Selling what you already own can be a great way to raise the funds for a rainy day or that special wedding you’ve always wanted. Many people sell clothes online from home to make decent money. Some people have even turned re-selling into a full-time job because they realise just how profitable it can be. You can even sell other peoples goods and take a percentage from the sale price.
We all have owned items of clothing that we have only worn a few times, or annoyingly missed the return window, resulting in a selection of clothes that aren’t suitable. The benefit of reselling is that you can recoup some of the losses, or even make a bit of profit if you originally bought for a good price.
Wardrobe space is valuable. If a piece of clothing you never use is taking up space, it’s well worth trying to list it on a marketplace, for someone to buy and appreciate more.
Table of Contents
Should I only buy clothes on sale?
The best time to buy clothes is when they are on sale. I always buy items of clothing as seasons and old collections ends. This guarantees profit if I end up selling it later on. or at least breaking even. Sometimes you can save up to 70% shopping this way. Buying clothing on sale usually means it’s going to be discontinued and eventually sold out everywhere – making it rarer. This means the resell value will be higher if you can find the right person who loves it and can’t get it anywhere else. Someone will pay top price for it, it may just take a while. Many people buy or upcycle existing furniture – modifying furniture slightly or changing its purpose. There is no reason why this cannot be done with clothing.
Should I gather up all the items I want to sell?
Yes, look through your wardrobe, sell clothes online from home. It’s likely that you will find a few pieces, sitting and collecting dust for months, if not years!
It can be hard to sometimes sell an item because of sentimental or Hoarding traits. If this is like you, maybe gather up all the items with a friend or family who can question whether a piece of clothing should stay or go. Also, be honest with yourself as to whether you’ll actually wear it again. If you haven’t worn it for a year, or more, it’s likely you wont wear it ever again.
When you have gathered up what you want to sell, note it down, research the value and fold everything up neatly in different piles. I usually arrange piles by cost.
If you have designer named items that you find are surprisingly valuable, such as an aged old Louis Vuitton handbag, or a Hermès scarf, it would be wise to keep these in a pile away from everything else so you know not to sell it for peanuts.
It’s also good to gather up the clothes that are unsellable. If something is worn down and beyond repair, it’s probably best to donate it or drop it off at a fabric recycling centre.
Is communication key when selling clothes online from home?
It’s good practice to be over-communicative. If you’re a little late with shipping it out, let them know! And even if you’re notified that it’s been delivered, check in with them to make them aware and ask if they’ve received it. The customer service element really helps make one-time buyers repeat ones, and they will likely leave positive feedback.
How do I get paid?
There are many bank accounts and service providers to choose from when it comes to being paid for your goods. Paypal is the most popular choice but there are others such as TransferWise and Payoneer. These companies can also help with currency exchanges should you be selling anything abroad and receiving a foreign currency.
How do I sell clothes online from home?
There are loads of app’s that you could use to sell clothes online from home, but I am only going to suggest the ones I have personally used, or know someone who has. Do your own independent research before putting effort into it and committing. Here are my Top 4 choices.
Just keep in mind that many of these sites take a commission from each sale and fee for each listing. These companies have to make money somehow 🙂
Start listing your clothing online from home
Upload each item of clothing and be specific about each one. When all the items are just a copy and paste job, its a big put off.
Also, be transparent, if you have only worn something once, say so. If your item still has its tags, mention it. Measurements are a must, and listing the materials is very beneficial. Finally, look at the competition, and learn from what you see. This will also help you with figuring out how much to charge.
Start photographing your clothing
Some marketplace apps let you take photos on the platform, but I always suggest taking them normally, this way you can edit them to your liking without having restrictions.
Using the same background and settings for each photograph helps with consistency so your profile looks more professional. If your photographs are not tidy, people will think the same about your clothing.
Many people choose to model the pieces on themselves and friends, this is a great way to help buyers imagine what the item would look like on them. Personally, I just take photos of the pieces flat on an interesting texture or hanging up.
If it’s a relatively recent item, you might be able to find images online that you could use. If you do this though, your pieces should be in a very similar condition to the photograph. Buying items that are in worst condition to the photographs will result in negative feedback on the selling platform.
Always be transparent when you sell clothes online from home. If your garment comes with holes or a few missed stitches, be sure to take photographs of the defects.
Photoshop is a great tool to smooth out wrinkles and adjust the photographs lighting and colour tones if they aren’t accurate. Be transparent and don’t make images look too good to be true, this will lead to disappointment, and returning the goods.
Ship it out.
You made a sale! Congratulations! Now it’s time to print a shipping label, package the item(s) up carefully and send it out to the buyer. Should you need a box, check out your local supermarket and ask to take it. You’ll save money on supplies. Once it’s taped up with the label attached, drop it off or find a courier to pick it up from your home. Finding a courier to pick parcels up is a great idea if you have a few items to post as you won’t have to struggle with the logistics of carrying everything to drop off.
Reasons to sell clothes online from home
- Selling clothing is better than throwing away, it saves landfill space.
- It helps those in need, not everyone can afford new clothes.
- While possibly making money and clearing out space, it can save people money as well.
- It takes energy to produce clothing, selling clothing makes sure that energy doesn’t go to waste.
- Someone else will appreciate the clothes more than you do.
- You missed the return date.
