A Definitive Ranking of Sites and Apps for Reselling Your Stuff
Reselling has become a hot topic in recent years and contrary to popular opinion, is not a dirty word. In fact, with consumers becoming more environmentally conscious, selling gently used clothing, shoes and household goods has become a lucrative side hustle for some and a legitimate livelihood for others. And with the rise in reselling popularity several platforms have emerged to give buyers and sellers a range of options to do so.
With countless mobile marketplaces available for reselling at our virtual fingertips, it’s best to do a little prep work before starting. First, assess what you have to offer, determine the amount of time or effort you’d like to commit and what returns you’re looking to receive. Then you’ll want to consider each platform’s specific niche and how it operates to make an informed decision of where to start.
So what can you sell and how exactly do you do it? Come along as we rank nine reselling platforms based on the ease of the process from start to finish, the variety of items the platform allows for resale as well as your percentage of earnings. Don’t let all this information intimidate or deter you though. If you have even the smallest desire to sell your preloved possessions, just take the plunge. Your wallet will be happy you did.
Ebay
Star rating: 5
How it works: Ebay is a selling platform that allows buyers to sell their items outright or put them up for auction. Plus, it takes the guesswork out of listing by allowing you to copy listings that are the same or similar to what you are going to sell. Upload photos or even a video that will best showcase your items. Then add additional descriptive details as you see fit.
Pros:
- Ebay is one of the founding websites for reselling. Its platform is widely trusted and used by 132 million active buyers
- The shipping and returns for international selling are handled by Ebay creating easier opportunities for a wider audience
- Your listings will be automatically renewed after 30 days if they haven’t sold
- Purchasing shipping labels directly from Ebay will net you and your buyer some savings
- You can sell nearly anything in any category from vehicles to stuffed animals to empty toilet paper rolls
Cons:
- Lots of decisions to make upfront as far as how detailed to make your listing, the route in which to sell and best shipping options
- Tons of competition as many seasoned resellers primarily use Ebay
- Many are discouraged trying to figure out the shipping aspect of selling here but it’s less complicated than it seems. Offering calculated shipping is easiest and just requires you to put in the weight and size of your package when listing
Fees: There are two main fees charged to sellers. A listing insertion fee, which won’t affect you if you have less than 250 listings per month. And a final value fee which includes a percentage of the total sale plus a standard fixed fee boiling down to between 10% and 15% depending on the category.
Effort required: Above average. Creating the initial listing will be the most time consuming. Entering all the details can feel endless, but these data fields will help your items be found more easily through search. Setting shipping prices can also be tricky as you don’t want to lose money when it comes time to ship.
Best items to sell here: Clothing, shoes and accessories are a given but Ebay really shines when it comes to collectibles, consumer electronics and health and beauty. The top selling category is actually smartphone accessories.
Poshmark
Star rating: 5
How it works: Poshmark is a social reselling platform that is organized into individual closets. You’ll create your closet and then publish detailed listings with clear photos there. To keep your items toward the top of searches, simply share each listing a few times a day. Poshmark has also introduced live shows where you set a starting price and auction your items off to the attendees of your show. This is by no means a requirement but many sellers have found great success via live selling.
Pros:
- Shipping could not be easier. All shipments are made via USPS Priority mail for a flat fee. A shipping label will be emailed to you once your item has sold
- Buyers can bundle multiple things from your closet up to five pounds and pay just one shipping fee
- You can list just about any category including men’s, women’s and children’s fashion, shoes and accessories. As well as homegoods, jewelry and unused beauty products
Cons:
- Your sales are a direct reflection of the effort you put in
- The shipping is easy but the flat rate of $7.97 can be a deterrent to buyers for lower priced items like kids clothing or basics
Fees: Sellers will pay a flat fee of $2.95 for any sale less than $15 and a 20% fee on sales $15 and above.
Effort required: Listing items requires little to no effort. However, due to the social nature of the platform, you’ll need to spend additional time sharing your closet, sharing others’ closets, sending offers and browsing the app to stay in the algorithm’s good graces.
Best items to sell here: Handbags and athleisure styles are consistently top-selling categories. Vintage and Y2K pieces are especially hot right now. And more specifically, trending brands include UGG, Dr. Martens, Aviator Nation, Levis and The North Face.
Mercari
Star rating: 4
How it works: Mercari is yet another easy-to-use platform quite similar to both Poshmark and Depop. Write a thorough description, add some high quality photos and list. Shipping options are left up to the seller but must be entered at the time of listing.
Pros:
- All sales are final (unless the item is not as described) so no need to worry about returns
- Mercari’s Smart Tools can help automate pricing adjustments and offers
- The selling categories here are virtually all-encompassing. Want to sell a litter box? A succulent? Perfume samples? Mercari is the place to do it
Cons:
- A $2 fee is charged each time you cash out your earnings
- Managing the shipping independently could not only be costly but will also void any seller protection
- Limited audience with sales only allowed within the United States
Fees: Selling fees have been eliminated which means more cash in your pocket
Effort required: Minimal. Considering the user-friendly interface and simple listing process, Mercari is perfect for newcomers to the reselling scene.
Best items to sell here: Electronics and small kitchen appliances are consistently in demand on this platform along with collectibles and of course, vintage clothing.
Depop
Star rating: 4
How it works: Listing here is very similar to the Poshmark process except after writing the initial description, Depop will fill in additional fields automatically. All your listings will be curated in your own “shop” for potential buyers to see what you are offering all in one place. It is a social platform as well so some basic interaction is required.
Pros:
- Quick payouts. Sellers should receive payments directly into a linked bank account just two short days after an item is marked delivered
- A built in pre-listing pricing inspiration tool will suggest a price range for your item based on previous sold listings
- Sellers have seven days to ship
- Almost anything can be sold on Depop but the focus is fashion
Cons:
- The platform is quick to ban people for violating any terms of service without explanation
- An offer from a potential buyer is not binding when you accept it. The buyer still needs to complete transaction details for an official sale
- Scammers have become an increasing concern. Protect yourself by not engaging off of the platform
Fees: There are no listing or selling fees charged to sellers for any item sold. However, sellers can opt to pay an 8% fee to boost any listing which may result in a faster sale.
Effort required: Besides some social interaction, the listing and selling part is a breeze.
Best items to sell here: The platform’s brand voice is heavily marketed toward Gen-Z with 90% of its buyers being under the age of 26. Vintage and Y2K fashion is hot among this age group right now so start listing all those crop tops and old band tees.
Facebook Marketplace
Star rating: 3
How it works: Facebook has dedicated an entire section of its social media platform to a marketplace where people can connect to buy, sell or trade with other shoppers. Across the bottom of your main feed you’ll see a tab labeled Marketplace. Go here to create listings and ultimately share what you are selling with right around one billion Facebook users.
Pros:
- A huge audience of potential buyers
- The ability to sell locally negates any shipping hassles
- Advertise things for free if you are just looking to make space
- Very few limitations on what can be sold via the marketplace
Cons:
- Selling items locally can mean giving your address to complete strangers. Opt for a public meet up if possible
- Communications are done through the messenger portion of the app which can get inundated with questions from potential buyers
- Occasionally buyers will commit to a purchase and then not show up
Fees: There are no fees associated with local sales done through a simple pick-up or drop off. A 10% fee will be charged to sellers for any sale that utilizes shipping.
Effort required: The listing process is simple. If you decide to offer shipping, this of course increases effort. Plus responding to any messages and coordinating local sales can be time consuming.
Best items to sell here: Furniture, industrial and gardening equipment, sporting goods, musical instruments, apparel and books are among the best-selling categories. The common denominator here being items that are larger and difficult to ship.
Etsy
Star rating: 3
How it works: Etsy is an online selling community where creativity thrives. You’ll need to set up a shop to start listing. Depending on your selling intentions, you may or may not need a small business license since this platform is more about selling handmade items and less about cabinet and closet cleanouts.
Pros:
- There are over 96 million active buyers with almost half of those being repeat customers
- Discounted postage is available when shipping labels are purchased through your Etsy account
- You can sell physical or digital items here
Cons:
- Listings must fall into the handmade goods, vintage or craft supplies categories. Etsy considers vintage items anything over 20 years old
- Listing fees renew every four months if an item does not sell
- A ton of competition
Fees: There is an initial $15 fee to set up a shop. Each listing costs $0.20 to publish plus a 6.5% transaction fee will be charged on the total cost of any product sold. Then add another 3% payment processing fee on top of that.
Effort required: This platform is going to be much more involved if you are crafting things with your own hands to sell. But it could also be a set it and forget it venture if you just have some vintage items to offer up.
Best items to sell here: Craft supplies, jewelry, paper supplies and weddings are the most popular categories on Etsy. Shoppers flock here for unique handcrafted and giftable goods.
ThredUp
Star rating: 2
How it works: ThredUp is an online thrift store that manages the whole process of selling your items. Simply request a bag and send your in-season womens and childrens clothing and let them take the photos, create the listings, set pricing and handle shipping.
Pros:
- The process is pretty hands-off when it comes to a simple closet clean out or wardrobe refresh
- Earnings can be converted to cash or used as credit to make purchases on the site
- This second-hand business model was created out of true dedication to a circular economy. Sending your gently used clothing is a win for the environment even if you don’t receive a hefty return
Cons:
- ThredUp accepts all brands of clothing however value brands are ineligible for earnings even if the item sells. Old Navy, H&M, Forever 21 and Target are just a few
- Items must sell within a short listing window
- You’ll pay an additional fee to have items that are not accepted or sold sent back to you if you choose. Otherwise those items will be donated
- Processing times can be up to eight weeks
- Limited to selling womens and childrens fashion with several category exceptions
- Many previous consignors have complained about their items getting lost
Fees: There are no up-front fees charged to sellers. Earning percentages are not straightforward though there is an estimator available in the selling guide. Plus an additonal $14.99 fee will be charged for each standard bag sent in.
Effort required: Basically zero. Pack your clothing and drop it off at your local UPS then watch your earnings grow on the seller dashboard.
Best items to sell here: The ThredUp site is a little vague when it comes to brands but claims to accept and list 60%-80% of what you send them. Thrifters shopping the site right now are looking for chunky sweaters, denim and jumpsuits from Madewell, Free People and Anthropologie.
The RealReal
Star rating: 2
How it works: Take stock of your luxury possessions and decide which ones you are ready to give a new home. Create a consignment account and initiate the process in just a few short minutes. Then let The RealReal (or TRR for short) handle the heavy lifting from authenticating to shipping and everything in between. You’ll be able to keep tabs on all your accepted items on the My Sales page of your online account.
Pros:
- The platform is highly transparent about what shoppers are searching for and ultimately buying
- Designer brands are accepted from several categories including fashion, jewelry, art and home
- The consignment period of an item is 365 days. If your item doesn’t sell within that time frame, The RealReal will return your unsold item at its expense.
Cons:
- Commissions are only paid out once per month
- You must have proof of purchase or origin if the authenticity of your item is challenged
- The RealReal is in full control of setting prices for your consigned items. When it lowers prices and offer discounts your earnings decrease
Fees: Commission rates are tiered by sales price and vary per category starting at 20% and reaching as high as 85%. Watches and mens sneakers will fetch you the highest commission rates. Plus, higher net sales within your annual commission window can also boost your earnings up to another 5%.
Effort required: Minimal to none. TRR will even send a luxury manager to your home to collect your items if you choose.
Best items to sell here: Any and all luxury brands and pieces. Buyers are paying a premium for vintage jewelry and watches as well as designer handbags. Chanel, Prada and Louis Vuitton are currently among the trending brands in each category.
Grailed
Star rating: 2
How it works: From the sell tab, choose a category, designer, size, color and condition from easy drop down menus. Add additional details in the description box and set a price. At least three photos must be added to each listing and may require specific angles and aspects of the piece itself such as brand labels or shoe soles for authentication purposes. Hit publish and celebrate when you receive an email notification that your item has sold.
Pros:
- A peer-to-peer platform so minimal interaction is required
- Grailed has incorporated a meticulous digital authentication process for high-value items to spark confidence for both sellers and buyers
Cons:
- Unique high-end fashion is going to require a specific buyer getting eyes on your listing, so the sales may not come right away
- Limited to selling only mens and womens fashion
- Be conscious of the shipping method as it could vary and is determined by Grailed
Fees: The seller will pay a 9% commission fee plus a payment processing fee on each sale.
Effort required: Very little. Taking the specific photos required for digital authentication will be the most time consuming part of the process.
Best items to sell here: The answer is in the name itself. A grail is something of value that is highly sought after and that’s exactly what style savvy shoppers are seeking on Grailed. Your rare or designer streetwear, sneakers and hypebeast pieces will sell best here and for top dollar. Popular brands right now are Chrome Hearts, A Bathing Ape, Dior, Issey Miyake and any combination of colab designer pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Maximize Profits
Make your listings stand out with clear photos and detailed descriptions. Use specific keywords in your title so buyers can easily find you through search. Be transparent about the overall condition of your item plus any and all flaws.
What Are The Best Sites for Selling Clothes
As demonstrated above, each platform varies and many cater to a niche market. Ebay, Poshmark and Depop are the top three for reselling used clothing and outerwear. You can still make money selling through consignment avenues however, you’ll pocket less in the end.
What Are The Best Sites for Selling Furniture
Reselling furniture pieces is a great way to earn some extra dough but since shipping isn’t ideal for obvious reasons, you’ll need to stick to sites that offer local pick-up options. Facebook Marketplace, Ebay and Etsy will be the best options.
How to Know if Someone Is Trying to Scam You
If something feels wrong, it probably is. Scammers almost always try to take transactions off platform or request additional info be sent directly via email. Simply ignore these requests and never provide any personal information to “interested buyers”. If meeting locally, choose a public place. As with anything, trust your gut.
Are Live Online Auctions Worth it
With the success of Whatnot, a new live-streaming platform, live selling via auctions is taking the reselling scene by storm. If you aren’t shy in front of the camera and need to turn inventory into cash quickly, then auctions could be exactly the place to start. The only downside could be lower profits. Both Ebay and Poshmark currently have live selling features.
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