Are you ready to make some extra cash off of someone’s unwanted clothes? For the past ten years I ran my own reselling business, making a good side income for my family. It’s not something I set out to do, but came upon it organically.
How I got Started
I’ve always had my hand in the clothing business. Starting out, it was designing and sewing my own Barbie clothes as a young girl. I started shopping at second hand stores and vintage clothing shops for clothes in high school, took sewing lessons, and started working at a high-end clothing store. It was there I learned about brands. The more knowledgable I was about the brand, the fit, and the background, the better informed my customer could be. I was able to sell a lot of clothes focusing on customer service and making sure my customer was happy with their clothing items. It was a win-win.
Years later after I had my first baby, I would take grandma to the second-hand store for senior day. While looking through the denim rack, I kept finding high-end jeans that sold for $200-$300 back at the retail store and, at the second hand store, I was finding the same jeans for (at the time) $6. I was shocked! If only I knew someone who would love these jeans…
The idea of reselling was born. I went back home, did some research, went back to the store, bought the jeans, and jumped into the reselling world. Little did I know at the time I would stay on that reselling journey for years to come and it would not only morph into a blog, but it would provide us with an extra income. It also provided a way to bless other people by finding great deals on amazing clothing that I could give away to friends and family.
In recent years I have taken a step back from reselling to start my blog, creating the resources to teach you how to start sourcing and reselling clothing online. I still have my hand in it because I cannot pass up an amazing deal that I know someone will love.
I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but also made a lot of good decisions too! In this guide I will lead you through practical sourcing and selling tips you won’t want to miss.
What You Need
The best way to enter the reseller game (a low-risk way) is to shop your own closet first or to just post a few things you sourced. After you sell your first couple of items, take that money and invest in more product. Read more about The Best Supplies I Use As A Poshmark Seller, click here.
Where to Source
Maybe you have an eye for style and brands, but where do you source? Do you live in a small town, large city, or somewhere in-between? There are advantages to both. I have lived in a city of 8 million people and only selectively sourced at several favorite thrift stores. I now live in a much smaller area and still only selectively shop at several favorite thrift stores. Why am I telling you this? Because you do not need to live in a large city to find good clothes to sell. All you need to do is find your “gems.” Frequent the places that get good inventory, know the store, and make it your go-to place. There are also many different ways and places to source. Here is a list of ideas.
Thrift Stores
Thrift stores (or secondhand stores) are my main gig when it comes to sourcing. Why? Usually I can find low prices on high-end brands. This is not always the case, but many times the store owner or employees do not recognize a lot of brands that resell well.
Consignment Stores
Consignment stores can be a great place to source especially on their sale racks. Ask if they offer a dollar day or special sale event and mark it on your calendar.
Garage Sales
Garage sale are seasonal in most areas of the country, but either way they can be a great source because you can negotiate prices. Most of the time people just want to get rid of their stuff at a yard sale and it’s always a fun treasure hunt.
“Last Chance” Stores
Stores like Last Chance can be a good place to source high-end labels or designer goods. Some resellers only source new products at different retail locations. They enjoy shopping at a discount store and flipping NWT (new with tag) items. Sometimes you are able to find multiple of one item to sell which can be profitable and easy to list.
The Bins
If you know you know. If you have never experienced “the bins”, you are in for an interesting experience. I only went to the Goodwill bins once and that was enough for me! But I do know other people who love sourcing there because it is pay by the pound and you can get a ton for your money. If you are not familiar with what the Goodwill bins are, it is a Goodwill warehouse in certain large cities that hold bins and bins of donations. Let me help you out. Bring rubber gloves and *optional* face mask. Nothing has been sanitized or sorted so be prepared to run into some dirty items.
Online
Yes, some resellers like to source through an online clothing store. When a store is having a major sale and discounting items, stock up and hold onto those things until the right season rolls around. I talked with a reseller who shopped the Macy’s sale every February and just bought marked down Ugg boots. She would hold onto them until fall, sell them, and make a good profit.
Some resellers also source through online consignment shops. This is something I haven’t tried, but other resellers love being able to order from their computer and not physically go out and source.
People
Let people know what you do! Many friends and family have given me items they were just going to donate to a thrift store. It may surprise you how many people would enjoy having you sell their clothes rather than donate them.
Where to Sell
Choosing the right platforms for you is vital in your reselling journey. Find out what platform works well for you. Personally, I am a Poshmark girl, but I do know other resellers who love to sell on Ebay. There are many other platforms to sell product on including Mercari and the Facebook Marketplace.
Poshmark
Poshmark is my favorite platform to sell on. Whatever platform you choose, just learn it well. I have sold on a few other platforms, but I have built credibility and have a good reputation on Poshmark. I also truly enjoy how user friendly it is. I didn’t want to deal with shipping costs and Poshmark will handle that for you. They even send you a prepaid shipping label!
I’m sure other platforms can be great, I just know Poshmark the best and have had a lot of success on it. I enjoy selling on Poshmark so much that I wrote an ebook about how to get started selling on and understanding the Poshmark platform.
Ebay
I have had some success on Ebay and know plenty of resellers that do very well on this platform. Like I said in the above statement, whatever platform you use, just get to know it very well. Being able to navigate the platform well is going to be extremely helpful and make listing efficient.
How to Actually Make Money
The goal in reselling is to source products and sell it for a greater profit. Pay attention to your profit margins and learn what sells. Also, it’s a good idea to know what is in high demand, the current trends, and what your target market is. I cover all of this and so much more in my complete guide, Poshmark 101 Back to the Basics ebook. This Poshmark ebook is a collection of helpful information, photos, and tips curated for you from an experienced Poshmark seller. Click here to learn more.
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