When deciding where to sell your clothes, accessories, and jewelry, it helps to ask a few key questions to make the most of your items. If you're clearing out your closet, consider selling items that are still in good condition, trendy, designer, or in demand.
With numerous resale sites available, choosing the right one can maximize your profits.
Here are the main questions to guide you in finding the best site to sell your clothes.
Matching your clothes to the right resale platform can help them sell faster and for better prices, as each site attracts specific audiences. While some sites, like eBay, accept nearly any type of clothing, many others have restrictions.
For designer brands, The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective are top choices. Both authenticate items to reassure buyers, with The RealReal offering free valuations and Vestiaire requiring pre-approval of photos and descriptions.
If you're selling popular mall brands, ThredUp is ideal for brands like Gap and J.Crew, while Poshmark accepts a broader range, including men’s, women’s, and children’s items. Grailed is great for men’s clothing, especially streetwear and designer pieces, and Tradesy specializes in women’s fashion, with a unique focus on wedding attire.
Some sites cover shipping by sending you a prepaid shipping label or box, while others leave it to you. Material World, ThredUp, and Tradesy provide prepaid shipping materials to simplify the process, with Material World even covering returns for unaccepted items. Vestiaire Collective covers shipping after a sale, while The RealReal offers free pickup if you have at least 10 items and live in an eligible city.
Only a few sites, like eBay, require sellers to manage their own shipping, which aligns with its DIY approach.
Some sites require you to manage your listings, while others take on most of the work. If you're comfortable creating listings and sharing on social media, Poshmark and Refashioner are DIY-friendly options. ASOS Marketplace lets you run a boutique with at least 15 items, making it best for frequent sellers.
For a hands-off experience, ThredUp and The RealReal handle everything from photographing to listing and selling your items. Vestiaire Collective offers a mix, requiring you to submit photos and descriptions but handling the rest. Tradesy strikes a balance: you create the listing, then they manage the shipping.
Some sites hold onto your items, while others let you keep them until they sell. ThredUp and The RealReal manage unsold items differently; ThredUp donates unaccepted items unless you pay $12.99 for return, while RealReal returns items after one year, at your expense, or donates them. Material World stands out by returning unsold items at no cost.
Commissions vary widely. Full-service sites generally take a higher cut, while DIY platforms charge less. ThredUp may take up to 95% for lower-priced items, though higher-value sales can have as little as a 20% commission. The RealReal charges between 30-60%, depending on the item's value. Vestiaire Collective charges $25 for items under $70 and takes 18-33% of the sale price.
For lower commissions, Poshmark charges 20% for sales over $15, while Tradesy and eBay charge around 10-14.9% for most items, and Grailed keeps it at 6% plus PayPal fees.
Payment options vary, from bank transfer and PayPal to store credit. Poshmark offers bank transfer or check, ThredUp and Material World offer PayPal or a prepaid Visa, and Material World provides store credit. If choosing PayPal with Material World, note there’s a 15% fee reduction. Refashioner stands alone by offering swap credit instead of cash, fostering a vintage-loving community.
With so many resale sites available, there’s no reason to let your pre-worn clothes, accessories, and jewelry gather dust.
Whether you prefer a DIY approach or full-service selling, these platforms make it easy to turn your old garments into cash.
