How to Sell Business Clothers Online: Poshmark and ThredUp – Corporette.com

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Elizabeth was just mentioning how she’d been having adventures in selling some gently used workwear — so I asked her to write a post about her recent experiences. Readers, what are your experiences with reselling work clothes? Which app or service do you like the best for a mix of ease and ROI? Huge thanks to Elizabeth for kicking off the discussion… – Kat

I’ve worked at offices with a variety of office dress codes over the course of my career. They ranged from a nonprofit where “No overalls” had to be added to the handbook after someone took the “casual” part of “business casual” a little too seriously, to an extremely formal law firm where the unwritten rule was you weren’t allowed to remove your blazer until you were at least two blocks from the building. (No, I’m not joking.)

Because of these wild swings, as well as a few clothing size changes over the years, and a general predilection for online shopping, my closet became overflowing with workwear that wasn’t quite appropriate for what is hopefully my “forever” job. The clothes were in good shape and came from what I would probably consider to be “mid-level” brands, with a handful of upgrades scattered among them.

I decided I was keeping the really good stuff, even if it wasn’t practical anymore!

After calling several local charities and college career services offices, I found that most of them were overflowing with women’s work apparel and not currently accepting donations. Still, I knew these clothes had a lot of life left in them and I wanted to get rid of them in the most responsible way I could.

Next I turned to the online resale market, mostly Poshmark and ThredUp. Overall, I would say it was a success.

I was able to thin out my wardrobe and get my clothes into new hands — but if you’re looking to make real money from selling your unwanted clothing, be aware that the process can be time-consuming and a little bit annoying. 

So, before you get too far into the process of reselling work clothes online, it’s important to consider the value of your time spent during the listing and selling process versus the profit you may (or may not) make.

{related: where to donate, recycle, or sell your used work clothes}

Here are my best tips!

My Experiences Selling Business Clothes Online

How to Make Money Selling Business Clothes on Poshmark

With Poshmark, you post pictures of your items on the website with a price and description. Potential buyers can message you with questions about measurements, flaws, and any other random things that pop into their minds. (People are so weird sometimes.)

Buyers can send you an offer lower than your asking price, and it’s up to you whether you want to negotiate or stand firm. Once you’ve agreed on a price, the buyer purchases the item, Poshmark collects sales tax and shipping fees, and you pack it up and send it to them with a shipping label that Poshmark provides. When the buyer receives the item, they accept it and rate you as a seller on a scale of one star to five stars.

Poshmark keeps a portion of the sale price, and you’re paid within a few days of the buyer receiving their item. 

Overall, I find the process to be somewhat tedious. If you’re selling lots of items, you’re taking dozens of photos, posting them, responding to messages and offers, packing up the items, and bringing them to the post office. It works great for bigger ticket and trendier items but is annoying if you have a wardrobe full of pieces that you’re pricing at $20-25.

You have to handle each transaction separately, and you’re not able to make space in your closet until items actually sell. (I have, however, found Poshmark to be a great option for selling formal gowns and cocktail dresses from my “attending a wedding every weekend” era!) 

What to Sell: For clothing and accessories, you can basically sell anything that’s clean and in good condition. (Beyond that, you can list select home goods, pet items, electronics, and new personal care products. Prohibited items, which you’re not likely to be selling anyway, include things like furniture, illegal goods, and live animals.) Check the Guide to Poshmark page for lots of selling tips and info, as well as the FAQs.

Pricing and Payouts: You can price things however you like and lower the price as needed. If an item sells that’s less than $15, a flat fee of $2.95 will be deducted, and for $15+ items, you’ll get 80%. Buyers pay for shipping, and you’ll receive the shipping label by email. After a buyer accepts delivery, you can be paid via direct deposit, PayPal, Venmo, check, or instant transfer to a debit card.

{related: 5 workwear pieces you need to get rid of ASAP}

Tips for Selling Your Work Clothes on ThredUp

The process for ThredUp is a bit more streamlined. They provide you a bag for you to fill with clothes and send back, and then they take photos and list everything themselves. ThredUp takes a fixed fee for the bag and a percentage of any of sales. Whatever doesn’t sell in a certain time frame (30 or 45 days depending on the brand) is then recycled or donated.

Overall, I found the process to be much easier than Poshmark, because once the bag was out of my hands, my job was basically done. The company says they’re a little bit picky about what they will and won’t accept, but in my experience, as long as you’re sending in high-quality items, a large proportion of your clothes will be accepted. (About 95% of my items were.) 

The payout at ThredUp is also substantially less than you get with Poshmark. I recently sent in a bag with 23 items, mostly in the Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, J. Crew range. All of the items were gently used, but in good condition. There are a few days left on my listings, but 15 of the items have sold so far. I expect that I’ll probably end up making about $100 after fees are deducted. If I had sold those items individually on Poshmark, I’d probably end up with around $300, but with substantially more time and effort.

{related: which are the best clothing rental companies for office clothes?}

What to Sell: ThredUp’s guidelines say they accept women’s (and kids’) clothing in good condition (no pilling, holes, stains, etc.) that has not been tailored and still has size labels. They also take handbags and shoes in good condition, though only in-season styles from popular or upscale brands (e.g., Kate Spade). They won’t take men’s clothing, pajamas, intimates, jewelry, or formal gowns. Check the Selling Guide, which highlights “hot items” to sell, brands with bonus earnings, and ineligible brands, which include H&M, Old Navy, and Target.

Pricing and Payouts: The company prices items using its own algorithms, but you can adjust them slightly before listing — then, your clothing is gradually marked down until it’s sold or your time runs out. The site notes that lower-priced items typically earn 3–15%, while upscale or luxury items can earn up to 80%. Check the pricing & earnings page for more details.

{related: where to rent maternity workwear}

What to Know About Selling Business CLothes in Facebook Groups

While Poshmark and ThredUp are fantastic because they have a system in place to prevent fraud and streamline the process as much as possible, I’ve had some really good luck selling items in brand-specific Facebook groups as well.

{related: how to give your unwanted clothes a second life}

Personally, I’ve bought and sold items in M.M.LaFleur and Anthropologie Buy/Sell/Trade (BST) groups, and I have friends who’ve sold clothes in various “Law Mom Luxury” groups where members buy and sell higher-ticket items. Obviously, you need to be a little bit more cautious with these, but if you have a lot of a specific brand that you’re looking to unload, they might be worth a look.

Readers, do tell: Do you sell your workwear online, or sell other clothing/items? What are your experiences, and would you recommend doing it? Share your selling (and buying!) tips!