Tips On Selling Clothes Online

Is selling clothes online profitable?

You bet, but knowing where to sell secondhand clothes online is only the first step in the reselling equation.

It’s also important to know how to be successful selling clothes online.

Reselling clothing is a bit like utilizing those thrift shopping tips: knowing the secret sauce can really up your chances of success.

So before you hit ‘post’, here are the top tips on how to sell used clothes online:

1. Photos Are Everything.

We live in a world inundated with images (think: Instagram, Pinterest, and VSCO).

The bar is high, and if you plan on selling that old leather jacket, you better make sure your photos are sharp. Think about what you would want to see if you were shopping for used clothes.

Take shots from plenty of angles, have a neutral background, and use good light. Natural light is best, (ideally near a window during “the golden hour”).

2. Model Your Clothes.

The best way to sell used clothes online is by showing what it looks like on a human, not a hanger. People are more likely to buy something if they can see themselves in it.

3. Honesty Is The Best Policy.

Be as specific and detailed as possible with descriptions, especially any flaws, wear, or defects. Not only is it just bad juju to lie about authenticity or condition, but it builds trust but good reviews.

Most online clothes selling platforms won’t let it happen, either.

Be polite and answer any questions your buyer may have.

4. Measurements Are Appreciated.

Often people will ask you for measurements, so save the extra steps and put the basic ones (inseam, waist, sleeve length, chest width, etc) in the description from the jump.

This is especially important if selling women’s clothes online (because we all know women’s sizing follows no logic).

5. Clean Your Clothes.

This should go without saying, but don’t try selling dirty clothes online.

Most sites require things to be clean and if you’re doing a direct seller-to-buyer, buyers may return items (regardless of your return policy) if items do not come in the expected condition.

6. Share On Social Media.

Posting a link to your chosen online site to sell clothes is a good way to bring in traffic from people you know.

People are more likely to buy clothes from people they know. Maybe your friend didn’t know you were selling that skirt she’s loved for ages.

Why Sell Clothes Online?

Landfills are inundated with one garbage truck of textiles every second.

Let the image of 1.5 Empire State Buildings of thrown-away clothing everyday sink in for a moment…

While a lot of this textile waste happens not on the consumer level, but on the production level (fabric offcuts, deadstock clothing, etc), we still have the power to cut that clothing trash by a significant margin.

How?

By changing how we consume new clothes and dispose of old ones. Extending the life of a garment is an important facet of slow fashion.

While selling old clothes online (or elsewhere) is not the only way to do so, it’s perhaps the easiest and the most eco-friendly thing to do with old clothes. You’re not only not throwing something away, but providing shoppers with an alternative to buying new: win win.

The resale of just one second-hand item reduces its carbon, waste, and water footprint by 82%. Heck, just extending a garment’s life by 3 months decreases its impact by 5-10%.

If money isn’t a factor for you, you may be wondering if reselling platforms are better than just donating in bulk. Donated clothes (to organizations like Salvation Army and Goodwill) have only a 20% resale rate.

When you’re in control of the sales, you can keep selling until it finds a second home.

That said, there are many bespoke brick-and-mortar stores, too. We’re compiling a list of the best thrift stores in your city (in the US and beyond) so have a scroll for our thrifting recommendations near you.