Looking into buying or selling clothes on Poshmark? Here’s what you need to know about this popular site.
Table of Contents
This review is all about Poshmark. Let’s dive in!
What is Poshmark?
Poshmark is a clothing marketplace that allows users to buy and sell both new and secondhand items.
While most of the listings are clothes, you can also find home goods, electronics, and other miscellaneous items on the platform.
Poshmark was founded in 2011, and like many companies at the time, it began its life as a scrappy startup in a garage. Today, the platform has over 80 million users and is one of the largest clothing marketplaces.
How Does Poshmark Work?
Poshmark operates similarly to many other secondhand peer-to-peer marketplaces, so if you’ve used sites like eBay before, then you’ll quickly get the hang of Poshmark.
Buyers browse item listings that can be organized by category. For each item, buyers have the option of purchasing the item outright or making an offer on it.
Poshmark also holds regular virtual shopping events called “Posh Parties.” These are themed events that happen in real-time allowing users to shop, share, and sell items quickly.
Buying on Poshmark
Making purchases is simple enough, but there are a few things that can dramatically improve your buying experience.
The Poshmark interface itself is pretty easy and intuitive, which makes shopping a breeze.
At its core, Poshmark is a search engine, so the search terms you use are quite important.
While you can search broadly by item category, you’ll have better results if you enter specific terms into the search bar.
The more specific your searches are, the more luck you’ll have with finding what you want. For example, “vintage shirt” will net you less accurate results than “vintage long sleeve Ralph Lauren polo shirt.”
You’ll also want to make use of the many filters to refine your search. You can filter by category, brand, size, color, price, and more.
A great way to search is to enter a search term first and then apply any filters you want to use.
Keep in mind that Poshmark’s results aren’t always spot-on. For instance, it’s common for sellers to enter incorrect sizes on their listings. In addition, the search algorithm isn’t especially great, so you might see some tangentially related listings.
Once you’ve found an item you’re interested in, you can take three actions: buy the item, make an offer, or add it to your likes.
If the item you’re looking at is in high demand — or if you just think it’s fairly priced — then you might buy it outright.
If you’re looking for a better deal, you can make an offer on the item. Many sellers will accept reasonable offers, and others will counteroffer to meet in the middle.
If you add the item to your likes, then you may get a private offer from the seller called an “Offer to Liker.” This will vary depending on the seller, and the offers you get will also be different. You can usually expect a sizable percentage off (10% to 15%) and reduced shipping.
Once you’re ready to purchase, you can pay using a credit or debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, or Affirm.
Selling on Poshmark
As you’d expect, selling on Poshmark is pretty similar to selling on any kind of secondhand marketplace.
It’s incredibly easy to list items on Poshmark using the mobile app. You can snap photos, enter information, and write a description all within the app, and it doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
Of course, you’ll want to make sure that your listing has clear photos that display any wear and tear as well as detailed information on the brand, size, condition, etc.
It’s also a good idea to include measurements for the item. You can either take photos of the measurements (i.e., displaying the garment being measured by a ruler), write the measurements in the description, or both.
It tends to be easiest for the buyer if you go the written route, but doing both won’t hurt.
Once people like your listings, you have the option to send out “Offers to Likers” to incentivize them to purchase the liked listing.
You’ll need to drop the price by at least 10%, but you can customize the exact offer. Potential buyers will then have 24 hours to take advantage of the offer on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shipping on Poshmark is surprisingly straightforward. As the seller, you don’t need to worry about shipping — you basically just have to drop off the item at the post office.
The platform charges a flat fee of $7.67 that’s paid for by the buyer, and once an item of yours is purchased, Poshmark will email you a shipping label that you can use.
When it comes to fees, Poshmark will take different amounts depending on how much the total sale is.
For sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat fee of $2.95. For sales above $15, Poshmark takes 20%. That 20% fee is pretty hefty, but it can still be quite lucrative, especially if you’re selling higher-priced items.
There are also a couple of additional steps you can take as a seller to optimize sales and get good reviews.
First, being responsive is crucial. It’s ideal to respond to all comments and messages within 24 hours. Of course, sometimes that’s just not possible, but you’ll want to be as quick as you can be.
Second, including a handwritten thank you note with the order can go a long way. Leaving a handwritten note with your info is also a good way to promote your social media if you have a selling presence on any other platforms.
Poshmark FAQs
Do you still have questions? This section may help:
Is Poshmark a Legit Site?
Yes! Poshmark has been around for over a decade, and it’s a legitimate platform for reselling.
Can You Review Sellers on Poshmark?
Currently, Poshmark only displays five-star reviews with comments using a feature called “Love Notes.” These are shown on the seller’s “About Page.” Unfortunately, this means that no negative reviews are displayed.
Can You Get Scammed on Poshmark?
You can, but it’s unlikely unless you’re shopping for rare or sought-after items. Check out our guide to buying clothes for more info on avoiding scams.
Will Poshmark Authenticate?
The platform’s Posh Authenticate service provides free authentication on items valued at $500 or more. If you ship the item out to Poshmark HQ they’ll authenticate it and ship it back to you.
Is Poshmark Right For You?
Poshmark is a great platform, but it’s not for everyone. Certain people will get more out of it, and it mostly depends on what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking to buy or sell lower- to mid-priced clothes from fairly popular brands, then Poshmark is a great fit. (Browsing the available brands will give you an idea of what’s in demand at any moment).
If you’re wanting to buy or sell high-end menswear, then Grailed is probably better for you.
There’s a larger percentage of higher-end garments on Grailed, and it’s not extremely common to see really expensive stuff on Poshmark. (This does vary by the brand/designer and item category, so it’s worth checking both platforms first).
Poshmark is a solid, legit platform that has a lot to offer, but you’ll need to decide if it’s right for you. If you plan on regularly shopping for secondhand clothes online, then you’ll likely end up browsing Poshmark quite often.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
