I recently wrote about how to sell your old clothes. Now that you’re ready to sell, here are the best places for you to sell used clothing online. These sites are also excellent places to shop!
Table of Contents
The Best Places to Sell Used Clothing
All-Purpose
thredUP
thredUP is the world’s largest online thrift store, and it accepts clean clothing from a wide variety of designers. They even send you a prepaid bag for your clothing. It’s a great option if you don’t want to do any of the marketing work to sell used clothing.
Type: Largest online-only retailer of secondhand clothing.
What they Accept: All clothes, as long as there is no sign of damage, wear and tear, or alterations.
How it Works: Make an account and order thredUP’s “clean-out kit,” which is an emailed postage label that you use to mail in your clothes. thredUP then decides which clothes to accept. About 40% of the clothes in each clean-out kit are used for sale. thredUP will either recycle the remainder for free or you can request your clothes returned for a small fee.
Payouts: Depending on the selling price of your items, payouts are from 5-80% of the selling price. The higher the selling price, the higher the payout percentage. Items are listed for either 60 or 90 days, and once the item has been sold, you can easily “cash out” your earnings to a connected bank or Paypal account (or you can get shopping credit at the site).
Poshmark
Poshmark is another successful consignment app that also has strong online functionality. With similarities to social media platforms, users set up an account where they can accumulate followers, likes, and comments on their products. Like Depop, Poshmark offers direct transactions from the seller to the buyer: the seller preps, ships, and determines the price of every item they want to sell.
Type: Direct sale: app (and online); trades possible.
What they Accept: All clothes and accessories.
How it Works: Photograph what you want to sell and upload it to the site. Then, complete a form describing your item and set your price. When you list the price, Poshmark will tell you how much you’ll make if it sells. Tip: Stay active on other users’ profiles and monitor your own items frequently to help boost the popularity of your item(s).
Payouts: Payouts are on a sliding scale based on the sales price.
Vinted
Vinted is a popular seller-to-buyer experience that originated as an app. Vinted uses perhaps the most simple format, without social media-style likes, comments, and followers. They do allow the option to follow your favorite sellers and ratings for members on their platform.
Type: Direct sale: app (and online); trades possible.
What they Accept: Anything you’re willing to sell.
How it Works: Take and upload photos of your items, answer a few logistical questions about them, and list your price. You can message buyers and sellers directly if you want to negotiate different prices, and take advantage of the “swap” button if you want to trade items!
Payouts: There are zero selling fees. You’re paid as soon as the buyer confirms the item, once delivered, is satisfactory. Sellers can choose to keep the payment as a credit on Vinted or have earnings deposited to a bank account.
Varage Sale
VarageSale (aka “virtual garage sale”) is an app where users sell everything from clothes to appliances. Varage Sale is unique because it happens in person—no shipping necessary! Users are checked and verified and can only shop from sellers near them, so it’s easy to buy and sell.
Type: Direct sale: app and online.
What they Accept: Anything you’re willing to sell.
How it Works: Post your pre-loved items, and if someone is interested, they will message you directly. Varage Sale is more interaction-oriented than other online consignment/exchange stores: the seller and buyer communicate via direct message to bargain for an agreed-upon price.
Payouts: Payment is made after the buyer confirms receipt of the items.
eBay
eBay is an e-commerce company known for using a bidding system on a wide range of goods, from electronics and household products to used clothing.
Type: You can either partner with a consignment store or sell independently.
What they Accept: If you’re selling independently, you can sell almost anything on eBay. For luxury items, their licensed luxury consignment partner, Linda’s Stuff, will accept selected brand names. The list of accepted brands is long and includes everything from Champion to Off-White, so give it a try!
How it Works: Users who want to sell used clothing with eBay consignment must contact the store directly. You and the consignment employee decide details together: price, the window of sale, when you get paid for your goods, etc.
Payouts: Linda’s Stuff offers a payout of up to 80% on their items, though this also depends on your agreement with the consignment center owners and how much the item costs.
Depop
Depop is a popular app (which now has a limited online format), particularly with millennials. Users market, list, sell, and ship their own clothes. With a focus on the visual aspect of products, it’s easily integrated with social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook) to enhance the selling power of pre-loved items.
Type: Direct sale: app and online.
What they Accept: Any clothes or accessories you want to sell!
How it Works: It’s easy to sell used clothing on Depop: create an account, take photos, describe what you’re selling, and decide your price. Tip: work on building your following by taking high-quality photos and adding hashtags.
Payouts: There are no fees to list an item. Just pay 10% when it sells.
Sell Used Clothing via Social Media Platforms
Facebook Sale Groups
Facebook has many ways to sell used clothing: posting to your personal account; searching on the Facebook Marketplace; or joining a Facebook sales group set up specifically for selling and buying clothes.
How it Works: Facebook sales groups work through user-to-user interaction. By direct messaging one another, buyers and sellers agree on prices, shipping or meeting, and any other details. If you don’t know where to start on Facebook, try searching “buy and sell” and then narrow your search just to groups. Or, simply click the Marketplace tab and choose the category you want to shop.
Many people are turning to Instagram to sell used clothing. This popular social media platform is a terrific resource for those who are more comfortable selling clothes directly and want complete control over the process—this includes how your profile looks, the people you interact with, and how you complete transactions.
How it Works: Create an account to post photos of clothes and goods you want to sell and try #shopmycloset to accept offers on your items. You can even personalize who to follow. Provide your item’s description — size, color, fit, wear and tear, and price — in the caption. Potential buyer(s) will comment or direct message you if they’re interested.
Luxury/Designer Clothes
The RealReal
I’ve sold dozens of bags, shoes, and clothing items on The RealReal, a leading luxury consignment store, and have been impressed with their service (and my sales)!
To demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, The RealReal has announced that they have signed on to the CEO Carbon Neutral Challenge, and the company has committed to be carbon neutral by 2021. They also collaborate with brands committed to sustainable fashion and the circular economy.
Type: Consignment.
What they Accept: TheRealReal accepts specific designer and luxury items. For a complete list and to make inquiries about which designers they accept, email one of their representatives at [email protected]
How it Works: Schedule an appointment (virtually, or in-person) with a Luxury Manager who views your items for suitability. Then ship items, free, to TheRealReal where they authenticate, photograph, price, and sell the items.
Payouts: Payments are made each month an item sells with commissions based on a sliding scale.
Vestiaire Collective
Vestiaire Collective is the world’s leading platform to buy and sell authenticated pre-owned luxury fashion.
Type: Direct Sale.
What they Accept: Bags, accessories, shoes, sneakers, watches, jewelry, and clothes.
How it works: I just started using Vestiare to sell some bags and shoes and the process for listing is very simple: submit information about the item you intend to sell, along with photos. You can even set your own price or have Vestiaire provide guidance. Once an item is sold, it’s shipped to Vestiaire, free. After Vestiaire checks for quality and authenticity, it’s mailed to the buyer.
Payouts: Commissions are on a sliding scale based on sales price and currency.
Tradesy
Tradesy is a popular website for buying and selling a wide variety of used designer clothing and accessories. Unlike many other luxury consignment sites, Tradesy is more user-controlled: you take the photos, you set the price, and you ship the item. Experts are available to help along the way and provide suggestions on pricing and presentation.
Type: Direct sale.
What they Accept: All items, but the website is marketed towards people looking for designer goods, so your item will be more likely to sell if it’s a luxury brand.
How it Works: Take photos of your items, answer questions about the specifics, and the item is listed until it’s purchased or you take it down.
Payments and Payouts: You receive your payment when your item is purchased and authenticated. Tradesy keeps a 19.8% commission
Fashionphile
Fashionphile is a leading designer and luxury resale company that provides the largest selection of authentic pre-owned luxury accessories. In addition to its website and app, Fashionphile has boutique locations located in Beverly Hills, San Francisco, San Diego, and New York City.
Type: Consignment.
What they Accept: Luxury and designer bags, jewelry, and accessories.
How it Works: Fashionphile makes the ability to sell used clothing a breeze with a variety of options: submit photos for a price quote, meet with an expert, or go to a store location for an assessment of your items. If your item is accepted, mail items, free, to Fashionphile, and then track its progress from preparation to sale.
Payouts: Once your item is accepted, Fashionphile will either offer a direct buyout (typically, 50% – 70% of the item’s resale value) or consignment of your item(s). For consignment, the base fee is 30% of the selling price (you keep 70%); for bags selling over $3,000 the tiered fee structure drops to 15% (you keep 85% of the portion of the selling price above $3,000).
Specialty
Vintage and Handmade Clothing: Etsy
Etsy is a one-of-a-kind website that focuses on handmade goods, independent sellers, and vintage items. You can create a profile and sell whatever you want, whether you make it yourself or find it somewhere else and want to resell it. Etsy covers it all!
Type: Direct sale.
What they Accept: Anything and everything, including used clothing.
How it Works: After you make a profile on Etsy, you can start posting your items. You’re responsible for photos, description, price listing, and shipping. It’s easy to message buyers and there are plenty of options for reviews and better sales if your goods are popular.
Payouts: You’re paid once the buyer receives the item and confirms that it’s what they ordered.
Children’s clothing: Kidizen
Kidizen is the go-to site to sell used clothing your kids have outgrown. You can buy and sell all kinds of children’s clothes while staying sustainable, which can be difficult when you have a growing baby! They also have a growing collection of maternity wear and women’s clothes.
Type: Direct sale.
What they Accept: Gently worn children’s clothes, shoes, books, toys, etc. and women’s/maternity clothes.
How it Works: You’re responsible for photos, description, selected price, and shipping costs.
Payouts: Kidizen deducts a 12% (+ $.50) marketplace fee from the List Price. Payment is made after an item has shipped.
Men’s clothing: Grailed
Grailed is the largest online retailer of second hand, higher-end men’s clothing.
Type: Direct sale.
What they Accept: Designer and quality men’s clothing.
How it Works: Once you create an account, you’re responsible for photos, descriptions, and price listing. Grailed ensures all the items on the website are authentic.
Payouts: Posting an item is free, and Grailed takes a small commission once it sells.
