage sale
How to sell clothes online
Do you want to potentially reach a bigger audience by selling your clothes online? There are many online platforms that allow you to sell clothes, and some are basically giant online thrift shops! Here are my favorites:
Ebay
Ebay may have been founded in the early days of the internet, but it is still very much a thriving online marketplace for everything from collector’s items to clothing. Yes, if you have high quality items of clothing, you can list them on ebay to reach an international market. There are a lot of ways you can list items on ebay, for example either for a set price or allowing buyers to bid.
Ebay works best for listing items of clothing that are unique, vintage, or name-brand–things that people may put effort into to find.
Seller’s fees: 15% for items $2,000 or less, or 9% for items over $2,000 (learn more here)
Pros:
Relatively low seller’s fees
The auction format can result in you selling your item for more than you originally listed it for
Cons:
You have to create your own listing
You have to ship the item once it sells
High competition on the site
thredUP
If you’re looking to sell a lot of clothes fast, thredUP is by far the best option. You simply send in your clothes, and they do all the work to determine value and create the listing. When something sells, you get paid out a percentage of what the item sold for.
If they determine some of the items aren’t in sellable condition, they’ll even donate or recycle them for you! While you can get them back if you want to try selling them somewhere else, you’ll have to pay for the return shipping.
Seller’s fees: None; you get paid out according to the item’s value, anywhere between 0-80%, more for higher-value items (learn more here)
Pros:
All you have to do is send in your items
Automatic payout once your clothes have been processed
Cons:
You have to pay for shipping if you want to take back any clothes they won’t sell
You get low payouts for low-value clothes
Poshmark
With Poshmark, you list all of your own items, which means you have to put in a bit more work to sell your clothes (similar to selling on Ebay). But unlike Ebay, Poshmark is self-described as a community of sellers selling their “personal style” and curating looks for shoppers. In other words, it’s somewhere between a social media app and thredUP.
While you can sell some home items on Poshmark, the platform is mainly used to sell clothing, which means you’ll be sure to reach a wide audience with your listing. Plus, while the seller’s fee is not the lowest, at 20% it’s pretty reasonable.
Seller’s fees: For sales under $15, Poshmark charges a flat rate of $2.95; for all other sales the seller’s fee is 20% of the sale price (learn more here)
Pros:
Relatively low seller’s fees (meaning you keep more)
You can share your listings to reach more people
Cons:
You have to create your own listing
You have to ship the item once it sells
Depop
Depop is similar to Poshmark in that it is a “fashion marketplace app” where you can buy and sell clothes easily, with an interface that’s not dissimilar from a social media app. Depop is well-established, so your listing has the potential to reach a lot of people. But as with social media, your “shop” doesn’t automatically get shown to everyone, so you need to share your listings and choose good keywords to attract customers.
Seller’s fees: Depop charges 10% of the total transaction amount (including shipping costs) plus a “transaction fee” of around 3.49% + $0.49 per item (learn more here)
Pros:
Relatively low seller’s fees (meaning you keep more)
You can share your listings to reach more people
Cons:
You have to create your own listing
You have to ship the item once it sells
Vestiaire Collective
Do you have high-end items in your closet? If so, you should consider selling on Vestiaire Collective, which is the place to buy and sell designer clothes and other high-end items. Unlike the other places on this list, Vestiaire Collective authenticates its listings to prevent the sale of knockoffs, a practice you can learn more about in its Trust Report.
While the seller’s fee is slightly higher as a result (15% for most items), you’re more likely to reach buyers passionate about quality items.
Seller’s fees: For most items, the seller’s fee is 15% plus a 3% processing fee; for items less than $80 the fee is $12 plus a $3 processing fee (learn more here)
Pros:
Can be lucrative for high-value items
Listings are authenticated digitally, and buyers have the option to get an item physically authenticated before finalizing a purchase
Designer items are more likely to reach discerning buyers
Cons:
Not the best place to sell items worth less than $80 due to the higher fees
You have to create your own listing
You have to ship the item to the buyer (or a warehouse for physical authentication) once it sells
Vinted
If you’re looking for a place to sell your used clothes without the social media aspect, Vinted is a solid option. As with most other places on this list, you create the listing and wait for a buyer to show interest. One unique feature is that you can “swap clothes” with other sellers, so you may find yourself with a fun new piece while getting rid of one that you’re done with!
Another thing that sets Vinted apart is the lack of seller’s fees; instead, buyers purchase a “Buyer Protection Fee” on top of the item's cost and shipping, typically $0.70 + 5%. This means you get 100% of what you list the item for!
Seller’s fees: None (learn more here)
Pros:
No sellers fees, but the Buyer Protection Fee should be taken into account when deciding how to price an item
You can “swap” items with other sellers
Cons:
You have to create your own listing
You have to ship the item once it sells
Have you tried selling your second-hand clothes? Let us know what worked for you by commenting below!
