Sometimes budgeting isn’t enough, especially working with a college student’s income (or lack thereof) or with a starting salary for an entry-level position (and paying astronomical rent in cities nowadays! *eye roll*). So, after this tough realization, it’s time to figure out how to juggle a side hustle while in school or working a full-time job. Your potential solution? Poshmark.
I spoke with numerous college women, including Jocelyn, 23, about their Poshmark side hustle and their experience learning how to sell clothes on Poshmark fast. “In college, I didn’t have time to hold a part-time job, so using Poshmark allowed me to make some extra dough,” Jocelyn tells Her Campus. “I made over $1,200 just by selling some stuff!” Who wouldn’t want to score an extra $1,200 by just cleaning out your closet?
Starting up your own Posh closet requires some old items, a few quick pictures, a thorough description of the item, a price, and boom — press sell! It’s such a great way to earn some additional cash while juggling your busy college schedule between classes and extracurricular activities. “During my freshman and sophomore year of college, I struggled to balance my studies and having a part-time job,” say Sarah, 22. “I decided to sell some old pieces from my closet on Poshmark for quick and easy pocket money. I instantly got hooked on selling.”
Like Jocelyn and Sarah, I decided to take the plunge and open my own Poshmark closet during quarantine and was able to make over a grand in just a few weeks — and I’m going to share all my tips and tricks about how I did it (you can even do it while you’re living on campus!).
Poshmark & Sustainability
Due to COVID-19, all students from my school were sent home in March 2020, forcing me to go back to my parents’ house for the duration of the semester and that following summer. I knew I was moving to a small apartment in Boston and couldn’t take a fraction of the things I still had — from all of my college going-out clothes to all of the things I forgot I even had that were hiding in my childhood bedroom. I decided to start a Poshmark account to resell this stuff I had to get rid of, while also hoping that I could make a decent amount of pocket change before my move.
Meanwhile, I also spent some time learning about fast fashion and its impacts on the environment. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) describes the shocking reality that if nothing changes in the way that the fashion industry is currently producing goods, by the year 2050 (just a short 29 years from now!) the industry will have used up 25% of the world’s entire carbon budget. 25%… just from the fashion industry. If that doesn’t completely terrify you, maybe this other mind-blowing statistic from the UNEP will: A garbage truck’s worth of textiles is dumped into a landfill… every second.
I read this and thought, “What I am going to do about it? What can I do?” I wanted to find a way I could avoid fast fashion and shop more sustainably. There are tons of easy ways to do so, like checking out the Fashion Transparency Index, which lists hundreds of the most popular brands and ranks them based on their social and environmental efforts. But if you’re a Gen Z’er interested in becoming more sustainable, Poshmark is a great first step!
But sustainability aside, let’s get to why you’re reading this right now: making easy money. As Nicole, 22, says, “I love Poshmark because it’s a great way to earn extra cash when money’s tight or when you’re saving for something special.”
Want in? If you follow these tips and tricks, I guarantee you’ll be able to start making Poshmark sales ASAP, making your pockets feel a little heavier and your overstuffed closet a little lighter!
- Sell on poshmark for the right reasons
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This is the most important tip I can give you, and it’s one that goes beyond Poshmark. I’ve seen numerous thrifter Instagram accounts that resell items bought from a thrift store for triple its price. This has generated concern around the gentrification of thrift stores. As reported by Vox, thrifting has become problematic due to these “haulers” buying up secondhand stores for their own profit. Poshmark is not a place for these “excessive shoppers,” as Vox calls them. It’s important to fight against the gentrification of thrifting by practicing the genuine Poshmark selling guidelines.
- Post Quality Photos of you wearing whatever you’re trying to sell
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If people can see how the item fits on your body type and compare it to theirs, they’ll be able to see just from the photos if it’s something they will want to buy. Also, if you style it nicely and show potential buyers that the item is still full of life (even if it’s just a plain t-shirt or something you think wouldn’t typically sell) people will more likely be interested in purchasing. My rule of thumb is to craft each post as if you were going to post it on your Instagram!
- Follow other Posh users until you think your fingers will fall off
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Poshmark is kind of like Instagram — the more people you follow, the more people will follow you back. This will increase the traction your profile has. There is a daily follow limit that not many people know about. Granted, you can follow an absurd amount of people before it blocks you from following anymore for a day or so, but I suggest hitting that limit as often as possible. When someone goes to follow you, there’s a good chance they’ll visit your profile and take a look at what you’re selling. New followers also tend to share your listings, which leads me to my next tip…
- share, share, share
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Sharing is one of the most important tools on Poshmark to make sales quick. Unwritten Poshmark etiquette is if someone shares X amount of your listings, for example, you then go to their profile and do the same. Typically, this will come from newer followers who visit your profile and will share a handful of your items — it’s only fair that you do it back for them!
One thing that makes Poshmark so special is that it provides a sense of community. “I’ve been able to connect with people all over the U.S. who have a similar taste in fashion as me which I think is super cool!” Nicole tells Her Campus. Help support this sense of community by ensuring you’re participating in these little gestures!
- Learn how to use the helpful tabs to your advantage
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Seller Tools: Shipping label settings, the ability to put your closet on “hold,” a complete sales and inventory report, and more. Each feature is extremely helpful when it comes to seeing your progress as a Poshmark seller.
It’s also important to be aware that you can pause your closet by using that “Vacation Hold” feature. You can choose a start and end date where people will not be able to purchase any listings in your closet. Going on spring break? Put your closet on pause. Just want time off from Poshmark? Be sure to pause your closet. The last thing you want is people buying items when you’re unable to ship them (I was caught in this pickle just the other week — don’t be like me)!
Poshmark Stats: What is the total potential value of your closet? What’s your average rating as a seller? Your average ship time? Poshmark tracks all of this data and has it laid out in the “My Posh Stats” tab for you to check out. If you’re a high-rated seller or a fast shipper, Poshmark will even hype you up with green badges for you to see how great of a job you’re doing as a seller!
Sales Tab: This tab is where you can see all of your sales. It also helps guide you through the shipping process with a small, but critical, checklist (print shipping label, pack item, drop off). This is where the status of your packages will be updated, too. You will be notified once your item is scanned and shipped, when it’s delivered, and most importantly, when the buyer “accepts” the item as described and the funds are released to you (see how important photos and an accurate description of an item can be!). All of the tracking info is also provided directly to the Sales tab. This little section is basically a Poshmark seller’s holy grail.
Another awesome part about Poshmark? The shipping is mostly taken care of for you. “I think the best part about Poshmark is that shipping is handled for you! So it’s a huge relief to not have to worry about figuring out logistics in terms of how to send the customer their package,” says Rianna, 20. This makes it that much easier to quickly fold up the items and ship them off at any dropbox or post office near your campus! It’s never too hard to get “Fast Shipper!” badge when Poshmark makes it this simple for its sellers.
I highly suggest taking a look at these tabs to get acclimated to the app as a whole and become familiar with what resources you have to help you make sales!
- Be detailed, thorough, and responsive
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There are three basic, but critical adjectives to keep in mind when it comes to selling on Poshmark: detailed, thorough, and responsive. The more detail you include in a description, the better. The more thorough you are with photos, measurements, descriptions, and tagging, the better.
If someone comments on a post asking a question, be sure to respond in a timely manner! People love Poshmark because it provides a unique one-on-one selling and buying experience. Buyers can truly get a personalized shopping experience — leaving very little up for interpretation. Your buyer should know exactly what they’re getting. No surprises.
- center your expectations
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You likely won’t make a $100 profit on a Michael Kors watch you haven’t actually worn in months. You have to be cognizant about what items you’re selling and how much you paid at the time you bought it, then be aware of what it may be marked down to now.
If something is on trend, you’ll be able to charge closer to the actual price you paid, or even more if it’s something hard to find or sold out everywhere. It’s important to make reasonable estimates for each listing you want to post. Look at the tag on the item for the brand and a possible serial number and do a quick Google search. More times than not, you’ll be able to find the exact listing on the brand’s website.
A pro tip for pricing: Search Poshmark for a similar item (it’s typically easy to find the same item being sold) and see how much that seller is charging. Once you get an idea, you’ll begin to understand what is appropriate. Supply and demand, baby — charge even a dollar less than the same exact listing, and I’m sure yours will be sold first!
Poshmark also has a feature that will generate an asking price range for you. The app can basically look at your item, its brand, and the other information you enter about it, and generate a price range — how convenient!
People are not going to be fooled. Remember: Poshmarkers are smart! They will see right through any tricks a seller tries to pull over on them. Be genuine and willing to negotiate. Poshmark is used for deals! You must be willing to accept you might not sell everything at what you initially would’ve liked, and that’s okay.
- be thoughtful
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Once you make a sale, be thoughtful in your packaging. Make sure the items are washed. Include a nice note thanking the buyer for shopping from your closet. Sometimes I even include free little gifts in my packages. It’s always a goal to have repeat buyers! Buyers also have the opportunity to rate their purchases and leave public notes about their experience. These are important! Highly ranked sellers typically get more exposure and are much more trustworthy. If someone had a fantastic shopping experience with you, they’ll write kind notes which other potential buyers can see. It’s a win-win!
- learn how to bundle
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This is also a critical skill to learn in order to be successful on Poshmark. If someone likes multiple items, create a bundle and send an offer.
Here’s how:
- Visit their profile by clicking their icon with the shopping bag in the top right corner
- Click the three dots in the top right corner
- Click “Switch to Sell View”
- Add their liked items to a bundle by clicking the shopping bag under the listing
…and voila! What’s better than selling one item at a time is being able to sell multiple to one person.
I still use Poshmark today. It’s an easy way to keep organized and make an extra buck for things you would otherwise get rid of. Being a part of the reselling circle makes me feel like I contribute to a larger sustainability cause. It’s also great because you can take a hiatus whenever you need (holiday breaks, for example) and return to selling and managing your closet on your own schedule. Happy Poshing!