Whether you're looking to make some extra cash by selling your unworn clothes sitting in the closet or aiming to turn flipping second-hand clothing into a full-blown business, this guide will show you how to become a successful clothing reseller.
We’ll walk you through everything, from choosing the right marketplace to sourcing inventory, creating compelling listings, and maximising profits. So, let's get started!
Selling clothes online can be a profitable side hustle or full-time business, depending on your approach.
Choosing the right marketplace is crucial for success—eBay, Depop, Vinted, and more all have unique audiences.
Sourcing creatively and cost-effectively increases profit margins.
Using a tool like Vendoo will streamline your reselling process, allowing you to crosslist and manage your inventory across platforms effortlessly.
Consistency in listing, activity, and customer service is key to thriving as a reseller.
Selling clothing may seem like hard work, and to be fair, it is—but it's not difficult, just tedious. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you sell more efficiently.
You might also be interested in the article How to Flip in the UK.
Choosing the right marketplace is your first big decision. There are so many platforms out there: eBay, Depop, Vinted, Whatnot, Etsy, Vestiaire Collective, and more. Some, like eBay, let you sell pretty much anything, while others, like Etsy, are more niche—perfect for vintage or handmade fashion.
Take a moment to think about what you’re selling. Are your items trendy and youthful? Try Depop. More high-end and vintage? Vestiaire Collective or Etsy might be your best bet.
Did you know that with Vendoo, you can list on multiple platforms at once with just a few clicks? No more wasting time entering your details over and over!
You might also be interested in 6 Best Second-hand Selling Sites in the UK in 2024.
To be a reseller, you need clothing to resell! To keep the money coming in, you’ll need a steady stream of inventory. Here’s how to source creatively and cost-effectively.
Finding valuable stock can be difficult. Be prepared to dig through racks, scour online listings, and even ask friends and family if they’ve got things they no longer want. The cheaper you get your stock, the higher your profit margins!
For those after brand-new items, retail arbitrage—buying goods at clearance prices to resell at full value—can be a smart move.
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create accounts on the platforms of your choice. This usually takes just a few minutes, but be ready to enter banking information and verify your identity.
Great photos can make or break a sale. Aim for clear, well-lit, high-resolution images.Shopping is a psychological experience, and you want your items to be as appealing as possible.
Consider these photography styles:
💡Tip: Vendoo has integrated with PhotoRoom, allowing you to remove backgrounds and enhance your images in bulk, creating perfect, attention-grabbing photos with minimal effort.
Your listing descriptions should be as detailed as possible, with SEO (search engine optimisation) as your top priority. This means using relevant keywords to ensure your items appear in as many searches as possible.
Imagine you’re selling without photos—buyers should be able to visualise the item clearly just from your description alone.
Did you know that most sales don’t happen by chance or casual scrolling? The majority of sales are the direct result of a buyer's search, and your listing showing up in those results.
Be sure that your descriptions are actually descriptive! The best descriptions include the item, style, brand, size, condition, material, and measurements, as well as style descriptors, including colours and patterns, sleeve types, necklines, rises, hems, lengths, and keywords!
✔ Title
✔ Item Name & Style Number
✔ Brand
✔ Size
✔ Condition
✔ Age
✔ Measurements
✔ Materials
✔ Style Type
✔ Colours/ Patterns
✔ Sleeve Types/ Necklines
✔ Rises/ Hems
✔ Keywords/ Tags
✔ Occasion (Casual, Formal, etc)
This list will help you to draft powerful listings to attract more buyers!
💡Tip: Learn everything you need to know about SEO in the article Guide to SEO and Keywords for Resellers.
Pricing is one of the most important factors in determining your success as a reseller. To set the right price, you need to do your research and check comps (comparables)—this means looking at how similar items have been priced and, more importantly, what they've sold for on the marketplaces where you’re selling.
To get an idea of market value, search for the same or similar items on your chosen marketplaces, like eBay, Vinted, Depop, or Etsy. Be sure to filter by sold listings rather than just looking at active listings. It’s easy to see a lot of items listed for high prices, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually selling for those amounts. Sold prices reflect what buyers are genuinely willing to pay, which gives you a more realistic idea of the market value.
💡Tip: It also helps to take a look at other active listings- your current competition- when deciding a listing price.
If you’re struggling to find comparables or just want to streamline the process, you can also use tools like Google Lens on Google Photos to find items similar to yours, making it easier to gather pricing information quickly.
💡Tip: The eBay Price Checker tool in Vendoo displays valuable pricing information directly from eBay’s Product Research Tool. View the average listing price (ALP) and average sale price (ASP) for similar items right in Vendoo for faster listing!
By doing your research and setting competitive, strategic prices, you'll increase your chances of selling quickly and profitably.
List, manage, and grow - all in one place with Vendoo!
You’ve taken photos, written detailed descriptions, and set your prices—now it’s time to list your items! Be meticulous when filling out your listing fields, and don’t skip any sections, especially those that are searchable or filterable by buyers. Every bit of information you provide helps make your item more discoverable, increasing the likelihood of a sale.
By ensuring your listing is as detailed and complete as possible, you maximise the chances of your item appearing in search results and being bought quickly!
Reselling requires constant activity to maintain success. If you think you can just list an item and sit back, waiting for sales to roll in, think again. The key to maximising sales is to stay active and engage with your platforms daily. The more effort you put in, the more sales and visibility you’ll achieve.
List New Items Regularly: The more listings you have, the more chances you have to make a sale. Aim to list new items daily or at least consistently throughout the week. This gives buyers more options and keeps your profile active in the eyes of marketplace algorithms.
Relist Stale Items: Older listings can sometimes get buried, and you might notice items sitting in your shop for weeks without any interest. Don’t let them collect digital dust! Relisting stale items gives them a fresh boost in visibility. Many platforms treat relisted items as new, pushing them up in search results, which can lead to more views and sales.
💡 Tip: Vendoo makes this process even easier with its bulk delist and relist feature. Instead of manually relisting items one by one, you can refresh multiple listings in just a few clicks. This ensures your inventory stays visible and doesn’t fall into the abyss of forgotten listings.
Respond to Comments & Questions Promptly: When potential buyers ask questions or leave comments on your listings, respond quickly. Engaging with your audience not only helps build trust but also signals to the platform’s algorithm that your shop is active and worth promoting.
Drop Prices to Attract Buyers: If an item hasn’t sold after some time, consider lowering the price. Even a small price reduction can reignite interest and push your listing up in search results. Many platforms, like Poshmark, notify followers when an item’s price drops, making it an effective strategy for grabbing attention.
Promote Your Items: Most platforms offer ways to boost visibility, whether through promotions, sharing listings, or even paid advertising. On platforms like Depop, sharing your items to followers and using trending hashtags can drive more traffic to your shop. Poshmark allows you to promote your closet by sharing your items to "Parties," which are themed events that bring together like-minded buyers.
Send Offers to Likers/Watchers: One of the most effective ways to make sales is by sending private offers to people who’ve shown interest in your items. Platforms like Poshmark, eBay, and Vinted allow you to send discounted offers to likers or watchers. This tactic often converts window-shoppers into buyers, especially if they’re already considering purchasing your item.
Success in reselling is directly proportional to the effort you invest. The more you list, relist, promote, and engage with your buyers, the more sales you’ll make. Daily activity keeps you in the spotlight and ensures that your items regularly appear in searches rather than getting lost in a sea of competition.
So, if you’re serious about reselling, don’t treat it as a passive income stream. Be proactive, stay engaged, and watch your sales grow!
Shipping can seem daunting at first, but once you get into the routine, it’s straightforward. The key to success is being prepared and shipping promptly, as buyers appreciate fast and reliable service.
Ship Promptly: Aim to ship within 24-48 hours after a sale. Quick dispatch improves your reputation and helps maintain a positive seller rating. Many platforms reward faster shipping with better visibility and higher customer satisfaction.
Have Packaging Materials Ready: Always keep packaging supplies on hand, including poly mailers, bubble wrap, sturdy boxes, and packing tape. Being prepared means you can dispatch items as soon as they sell without any delays.
Packaging Matters: Thoughtful packaging can make a real difference. Wrap items carefully and consider adding a personal touch like a thank-you note. This not only protects your items but also leaves a good impression on buyers, increasing the likelihood of repeat business.
Know Your Platform’s Policies: Each platform has its own shipping rules and options. For example, on eBay, you may need to weigh and measure parcels to create accurate shipping labels. Make sure you understand the shipping requirements and costs on your chosen platforms.
By shipping promptly and having the right materials ready, you’ll create a smooth experience for buyers, boosting your reselling success.
You need to know your numbers. Track your expenses—cost of goods, platform fees, shipping costs, and, of course, your profits. The last thing you want is to get stuck with a mess of receipts when it comes time to organize your business materials. Thankfully, Vendoo helps to organise much of the information you will require to analyse your business.
Vendoo’s business analytics features help you keep track of profits, fees, and sales across multiple platforms, making bookkeeping a breeze!
To scale your reselling business, efficiency is key. Batch work whenever possible: photograph multiple items at once, then list them in bulk. You’ll find that focusing on one task at a time—rather than jumping between tasks—saves you loads of time.
Also, use time-saving hacks like text replacement to fill in common phrases quickly while drafting listings.
Vendoo is designed to help you work smarter, not harder, by simplifying the cross-listing process and managing your inventory across platforms.
Vendoo takes the tedium out of reselling. You can list items across multiple platforms, manage your inventory, delist stale items, and even edit your photos—all from one place! Whether you’re a casual seller or running a reselling empire, Vendoo’s tools make it easy to sell more efficiently.
Vendoo lets you list items on multiple marketplaces like eBay, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Facebook, and Whatnot with just a few clicks. No more repetitive manual entry—Vendoo centralises your listings, saving you hours.
Keep track of your inventory in one place. Vendoo helps you organise listings, track sales, and manage stock effortlessly, giving you full control.
Refresh old listings in batches with Vendoo’s bulk delist and relist tool. This boosts visibility for stale items and can lead to more sales.
Vendoo integrates with PhotoRoom, making photo editing simple. Remove backgrounds and enhance images quickly, ensuring your listings look professional.
Track sales, profits, and fees with Vendoo’s business analytics dashboard. Understand your performance and make data-driven decisions to grow your business.
Save time, work efficiently, and sell more with Vendoo. Sign up today and take your reselling business to the next level!
Becoming a clothing reseller is an exciting and rewarding journey. With the right strategy, consistent effort, and tools like Vendoo, you can grow your side hustle into a thriving business. Time to get listing!
If you have any reseller tips and tricks, share them with us below! 👇🏽