We’ve all been there; staring into the depths of our closet with an abundance of clothing displayed before us and out of our mouth stumble the words, “I have nothing to wear.” unworn clothing takes up valuable space and while donating items to a thrift store or Goodwill is admirable, you’re still left with nothing to wear. But what if you could use your unwanted clothing to revitalize your closet or make an extra pocket change? Have you heard of buy and sell fashion apps?
Resale websites and stylish fashion apps are the newest and simplest solution to this age-old problem; just upload photos of the items you want to sell and wait for the offers to start rolling in. For all of you budget-conscious fashionistas and opportunity seekers, let me introduce you to these 5 stylish fashion apps.
Saving and making money with these 5 stylish fashion apps
Poshmark
Available for iOS and Android devices, Poshmark lets you link your profile with your other social media accounts and connect with current friends. Unlike some of its resale counterparts, Poshmark allows users to create closets, which fellow shoppers and buyers can follow. The additional social feature, “Posh Parties,” gives friends the ability to bunch their influence and following to sell items from their individual closets as one.
Most of the items listed in the app are marked down nearly 70% from their original price and brands range from high-end designers like Gucci to budget stores such as Forever 21. However, Poshmark does supply sellers with prepaid, pre-addressed United States Postal Service shipping labels, thus saving vendors the money they would otherwise spend if they were selling their products individually.
SnobSwap
Reward yourself for clearing out the clutter, sign up with SnobSwap to receive a coupon for 10% off your first purchase. SnobSwap does allow sellers to post and sell their items in the same, traditional manner as Poshmark. The application also lets users trade items without exchanging money. Unfortunately, SnobSwap does not cover shipping fees, but they do allow sellers to include the shipping price in their listed selling cost. If you’re new to the resell game, no fear, SnobSwap preaches six steps to resell success:
Accurate descriptions
Include details you would like to know if you were buying the item such as dimensions of a bag. Disclose even the slightest damage or wear to avoid disappointments. Please refrain from posting items that you would be embarrassed to trade with a friend.
Be descriptive
Provide a descriptive title by including the type of item, brand, size, and color to allow our search engine to pick up your item when members run their searches. For example, CHANEL Large Jumbo Black Caviar Leather Purse! Think about what words you would use if you were searching for your item. If the item is new or new with tags, please also include that in your title.
Price to sell
Increase your chances of selling your pre-loved item, we suggest a listing price that is 70% off the purchase price. Our price suggestion will also suggest a price during the listing process. See below for more details.
Take GREAT photos
Use clear, close-up photos of your item against a white background in natural light so members can see important details. Please post a minimum of 4 photos. The more photos, the more likely a shopper will buy your item. You can post as many photos as you like. Please contact us for photo tips and guidelines.
Ship it
Shipping within your promised handling time or earlier will keep you in good standing with other members. We highly encourage shipping within 1-3 days. After a sale is confirmed by you and processed, you will receive your buyer’s shipping information. You can enter your tracking number here to update your account. Once you enter your tracking number, your buyer will be notified.
Communication is key
Be responsive to questions. Be as pleasant and polite as you would want to be treated.”
The RealReal
Another website that encourages seller participation by offering new members a first purchase discount, The RealReal’s gives registers a $25 credit. unlike the latter two applications, The RealReal determines the price that users choose to sell using an algorithm that takes into consideration the designer, item type, age, and condition. Despite the seller’s inability to set their own price, they can earn up to 70% of the sale price once an item is sold.
The company covers shipping costs-that is if you choose to ship. In select cities home pickup is offered and an employee will come directly to your house to pick up the unpackaged item; your only responsibility, literally, is to answer the door. This website is designed with designer and luxury items in mind, so if you’re looking to get rid of you $30 H&M dress, this platform is not the choice for you.
Thredup
Thredup boasts the most convenient tools for interested sellers, including a Payout Estimator that calculates how much an item is worth and its returning profit, and their trademark Clean Out Kit. The company will mail you an empty kit and all you do is fill it with any unwanted clothing, seal it, and leave it for your postal service to pick it up. It’s that easy!
Any profits from sales can be used for credit on Thredup purchases, donated to a charity, or transferred to PayPal for cash. Unfortunately, the company determines what they will and will not sell from your Clean Out Kit. On average they only accept less than 40% of items since clothes must meet their D.O.T. criteria (defect-free, on-trend, and top brands). However, unwanted items don’t go to waste. You can opt for Return Assurance and the company will mail back your unwanted clothing, otherwise, they will pass on the clothing to be recycled by a third party into items such as carpets and pillow stuffing.
Vinted
Very similar to Poshmark in both appearance and functionality, Vinted lets users upload photos of their unwanted clothing and determine selling prices. One of my favorite stylish fashion apps Vinted is entirely free for sellers and the company covers shipping costs, which means 100% of profits go to the selling party.
