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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

Do you have that one chair in your room with a pile of clothes on it that you rarely wear or don’t wear at all? Do you have that one pair of pants with the tag still on it in your closet that you say you are waiting for a special occasion to wear, but you know you won’t ever wear it? Don’t just let those clothes sit there! Why not sell them online and make some extra cash?

When I started to sell my clothes, I didn’t know where to start. After doing a huge amount of research, I decided to begin my venture using the app Depop. The app created a simple concept: take photos of your clothes, put a price on it and watch it sell. Before adding my items to my account, I asked some bigger accounts on the app for some beginner’s advice. Luckily, I’ve learned some tips and tricks over time. Here’s how to get started and start making!

Be Professional 

Most likely, customers will ask you questions about products before purchasing them. Be polite! Being polite will make the customer feel excited about the item and might come back to your account to purchase more items.

Make Your Profile Stand Out

The first thing a customer sees when looking at your page is your profile. It is important to make your profile professional or else the customer will think your shop looks sketchy or suspicious and won’t wish to buy anything from your shop. By adding a logo and a brand name to your shop, the customer will want to come back to your profile because of how professional it looks. It will also attract more followers which means more traction to your shop. The picture below is the logo for my shop, COLLEGE KID CLOSET on Depop.

Make Sure Your Pictures are Clear

Using clear and good quality photos, the customer has a good perspective on what they wish to buy. With online shopping, the customer can’t try on clothes which is why the photos provided for the item is critical. Don’t forget the famous saying: a picture is worth a thousand words. When online shopping, customers will buy clothes solely based on how they look. The best photos are taken against white or a light color background, so that all attention goes to the item. Furthermore, lay the item flat on white fabric or sheets. Make sure the lighting is good so the customer can try to see what it looks like in person. Lastly, try to make the photo stand out. I put colored borders around my photos to catch the consumers eye when scrolling on the app as shown below.

Did you know that selling your clothes to another person helps save the environment! In America, most clothes are thrown away which creates more trash for landfills. By vending your clothing, you can make some money instead of your clothing possibly making its way to landfills. What are you waiting for? Stop staring at all those clothes you thought you were going to wear but never did and make some extra cash!

All images provided by the author. 

Sarah is a current nursing student at the University of Central Florida. She loves photography, thrifting, and managing her online store @collegekidcloset which you can find on depop and instagram!
UCF Contributor