How to Sell your Clothes (and actually make money)

Since I was 15, I would (illegally) line up in the crowded Buffalo Exchange store to sell my old clothes (to make things clear you have to be 18 or with a parent). From that age on, an old suitcase full of ragged tops and jeans would rumble in the trunk of my car and every 3-4 months, I would return to good old Buffalo Exchange to try again. 

While this way is the fastest way to get cash, it’s definitely not the source to make you the most money. Today, I will discuss the world of reselling clothes, my tips on how to have success, and the realities of how much you can make. 

In Person Sales

This option is great if you don’t have a lot of time, a bunch of clothes, and just want to see how much you can get for them. Going to a resell shop is your best bet. Note there is a different between consignment and a store like Buffalo. At a consignment shop, you will not immediately get money, the people will look at your clothes, decide if they should take it, then mark the prices. Then, you can check back to see if anything is sold and get your money. Where as Buffalo Exchange is direct and you immediately get your money, if they choose to buy anything.

Buffalo Exchange: Buffalo is a trendy thrift store full of good vintage pieces, name brand, and unique finds, but with this identity, Buffalo doesn’t usually take much. They are notorious to pick through a hundred pieces and maybe offer you $7 for one ugly embroidered dress. If Buffalo decides to buy from you, you can accept cash or store credit.

Tips: For Buffalo, I would say know your neighborhood. The time of workers that work in the Denver store compared to Boulder are vastly different. Where as Boulder wants more name brands and everyday clothing, the Denver store looks for more hipster and unique pieces, so consider that when bringing clothes. Also, presentation is everything. Digging around a bag of stained clothes won’t persuade any buyer to buy your clothes.

Platos Closet: Similar to Buffalo, Platos will pay you right then and there, with cash or store credit. Plato’s Closet, I find more flexible with what they take, and they love name brands and have a list on their website of exactly what they’re looking for. In addition, Plato’s is great because you can leave the store while they look at your stuff so you don’t have to wait, and you receive a text when it’s all done.

Tips: Name brands! Platos loves Free People, Anthro, Brandy Etc. and think about the audience. Girls in high school are usually the target demographic.

Side note: In person sales will not make you nearly as much money. These stores take a steep cut of the profit, so online sales is much better for making more.

Online Sales

Selling your clothes online is a good step if you want to make serious money from your clothes. Note, it’s super time consuming and can be pretty slow sales. Sometimes, something I posted months ago will randomly sell.

So how do you sell online?

It’s super easy! You can make an account on PoshMark or Mecari (those are the two apps I use), and you simply post nice photos of your clothing, add accurate descriptions, and post it. There’s different strategies for both PoshMark and Mecari, which I’ll elaborate on later.

Heres’s a more in detail guide:

PoshMark

Mecari

PoshMark: This app is the mecca of online resale. They encourage a strategy of resharing. Essentially every time you share your own item, it will be closer to the top of the searches of that item. For example if you have Madewell jeans, you want yours to be the first to pop up, so constantly refreshing and resharing it is crucial for people to quickly find them. Resharing other people’s posts is where the community aspect of PoshMark comes in, so reshare away! To become a PoshMark Ambassador is actually pretty each and here’s how.

Mecari: Mecari’s platform I’ve noticed is better for electronics and household items, but many times, I’ve posted an item on both PoshMark and Mecari, and it will actually sell faster on Mecari. So while tedious, I post on both. Mecari has an option to “promote” your item which decreases the prices to likers, and increases your chances of making a sale.

Tips:

Take accurate photos: people love seeing an item of clothing with good lighting, on a model, and the tags (and measurements can be helpful too)

Be diligent with descriptions: A strong description could really sell someone on a product and make it less likely for people to ponder about the purchase.

Brand the item accurately: Be sure to research where the item is from and mark the brand, color and size accurately to avoid disputes.

Pay for free shipping: while this does decrease your profit, it helps make sales happen quicker.

Research resell strategy: Both PoshMark and Mecari have their own unique strategies on how to get your items seen and sold.

Don’t be stingy with the prices: Sometimes it’s a reality you’ll only get $4 for a shirt, and that is okay. These little guys add up quickly, and I always think of it in the perspective of essentially a free coffee and helping someone get awesome clothes.

Hope this helps! I’ve been reselling online and in stores for years and usually sell an item a week. Click for my PoshMark and Mecari, and let me know if you have any questions.