Looking to clear out your closet and make some cash? Are you wondering how to sell clothes online? Well, you’re in luck because there are loads of websites and apps out there that can help you sell your clothes online.
Whether you’ve got your own fashion creations to sell or you’re just looking to declutter your wardrobe, it’s time to dig out those forgotten gems.
Remember that sparkly ’80s dress you rocked at that one epic New Year’s bash? Or those tops you impulse-bought last season and then never touched again?
It’s time to stop letting your clothes gather dust and let them find new, loving homes!
In this article, we’re going to spill the beans on the 20 best sites and apps for selling clothes online. Plus, we’ll throw in some killer strategies to help you make the most of your online clothing-selling adventure.
So, let’s get started with how to sell clothes online.
Key Takeaways:
- My favorite sites for selling clothes online are Mercari, Poshmark, and eBay.
- There are also other platforms to sell clothes, such as Etsy, ThredUP, The RealReal, ASOS Marketplace, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.
- If you want to sell your clothes to individuals in your local area & want to skip the shipping process, then consider listing your items on nearby platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, VarageSale, and Nextdoor.
- While listing clothes on online platforms, provide detailed information about the item you’re selling, such as brand, size, and condition, as well as more intricate particulars.
- You need to provide measurements for your clothing and consider modeling your clothing to help potential buyers visualize how the pieces will fit.
- You can conduct competitive research to find out the optimal pricing for your merchandise. If an item isn’t selling, you can sell it at a lower price.
Now, let us have a look at the complete guide on how to sell clothes online.
How To Sell Clothes Online: Step-By-Step Instructions
If you want to sell your clothes online, you need to follow certain steps. These include:
Choose Your Niche
Before establishing your online clothing business, you need to identify your specific niche. A niche represents the particular target audience based on the specific category of clothing products.
Research
Now, conduct keyword research to uncover what users are searching for when they’re seeking to purchase clothing online.
You can utilize tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to identify the most frequently searched keywords related to clothing.
Create Your Online Store
Now, conduct keyword research to uncover what users are searching for when they’re seeking to purchase clothing online.
Before selecting a platform, take into account factors such as the technology they use, flexibility, security level, localization, integration capabilities, and cost.
You can also craft your own online store by buying a domain name & hosting and then installing WordPress. It will help you get maximum freedom & flexibility, especially with regard to your store’s layout, design, and the selection and promotion of your inventory.
Use High-Quality Photos
Capture vibrant, well-lit photos of your items to make them stand out among poorly lit cell phone snapshots. Position your clothing on a flat, plain surface and illuminate it with placed lamps to reduce shadows.
Clean Your Clothes
Before listing your items, ensure they are clean and freshly laundered or dry-cleaned. You can take the time to polish any hardware and remove scuff marks for shoes and handbags. When packaging your items, do so with care to minimize the risk of wrinkles or damage during shipping.
Do Branding
If your goal is to create your own clothing brand, you’ll need to choose suppliers, design the logo, label the products, and craft an appealing design. You can also model your own clothing to help shoppers visualize how the pieces will fit.
Add Product Information
Provide prospective buyers with detailed information about the item you’re selling. You can use concise yet complete sentences to convey essential details like brand, size, and condition, as well as more intricate particulars.
Disclose Defects
Cherished items may exhibit minor scuffs or scratches. You can disclose defects upfront to maintain your reputation and seller rating.
Determine Pricing Strategy
You can conduct competitive research to find out the optimal pricing for your merchandise. If an item isn’t selling, you can sell it at a lower price.
Use Different Marketing Strategies
A well-crafted marketing strategy attracts customers to your online clothing store. You can make use of advertising platforms like Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Social Ads to reach your intended audience.
You need to create a strong presence on social media using the same name as your clothing store or your official website’s domain.
Remember to keep your social media profiles updated to inform followers and potential customers about your current inventory, upcoming stock arrivals, as well as any promotions or sales you wish to showcase.
Best Sites On How To Sell Clothes Online
There are many sites that can help you on how to sell clothes online. Let us look at them one by one:
1. Mercari
First things first, Mercari is the best place to sell your clothes on the internet. It enables you to market your clothing items by uploading images and creating listings for your clothes, shoes, & accessories at your preferred prices. When an item is successfully sold, a flat 10% fee is applied.
Beyond clothing, Mercari also offers the flexibility to sell a wide range of items, including Fitbits, cell phone cases, and soccer gear.
The Mercari app has a user-friendly interface that makes it quite accessible to users of all levels.
2. Poshmark
Another platform to sell your clothes online is Poshmark.
Poshmark is an ideal platform that allows you to sell a diverse range of everyday clothing & accessories piece by piece.
You can list various clean and well-maintained clothing and accessories for women, men, and children using the Poshmark app and website.
Poshmark includes different brands that range from Brandy Melville to Céline. Therefore, it is essential to customize your profile to stand out.
Poshmark offers valuable guidance to assist you along the way.
When it comes to fees, Poshmark charges $2.95 for sales under $15 and takes a 20% commission on transactions exceeding $15.
After the buyer receives their purchase, you can expect to receive your earnings within 3 days.
3. The RealReal
If you’re fashion savvy, the RealReal is an excellent choice for you to sell your clothes online. You can sell your high-quality designed clothing & accessories for women, men, and kids.
To begin the selling process, you can print a free prepaid shipping label to affix to your package of items. Then, you need to drop off your items at one of The RealReal’s physical locations or arrange for a convenient pickup service.
The RealReal determines prices for your items based on the current market trends, item condition, & other factors.
You’ll earn a commission for all your sales over a calendar month. This commission structure starts at 20% for sales under $99 and increases as your sales grow.
Sellers can retain up to 70% of the sale price, depending on their consignor status and the assessed value of their items.
The RealReal also accepts home decor, fine jewelry, and even fine art items. You can send your items with the help of USPS or select metropolitan areas and schedule a free in-home pickup.
4. eBay
eBay is another popular platform to sell your clothes online. It has developed the path for countless home-based sellers. You can sell all your items on this platform, especially if they’re part of a designer collaboration.
If you put in your dedication and effort, you can generate a good income or even make a livelihood by selling clothing on eBay.
Whether it’s pre-owned items from your own wardrobe or garments sourced from garage sales, stores, or large retail outlets, eBay offers you the potential to turn these into profitable sales.
5. Etsy
Etsy unquestionably serves as the ideal platform for skilled designers & creators to showcase and sell their distinctive clothing creations.
You can connect with Etsy’s network of artisans and vintage merchants to promote and sell your thoughtfully curated vintage (or handmade) fashion pieces.
You can establish your own Etsy store, create clothing listings, enhance them with keywords & tags, and deliver outstanding customer service to your customers.
For each listing, there’s a $0.20 fee, and upon a successful sale, you’ll encounter a 6.5% transaction fee along with a $0.25 payment processing fee.
6. ASOS Marketplace
Another place to sell clothes online is ASOS Marketplace.
Let us take an example. You purchased a vintage dress that appeared enticing at the store but didn’t fit your style at home.
Now, what will you do if you can’t return it back to the store?
You can list it on the ASOS Marketplace for sale. The only condition is that ASOS will deduct a 10% commission from the sale price.
Unlike platforms primarily centered on designer items, this seller-driven resale hub specializes in a unique and vintage fashion that provides a thrift store-like experience for both buyers and sellers.
7. ThredUP
ThredUP is an internet-based consignment & secondhand store that specializes in the resale of gently worn women’s and children’s clothing, accessories, shoes, jewelry, and handbags.
To initiate the selling process on ThredUP, you need to visit their website and navigate to the ‘clean out’ section. From there, you can either use a free shipping label with your own packaging or opt for a clean-out kit for a fee of $2.99.
You simply need to load up the clean-out bag with your gently worn clothes and then bring it to the post office for shipping. Typically, ThredUP takes about a month or even longer to handle clean-out kits, after which you’ll need to wait for the items to be sold.
Your earnings will range from 3% to 80% of the selling price of an item, depending on factors such as its selling price, brand, demand, & quality.
You can receive your earnings either as thredUP shopping credit or in cash through PayPal, Stripe, or direct deposit.
8. Grailed
Grailed is another platform to sell clothes online. It is perfect for fashion-conscious individuals with marketing expertise in their previously owned men’s and women’s fashion pieces.
Grailed was primarily a menswear reseller platform, but now it has expanded its boundaries towards womenswear, too. It carefully selects clothing from your wardrobe to maintain a stylish inventory.
Grailed accepts items that range from high-end designer goods to streetwear, mainstream brands, and even vintage clothing.
You can upload photos, provide descriptions for each item, and set your desired price.
Once you hit the publish button, Grailed employs a digital authentication process to verify your items, or may request additional information if needed.
When an item sells, you can generate a USPS or UPS shipping label and send it to the buyer.
After the buyer receives the package, you’ll receive payment through PayPal, with deducted fees.
Grailed charges a 9% commission on all sales, including the PayPal fees.
9. Vestiaire Collective
Vestiaire Collective is the go-to platform for trend-setters with a keen sense of luxury. This resale marketplace specializes in premium brands.
When you use Vestiaire Collective, you take on the responsibility of photographing your items, creating detailed descriptions, and setting the prices.
Vestiaire Collective places a strong emphasis on authentication and reviews each listed item before making it available for purchase.
Once a sale occurs, Vestiaire Collective provides you with a printable shipping label, and you need to pack and send the item.
If the items are priced at $80 and above, Vestiaire Collective deducts a 15% commission. However, if the items are sold below $80, a flat $12 fee is applied with a processing fee.
Your potential earnings are higher here because you handle the photography and shipping yourself. You can negotiate with buyers and sellers to secure even better deals.
You also have control over the discounts offered on your items. This allows you to manage your inventory & pricing strategy according to your preferences.
CHECK OUT VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE
10. Crossroads Trading
Crossroads Trading is yet another place to sell your clothes on the internet. It operates physical locations across the United States where you can bring gently-used designer items.
Instead of carrying a large bag of clothing to their stores, you can request a bag with a prepaid shipping label. You can conveniently drop off your package at the post office.
Crossroads offers two payout options; either you can receive 50% of the sales price as a store credit or opt for a 30% cash payout.
Crossroads has a preference for name-brand, on-trend clothing in good condition. While their selection criteria are selective, you can consider sending in your clothes.
Any clothing items that do not meet Crossroads’ sales criteria will either be returned to you or can be donated to charity for a minimal fee.
11. Refashioner
Refashioner is a perfect platform for those with independent fashion tastes. It’s a platform that celebrates avant-garde designers and captivating pieces that are not solely focused on high-end luxury.
Refashioners create a win-win situation for both buyers and sellers. If you’ve been holding onto an exceptionally unique fashion item, this could be the ideal place to sell it.
If you’re in New York City, you can watch for Refashioner’s exciting fashion events, as they often host amazing gatherings worth attending.
12. LePrix
LePrix is one of the best platforms to sell your clothes on the internet. One thing that attracted me to LePrix is its unique swapping capability. Instead of engaging in traditional buying or selling, you can exchange one item for another.
You can also acquire a stylish Topshop dress for just $20, which would typically be closer to $80.
Alternatively, you can trade your beloved Nasty Gal skirt for a Zara jumpsuit.
This approach is particularly appealing because, on most platforms, buying items at extremely low prices often means that sellers take a substantial loss on their items.
If swapping isn’t your preference, LePrix still offers the option for conventional buying and selling. You can even engage in negotiations with the seller to secure a better deal on the price potentially.
13. Vinted
Vinted is a profitable place for selling clothes online.
Instead of placing the financial burden on the seller, Vinted adopts a different approach by charging the buyer.
Buyers are responsible for a fixed fee of $0.70, along with 5% of the sale price of the item. This arrangement is particularly advantageous for sellers, as they don’t incur any fees.
Once you’ve signed up, you can immediately start selling. You can include up to 20 photos for each item, provide a title and description, and specify the category, brand, condition, and price.
What sets Vinted apart is its unique feature that allows you to indicate your interest in both selling and swapping an item.
This means you can not only sell your items but also trade them for fresh pieces.
14. Depop
Depop has an extensive collection of secondhand clothing that is fit for both women and men.
They offer garments from over 1,500 designers that range from popular sportswear brands like The North Face and Adidas to prestigious fashion houses such as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel.
If you want to sell your clothes online, Depop can prove to be a great platform. You can easily create a free account, verify your phone number, & then set up your online shop.
To give your shop a unique identity, you can add a cover image that sets the tone, along with a description of 128 characters.
Once you link your social media accounts and PayPal, you’re ready to sell. Each listing can feature up to 4 images and even a video to showcase your items effectively.
If the item sells successfully, Depop charges a 10% commission on the total transaction amount, including the cost of shipping.
15. Buffalo Exchange
Buffalo Exchange not only accepts clothing trade-ins at its physical stores but also offers a convenient sell-by-mail program.
Once you send them a request, they will provide you with a prepaid shipping bag that can accommodate up to 40 clothing items.
After receiving your items, Buffalo Exchange will send you an email update regarding what they are willing to purchase. At this point, you can receive payment in the form of a store credit, a check, or via PayPal.
If you choose a check or PayPal payment, you will be compensated with 30% of the selling price for your items. On the other hand, if you choose a store credit, you will receive a more favorable 50% credit.
Buffalo Exchange is particularly interested in men’s and women’s designer clothing that is in like-new condition.
16. Farfetch Second Life
Do you have designer bags, perhaps even a collection, that you no longer use?
If yes, then you can participate in Farfetch’s Second Life program, where you can exchange them for Farfetch credit.
You just need to upload a few photos of the bag you wish to sell and wait for an associate to provide you with a price estimate.
If the offer aligns with your expectations, you can then arrange for a free pickup service to have your bag authenticated and listed for sale.
What makes this program even more appealing is that the store credit is automatically applied to your account.
There’s no need to wait for the bag to sell. You can immediately use this credit toward future upgrades to your wardrobe.
CHECK OUT FARFETCH SECOND LIFE
17. Rebag
Rebag is another place for selling handbags. They have a keen interest in designer items, and their showcased brands include renowned names such as Givenchy, Versace, Tom Ford, Balenciaga, and similar labels.
If you want to sell your designer bag, then you simply need to submit a few photographs of the bag on their website. Within two business days, you’ll receive a quote with the help of email. If you find the offer acceptable, they’ll offer you a prepaid shipping label.
Once Rebag receives the bag, they will promptly process your payment within 3 business days.
Rebag maintains physical locations in selected metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Manhattan, Beverly Hills, and Miami.
You can sell your bag directly without the need for USPS shipping.
18. Net-a-Porter x Reflaunt
Net-a-Porter x Reflaunt is another platform to sell clothes online. This online luxury retailer accepts ready-to-wear clothing and accessories from a carefully curated list of approved brands.
Once you enter the details of the items you sell, you can arrange for a free pickup service for authentication.
Net-a-Porter x Reflaunt requires a minimum of 3 items, making it a great choice for seasonal closet cleanouts.
You can either have the proceeds directly deposited into your account or added as store credit for approved and sold items. It includes an extra 10% bonus to your NAP account.
If any of the items don’t receive approval, you have to either donate it or ship it back to you. The return option incurs a fee of $15 per piece, with a maximum charge of $45 for multiple items.
CHECK OUT NET-A-PORTER X REFLAUNT
19. Facebook Marketplace
If you use Facebook frequently, you can use Facebook Marketplace to sell clothes online.
You have the convenience of sharing your listing with your network. You never know when someone might show interest in gently-used denim or a prom dress that has only been worn once!
CHECK OUT FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE
20. Craigslist
Last but not least, Craigslist is a totally free platform where you can sell your clothes online.
It doesn’t reduce charges and your earnings go directly into your pocket!
When you search for a local Craigslist site, you’ll find a lot of clothing listings.
Clothings are provided in lots or bundles on Craigslist. You can create a group of all the items that aren’t sold on other apps & present them as a bulk sale.
Now, you’re aware how to sell clothes online. Let us look at some of the other ways of selling clothes.
Other Ways To Sell Clothes Online
There are other methods by which you can sell your clothes online. Here are they:
- Consider earning income through Etsy or engaging in sales on eBay. Both websites enable sellers to list clothing, accessories, shoes, and various other items for potential buyers.
- If you want to sell your clothes to individuals in your local area & want to skip the shipping process, then consider listing your items on nearby platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, VarageSale, and Nextdoor. These platforms allow you to create your own listings and interact directly with local potential buyers.
Now, let us look at some of the tips you need to follow while selling clothes online.
Strategies On How To Sell Clothes Online
A Mercari user from the United States shared his earnings. He is selling clothing, shoes & accessories that are hot & hard to find within the “horror” genre. He said “it’s hard work for sure, and there are a good amount of headaches sometimes”.
There are many strategies on how to sell clothes online. Let us look at them one by one:
- You need to conduct thorough market research to determine the appropriate pricing for your items. While a quick Google search can provide insights, many resale apps offer tools that display the selling prices of similar items on their platform.
- You need to select clothing that aligns with current trends or focuses on a specific era. Some sellers specialize in particular styles, decades, colors, or types of items.
- You need to use high-quality photos. In addition, use natural lighting & a reliable camera to capture your items effectively.
- You need to provide measurements for your clothing. Many shoppers prefer to have a sense of the garment’s feel and fit, so visual representation and descriptions are essential.
- You can consider modeling your clothing to help potential buyers visualize how the pieces will fit. Even if you provide specific dimensions, it can be challenging for online shoppers to grasp these details.
- Further, you can enhance your listings by providing outfit suggestions. Give a detailed view of how your piece can complement their existing wardrobe.
- You can ensure that you provide accurate information about the condition of your items.
- List your items and share your content on a regular basis to increase your visibility in front of potential buyers.
- Then, put your efforts into building a strong reputation. You need to stay transparent about all the details.
- Maintain proper records of your inventory to stay organized.
- Last but not least, you should invest your time in learning as much as possible about vintage clothing to distinguish yourself in this niche market.
Now, you’re completely aware how to sell clothes online. Let’s look at some FAQs.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) On How To Sell Clothes Online
1. What is the best website for selling clothing?
Here’s a list of the best websites for selling clothes:
- Poshmark
- Mercari
- eBay
- Vinted
- TheRealReal
- Tradesy
- Depop
- ThredUp
- Grailed
- Kidizen
2. How to start selling online clothes?
You can start selling clothes online by following these steps:
- Select a specific clothing niche
- Define your business strategy
- Pick your ecommerce platform
- Select your domain name
- Customize your templates and design your store
- Add your products to the inventory
- Launch and promote your clothing store.
3. Is it a good idea to sell clothes online?
Selling your clothing online is profitable, but you need to understand that not every item will necessarily turn into a profit. The items that are in high demand & are in excellent condition and are likely to yield the best results provided that the associated fees and shipping costs don’t surpass the selling price.
Final Thoughts On How To Sell Clothes Online
Selling clothes online can be a lucrative venture if done right. How to sell clothes online? Well, before you start selling, research your target audience and competition. Understand what styles, sizes, and price ranges are in demand.
High-quality, well-lit photos are essential to attract buyers. Showcase your clothing from different angles and provide clear descriptions. You can write accurate and enticing descriptions for each item. Include information about size, material, condition, and any unique features.
Set competitive prices that reflect the value of your clothes. Consider factors like brand, condition, and market trends. You need to choose the right platform to sell your clothes. Popular options include eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, and dedicated clothing marketplaces.
Choose the right platform to sell your clothes. Popular options include eBay, Etsy, Poshmark, and dedicated clothing marketplaces.
Hope you find value in how to sell clothes online. Do share your experience in the comments section!
