Can you actually make money on Poshmark?

By Lauren Kelley
November 3, 2020

I was a full time athlete in high school, which made it impossible for me to get a job during the school year. I needed a way to earn spending money that worked with my complicated schedule.

I didn’t want to drain my bank account of the money I made from working over the summer, so I had to come up with something. I decided to start to sell some of my clothes, shoes and accessories online. After doing some research on some of the popular sites for this kind of business, I settled on Poshmark.

Poshmark seems to be more user friendly than other platforms like Depop or Mercari. Photo from Poshmark

Since creating my account in 2015, I have made nearly $2,000. It’s not much when you consider it’s been over five years, but I would definitely consider myself a well-versed “Posher.” I made my first sale just four days after posting my first listing!

This is my profile on Poshmark. Photo by Lauren Kelley

I found Poshmark to be incredibly more user friendly than its other competing selling platforms. They make it very easy to open up your account and offer an endless amount of tips to help you be successful on their platform. In their “Guide to Poshmark” section, they detail any and every question you could possibly have.

Want to know how to create an eye-catching listing? They’ve got you. Want to learn some of the lingo that the Poshers use? They’ve got you! Any question you could possibly have can be answered in Poshmarks Guide. They do an incredible job of being clear and concise, and they explain everything to a t.

I like that the platform uses personal language. All of their FAQ and Guide sections are written in a way that makes you feel like you are talking with a friend. Poshmark calls their users “Poshers” and our profiles are called our closets. I love this small detail that makes everything feel a bit more personal.

My first listing was a J. Crew dress that my mom was going to donate to the thrift store. I had read in my research that well known brands always do best when reselling clothing online, so I decided I would list the dress.

My first Poshmark listing. Thanks, mom! Photo by Lauren Kelley

I took a clear picture of the dress and a few close-ups of the tags, the design and the silhouette. I learned that buyers always want to see the tags on clothing items to make sure they are authentic.

I listed the dress for $20. I wrote a clear and honest description and made sure to reply to any comments that I got. I received an offer for $18 and gladly accepted! Poshmark sent me a prepaid shipping label, I packed up the dress and brought it to the post office. It was so easy!

Poshmark takes 20 percent of your sales, so I made $14.40. While some users see this as a high percentage, I see it as very fair because I don’t have to worry about buying a shipping label. Anyways, you can always factor this into your listing price. If I wanted to make a full $18 off of the listing, I would have had to list the dress for $23.

Five years ago, the brands that sold well for me were J. Crew, PINK by Victoria’s Secret and American Eagle. Today, my Free People and Urban Outfitters listings tend to sell the quickest. It’s neat to look back at all of my sales over the years and see how the trends and popular brands have changed.

One important thing to remember about reselling items online is that not everything is going to sell fast, or even sell at all. Gently used items or items that still have the tags attached tend to do best on Poshmark. Items with stains, holes or any kind of damage are usually not worth listing.

If you have something new or slightly used that is just gathering dust in your closet, consider reselling! Reselling and using second hand items helps decrease the global textile demand and the waste that comes with it.

Whether it’s an old prom dress, a jacket that doesn’t fit you anymore or a purse you no longer care for- reselling is a win-win for everyone. Consider reselling if you’re looking to make a little extra money while also being environmentally conscious.

Check out my closet at https://poshmark.com/closet/laurkell5

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Lauren Kelley

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