Here's How to Make Money Selling Clothes Online

This is a public service announcement: You can make good money by selling clothes online. Maybe your closet is full of dresses you only wore a couple of times or jeans that don't quite fit, but for some reason, you kept putting off returning them until it was too late.

You can either sell these to recoup some of your losses – and in some cases even make a profit – or you can get into clothes flipping, which means buying clothes with the express purpose of reselling them at a profit.

You must have seen pictures or videos on social media with people stacking Adidas Yeezy boxes or sifting through Supreme goodies in order to resell them and cover their rent plus extra. Nowadays, practically every shopping mall has a newly launched consignment shop stocked with highly sought-after sneaker and streetwear drops.

Many have made a full-time living from reselling, and despite how saturated the market has grown, it can still be a profitable venture provided you know what you're doing.

The internet has made selling anything a breeze. And let's face it, stylish clothes will always be in high demand. The resale market is anticipated to reach $84 billion by 2030. The thrill of the chase only adds to the appeal of these items.

Choose a Specialty

If you're new to reselling, it can be intimidating. Stockpiling as many products as possible from all corners of the fashion industry may seem like a good idea at first. There's money to be made just about anywhere, and this strategy has worked for some sellers.

However, if you want to make things easier for yourself, you may want to focus on a specific area of interest. Some sellers choose vintage clothing, others on merch from artists. Some are very passionate about luxury leather goods, so that's what they work with. Focusing on a niche gives you the chance to learn more about the items you're selling and their history so you can fine-tune your marketing efforts and provide a better customer experience.

As your business grows and you gain more experience, your understanding of clothes flipping will expand as well, allowing you to diversify your product offering.

Know What You're Selling

As we've already pointed out, if you want to be successful, you need to have a solid understanding of your products. Assuming that each and every item released by Supreme will instantly make you rich is a recipe for disaster. You'll end up with a hodgepodge of goods that no one wants.

Understanding a brand's or subculture's history can be just as important as staying up to date on market trends. Every vendor should know how to authenticate their products to ensure they aren't selling counterfeits. There are many ways to broaden your knowledge, from online research to joining networks where you can interact with and learn from other sellers. Your ability to answer questions from customers regarding sizing or the story behind a specific graphic could make or break a sale.

Many of your customers will be very passionate about the items you're selling, so engaging them in conversations will be greatly appreciated.

Show Off Your Merch with Some Eye-Catching Photos

While some resale apps allow you to take photos within the platform, it's even better if you can arrange for a real photo session. We recommend you use the same background and setup to give your photos more consistency which inspires trust.

Some items you can put on to give potential buyers a clearer idea of what they look like. For other items, it's best to take pictures when they're hanging or on the floor with a nice background, especially if they're collectibles.

Make sure the wrinkles are smoothed out, and be honest about any potential issues like snags or small holes to avoid bad reviews. If an item is too damaged, it's better not to sell it.

Choose Your Platform(s)

You'll have a lot of options but do some research on how they work before investing your time and energy. Some platforms like ThredUP and The RealReal will want to inspect the items before they let you sell them. On the other hand, once you ship them for inspection, they will handle the pictures for you.

The most popular platforms right now are Depop, Poshmark, eBay, ASOS Marketplace, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, Tradesy, LePrix, Beacon's Closet, Crossroads Trading, and the two we already mentioned.

Bear in mind that many of these platforms charge a commission on each sale, so you will not receive 100% of the money you sell it for.

Given how popular reselling has grown, it makes sense that there are so many options for where to sell your clothes. Here we can't really tell you to choose one platform over the other because it all depends on what you sell and your personal preferences.

List Your Merch

Upload each item with as much detail as possible. Mention if you've only worn it twice or if it's new with tags. It also helps to mention the materials and the measurements. When it comes to pricing, you'll want to check if there are similar items from other sellers, and that will give you a ballpark figure.

A competitive pricing strategy is essential to growing your resale business. After all, you're looking to make a profit, right?  

Grailed, eBay, and StockX all have tools that allow you to see prior sales prices. Always search first. You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that an item you thought was only worth $80 could sell for more than $200.

You'll also want to give yourself a bit of wiggle room for negotiations. Your customers will feel like they've talked themselves into a good deal, and you'll still get the price you were looking for.  

Shipping

First of all, congratulations on making a sale! When that happens, the site will normally provide you a shipping label, but you will need to properly package the item(s) before sending them to their new owner.

Make sure you ship the orders as soon as possible. Your goal is to build a good relationship with your customers, and you're not going to achieve that if you wait a week before you send something out.

While we're on the subject, providing tracking information also helps build trust with customers.

Cynthia Madison

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