This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Selling vintage clothes on Poshmark. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about selling vintage and modern clothes. We're gonna feature a seller of these clothes, a reseller in fact, who uses the online marketplace Poshmark to sell thousands of dollars of clothes each month. Excited to bring you this story.
I know you're gonna like hearing from Alex. Alex, the Poshmark reseller. My name is Chris Guillebeau. You're listening to "Sottos with School." And this episode is part of a feature we call your first thousand dollars, comes out every single Monday. It is in fact true to form, true to description, all about how somebody makes their first thousand dollars.
How do they get to that point? What do they learn along the way? What goes well? What proves challenging? Just a few specific yet action-packed details in a brief episode, all designed to inspire you, get you thinking, perhaps give you an idea for your first or your next side hustle.
I really like to hear from our listeners who are taking action. I'm happy for people to just enjoy the show. That's cool. But it's really, really awesome when somebody is like, oh, I heard this episode or been following for a while and I finally decided to take the next step in my own side hustle or whatever form of economic empowerment, whatever you're up to, whatever project, I just like fun projects, right? So I love people who take action, all that to say.
So let's hear about Alex's first thousand dollars, including some tips for selling on this popular network. [Music]
Hi everyone, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Alex, a part-time clothing curator and full-time thrifting enthusiast based in Austin, Texas. It all started when I was doing some spring cleaning and stumbled upon a pile of clothes that didn't fit anymore or weren't my style. Instead of just donating them, a light bulb went off.
Why not try to sell these items online? I had been using Poshmark to browse and sometimes buy, so I knew the platform pretty well. The process began with me taking photos of my clothing and good natural lighting. I quickly realized that the better the photo, the more attention the item gets. A neutral background in showcasing different angles of the garment work wonders.
After taking pictures, I uploaded them and set a price. Pricing is a bit tricky and it took me some time to figure out the sweet spot. I learned that if you price items too high, they sit longer, but price them too low and you're practically giving them away. The key is to check out comparable items on the platform and set a competitive price. I was thrilled when my first piece sold, a vintage denim jacket I hadn't worn in years.
After fees, I made around $30 off that jacket, which had been collecting dust in my closet. From there, my eyes were open to the potential of resailing clothes. I started visiting local thrift stores and estate sales, hunting for hidden treasures I could flip for a profit. I researched brands that were in high demand and noted the style and sizes that moved quickly on Poshmark. I found that popular trendy brands like Madewell, Free People, and Lululemon tend to have a fast turnaround.
Vintage items, especially band tees and unique pieces, can also fetch a good profit, though they take a little longer to sell. After a few weeks of sourcing, listing, and learning from other successful sellers on Poshmark, I had my first $1,000 in profit. It was an incredible feeling. I had turned my eye for fashion and love for thrifting into a money-making venture. One of the first big wins I had was when I picked up a seemingly ordinary pullover sweater from a local thrift store.
It had an interesting pattern and the $10 price was a bargain. I didn't recognize the brand, but it was made in Italy, so I thought it might have some value. After doing some research, I listed the sweater for $80, hoping for the best. I was shocked when it sold within 24 hours for full asking price. This was my light bulb moment when I realized how profitable reselling could be.
The biggest challenge was time management. Sourcing, listing, packaging, and shipping orders took a lot of time, like a lot of time. But as I streamlined my process, things became more efficient. If you're looking to start reselling clothing on Poshmark, my biggest advice would be to treat it like a business. That means keeping track of your expenses, investing time in good listings, and providing excellent customer service.
Be patient with yourself, and remember that every seller started exactly where you are. And most importantly, have fun with it. It's an exciting journey with lots of learning opportunities. And who knows where it may lead you. [Music]
All right, yes, not every steal is a guaranteed sale.
I remember that from my own days of reselling. Sometimes I would find something that I thought, oh, this is, I've got a great deal. I can buy this for a very low rate. Surely I can sell it for, you know, 2X or 5X or whatever kind of profit margin I'm trying to get. And then I'm discovering quickly, oh, you know, it doesn't matter if something is technically worth something.
What really matters is if there's a buyer willing to pay it. I mean, that's ultimately how you determine the value of something, especially in the world of reselling. It's just really cut and dry there. So lots to be learned there, but I definitely think networks like Poshmark present pretty easy opportunity to just kind of jump in with low risk and experiment and, you know, just see how it goes. If it doesn't work out or you decide you like something better, that's totally fine.
I mean, that's like the definition of low risk, right? But it's also cool because you can see very quickly if it's going to work or not. So it's not just that it's low risk, it's like within a short period of time, you're going to have some very helpful information. Anyway, I appreciate Alex telling us about her first thousand dollars. Listeners, I hope you enjoyed it.
sidehustleschool.com/questions. Today's notes, sidehustleschool.com/2396. And of course you can subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts. It's always free. My name is Chris Guillebeau.
You're listening to "Side Hustle School." [Music]
From the Onward Project.
