The Ins & Outs of Poshmark

Looking for a way to clean out your closet, be a tad more sustainable AND make some money? I have the app for you!

Poshmark, a social commerce marketplace that was founded in 2011, allows individuals across the nation to buy and sell clothing, shoes, accessories, and recently—home décor. According to Nadee Bandaranayake of the National Retail Federation, “On Poshmark, every seller has the same set of advantages and access to the same technology and services, so the platform appeals to aspiring entrepreneurs with an overflowing closet, boutique owners and large brands alike.” To learn more in-depth about the service, listen to the NRF’s podcast, Retail Gets Real, which features Poshmark’s CEO Manish Chandra; I highly recommend the episode and it can be found here!

Mary Kate Donahue, 2019.

Personally, I made a Poshmark account in early 2016, but have really begun to utilize all its capabilities in the past year or so. I slowly sold a few items in 2017 and did not make my first purchase until March 2018. Since then, I have made nine purchases total from Poshmark—three pairs of shoes, a pair Ray Ban sunglasses, a laptop case, etc. Additionally, in my selling of unwanted items on Poshmark for about two years, I have made a total of $457.81. Some of the items I have sold include Hunter rain boots, a Maaji swimsuit, a pair of Jack Rogers sandals and OTBT wedges, among other items.

One thing to keep in mind about selling on Poshmark is the length of time and effort that is required in actually making sales. First of all, an item might be listed in your closet for months before someone even “likes” it or comments on it. To combat this, it is up to the seller to share it in various “Posh Parties” and share their followers’ listings, in hopes that their followers return the favor. Also, I think it is imperative to find clean, aesthetically-appealing stock photos for the item you are selling and use that as the cover photo for the listing, followed by photos of the actual product. That way, your closet seems a little more put-together and professional, which may help with sales.

In terms of buying on Poshmark, I am all for it! I usually utilize the search function to find my favorite brands or specific items that I am looking for and then “like” them to collect all the products in one place. Often, I will place a reasonable offer on an item, as I believe if someone is trying to sell the product to begin with, they will be happy to get rid of it and make a moderate amount of money, rather than have it continue to sit in their closet. Additonally, as both a buyer and a seller, I find Poshmark’s shipping rates quite reasonable and the fact that they take only 20% of the sale, leaving the seller with majority of the profit.

Poshmark certainly does take a little bit of time and lots of patience, but in the long run, it can be quite lucrative. And, it’s fun!

Have any questions? Leave them in the comments below. Follow me on Poshmark @mkd108, and happy Poshing!

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References

Bandaranayake, N. (2019, March 25). Poshmark challenges the norms of traditional retail. National Retail Federation. Retrieved from https://nrf.com.