The world is moving to sustainability and сonscious consumption. This is good news. There is nothing shameful anymore with buying and wearing gently-used clothing as well as selling personal items that you no longer need. Ethical fashion is at its peak.
In the 21st century, people are very enterprising and try to find any ways to turn an honest penny. They no longer give clothes to their younger sisters to wear after them but organize garage sales, take part in flea markets, and sell apparel at thrift shops.
When it comes to online resales, there are lots of opportunities to make some room in your wardrobes. One of them is Poshmark – the service for reselling things without a personal meeting. Before signing up there, you need to boost your seller skills. To be a good one online is a modern art that you have to grasp if want to make it profitable. Here are our tips for selling on Poshmark that will help you succeed in this affair and become a new Haley Gibbs, perhaps.
How Does Selling on Poshmark Work
Poshmark is strikingly different from other similar services. Its most distinguishing feature is that the service opposes personal meetings and requires sending purchases only by mail.
By the way, it is a brand new approach that lots of companies have recently started using. Most of them launch non-contact deliveries and minimize face-to-face meetings.
In 2011, Poshmark served for selling and buying female clothing only but later men’s and children’s categories appeared.
There are no sorts and filters by geolocation on this social eCommerce platform. Such a scheme when each request shows products from all over the country is convenient both for the buyer and a seller.
What else should you be aware of this online marketplace before starting your business there?
- The purchase and shipping process is quite streamlined. Once you sell the item, Poshmark provides you with a shipping label that you have to print, stick to a box or package, and drop it in the mail.
- The buyer always shoulders the shipping payment. There is a flat rate fee for expedited shipping which is of $7.11 for all orders. USPS Priority Mail is responsible for all the deliveries and is obliged to make them in 1-3 days.
- If the total weight of the parcel does not exceed 5 lbs, the buyer can benefit from getting multiple items from one seller for the same fee. You sell more, the shopper pays less.
- Boost your communicative skills, and get ready that sometimes buyers can engage in a dialogue regarding shipping fees. The chances are you let them pay after they get the parcel.
- The conditions of the commission are the following: Poshmark charges $2.95 for sales under $15 and 20% for sales of $15 or more. In a word, you get 80% of a generated sale.
- You get your money on the fourth day after the buyer receives his purchase. There are two scenarios after: you have the right to spend earnings within the app or withdraw cash at any time.
- Having a smartphone app, it has never been so easy to successfully sell stuff. You have just to take an appealing picture and write descriptions for your items. It seems even more quickly than making a cup of tea in the morning.
- Poshmark deals well with returns. It moderates the requests itself. In addition, the returns for fit are unacceptable as well as partial refunds or keep-and-refund are out of the question.
- The social component of Poshmark deserves respect. The lists of items for sale are open. The users of the marketplace are in liking, sharing and commenting.
- There is a Posh Bundle. For sellers, it is an additional opportunity to attract buyers’ attention to their stuff. Here you can directly chat with shoppers, give them style suggestions and offer outfits.
- Poshmark always checks expensive items that cost more than $500 for quality and fake. Before sending them to the buyer, they get to the startup’s warehouse for examination, first. Such a trick can be done with cheaper goods, but for an additional fee.
Let’s reproduce the selling process from start to finish:
- Go to poshmark.com or download the Poshmark app.
- Set up your profile, filling in personal info.
- Take the pictures of your items.
- Come up with descriptions for them.
- Download the items with descriptions selecting the appropriate category, size, color boxes.
- Fix the price as well as name the original price.
- Click on the List button.
- Wait for buyers interested in your stuff.
- Once the deal is sealed, print the shipping label, provided by Poshmark.
- Drop the item you have just sold in the mail.
- As soon as buyer marks items as received, you get paid.
We answer to the question “How long does it take to sell on Poshmark?” one more time for you to certainly remember: the buyer pays first, then he receives the parcel, and only after his confirmation Poshmark takes 20% commission and then earnings reach the seller.
And good news at the end of this paragraph: the number of Poshmark users is currently 50 million. 5 million are sellers and all the rest, as you might guess, are buyers. This is a pretty cool ratio that you, being a seller, will definitely be pleased with.
20 Poshmark Selling Tips to Make the Most of the Marketplace
As we have already mentioned, you need to be savvy in online sales. Lots of Poshmark sellers have already quit their full-time jobs in favour of becoming an online boutique. The competition is quite tough and it is so easy to get discouraged. That’s why we are going to share our secrets to selling on Poshmark to turn you into a professional and skillful seller. These tips will help you grow your business and generate offers every day.
Believe us that It is a very exciting process. What is more, you do a good job, allowing personal items to get a second life.
Start with reselling your own stuff
Those people driven by inspiration and enthusiasm sometimes forget about common sense. They spend hours at second-hands trying to find cheap but cool items to resell them more expensive. If your business succeeds, this scenario is acceptable but not at the beginning of your so-called career. Be sensible and remember that sometimes it’s about baby steps. What is more, we are sure that you have an endless array of clothes which is bored in your wardrobe and waiting to find a new owner.
Find your niche
We understand that sometimes this is a necessity that makes you sell stuff. For example, when your child has grown up and your wardrobe is stuffed with clothes you no longer need. You can either give birth to a second one or resell clothes. However, if kids’ clothes do not give you inspiration for big things, then start another category too. For example, you sell kids’ clothes based on necessity and women’s clothes for pleasure. Sounds like a cool compromise with yourself.
Take appealing shots
But avoid overdoing. When it comes to women, they often get seduced by clothing in the shop window. Make them repeat the same algorithm of interest in your online boutique. Take clear pictures in natural light and polish them in a graphics editor a little bit. To be honest, you do not need more than a white background, a hanger, and sometimes yourself in the mirror to show how the item looks on the body. One more nuance to take into account: provide your buyers with as much visual coverage as possible, showing your stuff from various angles.
Add a detailed product description
While adding, include all the measurements. First and foremost, it will save you from additional questions, endless messages, and help you seal deals faster. It is crucial to be honest and describe any damage and add the pictures showing it. Do not neglect to mention some marketing tips such as: “This dress will help you look like a princess from overseas!” or “Trendy shorts for you to become a walking fashion magazine!” Everyone likes such flattery even if he denies it with fervency.
The name matters
It matters so much that we have decided to create a separate point to emphasize this. Name your item as accurately as possible as it influences the search results. Think about how you would look for a particular product on the Internet, ask your friends, and then generate the name based on the average answer.
Often update your closet
This makes people stay tuned with novelties. First of all, it proves you are serious about the affair and help you be ahead of other sellers. The more consistent you are, the more sales you can generate. So, what are you still on the platform for, if not for this?
Showcase the best items at the top of your page
Make them first to see when buyers get to your page. You will make it easier for your colleagues to share your best stuff as well as arouse potential buyers’ interest and make them scroll down and familiarize themselves with other pieces.
Promote your products
Within Poshmark and outside it. Create a separate Instagram account or use other social media to showcase your items or make a blog with pieces of advice in styling, trends, anti-trends, selections of trendy stuff, etc. There are lots of opportunities on the Internet nowadays. It is a sin not to benefit from them.
Please mind: if you add new pieces every day, they are likely to get to the top of customers’ product searches. This is also a kind of promotion.
Make friends with other sellers
Poshmark is a very social platform. Therefore, it is vital to maintain a relationship with other sellers. Yes, you are competitors but first of all, you are human beings who should respect each other and act in solidarity. Share the listings of others, and they are likely to reciprocate. According to this scenario, more users will see your page and the chances are they will be interested and curious.
Do not sell fake items and counterfeit
We have already mentioned the importance of honesty. However, there is another thing to take into account: do not sell fake items and counterfeit. Such an approach will definitely undermine the credibility of buyers and workmates. Leave this business to unscrupulous sellers and follow an honest path. Cherish your reputation and do not let it be tarnished.
Follow as more users as possible
Many of them will follow you in return. It is a good way to make you visible and thus noticeable on the platform.
Join Posh parties
They are usually held four times per day. Basically, each party has a focus on a specific category, the theme or the brand. Share both your items and other sellers’ items if they fit. It is an opportunity to get exposure for your goods and attract people who are not among your followers yet. Check out the daily schedule via this link.
Keep an eye on promotion notifications
Sometimes Poshmark invites users to drop the prices or offers free shipping when complying with specific terms.
The example of notification for sellers: “Offer a 10% discount for dresses until the end of Friday! And we will inform all your potential buyers (read those who have already added your items to featured)”.
The example of notification for buyers: “10% discount for wonderful dresses! Hurry to make a purchase until the end of the day, and get free shipping as a bonus!”
Use Closet Assistant
Get yourself an assistant that will help you handle all that. Closet Assistant can become exactly who you need in this affair. It is a tool that automatically performs lots of actions on Poshmark instead of you: shares your and other items as wells as parties; follows and unfollows closets; deals with the organization of your online boutique, etc. Basically, most of the automatic duties you can delegate to this bot, and focus on other tasks that demand creativity or mental functions. You can use this app on your phone, and make sure that Poshmark will not ban you for using such a tool. There are two tariff plans: an unlimited monthly plan only for $1/day or $29.99/month (cheaper than a cup of coffee!) and an unlimited yearly plan – $249.99/year. It is obvious that such a tool will greatly save your time, which, as you know, is the most valuable thing one can have.
Host big sales
Once a month or once a week – it’s up to you. This method does not just cajole buyers but allows you to sell more goods and make room for new arrivals.
Keep updated with current people’s needs
Study and understand who people are buying at the moment. It does not concern seasonal purchases only. It is more about trends and world preferences. Do some research from time to time to keep yourself updated and do not be surprised why you can’t manage to sell these super skinny red jeans for a year now.
Do price research
Sometimes you need to spy on competitors to get better at selling, especially when it comes to pricing. Before setting the price, look at how much your colleagues list similar items. Always remember that there is no room for sentimental value on Poshmark! Just sober assessment and unbiased market value matter!
Offer Bundle Discounts
Believe it works. When your potential buyer has already taken an interest in some of your items, the chances are he will be glad to look for more. In case if your taste, style, sizes coincide with his. Purchasing several items with a discount is a super idea both for a buyer to carve out a good piece of cake and a seller to reduce the time on packing and shipping.
Join The Posh Ambassador Program
Try to become a Poshmark Ambassador. This is an important role you should strive for getting. Poshmark Ambassadors are reputable members of the community who are obliged to set the tone on the platform, attract new users, and do their best to promote the trumps of Poshmark. This role provides you with lots of benefits such as getting recommendations, gaining more visibility during Posh parties, getting access to fun programs and opportunities, receiving an exclusive newsletter. Follow this link to find out more about The Posh Ambassador Program.
Stick to the Golden Rule
Be conscientious, tactful, sociable, and always willing to help but not just get rid of your stuff. This tip is applicable both in offline and online. The golden rule is: “ Treat others as you want them to treat you!” It is not rocket science and is worth remembering all the time.
Conclusion
If you have read this blog post to the end, it means you are interested in the topic and it is high time you started selling on Poshmark now! Having such useful tips and secrets at hand will definitely help you succeed in the marketplace and be smart about what you are doing.
Start small and do not try to make all the money in the world. Invest yourself in the affair first, and sales will follow. Happy entrepreneurship!
