With the closure of bars, restaurants and retail shops, entrepreneurially minded teenagers and young people have discovered a new way of earning money that does not involve washing dishes. Whether you’re a sustainable fashion follower or someone who loves style, you’ve almost definitely heard of Depop. The app, which was launched in Milan in 2011, has gained new traction with Gen Z, keen to shop vintage and sustainably with an eye for local businesses. Depop is like eBay for fashion, but with an interface like Instagram, making it the perfect tool for the social media savvy sellers and buyers flocking to buy or sell pretty much anything.
Depop is the perfect college side hustle, especially if you have a wardrobe full of clothes you haven’t worn in a year or bags of your mam’s old Tommy Hilfiger polos from the 90s. While it can take a while to figure out your brand and how to get a large following from your Depop shop, you can make real money on Depop. Here are some tried and tested tips for getting the most out of your shop!
Photography
People on Depop will be scrolling through hundreds of items similar to yours looking for the one that they want; clean photos are key to generating sales. Use natural lighting with a clear background to ensure that the item you’re selling is front and centre, not your bed or the pile of dirty clothes on your floor!
In terms of taking the photos, it is generally a rule of thumb on Depop that wearing the clothes is more effective than taking photos of them on hangers; it shows potential buyers how the item of clothing is going to fit and will allow them to visualise it on themselves. You should take close up photos of key elements to the clothes like the label or print, and if there are any imperfections don’t try to hide them; being honest from the start will save you a lot of hassle down the line!
Hashtag Everything
If you are a regular on Depop, this is fairly self-explanatory. Adding hashtags to your product will make it more visible in searches, allowing its reach to grow. Popular tags people search for include Y2K/90s/nineties/vintage/retro, as well as descriptions of the clothes themselves; corduroy/black/dungarees/denim/crop… the list is endless!
Description
When describing your item, keep it brief while being as informative and accurate as you can. The image will do a lot of the heavy lifting, but keep in mind the information a buyer needs prior to purchasing; size, material, quality of the item, the fit, measurements and any issues with the item. Be sure to include shipping details and let your buyers know if you are accepting exchanges or refunds
Promote Yourself
Regardless of whether you have 5 Instagram followers or 50,000, it’s important to show people what you are selling on your social media. If you consistently upload items to Depop and share your listings on Instagram, Twitter and even Facebook, you will remain constant in people’s minds. This will give people who may not check on their Depop accounts regularly the opportunity to see what you have posted and remind them to check out your page!
Interact with your buyers
Responding to comments and messages quickly is crucial if you want to get sales and snag a good review. The best way to make sure that you don’t miss any potential sales is to keep your notifications on at all times and check your account regularly!
If somebody likes a number of items on your page, it could be a good idea to drop them a direct message to offer them a discount on combined items. Everybody loves a bargain, so they’ll be more likely to take you up on this and be more likely to leave you a positive review after purchasing! Don’t be afraid to reach out to people if they seem interested but haven’t contacted you directly.
While it may take some more time than you would expect to get the ball rolling, if you think smart, use the right tools and promote yourself effectively, Depop could become your acres of diamonds. If you have the drive, dedication and the desire to sell fashionable clothes, there’s no reason that you won’t be able to use Depop successfully. Happy selling!