The average person only wears 25% of what is in their closet!
With decent clothes more expensive than ever – it’s no wonder there are thousands of sellers all around the world cashing in their clothes for profit!
But, having sold clothes online myself (making $7,400 over 2 months in the process!), there’s a hidden side to this world that I don’t see any other article address.
I’ll cover everything you need to know from which platforms are great, which to avoid, fees to be aware of and more importantly, how to maximise your profits.
Best Places to Sell Clothes Online and Make Good Money
1) eBay
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,500-$3,000 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $10,000+ a month
Compared to other websites and apps, eBay may seem like a relic of the past but the site remains a goldmine for selling second hand clothes online.
The average seller makes around $1,500-$3,000 a month! Bear in mind that’s average though, some sellers make well into the $10,000+ a month mark.
And under their new policy, as long as you create fewer than 250 listings each month, making a listing won’t cost you a dime.
Like most e-commerce sites, eBay does charge seller fees though, so you’ll want to take that into consideration.
BUT, with its solid reputation and over 135 million eBay users worldwide actively seeking good deals, it’s a small price to pay.
The average ‘buy it now’ is gone in just 2.5 days, 3 if it’s designer, meaning you won’t be hanging onto stock too long which is great for profit margins.
For most clothing, eBay charges 15% of the total amount of the sale if the item is sold for $2,000 or less.
If the item is over $2,000 (in the case of designer clothes for example), eBay takes 9% of the total amount of the sale.
Some items of clothing e.g. athletic shoes, they’ll only take roughly 8% of a sale less than $150.
eBay provides a variety of discounted shipment methods, including USPS, FedEx and UPS, and the price is largely based on the dimensions and weight of your package.
And if the buyer is local, you can forego shipping altogether by asking them to pick up the item themselves.
2) Poshmark
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,100-$2,700 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $8,000+ a month
Poshmark is great for making quick cash – it’s insanely easy to use and one of the best places to sell clothes online.
Simply download the app, start taking photos of your clothes and then share it across their network.
The average sale on Poshmark equates to $15 (people are looking for a deal after all), but if you’re a clever thrifter and can find clothes at charity shops or similar stores, you could easily earn $10+ a sale.
What I love about Poshmark is that, for each order, the company provides a prepaid and pre-addressed shipping label so you’re not having to add shipping into your fees or as added extras (which can easily put people off).
If your package happens to be over five pounds in weight though, you’ll need to upgrade your shipping label through the Poshmark app.
Fees to be aware of:
- For sales under $15, Poshmark charges a flat fee of $2.95.
- For sales above $15, Poshmark takes 20%.
So for items straddling that cut-off point, you’ll want to think carefully about how much to charge.
Sell a vintage tank top for $15 and you’ll have to fork over $2.95. $20 for the same tank, and the fee would drop to $2.
3) Vestiaire Collective
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $3,600-$7,900 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $10,000+ a month
You might think that luxury and second-hand don’t really go together, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Every month millions of people search Vestiaire Collective looking for gently used designer brands for men and women – with the average buyer sinking at least $3,500 a month into purchases from the site.
The site charges a flat-out 12% selling fee, no matter the item.
But, if you’re based in the US, they often run exceptions during certain times of the year, meaning you pay way less fees on a list of brands (if you’re selling them).
Just note, if you sell something for more than $16,500, you will be charged a flat rate $2,000 fee.
Unlike many platforms though, Vestiaire Collective does cover your shipping — so you’ll save at least $200-$500 a month here if you sell regularly.
To take advantage of it, all you have to do is download your shipping label and ship the item in 7 days.
Related: Best Items to Buy and Sell For High Profit Margins Online
4) Kidizen
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,800-$3,400 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $7,000+ a month
Kids clothing is all the rage right now – and for good reason it’s super expensive!
Kidizen was built specifically to reduce fashion waste and for parents to make good money from the clothes their kids no longer fit.
Small tip from me, you’re better off opting for the ‘do it yourself’ listing option.
You can opt for the Style Scouts option, which is where people who work for Kidizen list the item for you – but they can take a 5-10% selling fee for the privilege.
Brands like Patagonia, Kate Quinn Organics and Tula tend to be Kidizen favorites, according to the site, but check out all their best-selling brand names here.
Once your item sells, expect to deduct 12% (+ $0.50) as a marketplace fee for Kidizen if you’re selling yourself.
According to the site, “sellers are responsible for shipping costs” but they can purchase a shipping label through Kidizen.
5) The RealReal
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $3,800-$5,700 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $10,000+ a month
Want top dollar for your luxury or high-end clothes?
The RealReal is the best place to sell for you. This online marketplace sells everything from fine jewelry to designer kids clothing.
Some current items on the market include a $1050 Gucci bag, a $200 Canada Goose parka and $450 Comme Des Garçons x Nike shoes. If you think you have things that fit into this category, why not try your hand at it?
The process is simple: either schedule an at-home pick-up, ship for free or even drop off in a limited number of locations, currently all in New York City.
The RealReal has authentication experts that will review each item to see its value, which generally takes between 10 to 15 days.
Once your items have been accepted, the site does all the work for you — photography, listing, pricing (they’re very good at hitting top end prices so don’t worry!)
And when your item sells, you’ll make money based on a percentage scheme.
Percentage-wise, collectibles, watches, men’s sneakers and handbags tend to do best.
What I love most though? You could earn an annual commission if your annual sales reaches a certain threshold: if you make $1,500 a year or a cool $5,000 or $10,000, these can put you at higher tiers with The RealReal and earn you more money.
6) Mercari
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,800-$3,200 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $4,000+ a month
Mercari is the popular place to declutter, and in their own words “you can list almost anything that can ship.”
Unlike more authentication-driven sites, Mercari puts the power in the seller’s hands — take photos, describe your item and price it.
You can ship on your own dime, purchase a prepaid label or use Mercari Local if your customer is nearby.
You’ll have to ship your item within three days of the purchase date though otherwise the seller gets refunded for the item.
7) Facebook Marketplace
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $800-$1,500 a month (more for casual selling)
- Top Earners Can Make: $3,000+ a month
Facebook marketplace is great for selling local, for selling international, not so much. BUT, listings are completely free and easy to create!
Simply Look for Marketplace along the left-hand side bar and simply click the “Create new listing” button.
Choose “item for sale” and follow along with the prompts—that means adding a well-lit photo, thorough description and some specific information, like measurements, sizing or anything else that is relevant.
Because the transaction is processed through Facebook, there is a selling fee of 5% (or $0.40 minimum per order) deducted automatically from the transaction.
8) Vinted
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,800-$3,200 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $5,000+ a month
Like Poshmark, Vinted is a more casual site for the person who wants to sell off a few of their preloved items, but it’s a heavily trusted one and pays out pretty fast!
When your item is sold, you print your prepaid shipping label, ship your item within five days at a drop-off point and you’ll get paid within two days after the completed order through direct deposit via Vinted Wallet.
What sets Vinted apart from other sites is the fact that sellers don’t actually pay to list their items.
It’s the buyers who pay a buyer protection fee of 5% of the item’s price plus $0.70.
If you’re looking to make the biggest percentage return from your sales, Vinted may be your best bet.
9) Depop
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,100-$2,900 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $6,000+ a month
Depop is definitely built for the younger market, think Gen Z to Millenials.
It’s why it has that lifestyle, social media app vibe; which means high-quality photos and unique staging is an absolute must to sell well on here.
But, it also means selling is super straightforward.
Just set up an account, get positioned with Depop payments (with money straight into your bank account) and start listing clothes in just a few minutes.
Bonus: Depop doesn’t charge you to create a listing. Instead, it takes a 10% cut (as well as a transaction fee of around 3.49% plus $0.49 for US-based sellers) when your item sells.
Shipping generally ranges from $4.49 to $13.49, depending on the size of the package, but before you panic, the buyer by default is always responsible for the cost of shipping, per Depop.
And that’s the same across the site, so you’re not outpriced by any kind of competition.
10) Etsy
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $1,800-$4,600 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $8,000+ a month
Etsy is known for its handmade and vintage items, making it a great platform for selling unique and one-of-a-kind clothing pieces, or pieces you’ve made yourself if you’re an artist!
The platform charges a $0.20 listing fee per item and a 5% transaction fee on the total sale price (including shipping).
Vintage clothing, handmade apparel, and custom designs tend to perform well on Etsy, especially if they have a niche or unique appeal.
Related: Best Things to Sell on Etsy to Make $5,000+ a Month!
11) Tradesy
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $2,800-$5,200 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $5,000+ a month
Tradesy specializes in pre-owned designer clothing, handbags, and accessories, catering to a fashion-forward audience.
The platform charges a flat commission fee of $7.50 for items sold for less than $50 and a 19.8% commission fee for items sold for $50 or more.
Designer labels, luxury handbags, and high-end shoes are popular categories on Tradesy, with buyers often seeking authentic designer pieces at discounted prices.
12) Craigslist
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $500-$1,200 a month (more for casual selling)
- Top Earners Can Make: $4,000+ a month
Craigslist is a classified ads website where users can buy and sell a variety of goods, including clothing.
Unlike other platforms, Craigslist does not charge listing or transaction fees, making it a cost-effective option for selling clothes locally.
While Craigslist may not be as popular for clothing sales as other platforms, it can be a convenient option for selling bulk items or connecting with buyers in your area.
13) Rebag
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $2,600-$3,200 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $4,000+ a month
Rebag specializes in buying and selling pre-owned luxury handbags, offering a curated selection of designer brands.
Sellers can submit their handbags for appraisal through the Rebag website or app, and if accepted, Rebag will offer a quote and purchase the item directly from the seller.
While Rebag does not charge listing fees, they do take a commission on each sale, which varies depending on the item’s brand, condition, and demand.
14) LePrix
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $3,800-$4,200 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $5,000+ a month
LePrix is a luxury resale platform that offers a curated selection of pre-owned designer clothing, handbags, and accessories.
Sellers can list their items for sale on the LePrix website or app, and once sold, LePrix handles the shipping and payment process.
The platform charges a commission fee on each sale, which varies depending on the item’s price and category.
15) Grailed
- How Much The Average Seller Makes: $2,200-$3,300 a month
- Top Earners Can Make: $6,000+ a month
Grailed is a popular marketplace for men’s clothing and streetwear, offering a wide range of brands and styles.
Sellers can list their items for sale on Grailed, and once sold, they receive payment through PayPal.
Grailed charges a 6% commission fee on each sale, plus a PayPal transaction fee. Streetwear brands, designer sneakers, and vintage clothing are top sellers on Grailed.
16) Shopify
Feeling Entrepreneurial? Shopify is your Friend.
With just a flat rate fee of $29 per month, no matter how many items you sell, not only can you set-up your own online store and sell clothing directly to customers but you keep way more profit, on average whopping 45% more.
Check out this amazing success story by Olivia Hillier, she started her own second hand brand whilst in medical school, and made an extra $85,000 in her first year alone, part-time!
Imagine what you could do with a bit more time on your hands.
If you want to treat selling clothes online as a real business, Shopify is your best option.
As you will have to build your own customer base though, I recommend setting up social media pages too to build awareness of your shop.
Bonus: you can also customize your store design, set your own prices, and manage inventory through the easy to use Shopify dashboard.
Places I Flat Out Don’t Recommend Selling Clothes On
1) ASOS Marketplace
I tried this platform, but other articles never mentioned that Asos Marketplace is solely for the vintage entrepreneur selling at least $75,000+ worth of clothing a year.
It has a high fee structure for selling less than 80 items a month, so it’s definitely not designed for selling one-off articles of clothing.
They also only accept applications a few times a year.
Even though I stated I wasn’t intending to be a full-time entrepreneur, they still accepted it and didn’t tell me the platform wasn’t built for small time sellers. Bit of a hassle.
2) ThreadUp
ThreadUp is designed to reduce fashion waste, and so you bundle up clothes into one of their designated bags and then they pay out based on the quality of the clothing.
Only thing is, Threadup is more of a charity based system, meaning if they deem the clothing not of high quality or ‘unsaleable’, they flat out won’t pay anything for it AND they will keep the item – they don’t send it back to you.
I don’t know about you, but that seems incredibly shady to me.
Some people have had success here, but I don’t recommend it if you’re seeking to make money by selling clothes online.
3) WhatNot
Whatnot is just a hassle and time suck – it’s an online auction, where sellers sell clothes live on camera.
First, you’ll need to arrange the items you want to sell and be prepared to briefly show them on camera and explain their use, dimensions and other relevant details.
Then, you’ll need to schedule a live show through the app, title it, choose moderators and then jump through a few more administrative hoops to actually sell.
Pay-outs aren’t as good as other platforms either; taking a whopping 20% fee no matter what you sell, plus shipping.
No-one paid you for the time you took to be on the auction either.
Tips on Getting the Most Cash From Your Clothes
1) Timing Is Everything:
Keep an eye on fashion trends and seasonal changes when listing your items for sale.
Clothes that are in season or on-trend are more likely to sell quickly and fetch higher prices.
2) Make the Clothing Look Desirable:
We buy using our eyes, so make sure you use a clear, uncluttered background when taking photos.
You can hang your items from the back of a door or lay them flat on your bed or a table for an Instagram look.
3) Always use natural light:
You can also use an editing program to brighten up the picture and crop it to make it as pleasing to the eye as possible.
BUT make sure the colors look exactly like in real life to avoid returns – so don’t touch the saturation filters.
4) Bundle Up:
Consider bundling similar items together to attract buyers and encourage larger purchases.
For example, you could create a bundle of summer dresses or a mix-and-match set of tops and bottoms.
5) Offer Freebies:
Throw in a freebie or bonus item with each purchase to sweeten the deal for buyers.
This could be a small accessory, sample-sized beauty product, or discount coupon for a future purchase.
6) Stay Organized:
Keep track of your inventory, sales, and expenses to ensure smooth operations and maximize your profits.
Invest in tools and software to help you stay organized, such as inventory management software or accounting apps.
7) Customer Service Is Key:
Provide excellent customer service to build trust and loyalty with your buyers.
Be responsive to inquiries, resolve any issues or disputes promptly, and go above and beyond to ensure a positive buying experience.
8) Clean and Fold Your Clothes:
Almost every store and online marketplace recommends washing your clothes before photographing them or shipping them out.
Likewise, super wrinkly clothes come across as unwashed, and you don’t want to give that impression.
9) Check for Damage or Pit Stains:
If you were a shopper, would you buy a shirt that had pit stains or a missing pocket?
No one wants damaged, stained or heavily faded clothing.
Before you list them online, examine them under a bright light to check for tears or discoloration.
