It’s about three months into social-distancing, and I’ve just about gone through all the stages: missing friends, baking bread, Zoom birthday parties, and perhaps some excessive spring cleaning. Now approaching summer, and with thrift-stores and donations sites still closed, I’m going to guess you’re like me, with a trash bag of clothes sitting in the corner of your room with “DONATE” written on it.
As someone who desperately misses spending countless hours sifting through thrift store racks, I’ve personally taken to online thrifting to fill the Levi-jean shaped hole in my heart. It got me thinking — I’ve got some name brand, nice clothing in that trash bag. While my local Goodwill is closed, why not try to sell the pieces and make a little bit of extra money?
For someone with a bit of a unique fashion sense, Depop is my best bet. Depop is an online shopping site that combines all the funky, once-in-a-blue-moon thrift finds with the layout of Instagram. In fact, if you’re on Instagram you will have no problem figuring out the Depop app. Shop owners sell their own products on their profiles, where listings are posted through a series of photos that are open to likes, comments, and personal messages. The app is particularly popular with Gen Z and high school students, so if you have some extra Urban Outfitters or Brandy Melville clothing you’re looking to get rid of, Depop is the perfect place.
Get creative with your photos.
The article of clothing should be the center of the photo, and make sure your images are clear and well-lit. Play around with different backgrounds, because a little bit goes a long way in terms of backdrops — a simple white sheet or your bright pink childhood bedroom walls could be just the trick. You can also step outside for some natural lighting and pose in front of a white, colored, or brick wall as well.
Another great way to spice up a boring photo is to layer props. Some popular objects include plants, accessories (sunglasses, jewelry, shoes), or even furniture.
Be smart about what you sell.
Before you start listing, scroll through the Featured page on Depop and observe what others are selling. Y2K (the year 2000) style is very popular on the app, which is a style-resurgence of 2000s inspired clothing. So if you have any graphic tees, chunky sneakers, or low-rise jeans you’ve been trying to get rid of, definitely give them a list with the hashtag #Y2K.
Other valuable listings include popular name brands for Millennials, Gen X, and Gen Z. These include Urban Outfitters, Levi, Madewell, Free People, J Crew, and Unif. Old, discontinued clothing from these brands can occasionally be considered “rare,” so make sure you do your research on that old Brandy Melville tank before you list.
Don’t forget to tag!
Hashtags and tags are incredibly important in sharing your products. However, notice that there is a difference between adding hashtags to a post and adding tags to a post.
Some hashtags to give your post a little more traction are #Y2K, #vintage70s, #vintage80s, #vintage90s (etc), #depopseller, #depop, #vintagefashion, #vintageclothing, #vintagestyle. Again, look through your Depop featured page and look at what other trending sellers are hashtagging.
You may also include a tag section in the description of your listing, which can then include tags without hashtags. This is where you include more descriptive aspects of the listing and keywords. For example, some tags of a graphic tank top could include similar brands to the one posted (like Brandy Melville Free People), and descriptive words (tank top pink cheetah print lace trim).
Be active.
If you follow the above steps, you will start to slowly see messages, likes, and comments come in. Be an active shop owner, keep your notifications on, and check the app regularly.
A helpful tactic is to message those who have liked your listings to check their interest and offer to answer questions regarding the listing or take offers if the listed price is too high for them. Alternatively, when you begin to receive messages regarding your products, make sure to message back quickly to not lose interest.
Note in the bio of your shop if you invite negotiations, bundles (grouping together a few listings for one price instead of multiple for a buyer), and swaps (trading products with other sellers).
You can also help your shop grow even more by liking other products and following other shop owners. Depopers love to support one another!
Know your worth, but don’t get too pricey.
Some Depop sellers have a tendency to charge the same price, if not more, than if the product was new. Make sure to not over-price your items, but notice when you have something worth more value than others. Do your research, you may have a rare item in your closet that you didn’t know about! You can price as high as $200 for a rare product. However, don’t charge someone $70 for a used pair of Fila sneakers.
See what others are posting for similar products and base your prices off that, and make sure to account for shipping and fees taken off by Depop.
So, time to dump out that trash bag of clothes and take another look at what’s in there. What are you going to list?