Thrift shopping used to be considered the land of the brave, intrepid and olfactory-dulled seekers of fantastical bargains. Shoppers searched, hoping to unearth a priceless gem they could pick up for cheap. Some travel far and wide to scour thrift shops in cities with the best reputation for abandoned treasures.
Fortunately for those selling gently used clothing, and those buying said clothing, online stores for thrifting have flourished, leveling the playing field and making the hunt more refined and infinitely more satisfying.
With a focus on sustainable products and ethical fashion practices, many want to be more responsible consumers, extending the life span of gently used clothing, shoes and accessories, instead of purchasing new ones. Is it more economical to shop at resale clothing sites? Sure. Is it still exhilarating to find a treasure at half the original price? You bet.
Everyday Online Clothing Resale Stores
1. Lululemon
Just this last April, Lululemon unveiled their “Like New” section, and fans have been loving it. Lululemon’s Like New takes your old Lulu gear and refreshes it to sell to someone else. You receive instant store credit, depending on what item they accept. There’s no selling, shipping or haggling. The only caveat is the merchandise has to be in good condition to be eligible for a trade-in. Lululemon invests 100% of its Like New profits into its sustainability initiatives.
How To Sell at Lululemon
- Gather up your old Lululemon gear you don’t want anymore.
- Bring your stuff to any Lululemon store in the U.S. Note: Outlet stores can’t accept trade-ins.
- Once it’s looked over, you immediately receive an e-gift card that’s redeemable at any Lululemon store and at lululemon.com. You can take home anything the store doesn’t accept.
2. ThredUP
Besides shoes, jewelry, accessories, children’s clothes, and maternity wear, online thrift store thredUP specializes in selling everyday brand name clothing (value, mall, premium and designer). Brands can include Vince, Frye, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lululemon, and Prada, to name a few.
Not unlike brick-and-mortar resale shops, thredUP accepts merchandise on consignment, meaning they hold on to the clothing, list it on their site and pay you a portion when the item sells. The retailer usually only accepts merchandise that’s less than two years old, but it depends on the brand. ThredUp has a Payout Estimator and Consignment Timeline to give you a rough idea of how much you might make.
How To Sell on ThredUP
- Set up a thredUP account, request a “Clean Out Kit,” gather up your clean, gently used clothes and send them on their way with the prepaid label included in your kit.
- ThredUP determines the price, however, you have some flexibility in adjusting it.
- Your payout percentage increases with an item’s price. It can range from 3% to 15% for lower-priced brands, 60% for mid-priced brands that sell within 30 days, and as much as 80% for premium and designer brands that sell within 45 days.
- ThredUP transfers the payout to your bank or PayPal account. Or, you can use the credit for shopping on the site. Note: There’s a waiting period for collecting your payout, which allows for the buyer to return your item.
- If thredUP doesn’t accept your items or they don’t sell, the retailer will recycle your items, unless you request they’re returned. In that case, you pay for the postage.
Online Luxury Clothing Resale Stores
3. The RealReal
At The RealReal, you’ll find fine jewelry, luxury watches, luxury clothing brands, as well as designer shoes. Luxury designers can include Tom Ford, Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci and Valentino.
The RealReal offers three ways to sell your luxury goods. You can consign, which earns the highest commission, trade your items to receive store credit, or sell your items to them straight away.
How To Sell on The RealReal
- Set up a RealReal account, schedule a pickup, ship or drop off your designer items.
- The RealReal determines your item’s price based on an algorithm factoring in current market trends, resale value and condition.
- Payout percentages increase with the amount of the sale. If your total is under $1,500, the commission is 55%. If your item sells for between $1,501 and $9,999, then your commission is 60% and if the sale is over $10,000, your commission is 70%.
- After your item sells, you can opt to receive payment from The RealReal by direct deposit, store credit or check. Items that don’t sell within 365 days can be returned to you at The RealReal’s cost or donated to a charity of their choice.
4. Vestiaire Collective
Vestiaire Collective is at the high-end of online fashion resale stores and cannot really be called a thrift site as it squarely targets the luxury market. The retailer features designer clothing, vintage items, handbags, watches, jewelry, and more. Brands can include Hermès, Loro Piana, Lanvin, Dior, Chanel, and Alexander McQueen.
Vestiaire Collective bills itself as a global marketplace with international offices and worldwide shipping. Because it deals in high-ticket items, they work differently than most resale stores. You’re responsible for everything: photographing, writing a description, pricing the item, and holding onto it. Once it sells, you ship it to Vestiaire Collective for authentication and processing before they send it to the buyer.
How To Sell on Vestiaire Collective
- Download the Vestiaire Collective app, snap your photos, write a description, price your item and wait for a buyer.
- If it sells, you send it to Vestiaire Collective for authentication and processing before they ship it to the buyer.
- Vestiaire Collective charges 20% for items sold for $500 or more. Within 24 hours after your item is authenticated and shipped to the buyer, payment is available in your PayPal account.
Online DIY Resale Store
5. Ebay
Online thrifting became a big thing thanks mostly to eBay. The online marketplace filled the need people had for taking their garage sales online for a far wider reach. Today, shoppers can buy and sell designer handbags, Apple products, jewelry and watches, bikes, and more.
How To Sell on eBay
- Sign up for an eBay account with a verified address. After you’re verified, you can start selling.
- Upload your photos, write a description, set the duration of your listing and price your item.
- Choose either an auction style, a fixed price or a “Buy It Now” listing. Then wait for your product to sell.
- The first 250 listings are free per month, then eBay charges $0.35 per listing thereafter.
- Ebay charges a final value fee when your item sells based on the percentage of the total amount of the sale, plus $0.30 per order. It varies depending on the category.
6. Poshmark
Poshmark operates differently from both thredUP and The RealReal. In fact, it’s a selling model similar to eBay or Etsy. The expansive selection is practically limitless — from jewelry and shoes to make-up and handbags. Similar to eBay, you do most of the work, but Poshmark acts as the intermediary once it sells. They give you a prepaid label to ship the item; they collect the money and then disperse your proceeds.
How To Sell on Poshmark
- Set up a free Poshmark account and download the app. Just snap photos, write a description, name your price, push a button and wait for someone to buy it. All sales at Poshmark are final.
- Poshmark charges a $2.95 flat fee for items under $15. For merchandise over $15, Poshmark makes a 20% commission fee.
- After the buyer receives their item, your money (minus the Poshmark fee) is available through the Poshmark app.
Online Kids Clothing Resale Store
7. Kidizen
Kidizen sells gently used and new clothing for kids and mamas-to-be. Brands can include Baby Gap, Alice & Ames, June and January, Abercrombie, Freshly Picked, and Mini Melissa. Kidizen is a resale site, not a consignment site.
How To Sell on Kidizen
- Download the Kidizen app, snap your photos, write a description, price your item and push the button.
- Fees for selling on Kidizen are pretty straightforward: 12% of the selling price and a $0.50 marketplace fee, which doesn’t include shipping. Kidizen determines the shipping cost, sends you the label and then will deduct the amount from your proceeds.
- After your item sells, use the Kidizen shipping label and ship it. Your money (minus Kidizen’s fee) is available in seven days. Note: Buyers can receive a refund if you don’t ship the item within seven days.
The post Buy or Sell Your Fashion at These Online Resale Clothing Stores appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
