Want to Sell Your Clothes on Poshmark? 5 Expert Tips You Should Read First
The people who sell clothes on Poshmark make it seem so easy.
I’ve read articles of women recapping how they lounge around their house on the weekends, sipping coffee and snapping photos of clothes or shoes to sell.
I envied them, perched so high on their chic Poshmark pedestals.
They had people begging them to post more clothes, more beautiful handbags. People were practically throwing money at them left and right like their lives depended on it (OK, maybe I’m exaggerating. But that’s what it seemed like in my mind).
So I decided to try it. It couldn’t be that hard, right?
My Attempt at Poshmark
I downloaded the Poshmark app with my eyes on the prize: extra cash.
I had numerous gameday dresses from college gathering dust in the back of my closet, and I wanted to try and make a few bucks off of them.
So, I snapped a few photos of them hanging on my bedroom door, set reasonable prices and waited.
People started following me. I followed them back. A few even liked and commented on my listings; I thanked them. I looked forward to the extra money I was about to have.
But three weeks went by and no one purchased anything.
Disappointed, I deleted the app and donated the dresses to a local shelter.
I couldn’t stop wondering why I didn’t sell anything, though. What was I possibly doing wrong?
As it turns out, pretty much everything.
How to Sell on Poshmark Like a Pro
I did my research. Almost every article online told me it would be a time-consuming process — but I didn’t know how detailed the process would be.
After some asking around, I found a Poshmark pro to explain the ropes to me: fashion blogger Alison Gary.
After she and her husband decided they wanted to rent out their house and travel the country in a RV, she realized there was no way her entire closet would be able to come with her.
After trying other outlets that she found “difficult and impersonal,” she finally decided to give Poshmark a try.
Within a week, she’d sold her first item. In about three months, her sales exceeded $1,000.
How’d she do it?
Well, she admits her pre-established following from her fashion blog, Wardrobe Oxygen, definitely helped. However, after research, trial and error, she has a few insider tips that can apply to anyone.
Here are her best ones:
1. Use All Four Photo Options
The photos of the dresses hanging on my bedroom door could’ve been part of the reason I wasn’t selling anything. Quality photos are crucial to making sales, Gary explains.
“Have your first picture be the one that is the best lit,” she says. “It could even be the one you found on the website from when you Googled the item, like the product photo.”
It makes sense.
As I browsed through my feed in the app, I was more attracted to listings that had bright, clear photos — and less interested in the ones that looked like they were snapped on a cell phone.
Some sellers even go as far as styling items on mannequins.
Poshmark has a no return policy with one exception: Customers can only return items if they aren’t delivered as they were described by the seller.
To combat this, Gary recommends downloading a photo collage app and making a few collages showing minute details of the product you’re selling. In doing so, you let buyers see exactly what they’re purchasing, flaws and all.
Including more photos can eliminate any potential situations where someone may claim that a seller ripped them off.
Full transparency means protection!
2. Capitalize on Titles and Descriptions
After looking at top Poshmark sellers, Gary started to notice they all had one thing in common: They had descriptive titles and used every single character they possibly could, with the most captivating parts in the front.
“I would use the emoji that says ‘new’ instead of writing the word out to save an extra two characters,” Gary says. “I would use every single character possible knowing it gets cut off a little bit, with the beginning being the hottest part of it.”
By the “hot” part, she means including brand names and then including adjectives after. Many Poshmark users browse by brand name, so including this keyword up front can help your item come up during searches.
It’s also good to include measurements, the material it’s made out of, when it first came out and other key info in descriptions.
“Give buyers more information than they even need,” Gary explains. “The less questions you have to answer, the better.”
By eliminating any room for buyer hesitation, you might have a better chance at making a sale.
3. Give Tips on How to Wear and Style Items
Giving buyers guidance on how to wear and style items can go a long way — especially since Poshmark has a no-return policy.
Gary recommends giving style tips in descriptions to convey to users just how versatile items are.
She will say things like, “this looks really great with a pair of pumps for work or add some ankle booties and a denim jacket and wear it on the weekend.”
By giving buyers ideas of outfits encourages the idea that the piece you’re selling is versatile — and a good value, since they can wear it more than once.
4. Don’t Be Afraid To Say No
Users on Poshmark commonly practice negotiating. Sellers can post items with “firm” prices, meaning they aren’t open to negotiation, but buyers still comment with their bids.
Being open to bids can be useful; a seller has the opportunity to get rid of an item that hasn’t been selling, and a buyer might haggle the price down a few dollars.
However, if someone completely lowballs you, don’t be afraid to reject their bid.
“My biggest challenge [with Poshmark] is that there are people out there who will make offers that are ridiculously low,” said Gary. “If it’s a waste of your time, say no.”
In addition to negotiating, people may ask for customized bundles of products you’re selling. If you’re not already offering it, Gary recommends you say no!
Your store is on your terms, not the buyer’s. You can save a lot of time and headaches by being selective.
5. Add An “Extra Touch”
Going the extra mile for customers is a great way to turn them from one-time buyers into recurring ones (which means people you can rely on to spend money in your store!).
To do this, Gary puts an extra touch on packages that she ships to customers; she wraps items in tissue paper and curls ribbon to secure them.
These small touches aren’t expensive, either; she recommends buying the tissue paper and ribbon off of discount websites like Amazon — for $12 she has enough tissue paper and ribbon to last her three months!
She even went as far as to get business cards printed that thanked customers for shopping with her, which she’d include in packages.
“[By doing these things] it comes looking really nice and clean, and polished,” she said. “That really helps you get return customers.”
Don’t forget that customers rate Poshmark sellers. Seller scores can’t be changed, and you can’t delete comments customers leave about you!
A little extra touch at the end could really make the difference in you getting rated a three or a five. And, Gary states that you want your score to be high so that “people trust that what they’re going to get [from you] is good.”
And, think about it: If you were a customer buying from somewhere, wouldn’t you want your package to look like the seller actually cared that you bought their item? I know I would!
Kelly Smith is a former writer at The Penny Hoarder.
