A real review & tips from a 7 year Poshmark Ambassador with over $3,000 in sales
We ALL win when someone makes a Poshmark account
In this post we're talking about Poshmark, an app created in 2011 that is making a difference in the lives of women and men, young and old, app users and even those unknowing of it, alike. This user friendly app has simplified the idea of selling and buying items online, making it easy for users to make deals from the convenience of their cellphones. Generating sustainable waves in the world of fashion was an unexpected outcome of the app's success, and a very critical one for the environment we share on a global level. Read on to see just why this is one app that I will never delete from my collection!
Not a get rich quick thing, more a saving the planet thing ♻
So the $3,000 figure caught your atteniton, eh? Well, yes, I made over $3k in apparel and accessory sales on Poshmark over the years, about half of which I withdrew for deposit into my bank, and the other half I spent on other Posher's listings. It's quite nice to recoup SOME of what you paid for something by selling it, and it can be fun, too. Sometimes you might even make more than you paid if you buy a vintage item for cheap and turn a profit, you make the items you sell, or maybe you have been bestowed gifts that don't fit or you will never use. Certainly there is money to be made here, but I've never looked at the app as a get out of debt and never work a 9-5 again type of deal. What Poshmark users are really accomplishing, whether they intend to or not, is a slow but sure curbing of the endless cycle that is fast fashion and utter wastefulness.
Fast Fashion.. like fast food but arguably worse
Fast fashion is, in my own simple terms, the constant and never ending production of extremely unsustainable trendy new clothes made by people that are typically treated very poorly, paid very minimally, and work under bad conditions. We have a new style every year. There's a new trend that's part of the new style. The new style is part of this season's limited release. There's a sale on the new style to make room for the newer style, and the newer trend. Did you get the email? There's 10% off on our new collection, of our new style, and it's super on trend.... Okay, you get it. So meanwhile these unethically sourced fabrics, the questionable manufacturing, and the carbon footprint, it all boils down to a really unsustainable money hungry brainwashing of developed countries at the expense of the environment. Industry leaders created this insatiable need for us to consume what they, the wealthy people, pay really poor people, to make for us, so that they can get a lot wealthier, and they don't care who or what they hurt in that process.
By selling unwanted items in new or used condition on Poshmark instead of throwing them away, you (and your buyers) are saying NO to fast fashion. By wearing whatever we actually like to wear, regardless of the current trends and beauty standards, we are making use of items that have already been made and likely will cost us less than what we would pay for something similar in a store.
"But I have nothing worth selling" *breathes in deeply* LIES!
Would you believe me if I told you that I sold an old Juicy Couture hoodie... for $40. I wore it in 2009, dear reader, 2009. How about a pair of worn men's jeans that my ex left at my place? They sold for $110... Therefore, I can nearly guarantee that you, too, have items worth listing on Poshmark! What's pretty great is, if you decide to download the app using my referral link, I will be able to see you've joined and then share your posts with over 80,200 users that have followed my account since creation. You will also receive $10 bonus for signing up with me, and you can put that money towards a sweet find of your own! My link: https://posh.mk/2fbwO8e4Ymb
By the way, Poshmark is no longer limited to clothing and accessories! Now you can also list perfumes, vases, headphones, you name it. From electronics to household goods, there's many opportunities to make a sale, or a purchase. An apple watch recently sold for $415!
It's not a science, but this is what helps
So the nice thing about the app is that it automatically prompts you to do things that will help you make a sale, but if you're struggling or you're selling things for less than what you'd hoped for, here are a few tips from my experience over the years!
1) Start high. Pricing your items too low can get people wondering what's wrong with them, even if there's nothing wrong and you're just trying to be nice (you're too nice, stop it!) When in doubt, use the price guide that's generated at the bottom of a draft listing and shoot for the higher end of it. This also gives room for you to drop prices later and generate sale emails to users that liked your listings.
2) Don't accept lowball offers! Seems to be self explanatory, but just don't entertain folks sending you $5 offers on a $35 item. There's actually etiquette to offering less that a listed amount - simply put, any offer that is half the listed price or less is a lowball offer, and I suggest you counter offer with the lowest you'll consider for them item, or simply decline. It might take another month, but chances are, your listing will ultimately sell for what you want.
A good example for you: I scored a rare pair of shoes at Goodwill, and I threw them up on Poshmark to try and make a buck, but I took a lowball offer of $18 to make room in my closet. Today, that same shoe is selling for $70+. Learn from my mistakes!
3) Take excellent photos. You only have to photograph an item at a few angles to give the buyer an idea of the true color, condition, and texture. Taking these photos in natural light or really good artificial light is the key to accomplishing this.
4) Describing the item in detail even if the details seem silly can generate more promising traffic to your listing. For example, a user searches "soft white sweater" and your listing is titled "Super Soft White Sweater, New With Tags" it is more likely to show up in the results than had you titled it "Sweater."
5) Share other users listings. When you share another user's listings, they receive a notification in the app, and they will typically share yours in return. Having your listings shared to another profile could be what gets them sold. This has sold at least 10 of my listings over the years.
Need more help or tips? Reach out to me.
I've added a contact form to the main page of this site that readers are welcome to fill out with any questions or comments. I'll gladly respond as soon as I see the message! I am more than happy to help people use any of the things that I recommend on my blog because my goal is to plant these little seeds (small changes) in the world, and nurture them into big trees (a better environment and life for all!)
Future blog: What to do with clothes that have crossed over
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